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Voters face congressional choice
On Nov. 3 voters in Nebraska’s
1st Congressional District will
choose between 14-year in
cumbent Doug Bereutcr and
his challenger, Lincoln businessman
Gerry Finnegan.
The 1st District contest gives vot
ers at the University
of Ncbraska-Lincoln
a clear choice. One
candidate is a well
financed seven-term
career politician. The
other is a down-to
earth person leading
a grass-roots cam
__paign for Nebraskans.
The two candidates’ financial state
ments as of June 30 provide an inter
esting comparison. Bereutcr, who
accepts money from numerous bank
ing political action committees, re
ported nearly $88,000 in his war chest.
In contrast,Finnegan reported $6,272.
Finnegan, a U.S. Naval Academy
graduate and former Navy pilot, has
an uphill battle ahead of him. Statis
tics show incumbents arc re-elected
96 percent of the lime. Even in an
election year dominated by calls for
change, Bereutcr has a massive ad
vantage.
Finnegan’s name recognition
among 1st District voters cannot
begin to match Bcrcutcr’s. I’d ven
ture to say this might be the first time
many of you have heard of him.
Finnegan represents voters who
arc ready to end congressional
gridlock.
Ljikc many Nebraskan voters, he is
disenchanted with inept government.
Bcrcutcr’s 14 years in office, on the
other hand, have seen the national
debt spiral out of control.
While I won’t place that burden
entirely on the congressman’s shoul
ders, I do fault him for several of his
activities while in office.
Bcrculcr’s most flagrant abuse of
the system involves the use of his
franking privileges.
A recent National Taxpayers Union
study showed that Bereuter ranked
52nd among the 435 members of the
House of Representatives in 1991
mailing costs. During that time
Bereuter sent 1,232,872 pieces of
unsolicited mail to his constituents in
the 1st District.
The tab, which the taxpayers picked
up, amounted to more than $ 157,000.
Bereuter has continued to spend
taxpayer dollars in 1992.
According to the Taxpayers Union,
he spent more than $32,000 on about
250,000 more unsolicited mailings.
It’s important to remember these
figures don’t include legitimate cor
respondence to constituents. When a
Nebraskan calls to voice an opinion,
the reply received is not considered
unsolicited.
Unfortunately, Bereuter used only
one-seventh of his total mailing costs
(about $32,000 in 1991 and the first
quarter of 1992) to respond to con
stituents.
Bereuter’s disregard for taxpayers
docs not end there. He bounced 39
checks with the now-defunct House
of Representatives Bank, while he
was a member of the House Banking
Committee.
If that strikes you as a strange
contrast, I agree.
An average college student has
probably bounced a check or two.
It’s doubtful many have bounced
39.
Students who have floated that
number probably have spent a few
days in jail.
I’ll admit the House bank scandal
probably isn’tcarth shattering. Itdocs,
however, point out a certain arro
gance on the part of Bereuter and
other legislators toward Americans.
Bereuter has also indulged in his
share of free foreign trips. It may have
been standard practice for congress
men in the past, but voters arc fed up
with such abuses of the system.
Finnegan’s altitude toward tax
payer dollars is it)uch more protec
tive.
He favors a constitutional amend
ment to balance the budget, similar to
that used in Nebraska. He knows the
debt needs to be reduced, and he’s
willing to do what it takes to accom
plish that goal.
A letter Finnegan recently sent to
Sens. Rudman and Tsongas illustrates
this goal.
The two have endorsed a recently
formed group called “Lead or Leave.”
The group asks incumbents and chal
lengers alike to sign a pledge promis
ing to halve the budget deficit in four
years.
If the goal is not met, those who
have signed the pledge will not run for
re-election.
Finnegan strongly believes in the
goal of “Lead or Leave.” He plans to
sign the pledge as soon as he receives
it from Rudman or Tsongas.
Balancing the budget is not a par
tisan goal..
Both Democrats and Republicans
are at fault for the situation. Con
gressman Bereutcr, however, has had
14 years to bring about change.
It’s lime for him to step down and
let someone with fresh ideas and a
new perspective take over.
Gerry Finnegan is that person.
Doug Bereutcr may be likable, but
unfortunately he has become increas
ingly arrogant and careless when it
comes to taxpayer dollars.
As a public official, his personal
and business dealings arc subject to
increased scrutiny. Clearly, they have
not always passed muster.
Gerry Finnegan wants change.
He is not intcrcsicd in perks, and he
won’t abuse the franking privilege.
He will work hard to represent Ne
braskans and bring new ideas to Con
gress. He will help cut the federal
deficit in half, or he won’t run for
re-election in four years.
If you’re hungry for governmental
change, consider Gerry Finnegan for
Congress on Nov. 3.
Binning is a second-year law student and
a Daily Nebraskan columnist.
*
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