Our Wish

 

Damn, It's Cold

 

"Smells Bad." You Think!?

 OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — When Republican Jim Pillen becomes Nebraska’s governor next month, one of his first acts will likely be to name his predecessor and biggest supporter to fill an open U.S. Senate seat.

Pillen was elected in November in large part because of current Gov. Pete Ricketts ’ backing, and now he can return the favor by appointing him to the Senate, more than 15 years after Ricketts spent $12 million of his own money on a failed bid for the office.

Even as they acknowledge Ricketts is deeply conservative and qualified to replace outgoing Sen. Ben Sasse, some Republicans aren’t sure such an appointment would be a good idea.

“It looks bad. It smells bad. What it looks like is two rich guys using their money and power to grab a Senate seat,” said Jeremy Aspen, an Omaha Republican and former state party delegate. “This is how authoritarian countries operate, where a powerful few ride roughshod to get what they want. Things like this stay on voters’ minds.”

It's hard to overstate how much Ricketts helped Pillen, a veterinarian and hog farmer, win his party's nomination after a contentious primary race featuring several candidates, including one endorsed by former President Donald Trump.

Ricketts donated more than $100,000 of his own money directly to Pillen’s campaign. Ricketts also gave nearly $1.3 million this year to the political action committee Conservative Nebraska, which ran a slew of attack ads against Pillen's primary opponents, including the Trump-backed candidate, Charles Herbster.

Whoever is appointed to replace Sasse will serve two years before a special election is held in 2024 to finish out the last two years of the term. The person would have to seek re-election in 2026 for another six-year term.

“For the sake of Pillen's nascent administration, Ricketts’ reputation and the wellbeing of the state, they need to consider not doing this,” Aspen said. “Pillen could appoint someone not so tied to him. There are plenty of conservative Republicans in the state that could fill that seat for two years. Then Ricketts could run for it in 2024. Let the voters decide.”

Sasse, who has a new job as president of the University of Florida, is leaving the Senate just two years into his second term. He has had a complicated relationship with Republicans in Nebraska after his outspoken criticism of Trump. He was one of seven Republican senators to vote to convict the former president of “incitement of insurrection” after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.

Ricketts didn't respond to requests to comment on the criticisms surrounding his likely appointment. Pillen issued a statement saying only that he'll be conducting a thorough process to select the best candidate. He's given a deadline of Dec. 23 for those interested in the seat to apply. Ricketts announced his application last week.

“I’ll be looking to appoint someone who embodies the commonsense, conservative values of Nebraska,” Pillen said.

If appointed, Ricketts would step in as one of the wealthiest senators in the chamber with a reputation for using that wealth to back conservative causes and candidates. Ricketts’ put his net worth at about $50 million when he ran for a second term as governor in 2018.

Ricketts has freely used his money to both push his political agenda and to get allies elected to key political seats. In 2016, he spent $300,000 on a successful ballot measure that reinstated the death penalty after lawmakers voted to override his veto and abolish capital punishment. He also donated extensively to conservative legislative candidates, including some who challenged more moderate Republicans who defied Ricketts’ push to keep the state’s death penalty.

In addition to his own wealth, even wealthier family members have often contributed to his and other conservative causes. While Ricketts donated $100,000 to the ballot effort to require Nebraska voters to show a photo ID to vote, Ricketts' mother dropped $1.5 million into the ballot initiative, which voters passed in November. Ricketts’ father, TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts, is worth an estimated $4 billion. This year, according to Open Secrets, the senior Ricketts gave nearly $5.5 million — all to Republican candidates and causes — putting him in the Top 50 political donors for the year.

All that money — especially that spent by the Ricketts family to elect Pillen as Nebraska's newest governor — has the appearance of buying a Senate seat, said Ryan Horn, a Republican political consultant from Omaha. Ricketts' ambition to serve in the U.S. Senate is no secret. In 2006, he challenged then-U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson, a Democrat, but lost badly.

Ricketts would probably be a good senator for Nebraska, Horn said. He would likely vote the way most Republicans in Nebraska would want. But it shouldn't be up to the new governor who owes his political success to Ricketts to fast-track Ricketts to Congress, he said.

“This has the feeling of the fix being in so that they don’t have to really face the voters. It seems that they’re avoiding, as much as possible, a fair fight," Horn said. "The way this is being done is cynical, and cynicism is a mortal threat to democracy.”

Other Republicans don't share that sentiment. Several even advocated the idea of Ricketts appointing himself to the Senate seat if Sasse had stepped down before Ricketts finished out his term early next month.

One of those is Mark Fahleson, a former chairman of the Nebraska Republican Party, who stands by his comments that Ricketts should have appointed himself if he'd had the opportunity because “he’s the obvious candidate for the job.”

“Pete could spend his money on expensive cars and extravagant excursions. Instead, he uses his personal money to promote public policies he believes will help Nebraska and our country,” Fahleson said. “You can disagree with those policies, but I don't believe it's debatable that it's a more thoughtful and benevolent use of his personal resources.”

Pillen's office has not revealed who has applied for the soon-to-be vacated Senate seat, but at least one Democrat has submitted an application: Ann Ashford, the Omaha widow of former Congressman Brad Ashford. Ann Ashford ran unsuccessfully for Nebraska's Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District House seat in 2020.

Ironic Frustration

Western Nebraska is getting hammered with snow, meanwhile here on the farm we are only getting rain, yet the forecast is for cold the rest of the week.

No snow means that the cows are still in the corn stubble with plenty to eat and loafing around.

All news is not good news.  With just 12 days to Christmas we are dealing with our just over one-year-old LG refrigerator which has crapped out.  And it is just over the warranty period for full replacement of parts and labor.  If it is the compressor that may be covered though.

Adding to the inconvenience is the frustrating process of being on the phone numerous times with long waits dealing with LG's so called "customer service."  In addition, after some research, I learned that LG was involved in a class action law suit for selling refrigerators with defective compressors.  There was a settlement where LG was ordered to replace or reimburse consumers for all costs of replacement and extend warranties for an additional five years.  Now it is a matter of back and forth with LG to submit a claim which can be even more grueling than dealing with them on the phone.  😡

The only bright side of this whole saga is that we still have a cheap apartment size fridge we purchased 13 years ago from Menard's which I used as a beer fridge in the garage.  We also have a small economy deep freeze that has not been used for several years.  

Fortunately both started up and are running fine.  Ironic I guess that both of these years old appliances are running much longer than a $2800 new fridge.

Answering Questions - Winter Prep

The nice neighbor farmer did turn the cows into the corn field after all.

He did bring an electric tank heater for the water stock tanks.  We are providing the power for the tank heater in addition to the electric fencer. 

 

He has asked to pay us for the electricity, however I told him I wouldn't have any idea what to charge since it all goes through our meter.  It all works out since he has given us meat in the past.  We enjoy having the cows nearby.

A blog follower has asked some questions and I'm pleased to answer them.

"Bill, when you get a chance, tell us how you prepare yourself for such harsh winters in Nebraska, such as heat for your home, what you do to keep your vehicles roadworthy, what type of insulation with clothes when you are outdoors, snowblowers to clear the walkway around the house, etc. Do you have a snowplow for your private roads? I’ll bet there is a pair of longjohns for sleeping. These stupid questions are coming from a person who has always lived in mild to warm climates. CharlestonSouthern, Summerville, SC"

We haven't had any snow yet this season as in past years (photos below), but we always have to prepare.

The first thing is getting all the vehicles serviced and when parked in the buildings they are each hooked up to a battery tender - aka trickle charger.  I've made the mistake in the past of not using battery tenders and if the battery has any age to it they will freeze solid.  Having reliable transportation is important and of the vehicles here on the farm our pickup is four wheel drive and our Subaru is all wheel drive.  We generally go to town once a week, depending on the weather.

Most importantly I make sure the tractor is serviced and there is extra diesel on hand.  The tractor is our only way of clearing snow to get out.

We also have a pto generator which when connected to the tractor can power our entire house in the event rural public power is out during a storm.  Anymore this is a common seasonal occurrence with ice storms or power lines down.

Our house stove and furnace are run on propane, so when the power does go out we are still able to function with the generator. 

 

The generator also supplies power to the other parts of the house (lights, tv, fridge, etc) and with a back stock of food we are able to get by until the power comes back on.

Winter can be a bugger, especially if it snows.  It requires several layers of clothes when outside and we do whatever we can to make sure we are prepared.  Thanks for the questions.

Right Into Winter Temps

 It looks like we've gone from a mild fall right into winter temps here on the farm.

The nice neighbor farmer has left the cows in the pasture, at least for now.  Grass is getting scarce, so he will either take them home soon or bring some hay.  In keeping with past years my guess is that he will take them home.

Until that happens I've been making sure they have water and with these temps it has become a chore keeping the stock tanks clear of ice.

One alternative would be a couple stock tank heaters, however it doesn't make sense to invest in them if the cows won't be in the pasture much longer.  For now I'll just keep breaking the ice out of the tanks so they have good water.

vote. either or...

 

Still Gouging

Oil Companies Prioritize Buybacks Over Production Gains.

Oil Companies Invest In Themselves

Exxon Mobil announced in Q1 plans to buy back up to $30 billion worth of its shares by the end of 2023. Meanwhile Chevron increased its top-end buyback guidance to $15 billion per year. In Q2, Shell also announced that it has launched a $6 billion share buyback program for Q3.

Autumn

 While the country seems to be going to hell in a handbasket,

autumn has arrived here on the farm and we are getting ready for winter.

I've been digging out the battery tenders for the mowers, atv's and vehicles preparing for the cold, as well as adding antifreeze to the truck camper.

The nice neighbor farmer and his brother bought a new combine, which made quick work harvesting the corn.

With the corn gone we have a clear view into the distance around us.

The pasture is drying up and the nice neighbor farmer indicated he would put the cows in the corn field before moving them home for the winter.

We have early voting in Nebraska and we turned in our ballots this week.  Once again, this midterm election is consequential.

Midterms

 

Elections Have Consequences

 

Trees Again

Tree planting continues here on the farm and the Kubota tractor sure made the job moving the Shiloh Birch easier.  Rather than the traditional plastic tub these were bound with a wire cage and wrapped in black fabric. 

Because they were much larger root ball than those in plastic tubs it required a larger than usual hole.

Digging these large holes is hard on an old geezer and after some sweating the trees made it in the ground.  

Yesterday we noticed that the local farm supply store has recently gotten in a fresh batch of trees.  So, having recovered from planting the Birch trees I went back to the farm supply store today and bought a Shumard Oak tree.  This one was in the traditional plastic tub and was much easier to plant.

It joins all the other trees we have planted over the years and you can't have too many trees on a farm.

Shiloh Splash Birch

In the 12 years we've been here on the farm we have planted over 100 trees. What we have done was augmenting the old trees that were planted here by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) back in the 1930's.

The River Birch we planted 10 years ago are doing great.

Today we picked up a couple relatives of the River Birch called Shiloh Splash Birch.  Since the River Birch are doing so well we thought we would give these a whirl.

They might look skinny in the pictures, however they were much too heavy to manually lift out of the pickup.  What could have been a horrible lifting job turned out to be simple by attaching the pallet forks on the tractor loader and sliding them out of the pickup.

Work smart, not hard, eh?