If you read our posts, you already know this. However, if you aren’t sure why Pillen is a moral failure, is a Christian Nationalist bigot, and – more to the point – disrespects Nebraska voters, here are a few reasons:
Ignoring the Will of the Voters
Nebraska voters have repeatedly said no to public tax dollars for private schools and yes to medical marijuana. Nebraska voters in the small town of Plattsmouth also recalled a book banning school board member.
Yet, Pillen wants school vouchers, despite Nebraska’s voters defeating the voucher scheme in the 2024 election.
Pillen has also told voters he doesn’t care what they want in all of these instances. As far as medical marijuana goes, this supposedly “pro-life” governor told the Nebraska Examiner: “My advocacy for it is that if you have a medical condition [and] you need it, you’ll get it, but it’s going to taste like crap,” Pillen said last month. “It’s going to be a bitter pill to swallow.”
This oh-so-virtuous “Christian” wants sick people to suffer even more.
Finally, Pillen thought that since voters rejected Terri Cunningham-Swanson from the Plattsmouth School Board after her attempt to ban 52 books from the school libraries, that she was a perfect fit for the Nebraska Library Commission. Old news, yet another reason why Pillen has zero respect for Nebraska voters.
Prioritizing Culture Wars
Pillen’s Christofacist agenda may seem like it’s a distraction from things that actually matter (like the $471,000,000 budget deficit that resulted from Republicans cutting taxes for the top 1% and then trying to shove the burden of the $471M needed on the shoulders of us working-class folks, while simultaneously blaming the usual boogeymen). However, it’s a legitimate concern for people just trying to live their lives without government interference.
During his campaign, Pillen stated, “Nebraska is where neighbors take care of each other, not government.”
Except, Pillen is trying to control what we and our children read, the clubs our schools must allow, the lives of LGBTQIA people, and the reproductive rights of women. Meanwhile, Pillen and his owners, the Ricketts family, work to deprive us of healthcare, education, and our hard-earned dollars.
With a governor intent on making Nebraska hostile to everyone, is it any wonder why the young and the educated are leaving the state?
Governor Pillen even ordered flags to be flown at full staff for Trump’s inauguration. It was already a slap in the face that the inauguration was scheduled for the day dedicated to the commemoration of the work of Martin Luther King Jr., a man who gave his very life for civil rights and equality for Black people. Pillen and his defenders don’t actually know what it means to serve and sacrifice.
One can’t be in doubt of his hostility based upon his use of the slur “libtards” to refer to anyone who disagrees with him or speaks out against his unethical actions, without concern or consideration for the root of that word and how it has been used to dehumanize an entire group of people.
Once again, a reminder that this “pro-life” governor believes certain lives are not worthy.
A Death With No Answers.
Since April 1, 2024, neither Zach Panther’s mother, nor the public, have gotten any answers about why the 17-year-old boy died on Pillen’s farm. Investigations were obstructed by Sarah Pillen, the governor’s daughter. The Pillen family has done everything possible to protect their interests, rather than respond with integrity and transparency to the death of a child they were responsible for protecting.
Profit over people.
Unethical Contracts
We don’t care about the allegation that Jim Pillen is shagging Julie Bushell (despite the fact that Julie clearly has terrible taste in men. Julie, honey, you can do so much better).
What we do care about is how Pillen flung $2.5M at Bushell without going through the proper bidding process, without doing his due diligence on whether or not this was a savings to taxpayers, while then trying to ram $3.5M into the budget for the school vouchers nobody wanted. The voucher line item was removed just this week when it was clear it would stall out any attempts to pass the budget.
Like all Christian Nationalists, Jim Pillen is self serving and doesn’t care about anyone but himself.
And here’s the thing: It’s fine to be a hypocrite about your religion. It’s fine to only care about yourself. We’re okay with that for you in your private life. Knock yourself out being hateful and selfish.
However, that should be neither acceptable nor normalized for our public servants. When we look at Trump, Ricketts, Flood, Pillen, and anyone who stands up for them, we see people who don’t care about – or perhaps don’t comprehend – service, morality, or common decency.
When you vote this year, ask yourself what these people have done for Nebraska. If your answer involves words like “illegal,” “immigrant,” “liberal,” “genital mutilation,” or any other MAGA talking point, then your ignorance will be treated with the courtesy anyone free-basing Fox Entertainment deserves.
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