Time to focus on some real Nebraska issues

There are plenty of distractions. Ukraine vs Russia, Israel vs the Palestinians, Republicans vs other Republicans. The list is endless.

But let’s turn our attention to a couple of Nebraska issues about which we can possibly do something.

I’m talking about civility and transparency, or the lack thereof. Civility was cited in the recently-released Nebraska Rural Poll. A number of court filings for public records and a pending legislative bill speak to the transparency issue.

Most rural Nebraskans see the lack of civil discourse in the political system as at least a somewhat serious problem, according to the 2023 Nebraska Rural Poll conducted by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Department of Agricultural Economics. About one-third of the 1,100 rural Nebraskans surveyed rate this lack of respectful discourse as either a very serious (32%) or somewhat serious problem (33%). Only 5% say it is not a serious problem.

As for the transparency issue, Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, a member of the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, has worked on open government issues for most of her career. She said she has found a commitment to transparency and facilitating citizen engagement. But in recent years, she has seen major shifts in local school boards, city and state agencies, law enforcement and the governor’s office.

“I have become increasingly concerned in recent years at increasing levels of hostility from all branches of government in Nebraska,” Conrad told the Lincoln Journal Star. “I’ve really seen a move away from transparency and open government and the trend toward obfuscation and really kind of playing fast and loose with open meetings laws and public records laws.”

It has manifested itself with government bodies either refusing to comply with open records, public records requests or replying and putting forward ridiculous price tags or ridiculous deadlines or time frames for responding. Her bill - LB366 - addresses those issues and will likely be debated during the upcoming legislative session.

Conrad said her proposal would: prohibit entities from charging Nebraska residents for the first eight hours of searching, identifying, physically redacting or copying public records, so long as that work is being completed by existing staff members. Currently government agencies can charge an hourly fee after the first four hours of preparing those records. In addition, the proposal requires police body-camera videos that involve police custody deaths to be considered public records after the statutory-required grand jury concludes.

Good for her. Let’s keep government honest and say “no” to the game playing.

Back to civility. Most respondents to the Rural Poll (1,100 people in 86 of Nebraska’s 93 counties) think Americans are more divided over politics than they were 10 years ago. Seventy-two percent believe Americans are much more divided and 22% say more divided.

“A lack of civil discourse is a problem we are seeing across the country and it’s possible this will get worse as we approach the 2024 national elections,” said Heather Akin, assistant professor in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication.

Rural Nebraskans surveyed have the most faith in local community leaders. Two-thirds believe community leaders do at least moderately well at overcoming differences while 40% believe the same about Nebraska’s political leaders and only 9% believe the same about America’s political leaders. Most respondents (69%) believe people in their local community do at least moderately well at overcoming differences to get things done.

“It’s not hard to find examples of political divisions playing out in state and national legislative bodies,” said L.J. McElravy, associate professor in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication. “The results reinforce just how palpable these divisions are for rural Nebraskans. But what do we do about it? “

One suggestion, look at social media. Most respondents have a negative opinion about social media and its impact on civil discourse. Fifty-five percent disagree that social media channels are a place for civil and productive discourse. And most agree that social media only reinforces what the user already believes (59%), and that it contributes to division in their community (71%).

“It was surprising to find that rural Nebraskans didn’t believe that social media helps them feel engaged in their community,” said Becky Vogt, the poll’s manager. “Many communities use social media to inform their residents of events or updates, so you would think that would make them feel more involved in the community.”

More rural Nebraskans surveyed disagree than agree that people in their community are respectful toward others with differing political views. Forty-three percent disagree with the statement, while 27% agree.

The question is, can we respectfully agree to disagree? Are we listening or just hearing?

J.L. Schmidt has been covering Nebraska government and politics since 1979. He has been a registered Independent for more than 20 years.