In the six years I have been a Nebraska State Senator, I have never received so many calls and messages from citizens concerned about things that only the federal government can address. I think people go home after work and turn on the news and see yet another example of federal government incompetence causing problems. This upsets them and they want to vent their frustration to an elected official. I’m happy to hear from folks, don’t get me wrong, but it depresses me to have to tell so many people there is nothing the Nebraska legislature can do about it, and the subject is a “federal issue.” 

I often share these concerns with our federal congressional delegation, especially Rep. Adrian Smith who has been particularly helpful over the years. It is clear to me that there is little that can be done until a new Congress is seated in January.

US economic policy, for example, is something I receive a great many calls and messages about. Last week President Biden said, “You want to bring down inflation? Let’s make sure the wealthiest corporations pay their fair share.” 

Apparently the president is unaware of the fact that taxpayers with incomes of $200,000 or more (the rich?) already pay well over half (58.8%) of all federal income taxes, though they accounted for only 4.5% of all taxpayers. Let’s not forget that corporations do not pay corporate income taxes – their customers do.

I cannot believe the President of the United States thinks raising taxes and deficit spending will lower inflation. Generations yet unborn will have to pay for all this printing and borrowing. Any junior high student can tell you that these things cause inflation. 

Take natural gas prices. They are above $8.00 per million BTU now, the highest price in 13 years. The U.S. is the world’s largest producer of natural gas, but production is down because of the Biden administration’s energy policies. Natural gas is the #1 ingredient in the manufacture of fertilizer. It’s not surprising that fertilizer costs are over 250% more than this time last year and climbing. Russia and China are two of the world’s largest exporters of fertilizer, but they have placed export restrictions on their fertilizer production. Big plants in the US have had production stoppages for lack of feedstock. The war in Ukraine has also made this a far more serious problem. A significant amount of the wheat that feeds Europe normally comes from Ukraine. Most of that crop was not planted this year because the farmers were made refugees by the war. Famine in Europe is now a real possibility.  

These conditions, coupled with the federal government’s continued de-valuing of the US dollar by printing more fake money cannot help but cause a severe shortage of this incredibly important commodity. Fertilizer produces the crop yields that enable Nebraska’s ag producers to feed much of the world. Many are warning of impending food shortages as a result of this situation. I really hope we see sane federal policy restored before people start going hungry. I believe Americans are going to see things in the next six months that were once thought unimaginable.