Waterloo and Cedar Falls speaks up: Letters to the editor for the week of Feb. 13, 2026
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Our weekly round-up of letters published in the Courier.
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Gov. Pillen, the "Nebraska values" guy who, according to State Auditor Foley, shows favoritism and illegally awards a no bid contract to a "friend," says DEI, or diversity, equity, and inclusion, are not "Nebraska values." He seems to replace them with his own DEI, discrimination, exclusion, and intimidation. I think he has drank too much of the water his hog operations palute. I can say that because I am not what he called the reporter of Chinese descent, a Chinese commie. The man wants to be a dictator like his convicted felon buddy, Trump. What a rotten example of any " values."
Al Mumm, Nebraska Alliance for Retired Americans, Waterloo
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Gov. Pillen’s TV campaign ad says he is not done yet. I wonder what he is not done doing? Possibilities include: overturning what Nebraska citizens voted for in statewide elections like medical marijuana or not supporting private school vouchers? Maybe he’s not done signing contracts for state services without going through legal channels? Not done doing as much as possible for his wealthy supporters? He is obviously not done sucking up to President Trump. He has spent Nebraska’s taxpayer dollars to go to the border and D.C. multiple times to show how much he supports our autocratic U.S. leader who is on a mission to overturn the U.S. Constitution and our democracy.
Pillen took our minimum security prison, where people really had an opportunity to get an education and job skills to keep them from returning to prison, and helped his buddy Trump by creating a detention center for supposed “criminals” from other countries. He harmed our state by likely raising recidivism rates and locking up many people who had been working for businesses, farmers, and numerous other locations where employers cannot get enough workers.
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I’m responding to Mrs. Rippeteau’s letter to the editor (2-4-26). As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, I represent Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District. Due to the large volume of U.S. mail and emails we receive, like all other offices, our website’s contact form is limited to constituents who live within the district, which allows us to prioritize casework and correspondence from the people we are elected to serve. This is the standard practice across most House offices. This allows congressional offices to manage casework effectively and ensure accountability to their constituents. Every Nebraskan is also represented statewide by two United States Senators, whose offices are staffed to accept correspondence and casework from anywhere in Nebraska. While formal casework is district-based, my office regularly works with and meets Nebraskans from across the state on policy matters and community priorities. For example, this year’s federal appropriations included funding for projects that benefit Nebraskans well beyond the 2nd District. I also note that many offices within the Executive Branch will only take constituent requests from their actual representatives or senator.
Rep. Don Bacon, Omaha
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Alex Pretti's parents said he was a loving person who always wanted to help people. Huh?
A video taken 11 days prior to being shot and killed showed quite an angry individual.
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With Bruce Springsteen in the news, I suggest revising his famous "Born in the U.S.A." to something like:
Born in a Nebraska town
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On Feb. 3 at a bicameral public forum in Washington, D. C., on the Department of Homeland Security's violent tactics, zero Republicans attended. A question for Nebraska's delegation. Why didn't you attend? Was it because 1) you really didn't care or 2) because you weren't brave enough? Nebraskans would like to know.
Jacque Scholz, Lincoln
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Why does our governor put taxes on the middle class to save the richest from taxes?
Please remove the income tax cut for the richest first before the rest of the budget deficit is dealt with.
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On one thing we can agree — we all want good health. At the very least, we don’t want our government to actively undermine it.
Yet this administration and this Congress have systematically dismantled much of what has helped us live longer and healthier. Consider the following:
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If you know a child under 5 years, take a look at that child or call them to mind. He or she is likely adorable. Research in a recent Lancet article (a respected British medical journal) has estimated that if recent cuts to global health funding are continued through the year 2030, 2.5 million children under 5 will die unnecessarily. It is impossible to really comprehend 2.5 million children. And the actions of our government often feel far away from the daily life we care about. But ours is a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.“ We all must do our part to help ensure that our government reflects our values. I am a pediatrician, and cutting our efforts to support the health of children around the world is not in line with my values. That is a calculation that every citizen must make, but we should not ignore what research tells us. And we need to continue to support research that tells us how best to care for the world’s adorable children.
Gregg Wright, M.D., Lincoln
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Nebraska has a dysfunctional unicameral.
Nebraska has 49 senators, and as of Jan. 28 546 bills were introduced and 12 Constitutional Amendments. Of these, a very small percentage had anything to do with property taxes.
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Trump campaigned on making “America first,” and yet, he is continually betraying the voters. Trump pledged to stay out of regime-change wars, but kidnaps Venezuelan President Maduro to remove him from office. Trump says he is now running Venezuela. Are they first now, or America?
Trump’s tariffs betrayed American farmers by causing China (their biggest buyer of soybeans) to buy their soybeans from Brazil.
- Updated
I love a quiet morning fishing with a pole, bobber and a nightcrawler. But at the Capitol, I’m seeing a different kind of angling — one that threatens conservation across Nebraska.
LB1072 is a bait and switch. Sections 124 and 125 would divert more than $40 million from the Nebraska Environmental Trust — funds meant for habitat restoration, clean water, wildlife conservation and community projects. Supporters claim it strengthens conservation, but it simply replaces withdrawn state dollars with trust dollars. LB1072 provides state agencies with funds that were never meant to be theirs, leaving local groups and community partners with fewer resources.
More like this...
Gov. Pillen, the "Nebraska values" guy who, according to State Auditor Foley, shows favoritism and illegally awards a no bid contract to a "friend," says DEI, or diversity, equity, and inclusion, are not "Nebraska values." He seems to replace them with his own DEI, discrimination, exclusion, and intimidation. I think he has drank too much of the water his hog operations palute. I can say that because I am not what he called the reporter of Chinese descent, a Chinese commie. The man wants to be a dictator like his convicted felon buddy, Trump. What a rotten example of any " values."
Al Mumm, Nebraska Alliance for Retired Americans, Waterloo
Gov. Pillen’s TV campaign ad says he is not done yet. I wonder what he is not done doing? Possibilities include: overturning what Nebraska citizens voted for in statewide elections like medical marijuana or not supporting private school vouchers? Maybe he’s not done signing contracts for state services without going through legal channels? Not done doing as much as possible for his wealthy supporters? He is obviously not done sucking up to President Trump. He has spent Nebraska’s taxpayer dollars to go to the border and D.C. multiple times to show how much he supports our autocratic U.S. leader who is on a mission to overturn the U.S. Constitution and our democracy.
Pillen took our minimum security prison, where people really had an opportunity to get an education and job skills to keep them from returning to prison, and helped his buddy Trump by creating a detention center for supposed “criminals” from other countries. He harmed our state by likely raising recidivism rates and locking up many people who had been working for businesses, farmers, and numerous other locations where employers cannot get enough workers.
I’m responding to Mrs. Rippeteau’s letter to the editor (2-4-26). As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, I represent Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District. Due to the large volume of U.S. mail and emails we receive, like all other offices, our website’s contact form is limited to constituents who live within the district, which allows us to prioritize casework and correspondence from the people we are elected to serve. This is the standard practice across most House offices. This allows congressional offices to manage casework effectively and ensure accountability to their constituents. Every Nebraskan is also represented statewide by two United States Senators, whose offices are staffed to accept correspondence and casework from anywhere in Nebraska. While formal casework is district-based, my office regularly works with and meets Nebraskans from across the state on policy matters and community priorities. For example, this year’s federal appropriations included funding for projects that benefit Nebraskans well beyond the 2nd District. I also note that many offices within the Executive Branch will only take constituent requests from their actual representatives or senator.
Rep. Don Bacon, Omaha
Alex Pretti's parents said he was a loving person who always wanted to help people. Huh?
A video taken 11 days prior to being shot and killed showed quite an angry individual.
With Bruce Springsteen in the news, I suggest revising his famous "Born in the U.S.A." to something like:
Born in a Nebraska town
On Feb. 3 at a bicameral public forum in Washington, D. C., on the Department of Homeland Security's violent tactics, zero Republicans attended. A question for Nebraska's delegation. Why didn't you attend? Was it because 1) you really didn't care or 2) because you weren't brave enough? Nebraskans would like to know.
Jacque Scholz, Lincoln
Why does our governor put taxes on the middle class to save the richest from taxes?
Please remove the income tax cut for the richest first before the rest of the budget deficit is dealt with.
On one thing we can agree — we all want good health. At the very least, we don’t want our government to actively undermine it.
Yet this administration and this Congress have systematically dismantled much of what has helped us live longer and healthier. Consider the following:
If you know a child under 5 years, take a look at that child or call them to mind. He or she is likely adorable. Research in a recent Lancet article (a respected British medical journal) has estimated that if recent cuts to global health funding are continued through the year 2030, 2.5 million children under 5 will die unnecessarily. It is impossible to really comprehend 2.5 million children. And the actions of our government often feel far away from the daily life we care about. But ours is a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.“ We all must do our part to help ensure that our government reflects our values. I am a pediatrician, and cutting our efforts to support the health of children around the world is not in line with my values. That is a calculation that every citizen must make, but we should not ignore what research tells us. And we need to continue to support research that tells us how best to care for the world’s adorable children.
Gregg Wright, M.D., Lincoln
Nebraska has a dysfunctional unicameral.
Nebraska has 49 senators, and as of Jan. 28 546 bills were introduced and 12 Constitutional Amendments. Of these, a very small percentage had anything to do with property taxes.
Trump campaigned on making “America first,” and yet, he is continually betraying the voters. Trump pledged to stay out of regime-change wars, but kidnaps Venezuelan President Maduro to remove him from office. Trump says he is now running Venezuela. Are they first now, or America?
Trump’s tariffs betrayed American farmers by causing China (their biggest buyer of soybeans) to buy their soybeans from Brazil.
I love a quiet morning fishing with a pole, bobber and a nightcrawler. But at the Capitol, I’m seeing a different kind of angling — one that threatens conservation across Nebraska.
LB1072 is a bait and switch. Sections 124 and 125 would divert more than $40 million from the Nebraska Environmental Trust — funds meant for habitat restoration, clean water, wildlife conservation and community projects. Supporters claim it strengthens conservation, but it simply replaces withdrawn state dollars with trust dollars. LB1072 provides state agencies with funds that were never meant to be theirs, leaving local groups and community partners with fewer resources.
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