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Candidate Johanns supports war in Iraq
Many areas in Iraq are stabilized and hospitals and schools are being built, but that's not being covered by the media, said former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns in McCook Friday.
Johanns is running for a seat in the U.S. Senate and made a quick stop over in McCook in his campaign. He faces Pat Flynn and Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning in the Republican race; no Democrat has been announced yet.
"A lot more is going on over there than fighting," Johanns said about Iraq at the Red Willow Aviation hangar, where supporters gathered for his visit.
On a recent military tour in Iraq, he spoke with Nebraska troops who told him that although they missed their families, they emphasized that they were glad they were there.
"The troops are absolutely committed. I didn't hear a single negative comment," Johanns said. "I am so proud of what they're doing."
The war on terror is working, he said and the United States is doing a lot of things right.
"Attacks are going up all over the world. This is world terrorism organization who don't like our freedoms and want to fight them," he said.
Johanns said he also spoke with agriculture officials in Iraq, who are trying to revive their industry in the country,
"There isn't any reason why they can't have strong agriculture over there," Johanns believed.
Johanns touted his conservative values as former Nebraska governor and as a Washington cabinet member.
"There is no replacement for being held accountable for the day-to-day services that citizens depend on," he said. "There's no replacement for a governor's role in balancing the budget year after year, or managing complex farm programs that are the safety net for our nation's farmers."
He also spoke of his philosophy of less government.
"I believe that hard earned dollars are best left in communities and in the hands of people who build our nation every day. Nebraska common sense could go a long way to fixing what's wrong with Nebraska."
When asked by District 44 Nebraska Senator Mark Christensen how Southwest Nebraska could obtain funding for a four-lane interstate highway like the proposed Snowbird Trail, Johanns said that earmarks could be utilized but only if the project is well thought out and can stand up to federal scrutiny.
Earmarks have been justly criticized but there's no reason why the federal government cannot be a partner with the state on specific projects, he said, such as funding research projects at the university or road projects.
He advised a strong request must be put together by the state and local representatives as part of the process.
Johanns said he he was running for the United State Senate for one simple reason.
"I love this state and its people. Nebraska has given so much to me, to Stephanie and out family.
"Nebraska is the leader in so many areas and has the potential to do so much more."