Podcast appearances and mentions of pete ricketts

Your Nebraska Update headlines for today, Jan. 29, include: Lincoln woman pushes for stronger oversight of prison health care after her father died from untreated diabetes while incarcerated, bill restricting bathroom access based on sex at birth returns to Legislature but faces skepticism from key state senator, gas station owners push back against proposal to raise taxes on skill games, former Sen. Dan McKeon calls for investigation into no-bid contract tied to Gov. Jim Pillen, Sen. Pete Ricketts responds to federal shooting involving U.S. citizen, farmers could see changes to federal aid calculations under new legislation, Nebraska reports nearly 200 new cases of chronic wasting disease in deer.

Ralph welcomes professor and historian Daniel Immerwahr to discuss the history of the United States' overseas possessions and his book "How to Hide an Empire: A History of the Greater United States."Daniel Immerwahr is a professor and historian at Northwestern University. He is the author of Thinking Small: The United States and the Lure of Community Development and How to Hide an Empire: A History of the Greater United States.What I wanted to do in the book was to look at the United States and to take seriously the parts of the United States that don't always feature in the textbooks—that are outside of the mainland, the contiguous blob. And what I discovered when I did that was that these places were often in the mainland's mind seen as peripheral places, but this was not a peripheral history…It turns out that once you've got the territories in view, you have a different understanding of them. And so a lot of US history (and really important parts of US history) has actually taken place outside of the part of the country that we normally think of as the United States.Daniel ImmerwahrI got really interested in the book in how it came to be and why it mattered that US standards prevailed and how other countries dealt with that by either jumping on the ship or trying to resist and that became difficult for them. And how emotionally hard it is for other parts of the world to [face] this onslaught of not just the US military, not just US planes, its bombs—we know all that stuff, and I don't want to diminish it, but all the US stuff and ways of talking and the English language and the dollar. And each one of those comes as a kind of challenge: Are you going to adopt this or not? Because life's going to be a little harder if you don't, but if you do, you're kind of a puppet. And everyone in the world has had to deal with that challenge on a daily basis—what screws they use, what language they speak, all that kind of stuff. And we don't talk about that a lot, but that actually strikes me as a really important facet of US power.Daniel ImmerwahrNews 1/23/26* Our first two stories this week come to us from New York City. On January 16th, Mayor Zohran Mamdani drew a line in the sand in an address celebrating a historic settlement with A&E real estate. While A&E is a serial offender, racking up “over 140,000 total violations, including 35,000 in the last year alone,” Mayor Mamdani made clear that this was to serve as an example for other landlords, saying “City Hall will not sit idly by and accept this illegality, nor will we allow bad actors to continue to harass tenants with impunity.” Mayor Mamdani made tenants rights a central pillar of his campaign and is signaling that it will be a major aspect of his administration as well, with the centerpiece being the “Rental Ripoff” hearings he plans to hold in all five boroughs. Yet again, Mamdani provides a blueprint for other Democratic elected officials in cities across the nation, if only they would pick up the mantle.* In other news out of New York, on January 13th New York State Attorney General Letitia James announced a “settlement ending Betar US's…campaign of violence, harassment, and intimidation against Arab, Muslim, and Jewish New Yorkers.” Betar, an extremist Zionist outfit, is considered so fringe that even the ultra-Zionist Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has labeled it an “extremist group” for its “embrace of Islamophobia and harass[ment] of Muslims.” Examples of Betar's bias-motivated harassment include labeling keffiyehs, traditional Palestinian scarves – as “rape rags” and claiming that the number of babies who had died in Gaza was “not enough,” adding, “we demand blood in Gaza.” According to this announcement, Betar is seeking to dissolve its nonprofit corporation and intends to wind down operations in New York. Mayor Mamdani added, “For years, Betar has sowed a campaign of hatred across New York, trafficking in Islamophobic extremism and harassing those with whom they disagreed. There is no place for their bigotry in our politics, and I'm grateful for [Attorney General James's] unflagging pursuit of justice.”* In more Israel news, earlier this week Israeli human rights lawyer Alon Sapir recounted the following story on social media. “On Saturday, I represented an American Jewish activist in deportation proceedings from the country due to his leftism. In the hearing, they presented him with a photo from a demonstration in the US to link him to anti-Israel organizations.” The photo in question was “taken at a demonstration against the Nazis in Charlottesville [Virginia],” and the Israelis “apparently took it from a page that promotes white supremacy.” This deportation proceeding – wherein the Israeli government used a white-supremacist photograph of an activist protesting Nazism to deport him on the grounds of being anti-Israel, is of course, stunningly backwards. But, as Sapir writes, “Indeed, [this is] grounds for deportation from the Jewish state.” * In more news from abroad, the New York Times reports the People's Republic of China has hit a new economic milestone: the world's largest trade surplus ever. According to economic data released by the country's General Administration of Customs, “China's surplus, the value of goods and services it sold abroad versus its imports, reached $1.19 trillion, an increase of 20 percent from 2024.” As this piece notes, “The enormous trade surplus…came despite efforts by President Trump to use tariffs to contain China's factories.” While the tariffs succeeded in reducing China's trade surplus with the United States by 22% last year, Chinese firms compensated by increasing sales to other regions and “in many cases bypassing American tariffs by shipping goods to the United States through Southeast Asia and elsewhere.” In short, the tariffs have succeeded only in raising prices for American consumers by forcing Chinese firms to route their products through secondary markets instead of selling directly to Americans – further enriching China while further immiserating everyday Americans.* This trade surplus is expected to widen further with news of an economic thaw between China and Canada. AP reports Canada has “agreed to cut its 100% tariff on Chinese electric cars in return for lower tariffs on Canadian farm products,” according to Prime Minister Mark Carney. Carney added that there would initially be an annual cap of 49,000 Chinese EVs coming into the Canadian market at a tariff rate of 6.1%, but this cap would grow to about 70,000 over the next five years. In return, China will “reduce its total tariff on canola seeds, a major Canadian export, from 84% to about 15%,” and allow visa-free travel to China for Canadian citizens, many of whom are of Chinese descent. This deal is obviously a humiliating disaster for President Trump, who sought to both isolate China economically and force Canada to further subjugate itself to the United States, going so far as to muse about annexing the country and making it the “51st state.” Like the Greenland fiasco, this is a case of Trump needlessly alienating American allies, driving them into the open arms of more rational partners like China.* Meanwhile, in South Korea, Al Jazeera reports former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for his role in the failed coup attempt orchestrated by ousted president Yoon Suk-yeol. In a moving statement, Judge Lee Jin-gwan of the Seoul Central District Court, said Han “disregarded his duty and responsibility as prime minister,” and “As a result…South Korea was in danger ​of returning to the dark past ‌when the basic rights and liberal democratic order of the people were violated, potentially preventing them from escaping from the quagmire of dictatorship.” These words sound especially tragic to American ears at this moment, as our country slides ever further away from basic rights and liberal democratic order. Han is “the first member of Yoon's cabinet to be found guilty and sentenced to jail,” and his sentence gives an indication of how seriously the court is taking this matter. As we discussed last week, prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Yoon himself.* Moving back to American politics, NOTUS reports Congresswoman and Senate hopeful Jasmine Crockett is amassing money from some unsavory donors. These include, “Tech titan and conservative provocateur Marc Andreessen [and] Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss of Facebook fame,” as well as several super PACs funded by the cryptocurrency lobby. Perhaps most damningly though, she has received donations from the PACs for BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, and massive defense contractor Lockheed Martin. Crockett's acceptance of these donations has sent ripples through the progressive community. Fellow Texas Democratic Congressman Lloyd Doggett called it “very troubling that she would be reliant on those kinds of contributions.” Adam Green, a co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, is quoted in this piece refuting characterizations of Crockett as in line with that group's preferences, saying “To call her in any way the progressive or leftist candidate is a misnomer...She's a somewhat effective anti-Trump troll and resistance liberal, but is not one of us when it comes to a progressive populist or anti-corporate warrior.” Green added that his group will likely endorse Crockett's opponent in the primary, Texas State Representative James Talarico. As of mid-January, Talarico leads Crockett 47% to 38% in the polls, with 15% undecided, per Emerson.* Another red state senate race, this one in Montana, just got more interesting in its own way. According to the Montana Free Press, “University of Montana President Seth Bodnar is expected to run for U.S. Senate as an independent,” which the paper claims is “part of an elaborate plan apparently backed by former U.S. Sen. Jon Tester.” Apparently, this move has angered Montana Democrats, two of whom have filed long-shot bids to run against incumbent Republican Senator Steve Daines. The Free Press reached out to Tester for a comment, and he sent back a text message explaining his reasoning behind backing the independent bid, writing “Every race I ran as Montana Senator and U.S. Senator it was about distancing myself from the Democratic Party…. During my last two races the democratic Party was poison in my attempts to get re-elected.” Tester is likely taking some inspiration from the Independent Senate campaigns of Dan Osborn in Nebraska. Osborn ran against incumbent Republican Deb Fischer in 2024 and made the race unusually competitive, eventually losing 53% to 47%. Osborn is now running against Nebraska's other incumbent Republican Senator, billionaire Pete Ricketts, and the two are in a statistical dead heat in the polls.* Next, with tax season on the horizon, the neutering of the Internal Revenue Service is starting to be felt. More Perfect Union reports “The IRS is effectively unable to audit private equity, venture capital, and real estate investment firms,” because “Thousands of workers have been fired from the agency,” post-DOGE. According to the numbers, audits of the aforementioned giant enterprises have “dropped 80 or 90%.” Stunningly, Forbes reports that instead of fighting to re-fund the IRS and restore some oversight to the lawless corporate sector, lawmakers from both parties are seeking to slash $11.7 billion of the $80 billion allocated to the agency in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. As this piece notes, that number itself is deceptive; a report issued by the Treasury Inspector General, found that that $80 billion has already been shrunken down to just $37.6 billion, and the IRS has only spent about $13.8 billion of the IRA funding. The Treasury Inspector General's projections of the additional funds available to the IRS is approximately $19.3 billion, meaning an additional cut of $11.7 billion would effectively curtail any plans to expand the IRS to police large, complex financial entities.* Finally, on January 14th, Congresswoman Robin Kelly of Illinois formally introduced three articles of impeachment against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. These articles, accusing Noem of obstruction of Congress, violation of public trust, self-dealing, and directing ICE to make “widespread warrantless arrests, forgo due process, and use violence against United States citizens, lawful residents, and other individuals,” initially garnered 80 Democratic cosponsors. But that list appears to be growing. Newsweek reports that as of January 21st, the list has grown to 100 cosponsors, nearly half of the 213-member Democratic caucus in the House. A successful impeachment vote is unlikely, as Republicans still control the House, but as provocative and unpopular actions across the country – by DHS in general and ICE specifically – continue to escalate, this list is only expected to grow. The larger question remains however: even if Noem is removed, will that force the administration to change course or will they simply appoint another pliant enforcer in her place. We can't know unless we try.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Your Nebraska Update headlines for today, Jan. 23, include: Nebraska National Guard will deploy about 200 troops to Washington, D.C., Nebraska Supreme Court chief justice outlines challenges and progress facing the judicial branch, University of Nebraska and Clarkson adjust representation on Nebraska Medicine board, U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts promotes President Trump's Big Beautiful Bill, new Nebraska Rural Poll shows mixed views on online communities, high school baseball coaches gain new mound communication tools.

Recorded November 14, 2025 @ Atlantic Council HQ Washington D.C. - We are happy to share this special keynote address from our 2025 Van Fleet Policy Forum featuring U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts. The Van Fleet Policy Forum is The Korea Society's flagship policy event. Through panel discussions, keynote remarks, and networking opportunities, the forum convenes senior thought leaders from the US and Korea for dynamic, informative, and analytical discussions on security, diplomacy, geoeconomics, and alliance history. This year's conference was held in The Atlantic Council's office in Washington D.C. and produced in partnership with the Indo-Pacific Security Initiative in The Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. The 2025 Van Fleet Policy Forum was made possible by the generous support of The Kim Koo Foundation as well as The Korea Society's individual and corporate members. Introduction: Tom Byrne, Korea Society President & CEO Keynote: U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts - Video Remarks For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/2060-us-korea-cooperation-across-domains-and-through-history

Dozens of Pete Ricketts supporters made for standing room only inside the Mechanical Room, a speakeasy located in the basement of a brewery in downtown Beatrice, Wednesday evening. Nebraska's junior senator began his campaign speech highlighting his record of reducing taxes and improving public safety during his eight years as the state's governor. “We were able to cut the state income taxes for Nebraska families,” he said. “We were able to eliminate the state income tax on Social Security and also eliminate the state income tax on military retirement benefits.”

Dozens of Pete Ricketts supporters made for standing room only inside the Mechanical Room, a speakeasy located in the basement of a brewery in downtown Beatrice, Wednesday evening. Nebraska's junior senator began his campaign speech highlighting his record of reducing taxes and improving public safety during his eight years as the state's governor. “We were able to cut the state income taxes for Nebraska families,” he said. “We were able to eliminate the state income tax on Social Security and also eliminate the state income tax on military retirement benefits.”

The 2026 general election may be more than a year away, but the U.S. Senate race in Nebraska is already heating up. Dan Osborn, the industrial mechanic and independent candidate who made national waves for his closer-than-expected race with Sen. Deb Fischer in 2024, is back on the campaign trail – this time against another Republican incumbent, Sen. Pete Ricketts. Osborn may have lost to Fischer by more than 6 percentage points, but in a state that hasn't elected a non-Republican to the Senate since 2006, the close margin elevated his profile and motivated supporters heading into the next election cycle. “It just started with an idea, and we turned it into getting 47% of the vote in Nebraska,” he said Monday of his 2024 campaign, interrupted by cheering and applause from the crowd.

The 2026 general election may be more than a year away, but the U.S. Senate race in Nebraska is already heating up. Dan Osborn, the industrial mechanic and independent candidate who made national waves for his closer-than-expected race with Sen. Deb Fischer in 2024, is back on the campaign trail – this time against another Republican incumbent, Sen. Pete Ricketts. Osborn may have lost to Fischer by more than 6 percentage points, but in a state that hasn't elected a non-Republican to the Senate since 2006, the close margin elevated his profile and motivated supporters heading into the next election cycle. “It just started with an idea, and we turned it into getting 47% of the vote in Nebraska,” he said Monday of his 2024 campaign, interrupted by cheering and applause from the crowd.

Sen. Pete Ricketts praised customer service improvements and tax cuts on benefits, but declined to endorse ideas being floated to keep the system solvent.

Senator Pete Ricketts says federal tax legislation will help the average Nebraska family, despite projections that it will decrease state revenues.

Nebraska's federal delegation has been busy throughout the August recess sharing the benefits of the ‘Big Beautiful Bill' in their home state. Sen. Pete Ricketts kept the trend going on Wednesday at a roundtable with farmers, ranchers and local officials in Broken Bow. Ricketts said he covered a variety of topics including biofuel expansion, firefighting coordination and mental health needs at the meeting, which was closed to the media. The senator said no one directly mentioned tariffs in the discussion, but he highlighted the Trump administration's commitment to finding new trading partners, including the United Kingdom and India. He also said he heard from public power officials about the importance of legislation

Nebraska's federal delegation has been busy throughout the August recess sharing the benefits of the ‘Big Beautiful Bill' in their home state. Sen. Pete Ricketts kept the trend going on Wednesday at a roundtable with farmers, ranchers and local officials in Broken Bow. Ricketts said he covered a variety of topics including biofuel expansion, firefighting coordination and mental health needs at the meeting, which was closed to the media. The senator said no one directly mentioned tariffs in the discussion, but he highlighted the Trump administration's commitment to finding new trading partners, including the United Kingdom and India. He also said he heard from public power officials about the importance of legislation

Members of Nebraska's federal delegation shared their legislative priorities with the state's business leaders in Ashland Tuesday. At the annual federal legislative summit hosted by the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, Sen. Deb Fischer, Sen. Pete Ricketts, and Rep. Mike Flood explained how the ‘Big, Beautiful Bill' could help grow Nebraska businesses.

Osborn, the populist independent who ran a surprisingly close campaign for a Senate seat in Nebraska last year, is back for another run in the 2026 midterms. A steamfitter and union member, he says he naturally connects with other workers drawing paychecks who are feeling the squeeze. And he likes to point out that his opponent last time took money from corporate donors; but this time, his opponent is a corporate donor—incumbent Pete Ricketts, one of the wealthiest members of Congress. Plus, the pain from tariffs on Main Street, the inhumanity of masked ICE agents, and the peril for Democrats if they can't figure out how to talk to Trump voters. Dan Osborn joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod. show notes Tucker talking about home ownership and the American dream Tim's playlist Get 15% off OneSkin with the code BULWARK at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Start your new morning ritual & get up to 43% off your @MUDWTR with code THEBULWARK at mudwtr.com/THEBULWARK! #mudwtrpod

The summer of 2025 has been a time of chaos. A time of confusion. And a time of distress for many Americans. But for independent Americans it's been a little bit different. In between all of the moments of turmoil have been glimmers of hope, a chance at a better future. And that better future is being driven by independents. From Jim Walden's upstart mayoral campaign in New York City to the Badlands of South Dakota and Brian Bengs' renegade Senate run, to last episode's guest from the great state of Idaho, Todd Achilles — there's been a lot coming from independents to get excited about.  And now there's more! Independent Navy vet Dan Osborn (@OsbornForSenate) is back in the fight. And this time, he's running against Nebraska's other MAGA Republican Senator billionaire: Pete Ricketts. It's the ultimate David vs Goliath showdown. And this time, Dan's got some experience, a network, name recognition and is hitting the ground running. Dan served in the Navy and later joined the Army National Guard. He's a steamfitter, industrial mechanic, and a badass labor union leader. He led a successful strike at Kellogg's Omaha plant in 2021. And ran for Senate in 2024–narrowly losing to incumbent Deb Fischer. But at the same time, Dan laid down the foundation for this run while inspiring a new generation of independent leaders across the country. His race was a direct challenge to the party system and it showed everyone a new way to run—and offered a new vision for what a political race can look like. If you've listened to the show for a while now, you'll know Dan and what he's meant to the movement. If you're new here, get ready to get fired up. In the immortal words of Vin Diesel, “We live for this….” Stuff.  And there's more as your host Paul Rieckhoff (@PaulRieckhoff) rips into Ukraine, Waltz, SignalGate, Hegseth and all of the latest national security news that you need to stay on top of. And a megadose of inspiration with a quick hit on Youman Wilder—a New York City little league coach that stood up to ICE and has inspired millions. Because Independent Americans is built on the Righteous Media 5 Is: independence, integrity, information, inspiration and impact. And this episode has it in spades. Independent Americans is your trusted place for independent news, politics, inspiration and hope. It's the truth beyond the headlines–and light to contrast the heat of other politics and news shows. It's built for the 49% of Americans that proudly call themselves independent and we're proud to stand with you.  -Learn more about Dan Osborn and his race on his campaign website.  -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.  -WATCH video of Paul and Dan's conversation. -NEW! Watch the video version of the entire podcast here. -Check the hashtag #LookForTheHelpers. And share yours.  -Find us on social media or www.IndependentAmericans.us. And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch.  -Check out other Righteous podcasts like The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, Uncle Montel - The OG of Weed and B Dorm.  Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The summer of 2025 has been a time of chaos. A time of confusion. And a time of distress for many Americans. But for independent Americans it's been a little bit different. In between all of the moments of turmoil have been glimmers of hope, a chance at a better future. And that better future is being driven by independents. From Jim Walden's upstart mayoral campaign in New York City to the Badlands of South Dakota and Brian Bengs' renegade Senate run, to last episode's guest from the great state of Idaho, Todd Achilles — there's been a lot coming from independents to get excited about.  And now there's more! Independent Navy vet Dan Osborn (@OsbornForSenate) is back in the fight. And this time, he's running against Nebraska's other MAGA Republican Senator billionaire: Pete Ricketts. It's the ultimate David vs Goliath showdown. And this time, Dan's got some experience, a network, name recognition and is hitting the ground running. Dan served in the Navy and later joined the Army National Guard. He's a steamfitter, industrial mechanic, and a badass labor union leader. He led a successful strike at Kellogg's Omaha plant in 2021. And ran for Senate in 2024–narrowly losing to incumbent Deb Fischer. But at the same time, Dan laid down the foundation for this run while inspiring a new generation of independent leaders across the country. His race was a direct challenge to the party system and it showed everyone a new way to run—and offered a new vision for what a political race can look like. If you've listened to the show for a while now, you'll know Dan and what he's meant to the movement. If you're new here, get ready to get fired up. In the immortal words of Vin Diesel, “We live for this….” Stuff.  And there's more as your host Paul Rieckhoff (@PaulRieckhoff) rips into Ukraine, Waltz, SignalGate, Hegseth and all of the latest national security news that you need to stay on top of. And a megadose of inspiration with a quick hit on Youman Wilder—a New York City little league coach that stood up to ICE and has inspired millions. Because Independent Americans is built on the Righteous Media 5 Is: independence, integrity, information, inspiration and impact. And this episode has it in spades. Independent Americans is your trusted place for independent news, politics, inspiration and hope. It's the truth beyond the headlines–and light to contrast the heat of other politics and news shows. It's built for the 49% of Americans that proudly call themselves independent and we're proud to stand with you.  -Learn more about Dan Osborn and his race on his campaign website.  -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.  -WATCH video of Paul and Dan's conversation. -NEW! Watch the video version of the entire podcast here. -Check the hashtag #LookForTheHelpers. And share yours.  -Find us on social media or www.IndependentAmericans.us. And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch.  -Check out other Righteous podcasts like The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, Uncle Montel - The OG of Weed and B Dorm.  Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[00:09:07] Karen House   [00:18:26] Sen. Roger Marshall   [00:36:51] Sen. Pete Ricketts   [00:55:14] Kendall Qualls   [01:13:38] Sen. Markwayne Mullin   [01:32:02] Tomi Lahren Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the 2026 election cycle takes shape, three stories signal how the political terrain is shifting: the return of Iowa to early-state relevance, the emergence of an independent challenge in Nebraska, and the Republican Party's willingness to get aggressive — fast.Iowa Democrats are pushing to reclaim their first-in-the-nation status — and they're doing it with or without national party approval. Senator Ruben Gallego is already promoting visits, and the message is clear: Iowa is back. For Democrats, this matters. The state has long served as a proving ground for insurgent campaigns, offering low costs, civic-minded voters, and a tight-knit media ecosystem. Barack Obama's 2008 breakthrough began in Iowa for a reason. It rewards organization, retail politics, and real ground games.The party's 2024 decision to downgrade Iowa was framed as a gesture to Black voters in states like South Carolina and Georgia. In reality, it was a strategic retreat by Joe Biden to avoid a poor showing. That backfired when Dean Phillips forced an awkward New Hampshire campaign and Biden had to rely on a write-in effort. Now, Iowa's utility is being rediscovered — not because it changed, but because the party's strategy failed. For candidates who want to win on message and mechanics, Iowa remains unmatched.In Nebraska, Dan Osborne is trying to chart a different kind of path — not as a Democrat, but as an independent with populist instincts. Running against Senator Pete Ricketts, Osborne is leaning into a class-focused campaign. His ads channel a blue-collar ethos: punching walls, working with his hands, and taking on the rich. He doesn't have to answer for Biden. He doesn't have to pick sides in old partisan fights. He just has to be relatable and viable.That independence could be Osborne's biggest asset — or his biggest liability. His support for Bernie Sanders invites the question: is he a true outsider, or a Democrat in disguise? Sanders has always caucused with Democrats and run on their ticket. Osborne will have to prove he can remain politically distinct while tapping into a coalition broad enough to win in a deeply red state. Nebraska voters might give him a chance, but they'll need a reason to believe he's not just another version of what they already know.And then there's the tone of the campaign itself. The National Republican Senatorial Committee is already running attack ads that border on X-rated. A recent spot reads aloud hashtags from a sexually explicit tweet in a bid to link opponents with cultural extremes. The strategy is clear: bypass policy, bypass biography — go straight for discomfort. Make voters associate the opposition with something taboo. Make the election feel like a moral emergency.These tactics aren't about persuasion. They're about turnout. They aim to harden the base, suppress moderates, and flood the discourse with outrage. The fact that it's happening this early suggests Republicans see 2026 as a high-stakes cycle where no race can be taken for granted. And if this is how they're starting, the tone by next summer could be even more toxic.All of this — Iowa's return, Osborne's challenge, the NRSC's messaging — points to a midterm cycle already in motion. The personalities are distinct. The tactics are evolving. But the stakes, as ever, are the same: power, perception, and the battle to define the political future before anyone casts a vote.Chapters00:00:00 - Intro00:01:56 - Midterm Ads00:15:18 - Interview with Dave Levinthal00:37:31 - Update00:38:11 - Ken Paxton and the Texas Senate Race00:43:02 - Congressional Districts00:47:31 - Fed Chair00:52:42 - Interview with Dave Levinthal (con't)01:11:22 - Wrap-up This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.politicspoliticspolitics.com/subscribe

This information and scripts for emails and phone calls are available here: https://plantnebraska.org/how-to-help/advocacy.html The President's proposed Fiscal Year 2026 “Skinny Budget” threatens to eliminate the U.S. Forest Service's State, Private, and Tribal Forestry (SPTF) programs—a move that would have devastating consequences for communities, volunteer fire departments, landowners, and forests across Nebraska. These programs directly support wildfire prevention, volunteer fire departments, reforestation, community forestry, forest health, and rural economic resilience. Their elimination would leave Nebraska communities without the resources, tools, and partnerships needed to protect lives, property, and the environment.  These programs provide funding for various community forestry activities, including: NFS technical assistance to help communities make informed decisions, such as tree inventories, inventory software access, evaluation of at-risk trees, arborist training, municipal staff training, tree board assistance, ordinance drafting, forest management support, and much more.   Support for programs like Tree City USA, Tree Care workshops, and events.  Arborist support includes low-cost or free CEU trainings and arborist prep. Forest health diagnostics and monitoring.  Pass-through funding for initiatives like the Free Tree for Fall Tree Planting program and the IRA.  In addition, federal funding provides: Equipment and training for volunteer fire districts Wildfire mitigation funding Forest management activities.  You can take immediate action to help preserve these essential programs by:  1. Contact Nebraska's Congressional Delegation Reach out to your Representative and U.S. Senators by phone, email, or letter and urge them to protect funding for SPTF programs in the FY 2026 budget. You can find contact information for Nebraska's federal delegation here:  Senator Deb Fischer: https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/?p=email-deb Washington, D.C. office (202) 224-6551 Senator Pete Ricketts: https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/contact/share-your-opinion/  Washington, D.C. office (202) 224-4224  Find your U.S. House Representative: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative  District 1: Congressman Mike Flood: https://flood.house.gov/contact  Washington, D.C. office  (202) 225-4806  District 2: Congressman Don Bacon: https://bacon.house.gov/contact/  Washington, D.C. office (202) 225-4155  District 3:  Congressman Adrian, Smith: https://adriansmith.house.gov/address_authentication?form=/contact  Washington, D.C. office (202) 225-6435  2. Share Your Story When you reach out,  please be specific and personal. Share how these forestry programs have made a difference in your life, community, or work. Whether you are a fire chief, city leader, landowner, or citizen advocate, your voice and your experience are powerful. Please consider including: How your community has benefited from SPTF-supported projects or funding. How these programs have helped prevent wildfire or improve forest health. What the consequences would be if this funding is lost. 

Headlines on today's episode include: Accurate forecasts vital for farmers, Million dollar rain in the Nebraska Sandhills, Sen. Ricketts sees bright future for U.S. ethanol, Strong stands in southeastern South Dakota, Sand management on dairies, Water quality efforts continue in Iowa, and a trading view of Mexico being a success story.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nebraska Sens. Pete Ricketts and Deb Fischer announced their commitment to extending President Donald Trump's 2017 tax cuts, aiming to help farmers, ranchers and their families keep their taxes low.

In this podcast, I share the audio from a video of a speech given by former Nebraska governor and current US Senator, Pete Ricketts. He discusses how Nebraska used Lean Six Sigma to improve their services to residents, reduced costs, building space and time. He encourages the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to utilize a similar approach.You can watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JwDhbZBXCILearn more about BPI7 Continuous Improvement Best Practices: ⁠⁠⁠https://mail.biz-pi.com/lss-best-practices-funnel⁠⁠Need help in your organization, or want to discuss your current work situation?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Let's talk! Schedule a free support call⁠Podcast Sponsor: Creative Safety Supply is a great resource for free guides, infographics, and continuous improvement tools. I recommend starting with their 5S guide. It includes breakdowns of the five pillars, ways to begin implementing 5S, and even organization tips and color charts. From red tags to floor marking; it's all there. Download it for free at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠creativesafetysupply.com/5S⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BIZ-PI.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LeanSixSigmaDefinition.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Have a question? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Submit a voice message at Podcasters.Spotify.com⁠

Sen. Pete Ricketts, in a press call Wednesday, said he supports President Donald Trump's tariff plan, but does not support the bills in the U.S. House and Senate looking to limit the president's ability to levy those tariffs.

On today's program: Lindsey Graham, U.S. Senator from South Carolina, offers insight to the government shutdown fight, peace negotiations in the Russia-Ukraine war, and the ongoing violence in Syria. Pete Ricketts, U.S. Senator from Nebraska and

President Donald Trump has published several executive orders that could directly impact agriculture, Nebraska's top industry. Nebraska Public Media's Jackie Ourada asked U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts about those impacts and what legislation we could see this session from the former governor.

Doug is honored to have Senator Pete Ricketts on the show. The Senator talks about the Senate's new working hours, working on the Trump agenda, cutting government spending by being on the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Caucus, border security, cutting regulations, and so much more. www.ricketts.senate.gov

On today's program: Pete Ricketts, U.S. Senator and Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, discusses President Trump's recent comments on Greenland, Panama, and Canada, as well as President Biden's decision to release 11 terrorists from

Senator Pete Ricketts is encouraging the U.S. Senate to confirm President-elect Donald Trump's national security nominees as quickly as possible. Ricketts is a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, which will hold hearings on nominees for ambassadors and other national security officials in the coming months. He says Trump's pick for Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, will help America stand with its allies and be tough on China.

?On today's program: Pete Ricketts, U.S. Senator for Nebraska, reacts to the current list of names to be nominated for posts in the second Trump administration and celebrates his state's pro-life victories. Greg Lopez, U.S. Representative for

On today's program: Keith Self, U.S. Representative for the 3rd District of Texas, dissects the contrasting messaging from Vice President Kamala Harris versus President Biden's 'garbage' comment. Matt Carpenter, FRC Action Director, shares what

On today's show we're joined by Senator Pete Ricketts of Nebraska, to discuss the Securing American Agriculture Act, which among other things would require the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in conjunction with the U.S. Trade Representative and the Department of Commerce, to conduct an annual threat assessment of critical food and agricultural supply chains. We're also joined by Lesli Allison, chief executive of the Western Landowners Alliance to talk about a recent USDA secretarial memorandum to support connectivity of wildlife habitat on working landscapes through the management of National Forests and voluntary conservation assistance on private agricultural lands.

Doug welcomes back to the show Senator Pete Ricketts. They discuss the abortion initiatives, illegal immigration, false & misleading ad campaigns, his staff's office hours across the state and more. https://petericketts.com

In this episode of American Potential, host Jeff Crank sits down with Brad Stevens, former Americans for Prosperity (AFP) employee and current State Director for U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts. Brad reflects on his 14-year journey with AFP, sharing stories of grassroots victories, policy change, and the power of community activism. From memorable door-knocking campaigns to building lasting relationships with policy champions and activists across the country, Stevens highlights the importance of teamwork and perseverance in the fight for liberty. Brad also delves into AFP's role in key policy battles, including the fight against overregulation and government overreach. He shares personal anecdotes, including successful grassroots efforts in Nebraska and the impact AFP has had in transforming the state's political landscape. This episode offers an insider's look at how a nationwide grassroots organization can drive significant policy changes while creating a close-knit community of activists. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about the ongoing fight for freedom and opportunity.

On today's program, hosted by Jody Hice: Andy Biggs, U.S. Representative for the 5th

Sen. Pete Ricketts hosted a forum at the Nebraska State Fair on Monday. Alongside Congressman Adrian Smith and other state and federal agribusiness leaders, the group focused on agriculture, trade and government regulations. Ricketts said government overregulation from the Biden administration is hurting Nebraska agriculture producers and he encouraged the audience of around 100 people to educate federal bureaucrats about the agriculture industry.

The U.S. Senate passed the Kids Online Safety Act this week on a bipartisan, 91 to 3 vote. The legislation requires social media platforms to provide minors with options to disable addictive product features, including algorithmic recommendations. Nebraska Senators Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts were both co-sponsors of the bill.

Sen. Pete Ricketts is a first-hand expert on all things Nebraska. We put him to the test as we bring up all kinds of state festivals, and explore his passion for parades. Plus, we discuss his reasoning for in-office workplaces, and he shares his numerous concerns over Electric Vehicle mandates.

On today's program: Erin Hawley, Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel and Vice President of the Center for Life and Regulatory Practice, discusses the U.S. Supreme Court rejecting a challenge to the Food and Drug Administration by stating that

On today's program: Pete Ricketts, U.S. Senator for Nebraska, sets the record straight on the loopholes plaguing President Biden's executive order on U.S. asylum policy and discusses the need for sanctions against the International Criminal Court

In today's episode:The question of whether or not to accept the results of the 2024 election is not a hard one to answer - the answer is "no"Pete Ricketts and the Nebraska Uniparty Right sweeps their fake primaries with no support from the state GOPJ6 actor and gay giant, Harry Dunn, loses a rigged primary in Maryland and Kim Klacik wins, which means Maryland's elections must be real!Why Lockdown Larry Hogan turning a Maryland Senate seat 'red' is a win for the Uniparty, not for MAGARefusing to accept the results of rigged elections no matter who wins is the only way forward.Connect with Be Reasonable: https://linktr.ee/imyourmoderatorHear the show when it's released. Become a paid subscriber at imyourmoderator.substack.comVisit the show's sponsors:Diversify your assets into Bitcoin: https://partner.river.com/reasonableDiversify your assets into precious metals: reasonablegold.comOther ways to support the work:ko-fi.com/imyourmoderatorDonate btc via coinbase: 3MEh9J5sRvMfkWd4EWczrFr1iP3DBMcKk5Make life more comfortable: mypillow.com/reasonableMerch site: https://cancelcouture.myspreadshop.com/Follow the podcast info stream: t.me/imyourmoderatorOther social platforms: Truth Social, Gab, Rumble, or Gettr - @imyourmoderator Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/be-reasonable-with-your-moderator-chris-paul. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[00:00:00] Bret Baier   [00:10:22] Sen. Pete Ricketts   [00:18:26] Marc Thiessen   [00:36:48] Master P   [00:55:10] David Bahnsen   [01:13:32] Shannon Bream   [01:31:56] Arthur Lih Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christiane Amanpour is in Ukraine where, days away from the second anniversary of the war, there are feelings of urgency and of frustration. As American support dries up, just as Ukraine needs it most, Russia has delivered a frontline defeat and now its flags are now flying over Avdiivka in the east. Still Ukraine battles on: with fewer weapons, less ammunition and troops staggering from two years of war. Christiane spoke to President Zelensky on stage at the Munich Security Conference.  Also on today's show: Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary-General; Kaja Kallas, Prime Minister of Estonia; Pete Ricketts, U.S. Republican Senator; Alejandro Mayorkas, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the early morning hours of Tuesday, a group of conservative senators ran out of procedural options for debating a $95 billion funding bill for Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific. In the middle of the night, Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.; Mike Lee, R-Utah; Rand Paul, R-Ky.; Pete Ricketts, R-Neb.; Marco Rubio, R-Fla.; Eric Schmitt, R-Mo.; Rick Scott, R-Fla.; and JD Vance, R-Ohio, articulated their opposition.When they ran out of options, the tandem of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., moved swiftly to pass the bill on a vote of 70 to 29. That included 22 Republicans who voted for foreign aid without addressing America's own border crisis.The measure now moves to the House of Representatives, where Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has pledged to hold the line at the urging of conservatives.National security expert Elbridge Colby, co-founder and principal at The Marathon Initiative, spoke with The Daily Signal about what's playing out on Capitol Hill and why he thinks this legislation misses the mark. He also explained how the United States should be prioritizing its national security. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the early morning hours of Tuesday, a group of conservative senators ran out of procedural options for debating a $95 billion funding bill for Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific. In the middle of the night, Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.; Mike Lee, R-Utah; Rand Paul, R-Ky.; Pete Ricketts, R-Neb.; Marco Rubio, R-Fla.; Eric Schmitt, R-Mo.; […]