I can’t stand it when things aren’t right. I have to admit that when I’m knocking on doors and meeting neighbors, I often straighten a doormat or untangle a flag. Saturday, I fixed a doorbell that was loose and not level. If something is out of whack, it’s like an alarm goes off, and it glares at me until I do something about it. I feel the same way about public policy.
If a policy is broken and is not serving us well—or worse yet, causing harm—I have to do what I can to make it better. This applies to our tax system, most notably property taxes, which continue to chew up more and more of our budgets. It applies to education, where spending continues to increase, but in some areas, outcomes decline. It applies to public safety, where sometimes victims take the beating and criminals take a walk. These are the things that drive me crazy and motivate me to get up early, drive to Lincoln, and do what I can to make life better.
The challenge for this former businessman is that I can’t simply change policy to fit my belief system or mandate the solution that I believe best fits the need. I have 48 other “business partners” in the chamber, all with their own ideas, motivations, and a single vote—just like mine. What I’ve found over the past four years, however, is that many times those other folks also have some pretty good ideas and might even have a way to make my idea better. There have even been occasions (wait for it) when I learned along the way and found out that I was wrong! Oh, the horror!
“First, do no harm” is a foundational ethical principle. Though widely attributed to Hippocrates, it is not actually in the Hippocratic Oath, but it serves as a reminder to carefully weigh risks and benefits, prioritizing patient protection above all else in medicine and beyond. I think this applies to lawmaking as well. My first year, I was less patient about bills than I am today. It turns out there are a lot of ideas that have been tried before, and we should ask why a fence was built before we tear it down.
I ran for office because I’m not good at sitting on the sidelines complaining. I’d rather get in the mix, pay the price if need be, and do something good. I hope that my actions and the issues I promote do no harm and truly improve the lives of Nebraskans.
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R. Brad von Gillern
vGA von Gillern Associates
18370 Honeysuckle Dr.
Elkhorn, NE 68022
PH: 402-290-1048
Email: rbvongillern@gmail.com