An open letter to Sen. Deb Fischer

Dear Sen. Deb Fischer, 

 

We are not pen pals, although I know some of your pen pals, quite a few actually. They send you letters, revealing their innermost feelings about your representation of Nebraska in the United States Senate. They try to reason with you. They plead with you. You write them back, sort of, telling them their comments are important, but that you really don’t agree with them.

 

I do not write letters or emails or make phone calls to you, because I know I could not change your mind or your vote on anything. There are stronger forces at work in your decision making. 

 

But last week I happened to see something you posted on Facebook that prompted me to write this open letter. It made me fume and pace for a few minutes, until I decided I had to write something to ease my anxiety. 

 

Here is what you posted: “Thanks President Trump for hosting a beautiful and fun White House dinner with colleagues to celebrate a very successful first 6 months of working together for the American people!” It was accompanied by three photos: 1) A gilded dinner plate, the likes of which I will never eat from, on a table with a large white rose centerpiece; 2) You and President Trump laughing together; 3) The dinner menu, the font designed and written by a White House calligrapher. It was elegant writing and made even Tomato Sauce look fit for a queen. 

 

May I share?

You were served: 

Sweet Pea and Ricotta Raviolo

Creamed Corn

Tomato Sauce ... Shaved Pecorino

Pan-roasted Dover Sole

Beurre Rouge

Sunchoke Puree ... Oyster Mushrooms 

Lemon-scented Broccolini

Cider-spiced Plums 

Raspberry Craquelin Choux

Vanilla Ice Cream 

 

The upshot is this: You, as a woman representing the state of Nebraska in the United States Senate, were celebrating the “One Big Beautiful Bill” and “a very successful first six months of working together for the American people.” You were celebrating with top-chef foods on golden plates, and having laughs with a president who thrives on name calling and revenge against respectable people who he has decided are his enemies. 

 

You were celebrating six months of what you perceived as having worked for the benefit of the American people. If you recall, as you were sworn in for your third term, you said, “Together we will continue to stand tall for our shared values and take care of our people.” 

 

Sen. Fischer, I have lived in Nebraska for decades, so by definition could be called a Nebraskan. You do not share my values. My values do not include celebrating significant cuts to health care and nutrition programs, like Medicaid and food assistance, having “fun” while people worry in your home state about how they will feed their families without help, or while those around the country wonder who will help if their city is flooded, or their house is wrecked by a hurricane or tornado. 

 

My values do not include cutting off funding for important medical research that could save lives, or eliminating backing for public media that provides crucial information to Americans, including Nebraskans. They do not include firing government workers without cause who  provide needed services to your constituents, and treating the remaining federal employees with disrespect for their dignity and the time they have devoted to the people of this country and state. 

 

On April 18, 2012, on your last day in the Nebraska unicameral Legislature, you told your fellow senators and constituents that from the first time you saw your name up on our Legislature’s voting board you realized that “every time you hit a red or a green (button) you affect somebody's life in this state. Every time you stand up and speak on the mic in opposition or in favor ... you are affecting everybody's life in this state. Every time you introduce a bill, every time you work hard on that bill to get it passed, every time you work with your colleagues to build a coalition, you affect somebody's life in this state.” 

 

You said it made a deep impression on you. Have you forgotten about those Nebraska lives? The lives of the 340,000 children, women and men in this state who rely on Medicaid for medical care? The more than 155,000 people who rely on supplemental food to get through the week? The ones who can barely afford a $4 loaf of bread, $4 pound of hamburger, $5 box of cereal, $5 carton of eggs, $5.50 gallon of milk or $20 can of baby formula? 

 

This was your statement: “The One Big, Beautiful Bill delivers. It reflects Nebraskan values — strong defense, smart spending, and support for those who serve. With this law, we are taking national security seriously and building a safer, more secure future for all Americans.”

 

I know a lot of Nebraskans are writing to you, expressing their concerns about your voting and actions. When you bother to have your staff reply, you tell them you are prioritizing “cutting wasteful spending” and “reforming Congress’s broken budget process.” Can you provide details? No? You say their suggestions, comments and feedback are “very important” to you. Have you considered how your support of the current administration has put family farms and rural hospitals at risk and negatively impacted education? How it has reduced respect for the United States around the world? How tariffs will raise the cost of living?

 

You have been called tough, formidable, strong, tenacious, fearless. Rep. Mike Flood said you were a person of passion and principles. Please use those qualities for the benefit of all people of Nebraska, not just the politicians with whom you now surround yourself. 

 

Use them for working out compromises that benefit common people and those who need your toughness, strength and fearlessness. Use them to keep government honest and represent your constituents' interests, even those who have less money and privilege than you. Use them to raise the intelligence level in our nation’s capital, to model compassion and integrity for the young people on your staff and in the halls of Congress and beyond. 

 

I will remind you that you did not get the majority of votes in the 2024 election in Lancaster and Douglas counties, the two largest counties in the state. Remember those 439,212 Nebraskans who did not vote for your “values.” 

 

Celebrate making their lives better, too. 

Sincerely, JoAnne Young

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