The Future is Now © 1998 Joe Murray As we stand at the dawn of a new century, we face an exciting opportunity in rural America to create a new paradigm of prosperity, growth and strong communities that was unimaginable only a few years ago. The technological wonders invented in the last 20 years now make it possible for small town America to grow again and share the important values of faith, family, hard work and independence that have always been the foundation of America's strength. For too long, rural America and its values have been looked on as a dinosaur that is about to become extinct. Starting with the census of 1920, this appeared to be the case. This census revealed that for the first time in the history of the United States, there were more people living in cities than on the farm. This trend continued for decades. The Great Depression and drought in the great plains forced thousands of people off the land during the 1930's. Towns dried up and either became ghosts towns or only shadows of their former identity as everyone rushed to the city. In the 1950's, a new trend started that was called the "suburbs." People moved out of the inner city in droves, but they didn't go back to the small towns or country. They just expanded the size of the city. The extinction of rural America seemed to be at the door in the late 70's and early 80's when the "farm crisis" saw many farmers go bankrupt for several reasons. A major problem was poor policies by the federal government and, in particular, the Carter administration. The tangible results of this were run-away inflation, unbearable interest rates and over micro-managing of the agriculture industry by treating it as an endangered species rather than the largest producer of most of the necessities of life. After all, man might not live by bread alone; but take the bread away, and he will die. Another factor in the decline of people living in rural America was the huge technological discoveries that allowed one man to do the work of hundreds. Crop productivity skyrocketed, creating enough food to feed the entire world many times over. It also made one person able to farm huge amounts of land, reducing the viability of quarter-section farms. However, today the same innovation that created technology that produced declining rural population is starting to make it possible for the people to return to the rural areas. Just this week, I learned rural population increased by nearly three million people from 1990-1996. That is an increase of 5.9 percent. Today, 1/6 of all manufacturing jobs are now located in rural areas. While fairly large by Nebraska standards, there are almost 200 cities in the U.S. that contain between fifteen and forty thousand people. This makes up 5 percent of the nation's population, and the number is growing. The undeniable leader in this move is the electronic revolution of computers, faxes, modems, cellular phones and video conferencing that allows people to communicate around the world almost as effectively as you would talk with the neighbor just a few feet away in a crowded city. The opportunity to have a dynamic, new, vibrant and growing rural community is available today and can continue through the next century, if we make the right decisions and have the proper leadership to achieve the opportunities that are only limited by our ingenuity. In Nebraska, both our business and political leaders have talked around this issue, but few have shown a grasp of the exciting opportunities awaiting us and ignore the roadblocks standing in the way of change. Most of the political leaders actually create further roadblocks that stand in the way of progress. As residents of Nebraska and rural America, the citizens of the 44th district have the chance to help make the opportunities start becoming reality today by your vote for State Senator in next Tuesday's primary. The citizens in the 44th district are blessed to have four men of great character and ability running for office. All have strong Nebraska values forged in working the land that is so desperately needed in Lincoln. I wish three of them could be transferred to other districts so they could all go to Lincoln because they are a step above many of the candidates and current incumbent senators. Unfortunately, this can't be done. So, a decision must be made regarding who is the best candidate to provide the leadership necessary for turning the great opportunities into reality. Having known him and his family since 1979, I have no doubt in my mind that Steven D. Smith is the best choice for the present and future opportunities, for both the district and the State. While all have the strong moral foundation of having worked the land, only Smith has the vision, experience and skills necessary to become a leader -- not just another faceless politician that has a good heart, says the right things, but proves incapable of stepping forward to lead and to not be intimidated by the largess of Lincoln and Omaha. We hear a lot of talk about the brain drain and how our best and brightest are fleeing the state. Steven D. Smith's personal life, business accomplishments and visionary ideas offer the ideal role model to reverse this trend. Like many, Steve went off to Lincoln to go to college. Upon receiving his degree in business, he took off for the bright lights and big city of Chicago to work in the health care industry. After a couple years, he had the vision to realize that city life wasn't all it was cracked up to be. So, he returned home to Imperial to help with the family farm and to start implementing ideas to re-energize and grow the economy of rural America. Using innovative marketing strategies, Steve and his family expanded the sales and profitability of the farm, allowing him to start taking an interest in the community and seeking to create new business opportunities beyond the corn field. Steve was the first to bring the Internet to Imperial when he started Chase 3000. You wouldn't be reading my column, if it wasn't for Steve conceiving the idea of Sodbuster. Now, he is attempting to combine the world of technology and agriculture with his Grain Central business, which would bring farmers, transporters and markets together using the power of the Internet. Like most western Nebraskans, Steven D. Smith is skeptical of solutions offered by government and would seek to lower taxes, regulation and spending; but, at the same time, he knows how government works and where it can work effectively. As a college student, he worked as a legislative aide to Senator John DeCamp who had the reputation as someone that would stand up to special interests and be a voice for western Nebraska. At the same time, DeCamp was able to be more than an obstructionist and could work with others to pass needed legislation. Steven D. Smith learned his lessons well and would, in a short time, be providing leadership for not only the 44th district and western Nebraska, but all of Nebraska. He would fill a leadership void that is desperately needed. Steve can stand on his own; but at the same time, he can work with those with diverse points-of-view in order to achieve results. A perfect example of the type of futuristic positive leadership that Steven D. Smith would provide comes from a private grant of $200,000 from the Kellogg Foundation for eight communities in southwestern Nebraska and two in Eastern Colorado. Steve was influential in procuring this grant. This program, aptly titled "Lost Treasures," will use Kellogg's generous funding to form adult/youth mentoring programs that seek to educate themselves and their communities in the use and potential of computer technology. The goal is to create economic opportunities so that the brain drain is plugged, and the best and brightest young people can remain in southwest Nebraska. Steve has demonstrated that you can create economic opportunity without the help of some new handout from government. So, when Steven D. Smith talks about the value of reducing government, it isn't a reactionary gripe that offers no real solution. Smith is living proof of the ability to create stronger communities in western Nebraska. Steven D. Smith is anchored with the values of the past, the vision for the future and the ability to make things happen for the better -- today. Citizens of the 44th district, the future is today. Don't let it pass you. Cast your vote for Steven D. Smith on Tuesday, May 12, 1998. |
