The February meeting of the OLLI Politics Interest Group will be held on Thursday, Feb. 15 at 3 p.m. at Stauffer’s Cafe & Pie Shoppe.

All OLLI members are invited to attend this lively discussion of national, state and local political events. There is no need to register, just come on over to Stauffer’s for some coffee, pie and politics.

Here are some topics to be thinking about:

1. People are already arguing about the 2020 Census. The Department of Justice has suggested that a question about citizenship be included on the census form. Immigrant rights group are adamantly opposed saying it would inhibit non-citizens from participating. Census data is used not only for redistricting of Federal and State political districts but also in the allocation of Federal funds for a variety of programs. Who should be counted? Who should be included in the drawing of political districts for Federal and State offices? Here’s an article from the “Washington Post” which defines the issues:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/potential-citizenship-question-in-2020-census-could-shift-power-to-rural-america/2018/01/23/c4e6d2c6-f57c-11e7-beb6-c8d48830c54d_story.html?undefined=&utm_term=.016809cf700d&wpisrc=nl_politics&wpmm=1

2. President Trump has forwarded his recommendations for immigration reform to Congress. He calls for a path to citizenship for up to 1.8 million DACA eligible immigrants in return for changes to “chain immigration,” elimination of the immigration lottery and funding for his border wall. So far, neither house has indicated much support for Trump’s plan. What is a reasonable compromise that Congress could come to to protect the DACA status holders prior to the March deadline?

3. Various tax proposals are being explored in the Nebraska Unicameral Revenue Committee. The Governor has already made major changes to his original plan in an attempt to provide more property tax relief. Senator Erdman and others are still vowing to put the issue on the ballot in November if the legislature does not provide suitable property tax relief. Meanwhile the State still faces a significant revenue shortfall to meet current state obligations. What do you suggest? Is the University of Nebraska System being set up to face a huge funding cut?

4. On January 20, 2018 there was a second Women’s March held in Lincoln. Omaha also held an event with a crowd reported as over 8,000. What do women want? And what impact is the Women’s March and the #MeToo Movement likely to have on the November 2018 election?

Record numbers of women are filing for state and national offices, mostly as Democrats. The Lincoln March was highlighted by a group of local women dressed in black robes and masks, carrying signs with some rather salty slogans. They identified themselves as Betsy Riots. Has anyone ever heard of them? Here’s a link to their website:

http://betsyriot.com/tag/nebraska/

5. On a different note, the nominations for the Academy Awards have been announced. Several of the best picture nominees have a political theme. So, which films have you seen and which would you vote for for the Oscar? Here’s the nominees:
• Call Me by Your Name
• Darkest Hour
• Dunkirk
• Get Out
• Lady Bird
• Phantom Thread
• The Post
• The Shape of Water
• Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri