Senate candidate Todd Watson makes stop in Kimball

With a belief in small government, small banks and a big God, independent U.S. Senate candidate Todd Watson visited Kimball last week as one of several stops in the western part of the state.

Watson, a Lincoln businessman, is one of four candidates vying to replace retiring senator Mike Johanns, a Republican. The other candidates are Republican Ben Sasse, Democrat Dave Domina and independent Jim Jenkins.

Watson said the biggest difference in his candidacy is being against both big banks and big government, something that he said was mixed among Republicans and Democrats.

"We're totally unique. We're the only candidate standing strong against big government as well as big banking," he said. "One side believes in big government and hates big banks, and the other side loves big banks and hates big government. We believe in liberty. We like Thomas Jefferson's definitions of big government is tyranny, which destroys liberty, by definition. And he also said banking institutions are the greatest threats to our liberties, not standing armies. He was right on that accord, too."

Looking at one of the big issues of the day, Watson said the populace must get off the fence on the ISIL/ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant/Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) and come to a consensus on the issue. He said the U.S. must adopt containment in full as a long-term strategy or commit fully militarily.

"We need to listen to the people and work back from an end game. I don't think people are evaluating the decision based on what's the end game look like," he said. "My assumptions on the end game are Iraq is not a stable situation, even after we defeat ISIL. I think it will ultimately - this may take a decade or whatever - end up in three different provinces between the different tribes. That's what I believe. My presumption is that there will be no political stability in the region. If we were to beat ISIS, we will be required to have a large presence stationed in Iraq. So working from that premise backwards, do you take a containment strategy or do you take a complete eradication strategy, which will have boots on the ground and a long-term presence. So knowing the commitment level that it will take, we need a buy-in of containment or getting in and getting after it by 75 percent of the population. This 50 percentile approval of either option will not sustain a long-term victory. I'm flexible on the decision of where the people are at, but this middle ground to me is a disaster. You're kind of in, kind of out. I think we need to take the handcuffs off the military and go in and bust some people up, or say we've determined it's not worth it, we're doing containment and staying out.

"But we need a consensus from the American people. If we stay out, there will be more tragedies - things that will make our heads shake, but we're going to be disciplined and not go in. Or when we go in we lose men and we see some very gruesome, tragic things happen to people we know, but we're committed to the cause. We're not wavering. It's trying to get the American public off the middle."

Although Watson said he is open to either strategy, he added that he is a non-interventionist and that the U.S. should not have invaded Iraq in the first place.

"I believe we're way too involved in too many things, in too many lands," Watson said. "I'm a constitutionalist. I believe we've ignored the words domestic tranquility and provide for the common defense. That's what the constitution calls for. With that being said, we screwed that place up by going in in the first place. Again, I'm independent. Republicans should not have called that war. They fed us bad info. At the same time, Obama has been a disaster in foreign policy and has made it worse. Instead of crying over spilled milk, we've got to figure out how to fix that situation and move on."

Domestically, Watson said the current farm bill needs improvement. While he was satisfied on the ranching portions of the bill, Watson said the bill was inequitable and favors southern farmers over farmers elsewhere. He said he does not seek an advantage, but merely an equitable bill for every crop in every region.

"The southern boys raked the northern boys over the coals," Watson said. "They got 102 percent cost of coverage for peanuts and rice, and cotton really ran away with the show. They left the northern boys out to dry. They covered corn and soybeans in the 75 percent level of production...We need to get in there and fight these southern Senators that run both parties. I'm not looking for an advantage or to take care of my boys better than the other boys, but it's about equality before the law. We need to have production risk coverage equal for whatever you grow, wherever you grow."

Watson said one of the biggest issues facing the country is establishing a long-term direction and vision, and then to follow through with it.

"We have a rudderless leadership, and frankly, we have numb citizenry that will follow whatever is on the TV - whether it be Fox News or CNN - and they'll walk around and preach what they see on TV," he said. "We need to get back to a long-term vision, which will be grounded in the constitution, and a strategy with visions longer than 10 years to get our country back on task."

One example he cited where an independent could make a difference is the veterans bill, which was first proposed by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who is also an independent. He said Sanders' leadership on the bill broke through years of inaction by both Republicans and Democrats. The bill passed by a 97-3 margin.

"They couldn't solve veterans bills for, I don't know, seven years, eight years, to take care of those who fought for our freedoms," Watson said. "The independent says, 'Here you go,' this is what we're doing. It's good, pass it...The guy who figured out the veterans bill is a socialist. He's not even a liberal. He has enough common sense to go, here, and you have Republicans saying, 97-3, pass that thing. It's good. I don't agree with his politics, but he has enough common sense to write a decent bill to take care of people, and that 97 percent of senators said was pretty good. Independents solve problems, we don't play politics."

For more on Watson, visit http://www.watsonforsenate.com.