The Dan Parsons Show

Former Nebraska State Senator John Stinner joins the show to discuss his recent Nebraska Examiner column challenging claims that the state is facing a true budget crisis. A former chair of the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee, Stenner breaks down why the projected $472 million shortfall is not a revenue problem, but the result of policy choices, heavy reliance on one-time money, and the removal of long-standing fiscal guardrails. He also walks through how transfers, tax cuts, shrinking reserves, and agency funding decisions are shaping the current budget debate as lawmakers head into budget hearings.Read Stinner's column here: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/01/29/opinion-nebraska-has-no-budget-crisis/More from the Nebraska Examiner: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻Support the show by becoming a ‘Friend of Dan’ on Patreon - https://patreon.com/thedanparsonsshow⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻Additional music provided by friend of the show Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal, support them at: https://www.joshhoyer.com/⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻Connect with The Dan Parsons Show on Social Media:- TikTok - https://tiktok.com/@thedanparsonsshow- Instagram - https://instagram.com/thedanparsonsshow- Twitter [NOT calling it "X"] - https://x.com/DanParsonsShow2- Facebook - https://facebook.com/TheDanParsonsShow⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻On the go? Listen to the audio version of The Dan Parsons Show at: https://shows.acast.com/the-dan-parsons-show⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻—Chapters—⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻#Nebraska #Omaha #Lincoln #Election2026 #JimPillen #NebraskaExaminer #Unicameral #NEleg 

Nebraska Examiner Editor-in-Chief Aaron Sanderford joins the show to discuss a new audit questioning a $2.5 million no-bid contract approved by Gov. Jim Pillen’s administration. Sanderford explains what the audit found, how the process broke down, and why the central question is no longer who steered the contract... but why? He also discusses other recent reporting from the Examiner, including the historic resignation of former Sen. Dan McKeon and the shifting political landscape ahead of 2026.Read Aaron's story here: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/01/15/auditor-flags-possible-pillen-favoritism-in-2-5m-no-bid-bioeconomy-contract-with-lobbyist/More from the Nebraska Examiner: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻Support the show by becoming a ‘Friend of Dan’ on Patreon - https://patreon.com/thedanparsonsshow⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻Additional music provided by friend of the show Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal, support them at: https://www.joshhoyer.com/⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻Connect with The Dan Parsons Show on Social Media:- TikTok - https://tiktok.com/@thedanparsonsshow- Instagram - https://instagram.com/thedanparsonsshow- Twitter [NOT calling it "X"] - https://x.com/DanParsonsShow2- Facebook - https://facebook.com/TheDanParsonsShow⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻On the go? Listen to the audio version of The Dan Parsons Show at: https://shows.acast.com/the-dan-parsons-show⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻—Chapters—⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻#Nebraska #Omaha #Lincoln #Election2026 #JimPillen #NebraskaExaminer #Unicameral #NEleg

Chris Backemeyer, a former State Department diplomat and candidate for Congress in Nebraska’s 1st District, joins the show to discuss the recent killing of VA ICU nurse Alex Pretti during an ICE operation in Minneapolis and what Congress should do in response. Backemeyer outlines his concerns about executive overreach, the role of congressional oversight, and how U.S. foreign policy decisions are affecting trust abroad and families here in Nebraska.⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻Support the show by becoming a ‘Friend of Dan’ on Patreon - https://patreon.com/thedanparsonsshow⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻Additional music provided by friend of the show Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal, support them at: https://www.joshhoyer.com/⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻Connect with The Dan Parsons Show on Social Media:- TikTok - https://tiktok.com/@thedanparsonsshow- Instagram - https://instagram.com/thedanparsonsshow- Twitter [NOT calling it "X"] - https://x.com/DanParsonsShow2- Facebook - https://facebook.com/TheDanParsonsShow⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻On the go? Listen to the audio version of The Dan Parsons Show at: https://shows.acast.com/the-dan-parsons-show⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻—Chapters—⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻#Nebraska #Omaha #Lincoln #Election2026 #Politics #Congress #ICE #AlexPretti #NATO #Iran

Nebraska Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) returns to the show to break down President Trump’s speech from Davos, including controversial comments about Greenland, NATO, and the use of military force against U.S. allies. Bacon also discusses the constitutional limits of presidential power, Congress’s role on tariffs, rising tensions with Europe, and the latest developments in Ukraine as the war with Russia continues.⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻Support the show by becoming a ‘Friend of Dan’ on Patreon - https://patreon.com/thedanparsonsshow⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻Additional music provided by friend of the show Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal, support them at: https://www.joshhoyer.com/⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻Connect with The Dan Parsons Show on Social Media:- TikTok - https://tiktok.com/@thedanparsonsshow- Instagram - https://instagram.com/thedanparsonsshow- Twitter [NOT calling it "X"] - https://x.com/DanParsonsShow2- Facebook - https://facebook.com/TheDanParsonsShow⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻On the go? Listen to the audio version of The Dan Parsons Show at: https://shows.acast.com/the-dan-parsons-show⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻—Chapters—⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻#Nebraska #Omaha #Lincoln #2026Election #Greenland #Congress #NATO #Ukraine #Russia #Davos Rep. Bacon: Military Action Against Greenland Would Be IMPEACHABLE

Caitlin Knutson, a special education teacher and candidate for Nebraska Legislature District 2, joins the show as the 2026 election season gets underway. Knutson discusses why she decided to run, what she’s hearing from voters across eastern Lincoln and Cass County, and how issues like property taxes, education funding, and government accountability are shaping the race.For more information on Knutson, visit https://www.knutsonforlegislature.com/⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻Support the show by becoming a ‘Friend of Dan’ on Patreon - https://patreon.com/thedanparsonsshow⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻Additional music provided by friend of the show Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal, support them at: https://www.joshhoyer.com/⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻Connect with The Dan Parsons Show on Social Media:- TikTok - https://tiktok.com/@thedanparsonsshow- Instagram - https://instagram.com/thedanparsonsshow- Twitter [NOT calling it "X"] - https://x.com/DanParsonsShow2- Facebook - https://facebook.com/TheDanParsonsShow⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻On the go? Listen to the audio version of The Dan Parsons Show at: https://shows.acast.com/the-dan-parsons-show⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻—Chapters—⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻#Nebraska #Omaha #Lincoln #2026Election #NebraskaLegislature #Unicameral #affordability #schoolchoice #taxpolicy

Investigative journalist Yanqi Xu of Flatwater Free Press joins the show to discuss her latest reporting on the unresolved death of 17-year-old Zach Panther at a hog farm owned by the family of Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen. Yanqi explains how she approached the investigation alongside the New York Times, the obstacles she encountered, and what the case reveals about workplace safety, government oversight, and accountability journalism in Nebraska.Read the full story: https://flatwaterfreepress.org/a-mysterious-death-of-a-teen-at-a-hog-farm/Thumbnail Photo: Christopher Smith, New York Times⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻Support the show by becoming a ‘Friend of Dan’ on Patreon - https://patreon.com/thedanparsonsshow⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻Additional music provided by friend of the show Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal, support them at: https://www.joshhoyer.com/⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻Connect with The Dan Parsons Show on Social Media:- TikTok - https://tiktok.com/@thedanparsonsshow- Instagram - https://instagram.com/thedanparsonsshow- Twitter [NOT calling it "X"] - https://x.com/DanParsonsShow2- Facebook - https://facebook.com/TheDanParsonsShow⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻On the go? Listen to the audio version of The Dan Parsons Show at: https://shows.acast.com/the-dan-parsons-show⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻—Chapters—⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻#Nebraska #Omaha #Lincoln #InvestigativeJournalism #Accountability #WorkplaceSafetyThe Mysterious Death of a Teen at Pillen Family Farms