Paul Sassone

It’s a Big Rule for writers never to start with a cliché.

But a cliché is a cliché because it is so true and useful in conveying exactly what is meant.

So, you remember that cliché: Be careful what you wish for, because you might get it. It tells us something oh so true, that when we get something we want we might realize it is something bad, not something good.

How does it feel to get what you want and then not want it?

Just ask the residents of Omaha, Neb.

Some background …

Nebraska is a very conservative state. It always votes for the Republican nominee for president. Five of the six statewide offices are held by Republicans. Both U.S. senators and two of the three House members are Republicans. The GOP has a super-majority in the state legislature. And in the March presidential primary six times as many Nebraskans voted Republican than voted Democrat.

Nebraska is one heck of a red state.

The Nebraska GOP website proudly states the party stands for “limited government, personal freedom and fiscal responsibility.”

And Nebraskans are getting what they asked for.

But they don’t seem to like it one bit.

Suburban Omaha is a nice place to live. Lots of nice homes, many worth $400,000 or more.

The problem is about 300 miles of such streets are wearing out. There are giant pot holes dotting the streets in these nice neighborhoods.

Fix the streets, right? The streets are paved with asphalt. Omaha officials figure it would take $300 million to repair all the substandard streets.

But since Nebraska is a state that values limited government and fiscal responsibility, there isn’t enough tax revenue to do the job.

So, Omaha officials are tearing up the asphalt streets and transforming the streets into dirt roads.

Yep, dirt roads in 21st century affluent suburban America.

There have been meetings, protests, lawsuits.

And maybe, Nebraskans will take a closer look at what are the results of limited government.

Are they willing to accept limited services — such as dirt roads — as the price for limited government and fiscal responsibility?

Just what is meant when so many of us holler to get government off our backs?

It could happen.

And, like Omaha residents, we may not like it one bit

–Be careful what you wish for–