By Megan Nielsen, The World-Herald

Copyright omaha

In today’s edition of The Public Pulse, readers weigh in on the recent performance of Rep. Mike Flood and Sen. Pete Ricketts, and a reader shares his vision for the future of cybersecurity operations in Omaha.

Want your voice to be heard in The Pulse? Fill out this form, or shoot us an email at pulse@owh.com.

No longer supporting Rep. Flood

This letter is regarding Rep. Mike Flood. I have supported you through thick and thin. I have lamented the fact that people in attendance at your meetings with constituents treating you harshly.

But you have lost my vote forever after you voted against censuring Rep. Ilhan Omar. This person is a detriment to America and should be ousted. That being said, I pray that you never hold any office in our country again!

Jerry Campbell, Fairbury

Here’s how Omaha can lead on cybersecurity

What if I told you Omaha could become the cybersecurity capital of the world by 2040?

It might sound bold—but bold is what built this city. From railroads to insurance giants to Silicon Prairie startups, Omaha has always punched above its weight. Now, we have a new opportunity: cybersecurity. And this isn’t just tech talk for experts in server rooms—it’s a path that touches every one of us.

Every farm, small business, school district, hospital, and bank in Nebraska is increasingly connected. That means they’re increasingly vulnerable. Cybersecurity is no longer a niche issue—it’s a necessity, and it’s creating thousands of high-paying jobs, fast. Jobs that don’t require leaving the Midwest. Jobs that can lift families, rebuild communities, and inspire our next generation.

We already have the building blocks. A growing tech workforce. Strong universities like UNO and UNL. A spirit of pragmatism and grit. And frankly, a culture of trust and hard work that’s rare in the industry. Why shouldn’t Omaha lead the charge in protecting the digital world?

But it starts with us. With parents encouraging kids to explore tech. With city leaders investing in training programs and public-private partnerships. With businesses, big and small, thinking about how to secure their futures. And with everyday Omahans seeing this vision not as a fantasy, but as our future.

Cybersecurity isn’t just about firewalls—it’s about protecting people. It’s about defending hospitals, schools, and homes. And if there’s any city that understands the value of protecting our neighbors, it’s Omaha.

Let’s set our sights high. Let’s build something the world needs. Let’s make Omaha the cybersecurity capital of the world by 2040.

Steven Ritzdorf, Omaha

Stunned by Ricketts’ response to constituent inquiry

We have written to our Nebraska representatives numerous times of our concerns regarding the leadership of Donald Trump. In a recent response, Senator Ricketts made the statement, “we are seeing now real leadership in the White House again.” We were stunned by this response. We ask Senator Ricketts and our other representatives to open their eyes and see the truth regarding the “leadership” of Trump.

We think that any leader of our country should respect our laws and institutions. Trump refused to accept the results of the 2020 election, incited the January 6 riots, and then, when returned to power, pardoned the rioters and is carrying out a campaign of revenge and retribution against those who were enforcing our laws and seeking accountability. In the wake of the terrible murder of Charlie Kirk, Trump and his supporters have been quick to blame the “left” for the actions of a lone individual. In fact, it is the words and actions of Trump and his supporters related to the 2020 election that are the worst examples of political hate speech in recent times.

Leaders are also responsible for the culture in their organizations. Trump has decimated the federal workforce, fired subject matter experts, and encouraged federal workers to report on each other for “DEI violations” or lack of sufficient loyalty. Undoubtedly, the culture within the federal workforce and their effectiveness in carrying out their work have been decimated.

Finally, leaders and particularly presidents need to expect their leadership team members to provide them with honest, well-informed assessments of their areas of responsibility.

Apparently, this is not the case in the Trump administration. Trump’s late August cabinet meeting, which has been extensively reported on, consisted of the cabinet members fawning over and heaping praise on Trump. In my business leadership experience, this type of meeting would never have occurred, and anything like this would have been ridiculed once the meeting was over. Clearly, our “leader” is incapable of overcoming his own narcissism and is uninterested in hearing the truth from those who report to him.

Trump’s “leadership” is a clear danger to our country.

Mike and Maggie McMeekin, Omaha