Sharron's Siren Songs

At least he's trying. Even as the rest of the Nevada Republican Party drives quickly into Crazytown, Governor Brian Sandoval (R) continues to steer clear of the Sea of "TEA". And he continues trying to "soften" his party's image, even as other prominent Nevada G-O-TEA politicians continue drinking more hard "TEA" from their 21st Century Know Nothing base.

Today, Governor Sandoval wants to let the world know that he won't make life easy for 2016 Presidential Candidates campaigning in Nevada if they don't pledge to turn the proposed Interstate 11 (I-11) Freeway into a reality. For years, officials in Nevada and Arizona have discussed a potential freeway linking Reno, Las Vegas, and Phoenix. But when The Great Recession first hit, the proposal started collecting dust. But now, Governor Sandoval wants to use what he sees as his bully pulpit to turn I-11 from a few patches of road improvements into a fully developed multi-lane freeway.

Of course, there's a problem with Governor Sandoval's plan to add Southwestern infrastructure to the 2016 campaign narrative. That's problem just happens to be Sandoval's own Republican Party. While he's begging G-O-TEA 2016 contenders to talk about infrastructure, a leading G-O-TEA 2016 contender continues to obsess over Former President Bill Clinton's sex life during the 1990s. No, we're not kidding on this.



But wait, there's more! Two other leading G-O-TEA 2016 contenders (and sitting Governors) are bickering over whose scandal looks worse. And they'll all have to keep up with their G-O-TEA base on such important matters as banning abortions because of racial stereotypes, taking seriously a washed up D-List celebrity who keeps his name in the news by making even more outrageous accusations of President Obama, rewriting the history of The Civil War, and espousing long ago discredited theories of "nullifying federal law".

Unfortunately for Brian Sandoval, the above mentioned "SCANDALZZZ!!!!" full of crazy show far greater appeal to the G-O-TEA base than an interstate highway that millions of Americans in this region might actually put into good use. And since his party long ago decided to ditch sound economics for austerity laced voodoo, that just makes Sandoval's case to his own party for more federal investment that much tougher.

While a number of Nevada Republicans throw the "RINO" label around when describing Brian Sandoval, we prefer using this label: LINO, or "leader in name only". Why? Even though certain Republican consultants in DC and media pundits in DC & Las Vegas tout Sandoval as a "rising star & Republican leader", he can't lead his own party out of paper bag. Sure, he'd like to lead them out of a paper bag... But since the G-O-TEA base demands that they stay in the paper bag in order to remain "pure", they stay in the paper bag.

Try as he might, we doubt Governor Sandoval will go far in his effort to make the Nevada Republican Party seem relevant again. As long as they listen to Sharron Angle's siren songs, they'll keep tuning him out. And as long as national G-O-TEA politicians keep listening to her siren songs (which are heavily promoted by the voters they're competing for) as well, they'll also tune him out.