Monday, July 21, 2014

Yep, They're Your Typical Republicans.

So we're seeing this again. Once more, we're hearing all about "Republican rebranding". And this time, it's once again coming from an all too familiar source.

Earlier this month, we (again) heard State Senator Michael Roberson (R-Henderson) boast about his aborted illegal mining tax scheme. And then, he topped that with his super secret plan to magically "increase education funding". And just how will he accomplish that? Perhaps he'll eventually get back to us (or maybe his favorite media pundit?) with the details?

In the mean time, Senator Roberson is focusing on more important things... Like glossy mailers proclaiming how he and his hand picked candidates are "not your typical Republican(s)".

And how's that? Didn't they... Oh, wait. All but one in each chamber virulently opposed marriage equality when the Legislature was in session last year. And all but a tiny handful voted against the state version of ENDA in 2011. (And for the record, Roberson voted against both.)

But come on, didn't they... Oh, wait. In 2011, State Senator Michael Roberson led fellow Republican legislators against increased education funding. He also fought against implementation of the Affordable Care Act/Obamacare that gave us Medicaid expansion. It was only last year when Senator Roberson suddenly turned around and proposed his destined-to-be-aborted illegal mining tax scheme. And he couldn't even unite his own Republican Caucus behind it. And when the going got tough, he turned back around to embrace the status quo.

Come on now, didn't they... Oh, wait. In a last ditch effort to stop the state background checks bill, Senator Michael Roberson proposed a competing "poison pill bill" during the very last week of the legislative session. Oh, yes. That's right. He & his G-O-TEA colleagues in Carson City resorted to the most underhanded of parliamentary tactics to kill even modest legislation aimed at curbing gun violence.

Now before anyone accuses us of being "blind partisans", let's get this out of the way. When Democratic leaders in Carson City tried to avoid reality, we called them out on it. We even called them out when a sex education bill died a very mysterious death. (And by the way, where was "Not Your Typical Republican" Michael Roberson when this happened?)

We just refuse to look the other way when certain politicians try to have it both ways. Say what you want about current Democratic leaders, but we've never seen them attempt this type of incredibly confusing and flagrantly misleading "rebranding". In this aspect, Michael Roberson and his hand-picked running mates sound a whole lot like your typical garden variety Republicans.

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