On Cards & Band-aids

Today is the day. Finally, those who have suffered due to complete lack of documentation can get something. So what is this something being offered?

Remember SB 303? It's now in effect. And driver's authorization cards are now available at the local DMV.



Long lines formed outside DMV offices in Southern and Northern Nevada this morning for the first day to obtain driver's authorization cards. Many are excited about the change happening here in Nevada. Yet even with today's big opening, there's an underscore of disappointment.

Why? While these cards are better than what we had before (nothing), they're still not an actual path to actual legal status. Keep in mind that Nevada and nine other states now offer these cards because Congress still hasn't passed comprehensive immigration reform (CIR).

Actually, that's not entirely accurate any more. The Senate passed S 744 last June. The House, however, passed nothing but an amendment aimed at deporting DREAMers. Even though a supermajority of US Senators and the American public want CIR, and even though the votes likely exist to pass CIR in the House, House G-O-TEA "leaders" have instead opted the "Duck & Cover Strategy" of trying to avoid the issue and deflect attention (& blame) onto their favored haute faux scandal of the day.

Even as this state and others must figure out how to adapt to the reality of the nation's broken immigration system, Nevada’s own Rep. Joe Heck (R-???) has done nothing but parrot the same old vacuous talking points provided to him by (House G-O-TEA) "leadership". And of course, that very "leadership" has only "led" in absurd spin while following the lead of Rep. Steve King (R-Crazy) and his army of 21st Century Know Nothings. Oh, yes. That's right. CIR has been stalled to death in the House because swing district backbenchers (like Heck) fear the consequences of sidestepping "leadership"... And "leadership" fears the consequences of angering the 21st Century Know Nothings (too much).

Yet ironically enough, the same 21st Century Know Nothings are expressing "OUTRAGE!!!" over Nevada taking steps to adapt to the reality brought on by Congress' failure to fix it's own problems. They're even angry at Nevada's Republican Governor for signing SB 303 into law, yet they want Reps. Joe Heck & Mark Amodei to keep blocking any progress on CIR (even the bill Senator Dean Heller supported). As long as there's no CIR, these kinds of ad hoc state/local level band-aids are all we can do.

And if any Republican politicians want to continue complaining about it, they know how to fix it for good.

Duck Duck Goose

So it's back. And oh, we can hear that quack. The G-O-TEA Culture Warriors have declared victory in their latest battle for "moral value$.



Yet even as the 21st Century Know Nothings celebrate the return of their beloved "Dynasty", they fail to notice they're still losing the overall Culture War. Keep in mind that they're now having to play defense in Utah and Ohio! Never mind their supposed triumphant quacks, it's increasingly looking like the religious right is trying to duck inevitable defeat.

We've even seen these winds of change blow into Nevada in recent years. Just look at the remarkable journey of SJR 13 in Carson City this past spring.





After many years of dismissing the possibility of marriage equality ever coming to Nevada any time in the near future, politicians and pundits had to finally face the Nevada of the 21st Century... Along with the rest of 21st Century America. In case the remarkable progress of SJR 13 in Carson City wasn't surprising enough, the US Supreme Court then upped the ante with a groundbreaking ruling.

Edie Windsor was stuck with a $300,000 tax bill after her wife passed away. She and her lawyer decided to do something about it.

And as a result, not only does Edie Windsor not have to worry about that $300,000 tax bill, but she's also just set incredible legal precedent for LGBTQ equality going forward. [...]

Going forward, any and all laws challenged as discriminatory against LGBTQ Americans will face strict scrutiny in federal courts. And yes, this is a big f**king deal. Even though SCOTUS didn't enact nationwide marriage equality today, the days of marriage discrimination in America are likely numbered.

Because "The Supremes" decided to make a broad anti-discrimination statement in striking down much of DOMA while also letting stand the trailblazing Prop 8 trial court ruling (overturning California's marriage ban), the future is looking bright for Nevada's own marriage equality law suit. (This is now working it's way through federal courts while SJR 13 is awaiting a second round of passage at the state legislature.) And not only that, but the SCOTUS decisions also set good precedent for the Utah and Ohio cases. It's no longer a question of if nationwide civil marriage equality becomes a reality, but when.

This is why the TEA fueled religious right is now scrambling. And this is why it's making last ditch efforts to halt progress on LGBTQ civil rights by picking fights over transgender students, meeting space for H8 groups, LGBTQ workers' rights, and duck hunting reality TV stars. This year, even some G-O-TEA "leaders" acknowledged their days of "winning the Culture War" are over.

And really, this is something to quack about.

The Disappointment... & The Solution

Let's dig a little deeper today. Last week, we discussed the deadly consequences of ignoring our tattered and torn social safety net. But now, we must recap why it's become so tattered and torn. Here's a hint: We've forgotten the basics of civilization for far too long.

Why is it that we always hear that "we can't afford" proper mental health care, decent schools, and repaired roads, yet our Governor and Legislature always seem to be able to afford corporate welfare to shower upon multinational corporations like Apple that neither need the help nor deserve it? Think about that as well. How on earth does this lead to a stable economy for our state? And how on earth does neglecting the most vulnerable in our society lead to a healthy economy? 

It doesn't. That's precisely the problem. Our "leaders" in Carson City keep chasing after mythical economic unicorns while failing to provide the most fundamental building blocks of a sound economy. 

Sure, luring Hollywood to Las Vegas sounds sexy. But ultimately, that won't mean shit for economic development if our schools keep bursting at the seams, our hospitals keep stuffing patients onto Greyhound buses heading out of state, and our roads are clogged with commuters while paved with just as many potholes. We seriously need to pay attention to the rude awakening we're now receiving. We must get back to basics, and we must do so before it's too late.

This past Spring, Carson City was buzzing over visions of Hollywood glamour, Wall Street power, and Silicon Valley splendor. Yet while Governor Magic Man (R-Denial) and certain legislators were falling over each other to bask in the glory of the "razzle dazzle" of it all, they were also agreeing to yet another round of status quo.

[... T]he Legislature finally succumbed to Governor Sandoval's request for underfunded schools and inadequate public infrastructure. They may not be quite as underfunded as they were in previous sessions. Yet even Governor Sandoval's own President of the State Board of Education, Ms. Elaine Wynn herself, has described Nevada public schools as "grossly underfunded". This poorly kept secret is becoming increasingly difficult to deny.

So now, someone has to deal with it. Someone has to start fixing this structural problem. And since we saw no solutions from "leaders" in Carson City this spring, We the People must provide leadership and get it done in the fall of next year.

Wait, so what's the deal with that last sentence? What must We the People do? Here's a hint: T. E. I.

As usual, Ralston mourns the policy failures that have grown out of the dysfunctional politics of this state. And in quite a few aspects, he's right on the money. But now, we have a chance to move beyond mourning over what can't be done. We finally have a chance to seize what can be done.

So what can be done? Remember these three letters: T. E. I. 

We've had it with the overcrowded schools, overburdened teachers, and underfunded public infrastructure. And yes, we've had it with the usual hand-wringing and empty rhetoric. We now have The Education Initiative on next year's general election ballot, and we know it can (and must!) be done. 

If we want Nevada to succeed in building a better economy and a brighter future, we have to look beyond what hasn't been done and realize what must be done. Then, we have to recognize that it can be done. And of course, we then have to just do it already.

Some things just don't change. In his column on his 10 biggest Nevada political stories of 2013, Jon Ralston lamented the Nevada Legislature's failure to pass tax reform. Of course, he also screamed over "disastrous leadership" and took one more pot shot at The Education Initiative. But this time, not even he could muster enough outrage to scream all that much about the ills of "ballot box budgeting".

Sure, "ballot box budgeting" isn't ideal. But really, are underfunded schools, busted health care infrastructure, and broken transportation systems acceptable at all? Something must change. And yes, We the People must provide that change next year.

When it came to economic justice in Nevada, 2013 offered plenty of disappointment. However, there was a twist this year. 2013 also offered a chance to start changing that disappointment into solutions.

How many times have we grumbled over Carson City's failure to reach meaningful, thoughtful, and truly helpful solutions for "The T Word"? Yet in 2014, all it will take is passage of three letters (hint: T. E. I.) to move past the disappointment and finally start reaching solutions.

The Year of Manufactured Crises

After all the huffing and puffing and strutting and screaming, it happened. A deal was struck. The votes were rounded up. And after weeks of mindless speculation, Congress' latest and greatest manufactured crisis finally came to an end.

How many times have we had to talk about it here? Frankly, I lost count some time in March. However, I remember that our very first conversation of 2013 was about "The Fiscal Cliff"... And what the end of that manufactured crisis revealed to us about how Congress would (not) work in 2013.

Even while "The Fiscal Cliff" has been averted, this is still just a temporary solution. G-O-TEA extremists will be demanding whole pounds of "fiscal flesh" when the debt ceiling is taken hostage yet again again up for debate. So there will be another round of insanity to witness in the new Congress this spring.

Yet even with that being said, it may just end up being a bunch of meaningless Sturm und Drang. Why, you ask? Remember that for most of the past decade-plus in Congress (that is, when Republicans have controlled the House), Republicans have operated under the "Hastert Rule" of only bringing legislation to the House floor if it has the support of most of the Republican caucus. However, that did not happen last night. Instead, this bill passed despite most House Republicans opposing it. And in letting this happen, Boehner implicitly admitted that budget solutions can now be reached by actually reaching across the aisle for a change and bringing in Democratic votes (as opposed to simply grinding Congress to a halt just so he can engage in "tea party circle jerks").

This may be the key to unlocking the potential for better productivity in the new Congress. Both President Obama and Harry Reid see it. We'll just have to see how long House Republicans try denying this "new rule"... And how long we will have to endure the next round of meaningless "tea party circle jerks" before something (else) is actually accomplished.

Actually, it is the key... But it's yet to be used to solve anything other than manufactured crises. Instead, we've seen Congress stuck in epic gridlock thanks to endless G-O-TEA intransigence.

Comprehensive immigration reform (CIR)? Oh, no. They can't do that. It's too "big and complicated" for one bill (despite the fact that the Senate passed one in June).

Farm bill? Oh, no. They can't do that. They'd rather let American consumers suffer unnecessary higher food prices than let the working poor eat.

ENDA? Oh, no. They can't do that. They still refuse to accept that LGBTQ Americans exist, let alone contribute to the American Economy. [...]

Time and time again, Republican "leaders" have chosen cheap and crass political games over real governance. It's why major policy goals, such as CIR & ENDA, are about to be left unmet. And it's why we doubt this Congress can even "succeed" at such basic tasks as passing longer term budgets.

After all, some Republican politicians are now bragging about their vision of "government that does less". Why would they want to abandon that vision to allow for a government that actually functions properly?

Never mind that we actually have real crises to solve. Because Congressional Republican "leaders" long ago lost control of their Crazy Caucus, they've manufactured crises, such as "The Fiscal Cliff", the Shutdown Shitfest, and a slew of near default debacles, in a desperate attempt to mollify them. It hasn't worked. Instead, it's revealed just how reckless and feckless the G-O-TEA has become.

We've said it before, but we must say it again today. Sharron Angle likely has more control over the Nevada Republican Party than anyone who's actually supposed to be a "leader" in Carson City or DC. As much as Brian Sandoval would like to deny it and John Boehner would like to hide it, that's the awful and crazy truth that we saw unfold over the course of this year. 

Never mind that Sharron Angle currently holds no elected office and has no official position with the Nevada Republican Party. She and her "TEA Party, Inc." BFFs have provided the ideology that's now the heart and soul of today's Republican Party. And as a result, many Republicans are still defending their crazy actions. [...]

It doesn't matter that this whole Shutdown Shitfest made for absolutely awful economics. And it doesn't matter that it ultimately made for crappy politics. For today's G-O-TEA, all that matters is that crazy is in charge. And that's what caused this whole crazy fiasco in the first place.

Ultimately, this and the other manufactured crises came to an end. Senator Harry Reid (D-The Boss) was able to find just enough not-so-crazy Republicans to force "leadership" to stand down at the 11th hour of each and every manufactured crisis of 2013. Yet with that being said, this string of crises has taken its toll on the nation. America has been forced into an era of austerity, and people are suffering as a result of this series of budget cuts. Even now, even more American families are about to become victims of the next round of austerity madness.

And speaking of austerity madness, the big 2014-15 Ryan-Murray Budget Deal is on track to pass the Senate today. It easily overcame a G-O-TEA led filibuster on a 67-33 vote. For the record, Senator Reid voted for cloture while Senator Dean Heller (R) voted to sustain the filibuster.

Even though this budget deal offers plenty of austerity, a number of Republicans (including Heller & Rep. Joe Heck) still oppose it. Why? It doesn't have enough austerity to please the Crazy Caucus, so expect another round of battles in the ongoing G-O-TEA Civil War as 2013 comes to a close.

And what about the new year? Believe it or not, 2014 may begin with (drumroll, please) yet another manufactured crisis over the debt ceiling thanks to continuing teabagger angst over the Ryan-Murray Sequester Remix. So this shitfest over manufactured crises built upon voodoo economics and political hogwash may not actually be completely over just yet. Happy Holidays!

The Price of Inaction

Over the weekend, the nation commemorated a tragic anniversary. It's now been a year since the Newtown Massacre. Communities across the nation came together to mark the saddening anniversary, and to pledge to continue working for a better future for our children.

There was even a vigil in Southern Nevada. It was a chance for the local community to reflect on what's happened in the past year.

Licensed family therapist and retired teacher Linda Cavazos says she sees more fear and generalized anxiety disorder in younger children. Some of them are fearful of violence in their schools, she says, so parents need to talk to their kids often to assess their physical and emotional needs.

"The danger signals are there. They're calling out for help, but sometimes people stick heads in the sand," Cavazos said. She added that parents know their kids best and should encourage them to seek mental health treatment if necessary.

"I find if you do not answer their questions (about violence in schools), they (the children) become more fearful because they don't know what's going on. Explain it to them as simply as you can," said Cavazos.

Imagine hearing gunshots at your school. Wouldn't that be frightening? It certainly was for the students at Sandy Hook Elementary School... And for the students at Sparks Middle School.

Keep in mind that gun violence is not some faraway concern. It regularly occurs here, too. It happened in Sparks. It's happened several times this year on the Las Vegas Strip. And it continues to endanger communities across this state.

Yet when Senator Dean Heller (R-NRA) had the opportunity to do something to protect Nevada's kids, he just ran away. And when Rep. Joe Heck (R-NRA) had the opportunity to take steps to keep dangerous weapons away from dangerous criminals, he made excuses. And when the Nevada Legislature passed S 221 in an attempt to compensate somewhat for Congress' failure to pass the most basic gun safety measures, Governor Brian Sandoval (R-NRA) vetoed it and attempted to cover it up with legalese mumbo jumbo. They all had the chance to do something, but they chose to do nothing instead.

And now, we're all paying the price of inaction. And we all must relive the memories of horrific incidents of gun violence. And we all must continue to bury those who passed "before their time". The price of inaction is turning out to be quite steep.

Deadly Consequences

They're at it again. And Governor Brian Sandoval (R-Denial) must again confront an issue he keeps trying to sweep under the rug in the Governor's Mansion. Oh, yes. That's right. We're talking about the mental health patient dumping scandal. And the Sacramento Bee released another explosive article yesterday chronicling even more victims of this horrifying scandal.

This year, Rawson-Neal Psychiatric Hospital has been embroiled in scandal over a growing dossier of incidents where the hospital had mental health patients bused out of state without accounting for the patients' continuing treatment needs. It's led two major California cities (Los Angeles & San Francisco) to draft law suits against the State of Nevada, and it prodded the federal government to review both accreditation and funding for Southern Nevada's largest public mental health treatment facility. And on top of all that, it's renewed investigations into incredibly long waiting lists and inadequate treatment at Lake's Crossing Psychiatric Hospital in Sparks.

Clearly, Nevada has a patient dumping problem. The state was looking for a "cheap way out", but it's instead leading to very costly consequences. Those consequences have especially been costly for the victims profiled in the Sacramento Bee article on Rawson-Neal patients bused out of state... Only to fall (back) into a life of crime.

Consider the case of Mark Hesselgrave. He was convicted of second degree murder in 1993 for strangling his wife in Arizona. Shortly after being released from prison in October 2012, he moved to Southern Nevada. And after attempting suicide, he landed at Rawson-Neal. Here's what followed.

On Feb. 2, two days after he was admitted, Rawson-Neal deemed Hesselgrave fit for bus travel, the records state, and discharged him with a bus ticket, psychiatric medications for the ride and a recommendation to seek out Narcotics Anonymous meetings in Phoenix. After a bus ride that he described as “crazy,” Hesselgrave said he arrived at the Phoenix terminal with no one waiting for him. Without money or a place to live, he said, he ended up walking about 20 miles to a friend’s house in the suburbs.

From Arizona, Hesselgrave migrated to North Dakota to pursue a job in the oil fields. He quickly found work. Things were going pretty well, he said, until May 12, when he stabbed his roommate repeatedly. Eddie Bergeson survived, but suffered stab wounds in his face, stomach and back, according to a police affidavit.

“I hope he’s dead, I think he’s dead, I’m glad he’s dead,” Hesselgrave said as he stood over Bergeson, according to the affidavit.

Hesselgrave remains jailed in North Dakota, awaiting trial on charges of attempted murder. Police say he planned the attack; Hesselgrave contends they were drinking and got in a fight. He said he wonders whether things would have turned out differently had he received more treatment after his release from prison.

Rawson-Neal “didn’t try to treat me or nothing,” he said. “They could have kept me for 21 days. They could have ... got my depression in check.”

Mark Hesselgrave is just one of several stories of patients who needed help, but couldn't find it at Rawson-Neal. Instead, they were sent elsewhere. And others were ultimately harmed. At least one was killed. And a patient may have succeeded in committing suicide.

Of course, Governor Brian Sandoval('s spokesperson) said he was "appalled" by this report. However, it remains to be seen what (if anything) will be done about it.

Again, this is what happens when we try to provide health care "on the cheap". We ultimately haven't saved money. And we certainly haven't saved lives. Something must change.

Over the course of this year, we've been witnessing the consequences of neglecting people in serious need of treatment. We've been learning the hard way that providing proper mental health care is not just "bleeding heart liberalism", but also the most efficient way to save lives. How many more lives must be harmed and/or lost before we finally learn this lesson and end this deadly scandal?