The Tweets Tell the Story

Apparently, this is becoming a story. So it's a good thing we were actually there last night to see it unfold. Who knew a "boring" debate at a typically quiet neighborhood synagogue could become so raucous?

Last night, Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) debated his opponent, Erin Bilbray (D), at the Ner Tamid Reform Congregation in Henderson. At first, the atmosphere seemed pretty calm. Heck and Bilbray were even being polite towards each other. But then, this happened.

That didn't last long. @RalstonReports popped off on interrupting audience. & @Heck4Nevada interrupted @erinbilbray #sigh #rude #NV03

— Andrew Davey (@atdleft) October 21, 2014

Heck interrupted Bilbray, which resulted in a few Bilbray supporters heckling Heck, which resulted in some Heck supporters shouting at Bilbray. And of course, this all resulted in moderator Jon Ralston popping off on everyone. He even threatened to have Ner Tamid organizers "clear the room".

Perhaps that's what was needed, as that caused everyone to quiet down so the debate could resume.

The scene @ #NV03 Ner Tamid Debate #Vegas pic.twitter.com/RzT4ORFCUA

— Andrew Davey (@atdleft) October 21, 2014

And so it did. Ralston started with foreign policy, and Heck seemed prepared for that. In fact, he stated he not only wants air strikes against ISIS in Iraq, but also more ground troops. He even went so far to say it was a "mistake" for the US to pull troops out of Iraq. Heck pretty much announced he's a "born again neo-con" last night with his desire for a renewed US occupation of Iraq.

Bilbray, on the other hand, was far more careful with her words. She said she supports President Obama's air strikes campaign, but does not want any more troops on the ground. She even called out Rep. Heck and other Members of Congress who haven't backed up their rhetoric with any floor votes.

Then, the conversation moved to #Ebola. And here's what actually happened:

.@erinbilbray w/ on point #Ebola response: Why cut #CDC #healthcare budget during time of need? #AusteritySucks #Vegas #NV03

— Andrew Davey (@atdleft) October 21, 2014

Bilbray pointed out how CDC budget cuts have hurt our ability to prepare for outbreaks like this. Heck scoffed at that, but then came back down to earth when he acknowledged Ebola won't suddenly kill us all. But then, he just had to blame Texas nurses. Keep it klassy, Rep. Heck.

Once Ralston moved the debate to domestic issues, that's when Bilbray seemed to hit her stride. She struck a decidedly combative tone, yet nonetheless a tone suggesting she knows what she's talking about. And while Heck scored some points here and there, he still seemed somewhat off his game after his surprisingly weak performance at the Vegas PBS Debate.

Here we go: @erinbilbray hitting @Heck4Nevada on his support 4 @RepPaulRyan #KillMedicare plan. #Boom #NV03

— Andrew Davey (@atdleft) October 21, 2014

Q 4 @Heck4Nevada : Why hasn't there ever been #Congress vote on his #Obamacare #ACA "replacement plan"? #NV03

— Andrew Davey (@atdleft) October 21, 2014

Whoa. @erinbilbray hitting @Heck4Nevada on @SpeakerBoehner thwarting $ for veterans. She also reminded him of #Iraq war creating need #NV03

— Andrew Davey (@atdleft) October 21, 2014

& now, #GunFAIL : @Heck4Nevada says he wants background checks, but won't vote 4 actual bill on table #HR1565 #gunsense #Vegas #NV03

— Andrew Davey (@atdleft) October 21, 2014

After the gun safety question and brief closing remarks, it was over... Or at least, we thought it was over.

That was the only Ner Tamid debate, as other candidates had backed out. We'll have more on that later. Suffice to say, the audience then had the chance to watch a live version of "Ralston Reports" as he grilled Lt. Governor candidate Lucy Flores (D) and Clark County Sheriff candidate Larry Burns.

But once all the speeches were over, this happened:

@RepJoeHeck you need to tell your supporter not to attack @erinbilbray child. Not okay! #bully pic.twitter.com/fz961jGN3X

— Adriana Martinez (@lvadriana1) October 21, 2014

We noticed something from the corners of our eyes, but couldn't hear what was being said. Apparently, it was a Heck supporter who decided to confront Erin Bilbray's daughter.

@DWashingtonLV Because Caroline is friends with " illegal children". What is wrong with these people?

— Erin Bilbray (@erinbilbray) October 21, 2014

Oh, my. What a lovely way to end such a lovely debate (/snark). At least we have the tweets to tell the whole story.

Lunch With Bernie (Sanders, That Is)

So we attended a campaign event today. And we met someone who may run for President in 2016. And yes, he talked about that.

US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) was invited by the Culinary Union to speak at its get out the vote rally at the Culinary Academy in North Las Vegas. At today's event, Senator Sanders touched on the major issues in this election. He addressed the the one issue that's come to define political landscape in recent cycles.





He also touched on why so many Americans are so disgusted with our government. (Hint: Follow the money.)



And yes, Senator Sanders addressed the matter of the Kochs. He explained how all the Koch money being dumped into campaigns across the nation (including here in Nevada) prevents us from having nice things. And when we say nice things, we mean policies like a livable minimum wage, extended unemployment insurance, strong action on climate change, and relief for students who are drowning in student loan debt.



Earlier this week, Nevada's top media pundits and "bid'ness establishment" elite were fluttering around a certain visit by another rumored 2016 Presidential Candidate. Yet while they were debating the "optics" of the event, they completely overlooked the policy questions that should have been examined when she arrived. Why didn't any one at Bellagio want to talk about the actual issues that the fundraiser should have been all about?

Perhaps because Senator Sanders' visit to the Culinary Academy didn't attract the kind of media attention and "controversy" that the Bellagio UNLV Foundation fundraiser did, the conversation didn't devolve into a shouting match over "optics". And perhaps that's a good thing. After all, we can now present you with this very real discussion over truly important issues.

And frankly, this is the kind of "candidate sighting" we actually enjoy.

Why Hillary? Why Bellagio? (Follow the $.)

After so much anticipation and so much "controversy", it finally happened. And surprise, it raised money for UNLV! Who could have guessed?

Oh, yes. That's right. We've been saying all along that the Hillary Clinton UNLV fundraiser will raise money for UNLV. And whaddya know, the event itself turned in at least a $10,000 profit for the UNLV Foundation. In addition, the announcement was made of a $12 million gift to the school outside the Bellagio fundraiser.



Of course, speculation is running rampant today about why Hillary Clinton came and what she will be doing next time she returns to Nevada. Ironically, hardly anyone is talking about the reason why this event occurred in the first place.

Why, oh why, did UNLV (Foundation) have to pay Hillary Clinton to show up at some fancy Bellagio fundraiser? Look no further than Governor Brian Sandoval (R), Former Governor Jim Gibbons (R), and the severe budget cuts that UNLV endured in 2009 & 2011. And even before then, UNLV and the other public colleges in Southern Nevada were underfunded.

So what are public colleges supposed to do when confronted with severe state budget cuts? Ironically, they've been turning to private donors to try to fill as many gaps as possible. And due to rising tuitions and dwindling financial aid resources for poorer students, we're seeing a growing education gap exacerbate the already alarming inequality crisis.

Keep this in mind today as you read commentary from certain media pundits on the "optics" of last night's UNLV Foundation fundraiser. If you hear from someone who's "disturbed" by Hillary Clinton's visit, ask that someone if one truly believes public institutions of higher education should serve the public. If so, then shouldn't those institutions receive better public support? If so, shouldn't our public colleges receive better finding from our state & federal government?

If UNLV could count on better public funding, it wouldn't have to do so many of these private fundraisers.

A Big Deal Over So Little ($)

Yesterday, a very special guest appeared at Casa Don Juan in Downtown Las Vegas. Vice President Joe Biden stopped by to host a roundtable discussion on raising the minimum wage. Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas), Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman (I), and local business owners joined Vice President Biden at Casa Don Juan.

The Vice President received some tough questions yesterday, including one on the economic impact this would have on small businesses. Here's how he responded.



And he's actually quite far from alone. According to a CareerBuilder national survey released late last month, 55% of hiring managers support raising the federal minimum wage to at least $10 an hour (while another 30% want it raised above $8 an hour). This falls in line with a July Lake Research poll showing 61% of small business owners support a $10.10 national minimum wage. And that came after a March Greenberg Quinlan Rosner poll showing 57% of small business owners support a $10.10 minimum wage.

So yes, even those in charge of hiring understand the need for a fairer and more livable minimum wage. And why not? They're on the economic front line. They realize how much we're losing by allowing so many people to fall between the cracks and into unnecessary poverty.

Yesterday, the usual "TEA" powered suspects were mocking Vice President Biden's message at Casa Don Juan. Have they tried living on minimum wage level earnings? Have they met the hard working Americans who are struggling to make ends meet on poverty level income? Have they even visited the states that have recently raised the minimum wage and are actually experiencing improved job growth?

Our guess is no. After all, it's so much easier to take political pot shots than to examine the actual policy. It's so much easier to pontificate about "economic philosophy" than to produce actual policies to solve our growing inequality crisis.

Who knew there could be such a huge fight over so little?

Scandalmania Redux

(We've been hearing a whole lot lately about all sorts of scandals: some somewhat legitimate, some totally not. So while we're enduring yet another round of "Scandalmania", we might as well jump into the Nevada Progressive archives and revisit this piece from May 2013 on the most dangerous scandal of our time. Why aren't we having any grueling House hearings on this?)

This should really be obvious. Yet because too many in the Republican Party are taking their queues from the 21st Century Know Nothings instead of reality, we'll have to explain this yet again. No, wait, I'll let Jamelle Bouie explain this.

As time progresses and these scandals begin to die down, the odds that Republicans will capture some advantage diminish. Moreover, there’s a chance this scandal fever will backfire and harm the GOP’s standing. Already, Republican officials are warning against scandal overreach, and conservative elites are warning that these controversies — even if they’re substantive — aren’t a substitute for an actual plan to govern. “Democratic scandal does not take the place of a Republican agenda,” writes the National Review, “a purely negative message, however justified, will not produce the governing majority Republicans should be aiming for in the next two elections.”

Republicans should heed this message, because it’s exactly correct. Odds are good Americans won’t remember this eighteen months from now, and so — instead of trying to keep it floating as long as possible — Republicans should work to offer a real, workable policy agenda alternative to the public. As evidenced by the current impasse over immigration and the budget, it’s clear that the GOP still has a lot of work to do on that front.

As we discussed yesterday and again this morning, far too many Republicans in Congress seem quite comfortable with the idea of using the latest haute faux scandals as (even more) excuses to kill comprehensive immigration reform this year and destroy whatever possibility is left of them actually trying to govern at all. It's still too early to determine whether this actually happens on Capitol Hill. But now, it's definitely entering the realm of possibility as the G-O-TEA base seems hellbent on repeating the follies of 1998.

Yet while Scandal-mania continues to approach a fever pitch on Capitol Hill, the real scandal continues to torment our planet and our people. Earlier today, the world's top climate scientist spoke to BBC Radio 4 on the greatest global security threat of our time. And yes, it's not going away any time soon.

Suggestions that global warming has stalled are a "diversionary tactic" from "deniers" who want the public to be confused over climate change, according to the world's best-known climate scientist. Professor James Hansen, who first alerted the world to climate change in 1988, said on Friday: "It is not true that the temperature has not changed in the two decades." [...]

Prof. Hansen said the focus by some on "details" was a smokescreen. "This is a diversionary tactic. Our understanding of global warming and human-made climate change has not been affected at all," he said. "It's because the deniers [of the science] want the public to be confused. They raise these minor issues and then we forget about what the main story is. The main story is carbon dioxide is going up and it is going to produce a climate which is going to have dramatic changes if we don't begin to reduce our emissions." In 2008, scientists anticipated an upcoming slowing in temperature rises.

Prof. Hansen, who recently stepped down from his NASA post after almost 50 years to focus on communication, said the forecast impact of climate change was little affected by the recent slowdown in the rate of rising temperatures.

"Climate is a complicated system but there is no change at all in our understanding of climate sensitivity [to carbon dioxide] and where the climate is headed," he said. "Our understanding of sensitivity is based on the Earth's history, not on climate models, and we have good data on how the Earth responded in the past when carbon dioxide changed. So there is no reason to change the forecast for the long term." On 9 May, a new study of lake sediments from a remote meteorite crater in Siberia showed temperatures in the region were 8C higher the last time CO2 levels were as high as they are today. Last week, atmospheric CO2 concentrations reached the milestone 400 parts per million [ppm], for the first time in millions of years.

If anything, recent developments in the Arctic region and the horrifying broken 400 ppm milestone point to accelerating climate change. And that should frighten all of us. This is the real scandal that threatens humanity, not the petty bullshit dominating Congressional hearings and Beltway punditry circle jerks right now.

This week, we've also been reminded that 97% of scientists agree that climate change is human induced. It's not that often when 97% of scientists agree on anything. So yes, this is a huge deal.

And that's today's reminder of reality brought to you by the Department of the Completely Fucking Obvious. Oh, and in case any one is still wondering why this matters, here's another reminder from Mother Nature (& the USGS).

A new U.S. Geological Survey study finds, “Warmer spring temperatures since 1980 are causing an estimated 20 percent loss of snow cover across the Rocky Mountains of western North America.” The USGS explains, “The new study builds upon a previous USGS snowpack investigation which showed that, until the 1980s, the northern Rocky Mountains experienced large snowpacks when the central and southern Rockies experienced meager ones, and vice versa. Yet, since the 1980s, there have been simultaneous snowpack declines along the entire length of the Rocky Mountains, and unusually severe declines in the north.” [...] What’s most worrisome is that we now have three major trends driven by human emissions of greenhouse gases that threaten to significantly worsen drought and water problems in the West and Southwest: Less precipitation in many areas Less snowpack, as the USGS studies have found Hotter temperatures

Last November, we observed the havoc climate change is already causing Rural Northern Nevada as farms & ranches are forced to confront continued drought. Expect even more of this as the climate crisis worsens. And expect even more of the state to be affected as we witness even more drought and extreme weather. This should really be a "no-brainer". We must act for our own survival. And we must act to strengthen our economy! We win if we finally act on replacing our fossil fuel addiction with a green, renewable future. We lose if we continue to let our fossil fuel addiction cloud our better judgment.


So what will it be? Will we let the latest bout of Scandal-mania cloud our better judgment? Or will we finally act on solving the real scandal facing us?

Fully Loaded Danger

Ready to learn? Isn't that how we want our children to feel when they go to school?

Try explaining that to Leonard Embody... Or maybe not. The Tennessee open carry activist says people who are offended by his carrying of an assault weapon just outside a Nashville school should "see a psychologist".

WSMV Channel 4

Actually, he may force some of the kids at that school to seek counseling. After all, wouldn't you be at least a little scared if you saw someone like Leonard Embody pack heat right outside your school?

There have been at least 79 school shootings since Newtown. One of those school shootings was right here in Nevada, at Sparks Middle School. Contrary to what open carry radicals like Leonard Embody say, this is no laughing matter.

Just so far this year, there have been 98 homicides in Las Vegas Metro Police's area of jurisdiction. Our homicide rate is the highest it's been since 2006.



Even Metro itself has been affected by this. In June, Las Vegas Metro Officers Alyn Beck & Igor Soldo were shot dead by extreme right-wing Patriot Movement figures Amanda & Jerad Miller. They also shot dead Joseph Robert Wilcox before they killed themselves.



Jerad Miller may have obtained a gun via Facebook. Even though he was not legally permitted to own any firearms (due to past felony convictions), Miller was able to evade this because of the lack of universal background checks for gun purchases.

All too often, the NRA and its favorite G-O-TEA politicians have been all too willing to play silly games with the serious issue of gun violence. They think it's cute to grandstand with a bunch of "outlaw cowboys" pointing guns at federal agents. They think it's great to see people open carry in front of schools. They think it's more important to discuss the "philosophy of gun rights" and explore theoretical language than to actually make any real policy changes that could save lives.

This is why Leonard Embody is allowed to roam outside a Nashville school packing heat. This is why Las Vegas' homicide rate continues to inch upward. This is why Alyn Beck, Igor Soldo, and Joseph Robert Wilcox are no longer on this earth. This is why Sparks Middle School will never be the same. And this is why we can't afford to ignore the fully loaded danger around us.

"Rebranding" BS

Earlier this month, we noted the lower House of Congress' failure to ensure equal access to military family benefits. Yes, you read that right. The G-O-TEA led House could not even agree to that.

Rep. Dina Titus (D-Paradise) has been working on this issue for some time. And finally, she succeeded this month at securing a committee vote for her legislation as an amendment to a related veterans' bill. It then lost by one vote.

Obviously, Rep. Titus was upset. However, she's not alone on this.



And she isn't stopping on this one issue. Yesterday, Rep. Titus joined Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) in signing a discharge petition for ENDA. And as of today, Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colorado) now has 75 signatures for his ENDA discharge petition.

The catch? All 75 of those signatures are from Democrats. And House Republican "leaders" just canceled all remaining work days until after the election. How sweet. So right after Congress returns from summer recess, the House will essentially enjoy a fall recess. We wonder where else one can find so many paid vacation days.

Unfortunately for millions of LGBTQ American workers, it's far from easy to even feel safe at work. Rep. Polis has amended the House version of ENDA to close any & all loopholes opened by the US Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby decision. Even though President Obama did sign an executive order forbidding federal contractors from engaging in employment discrimination, that still leaves millions of LGBTQ Americans throughout the nation who simply have the misfortune of living in a state without a state level ENDA and working for a company without any federal contracts.

Last November, the US Senate passed ENDA on a broad, bipartisan 64-32 vote of approval. Yet since then, the House has refused to take it up. Just like House Republican "leaders'" blithe dismissal of military equality legislation, they've been awfully swift in shooting down any & all attempts at bringing ENDA to the House floor.

Last November, the Republican Party's internal culture war burst onto national media headlines when Liz Cheney nearly disowned her sister in preparation for a US Senate campaign in Wyoming. Yet while Liz Cheney later abandoned her diastrous attempt at electoral politics to return to the cozy confines of the Northern Virginia DC suburbs, her sister Mary Cheney continues to plead with her party to make peace with the 21st century. Unfortunately for her and other Republican campaign consultants hoping to "revamp the party's image", the 21st Century Know Nothings continue pulling the G-O-TEA in more of a 19th century direction.



They're still struggling to accept marriage equality. They're still attacking transgender Americans with reckless abandon. They won't allow a floor vote on ENDA. And they can't even allow equal access to military spousal benefits. And we're supposed to believe "Republican rebranding" is real?

Sure, it's real... Bull$h!+.

The Secret (Is Out)

What was an inconvenient snow flurry is suddenly becoming a dangerous avalanche. US House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-California) and California Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom (D) are calling for the San Francisco 49ers to bench Ray McDonald while he's under investigation for abusing his pregnant now-wife. The Minnesota Vikings have suspended Adrian Peterson while he's under investigation for child abuse. The Carolina Panthers have just deactivated Greg Hardy following the public revelation of his May domestic violence conviction (he assaulted his girlfriend and threatened to kill her). And 12 other NFL players arrested on domestic violence charges are still active in the league.

It's not just Ray Rice any more. In fact, it never really was. Yet apparently, it took this avalanche of controversy to fall for NFL executives to finally realize they have a serious problem on their hands.



Corporate sponsors, such as Nike, Radisson, Castrol, Cover Girl, and Anheuser-Busch, are either pulling ad deals or issuing "concerned" statements. A growing number of fans are now making #BoycottNFL viral. And even the most hardcore NFL fanatics must now come to terms with the harsh reality of domestic violence...



Or maybe not? Already, rumors are buzzing about another NFL team potentially picking up Ray Rice. And that may be due to the NFL Players Association appealing the NFL's indefinite suspension of Rice. Even as some top NFL officials are signaling their willingness to make changes, others (hint: the owners) have just gone into hiding.

After surviving the firestorm that erupted when the Ray Rice story first broke, Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh made some interesting comments about the meta here. Whether NFL bosses like it or not, this isn't something they can hide from. And whether we like it or not, this isn't something we can hide from.



In a fascinating twist, the NFL just hired Cynthia Hogan as its new Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Government Affairs. In a past career life, she worked with then Senator (now Vice President) Joe Biden (D-Delaware) on drafting and passing the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). It remains to be seen how the NFL's newest top lobbyist will "resolve" this issue going forward.

But right now, we must ask this: How will we resolve this issue going forward? When War Machine/Jonathan Koppenhaver was making national headlines over his assault on then girlfriend Christy Mack and Corey Thomas, we noted that domestic violence is an issue that goes far beyond the confines of UFC, Bellator, and even MMA (mixed martial arts) in general. The same rings true for the 49ers, the Ravens, the Vikings, and the NFL in general. This is still a problem for American society in general.

In debuting her new daytime talk show, former NBC "Today" co-host Meredith Vieira revealed a very dark and painful secret on national TV. It's a secret that only people like Vieira, Christy Mack, and Janay Rice can fully comprehend. And it's a secret that we shouldn't force any person to keep to oneself.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

The secret is out. There's no hiding it back in some dark corner. And really, we never should have done that in the first place. So what will we all do to end the seemingly endless cycle of violent misogyny that threatens way too many American women?

Denial Is Not an Option.

Yesterday, Washoe County School District had to cancel all outdoor events. The smoke even became that thick in Reno.

The King Fire has spread to over 18,000 acres. It's still only 5% contained. A portion Highway 50 between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe is now closed. And over 1,600 homes are threatened in El Dorado County, California.



Once again, a wildfire is hitting Northern California and Northern Nevada quite hard. And this has been quite the gruesome Western Wildfire season in 2014. Washington State's wildfire season has been 6 times worse than normal this year. Yosemite just endured a major wildfire. Even the sub-arctic forests of Canada have experienced wildfires like never seen before.

Perhaps now is finally the perfect time to talk about climate change... And climate solutions? We have a growing pile of evidence showing how climate change is worsening wildfire season. How much more evidence do we need?

Last month, House Republicans actually decided to skip town for Congress' August recess without even allowing a floor vote on bipartisan wildfire aid legislation. And of course, G-O-TEA hotheads on both sides of The Capitol are still complaining about President Obama's recent executive actions on climate change.



The smoke in Reno has officially reached an unhealthful level this morning. More evacuation orders may soon be coming to El Dorado County. A growing swath of terrain from the Sacramento exurbs to the Truckee Meadows is now feeling the effects of this latest huge wildfire.

We can't deny it's happening. That's no way to fight a wildfire. So why are so many of our elected "leaders" still denying the climate change that's fueling more of these epic infernos?

Our Problem

Earlier this month, we noticed the growing social media campaign in support of War Machine. We also noticed a common theme in this social media campaign in support of him as he goes on trial for the vicious near-fatal beating of Christy Mack and Corey Thomas: "She deserved it".

Shade Tree Executive Director Marlene Richter had something to say about this latest round of victim blaming.



Bottom line: It's slut shaming. And not only is it slut shaming, but it's the kind of slut shaming that can kill.

And now, believe it or not, we're seeing all sorts of excuses made for suspended NFL runningback Ray Rice and his vicious beating of his then fiance (now wife). "Oh, but obviously Janay Rice is OK with it! Why can't the damned LIB'RUL FEMINZAIZZZZZ leave them alone?! We're ruining the game by 'feminizing' it! And come on, domestic violence isn't really a serious problem."

Far too often, we shift blame to the victim. We ask why they stayed. We ask why "they asked for it" (even though they never did). We ask what's their problem.



Perhaps we need to focus more on our problem. Perhaps we need to stop blaming the victims. And perhaps we need to realize people's lives are more important than "alpha male s--t".

Are we ready to start addressing our problem?

My Own 9/11 (& Deja Vu, Fog of War)

(Especially in light of President Obama's big announcement on Isis last night, I figured now's a good time to rerun this piece from September 11, 2011. I'll have more on the President's plan to take on Isis later today.)



September 11, 2001, is a day I can't forget... Even though it was a day that seemed to start like so many others had. While I was getting ready for school, America's beating economic heart and central political nervous system were under attack. And as I was starting what I just thought would be my second day of high school, my entire outlook on life would forever change.

That morning, I woke up as just another Orange County kid attending just another conservative Christian fundamentalist private school. In the following weeks, I would be relegated as "extreme" as that crazy "anti-American" extremist, Barbara Lee. Why? Well, I agree(d) with her.



It was my first experience of expressing dissent, and of paying the price for holding an unpopular point of view. In the immediate days following 9/11, there was a sense of national unity. And while it was helpful in many ways, on the other hand it allowed for the Bush Administration to embark on policy prescriptions that we would later learn to be quite harmful to our country. It was easy to go with the masses and cheer on "retaliation" against the "evildoers". It most definitely wasn't easy to point out what would happen once Congress gave George Bush a blank check to engage in endless war.

I was just trying to make sense of everything that was happening all around me... And it just wasn't making sense. Even as everyone else around me kept beating the drums for war more loudly, I kept wondering why we were doing this. My teachers and my own mother were asking why I sympathized with "terrorists". Other students just saw me as "the liberal weirdo". Nothing seemed to make sense then...

But it all comes together now.

Fast forward ten years, and now Rep. Barbara Lee's words ring more prescient and true than ever before. We're mired in multiple wars abroad, yet we supposedly can't afford to create jobs for the unemployed here at home. Nearly ten years after the USA (Un)PATRIOT(ic) Act passed, Americans are now asking where their freedom went. And now that memories of a nation so proudly patriotic seem so distant, Congress has reached a new low in unpopularity as seemingly anything and everything is being questioned.

In many ways, it feels like the tables have turned. Back then, I felt so alone in opposing what seemed so American as apple pie. But now, I'm trying to explain how things work to the very same people who are now losing faith in the entire American experiment. It can be sad to watch, but I can't lose hope that our people will recognize what needs to be done to restore our democracy.

12-13

The vote was 12-13. Just 1 more vote could have made the difference for many thousands of American military/veteran families. But alas, it lost 12-13.

In June, Rep. Dina Titus (D-Paradise) introduced legislation to ensure LGBTQ military families have the same access to military spousal benefits as all other military families. Today, it finally had a vote in the House Veterans' Affairs Committee as an amendment to another bill. And it lost 12-13.

In an interesting twist, outgoing Rep. Jon Runyan (R-New Jersey) voted for Rep. Titus' amendment. He also signed on as a cosponsor of ENDA earlier this year. He actually wasn't the only Republican cosponsor of ENDA on that committee...



Yet he was the only Republican vote for Rep. Titus' amendment that would have simply guaranteed equal access to military spousal benefits regardless of which state one lives in. So the amendment failed 12-13.

They've tried "softer lighting". They've tried "softer language". And they've made endless attempts at "rebranding". However, no amount of "Republican rebranding" can truly obscure what all but one of them did today. (And he just happened to be the one who's retiring from Congress this year.)

Next time anyone tries to goad you into thinking "Republican rebranding" is anything more than the vacuous shtick it truly is, remind that someone of this vote. Go ahead and remind that someone that even the allegedly "pro-equality" on this House committee voted down this critical amendment that simply would have given thousands of military families the peace of mind they deserve. Remind that someone that thanks to their craven refusal to drop the "TEA" for once and do something useful for a change, actual soldiers/veterans and their loved ones were given the shaft.

The vote was 12-13. The lower House of Congress had yet another opportunity to prove to Americans that they can actually be productive. But yet again, House Republican "leaders" fail to provide any sort of leadership.

Where to Start on Isis

This is something we touched upon last month. And this is something we must talk about today. Iraq is pretty much on a razor's edge right now. And now that Isis is killing journalists along with soldiers as it expands into Syria, alarm bells are ringing.

Even here in Nevada, Members of Congress are demanding some sort of strategy to take down Isis. But what should we do?



The usual "TEA" fueled suspects actually seem to be advocating exactly what Isis wants: a 21st century "crusade". And for a number of Republican politicians, neoconservative belligere nce is suddenly en vogue again. We guess all it takes is a foreign crisis for "libertarian populism" to be thrown out the window.

President Obama has already ordered air strikes against Isis in Iraq. Now, the President is considering rallying allies to expand the air campaign into Syria. This is now on top of the agenda at the NATO summit in Estonia (alongside the ongoing conflict in Ukraine).

Already, we're hearing plenty of opinions on what to do in Syria & Iraq. And that's all fine & dandy. We just need to see this debate move into Congress.

That's where it needs to be. That's where military action must be authorized before it proceeds. And no matter how much they want to avoid going on record with a floor vote, that's what must happen.

There are no easy answers here. There are plenty of good reasons to doubt the utility of yet another large scale US military intervention in the Middle East... But can we afford to do nothing? Some sort of action may be needed to curb Isis, but that action probably shouldn't involve useless bluster.

So what should we do? What we know for sure is that it needs to start with Congress stepping up to the plate.

Answer for His Own Record

He's gone back and forth. He's stated support... Then declared opposition. He's been dancing his way around the issue.

And he probably wasn't at his campaign office today. However, that didn't stop local Everytown volunteers from stopping by Rep. Joe Heck's (R-Henderson) campaign office off Horizon Ridge Parkway in Henderson.





In February 2013, Rep. Heck claimed he was ready to pass legislation to expand background checks for gun purchases. Yet when a bill emerged to do just that and simply close the loopholes that allow dangerous criminals to obtain lethal firearms, Rep. Joe Heck responded with nothing but excuses on why he would not support it.

There's a reason why gun safety advocates are now campaigning for ballot initiatives here in Nevada and elsewhere to expand background checks. When Congress had the chance to pass a very modest background checks bill, the usual G-O-TEA suspects killed it. And Rep. Heck stood by those who killed the bill.

Earlier today, Everytown volunteers made the trip to Heck's campaign office to give him a questionnaire. They're giving Rep. Heck a chance to answer for his own record. We can only wonder what he says (or if he even returns the questionnaire).







These are his constituents. And so are the thousands of other NV-03 residents demanding #GunSense. It's time for Rep. Heck to answer for his own record.

That Says a Lot

He finally returned to Las Vegas. He's due in court tomorrow. And now, War Machine is about to face justice.

The MMA fighter formerly known as Jonathan Koppenhaver is going to trial on seven criminal charges involving the near fatal attack on Christy Mack and Corey Thomas. As he's returned to Las Vegas, he's actually encountered something he's been seeking ever since this story first broke on social media: some public support.



We sensed this was coming. "She's a porn star. She's a 'loose woman'. She deserved it!"

Of course, he deserves a fair trial. Every defendant does. But does the victim deserve to be placed on trial?

All Christy Mack had to do was step outside for several War Machine fans to troll her on Twitter and declare that she's "full of s--t". Even though the photo posted on Twitter shows the injuries on Mack's face, she's "full of s--t". That says a lot.

But hey, they're not alone. War Machine now has an entire "movement" of men's rights activists (MRAs). They've even come close to having their way in Congress. That also says a lot.

Shutdown Sequel?

Since today is #ThrowbackThursday, we figured now is a good time to jump back into the Nevada Progressive archives. Today, we're traveling back to October 2013. Remember what was happening then? Or perhaps more appropriately, remember what wasn't functioning back then?

We do. And we remember how and why the great Shutdown Shitfest of 2013 finally came to an end.

Fortunately, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Agent Orange) finally stood down last night after his "Plan Z" went nowhere fast. And Ironically enough, that was largely thanks to mounting 21st Century Know Nothing opposition. But in pushing themselves to complete irrelevancy and Speaker John Boehner to total embarrassment, they only succeeded in giving Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) the opening they needed to resume talks and seal the deal. [...]

After all, Fitch is now threatening to lower America's credit rating. And world leaders have warned of the economic repercussions of Armageddon. So we finally got to see "Game Over".

Yesterday, Rep. Joe Heck's (R-Why?) staff refused to answer questions regarding the Armageddon deadline. But now, it doesn't matter. House Republican "leaders" are declaring defeat, and a floor vote will soon be scheduled.

For the past three weeks, Congressional Republicans from Nevada and elsewhere have pushed the nation to the brink of disaster. And yes, it's led to some awful consequences. But now, it's all coming to an end. Republicans are being forced to drop their crazy demands... Because it's just plain game over.

After that month from Hell, Congressional Republican "leaders" vowed never to go there again...

Yet now, there's a chance they will actually go there again. But why? Oh, that darned President Obama is planning to clean up the mess they exacerbated by refusing to do any kind of comprehensive immigration reform (CIR).



While he isn't publicly endorsing it, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) isn't ruling out a Shutdown Shitfest Sequel, either. And we all remember how he and other Republican "leaders" played coy in the run-up to the first Shutdown Shitfest last fall.

Just like last fall, the G-O-TEA base wants one. But unlike last time, they don't have Obamacare to claim as a bogeyman any more. So now, their fearmongering stand-in will be the President's planned executive action on immigration.

In fact, their fearmongering has already begun. They've gone after #BorderChildren. They've gone after DREAMers. And now, they're going after abused women.



Oh, and of course, they're screaming about "TER'RISS!!!" and "JOBS!!!" while they threaten to hold the federal government and national economy hostage over something they promised to do before refusing to do it. Sure, that makes plenty of sense. #Not

And now, we're left to wonder if G-O-TEA opposition to any kind of positive executive action on immigration will lead them to force us into a sequel we had hoped would never come to fruition

Go Ahead & #GoBigObama

What a way to make an impression with one's constituents. For some reason, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal (R) thought it would be a great idea to insult a group of undocumented immigrants confronting him over his inhumane anti-immigrant policies, including a rule that bars DREAMers from attending public colleges in Georgia.

Here's what Nathan Deal got wrong: He clearly wasn't expecting this good of a comeback. Oh, and the students he claimed were undocumented immigrants were actually US citizens. Whoops.



And this isn't the only recent example of G-O-TEA politicians encountering hot water when trying to spin away anything & everything immigration related. Earlier this month, Senator (& likely 2016 Presidential Candidate) Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) ran away when confronted by DREAMers. And earlier this week, Rep. (& fellow likely 2016 Presidential Candidate) Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) refused to answer questions from DREAMers on why he voted to deport them along with Central American refugee children.



And then, there's Senator (& another possible 2016 Presidential Candidate) Marco Rubio (R-Florida). Once upon a time, Rubio was a lead sponsor of S 744, the comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) bill that handily passed the Senate last year. But as of late, Rubio has been trying to catch up with Rand Paul in the anti-immigrant department. And now, Senator Rubio is condemning the very CIR legislation he once sponsored.



The devolution is now complete. Republican politicians who once supported CIR are now running away from it as fast as they can. And once respected "conservative think tanks" are now advocating public funding for anti-immigrant/anti-government militia groups.

So why are they doing this? Why are they flip-flopping so wildly? And why are they now embracing the extreme anti-immigrant militia movement?

Simple answer: Short term politics. Longer answer: They're so frightened of their 21st Century Know Nothing base that they're willing to sacrifice sound policy (and smart political strategy) to grovel to G-O-TEA Culture Warriors' darkest desires.

This is why CIR now lies dead in some House committee room. And this is why President Obama must take executive action to address what the lower House of Congress refuses to fix. While DACA does provide some relief for DREAMers, their family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors are still being deported en masse. Even though they committed no crimes and have made many positive contributions to our communities, they're still being deported. In fact, President Obama has presided over more deportations than any other US President.

Since the lower House of Congress refuses to act, President Obama must. Since House Republicans (cough- Joe Heck -cough) insist on playing petty politics with real people's lives, President Obama must look past the petty politics and focus on good policy. Since the lower House of Congress declined to "go big", the President must.

Down the Rabbit Hole (Again)

How did we know this was coming? Are we prophets? Or are we just able to put 2 & 2 together to make 4?

Remember the fine folks at Heritage? After several Republicans accused them of cooking the books to derail Congressional momentum for comprehensive immigration reform (CIR), Heritage stood by the work of Jason Richwine... Even as reporters uncovered "research" he wrote suggesting Latin@s have lower IQs than white people. Even though Heritage ultimately quietly released him, it still stood by the findings of that epically flawed "research" on CIR.

And now, Heritage is actually soliciting state government funds for anti-immigrant militia outfits. Oh, yes. That's right. Heritage is demanding wingnut welfare taxpayer dollars for these people.



Of course, this makes perfect sense to Heritage, as it's also advocating the murder of pro-CIR Republicans.



So now, Heritage is swimming in the same cesspool as Shawna Forde and JT Ready. Heritage is endorsing their brand of "securing the border" while calling for taxpayer dollars to be siphoned over to the likes of Jim Gilchrist and the Arizona Militia. So this is what Heritage and its G-O-TEA cheerleaders now call "immigration reform"?



Who are they kidding? The US Department of Homeland Security has confirmed that Cliven Bundy and his Patriot Movement BFFs have encouraged even more violent activity from anti-government extremists. And Heritage now says it's a great idea for state governments to fund these very anti-government militia outfits?

How did we know this was coming? Heritage jumped down the rabbit hole long ago. As of late, Heritage has been succeeding in taking most of the Republican Party down with it. And they all seem hell-bent on repeating the very same mistake they made when they rushed to endorse Cliven Bundy's "Range War" in April. When will they ever learn?

Ay Yay Yay, Perry

He may be indicted... But that's still not stopping him from running for President. Outgoing Texas Governor Rick Perry (R) has been indicted on two felony abuse of power charges related to his veto of a bill funding the state office in charge of investigating corruption.

Yet despite this (not so) little setback, #Perry2016 rages on. Earlier today, he addressed the Heritage Foundation. During his speech, Perry attempted to give a serious speech on Iraq. And surprise, surprise, he agrees with neoconservatives on sending American troops back to essentially restart the Iraq War.

Oh, and that's not all. Rick Perry also had something to say about Isis coming to America. He actually claimed "it's a very real possibility" that Isis terrorists have crossed the US-Mexico Border.



We know Republican "leaders" have been desperate to spin away their horrific EPIC FAIL on comprehensive immigration reform (CIR), but this is truly beyond the pale. Does Rick Perry truly expect us to believe that refugee children who have come here fleeing epic violence in Central America are actually Isis terrorists from the Middle East? Who does he think he's kidding?

If anything, the children being deported are in grave danger. Yes, G-O-TEA politicians like Rick Perry want to deport refugee children back into an active war zone. And they like to call themselves the "pro-life, pro-family party"?



So Rick Perry wants to talk terrorism? He really wants to talk terrorism? Perhaps before he speaks of any more visions of "Isis on the Rio Grande", he needs to have a heart-to-heart with his own base. Oh, and perhaps he should focus on his own pending criminal trial.

The Machine Behind the War

Justice may finally be near in this case. After an escape from police and out of state, War Machine (aka Jonathan Koppenhaver) will soon be on trial here in Clark County. On Tuesday, he appeared at court in Ventura, California, and agreed to extradition to Nevada.



Koppenhaver faces seven criminal charges related to the attack on Christy Mack (aka Christine Mackinday) and Corey Thomas.

As we've noted before, this isn't War Machine's first violent outbreak. Retired porn star Brooke Haven has recently come forward to describe War Machine's belligerent behavior at her birthday party. He was actually convicted of two misdemeanor assault charges in 2007 and 2008 here in Nevada. And he was convicted of two felony assault charges related to a 2010 San Diego (California) bar fight.

While he was incarcerated in San Diego County Jail, War Machine kept an online diary blog. He shared his experiences in jail... And he shared his "philosophy on the American male".

“There is one guy in here for slapping his wife, one here for yelling at his wife, and one here for beating some guy’s *ss that disrespected his wife. WTF!? If your wife is being a b*tch you can’t slap her, if your wife is yelling at you, God forbid you yell back, and if some *sshole hurts your wife, you cannot protect her!” [...]

“The oppression of MEN is worse than oppression of Jews in Nazi Germany, worse than the slavery of blacks in early America … I’m not exaggerating either.”

Sounds crazy, right? Who else could say something like this? Believe it or not, he's not alone.



The Men's Rights Movement has been pushing this philosophy for some time. The Men's Rights Movement (MRM) was once relegated to "fringe of the fringe" status due to its harboring of individuals espousing shocking views on physical and sexual violence (see War Machine's comments above). But now, men's rights activists (MRAs) are increasingly pushing into what's supposed to be "mainstream".

Last year, Heritage Action actually used MRM language to make its case against renewing the Violence Against Women Act. And Heritage came shockingly close to killing the bipartisan and formerly uncontroversial bill in (the lower House of) Congress. All of a sudden, a critical mass of ("TEA" flavored) Members of Congress were repeating outrageous statements that had previously been confined to the deepest and darkest corners of the manosphere.

It's easy to look at War Machine and conclude he's some troubled individual with serious anger issues. And this may actually be close to the truth. However, this didn't occur in a vacuum. This isn't just one individual. It's time for us to take a closer look at the machine behind the war.