Bernie Sanders' Big Announcement

Will he or won't he? We know that's what some are asking right now, especially since another likely 2016 Presidential Candidate flew into Southern Nevada for a UNLV Foundation fundraiser. And yes, he directly addressed that matter.





But first, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) wanted to discuss the reason why he came to the Culinary Academy this week. First, he wanted to talk about the issues.



Senator Sanders covered everything from workers' rights to Social Security to Medicare and Obamacare. He talked about everything from the ongoing G-O-TEA campaign against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) to the corporate media's obsession with "scandals". It was the kind of very frank discussion that one typically doesn't expect to have with a Member of Congress.

And speaking of frank, Senator Sanders cut to the chase when he was asked about 2016. Will he or won't he? Well, that depends on whether he can count on the kind of campaign machine that will be necessary for a Presidential campaign.

Senator Sanders then spoke a truth that is hardly ever uttered in political pundit circles. How does change truly happen? How can one make our system work?



Short answer: One can't. Longer answer: It truly takes a village. It takes a large village. It takes a village that becomes a large and enduring grassroots movement. One person alone can't change the system, but one person can help put together a critical mass who can...

If they stick together. If anything, that's the big takeaway of Senator Sanders' visit to Southern Nevada. But shhh, don't tell the media pundits. They're still obsessing over Hillary Clinton's shoes.

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.

Another Foolish Project (Brought to Us by the Kochs)

We do our best to stay on top of everything. But jeez, how on earth did we miss this? Jon Ralston just took a trip to our archives!

So what did he find? Just this gem from October 2012 on the Koch backed AFP jumping into certain Nevada Legislature races.

Perhaps the SD 4 incident was just a "test run" meant to prepare AFP for what they're doing now. The doorhanger we found earlier this month attacked President Obama and Shelley Berkley on one side, then attacked John Oceguera and Joyce Woodhouse (the Democratic nominee for SD 5) on the other side. And now, AFP mailers are being caught attacking Justin Jones (the Democratic nominee in SD 9) and Sheila Leslie (the Democratic nominee in SD 15). It just looks too funny that, all of a sudden, AFP is playing in the very State Senate seats that Republicans must win in order to take control of the Nevada Senate. And we're still supposed to believe that AFP is some sort of "nonpartisan, educational, charitable foundation"? Yeah, right.

It's now looking quite clear as to what AFP Nevada is aiming to do. And no, it doesn't involve "charity" or "education". Rather, AFP is trying to tip several competitive federal and state level races into Republican hands. Yet in failing to file the appropriate paperwork as a political action committee (PAC) and disclose its donors, AFP may actually be violating state election law while trying to elect lawmakers! Surely, we can't be the only ones seeing the irony here?

In July 2012, AFP waded into a Democratic State Senate primary in North Las Vegas. For some reason, AFP attacked Kelvin Atkinson in a district where Republicans weren't even targeting. That really had us scratching our heads.

But when AFP sent a tour bus to Shelley Berkley's Congressional office, their actions started to make more sense (even if they still looked quite silly). It then tried to top that grandiose gesture with cheap gas. And for the grand finale of its 2012 campaign, it staged a "freedom concert" and dropped the wrong campaign literature in the wrong areas.

Oh, and did we mention AFP considers itself an "educational charity"? How on earth is any of this "educational" or "charitable"?

So why are we now talking about AFP? Take a look at how AFP operatives are boasting about themselves to Beltway media. They're essentially declaring their plan to defeat Senator Harry Reid (D) in 2016.

There's just a little problem with AFP's latest grandiose plan: It looks more like a delusion of grandeur. Ralston just aired out all of AFP Nevada's dirty laundry. And even though AFP just moved its Nevada headquarters to a new location, it took all its old dirty laundry with it. And to make matters even worse for the Koch-topus' loudest and longest reaching tentacle, AFP's chief just left the building.

Of course, AFP is still overflowing in Koch money. It just came off an outrageous Cliven Bundy love-fest. And it's preparing to make waves again in 2016.

But just because one makes waves doesn't mean those waves are beneficial. Just because one is loud and gregarious doesn't mean one is making friends and allies. Just because AFP has a ton of money to spend doesn't mean AFP is spending that money well. And just because AFP plans to carpet-bomb this state again to attack Senator Reid doesn't mean AFP won't undercut itself again in 2016 (like it did in 2010 and 2012).

Where's the Scandal?

Must we do this again? Apparently, yes. While one local media pundit continues to beat this dead horse, national G-O-TEA media spinners have begun beating the "ZOMG!!! Hillary Clinton is a rich b---h!!!!" dead horse of a "scandal".



What Fox "News" talking heads call "rock star diva outrageous demands" are actually considered standard operating procedure for high profile politicians. If Hillary Clinton is a "rock star diva" making "outrageous demands", then so are George W. Bush, Rudy Giuliani, Sarah Palin, and Newt Gingrich.

But of course, Hillary Clinton is different... Because she's "stealing money from UNLV students"! Except she's not.

No really, the UNLV Foundation relies on private donations to fund its efforts to raise private money for UNLV (since the public college doesn't receive enough public funding). Since Hillary Clinton's speech will be for the UNLV Foundation, her speaking fee came from private donations. Already, there have been more than enough private donations to cover the fee. She has already donated that fee to charity. And the October event will likely raise a hefty sum... For the benefit of UNLV and its students.

So where's the "scandal"? Where were all these media pundits when politicians like Rudy Giuliani cashed in on big speaking fees? And where were they when Governor Brian Sandoval (R) pushed for more UNLV budget cuts in 2011?

Ironically, one of the most vocal critics of Clinton's UNLV Foundation gig accepted a for-pay speech at UNLV herself. And she's not alone on the list of high profile individuals UNLV and/or the UNLV Foundation paid to give a speech. So why are we still wasting so many characters arguing over this Hillary Clinton speech?

Whenever a Clinton runs for President, strange things happen. Extramarital affairs become "impeachable offenses". A money losing land deal becomes some horrifically sophisticated money laundering scheme. A tragic attack on a US consulate becomes some bizarre mass murder conspiracy. And a speaking fee becomes some heinous crime against higher education.

Perhaps if Republican political operatives and their media enablers were to spend less time hyperventilating over fictitious "scandals" and more time preparing better policies for their preferred Presidential candidates to espouse (along with decent candidates for them to prefer), they'd actually have a viable 2016 alternative to Hillary Clinton.

"Count on Joe"

Today, let's take another trip to the always exciting Nevada Progressive archives. This time, we're traveling back to September 2011. Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) was caught doing a rare town hall meeting in Summerlin. And he had to answer a tough question from the audience on his vote for Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-Wisconsin) Medicare busting austerity budget earlier that year.



Ouch. He had to resort to rhetorical pretzel twists to defend that vote... Yet he voted for another Paul Ryan austerity budget in March 2012. But after he caught some political heat for those votes later that year, Rep. Joe Heck turned around and voted against the third Paul Ryan austerity budget last year.

Now, Heck seems to be feeling the "Ryan-mentum" again. This past June, Rep. Heck had Paul Ryan write a fundraising letter for his reelection campaign. Of course, the letter contains all the usual accusations of President Obama, Senator Harry Reid (D), and Nancy Pelosi being such meanie poopyheads who won't let the "YOUNG GUNS!!!" have any fun on Capitol Hill. Oh, and Rep. Ryan "can count on Joe as a leader in the struggle to revive our economy".

How so? Was he talking about the government shutdown that yanked $26 billion out of our economy? Is he talking about the continuing denial of unemployment insurance (UI) that's hut over e million Americans (including over 37,000 Nevadans)? Is he talking about the denial of a minimum wage increase that could have given our economy the extra boost we all need? Or is he just talking about his austerity program that's been suppressing economic growth?

Income inequality is a serious problem in this nation. Don't believe us? See the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Standard & Poors (S&P) reports. Income inequality hinders economic growth.



And Paul Ryan's austerity regime is worsening our income inequality problem. Is that what he meant when he "can count on Joe as a leader in the struggle to revive our economy"? He can certainly "count on Joe" to vote for his policies that harm the economy and hurt working families. And if that's the message they want to share with Nevada voters, we won't stand in the way of that.

Seeing Florida Green

He's at it again. He's unloading his very overloaded wallet. And G-O-TEA politicians are rushing to worship at his feet to get in on the SuperPAC action.

G-O-TEA kingmaker Sheldon Adelson is back... With a vengeance. He's already writing the big checks again. "TEA" flavored politicians are flocking to Adelson's not-so-little corner of The Strip to curry favor. And Adelson is already trying to set the terms of debate for the 2016 Presidential Campaign.

So are we to expect a bunch of G-O-TEA Presidential hopefuls decry "reefer madness" next year? Believe it or not, Sheldon Adelson is now bankrolling the campaign to defeat a medical marijuana ballot initiative in Florida.

Why is Adelson pushing so hard against medical marijuana in Florida? He isn't funding the anti campaigns in the other states with marijuana on the ballot (such as the full legalization initiative in Oregon). And Adelson's medical research foundation has been funding medical marijuana research in Israel! So what's Adelson actually doing in Florida?

Apparently, he's looking out for Governor Rick Scott (R). Scott is locked in a difficult race for reelection, and some Republican consultants have worried that the medical marijuana ballot initiative will boost turnout this fall... Along with Charlie Crist's (D) hopes for a political comeback.

Of course, Sheldon Adelson is also looking out for himself. It just so happens that Las Vegas Sands wants to open casinos in Florida. But as of now, legislation to expand legal gaming in Florida (beyond the Seminole tribal holdings) remains stalled. Adelson seems to hope Rick Scott will try to revive gaming expansion if reelected... And make sure Las Vegas Sands emerges with shiny new contracts for shiny new Florida casinos.

We've been wondering why Sheldon Adelson has been so quiet about medical marijuana proceeding right here in his own state while he's bankrolling the anti-marijuana campaign in Florida (and funding medical marijuana research in Israel). Yet the more we sniff into this, the more we sense Adelson cares more about the kind of green he rakes in at his casinos than the kind of green Florida patients hope will finally become more accessible. And now, we're left to wonder if we'll be seeing more of these crafty political maneuvers as Adelson prepares to ramp up his 2016 political shopping spree.

When You Wish Upon... What?!

OK, kids. It's time to fire up the Wayback Machine. Let's travel back to January 2013. Remember the sordid tale of John Swallow & Jeremy Johnson?

Wait, who?!

Here's what we know so far. St. George businessman Jeremy Johnson wanted the legal equivalent of a magic wand to wave away a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigation into his internet marketing company, I Works. So he contacted then Deputy Utah Attorney General John Swallow (R), who then connected him with the late Check City (payday loan provider) owner Richard Rawle. 

Now here's where we descend into "he said, he said" territory. Johnson alleges that Swallow & Rawle struck a deal with him where he'd give them $600,000... For them to then bribe Senator [Harry] Reid [D] into making the FTC investigation of I Works go away. 

However, Swallow vehemently denies this allegation. Swallow's version of the story goes as this: He just thought (at the time that) Johnson was facing an unfair probe by the FTC. So he referred Johnson to his former employer Rawle. And he's even presented an affidavit from Rawle (prepared just before his death) stating Johnson paid Rawle $250,000 to hire federal lobbyists to make Johnson's case in DC.

At the very least, some sleazy wheeling-dealing was going on here. And now that John Swallow is Utah's Attorney General, he's facing the political scandal of his life. However, there's been nothing produced so far that confirms that Reid accepted any kind of bribe from Johnson, Swallow, and/or Rawle.

Yesterday, Former Utah Attorneys General John Swallow (R) & Mark Shurtleff (R) were indicted on 23 counts. They face up to 30 years in prison if convicted. And yes, this has to do with their alleged dealings with Jeremy Johnson and the late Richard Rawle.

Already, this is causing a huge political earthquake in Utah. And already, investigators are suggesting more indictments are on the way in the Swallow-Johnson corruption case.

However, some in Utah are disappointed that the federal Department of Justice declined to take this case. Even the lead investigators have suggested such. Could it possibly be...

Still, no. Even as certain figures whisper about Senator Harry Reid's potential involvement, no evidence has actually been found. We only have Jeremy Johnson's claims that Senator Reid is involved. And keep in mind that Jeremy Johnson had demanded a refund of the $250,000 he paid Richard Rawle because Senator Reid never made that pesky FTC investigation of I Works go away!

We get it. This is awful news for Utah Republicans. Many sense this case goes far deeper than some money Rawle, Shurtleff, and Swallow passed around. And certain media pundits are hungry for a big, splashy "SCANDAL!!!" involving Nevada's top elected leader.

But no matter how much certain pundits & politicians wish for a "Reid connection" here, they can't wish it into being true. Just as they couldn't turn a UNLV Foundation fundraiser into a giant "Hillary Clinton SCANDAL!!!", they can't just wish it into reality.

The 2014 Election Cycle isn't even over yet, and already some politicians & pundits are wishing for 2016 fireworks. And already, they're wishing for "SCANDALZZZ!!!" that only seem to be political mirages. Perhaps instead of wishing for that which will never materialize, they need to focus on what's actually here.

The Fact of the Matter

In recent days, we've been bombarded with news of a new haute faux scandal. Now that Congressional Republican "leaders" are already embarking on their path to impeach President Obama for committing the heinous crime of doing his job, they're already embarking on their strategy to tar & feather the next Democratic President (while also revisiting their irrational hatred of the previous one).

Oh, yes. That's right. They're going there. And they're already going after Hillary Clinton.

They were hoping #Benghazi would net them "2 for the price of 1". But now that they're coming up empty there, they need to latch onto a new haute faux scandal to gin up more "OUTRAGE!!!" So of course, they're returning to the time honored tradition of "investigating" the Clintons' personal lives to death (cough- Whitewater- cough- Monica).

And now, G-O-TEA operatives think they've hit pay dirt with the "speaking fees scandal". How dare that she-devil steal food right out of starving students' mouths! How dare that haggardly witch unilaterally raise tuition at UNLV! How dare that...

Wait, what?! No really, this is what G-O-TEA media spinners are now claiming. Because Hillary Clinton accepted a $225,000 speaking fee from the UNLV Foundation to attend an October fundraiser (for UNLV!), she's somehow responsible for tuition hikes and budget cuts that she never approved. (Who's the Governor of Nevada again?) And now that Hillary Clinton is donating that $225,000 speaking fee to the Clinton Foundation, she's somehow horribly evil and selfish.

Give. Us. A. Break! Hillary Clinton was never the one eager to slash UNLV's budget. Hillary Clinton was never the one to direct state funding away from UNLV. And Hillary Clinton was never the one who voted to raise tuition for UNLV students.

Guess who did? Oh, yes. That's right. Nevada Republicans... And in particular, one Brian Sandoval.

We've seen first hand the pain & suffering caused by the budget cuts to higher education. And yes, we know that UNLV has especially been hit hard by the past 5 years of budget cuts.

The real perpetrators of the real scandal would like nothing more than for us to misplace our outrage and rage against those who actually have nothing to do with the real problems at our public colleges and universities. The fact of the matter is that the UNLV Foundation has already netted more money for this fundraiser (3 months before the event!) than it's paid Hillary Clinton/the Clinton Foundation. And the fact of the matter is that we wouldn't even need a UNLV Foundation hiring big names for big private fundraisers if the state's elected "leaders" were actually doing their job and properly funding public education.

But hey, let's not let some pesky facts get in the way of the hottest new haute faux scandal. Certain media pundits and political spinners find it so much "sexier" to hype a fictitious "SCANDAL!!!" than explain the real one.

From #gunfail to #GunSense

Just over a year ago, the unthinkable happened. Governor Brian Sandoval (R-NRA) vetoed SB 221. In doing so, Governor Sandoval denied Nevada the chance to close the back doors that dangerous criminals utilize to obtain dangerous weapons.

Since Governor Sandoval's veto of SB 221, we've experienced the consequences of that. We witnessed the embarrassing Reno Police back alley gun sale. We noticed the shocking near miss at Thunder Down Under on the Las Vegas Strip. We experienced the horrific slaughter of Las Vegas Metro Police Officers Alyn Beck & Igor Soldo and civilian Joseph Robert Wilcox. And these are just a few high profile examples of what happens when we allow so many lethal weapons to fall into all the wrong hands.

For years, we've been accustomed to the NRA calling the shots in Carson City. But now, there's a chance that may soon change.

And why's that? While we were in Reno last Friday, gun safety advocates filed a petition with the Secretary of State's Las Vegas office for a background checks initiative with language very similar to that of SB 221.

Last year, the NRA & its G-O-TEA allies pulled every political stunt imaginable to smother SB 221 to death. And when none of that worked, Governor Sandoval vetoed it. They won't be able to try any of that this time.

This time, especially should gun safety advocates collect enough signatures to submit this to the Legislature next year, they won't be able to do that. This time, they will have to address the actual policy at hand instead of hiding behind straw men. And this time, they will need to answer to the long trail of #gunfail that they've enabled by doing nothing as so many Nevadans were losing their lives to senseless gun violence.

There's a good chance that at least 101,667 Nevadans have had it with the rampant #gunfail. And there's a good chance even more are ready to do what Governor Sandoval refused to do, which is to allow for some #GunSense to start saving lives.

Best Foot Forward?

What else could we say? We knew this was coming. Last month, we explained why there was a better chance of hell freezing over than Las Vegas hosting the 2016 Republican National Convention.

This is why Republicans probably won't pick Las Vegas to host their 2016 national convention. While Southern Nevada is home to a diverse electorate who likely resembles the future of America, "Republican rebranding" has accomplished nothing but the repeat of the same old lame excuses of why the G-O-TEA base rejects 21st century America. And even though Nevada is a key state that Republicans need to win more often in order to remain a nationally relevant party, the Nevada Republican Party long ago lost interest in winning elections as it's pursued ideological "purity" to the point of endorsing "Chickens for Checkups" and armed anarchy. Southern Nevada can all too easily remind everyone of why the Republican Party has become radically out of touch with the mainstream electorate, and this is why the Republican National Committee will likely "rebrand" itself into a convention somewhere else.

Surprise, surprise, we were proven correct yesterday. But of course, "reliable sources" claim this happens due to "logistical reasons".

"Logistical reasons"... Like what? Cliven Bundy and his gang of "outlaw cowboys" fighting for free-dumb? Adam Laxalt continually reminding everyone of who's truly in charge of the Republican Party? Cresent Hardy's "segregation laws"? Sue Lowden's return?

Of course, @LV2016 operatives have been engaging in damage control. And to be fair, money (or more accurately, the lack of it) probably did play a role in the untimely demise of @LV2016. And perhaps the lack of an arena... Wait, what?! So Cashman Field, Sam Boyd Stadium, Thomas & Mack Center, and Henderson Pavilion weren't good enough for the RNC? Seriously?

Apparently, this was already a done deal before yesterday. So @LV2016 boosters tried their best to save face as their ship was sinking. And apparently, the best excuses they could come up with were "logistics" and money. (So #1 G-O-TEA Sugar Daddy Sheldon Adelson couldn't save their day?)

The Nevada Republican Party has been trying lately to put its best foot forward. And look how this latest attempt played out. Great job, Nevada Republican Party. And great job on that "Republican rebranding", RNC. So much for that putting best foot forward.

Principles v. Excuses

Principles are important. Principles indicate values. And principles form the foundation of something.

Early this year, House Republican leaders announced their "principles for immigration reform". This was nearly a year after they promised action on comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). And this was after they began voting on "TEA" tinged legislation meant to derail CIR.

So far, those "principles for immigration reform" have taken them nowhere. They're still standing in the way of CIR. They won't even allow a simple floor vote for HR 15. All they've allowed for are worthless excuses.

Excuses are meaningless. Excuses indicate nothing (except perhaps sloth). And excuses form the foundation of nothing.

Perhaps that's why even the US Chamber of Commerce is admitting that the Republican Party it used to know & love (but now just uses whenever it's convenient) is likely screwed for 2016. By p**sing all over 21st century America, G-O-TEA politicians are only handicapping their next Presidential Nominee.

Of course, readers here already know this. And deep down, even House Speaker John Boehner (R-Which Way Is the Wind Blowing?) knows this. But because he's afraid to offend the 21st Century Know Nothings who comprise his party's base, he's stuck in this conundrum of his own making.

It doesn't have to be this way. All he has to do to break this synthetic logjam on CIR is to allow a mere floor vote on HR 15. If he's telling the truth about the "vast majority of Republicans" wanting CIR, then he should give them the chance to vote for HR 15. If he truly wants to give a helping hand to Rep. Joe Heck (R-??!!) and other supposed pro-CIR Republicans in his caucus, then he should give them the opportunity to vote for HR 15.

It's that simple. No really, it is. There's no need to complicate this.

Either House Republican "leaders" actually believe in their principles... Or they have nothing to offer but excuses. They can't have it both ways. And if they keep trying to have it both ways, they'll be the ones paying the price.

27.

27. That now looks to be the magic number. House Democratic leaders need 27 more signatures on their HR 15 discharge petition. Once they reach 218, they can secure a floor vote for comprehensive immigration reform (CIR).

27. That's the number that can make a huge difference for families like Astrid Silva's and Bryan Rivera's.



27. If Rep. Joe Heck (R-????) and 26 other House Republicans simply sign the petition for something they've already claimed to support, CIR can finally pass the House. And since most House members have already said they support CIR in theory, it shouldn't be so hard to put it into practice.

So why has it been so hard? Well, why has it been so hard for the "Republican establishment" to muzzle the likes of Rand Paul? Why has it been so hard for the "establishment" to steer the 21st Century Know Nothings away from the siren songs of Laura Ingraham? Why has it been so hard for House Republican "leaders" to stand up for their own "principles for immigration reform"?

Short answer: They don't want to meet the same fate that's run right into Jeb Bush's 2016 campaign plans.



Longer answer: It's easier for G-O-TEA politicians to pander to the Culture Warrior Id than it is for them to publicly challenge this id. So they either keep quiet on CIR, or they flat out reject any real option for CIR. They'd rather placate their "TEA" powered base and hoodwink all the rest of us with "Republican rebranding" than make any real effort to become more compatible with 21st century America.

This is why CIR has been left to die in the House by Republican "leaders" in that chamber. They're too afraid of their own base.

Yet with that being said, this doesn't mean CIR must die. This doesn't mean that individual House Republicans have no choice but leave CIR to die on the "TEA" poisoned vine.

All HR 15 needs is 27 more House members to sign that discharge petition. And the 30 or so House Republicans who have been asked to sign the discharge petition should look at it this way: 27 may ultimately be the number that determines the future national viability of their Republican Party. Do they really want to be one of the 27 who stands in way of not only keeping American families together, but also keeping the Republican Party as an integral force in America's political system?

27. That's all HR 15 needs for a House floor vote. So why won't House Republicans just release 27 members from their caucus in order to save not just CIR, but also their own party?

Why Republicans Probably Won't Pick @LV2016

Every so often, a certain local journalist and media pundit (cough- Jon Ralston- cough) has been begging national Republicans to bring the 2016 Republican National Convention to Las Vegas. He's certainly tried his best to promote our region to Republicans and make a convincing case why "The Entertainment Capital of the World" should host what may be the most entertaining political party event ever. Unfortunately for Ralston, most Republicans don't want to listen to his case.

But why is that? Ralston has made many good points. The Strip has plenty of quality lodging, dining, and entertainment options. Nevada will likely be a key Swing State that cycle. And Southern Nevada has become a diverse society that would serve as the perfect backdrop for the Republicans' big party.

Unfortunately for Ralston (and all other @LV2016 boosters), the G-O-TEA Culture Warriors strongly object to this. And why's that? Oh, our lodging, dining, and entertainment options threaten their "Judeo-Christian values". In fact, our "entertainment" is so wicked & sinful that it corrupted poor Rep. Vance McAllister (R-Louisiana) from thousands of miles away! (/snark)

And it's not just our lack of "moral values" that will likely prevent "Sin City" from hosting the 2016 Republican National Convention. There's also the matter of the entire Nevada Republican Party's lack of common decency and common sense. Last week, state & local G-O-TEA politicians rushed to sing the praises of Cliven Bundy violating federal law at Gold Butte. They also tacitly endorsed outside G-O-TEA groups meddling in #BundyRanch to the point of encouraging armed conflict with federal public servants who were just attempting to enforce the law.



But wait, there's more. Republicans just concluded their convention... The 2014 Nevada Republican Party Convention, that is. And while most delegates decided to cast a few votes in favor of the 21st century, they nonetheless decided to spurn the Governor they just endorsed for reelection by rejecting nearly all his preferred candidates in other races up & down the ballot. And even after they endorsed a new platform, they're still fighting each other over it!

But hey, at least they agreed to endorse Sue Lowden for Lt. Governor.



Apparently, all of this finally weighed on Jon Ralston as he prepared to say farewell to his fantasy of the 2016 Republican National Convention playing out in his back yard...

"Thanks to #BundyRanch and @NVGOP folks for providing great advertisement today why @LV2016 should happen. Thanks, geniuses."

Except that he forgot to mention Nevada Republicans' other great shining moment from last week.



Hillary Clinton may have had a shoe thrown at her, but Republicans are ultimately throwing away whatever chance they have left of defeating her in 2016 by embracing so much crazy. And this visual must be terrifying those in charge of the Republican National Committee.

This is why Republicans probably won't pick Las Vegas to host their 2016 national convention. While Southern Nevada is home to a diverse electorate who likely resembles the future of America, "Republican rebranding" has accomplished nothing but the repeat of the same old lame excuses of why the G-O-TEA base rejects 21st century America. And even though Nevada is a key state that Republicans need to win more often in order to remain a nationally relevant party, the Nevada Republican Party long ago lost interest in winning elections as it's pursued ideological "purity" to the point of endorsing "Chickens for Checkups" and armed anarchy. Southern Nevada can all too easily remind everyone of why the Republican Party has become radically out of touch with the mainstream electorate, and this is why the Republican National Committee will likely "rebrand" itself into a convention somewhere else.

(Sorry, Jon Ralston.)

Basic Instinct

Hey, someone has to do it. So who will it be? Kevin Drum can't figure it out yet. And frankly, we're having trouble with it as well.

So who will Republicans nominate in 2016? All we can say at this point is that whoever wins that nomination will have turned up the crazy to whole new levels. And whoever wins that nomination probably will have done so by pandering to the basest of base elements.

But why? Why is this likely bound to happen? Don't Republicans want to win? Oh, yes they do... But they're counting on voter suppression "purging" to do the trick.

And perhaps that has helped them win some races here & there. However, not even that can guarantee nationwide viability going into the future. They can't simply purge every non-Republican voter off the rolls.

Ultimately, Republicans need to offer voters more than just hollow "rebranding" in order to expand their ranks. But instead of that, they're just offering failure to govern, warmed over "Culture War" hysteria, and unnecessary hardship. And they're wondering why their 2016 polls look so damned ugly?

They need to pay closer attention to the state of their own party in 2014. They need to pay closer attention to why the Nevada Republican Party has become nothing more than a glorified political fight club. They need to pay closer attention to why their empty slogans don't translate into functioning policies.

We know basic is hardly ever something to aspire to, but we also know that far too many Republican Party "leaders" fail to recognize the basic reality that their party will ultimately be screwed if it fails to adapt to the reality of 21st century America. It's so basic, yet it's so out of their grasp. And if it remains out of their grasp in 2014, they'll eventually regret it come 2016.

"Rebranding" the Same Old...

Rejoice! It will come! The Republican National Committee (RNC) announced Las Vegas as one of its finalists for the 2016 Republican National Convention.

Despair! It won't come. Already, two national media pundits have declared the RNC won't pick Vegas for 2016. And Jon Ralston's dreams of having a national Republican Party convention in his back yard have officially been dashed.

Does it really matter either way? In terms of political postioning, probably not. Republican Conventions don't have a great track record when it comes to flipping states from Blue to Red.

So why are so many media pundits treating the RNC's convention host selection process like it's a holy grail for 2016? Perhaps because it's easier to do this than to look more closely into the party's serious structural trouble?

Sure, plenty of ink has been spilled over "Republican rebranding". And party "leaders" seem to be suggesting that their 2016 convention selection will be the highlight of all this "rebranding". And of course, this is why many "party insiders" have suggested that Las Vegas is the perfect place to showcase the "rebranded Republican Party".

Well, this would be the perfect location to showcase the Republican Party that's rebranded its way into... Scaring away longtime Republican leaders like Sue Wagner, claiming the likes of (no, not that) Michael McDonald as its "leaders", trying to have it both ways on immigration reform, not even trying all that hard to hide its love of "segregation laws", and always trying its hardest to please its true leaders. Oh, yes. Las Vegas is the perfect location to highlight all the amazing rebranding the Nevada Republican Party has led the national Republican Party into.

And this is why it really doesn't matter where the RNC ultimately chooses to place its 2016 convention. As long as that "Republican rebranding" keeps going nowhere fast, hardly anyone will actually believe the RNC has anything new to offer.

Lessons Learned?

Apparently, this is becoming the hot topic of this election cycle. We've already been discussing the reality behind the Koch Brothers' extreme ideological agenda, as well as the great lengths they're going to amass power on Capitol Hill.

However, they're not alone. They're not the only "TEA Party, Inc." aligned billionaires who spend tons of money buying candidates influencing elections. And now, a character who's rather familiar to us here in Nevada is preparing to reemerge.

Remember Sheldon Adelson? He's back! And this time, he's looking for a new candidate to buy back.

This week, Adelson has summoned 4 likely 2016 Republican Presidential candidates to kiss his ring meet him at the Republican Jewish Coalition spring meeting here in Vegas. And so far, it looks like Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (R), New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R), Ohio Governor John Kasich (R), and Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush (R) will be accepting Adelson's invitation. But why, why is Adelson courting these 4 Republicans?

According to Adelson BFF (& 2011 Las Vegas Mayoral candidate) Victor Chaltiel, "He doesn’t want a crazy extremist to be the nominee." Instead, he wants a less "crazy/extreme looking" G-O-TEA lackey to carry his water and do so competently. Apparently, Adelson learned his lesson after bankrolling Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney in 2012.

And now, Adelson wants to teach his party a lesson. Not only is he afraid of Hillary Clinton, but he's also afraid of his own party's base. And more specifically, he's afraid of Ron Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) rallying the G-O-TEA base to take the Republican Party in a more "libertarian populist" (aka batsh*t crazy "TEA" flavored) direction.

Apparently, Sheldon Adelson hasn't really learned his lessons from 2012. He's still shopping for damaged goods. And he's still picking nasty fights with the Paulistas. And both of these big mistakes will likely return to bite him, just as they did in 2012.

But in the mean time, let's think about the ramifications of Adelson starting another political spending spree. Last we checked, Las Vegas Sands is still facing legal trouble over its shady business operations in China. Meanwhile here in the states, Adelson's newest front group is catching scrutiny over its curious campaign to kill legal online gaming. And now, he wants to buy another Presidential candidate? When did this become "normal politics"?

And when will we develop the courage necessary to change this new, dangerous reality? Perhaps there are still lessons we must learn about money in politics?

Dead Horse

We're not trying to beat a dead horse. We swear. Take a closer look. We're not beating it. We're just calling attention to it.

So where's the horse? Look here.

And yes, don't bother there. Even as national media figures sing the praises of Governor Brian Sandoval (R), he continues to face trouble at home. And he can thank his party's own "TEA" powered base for that.

And that's not all. The "TEA" is also spilling into #NVLeg (again). Just as State Senate Minority Leader Michael Roberson (R-Henderson) was hoping to showcase his favored 2014 candidates, the G-O-TEA base struck back. And it did so in a brutal manner.

But then again, we were never actually surprised by any of this. In fact, we've been saying this for some time: Don't believe all the hype surrounding "Republican rebranding". Jeez, even the Republican National Committee has admitted its "rebranding" has been nothing but a big fat #FAIL.

But of course, it's also claiming this doesn't matter one bit. And why's that? Oh, 2014 is supposed to be a great red "TSUNAMI!!!" (Never mind that there's no real evidence suggesting this.)

Again, we saw this coming. Even as national party "leaders" have been begging for change, G-O-TEA politicians have instead allowed the 21st Century Know Nothings to take control of the party. And not only have they taken control of the party, but they've also forced the party to continue fighting a "Culture War" that everyone else realizes it lost long ago.

We saw this coming. And now, everyone can see this on full display. Even she sees it now. (And of course she does, because she loves being in charge!)

We're not trying to beat a dead horse. We're just pointing out the usual suspects who are beating that dead horse... And hoping you don't notice them doing so.

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.

Freedom

This week has turned out to be quite the watershed moment for Nevada. After years of seeing the state government fight equality, its leaders are starting to signal that the fight is finally starting to come to an end. When Governor Brian Sandoval (R) and Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto (D) announced their decision to drop their legal defense of marriage discrimination in the Sevcik v. Sandoval suit, we couldn't help but see it as a critical turning point in this story.

Yet even with that occurring, the fight is not quite over just yet. We were also reminded of that this week when a host of G-O-TEA politicians decided to follow Richard Ziser's lead (instead of Governor Sandoval's) and continue fighting against equality.

With all of this taken into consideration, there isn't a better time than now for Freedom Nevada to launch. While the Sevcik suit is working its way up the federal judiciary chain, there's still the matter of SJR 13. Even though it passed the Legislature last year, it must pass there again next year before it can reach voters in 2016.

This is why now is the perfect time for Freedom Nevada and other marriage equality advocates to spring into action this year. In order for SJR 13 to pass the Legislature next year, voters must elect a pro-equality majority to send to Carson City this year. And even should the Sevcik plaintiffs prevail in court in the mean time, it always helps to build a pro-equality majority to cement in place those legal victories.

We're closer now than ever before to securing the freedom to marry in Nevada. But even now, a final push is needed to make it happen. The past decade plus of fights haven't been easy and occasionally offered painful setbacks, but now is the time to finish the job. Freedom is almost here.

Reform for Real

Earlier this month, Las Vegas Country Club experienced quite a lot of action. House Speaker John Boehner (R-¡Díos Mio!) had come to town to raise money for Rep. Joe Heck (R-¿Por qué?). And a whole lot of frustrated constituents were outside to ask them why they couldn't get their house of Congress working on anything worthwhile for a change.

Did that strike (some more) fear in the heart of Speaker Boehner? All of a sudden, his "leadership team" will release principles for immigration reform".

Oh, really. So what might be in those "principles"? Whatever they are, they're not real comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). After all, this is the same line that Speaker Boehner has used before for the past year. And it's the same line Rep. Joe Heck used last summer in an attempt to quell local demands for CIR.

What has their preferred "step by step" approach delivered so far? Nothing, other than a House passed amendment to deport DREAMers. So why are we supposed to believe differently this time, especially when the 21st Century Know Nothings are already mobilizing to kill whatever bill House Republican "leaders" ultimately settle upon?

The G-O-TEA Civil War is probably set to worsen in the coming days. And if Speaker Boehner indeed vows to double down on his "principles", those "principles" will only succeed in killing CIR for the foreseeable future. Is that the real goal here? Are these "principles" just another attempt to deflect blame onto someone else?

There's a reason why Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-No Really, He's Still There!) is quietly suggesting that Republicans stop fighting CIR. And there's a reason why HR 15 has 3 Republican cosponsors. And there's a reason why S 744 attracted the support of Senator Dean Heller (R-Sí, Se Puede).

Here's a hint: The status quo has failed us. Too many American families are being torn apart. And too many economic opportunities are being missed. So why waste any more time trying to prop up the status quo?

Sure, House Republican "leaders" now want us to believe they have "principles for immigration reform". But why are we supposed to believe them if they keep rejecting the one feasible path for real reform? Here's some advice for them: Don't tell us. Show us.