The Message

Remember this? Let's take another trip to the Nevada progressive archives. First, let's stop at October 2010. Remember then State Senate Minority Leader Bill Raggio's (R-Reno) huge announcement?

Let's now jump to January 2011 to note Senator Raggio's shocking exit from the Legislature.



When Senator Bill Raggio passed away in February 2012, we noted the legacy he left behind... And the legacy so many in his party wanted to ditch behind.

Seriously, this is what has me worried. Yes, Bill Raggio was conservative. Yes, Bill Raggio did use his budget votes as leverage to pass right-wing legislation. And yes, Bill Raggio liked to spend our tax dollars up north when they were really needed in Clark County.

However at the end of the day, Bill Raggio was always someone who was interested in making Nevada's government work. And not too long ago, there were other Republicans, like Kenny Guinn, who believed the same and demonstrated the ability to reach across aisles to keep Nevada functioning.

But last session, we were left wondering if a significant chunk of Legislature Republicans even wanted any kind of functioning government. And again, with Raggio gone, we had to wait for that Nevada Supreme Court ruling just to extend the tax deal that Raggio brokered in 2009. And with Raggio gone, what used to be a Nevada tradition of legislators constantly crossing aisles and party lines to get stuff done gave into California style "mortal combat governance".

Early this year, we were confronted by this again when another Nevada political legend, Former Lt. Governor Sue Wagner (R), decided to leave the Republican Party.



And she was soon followed by Neena Laxalt. Today, Neena Laxalt is following that up with a Las Vegas Sun op-ed that she signed onto, along with six other Laxalt family members.

During our journey, we have found a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that best captures the essence of a core value that has guided us throughout our lives — the value of speaking up for what is right. He wrote, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

In the spirit of King’s words, then, we can no longer be silent as we seek to maintain the integrity of our home state of Nevada.

Therefore, we collectively speak up to support Ross Miller as the most qualified candidate to be our state’s attorney general. [...]

Know that our message does not originate from a Republican, Democratic or even family affiliation. It has to do with the most basic question all voters must ask themselves when they step into the voting booth, “Who really is the best qualified candidate for attorney general for the state of Nevada?”

Wow. So it's happening again. And this time, it's Laxalt family members rebuking the very party they once led. And not only that, but they're even having to rebuke one of their own as both he and the party have lost their way.

Four years ago, the party lost the late Bill Raggio as he and others endorsed US Senator Harry Reid (D) for reelection. Earlier this year, the party lost Sue Wagner and Neena Laxalt. Today, several members of the Laxalt family can't even endorse their own family member who's running for Attorney General. And to our shock, the Nevada Republican Party still isn't getting the message. What else will it take for the message to resonate with them?

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.

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.

Fringe Is Still Their "Mainstream"

(It's amazing to think that just 6 months ago, a whole bunch of Nevada Republicans, along with G-O-TEA "opinion makers" from across the nation, were actually encouraging armed insurrection against our federal government. But yes, it happened. And no matter how much Adam Laxalt, Michele Fiore, Cresent Hardy, and Nevada Republican Party media spinners want to forget their #BundyRanch debacle, we remember.

So as we commemorate the 6 month anniversary of the start of Cliven Bundy's "Range War" against the rule of law, let's dig into the Nevada Progressive archives and travel back to April 2014 so we can uncover the truth behind all the Nevada G-O-TEA denials we see today.)

Once upon a time, this was merely an oddball case out in a rural corner of Southern Nevada. Not all that long ago, hardly anyone outside the Virgin Valley knew who Cliven Bundy was. He was just the local outlaw rancher who was running his cattle onto federal property (and far beyond designated grazing territory) without paying his fees.

Once upon a time, this was merely a local embarrassment. But now, the Nevada Republican Party has taken up Cliven Bundy's (illegal) cause. And the Koch-topus has taken up this cause and broadcasted it on G-O-TEA media networks nationwide. And the entire world is looking at our state and wondering what the hell we're smoking.

Welcome to Nevada. In our state's Republican Party, fringe is the new mainstream. In this party, Sue Wagner is ostracized to the point of severing ties altogether while Cliven Bundy is celebrated to the point of being declared some sort of outlaw "folk hero".



However, it's no longer just the Nevada Republican Party. It's nationwide. #BundyRanch has been trending nationwide for nearly three weeks. And it's become the latest & greatest cause celebre for G-O-TEA politicians nationwide.

Just a decade ago, the Bush Administration would have used the "domestic terrorist" label to describe the Bundy Gang. But now that Senator Harry Reid (D) is employing the same definition of "domestic terrorism" that Former President George W. Bush used while he was in The White House, G-O-TEA media personalities are feigning "OUTRAGE!!!" while they spread more (already debunked) conspiracy theories about his alleged role in #BundyRanch.

Welcome to the Republican Party of 2014. There, fringe is the new mainstream. Since Sean Hannity has officially declared his undying love & admiration for Cliven Bundy and his merry gang of (fellow) outlaws, G-O-TEA politicians must follow his lead. And more importantly, since the Koch Empire is all in for #BundyRanch, G-O-TEA politicians from across the nation have been endorsing the Bundy Gang's calls for anarchy at gunpoint.

Once upon a time, the Republican Party was known as the "law & order party". Now, it's become the "outlaw & chaos party". Fringe is the new mainstream. And the crazier one sounds, the better chance one has of winning a G-O-TEA primary.

Love Is All We Need.

Yesterday was a very special day at the Clark County Clerk's Office. For the first time ever, marriage licenses were being issued to all couples requesting licenses. Finally, Las Vegas was truly living up to its reputation as "The Marriage Capital of the World".



The crowd was huge at the Clark County Clerk's Office last night. The crowd wasn't as huge, however, at the Washoe County Clerk's Office. Nonetheless, the fortunate couples in Reno were greeted by flowers, cheers, and the marriage licenses they've been waiting so long for.



Finally, finally, marriage equality is now the law of the land here in Nevada. Kristy Best & Wednesday Smith were the very first same-sex couple to obtain a marriage license in Nevada, as the Carson City Clerk's Office decided not to wait any longer for the formal injunction order that Clark & Washoe were still waiting for. But once that injunction order was issued (preventing any further enforcement of Nevada's marriage ban), Theodore Small & Antioco Carillo became the first Clark County same-sex couple to obtain a marriage license. Shortly after, Karen Vibe & Karen Goody became the first Washoe County same-sex couple to obtain a marriage license.

Shortly after, State Senator Kelvin Atkinson (D-North Las Vegas) tied the knot with Sherwood Howard. Later in the evening, RuPaul's Drag Race Season 5 Quarterfinalist Coco Montrese (aka Martin Cooper) became the first "Diva of Las Vegas" to obtain a marriage license. And the fun didn't even stop there. All through the night, Las Vegas wedding chapels stayed open to help newly licensed couples "put a ring on it".



Yep, this really happened. And why not? This was a night some fourteen years in the making.

In 2000, Question 2 was placed on the ballot by the usual H8 filled suspects with the intent of ensuring these joyous moments would never occur. In 2002, they succeeded when Question 2 passed Round 2 on the ballot. And for the next decade, the usual H8 filled suspects had immense political juice in this state.

But when US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) made his big announcement in May 2012, something changed. While Senator Reid had already been quietly evolving on this matter, his public proclamation radically changed the political dynamics of the marriage fight in this state. And of course, the Sevcik v. Sandoval law suit forever changed the legal dynamics in this state.



Back in 2010, Rep. Dina Titus (D-Paradise) reminisced on the dark days of 2002. And she summed up quite nicely why the Question 2 marriage ban would be struck down four years later. Why stop love? Why would someone even want to try stopping loving couples from enjoying their lives together? Just take a closer look at the couples featured above. Do you want to stop them?

Love is love is love. And now, love can no longer be stopped here in Nevada. Now, love (along with $60 for the license fee) is all one needs to be married here in Nevada. And yes, this is most definitely something to celebrate.

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?

Done Deal: The #Teslamania Postscript

It's official. It's happening. And it's unanimous.

Late last night, the Nevada Legislature unanimously passed the Tesla deal. Governor Brian Sandoval (R) quickly signed it into law as US Senator Harry Reid (D) signaled his approval from DC.



Ultimately, Tesla got the $1.25 billion in tax credits it wanted. However, the final bill was slightly modified to ensure Tesla factory workers receive decent wages and health insurance benefits. The final bill also included more oversight should Tesla request a waiver for the 50% Nevada workers hiring requirement.

So it's a done deal. A bunch of legislators and media pundits are smiling as they await their return flights to Las Vegas. And of course, Tesla executives must be grinning from ear to ear this morning.



But what about all the rest of us? After the State Senate wrapped up their voting, they had just enough time for a few speeches. And yes, a handful of Senators actually addressed the 900 pound gorilla in the room.

Senator Tick Segerblom (D-Las Vegas) went even further in addressing the problem... And the solution. He pretty much channeled "The Original Gleaner" Hugh Jackson in pointing out the obvious. Why is it so damned easy for our state government to hand out corporate welfare like candy while failing repeatedly to properly fund public education?



It's a done deal. Tesla just got its sweetheart deal... But what about the rest of us? Where's our sweetheart deal?

Here's what isn't yet a done deal: this year's election. In particular, we have our solution: The Education Initiative (TEI). As Senator Segerblom and Hugh Jackson yesterday, we need to secure a good deal for our communities by making it happen ourselves.

Think Before You Act

Today, we're all remembering what happened 13 years ago. And we're facing tough questions that harken back to the decisions made in the aftermath of September 11.

Not even a year after 9/11 and the start of the Afghanistan War, then President George W. Bush wanted to go to war in Iraq. We were initially told Saddam Hussein was personally responsible for 9/11. Then, we were told Saddam Hussein was providing safe harbor to al-Qaeda terrorists. Then, we were told Iraq was somehow part of the "Axis of Evil". Then, we were told of "smoking guns" and "mushroom clouds".

Ultimately, then President Bush got the war he wanted. Thanks to neoconservative allies in Congress like Senator
John McCain (R-Arizona), approval for the Iraq invasion was a snap. And Bush never had to worry about obtaining more funding for what later became a war of "liberation" and "spreading democracy".



Senator John McCain, along with so many of the other regular cable "news" talking heads and Sunday show pundits, have regularly been proven wrong on their constant assertions that all we need is another war in order for Americans to "feel safe".



But what if we don't need another war in order to "feel safe"? What if we don't need to repeat the mistakes from our last war in the region? What if we actually think before we act?

We can't afford to make the same mistakes we made in Iraq last decade. While Isis indeed poses a threat to regional stability in the Middle East, it's not the some rapidly approaching apocalypse for America. Yet if we make the wrong move there, we risk further destabilization of the region (and ironically, a stronger Isis).



Contrary to what certain "TEA" flavored media pundits like to say, sports analogies won't help. Neither will bombastic rhetoric. And probably neither will yet another full scale Middle East war.

Perhaps we should think some more before we act. We have no obligation to repeat the mistakes of the previous Iraq War. And we have no obligation to commit thousands more American troops to a geopolitical Pandora's Box that only promises more brutal & bloody mayhem if opened. However, there are 535 people on Capitol Hill who do have an obligation to hold a vote. We'd like for them to think and act on it.

Prelude to Tesla

Consider this a quick cheat sheet on "The Tesla Session" that will begin at high noon today in Carson City. Here's what you need to know about the 28th Special Session of the Nevada Legislature:

- The Tesla deal is now clocking in at about $1.3 billion cost to Nevada taxpayers.

- It still looks likely to be approved, but signs of discontent at the Legislature Building are starting to appear.

- Among those grumbling about Tesla are the "TEA" powered NPRI & AFP (fossil fuels forever!), progressive PLAN (worried about corporate welfare), car dealers (upset over the bill to authorize direct-to-consumer Tesla car sales), and the entertainment industry (Sorry, Nicholas Cage, but no more film tax credits for you!).

- Yet as Tesla keeps blazing trails in clean technology, Nevada now has the opportunity to lead the way in the clean energy (r)evolution.

- It's no secret that US Senator Harry Reid (D) pushed hard for this Tesla deal, as he's a big believer in the potential Tesla's gigafactory has to turbo-charge Nevada's economy.

- And he's not alone. From Northern Nevada business leaders to UNR & UNLV economists and state economic development officials, they're liking the $1.9 billion Tesla's gigafactory is expected to generate in tax revenue for the state, along with the roughly 21,000 jobs (directly and indirectly) that may result from Tesla's big move.

- But wait, there's more?! Perhaps Tesla won't have this special session all to itself. Last night, Jon Ralston reported that Enterprise (Southwest Las Vegas Valley) based Switch now wants to strike while the iron is hot. The data center company is now asking for its own tax credits for its proposed $750 million Southern Nevada facility and $250 million Northern Nevada project.

This is about to get even more interesting. Stay tuned here for more as the 28th Special Session of the Nevada Legislature commences.

"Ratification Is Different from Rubber-stamping."

No, we don't always agree with him. Yes, this only touches the surface of what's increasingly looking like an incredibly thorny issue. But yes, Jon Ralston's advice to state legislators on Tesla is very sound advice that they should pay attention to.



"Ratification is different from rubber-stamping." Just since the deal was announced last Thursday, the price tag has swollen from $400 million to $1.25 billion. Why? This gigafactory isn't cheap.

Ironically, Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center (& Mustang Ranch brothel) owner Lance Gilman claimed "no public money" has been used to develop Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center. Even if that statement was completely true last week, it certainly will not be going forward. If the Nevada Legislature approves the deal US Senator Harry Reid (D) encouraged and Governor Brian Sandoval's (R) economic advisers negotiated, Tesla will be exempt from paying sales taxes on construction materials and factory equipment for 20 years. That alone essentially serves as an estimated $725 million state subsidy for Tesla and Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center.



In addition, Tesla will receive $195 million worth of transferable tax credits along with $332 million worth of exemptions from property taxes. And on top of that, the State of Nevada will pay Lance Gilman $43 million for right-of-way so it can invest at least another $60 million to build a highway through Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center in order to connect the Tesla Gigafactory to US Highway 50 and Interstate 80 Freeway.

Oh, and this may not even be the end of it. Take a look at the growing list of registered lobbyists for the 28th Special Session of the Nevada Legislature. We can only wonder what may come next.

At least some legislators are demanding certain conditions for all these giveaways, such as guarantees for prevailing wage and Nevada workers being considered first for the new Tesla jobs. And quite a few legislators are insisting the tax credits will be tied to Tesla's progress in building the gigafactory (perhaps because they want to avoid another Apple boondoggle?).

Let's be upfront here. The reward will be quite high if this Tesla project succeeds. Nevada will have cemented our reputation as the hub of the 21st century clean energy revolution. And the Reno/Sparks/Tahoe region may finally have secured economic growth and diversification...

But at what cost? The Atlantic Senior Editor Richard Florida has already decried the $56,000-$300,000+ the State of Nevada may pay for each Tesla job that may or may not last into the distant future. Already, critics are accusing the state of overpaying for a "trophy". And opposition to the Tesla deal is already creating some very strange bedfellows, from the "TEA" powered NPRI and AFP to progressive stalwart PLAN.



"Ratification is different from rubber-stamping." At least one legislator seems to fully understand this. Pretty soon, we'll find out how many more also do... And/or how many simply don't.

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.

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

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).

"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.

Armed, "Sovereign", & Dangerous

Last month, the local "newspaper" figured it was a great idea to publish the new home address of US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D). What could possibly go wrong with that?

Apparently, the local "newspaper" didn't realize that Charles Jason Moreland was already sending explicit emails to Senator Reid declaring that he's "a dead man". Moreland wrote to Senator Reid to demand he resign from office "or face stern, harsh, unimaginable consequences to him and his family." And now, Moreland is about to stand trial in an Oklahoma federal court for his alleged death threats against Senator Reid.

Meanwhile just to the south in Texas, Douglas Lee Leguin was arrested in a tony North Dallas neighborhood. Dallas firefighters had arrived to fight a dumpster fire when Leguin allegedly opened fire on them. A SWAT team was then called to respond to him. And after an armed standoff with police, Leguin was arrested and charged with 7 counts of aggravated assault.



During the shootout with police, Leguin declared himself to be a "sovereign citizen". This isn't the first time a sovereign citizen has resorted to violence to "fight for freedom". In May 2010, the father-son team of Jerry & Joseph Kane shot dead West Memphis, Arkansas, police officers Brandon Paudert & Bill Evans during what was supposed to be a routine traffic stop.



Sovereign citizens and their ideological twins in the Patriot Movement are not above violence. In fact, they sometimes resort to violence to "start the revolution".

Does the West Memphis murder of 2 on-duty police officers seem eerily familiar? If so, that may be due to what happened in Las Vegas this past June. Metro Police Officers Alyn Beck & Igor Soldo were shot dead at a local CiCi's Pizza by Jerad & Amanda Miller to "start the revolution". They then moved to a nearby Walmart, where they shot Joseph Robert Wilcox dead before they sacrificed themselves to "the revolution" in their final standoff with Metro.



Before they brought "the revolution" to Las Vegas, the Millers were in Bunkerville to assist Cliven Bundy in his "Range War" against the federal government. The Patriot Movement and allied anti-government radicals formed a critical mass in Bunkerville to defend their fellow sovereign citizens at #BundyRanch. They declared "posse comitatus" as they commanded Metro Officers to arrest federal agents for trying to enforce federal law.

Even before Cliven Bundy made international headlines, radical right violence was on the rise. But ever since sovereign citizens and the Patriot Movement (re)gained major media attention earlier this year, they've been enjoying a cultural zeitgeist on the fringe right as they increasingly permeate into what's supposed to be "political mainstream". Even though the Bundy clan no longer command media attention like they did in April, various "TEA" flavored media personalities continue to fan the flames of Bundy approved extremism with discredited conspiracy theories and xenophobic fearmongering.

Charles Jason Moreland didn't just send ugly emails to Senator Reid. Last September, the Tulsa man sent The White House an email last September in which he threatened to go to Washington, DC, “and start killing people if the monitoring of his Internet and cell phones did not stop.” He also sent threatening emails to his local Member of Congress, Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-Oklahoma).

Once upon a time, this kind of activity was considered shocking. Not any more. It's unknown at this time if Moreland has any direct ties to the Patriot Movement and/or any sovereign citizen group. However, we can't deny they're leaving indelible and rather dangerous marks on contemporary American politics.

The Iraq Question

At one point, it seemed like it was beginning to fade from our memory. It was becoming "ancient history". And with so much to worry about at home, why must we think about it again?

But now, Iraq is back in the news. Isis (or "Islamic State") is on the move in Northern Iraq, and it may now have sights on Syria and Turkey as well. And now, fears are growing of a possible genocide in the region.

The US is moving back towards military engagement in Iraq. But before we debate what we should do there next, we must remember how we fell into this hot mess in the first place.

In October 2002, Congress voted to authorize the use of force in Iraq to combat the alleged stockpiling of "weapons of mass destruction" by then Iraqi Prime Minister Saddam Hussein. Before the vote, the Bush Administration made claims that Saddam Hussein was somehow involved in the September 11, 2001, (9/11) terrorist attack. There was never a formal declaration of war when the US led invasion began in March 2003. And after the invasion, it became painfully clear that there were no "weapons of mass destruction" prepared to be used against us... And that Saddam Hussein had nothing to do with 9/11.

After the invasion began, the Iraq War transformed from an allegedly "anti-terrorist operation" into some "armed humanitarian liberation of the Iraqi people". All of a sudden, our armed forces were in Iraq to initiate "regime change" and essentially force "democracy" at gunpoint. The neoconservatives who were advising then President George W. Bush on foreign policy were praising "freedom fighters" like Ahmad Chalabi and urging the US to expand our military presence into Iran, Syria, and elsewhere so we can spread "democracy" all over the Middle East. What was supposed to be a fast & easy "shock & awe" war to disarm terrorists was suddenly becoming a grandiose attempt to set up an American Empire halfway across the world.

Ironically, this war that was supposed to "disarm terrorists" actually succeeded... In arming terrorists. al-Qaeda never had a presence in Iraq before March 20, 2003. But after the US led "coalition of the willing" toppled Saddam Hussein's regime from power, an enormous power vacuum emerged. And by mid 2004, "al-Qaeda in Iraq" was wreaking havoc in the "Triangle of Death" around Baghdad.

US forces only succeeded in wresting control of the Baghdad exurbs from "al-Qaeda in Iraq" by arming Sunni militias who had grown uncomfortable with their continued presence in the region while providing "The Surge" of additional US soldiers into Iraq. But even then, "al-Qaeda in Iraq" was never fully eradicated. It only went dormant (until the inevitable "rebranding" that we'll get to in a moment).

What was supposed to be a "liberation of the Iraqi people" quickly devolved into a complete organizational clusterfuck as the US occupation of Iraq dragged on. Alleged "Iraqi Messiah" Ahmad Chalabi ran to Iran whenever they had money for him and became a nagging destabilizing force in the region. The Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) that took over after the end of Saddam's reign quickly emerged as a Keystone Kops style money laundering scheme. And the Shia led political bloc that ultimately took the keys from the CPA never seemed to unite the nation behind its government.

By 2011, what had previously been known as "al-Qaeda in Iraq" "rebranded" itself as Isis. And when Isis decided to disobey al-Qaeda Central's orders to limit civilian deaths when it jumped into Syria's civil war, the 2 terrorist networks divorced this past February. But now that Iraq's government is as unstable as ever, President Obama faces tough choices on how to prevent a horrid genecidal bloodbath in the region.

Oh, and so does Congress. But already, many of the same neoconservatives who misled the nation into the Iraq War in 2002 want to criticize just about anything & everything President Obama decides to do now. Some of the current G-O-TEA hotheads on Capitol Hill even want to return US ground troops to Iraq and revive the US occupation. And to make matters even more bizarre, some Democrats (who happen to be the same ones who voted for military force authorization in 2002) are harping about the Obama Administration's caution in arming rebels, even as many of the rebels the neoconservatives have wanted to support actually have ties to Isis.

As we ponder what to do next about Iraq, it's critical for us to remember the history of this war. It's crucial for us to remember the many painful errors and brutal blunders made in the 12 years so that we don't repeat them. And as Members of Congress decide what parameters to set on this latest mission into Iraq, they must remember their Constitutional duty and their precedecessors' big mistake.

Technical Difficulties

It's about to get very real up in here. We're about to reveal why we're posting this instead of the usual Monday morning policy dig.

We had technical difficulties again. This time, we were roaming all around the neighborhood in search of a stable LTE signal. We had to keep roaming because the signal would constantly drop.

Obviously, we became very furious very fast. Why is this happening to us? Why is it so hard to find fast internet? Why is American internet so damned slow?

Susan Crawford on Why US Internet Access is Slow, Costly, and Unfair from BillMoyers.com on Vimeo

There are so many policy FAILs here that it's hard to keep track of all of them. Federal regulation of the telecom industry has not kept up with technological innovation. Internet service providers (ISPs) are increasingly prioritizing price gouging over improving their networks. And the giant telecom corporations are pressuring the federal government to give them even more leeway to limit consumers' internet speed and create "online toll roads" for content providers.

So why is the internet so much faster in other developed nations? Unlike America, they fully regulate the telecom industry. And unlike America, they've been investing in developing state-of-the-art fiber networks that deliver blazing fast speed.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering changing the definition of "broadband internet" to prod the telecom companies to fix their dilapidated, slow networks. While this may be a promising start, so much more is needed to fix these technical difficulties. We need hard commitments to real infrastructure investment to update our outdated internet connections. And we need real net neutrality to guarantee fair play and high speed for all.

US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) has endorsed a strong net neutrality standard, and so has President Obama. But now, it's up to the FCC to decide new net neutrality standards. And ultimately, it's up to us to urge Congress and/or the telecom companies themselves to finally bring our communications infrastructure into the 21st century and bring these obnoxious technical difficulties to an end.

The Grift That Keeps On Taking

It's time for us to embark on another archeological dig. Today, let's jump back to July 2010. Back then, Sharron Angle was running her outrageously delusional campaign for US Senate. And back then, she was relying on help from some rather shady friends.

One of her shady friends from that remarkable 2010 campaign was Sal Russo. And he had his crew of shady friends help him prop up Angle and their other endorsed candidates for that cycle. In July 2010, we warned everyone about them.

Russo runs a PR firm in Sacramento, and utilizes his right hand men (and women) in Tea Party Express. There's "grassroots coordinator" Joe Wierzbicki, the same guy who works at Russo's high priced Sacramento PR firm, the same guy who tried to help George Bush drum up support for the Iraq War, tried to swiftboat Barack Obama the same way John Kerry was swiftboated, and is now organizing his luxury coach buses to go across the country and spread lies about Democrats like Harry Reid.

And then there's Howard Kaloogian. He aligned with the radical right and corporate powers that be in the California Legislature. And in 2003, he teamed up with Russo's PR firm, Enron pollster Frank Luntz, talk radio "shock jock" Melanie Morgan, and Newt Gingrich to engineer the recall campaign that ousted California's duly elected Governor and replaced him with Arnold Schwarzenegger. 

And in 2006, Kaloogian himself ran for Congress in a special election in San Diego County. Russo joined him yet again, hoping that he'd slip in. But oops, one of Howard's lies about his "time in Iraq" caught up with him. [...]

[...T]hey lied about Bush's war in Iraq, they lied about what they actually saw there, they lied their way into the California Recall that saddled that state with "Arnold", and now they're lying about what their little "tea party" is really up to.

Oh, and now they're trying to dupe us into believe Harry Reid is some sort of "Satan Incarnate" and Sharrontology is our only way to salvation. But when we look behind the curtain, we have to notice the corporate fat cats funding the "Tea Party, Inc." gravy train supporting Sharrontology.

Back when Howard Kaloogian ran for a San Diego, California, based Congressional seat in 2006, he defended his vigorous support for extending the Iraq War by showing all the progress he witnessed firsthand there. The problem with his "firsthand" account was that it was a complete lie. You see, Howard Kaloogian's photos of a "peaceful Iraq" were actually photos of an Istanbul, Turkey, suburb.

And that's not all. Later in that 2006 campaign, Howard Kaloogian was caught falsifying his list of endorsements. Several Republicans came forward to announce they never actually endorsed Kaloogian. So there was also that.

However, not even that was enough to keep Sal Russo. Nope, they teamed up to start a slew of PACs, including the now notorious Tea Party Express.



Tea Party Express has come under scrutiny in recent months over just how much of the money it collects from donors ends up in the pockets of Sal Russo and his top lieutenants. But now, there's evidence showing that the "TEA" tinged gravy train doesn't stop at Tea Party Express.

When Howard Kaloogian wasn't trying to buy a seat in Congress with a phony "Iraq" photo, he was joined at the hip with Sal Russo at Move America Forward. Move America Forward was originally designed to promote continuing American involvement in the Iraq War. But in 2008, it shifted gears and became yet another anti-Obama PAC...

Except that it didn't want to be known as just another anti-Obama PAC. It wanted to be known for "supporting the troops". So Move America Forward started its own "charity" to "support" active duty military serving abroad. But now, we have a better sense of who Move America Forward's "charity" is actually supporting.



Surprise, surprise! Sal Russo, Howard Kaloogian, and the rest of the Move America Forward grifter crew were only using their charity to further enrich themselves. Oh, and of course, it didn't hurt that they successfully conned a whole lot of "TEA" flavored media pundits into endorsing the grift. (We're being charitable here, as this story would be even more disgusting if we were to discover all these pundits were also in on the grift.)

There's so much irony to be found throughout this story. However, we must end on this note. Senator Harry Reid (D) had been working tirelessly to pass a VA bill to help veterans access the health care they need. He's also worked with Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) to open a badly needed VA clinic in Pahrump. And Sal Russo dispatched his Tea Party Express tour buses to attack Senator Reid for "failing the troops"?

Ah, Sal Russo & his network of "TEA" tinted con artists. They're the grift that keeps on taking.

Daring to Act

Last year, a bill emerged that seemed to upend the traditional balance of power in Carson City. It also offered to close loopholes that allow criminals to obtain lethal firearms. That bill was SB 221. And State Senator Justin Jones (D-Enterprise) authored that bill.

SB 221 passed the Legislature, but Governor Brian Sandoval (R) vetoed the bill despite its broad public support. And now, Nevada Republicans are targeting Senator Justin Jones as he runs for reelection to a full term. (He was first elected in 2012 to fill the remainder of Elizabeth Halseth's [R-Enterprise] term after she resigned from office.)

Even though polls have shown very strong public support for expanding background checks for gun purchases made at gun shows and online, the NRA and gun industry are pouring money into the campaign to defeat background checks initiatives meant to do what Congress refused to do on the federal level last year. And even though Nevada's own background checks initiative has just been cleared by a Carson City district court to begin collecting signatures soon, the gun lobby and G-O-TEA political operatives still want to "make an example" of Senator Jones for daring to even propose SB 221 last year.

This may prove to be a turning point for both the politics and policy of gun violence. For decades, the NRA and the rest of the gun lobby have demanded complete fealty from state and federal legislators. And for decades, that's exactly what they've received from state and federal legislators.

But last year, something changed. The reality of gun violence hit home hard. And that was even enough to convince US Senator Harry Reid (D), someone who had sported a "B" rating from the NRA, to reevaluate federal gun safety policies. But when Nevada's other US Senator joined the G-O-TEA led filibuster against a mere background checks bill, Nevadans then looked to the state government to see if we could at least fix this problem at the state level.

State Senator Jones and gun safety advocates rounded up enough votes for SB 221 to pass... Then Governor Sandoval vetoed it. Yet even as the background checks initiative goes to the people for consideration, the gun lobby still wants to "make an example" of Senator Jones for daring to act. The next few months will tell whether they can maintain a stranglehold over this state. The next few months will tell whether Nevadans may actually turn around and dare to act on gun violence despite the gun lobby's extensive and expensive political threats.