Gov. Brian Sandoval has two simple criteria for the candidate he’ll appoint to replace U.S. Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., when he resigns on Tuesday: be ready to work on day one and reflect Ensign’s political ideology.
But don’t expect Sandoval to seek much public input on who best fits those categories.
Sandoval’s senior advisor Dale Erquiaga said today that the governor will try to best follow the will of the voters by appointing someone who not only is Republican, but matches Ensign’s “political ideology,” a term he declined to define.
“Sen. Ensign’s politics are fairly clear,” Erquiaga said.
Erquiaga dismissed an effort by Democrats in the Legislature to establish an “open, fair and public process” to select the appointment.
How fitting for a Governor who refuses to listen to the public and do anything that's not part of his own agenda to pursue more political power. And how is Brian Sandoval different from Jim Gibbons? Oh yes, that's right. He occasionally calls Bob Miller for "advice" and says nice things about John Oceguera and Steven Horsford. Whoop-tee-doodle.
Think about it: Have Jim Gibbons and John Ensign really left the building?
Embattled Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) is resigning from his seat in the U.S. Senate. In a statement released by his office Thursday evening, Ensign said his last day as a Senator will be May 3.
"It is with tremendous sadness that I officially hand over the Senate seat that I have held for eleven years," Ensign said in the statement. "The turbulence of these last few years is greatly surpassed by the incredible privilege that I feel to have been entrusted to serve the people of Nevada. I can honestly say that being a United States Senator has been the honor of my life."
Ensign had already announced he wouldn't be seeking a third term in 2012, after his current term was marred by scandal involving an affair with the wife of a longtime friend and former staffer. The scandal put Ensign in the sights of the Senate Ethics Committee.
Now, it seems, Ensign will bring his time in the Senate to an end even earlier than had been expected. In his statement, Ensign eluded to the numerous investigations that have plagued him since he publicly admitted an extramarital affair in 2009.
Really. How fitting.
Ensign has hardly ever shown respect for "we the people" in his votes and actions in DC, so we should not be surprised that he's now showing utter disrespect to Nevada voters by quitting now after insisting he wouldn't do this. And if what The Sun is reporting turns out to be true, then this is nothing more than a craven plot by Nevada Republicans to install Dean Heller as Senator now so that he can be favored in next year's election.
Why should Brian Sandoval, Dean Heller, and John Ensign be allowed to get away with this? This stunt forces Nevada to pay for a special election in the 2nd Congressional District. Why should we essentially pay for Heller to quit his current job and attempt to game the rules in his favor?
Remember this, Nevada. Remember this whenever Nevada Republicans talk about "respecting the will of the people". Clearly, they don't! And Brian Sandoval and Dean Heller can share in the disgrace that John Ensign has caused himself in this whole sorry affair.
In a final acquiescence to what many saw as the inevitable end to his scandal-scarred political career, U.S. Sen. John Ensign closed the door on a re-election bid Monday, dramatically improving his party’s chances of keeping his seat in a swing state that has been leaning more Democrat[ic].
The move accelerates the race for a seat that will help determine which party controls the U.S. Senate after 2012.
Ensign’s announcement intensifies the pressure on Democrats, who had been hoping the beleaguered incumbent would stay in the race long enough to weaken presumed Republican front-runner Rep. Dean Heller. [...]
Democrats must quickly figure out who their strongest candidate will be to run as they hope to resurrect the Obama wave and ride it once again to down-ticket victories.
Meanwhile, Republicans will try to quell a potential scrum of primary opponents who might view the open seat more favorably now, despite Heller’s presumed entrance.
So who's all in? Need we even ask? Dean Heller is running. He's wanted this for quite some time. And now, he has it...
So will one of them step up and do it? Well, on the Democratic side, all depends on Shelley Berkley's decision. It looked likely Shelley would run when it also looked likely that Ensign would continue his vanity campaign, regardless of what his actual chances were. But now that Ensign was forced out by GOP power players is retiring "for family reasons", the race looks like less of "a gimme" for Shelley, and the DSCC has already sent smoke signals suggesting they don't believe she's the only game in town.
I suspect Shelley is now under intense pressure from the DSCC to make up her mind once and for all, and do so quickly. I'm sensing the DSCC prefers she bow out and let Ross Miller or Catherine Cortez Masto take a crack at this race, but they also realize Shelley has the full force of The Reids behind her and won't stand for a heated primary if she's that determined to run.
It's possible that former Nevada Senate candidate Sharron Angle could mount another bid for a spot in the upper congressional chamber next year, an adviser to the Tea Party darling signaled to Ben Smith at Politico on Monday. [...]
On Monday, Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) announced that he would not run for reelection in 2012. It seems for Angle, the news could be just the opening she needed to mull another run.
"Almost 250,000 Republicans have already donated to Sharron Angle, probably more than any Republican in the country," wrote consultant John Yob in an e-mail to Smith. "She will be a tremendously strong candidate for whichever office she chooses to run for. A combination of a strong tea-party based grassroots operation and unprecedented campaign funding is a powerful combination in a Republican Primary."
During a recent trip to New Hampshire, Angle hinted that another campaign for federal office could be in her political future. According to the Union Leader, she ruled out a run for the White House.
The Hill suggests that Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki might also want to run, but both Ralston and Roll Call suspect he's more likely to run for Heller's current NV-02 House seat. I think the latter two are right on this, as Krolicki probably doesn't want to take on Heller, and would rather ease his way into a cushy House seat.
So however this shakes out, Nevada is poised to yet again host the most topsy-turvy, thrilling, and exciting Senate campaign in the country. And of course, we'll be here to guide you through all the craziness of it. ;-)
Instead of facing the voters one more time, Johnny decided to go the "Deus ex machina" route of dropping out of the 2012 campaign due to "family concerns". Oh yes, inexplicably in this last week he and wife Darlene were concerned about how hard campaigning would be on their family. Funny enough, campaigning is more of a threat to his marriage than his own hypocrisy!
So goodbye, Johnny Casino. We'll miss your craven hypocrisy. And your presence in the campaign. And the possibility of soundly rejecting your failed policies in November 2012.
What? You really thought the respite would continue? Oh no, my dear. Even though I occasionally still see 2010 campaign signs around town, and even as 2011 campaign signs are still going up, 2012 is fast approaching.
The Sun has a story this morning on Johnny Casino Ensign's "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and gosh darn it, my hair means business!" campaign to make Republicans give him one more chance next year.
Ensign is the only person who has officially declared intentions to run for the Senate seat he currently holds in 2012, but even in a field that doesn’t yet officially include anybody else, many analysts think he is the longest shot to win.
Ensign is still struggling with ethics accusations stemming from an affair with former aide Cynthia Hampton, whose husband, Doug, was also an employee of Ensign’s.
Although the Justice Department dropped its investigation of the senator’s actions in the wake of the affair, and the Federal Election Commission refused to start one, the fight is not over for him until the Senate Ethics Committee renders its verdict on whether to indict him. [...]
Last month, Ensign set a fundraising benchmark: $1 million. If he can raise that by the end of June, he said on Nevada Public Radio, “I think that would be a healthy number,” and enough to shore up his candidacy.
If he’s nervous about a potential primary challenge — and all eyes are on Rep. Dean Heller to mount one — he’s not showing it. Ensign told reporters at a January conference in Reno that he wasn’t worried about a primary challenge, although he acknowledged his campaign would be “very, very difficult” because of the scandal surrounding him.
But the sum is a modest one for an uphill battle.
According to records filed in the third quarter of 2010, Heller has more than $850,000 on hand and presumed Democratic challenger Rep. Shelley Berkley, more than $1.1 million — compared with barely $300,000 for Ensign.
But Ensign says he isn’t feeling any special pressure to add to his figure dramatically during today’s strategy session with his campaign fundraisers and minds, where they’ll likely assess the odds, give him tips, reach out to potential donors and go-to check writers. “It’s all part of the process,” Ensign said.
I guess Poor Lil' Johnny is still in denial. But hey, stranger things happened in GOP primaries across the country last year. I say the Nevada GOoP deserves Johnny and all the lovely luggage that comes along with them.
Of course they think otherwise, and they are quietly trying to force him out like they forced Jim Gibbons out last year... But will it work again? Will the teabaggers that now run the show over there have other ideas? Will Sharron Angle perhaps reemerge from her underground bunker to cause some real mayhem in this primary?
It's already looking like another clusterf*ck that will steal the show next year...
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is launching a media blitz against Republican Rep. Joe Heck, the first major move in Democrats' effort to reclaim the House in 2012.
Heck is one of 19 Republicans being targeted nationwide. Many are freshman, and most come from Democratic-leaning districts that President Barack Obama won in 2008.
The ad blitz is part of the Democrats' "Drive to 25" campaign, an effort to win the 25 seats needed to regain the House majority from Republicans in 2012.
The 19 seats being targeted with radio ads, web commercials, phone calls and e-mails are key to Democrats' success.
Oh yes, Joe Heck isn't out the hot seat just yet. I guess the DCCC is banking on The Legislature only being able to pack so many Republicans into the new NV-03 in redistricting that Heck may still not be as safe as he wants, especially if President Obama's approval numbers are high again next year going into his reelection campaign. I guess by the end of the year we'll know if we'll see a huge, dramatic campaign in NV-03 again in 2012.
In case you missed it on my Twitter yesterday, I got a bomb dropped on me... In a good way! I'll get to that a little later, but first I want to give some background on what's been happening.
A group of us from various local LGBTQ advocacy organizations, including Stonewall and PLAN, went to Senator Harry Reid's office to thank him for his commitment to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell and discuss next steps in making it happen. Reid will be working his hardest within The Senate chambers to gather the votes, negotiate with Republicans on the amendment process, and get it done from the inside.
Meanwhile, it's our duty as equality activists to work from outside on reaching out to those Senators still on the fence and educate them on why most Americans want to see this done, why most soldiers want to see this done, and why this must be done by the end of this year so that this policy can come to an end and our military can stop letting go of good soldiers just because of who they are. While I was thinking about those Senators in other states that local activists there need to talk with, someone else in our group had an idea on one more office we needed to visit.
State Senator David Parks (D-Las Vegas), Nevada's first out state legislator and an Air Force veteran himself, was among our group yesterday. And after we finished meeting with Harry Reid's Las Vegas staff, he suggested we go across the hall and meet with Senator John Ensign's staff.
Yep, you heard me right. He said it was worth a try for us, so we all just did it.
Laura Martin, communications director for the club, said she and other activists on Thursday met with Margot Allen, Ensign’s regional representative on military issues, who informed the group of Ensign’s opposition to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and intention to vote for the fiscal year 2011 defense authorization bill, which contains repeal language.
“The first question was about ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ and his staffer said he supports repeal,” Martin said. “We asked her to clarify three times and she said he will vote in the affirmative on the defense authorization with ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ repeal in it.”
Martin said the question they asked was based on the condition that the vote would come up in December after the Pentagon working group completes its report on implementing repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
“We said after Dec. 1, when that report is out, and the defense authorization act is up for a vote with the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ will the senator vote in the affirmative to pass it?” Martin said. “And she said, ‘He will.’ And we asked her to clarify that two more times and she said, ‘Yes, he wants it repealed.’”
She mentioned Laura Martin, Stonewall's Communications Director. She was there with us, and we both broke the news on Twitter yesterday as our jaws were dropping and we were wondering if we were dreaming.
Basically, we went into the office. We were then greeted by the receptionist at the front desk, who told us someone would be out shortly when we asked about scheduling an appointment to talk with them about Don't Ask Don't Tell repeal. We weren't even expecting to have a meeting that day, but all of a sudden Margot Allen stepped out, greeted us, and told us that Ensign wants to read through the official Pentagon report as soon as it's released... But once it's released and he looks through it, he intends to vote for the defense authorization bill with the Don't Ask Don't Tell repeal provision included.
Again, we were all floored. But as Allen was explaining how Ensign is approaching this, we caught it again and realized our ears weren't playing a trick on us. Yes, it's happening. Yes, Ensign will support DADT repeal. And yes, we citizens can still make a difference.
Frankly, this is what we need more of. Despite what you may have heard, our members of Congress still have to pay attention to those letters we write them, those calls we make to their offices, and the office visits we make. Citizen lobbying matters. And right now, as we're looking to firm up support from Senators like Ensign and Lisa Murkowski who are all of a sudden very open to DADT repeal, we need to keep those lines of conversation open and keep encouraging them to listen to us, listen to the troops, and listen to their consciences.
We're closer to getting at least 60 Senate votes to repeal DADT than ever before. Call Ensign's office at (202) 224-6244, email him here, and thank him for supporting DADT repeal while encouraging him to follow through on it. And of course, call Reid's office at (202) 224-3542, email him here, and thank him for all the work he's done to make this all happen. All this personal contact we've been making is really making a difference. It is here in Nevada, and it can across the country.
Despite all the Beltway chatter you may have heard over the last few weeks, local community activists kept talking with Harry Reid and his staffers about DADT repeal. And despite premature notices of its "death", Reid is following through on his promise to us to keep pursuing it until DADT gets repealed. And now, we may end up with Ensign on board as well. That's the power of our voices.
Over the summer, Ensign sent a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius requesting grant money authorized by the law for the University of Nevada School of Medicine for "Primary Care Residency Expansion." This grant program is one of many included in the health law to increase the number of doctors in America. In the letter, Ensign explained that "Nevada continues to have an extremely low number of physicians per capita," and that the grant would help alleviate the "growing challenges Nevada continues to face with providing access to much-needed health care."
In late 2009, Ensign expressed grave concern that "the Democrats' health reform bill violates the Constitution of the United States of America." He also sharply criticized the bill's individual mandate, saying, "I don't believe Congress has the legal or moral authority to force this mandate on its citizens." Still, the Silver State senator admitted that Guantanamo Bay detainees "get better health care than the average American citizen does." [...]
Despite doing his own fair share of earmarking, Ensign recently joined Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and other Republican senators in an effort to enact a ban on the federal carve-outs.
Earlier in November, Ensign elaborated on his wavering stance against earmarks. "Nevada gets shortchanged when it comes to federal dollars returning to our state," Ensign said. "But we are facing very difficult economic times that require difficult decisions to be made back in Washington. Reducing government spending across the board is one of the difficult things that has to be done, and this includes earmark requests."
As usual, Johnny Casino wants to have it both ways. Nevada gets shortchanged, but we still don't deserve to have more of our tax dollars brought home if Jim DeMint doesn't like it.
And after all his whining and crying and huffing and puffing over how supposedly horrible health care reform is, he still used it to get more funding for UNR's School of Medicine... As he SHOULD! However, it's completely hypocritical for John Ensign to deride and berate health care reform as he is simultaneously taking advantage of the new law to get more funding for UNR!
So now that Jim DeMint is on a crusade to "purify" the Republican Caucus and make them follow his true teabagger ways, Johnny Casino thinks he can suddenly go down this road, curry favor with the same tea-nuts who made Sharron Angle's campaign happen (then crash and burn), and somehow still make us think he's looking out for us. Sorry, but I'm not buying it. Johnny can't have his "tea" and make us drink his kool-aid, too.
In the latest issue of New Yorker, Peter J. Boyer delivers a fascinating portrait of The Fellowship, the secretive religious group behind the C Street house. Among the interesting nuggets in Boyer's piece are some new details about Tom Coburn's role in ending John Ensign's affair with the wife of Ensign's former top aide.
As you may recall, both Coburn and Ensign were residents of the C Street house during the affair. Ensign publicly admitted to the affair in June, 2009 after the husband of Ensign's former mistress told Fox News about the senator's indiscretions. (Ensign's office said he had learned that Hampton had contacted FNC before Ensign's public admission. Nonetheless, despite learning about the affair before any other cable news channel, Fox waited until Ensign's public confession to report the story. In fact, Fox was the last cable news channel to report on it.)
When the husband of Ensign's former mistress contacted Fox about the affair, he told them that Tom Coburn had been aware of it since at least February, 2008. That brought Coburn into the story, albeit unwillingly. Of particular interest was the husband's claim that Coburn had urged Ensign to offer the mistress money as compensation for the hardship the affair had caused, a claim Coburn vehemently denied.
How are those good ol' fashioned "family values" working out for us, Nevada?
The U.S. Senate Energy Committee passed a bill today that will block a proposed Sloan Mine gravel pit near Sun City Anthem in Henderson.
The bill, introduced by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in May, would block 800 acres of land from being used as a gravel pit.
Mexico-based Cemex and Service Rock Products of California have applied to use sand and rock from the quarry to make concrete during the next 20 years.
In a statement, Reid said he had received comments from thousands of Southern Nevadans who opposed the pit. Many residents expressed fears about the noise, dust, traffic and possible decline in property values they said the pit might cause.
“This bill is vital to protect families in Henderson and I am pleased that it is moving quickly through the Senate,” Reid said in a statement.
Thank goodness Harry Reid cares about the well being of Henderson, and of Nevada as a whole.
And thank goodness Dina Titus is working to gather the House votes to stop the gravel pit.
Even Dean Heller is working to stop this! Hell, even John Ensign took a break from... Well, I shouldn't get into detail on that... I'm just glad he took time last month to testify for this legislation to stop the Sloan Hills Gravel Pit.
But what has Sharron Angle said about this? Well, all I hear is...
So what say you, Sharrontology? And for that matter what say you, "Checks for" Heck? Are they waiting for Cemex and Service Rock to donate a few thousand bucks? Or did they already get the money via Tea Party Express?
Again, why would we give up representatives who actually give a damn about Nevada for a bunch of corporate funded stooges?
Yesterday's Reno Gazette-Journal featured an AP story on some leading Nevada GOoPers asking our other Senator, the scandalicious GOoPer Johnny Casino, to quit.
Republicans believe that Ensign’s troubles are a colossal distraction in the high-profile effort to oust Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid.
Chuck Muth, the former executive director of the Nevada Republican Party, called Ensign “an albatross around the necks of every Nevada Republican candidate on the ballot this year” and likened him to a political “suicide bomber.”
The discord among GOP loyalists bubbled to the surface last week and follows grand jury subpoenas issued to a Republican campaign committee and companies in Nevada about Ensign’s role in seeking work for the husband of his former mistress.
The Senate Ethics Committee is also investigating.
The scandal has marked a stunning fall for a politician who was once a rising conservative star with White House aspirations.
Even Dean Heller is recognizing reality.
U.S. Rep. Dean Heller, R-Carson City, called Ensign a “wounded junior senator” whose scandal could potentially have an impact up and down the Republican ticket this fall.
Heller cited Ensign’s scandal last year as one reason he decided to seek re-election rather than challenge Reid.
Even Lil' Tark Shark has had to flip-flop on wanting Johnny Casino's strong support.
“I must respectfully say that ... I do not expect to be campaigning with Sen. Ensign this fall,” said Danny Tarkanian, a Republican primary candidate in the race.
But Suzy Lowdown? Oh no, this is what she said.
Sue Lowden, the presumed Republican front-runner in challenging Reid, said she has supported Ensign in the past “but I also encourage that the current allegations against Sen. Ensign reach a conclusion through the thorough investigation that has been launched.”
And in her recent "hard-hitting interview" on Faux News, this was all Ms. Suzy could muster.
Lowden told Greta Van Susteren that she and Ensign have “been friendly for many, many years”
and that she wants “his support and all Republicans’ support.” When asked
whether or not she would like for Ensign to “step aside while this
investigation is going on,” Lowden responded, “I think that the
investigation should continue, and it’ll figure itself out.” When asked if
she is “one hundred percent behind him,” Lowden said: “I am one hundred
percent behind having the investigation continue and letting it work itself
out.”
"Sen. Ensign is very popular here in Nevada, and he has an excellent voting record," Lowden said. "I hope that he becomes part and parcel of what's going to be a very vigorous campaign."
Yes, Suzy Lowdown, Johnny Casino is "very popular here in Nevada"... Among the super-rich and radical righties that like corporate tax breaks and religious right hypocrisy. But among the rest of us, we see him as an embarrassment to our state.
"Sen. Ensign is very popular here in Nevada, and he has an excellent voting record," Lowden said. "I hope that he becomes part and parcel of what's going to be a very vigorous campaign."
Yes, they are all part of the big, crappy "happy" dysfunctional GOoPer family. "Luv-Guv-Lite" Sandoval and Suzy Lowdown may occasionally forget to remind us of this, but all we have to do is look at the family portraits to see the resemblance.
What began as a political soap opera has turned into a full-blown symphony of slime.
And the king of this smutty scandal, Sen. John Ensign, still thinks enough of himself to phone voters in Dina Titus' district urging them to pressure the congresswoman's vote on health care.
(Lot of good that did as Titus will vote yes!)
Ensign still thinks he's cock of the walk of the conservative roost.
Tell Ensign you've seen enough. Nevada needs a representative that is more concerned about jobs and health care than he is about shutting up his girlfriend's husband.
Ah... Another week, another day, another chance for the GOoPers to bash the federal stimulus. Yes, that's right, they still don't like economic recovery. So what would happen if Johnny Casino, Suzy Lowdown, and Lil' Tark Shark were to get their way and Nevada were forced to let go of unspent stimulus funds?
It's not a pretty picture, to say the least.
Were that to happen, Dennis Freimann has perhaps the best vantage point on the potential effect. The No. 2 in charge at Nevada’s Recovery Act office, Freimann said if leftovers from the state’s $2.1 billion share of the money were returned, “Then we’re talking about a lot of people losing their jobs.” [...]
The Recovery Act is bringing $2.1 billion to Nevada — $1.2 billion in direct aid to residents, including unemployment benefits, a $250 one-time check to seniors, income tax cuts, COBRA health insurance subsidies and an expansion of Medicaid health insurance for the unemployed.
Another $924 million went to Nevada agencies to pay for teachers’ salaries, highway repairs, housing rehabilitation, forestry improvements and other programs. [...]
The Nevada Recovery Act office tallies 2,500 jobs saved or directly created by the $924 million sent to state agencies.
But economists put the actual number at 20,000 by factoring in the $1.2 billion in direct aid programs and the multiplier effect: If folks keep their jobs and have money to shop, store clerks keep their jobs, too.
“The idea that we’d be returning money we desperately need is ridiculous,” said Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley, who voted for the bill.
“We’re going to keep every penny that Nevada gets,” Berkley said. “Every senior in Nevada got a $250 check. Every disabled vet — I have 18,000 of them — got a $250 check. We also received a good amount of money for transportation and infrastructure. That’s creating jobs. We are spending that. There are good, important programs being paid for by the stimulus.”
Thank goodness Shelley Berkley, along with Harry Reid and Dina Titus, gets it. We'd be foolish to let go of money that can continue to be used to save jobs, create jobs, provide direct aid to those most in need, and fuel what's looking like a promising start to economic recovery in this country and here in Nevada.
And it's just hilarious to read about all these Republicans supposedly "concerned about fiscal responsibility". Really? So they forgot about what they did when George W. Bush was President? I don't remember them crying "fiscal responsibility" when he started two wars, passed loads of ridiculous tax cuts for the super-rich, and green-lighted tons and tons of the very "pork barrel spending" that Republicans claim the stimulus is (even though it isn't "pork", it's actual help).
And what's their solution now? More tax cuts for the super-rich, of course. Remember how that worked out? Desert Beacon does.
In the wake of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts we got a gross domestic product increasing by 13.9% over 19 quarters, for an average annual rate of 2.8%, well below the 3.4% GDP growth rate of the previous four cycles. The gross domestic income statistics weren't any brighter either: "activity expanded at only a 2.3% rate, more than a full percentage rate slower than the 3.6% GDI rate of past cycles." [EPI] And that job growth? As of 2004 the U.S. had only 1.6% more jobs than at the last business cycle peak 58 months previously. "At this stage of previous cycles jobs had grown by an average of 9.1% and never less than 6.5%. Private sector jobs were only 1% higher than in March 2001, compared to 9.1% in previous cycles, and the lowest previous employment gain was 6.9% in the private sector.
In terms of employment, the case for tax cuts wasn't substantiated: "In making the case for the tax cuts of 2003, the Bush Administration acknowledged that strong job growth should be expected without tax cuts. It projected that 4.1 million jobs would be created between mid-2003 and the end of 2004 without the 2003 tax cuts, and that 5.5 million jobs would be created with the tax cuts. In fact, Congress enacted even deeper tax cuts than those on which the Bush Administration’s estimates were based. Even so, only 2.6 million jobs were created over that 18-month period. Thus, by the Bush Administration’s own analysis, the 2003 tax cuts failed to create more jobs than would have been expected without the tax cuts."
It's not like we weren't warned. In February 2003, 450 top economists, including 10 of the 20 American Nobel prize winning experts warned the Bush Administration that the 2003 tax cuts would have a negative, not positive, effect on the U.S. economy. [Letter] "Regardless of how one views the specifics of the Bush plan, there is wide agreement that its purpose is a permanent change in the tax structure and not the creation of jobs and growth in the near-term. The permanent dividend tax cut, in particular, is not credible as a short-term stimulus. As tax reform, the dividend tax cut is misdirected in that it targets individuals rather than corporations, is overly complex, and could be, but is not, part of a revenue-neutral tax reform effort. Passing these tax cuts will worsen the long-term budget outlook, adding to the nation’s projected chronic deficits. This fiscal deterioration will reduce the capacity of the government to finance Social Security and Medicare benefits as well as investments in schools, health, infrastructure, and basic research. Moreover, the proposed tax cuts will generate further inequalities in after-tax income." They were right.
If, like Senator Ensign, we adopt the notion that tax cuts, and only tax cuts, are the key to expanding our gross domestic product, increasing our own gross domestic income, and creating more employment, then in the face of statistical proof to the contrary the only way forward is more tax cuts.
And if this isn't enough for you, Desert Beacon has even more on Johnny Casino's and the GOP's hypocrisy on "fiscal responsibility". Oh, and by the way, if the stimulus were so evil why are Johnny Casino, Arizona's Johnny Mac, and other GOoPers still lining up for more stimulus funds? Isn't that just more hypocrisy coming from them?
Oh yeah, that's right, we're talking about the Republican Party. They're always pro-hypocrisy, no matter how many of their other positions change daily (and nightly, for that matter).
Last week, President Obama signed the Travel Promotion Act into law. I know I usually don't give Johnny Casino much credit for anything, but at least he was of use this time in sponsoring it. And of course, Harry Reid did all the heavy lifting over these last few months to make it all happen.
Las Vegas tourism officials believe the Travel Promotion Act legislation that was signed into law last week will lead to a marked growth in international visitors, one of the gaming industry's few positive market segments in the challenging economic climate.
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority President Rossi Ralenkotter, resort industry leaders and members of the organization's board took a few moments at the outset of Tuesday's scheduled directors meeting to praise the act and Nevada's congressional delegation for pushing its passage.
"The one bright spot we've seen in the past few years has been the interest from international visitors," said MGM Mirage Chief Marketing Officer Bill Hornbuckle, who is involved with much of the casino company's overseas visitation. "This act will help."
Under the legislation, signed into law Thursday by President Barack Obama, a program will be created that will allow the United States to advertise the country as a destination for international travelers. It creates a public-private partnership for travel promotion that is partly funded by a $10 fee paid by international travelers.
"The fee is .002 percent of what an international traveler spends on their trip," Ralenkotter said. "Many countries have entry and exit fees so the United States is doing what the rest of the world has been doing."
So how exactly will this help us? The LVCVA calc'ed it out and presented these estimates.
BY THE NUMBERS
Estimated benefits of the Travel Promotion Act
5% increase in international visitation to 20 percent of the total visitation
1.8 million new international visitors to Las Vegas
12,000 new jobs
So do you now see why all those Strip casinos posted "Thank You, Harry Reid!" messages on their electronic billboards? We badly need the tourists, and this will enable the US to do more outreach to bring more travelers into the US. And since Las Vegas is increasingly becoming more of an international destination, this can really help us market ourselves around the world.
Tourist marketing had previously been left just to local authorities (like LVCVA) and private companies. But now, we'll have the full weight of the US of A behind us!
And once again, the radical right teabagger looney tunes don't know what to say as Harry Reid delivers Nevada yet another needed lifeline. :-)
Yeah, yeah, yeah... I know it's all supposed to be "doom and gloom" right now about how everyone supposedly hates Harry Reid. Uh-huh.
Well, as I've been saying all along, it won't take long for the "nothingness scandal" to die down when Suzy Lowdown crawls out of her bunker to spew crap like this on Faux News.
Think about what Lowden's reaction says about her raw political instincts.
In a state that after eight years of Bush overwhelmingly supported Barack Obama and rejected John McCain, in a state that is suffering more than just about any other thanks to Greenspan's real estate bubble, she decides to compare Reid's remarks about Obama to remarks critical of Bush and Greenspan?
Not only does it help Harry Reid to remind people that he isn't a fan of Greenspan or Bush, whining somebody getting called "a political hack" or "a loser" won't win Lowden a single vote. In a state with 12.6% unemployment, does anybody care that Trent Lott was forced to resign 8 years ago after praising segregation?
Even if Lowden were right that Republicans are held to a different standard than Democrats, what does that matter to the people of Nevada?
Everybody knows Reid has a brutal road ahead of him, and he clearly hasn't been making it any easier on himself, but with opponents like Sue Lowden, even Reid might be able to win.
Correction: Especially with opponents like Lil' Tark Shark and Suzy Lowdown, Harry Reid can and WILL win.
Oh, and look who's also suddenly appeared to give Harry Reid a helping hand. It's none other than Johnny Casino!
Nevada Sen. John Ensign said Monday it is wrong for his fellow Republicans to call for the resignation of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid over racially insensitive comments he made about President Obama. [...]
Ensign said Monday that Reid's apology was sincere and that the Nevada Democrat regretted how his comments were taken.
"I think we need to get away from this politics of gotcha," Ensign told KKOH radio in Reno.
"I don't think there's a person walking, certainly not a politician out there, that hasn't made comments they regret," he said. "When you make those comments, as long as you take responsibility for your comments and apologize for them, I think people should accept that."
I can't believe I'm saying this... But for once, I agree with John Ensign on something. No really, this may be the classiest thing I've ever seen our other Senator do.
Of course, he later tried to use the false analogy of the 2002 Trent Lott comments... Again, something where there's just no comparison. But putting that aside for now, Ensign knows which way his bread is buttered. He knows that Reid knows. And come on, he can't afford for any more "dirty little secrets" about the Hampton brouhaha to come out.
So with even Johnny Casino wanting to brush it aside, along with the usual GOP circus clown candidates taking teh stupid to a whole new level, maybe the DC Beltway pundits shouldn't be counting Reid out just yet.
Sure, I apologized But I'm still mesmerized By that other lady Yeah, I know I'm so shady I'm such a dirty sinner Yet my lust will still simmer Me and my slick silver mane Can just never be tame
The aggrieved husband and the senator are in a high-stakes cat-and-mouse game that shows no signs of subsiding. The winner could define the senator’s political future and influence the Republican Party’s 2010 electoral chances in both Washington and Nevada.
Ross Baker, a political scientist who studies Congress at Rutgers University, said he can recall few other episodes in Washington that resemble this case of a lawmaker being aggressively pursued with what he and others have called “vengeance.”
“These are deaths by 1,000 cuts,” Baker said. “Ensign can’t really land on his feet.”
Oh, noezzz! Poor lil' Johnny Casino may never recover from this? Whatever will we do with no Johnny Casino to kick around any more?
But while Doug Hampton may be the messenger, it is the message that can be so damaging to Ensign and his party.
The story of the conservative social values politician who had an affair with the wife of his one-time best friend, and the potential ethics violations that may have followed, is not one Republican leaders want to hear over and over again as the campaign season begins to unfold.
Even though Ensign told the radio interviewer various Republican candidates have sought his help on their campaigns, many Republican candidates in Nevada have made it clear they would prefer not to have him on the trail.
So as much as Johnny and his GOoPer buddies are trying to blame Doug Hampton for the big, bad sh*tstorm heading his way, it seems like Poor Lil' Johnny has no one to blame but himself for this increasingly ugly hot mess. Johnny Casino is quickly becoming political roadkill, and that's simply because he preached a different set of values than he practiced. Why is it that Republicans preach "personal responsibility" to everyone but themselves?
Painting a bleak outlook for Nevada Republicans in general, former U.S. Rep. Barbara Vucanovich, R-Reno, said Tuesday she's "extremely disappointed" that U.S. Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., had an affair and thinks it "is going to be tough" for him to win re-election in 2012. [...]
The former seven-term U.S. representative said she's especially disappointed in Ensign's scandal because she personally helped recruit him as a candidate in Las Vegas in the early 1990s when he first ran for the U.S. House.
"I met with his family. I thought he would be a wonderful candidate," said Vucanovich, who served in 1983-97.
"I'm extremely disappointed in him and frankly, very surprised, because I think that isn't the character that everybody thought he was. I'm very, very disappointed," she said. [...]
"Watching him, it has been very hard," she said. "He certainly had to back away from what he was doing in the leadership position he had. I haven't seen a great demonstration of him doing very much."
And before Johnny gets too excited about gladly giving "help" to Suzy Low-down or Lil' Tark Shark, he should listen to the grown-ups in the room.
She also said a host of GOP challengers face an "uphill" battle in their bid to unseat U.S Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. That's primarily because his huge campaign war chest keeps growing thanks in part to help from GOP business leaders who argue Nevada needs his clout in Congress, she said.
"I think it is going to be very difficult for Republicans," Vucanovich said in describing the overall outlook for her party in the coming elections during an appearance Tuesday on KRNV-TV's "Nevada Newsmakers."
Nevada Republicans have really pulled off something amazing. They've recruited such craptastic Senate candidates (for 2010 and 2012!) that even senior Republicans are running AWAY from them as fast as they can!
Johnny Casino can still do the honorable thing and either resign or announce he won't seek a third term in 2012. But of course, that would require he show some honor. Our favorite hairdo just can't handle doing something honorably!
So instead he'll continue to drag down the Nevada GOP with his moral hypocrisy, and we'll keep standing back and laughing as he brings down their sinking ship. :-D
Republican Sen. John Ensign gives his first, full-length interview this morning since disclosing an affair last summer with a staffer, and says he is getting Republican requests to campaign in 2010, has no plans to resign and cannot understand the health care bill as it is written.
About the affair, Ensign said, “It’s something I deeply regret and wish I wouldn’t have done.”
He reiterated previous terrain -- that he made some calls to help the woman’s husband, Doug Hampton, one of his top aides at the time, land another job, but said he did nothing wrong and would comply with any federal investigations.
As for the belief that Ensign is hurting the embattled Republican Party in Nevada – Republican Rep. Dean Heller has said part of his decision not to challenge Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was because Ensign would be sidelined – the senator, who is not up for re-election, may indeed show up on the trail for Republican candidates.
“They want me involved in their campaigns,” Ensign said. “I want to be helpful, not hurtful.”
Yes, Johnny. You will be plenty helpful next year... For Harry Reid and Nevada Democrats! Please keep speaking up in public and campaigning for GOoPers, and please keep helping your party fall off that cliff and become even more irrelevant.
As long as disgraced idiots like Johnny Casino and Jimmy "Luv-Guv" Gibbons remain the face of Nevada Rethuglicans, that party will continue to struggle in this state. People here don't mind "alternative lifestyles", but they're not all that into moral hypocrisy. Let them come forward in 2010, and watch the Nevada GOP suffer. :-)
