He Is an Idiot.

Just when we thought he couldn't sound any dumber, he just went from dumb to dumber... And even dumberer.

Outgoing Assembly Member and current NV-04 candidate Cresent Hardy (R) has been going out of his way to alienate most NV-04 voters. He blamed them for everything he thinks is wrong with America. He channeled his inner Mitt Romney when he dismissed them as "lazy 47% takers".

And believe it or not, he didn't stop there. Now, we also know Cresent Hardy insulted the judgment of NV-04 constituents by claiming their votes are mainly based on race.



Well, alrighty then. It's now official. Take it away, "Official Bitchy Smiley Faces of Nevada Progressive"!



He truly is an idiot. What was he thinking? Was he even thinking?

Here's a news flash for Cresent Hardy: NV-04 is a very diverse district. There are African-American voters, Latin@ voters, Asian-American voters, Native American voters, LGBTQ voters, and many more types of voters all residing in this district. And the more Cresent Hardy pisses more of these voters off, the fewer voters he will actually have on his side come November 4.

Hardy, Meet Romney

Today, we must return to the vault. We made another trip to the Nevada Progressive archives to uncover this gem from none other than Mitt Romney. Remember when this now infamous video first dropped in September 2012?

Herein lies Romney's problem, which is the same problem he's had all along. Basically, Mitt Romney continues to reveal himself as an out-of-touch plutocrat who just doesn't care about the middle class and working poor. And no matter how many glossy mailers he sends to me and to other Democratic households, he can't convince us to vote against our best interest. In fact, he keeps making sure of that whenever he opens his mouth and goes "off the cuff"!

And remember when a critical mass of Republicans (even Nevada's own Joe Heck) closed ranks around Mitt Romney and his "47% philosophy"?

As we've discussed before, Paul Ryan's budget is nothing less than a full assault on America's middle class and the working poor aspiring to become middle class. And not only has Mitt Romney fully embraced Paul Ryan's "vision" of a middle class busting budget, but he also wants to undo decades worth of BIPARTISAN economic policy meant to boost the ranks of the middle class. And in pursuing this false dichotomy of "the makers versus the takers", he's actually attacking upwards of 60% (!!!) of Americans along with these bipartisan decades old policies meant to build and sustain America's middle class.

This is the real poison of what Mitt Romney said at that Boca Raton fundraiser. Mitt Romney revealed that he's more than willing to undo the foundation of America's middle class just so he and his fellow 1% plutocrats can pay even less in taxes. Heh, I guess Harry Reid has been right all along.

And this is why the teabaggers are reverting to screaming about what President Obama supposedly did or did not do in Las Vegas last week. Despite all their howls suggesting otherwise, perhaps even they are starting to realize this is a losing issue for Mitt Romney. Perhaps they are finally realizing that Mitt Romney is losing this election. One just can't attack 60% of Americans and expect no blowback.

Believe it or not, The Great 47% "Gaffe" of 2012 is back. And you won't... Actually, you should have no problem believing this Nevada Republican is reviving this incredibly offensive and misleading meme.



Oh, yes. That's right. Cresent Hardy went there. And he did so at the same fundraiser at Falcon Ridge Golf Club where he blamed everyone who voted for President Obama for anything and everything that's gone wrong. Oh, and that was the same Mesquite fundraiser where he refused to take any responsibility for driving his own company into bankruptcy (before someone else had to buy him out).

So now, Cresent Hardy wants to branch out. "Segregation laws" just aren't enough. Not even Highland Hills is stinky enough for Cresent Hardy. No, he must now enter Mitt Romney territory of total douchebaggery.

Who could have ever guessed Danny Tarkanian would one day earn the title of "Best NV-04 Candidate Nevada Republicans Have Ever Recruited"?

Qualified?

Who could have guessed? Who could have guessed he would go there?

Oh, yes. That's right. We did.

Back in February, outgoing State Assembly Member and current NV-04 candidate Cresent Hardy (R) decided to expound on his philosophy of "segreation laws". According to Hardy, ENDA, civil marriage equality, and other policies aimed at ending wrongful discrimination are somehow "segregation laws". And "by continuing to create these laws that are what I call segregation laws, it puts one class of a person over another".

Yep, we also have trouble following his logic (or lack thereof) there. However, we had a feeling that wouldn't be the last time Cresent Hardy would try to explain his philosophy of "segregation laws". Oh, no. He went there again last Thursday at Falcon Ridge Golf Club in Mesquite.

Women, minorities and young voters are the reason the country is in trouble, according to Nevada Assemblyman Cresent Hardy, who is running for 4th District Congressional seat.

Hardy said they were the ones who elected President Barack Obama, which led to the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act, among other things.

Oh, really. So now, "women, minorities, and young voters" are the reason why everything has gone wrong? And they're the reason why the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) is destroying the country?

Here's a news flash for Cresent Hardy: Obamacare is actually helping the country. As of September 18, 7.3 million Americans have enrolled in health insurance plans through the Obamacare exchanges. The rate of uninsured Americans has dropped precipitously since Obamacare implementation began. And another 8 million Americans have obtained health insurance coverage through the Medicaid/CHIP expansion that Obamacare made possible.

Last Thursday, Hardy tried to blame President Obama and the Members of Congress who voted for the Affordable Care Act for Nevada's exchange problems. Here's another news flash for Cresent Hardy: He was one of the state legislators who voted to approve Governor Brian Sandoval's (R) plan. And now that we've all had to learn the hard way that outsourcing doesn't always work out the way we wanted, Governor Sandoval has agreed to move Nevada onto the very federal Obamacare exchange that Hardy's fellow G-O-TEA Culture Warriors were screaming about last fall.



Ironically, Cresent Hardy chided others over financial woes last Thursday at his Falcon Ridge Golf Club fundraiser... While refusing to take responsibility for his own financial woes. Even though Hardy was the one in charge when Legacy Construction & Development filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, he spoke as if bankruptcy court was somehow a blessing for everyone. Perhaps Hardy hit the jackpot when his partner bought him out, but we doubt others affected by Hardy's mismanagement of Legacy were as happy about that.



Yet while Cresent Hardy spoke about Legacy's little bankruptcy issue, he didn't speak about the other issue that's launched his former company back into the news: Highland Hills. People have become ill as they've discovered their homes lie on top of an unsealed landfill. And many of these Highland Hills houses are actually sinking as their foundations are coming apart.

Last May, Cresent Hardy provided a rare candid moment when he admitted, "The reason that I feel qualified to do this is I don't." (See the video above.) That truly says it all. And perhaps he should have cut himself off right there. After all, his "segregation laws" philosophy, his continued refusal to take any responsibility for the Highland Hills fiasco, his continued refusal to take any responsibility for the Legacy bankruptcy, and his blatant dishonesty over Obamacare really prove his point.

Mystery at Highland Hills

How would you enjoy living on top of a landfill? Most likely, we probably wouldn't enjoy that at all. And we certainly wouldn't enjoy living in a sinking, stinky house.

We can't imagine the horror residents of Highland Hills in Mesquite encountered when they realized they were living on top or way too close to an unsealed landfill. Oh, yes. That's right. The residents of Highland Hills are literally living on top of trash.

This may sound funny, but Highland Hills residents aren't laughing. One couple already abandoned their house on doctor's orders. Methane tests have become a way of life for the neighborhood. Several homeowners have been warned about carcinogens lying just below their floors. Homeowners have also been sounding the alarms on cracks in their respective foundations, driveways tearing apart, and houses graduallly sinking into the ground.



The City of Mesquite and RFMS, the company that developed Highland Hills, have lawyered up. The City of Mesquite has also gone to great lengths to deny records to Mesquite residents pertaining to the construction of Highland Hills. So what might the Mesquite City Council and RFMS be hiding?

That's what nearly everyone in the Virgin Valley is asking. After all, Highland Hills was built by Legacy Construction & Development. And Legacy Construction & Development happens to be the company owned by then Mesquite City Council Member Cresent Hardy (R-"Segregation Laws"). (And yes, this the same company Assembly Member Crescent Hardy later led into Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in January 2012.)

Is Cresent Hardy afraid of something? Are his former City Council colleagues and trusted Virgin Valley political network afraid "he knew too much" when he signed the deed (for what was to become Highland Hills) over to RFMS? And not only was Cresent Hardy on the City Council when this land sale occurred, but his company was also a partial owner of the unsealed landfill!

But wait, there's more. While Cresent Hardy has been in the Nevada Legislature, he and several of his Republican colleagues have been trying to weaken or fully repeal Chapter 40, Nevada's construction defect law that was designed during the 1990s to aid homeowners seeking justice when they're duped into buying faulty real estate. In 2011, Assembly Republican leaders tried to hold up a budget deal while demanding weakening of Chapter 40. And in 2013, none other than State Senator Michael Roberson (R-Sleaze) authored SB 161 in another attempt to undermine Chapter 40.

Already, Highland Hills homeowners are living in a world of hurt and atop a pile of trash (literally). Imagine how much more hardship they'd have to endure if they didn't have resources like Chapter 40. Yet that's exactly what Michael Roberson and other top Nevada Republicans want to take away from Highland Hills homeowners.

And then, there's the matter of NV-04 Congressional candidate Cresent Hardy (R). What did he know, when did he know it, why did he withhold this information from Mesquite residents, and why was he allowed to take part of a transaction he stood to gain from? There are still so many unanswered questions there.

Watch this space. We suspect there's more to this disturbingly pungent mystery at Highland Hills.

Why Not Gold Butte?

Today, a mountain range in Southern New Mexico is making news. And don't worry, it's making news for a good reason.

Earlier this week, President Obama officially designated the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument. This means that starting today, about 496,000 acres of desert wilderness just outside Las Cruces will officially be guaranteed forever wild. This region is home to golden eagles, mule deer, Montezuma quails, and a number of rare animal and plant species.

Oh, and the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument is expected to generate about $7.4 million in new economic activity for the Las Cruces area and double the amount of jobs in the region's tourism industry. That's why a large coalition of local business leaders, sporting/hunting enthusiasts, faith leaders, and elected officials support the new monument.

Not too long ago, a similar grassroots campaign emerged for preservation of Gold Butte. Senator Harry Reid (D) & Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) even introduced legislation in Congress to declare a National Conservation Area for Gold Butte. But with hardened G-O-TEA opposition (even from Nevada's Republicans in Congress!), that legislation went nowhere fast.

And then, Cliven Bundy became an instant national G-O-TEA celebrity...



And now, the Gold Butte area is being overrun by armed madness. And as a result, Mesquite area businesses have been losing business.

Today, Southern New Mexico residents are celebrating the new national monument that will preserve a key stretch of the Southern Rocky Mountains while generating more economic activity for the region. Why can't Southern Nevada have the same? Why can't Gold Butte have the respect it deserves? Because a few armed zealots backed by a handful of billionaire zealots want armed anarchy instead?



Other ecologically sensitive areas of the nation have been fortunate enough to earn federal preservation designation. Why not Gold Butte? Why can't Gold Butte be recognized for the treasure it truly is? If Congress won't act to save Gold Butte from the crazed armed thugs who want to continue their illegal "Range War" there, why can't the President take action to save Gold Butte like he just has for New Mexico's Organ Mountains?

Who Expects This?

We were wondering when more folks would notice. Sure, Cliven Bundy became "old news" for national media pundits when he was revealed to be a racist fool. But for the poor residents of Bunkerville & Mesquite, the armed madness continued even after the national media cameras left.

But at least now, Salon's Paul Rosenberg is noticing. And even better, he put together the timeline of what's happened at #BundyRanch since the national media spotlight dimmed. That helps those who haven't been keeping up with the story here.

Yet now, the media spotlight seems to be returning... Or has #BundyRanch just moved to where the national media spotlight is now?



Remember when we discussed "Operation American Spring"? That's actually about to begin tomorrow. The "Patriot Movement" is hoping to take the mayhem it's unleashed on Nevada & Utah all the way to DC.

Meanwhile on this end of the continent, Gun Owners of America Director Larry Pratt is still encouraging the Bundy Gang to do whatever they can to stop federal authorities from enforcing federal law. And not only that, but he's proposing a nifty solution to the Great Western Drought: Just have California's county sheriffs point guns at federal officials to make them release water that California no longer has!



Wow. That makes plenty of sense. (/not)

But then again, none of this really does. Who expects local law enforcement agencies to prevent other law enforcement agencies from enforcing the law? Who expects 10 million people to descend upon the DC area to overthrow our duly elected government? Who expects license to trespass upon the American people's land without facing any consequences?

Who expects this? And who condones this? Think about it.

Sashay Away

For some, too much is never enough. This definitely applies to Cliven Bundy and his gang of "outlaw cowboys". For them, too much attention is never enough.

They loved it when national G-O-TEA politicians & pundits rushed to their aid. But when the Republican Party started "rebranding" its #BundyRanch involvement and the Kochs started to deny the existence of #BundyRanch, they had to rethink their media strategy.

So they started unleashing armed madness upon the Virgin Valley (and each other). They then proceeded to drive business away from the Mesquite area. And because it wasn't enough for them to damage Nevada's reputation, they then began making field trips to Utah to terrorize that state with their signature brand of lunacy.

Of course, "Free-dumb isn't free". That's why some Bundy Gang members have taken to GoFundMe to demand welfare checks donations for continued wannabe insurrection shit whatever. Apparently, they're most in need of life advice from the very wise philosopher, Lohanthony.



Needless to say, "outlaw militia" crew at #BundyRanch are now running into some money trouble. Below is some exclusive footage of the Bundy Gang soliciting at GoFundMe.



(Obviously, not really. The Bundy crew wish they could be this sickening!)

But wait, there's more. The Bundy Gang may be busy soliciting funds, but they're never too busy to throw shade at elected officials. And this week, they're actually reading Governor Brian Sandoval (R) and Clark County Sheriff Doug Gillespie to filth for not supporting their law breaking ways. Apparently, they forgot when Brian Sandoval cheered them on... Or they remember that, and they're just wondering why he doesn't want to be caught anywhere near them any more.

Here's some helpful advice for the Bundy Crew. Remember the 5 G's: Good god, get a grip, girl!

Here's some more helpful advice for the Bundy Gang: Call it quits already. We know you feel very attacked, but that's no reason to take up arms against our elected government that's set up by the very Constitution you claim to know & love. It's just too much. And the last thing we need is a man-made disaster on your hands.



We can only hope Cliven Bundy and his outlaw gang can take this helpful advice from us, and from Mama Ru of course, before their delusions of grandeur land them into any more trouble. It's now time for them... To sashay away.

Sandbox

Last month, we examined how national "TEA" flavored astroturf outfits were jumping into the #BundyRanch fiasco. In particular, Koch funded AFP rather quickly jumped in with inflammatory tweets and effusive praise for Cliven Bundy. AFP didn't let up in its #BundyRanch campaign...

Until it suddenly became politically inconvenient. Yet even when Cliven Bundy made interesting comments on "race relations" and Senator Dean Heller (R) started walking back his endorsement of the #BundyRanch "Range War", AFP never actually rebuked the Bundy Gang. It just scrubbed its web site and pretended that #BundyRanch was never its "Range War".



As we've been documenting here lately, Cliven Bundy and his gang of "outlaw cowboys" have been wreaking havoc upon the Virgin Valley. And yes, even after G-O-TEA politicians and media pundits dropped #BundyRanch as their outrage du jour, they continued to cause problems for Mesquite and Bunkerville residents. This is why Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) and other local leaders have been calling for an end to the armed madness.

But again, all we're hearing from AFP is radio silence. After all its rabble rousing over #BundyRanch last month, it has nothing to say now? Is that because it's now too busy hating on the Columbus Zoo? Or is that because the Kochs have been too busy trying to buy more North Carolina judges?



The Kochs jumped into #BundyRanch when it was politically convenient. But when Cliven Bundy and his gang of "outlaw cowboys" suddenly put the Koch-topus into political trouble, they left the "Range War"... Yet they also left the militia gangs behind to fight each other and cause mayhem in the Virgin Valley. They were more than happy to turn this corner of Southern Nevada into their own personal political sandbox, then they just left that sandbox for us to clean up when their "playmates" became too hot to handle.

The Kochs spent $412 million during the 2012 election cycle. And as a result, we're now dealing with the worst Congress (their) money can buy.

They're at it again. They're already on another political spending spree. And this time, they're even setting their sights on local issues throughout the nation.

What will be the result of all this Koch flavored meddling? What happens when we let our public sphere become a sandbox for a few incredibly wealthy individuals who will leave no stone unturned to further their ideological goals? Are we about to see more political sandboxes turning out of control?

Disorderly Conduct

This has been festering for nearly a month. They intimidated federal public servants who were just trying to do their job. They're still violating multiple court orders. And now, they're driving business away from the Virgin Valley as they make violent threats against numerous people (including each other).

Cliven Bundy and his gang of "outlaw cowboys" have brought armed madness upon Mesquite and Bunkerville. And local residents there want out. And they want the outlaw militia gangs out of their communities.

Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) has been calling for action to end the militia gangs' occupation of the Virgin Valley. And he's not alone. Yesterday, State Assembly Member David Bobzien (D-Reno) explained to MSNBC's Joy Reid how #BundyRanch is starting to hurt Nevada's public image.



Mesquite area businesses have already lost over $100,000 worth of activity since #BundyRanch initially blew up. Ever since the Bundy Gang started setting up checkpoints, people have been calling Metro Police to find out if it's safe to drive the 15 Freeway through Bunkerville. And ever since Bundy supporters started threatening violence at hotels suspected of housing BLM agents, people have been canceling trips to Mesquite.

While the Kochs have dropped their pro-Bundy astroturf campaign and Senator Dean Heller (R) is now quietly running away from the very "patriots" he had been praising last month. Yet while they don't see #BundyRanch as a political asset any more, they haven't said a peep about the many nuisances the Bundy Gang continue to cause in the Virgin Valley.



Cliven Bundy may claim to be a "Constitutional expert", but he forgets that the US Constitution forms the basis of the federal government he claims shouldn't exist. He's fighting a "Range War" because he refuses to play by the same rules as everyone else. He's fighting a "Range War" that's tearing the Virgin Valley apart.

This is not how civil society functions. This is not what we expect here in the United States of America. We expect some sort of order. After all, we are a nation of laws.

And now, Southern Nevada is feeling the consequences of the Bundy Gang's disorderly conduct. How much more of this must Bunkerville & Mesquite endure before this increasingly harmful disorderly conduct is finally put to an end?

Public Service

Let's just say his district has been through a lot lately. Nevada's 4th Congressional District has only existed since 2012, yet it's now becoming famous across the nation. But sadly, that fame is at least partially due to Cliven Bundy and his merry gang of "outlaw cowboys".

Last week, the Bundy Gang again made news when they descended into total armed madness. Think "Lord of the Flies: Nevada Edition". They threatened each other. And they've been wreaking havoc throughout the Virgin Valley.

Law abiding residents there have had enough of the armed madness. And so has their Member of Congress, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas). He addressed the Clark County Democratic Party Convention on Saturday... And didn't hold back when he mentioned the #BundyRanch fiasco that's still plaguing his constituents.







And he didn't stop there. Rep. Steven Horsford has been working on a number of critical issues since arriving in Washington 16 months ago. And he hasn't let anything stopped his work, not even #BundyRanch.

On Saturday, Rep. Horsford also talked about what he wants to accomplish in Congress. And yes, this means he wants Congress to start accomplishing good, meaningful things again.



Rep. Horsford hasn't forgotten why he was elected to Congress in the first place. It's about public service. It's about serving the people. It's about serving the community.



Nevada's 4th Congressional District has only existed since 2012. And Steven Horsford has only been in Congress since 2013. But already, he's making his mark on Capitol Hill. And he wants his constituents to know he hasn't forgotten why they sent him to Congress in the first place.

It's about public service. And even during these trying times for Nevada's 4th Congressional District, Rep. Horsford refuses to let up on doing his job.

Real Life Nightmare

Yep, we had spoken too soon. Cliven Bundy and his merry gang of "outlaw cowboys" have found their way back onto national media. They're still brazenly violating all sorts of laws. And now, they're threatening local residents of Bunkerville & Mesquite.

Once again, Rep. Steven Horsford is asking law enforcement to listen to his law abiding constituents in the Virgin Valley and kick out the law violating militia groups. He even went on national TV again last night to plead his constituents' case.



Even though Sean Hannity has moved on to praise a convicted murderer (??!!) and other national G-O-TEA media personalities have found something else to harp about, Mesquite & Bunkerville residents are still being annoyed & harassed by the imported #BundyRanch militia. And the Bundy Gang still refuse to let up. Instead, they're now threatening local media that are not reporting #BundyRanch stories to their liking!

Oh, and the Bundy Gang now want to stage protests at Metro Police's Downtown Las Vegas headquarters because they still want Metro to arrest BLM agents... For trying to enforce the law! Seriously, we can't make this stuff up.

Sometimes we're tempted to simply point & laugh at the insani-TEA run amok at #BundyRanch. But sadly, this insani-TEA is not some harmless political #FAIL. Yes, the politics of this has boomeranged to the point of backfiring on the very local & national G-O-TEA politicians who were hoping to play this "SCANDAL!!!" to their political advantage. However, this is no longer simply a harmless political circus.

This hot mess has come to adversely affect the day-to-day life of the Virgin Valley. People are canceling their trips to Mesquite. They're worried about their kids going to school in Bunkerville. They're even calling Metro just to make sure the 15 Freeway is safe to drive on.

This has gone way out of hand. #BundyRanch may be the NRA's wet dream come true, but it's a real life nightmare for us here in Southern Nevada. And we just want this real life nightmare to come to an end already.

Armed Madness

Oops. Did we speak too soon? Have Cliven Bundy & his merry gang of "outlaw cowboys" just figured out a way to extend their 15 minutes of infamy?

Just when we thought the national media were done with them, Bundy's outrageously extreme militia "support crew" decided to make even more outrageous statements. And this time, they're gunning for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D).

No really, they're threatening Senator Reid again. And this time, they're specifically targeting his private parts.



But wait, there's more! Remember the Oath Keepers? Sharron Angle is a member. And the Southern Poverty Law Center has quite the thick dossier on the Oath Keepers and their extreme xenophobic anti-Constitutional pro-anarchy conspiracy theory charged agenda.

And apparently, the Oath Keepers were the "reasonable" ones at #BundyRanch. They were kicked out of the "Range War" last week by the other wannabe insurrectionists. And 2 Oath Keepers were physically assaulted by the other #BundyRanch militia. And the other militia were threatening a major gun fight.



Oh yes, and the Oath Keepers actually believed US Attorney General Eric Holder had authorized a drone strike on #BundyRanch. We can't make this sh*t up. And Jon Ralston has something to say to a certain US Senator about all this.

"To recap: These people who @SenDeanHeller calls "patriots" claimed the AG authorized a drone strike on Bundyville. #America #FOXy #loonville"

And frankly, the same applies to Cresent Hardy, Michele Fiore, Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, and all the other G-O-TEA politicians who oh so quickly hopped on the Bundy bandwagon (before he became a political liability). And the same applies to the NRA, the #1 gun industry cheerleader that never hesitates to encourage the kind of armed madness we're now seeing at #BundyRanch. So who's the "good guy with a gun" stopping the "bad guy with a gun" here?

Right now, we just see a bunch of bad guys with guns. And we see a whole lot of Mesquite & Bunkerville residents who are sick & tired of the armed madness. What were all these G-O-TEA politicians and gun lobby interest groups thinking when they endorsed this armed madness?

Crackpot Chronicles: The #BundyRanch Postscript

It's over now. It's all over but the final round of court orders. Cliven Bundy quickly became a G-O-TEA celebrity when he declared a "TEA" powered "Range War" over Gold Butte.

But as quickly as he rose to fame on G-O-TEA media outlets, he's now falling out of their grace. Why's that? Oh, he just managed to open his racist mouth and reveal the truth about this latest G-O-TEA Culture War battle.



Yesterday, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) traveled to the Virgin Valley to talk with his constituents there about the #BundyRanch train wreck. He then talked with MSNBC's Rachel Maddow about what the locals think of all this.



This isn't the first time that "sovereign citizens" have tried to attack the rule of law here in Southern Nevada. This one just happened to be the one that quickly became the national G-O-TEA cause celebre. This one just happened to provide their "perfect opportunity" to attack Senator Harry Reid (D) and President Obama with reckless abandon.

What they failed to admit was that Senator Reid has been correct about this situation all along. Bundy invited some incredibly unsavory characters to fight the "Range War" alongside him. It's been painfully obvious the whole damned time that they were all violating state & federal law. And surprise, surprise, the #BundyRanch crew have some very unsavory "ideas" on race relations.

Not too long ago, Cliven Bundy was just the local outlaw crackpot who annoyed the law abiding citizens of Bunkerville & Mesquite with his batshit crazy "sovereign citizen philosophy". Now, Cliven Bundy is giving Rupert Murdoch & Roger Ailes nightmares. And he's forcing the entire Republican Party to confront the race baiting that fuels its "Culture War".

It didn't have to be this way. Senator Dean Heller (R) & Governor Brian Sandoval (R) didn't have to sing Bundy's praises. Assembly Members Cresent Hardy (R-Mesquite) & Michele Fiore (R-Las Vegas) didn't have to turn him into "The TEA Party Folk Hero". And Fox "News" didn't have to turn this local embarrassment into a national "SCANDAL!!!" that caused a number of Republican politicians from across the nation to grandstand on Bundy's behalf. But instead of using logic, they took the side of the crackpot. And they're all paying the price now.

Clear & Present Danger

We could definitely see this coming. Ever since they caught wind of Cliven Bundy's attempt to subvert federal law at Gold Butte, G-O-TEA media personalities have been sharing their wet dreams of "Second Amendment Remedies". And a number of G-O-TEA politicians have gone out of their way to celebrate the extreme right "Patriot Movement" Militia's "victory" over the rule of law.

Apparently, we're not the only ones who have been thinking about the frightening consequences of the lawlessness that's been infecting Bunkerville in recent days. MSNBC's Rachel Maddow took a closer look last night at what's really at stake at #BundyRanch. And she gave her audience a history lesson regarding the shady forces and extreme ideology fueling the #BundyRanch conflict in the Mesquite area.





Not only are Cliven Bundy and his "TEA" fueled allies completely wrong on the facts and wrong on the law, but they're also sending out a dangerously wrong message. That message is the same one we heard 19 years ago this week in Oklahoma City.



Before 9/11, this was the worst terrorist attack on US soil. And it was no hidden secret that Timothy McVeigh was motivated by the kind of extreme "Patriot" ideology that we've been catching glimpses of at #BundyRanch.

This is why we've been urging G-O-TEA politicians who have all too eagerly endorsed this lawless "uprising" to reconsider what they're advocating. Cresent Hardy & Michele Fiore may think it's cute to grandstand alongside the Bundy Gang and their new extreme right militia BFFs, but it's not. Rather, they're cozying up to what all the rest of us see as a clear & present danger.



What's happened at #BundyRanch this past week has gone far beyond "protest". It's not a mere "uprising". And it's anything but legal.

This is dangerous. There's really no way to candy-coat it. The extreme fringe of the far right who have once again gained national prominence thanks to Cliven Bundy's nationally televised temper tantrum are not interested in mere protest. And it's time for all the rest of us to recognize the clear & present danger of legitimizing this kind of behavior.

Gold Butte Belongs to All of Us.

Across the nation, it was greeted with shock. Around the world, it was met with sneers & eye rolls. But in Ground Zero of this conflict, it's being referred to as "The Day the Law Died".

Yesterday, Let's Talk Nevada co-founder & editor Elaine Hurd went on "Ralston Reports" to talk with Jon Ralston about Cliven Bundy's Gold Butte showdown with the federal government. She's offered a unique perspective here, as she lives in Mesquite and had a front row seat to #BundyRanch long before national G-O-TEA groups turned this into a cause celebre and headline news around the world.



Even before #BundyRanch agitators celebrated their "Second Amendment Remedies" and considered using women as human shields, they were violating court orders and trespassing on federal property. All the "big government welfare" they've already received for over 100 years wasn't enough. They wanted even more.

Has avarice blinded the Bundy Gang to the simple fact that Gold Butte isn't their personal piggy bank to plunder? Gold Butte belongs to all of us. It's a national treasure that should be preserved for all of us to enjoy.



The Bundy Gang and national G-O-TEA astroturf outfits fail to recognize that Gold Butte is public land. That means Gold Butte belongs to all of us. When Cliven Bundy has been releasing his malnourished & neglected cattle into Gold Butte without abiding by the rules, he's ruining property that belongs to all of us. He's evading taxes he owes our duly elected government. He's violating court orders and endangering the desert tortoise and other wildlife that are critical to our local ecosystem. And he's threatening a national treasure that's meant for all of us to cherish.

In our nation of laws, no one is allowed to unilaterally change the rules. Cliven Bundy has broken the rules. The courts have already ruled against him. And sooner or later, law enforcement must be allowed to do its job, which is to enforce the law.

We realize that Cliven Bundy and his cattle are in a rough patch. Thanks to climate change, the Great Western Drought has become such a great threat. However, the solution to this problem is not for one person to break the law and desecrate property that belongs to all of us.

Gold Butte belongs to all of us. Therefore, we all deserve to have a say on how Gold Butte can e better preserved for future generations. And yes, this means Cliven Bundy and his renegade gang need to start obeying the laws that we've all agreed to live by.

This Land Is Our Land

On Thursday, we were alerted to a troubling situation near Bunkerville. A local rancher named Cliven Bundy had been illegally sending his cattle onto BLM land. He had racked up a $1,000,000+ bill after refusing to pay grazing fees for over 20 years. And when the BLM was preparing to put an end to Bundy's illegal grazing on federal land, Bundy decided to call in local and national "TEA" fueled allies to provoke armed conflict with the BLM.

And now, the BLM has been forced to stand down at #BundyRanch in order to prevent a bloody, violent end to this conflict. Already, the situation had gone out of hand.



And even now, #BundyRanch is is still a very volatile situation. It's just escalated from a local embarrassment into a national fiasco. And "TEA Party, Inc. definitely had several hands in escalating this conflict.

Remember when Republicans marketed their party as "the law & order party"? Those days now feel like an eternity ago. Now, we have the Nevada Republican Party cravenly endorsing brazen lawlessness. And G-O-TEA politicians & pundits from across the nation have been piling on to worsen an already fragile situation.



Over the past week, all of us in Southern Nevada have witnessed "Stand Your Ground" run amok... Except this ground does not just belong to Cliven Bundy. Gold Butte is ground that belongs to all of us. There's a reason why it's called "public land". Hint: This land is our land, as we are the public.

This is something the Koch-topus has been trying to make us forget. No wonder why it's reared its ugly head to spin this brazen abuse of public property into some sort of demented "freedom fighting". It's just ironic that the "libertarian" "TEA" powered astroturf network is fighting for the very "welfare" it claims to fight against.

This land is our land. This land is ours to protect, ours to cherish, ours to preserve. It's not there for one misinformed man to exercise his anarchist fantasies on. It's not there for Koch backed militias to play "Cowboys & Cops" on. And it's certainly not there to prove every worst assumption everyone makes of America & Nevada.

This land is our land. It's not just Cliven Bundy's. And it's a damned shame that after benefiting from "big government welfare" for all these decades, he has the nerve to tell us we have no rights on what's our land.

NV-03: What the Heck?!

This is Gold Butte.



Less than two hours away (driving) from the hustle and bustle of the Fabulous Las Vegas Strip lies perhaps the most valuable treasure of Nevada that you haven't (yet) heard about. This is indeed a special place, a place filled with ancient Native American petroglyphs and stunning rock formations. This is truly the Mojave Desert at its finest.

And believe it or not, it has the potential to boost Southern Nevada's economy exactly when we need help the most.



And there is widespread bipartisan support from local environmental AND business leaders for federal action to preserve Gold Butte... Yet someone is missing in this picture. Can you tell who?

Gold Butte protection has been endorsed by prominent local leaders –including Caesars Entertainment Group, the Mesquite City Council and the Moapa Band of Paiute Indians. Businesses large and small are recognizing that Gold Butte provides vital recreation and tourism jobs and is increasingly important to the Southern Nevada economy.

Rep. Joe Heck currently represents the Gold Butte area. He has met with local residents to discuss possible legislation but so far has not introduced a bill creating a National Conservation Area with Wilderness for Gold Butte.

“It’s a false argument to say that Gold Butte would be ‘locked up’ with no public access if it were to become a national conservation area,” Tull said. “The law would guarantee that not a single mile of the 500 miles of roads in Gold Butte would be closed.”

Instead, making the area a National Conservation Area with Wilderness could have the effect of opening up Gold Butte to more admirers, Tull said.

“Instead of rushing past the exit sign on Interstate 15, travelers would be drawn into Mesquite, where a new visitor center would introduce them to the amenities of Gold Butte, educate them about nearby recreational opportunities, and help them plan how to enjoy their exploration of the area,” he said. “Such a visitor center has long been needed for this important corner of Nevada.”

As we've discussed before, Joe Heck likes to talk about creating jobs... But he won't actually put his votes where his mouth is. We're seeing this yet again with Gold Butte, and that's why ProgressNow Nevada has launched WhatTheHeckJoe.com. Southern Nevada needs federal level action on Gold Butte in order to protect this special natural treasure and boost our local economy by giving tourists a good reason to stay and play longer here (thereby creating more jobs). And while Heck has occasionally staged quite the razzle dazzle of a show for the media, he still has not introduced any legislation in Congress to solve this problem.

Yet while Heck dilly-dallies and hems and haws and finds more excuses for inaction, vandalism, off trail ATV drives, unruly shooting, and other harmful activities of some disrespectful visitors threaten the future of Gold Butte. Again, there's widespread support for meaningful action to save Gold Butte. So what the heck is Joe Heck waiting for?