This has been nothing short of awkward. And now, it's starting to become quite scary. What on earth is going on here?
Most polls (particularly the credible ones) haven't shown it. The campaigns weren't behaving like this was the case... At least not until very recently. And we've heard plenty of credible reports from the field that didn't indicate this at all.
So why have so few Nevadans voted so far? That's the question on nearly everyone's mind.
Already, we've seen speculation of why turnout has been so damned low. Has the lack of a traditional "top of the ticket" been keeping voters away from the polls? Are people not voting as some sort of strange "protest (non)vote"? Is there something else that's causing this very anemic turnout?
We believe there are several factors. We know Clark County has been slow (again) to send sample ballots. We know there are no Presidential or high-profile statewide campaigns pushing hard to bank early votes. And we know the 2014 election cycle has already revealed some strange dynamics.
But ultimately, this election matters. Don't listen to media pundits trying to convince you otherwise. And don't even try to convince yourself that "voting doesn't matter".
In case you're still wondering why your vote matters, talk to people in Pennsylvania who are wondering why it's still legal in their state to shoot live pigeons, cook cats & dogs for dinner, and discriminate against LGBTQ workers. Go ahead and talk to people in Wisconsin about how hard it is to make ends meet because their state government cares more about restricting women's health care than paying ensuring those who work hard can earn a living wage. Try talking to people in North Carolina about how and why it's become so difficult to access access reproductive health care, make ends meet, or even cast a ballot (ironically enough). And please, please talk to those unfortunate souls in states where their respective governments rejected Obamacare Medicaid expansion.
Still wondering why your vote matters? Karl Rove and his "TEA Party, Inc." besties are hoping you don't vote. That's because they're hoping they can start doing here in Nevada what they've been "accomplishing" in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Arizona, and elsewhere.
Right now, they're jumping for joy over the early vote numbers. That really says a lot. And that should easily dispel any questions on whether your vote matters this year.
If you've just been taking your time to study the whole ballot, we preemptively apologize for this rant. As long as you vote, we're happy. Just remember that early voting ends this Friday.
And for everyone else, pay attention. Realize what's at stake now. And then... Well, now you know just how much your vote matters.
Showing posts with label NV-04. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NV-04. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
What a Difference #1More Can Make
Ever since we started following him, we knew he would be going places. We knew he had that "fire in the belly".
We also knew he had something we don't often see in ambitious politicians: a genuine drive to help one's constituents. Whether he's been sticking up for his law abiding constituents in Bunkerville, helping veterans access the health care they need in Las Vegas & Pahrump, or looking after military families in Hawthorne, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) has been going the extra mile to serve all his constituents in NV-04.
He helped Alan in Centennial Hills access the veterans benefits he earned...
And he helped Dona in Pahrump clear up her tax issues.
Typically, this is the kind of constituent service that gets rave reviews. But you know who isn't a fan of this? Karl Rove. His Crossroads PAC is dumping about $1,000,000 worth of anti-Horsford ads onto Nevada airwaves.
Karl Rove is hoping this will be enough to make NV-04 voters forget all about Cresent Hardy's fondness for "segregation laws" and shady finances. He's hoping this will be enough to make voters forget about Rep. Horsford's tireless work to keep Bryan Rivera's family together.
Because early voting has been very slow so far, Republican operatives are now boasting of a "wave". And now, they're claiming this means Cresent Hardy has "momentum".
Never mind Rep. Horsford's actual record of service to constituents. Never mind the stories of Alan, Dona, & Bryan. And never mind Rep. Horsford earning the endorsements of all the major Southern Nevada newspapers. Because only a few people have voted so far, Republicans now think they can sneak Cresent Hardy into Congress.
What a difference #1more vote can make. A few more votes can make a huge difference in the coming days. A few more votes can shift "conventional wisdom". A few more votes can turn back a "wave".
And now, a few more #1more's can upend Karl Rove's political calculus? Might you be that #1more to do it?
We also knew he had something we don't often see in ambitious politicians: a genuine drive to help one's constituents. Whether he's been sticking up for his law abiding constituents in Bunkerville, helping veterans access the health care they need in Las Vegas & Pahrump, or looking after military families in Hawthorne, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) has been going the extra mile to serve all his constituents in NV-04.
He helped Alan in Centennial Hills access the veterans benefits he earned...
And he helped Dona in Pahrump clear up her tax issues.
Typically, this is the kind of constituent service that gets rave reviews. But you know who isn't a fan of this? Karl Rove. His Crossroads PAC is dumping about $1,000,000 worth of anti-Horsford ads onto Nevada airwaves.
Karl Rove is hoping this will be enough to make NV-04 voters forget all about Cresent Hardy's fondness for "segregation laws" and shady finances. He's hoping this will be enough to make voters forget about Rep. Horsford's tireless work to keep Bryan Rivera's family together.
Because early voting has been very slow so far, Republican operatives are now boasting of a "wave". And now, they're claiming this means Cresent Hardy has "momentum".
Never mind Rep. Horsford's actual record of service to constituents. Never mind the stories of Alan, Dona, & Bryan. And never mind Rep. Horsford earning the endorsements of all the major Southern Nevada newspapers. Because only a few people have voted so far, Republicans now think they can sneak Cresent Hardy into Congress.
What a difference #1more vote can make. A few more votes can make a huge difference in the coming days. A few more votes can shift "conventional wisdom". A few more votes can turn back a "wave".
And now, a few more #1more's can upend Karl Rove's political calculus? Might you be that #1more to do it?
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Real Life "Segregation Law"
We figured now is as good of a time as ever to explain this to him. Sure, we had some choice words for outgoing Assembly Member and current NV-04 candidate Cresent Hardy (R) after he let slip his (lack of) qualification to serve in Congress. But ultimately, we at Nevada Progressive are here to help. And yes, this means we're even willing to help Cresent Hardy.
But before we can help Cresent Hardy, he really needs to help himself. And that means he needs to be willing to reevaluate his idea of "segregation laws".
While Hardy has been engaged in a philosophical debate (with himself?) on the nature of anti-discrimination laws, real Americans have been enduring real life wrongful discrimination. Matthew Hileman was fired from AT&T after he spoke out on the nasty notes being left on his chair. Hobby Lobby still refuses to allow Meggan Somerville the same treatment afforded to other female employees. And Colin Collette was fired from his church for getting engaged.
And that's not all. Sometimes, wrongful discrimination can turn violent. Earlier this week, Philadelphia police arrested Kathryn Knott (ironically, the daughter of a Bucks County police chief), Philip Williams, and Kevin Harrigan in relation to the brutal beating of a Philadelphia gay couple. While Knott, Williams, and Harrigan face several serious charges, including aggravated assault, this case has revealed the lack of protection Pennsylvania state law provides its LGBTQ residents. This has infuriated Pennsylvania State Rep. Brian Sims (D), especially since this attack occurred in his district.
This isn't just Pennsylvania. This is Texas. This is Utah. This is New York. And this is a shocking number of states across the nation. This is real life "segregation law".
Fortunately, Nevada has improved in recent years in moving closer to equal protection under the law. However, that's no thanks to Cresent Hardy, as he's voted against nearly every single piece of pro-LGBTQ civil rights legislation. He even voted against SB 139 last year, the hate crimes law that Brian Sims is now fighting for in Pennsylvania.
Back in February, Cresent Hardy claimed he couldn't support any advances in LGBTQ civil rights "because of my religious beliefs, the way I was raised [...] For me to vote for it would be to deny the same God that I believe in." Has he ever met Former President Jimmy Carter? He still teaches Sunday School at his local Baptist church. And when asked about this matter at a Michigan college earlier this month, Carter had this to say.
And Cresent Hardy should pay attention to this. This is real life "segregation law". When loving couples are prohibited from marrying because of their respective genders, that's "segregation law". When someone is fired from the job because of who one is, that's "segregation law". When someone is beaten to near death because of how someone looks, that's "segregation law". And when someone can't even count on being treated like a human being because of someone else's definition of gender, that's "segregation law".
There. Now, no one can say we never did Cresent Hardy a favor.
But before we can help Cresent Hardy, he really needs to help himself. And that means he needs to be willing to reevaluate his idea of "segregation laws".
While Hardy has been engaged in a philosophical debate (with himself?) on the nature of anti-discrimination laws, real Americans have been enduring real life wrongful discrimination. Matthew Hileman was fired from AT&T after he spoke out on the nasty notes being left on his chair. Hobby Lobby still refuses to allow Meggan Somerville the same treatment afforded to other female employees. And Colin Collette was fired from his church for getting engaged.
And that's not all. Sometimes, wrongful discrimination can turn violent. Earlier this week, Philadelphia police arrested Kathryn Knott (ironically, the daughter of a Bucks County police chief), Philip Williams, and Kevin Harrigan in relation to the brutal beating of a Philadelphia gay couple. While Knott, Williams, and Harrigan face several serious charges, including aggravated assault, this case has revealed the lack of protection Pennsylvania state law provides its LGBTQ residents. This has infuriated Pennsylvania State Rep. Brian Sims (D), especially since this attack occurred in his district.
This isn't just Pennsylvania. This is Texas. This is Utah. This is New York. And this is a shocking number of states across the nation. This is real life "segregation law".
Fortunately, Nevada has improved in recent years in moving closer to equal protection under the law. However, that's no thanks to Cresent Hardy, as he's voted against nearly every single piece of pro-LGBTQ civil rights legislation. He even voted against SB 139 last year, the hate crimes law that Brian Sims is now fighting for in Pennsylvania.
Back in February, Cresent Hardy claimed he couldn't support any advances in LGBTQ civil rights "because of my religious beliefs, the way I was raised [...] For me to vote for it would be to deny the same God that I believe in." Has he ever met Former President Jimmy Carter? He still teaches Sunday School at his local Baptist church. And when asked about this matter at a Michigan college earlier this month, Carter had this to say.
And Cresent Hardy should pay attention to this. This is real life "segregation law". When loving couples are prohibited from marrying because of their respective genders, that's "segregation law". When someone is fired from the job because of who one is, that's "segregation law". When someone is beaten to near death because of how someone looks, that's "segregation law". And when someone can't even count on being treated like a human being because of someone else's definition of gender, that's "segregation law".
There. Now, no one can say we never did Cresent Hardy a favor.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
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.
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?
And remember when a critical mass of Republicans (even Nevada's own Joe Heck) closed ranks around Mitt Romney and his "47% philosophy"?
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"?
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"?
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
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.
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.
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.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
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.
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.
Sunday, August 3, 2014
The Numbers Don't Lie.
It's been a while since the last time we examined the voter registration numbers. But with another big election looming, we figured it's time to take a look at what's been happening lately.
Back in July 2012, Nevada Democrats had a 4.43% voter registration advantage (or around 47,500 raw votes). In July 2014, Nevada Democrats closed the month with a 64,983 raw vote lead. That means Nevada Democrats now have a 5.49% voter registration advantage.
For Clark County overall, Democrats now have a 13.29% advantage and 106,742 raw vote lead. In NV-03, Democrats now have a 1.1% advantage and 3,520 raw vote lead. And in NV-04 (overall, not just Clark County), Democrats now enjoy an 11.38% advantage and 33,546 raw vote lead.
And in case you were wondering about the hottest Nevada Legislature races of the year, here are the numbers to keep a close eye on. In the Summerlin South based State Senate District (SD 8), Republicans now have a mere 16 raw vote lead, which is so tiny that we have to go all the way to the thousandths to reach a percentage (0.003%). But in nearby SD 9 in the Southwest Vegas Valley, Democrats have jumped to a 3,628 raw vote lead, or a 6.53% registration advantage. And in the Henderson based SD 20, Republicans now stand at a mere 468 raw vote lead, or a 0.01% voter registration advantage.
Of course, the numbers can change some more in the next 10 weeks. The voter registration numbers certainly experienced some change during the final weeks of the 2012 cycle.
Early this year, some were wondering how Nevada Democrats could get their act together in a midterm year with no top of the ticket fireworks. Now, we have a better sense of how they may just pull it off. The numbers don't lie.
Back in July 2012, Nevada Democrats had a 4.43% voter registration advantage (or around 47,500 raw votes). In July 2014, Nevada Democrats closed the month with a 64,983 raw vote lead. That means Nevada Democrats now have a 5.49% voter registration advantage.
For Clark County overall, Democrats now have a 13.29% advantage and 106,742 raw vote lead. In NV-03, Democrats now have a 1.1% advantage and 3,520 raw vote lead. And in NV-04 (overall, not just Clark County), Democrats now enjoy an 11.38% advantage and 33,546 raw vote lead.
And in case you were wondering about the hottest Nevada Legislature races of the year, here are the numbers to keep a close eye on. In the Summerlin South based State Senate District (SD 8), Republicans now have a mere 16 raw vote lead, which is so tiny that we have to go all the way to the thousandths to reach a percentage (0.003%). But in nearby SD 9 in the Southwest Vegas Valley, Democrats have jumped to a 3,628 raw vote lead, or a 6.53% registration advantage. And in the Henderson based SD 20, Republicans now stand at a mere 468 raw vote lead, or a 0.01% voter registration advantage.
Of course, the numbers can change some more in the next 10 weeks. The voter registration numbers certainly experienced some change during the final weeks of the 2012 cycle.
Early this year, some were wondering how Nevada Democrats could get their act together in a midterm year with no top of the ticket fireworks. Now, we have a better sense of how they may just pull it off. The numbers don't lie.
Monday, June 23, 2014
Do Just That
He may very well be one of the hardest working members of Congress. He's delivered packages. He's served cupcakes. He's helped constituents sort their way through the federal government. And he's worked to keep American families together and in their homes.
Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) has been trying his hardest to serve his constituents in NV-04. And believe it or not, he has reaped some results. It's just been difficult for him to push more actual legislation through the 113th Congress...
But that doesn't mean he won't stop trying. Rather, Rep. Horsford made clear he wants to continue pushing to secure House passage of comprehensive immigration reform (CIR), ENDA, real jobs bills, and more. At the Nevada State Democratic Party Convention this past weekend, Rep. Horsford made it clear that he won't let G-O-TEA obstruction stop him from continuing to work on legislation that so many Nevadans and other Americans would benefit from.
While House G-O-TEA "leaders" are debating when (not if?!) to embark on another Shutdown Shitfest and how little they intend to accomplish by the end of the year, Rep. Steven Horsford is actually reaching out to other Members of Congress who also want to accomplish something. And they're out to do just that.
Rep. Horsford's first term in Congress hasn't always been an easy one. Obstructionism has reached new lows. Vitriol has occasionally reached new highs. And we're all still enduring this.
Yet through it all, Rep. Horsford has been focusing on being productive and delivering the real goods for his constituents. And whenever he's been able to find an opening, he's found ways to do just that. We suspect NV-04 constituents are noticing.
Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) has been trying his hardest to serve his constituents in NV-04. And believe it or not, he has reaped some results. It's just been difficult for him to push more actual legislation through the 113th Congress...
But that doesn't mean he won't stop trying. Rather, Rep. Horsford made clear he wants to continue pushing to secure House passage of comprehensive immigration reform (CIR), ENDA, real jobs bills, and more. At the Nevada State Democratic Party Convention this past weekend, Rep. Horsford made it clear that he won't let G-O-TEA obstruction stop him from continuing to work on legislation that so many Nevadans and other Americans would benefit from.
While House G-O-TEA "leaders" are debating when (not if?!) to embark on another Shutdown Shitfest and how little they intend to accomplish by the end of the year, Rep. Steven Horsford is actually reaching out to other Members of Congress who also want to accomplish something. And they're out to do just that.
Rep. Horsford's first term in Congress hasn't always been an easy one. Obstructionism has reached new lows. Vitriol has occasionally reached new highs. And we're all still enduring this.
Yet through it all, Rep. Horsford has been focusing on being productive and delivering the real goods for his constituents. And whenever he's been able to find an opening, he's found ways to do just that. We suspect NV-04 constituents are noticing.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Can't They Just Say, "Happy PRIDE Month"?
On Tuesday, we learned who would advance to the November general election. In NV-04, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) will be up against outgoing Assembly Member Cresent Hardy.
Remember Cresent Hardy? He's a self-proclaimed expert in "segregation laws". He doesn't want to "create classes" and "separation"... Unless that separation is called for by his "religious beliefs".
When he and Adam Laxalt launched their puzzling campaign against LGBTQ civil rights just as other Nevada Republicans were trying to "rebrand" their way out of the Stone Age, we could sense that "Republican rebranding" wouldn't accomplish much of anything. After all, it's not just a Nevada problem. It's a nationwide problem for their party.
Scott Esk is a Republican running for a Oklahoma State Legislature seat. Normally, a candidate running for state legislature doesn't attract national headlines. However, this is a special case. In this case, Scott Esk supports the death penalty (stoning, specifically) for "homosexuality".
But wait, there's more. Remember Rick Perry (R)? He's the future ex-Governor of Texas. He made a total @ssclown of himself when he tried running for President in 2011/12. And he's still making a total @ssclown of himself now. Just this week, he compared being queer to alcoholism... Because he's such a "compassionate conservative".
Wouldn't it just be easier for the Republican Party to send out a nice press release wishing everyone a happy PRIDE Month? Couldn't they just follow Katie Couric's lead and learn from their past mistakes? Why are they so hell-bent on repeating their mistakes over and over and over again?
Republicans in Nevada and elsewhere have been trying so hard to "rebrand" when they simply need to reevaluate their Stone Age era platform. Seriously, there's no way to "rebrand" "the right side of the Bible". Perhaps instead of constantly trying to sell us on "Republican rebranding", they can try treating us with some respect & dignity for a change? Oh, and they can start by simply wishing us a happy PRIDE Month.
Remember Cresent Hardy? He's a self-proclaimed expert in "segregation laws". He doesn't want to "create classes" and "separation"... Unless that separation is called for by his "religious beliefs".
When he and Adam Laxalt launched their puzzling campaign against LGBTQ civil rights just as other Nevada Republicans were trying to "rebrand" their way out of the Stone Age, we could sense that "Republican rebranding" wouldn't accomplish much of anything. After all, it's not just a Nevada problem. It's a nationwide problem for their party.
Scott Esk is a Republican running for a Oklahoma State Legislature seat. Normally, a candidate running for state legislature doesn't attract national headlines. However, this is a special case. In this case, Scott Esk supports the death penalty (stoning, specifically) for "homosexuality".
But wait, there's more. Remember Rick Perry (R)? He's the future ex-Governor of Texas. He made a total @ssclown of himself when he tried running for President in 2011/12. And he's still making a total @ssclown of himself now. Just this week, he compared being queer to alcoholism... Because he's such a "compassionate conservative".
Wouldn't it just be easier for the Republican Party to send out a nice press release wishing everyone a happy PRIDE Month? Couldn't they just follow Katie Couric's lead and learn from their past mistakes? Why are they so hell-bent on repeating their mistakes over and over and over again?
Republicans in Nevada and elsewhere have been trying so hard to "rebrand" when they simply need to reevaluate their Stone Age era platform. Seriously, there's no way to "rebrand" "the right side of the Bible". Perhaps instead of constantly trying to sell us on "Republican rebranding", they can try treating us with some respect & dignity for a change? Oh, and they can start by simply wishing us a happy PRIDE Month.
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
No Rebranding That "TEA"
This should come as no surprise to faithful readers of this site. "Republican rebranding" has been nothing but a majorly EPIC FAIL. Republican "leaders" can try as much soft lighting as they want, but that doesn't change the hard reality of the state of their party in 2014.
Here in Nevada and across the nation, the Republican Party has merely "rebranded" the same crazy "TEA" it's been hawking for the past 5 years. Don't believe us? Believe those primary results.
Still don't believe us? Then turn on your gawd damned TV! Really, grrl. Don't tell us you haven't seen this yet. And don't tell us you still haven't clocked this yet.
Oh, and let's not forget this. Even though Cresent Hardy loves him some "segregation laws" and Cliven Bundy, it's still not enough for Niger Innis and his deep pocketed BFFs. And that may actually be enough for Niger Innis to win the NV-04 G-O-TEA primary!
Get it now? They still like their "TEA" brewed extra strong over in G-O-TEA Land. And the 21st Century Know Nothings the call the shots.
Republican "leaders" can "rebrand" all they want, but they can't make us forget reality. There's ultimately no way to "rebrand" the "TEA" that's come to define the Republican Party of 2014. There's only the choice they're making as to how much more they want to drink.
Here in Nevada and across the nation, the Republican Party has merely "rebranded" the same crazy "TEA" it's been hawking for the past 5 years. Don't believe us? Believe those primary results.
Still don't believe us? Then turn on your gawd damned TV! Really, grrl. Don't tell us you haven't seen this yet. And don't tell us you still haven't clocked this yet.
Oh, and let's not forget this. Even though Cresent Hardy loves him some "segregation laws" and Cliven Bundy, it's still not enough for Niger Innis and his deep pocketed BFFs. And that may actually be enough for Niger Innis to win the NV-04 G-O-TEA primary!
Get it now? They still like their "TEA" brewed extra strong over in G-O-TEA Land. And the 21st Century Know Nothings the call the shots.
Republican "leaders" can "rebrand" all they want, but they can't make us forget reality. There's ultimately no way to "rebrand" the "TEA" that's come to define the Republican Party of 2014. There's only the choice they're making as to how much more they want to drink.
Monday, May 5, 2014
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.
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.
Monday, April 28, 2014
It's the Field, Stupid
There's a strip mall on Eastern Avenue, near Sunset Park and a short drive away from the back end of Las Vegas' McCarran Airport. It doesn't look all that special at first glance. There's a grocery store. There are a few restaurants. And there are furniture stores.
But take a closer look. There's a new office that just opened there. And that office may very well make an impact on this fall's election results.
Those who have been reading this blog for a while have become quite familiar with the story of how Nevada Democrats win elections. And for those who haven't, here's a helpful hint: It's the field, stupid!
The Nevada State Democratic Party (NSDP) has become such a potent force in this state's politics because it's spent several election cycles building a reputation on field. And it has no plans to let it slide this cycle. So last Friday, over 300 grassroots Democrats came over to the new NSDP field office on Eastern... And caught a first glance of what lies ahead this year.
And they weren't the only ones taking in the scenery. Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) took some time out of his busy weekend schedule to stop by the new field office and greet a bunch of soon-to-be campaign volunteers.
So did Assembly Member & Lt. Governor candidate Lucy Flores (D). She came by to fire up the crowd and remind them of what's at stake this fall.
Shortly after, it was NV-03 candidate Erin Bilbray's turn at the podium. She talked about herhistory HERstory with Eastern Avenue, then made a contrast between her Nevada values and what her opponent, incumbent Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson), seems to value.
Her father, Former Rep. James Bilbray (D-Las Vegas), joined her, along with her mother, her husband, her children, other family members... And over 300 local grassroots Democratic activists. It was one large family affair.
And this probably won't be the last large family affair in this office in the strip mall on Eastern Avenue. In fact, this is only just the beginning. With so much at stake up & down the ballot this fall, Nevada Democrats don't want to leave anything to mere luck. Luck alone doesn't win elections.
So what does? Look above. Look back. And keep an eye going forward. It's the field, stupid.
But take a closer look. There's a new office that just opened there. And that office may very well make an impact on this fall's election results.
Those who have been reading this blog for a while have become quite familiar with the story of how Nevada Democrats win elections. And for those who haven't, here's a helpful hint: It's the field, stupid!
The Nevada State Democratic Party (NSDP) has become such a potent force in this state's politics because it's spent several election cycles building a reputation on field. And it has no plans to let it slide this cycle. So last Friday, over 300 grassroots Democrats came over to the new NSDP field office on Eastern... And caught a first glance of what lies ahead this year.
And they weren't the only ones taking in the scenery. Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) took some time out of his busy weekend schedule to stop by the new field office and greet a bunch of soon-to-be campaign volunteers.
So did Assembly Member & Lt. Governor candidate Lucy Flores (D). She came by to fire up the crowd and remind them of what's at stake this fall.
Shortly after, it was NV-03 candidate Erin Bilbray's turn at the podium. She talked about her
Her father, Former Rep. James Bilbray (D-Las Vegas), joined her, along with her mother, her husband, her children, other family members... And over 300 local grassroots Democratic activists. It was one large family affair.
And this probably won't be the last large family affair in this office in the strip mall on Eastern Avenue. In fact, this is only just the beginning. With so much at stake up & down the ballot this fall, Nevada Democrats don't want to leave anything to mere luck. Luck alone doesn't win elections.
So what does? Look above. Look back. And keep an eye going forward. It's the field, stupid.
Friday, April 25, 2014
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.
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.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
The Shade of It All
There's only so much crap we can take. Once we reach a certain point, we can't take any more. And once we reach that certain point, we have had it.
So we totally understood why Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Fierce) spilled his righteous indignation onto America's TV's earlier today. He had it. And he knew he needed to read to filth some shady @ss boogers.
So why the need for this read? HouseShade-throwing Oversight Committee Chair Darrell Issa (R-@sshole) admitted that his scandalicious fishing expedition was reaching a "dead end". After all, "there is no there there".
Yet for some reason, Rep. Issa felt compelled to silence the ranking Democratic member of the committee when he dared to speak the truth that pretty much everyone knows.
How many times has Darrell Issa gone on purely political fishing expeditions? And how many times has he come up empty? Dude, give it up. There's clearly no there anywhere.
Unfortunately for all of America, Rep. Issa probably won't take our helpful advice. And why's that? He doesn't listen to us. Hell, he doesn't even listen to his own constituents. Rather, he serves the "TEA" tinged astroturf that sustains his vapid political career.
And this leads us back to Senator Harry Reid (D-Fierce) and his righteous indignation over the "Koch-topus" & its horrifying campaign of deceit. Since the Koch Brothers' dangerously radical agenda downright frightens most voters, they must resort to smoke & mirrors to hide it. And they hate that Senator Reid is fierce enough to reveal what's behind the Kochs' smoke & mirrors.
Surprise, there's nothing but shade! And the "TEA" we find there does not stand for truth... Far from it. No wonder why Senator Reid didn't wince as certain media pundits whined over his deeming "un-American" the Kochs' campaign of lies.
So now, we're coming full circle. And we return to Rep. Steven Horsford. In addition to calling out the G-O-TEA's scandalicious nothingburgers, he exposed the real scandal of the G-O-TEA's despicable obsession with repealing Obamacare (aka the Affordable Care Act). Yep, he's been on fire today.
But hey, who can blame him? After all, one needs light to expose the shade of it all.
So we totally understood why Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Fierce) spilled his righteous indignation onto America's TV's earlier today. He had it. And he knew he needed to read to filth some shady @ss boogers.
So why the need for this read? House
Yet for some reason, Rep. Issa felt compelled to silence the ranking Democratic member of the committee when he dared to speak the truth that pretty much everyone knows.
How many times has Darrell Issa gone on purely political fishing expeditions? And how many times has he come up empty? Dude, give it up. There's clearly no there anywhere.
Unfortunately for all of America, Rep. Issa probably won't take our helpful advice. And why's that? He doesn't listen to us. Hell, he doesn't even listen to his own constituents. Rather, he serves the "TEA" tinged astroturf that sustains his vapid political career.
And this leads us back to Senator Harry Reid (D-Fierce) and his righteous indignation over the "Koch-topus" & its horrifying campaign of deceit. Since the Koch Brothers' dangerously radical agenda downright frightens most voters, they must resort to smoke & mirrors to hide it. And they hate that Senator Reid is fierce enough to reveal what's behind the Kochs' smoke & mirrors.
Surprise, there's nothing but shade! And the "TEA" we find there does not stand for truth... Far from it. No wonder why Senator Reid didn't wince as certain media pundits whined over his deeming "un-American" the Kochs' campaign of lies.
So now, we're coming full circle. And we return to Rep. Steven Horsford. In addition to calling out the G-O-TEA's scandalicious nothingburgers, he exposed the real scandal of the G-O-TEA's despicable obsession with repealing Obamacare (aka the Affordable Care Act). Yep, he's been on fire today.
But hey, who can blame him? After all, one needs light to expose the shade of it all.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
"The Ultimate Sacrifice"
This shouldn't be such a pungent punchline. Our founders probably didn't mean for it to be this way. But alas, it's now this way.
We can't personally remember a time when Congress was a respected institution, but we know it occasionally used to be that way. And technically, it's supposed to be that way. After all, Congress makes laws. And the law is supposed to be respected.
Unfortunately, Congress couldn't be any less respected than it is now. But then again, G-O-TEA "leaders" in Congress have worked very hard lately to earn this disrespect. When they engage in pointless ideological grandstanding and reckless & nonsensical bloviating, why should we respect them?
So we could understand initial reactions to NV-04 candidate Niger Innis' assertion that he's making "the ultimate sacrifice" in running for Congress. Where's the sacrifice? He's running for a position that offers a six-figure salary in an institution that's become notorious for its agenda of nothing. Where's the sacrifice in competing for for what's essentially become a glorified paid vacation?
But then, we thought about it some more. Theoretically, Congress is supposed to be a body of public servants. They're supposed to sacrifice for the public good. And they're supposed to be a part of a respected institution.
Sadly, that's not the case. And sadly, the recent unfortunate remarks from Niger Innis will probably just be treated as another "stupid gaffe" rather than a call for serious introspection from his own party's "leaders" on Capitol Hill. Think about it. If they're not there to make any kind of sacrifice or offer any kind of public service, then why are they there in the first place?
We can't personally remember a time when Congress was a respected institution, but we know it occasionally used to be that way. And technically, it's supposed to be that way. After all, Congress makes laws. And the law is supposed to be respected.
Unfortunately, Congress couldn't be any less respected than it is now. But then again, G-O-TEA "leaders" in Congress have worked very hard lately to earn this disrespect. When they engage in pointless ideological grandstanding and reckless & nonsensical bloviating, why should we respect them?
So we could understand initial reactions to NV-04 candidate Niger Innis' assertion that he's making "the ultimate sacrifice" in running for Congress. Where's the sacrifice? He's running for a position that offers a six-figure salary in an institution that's become notorious for its agenda of nothing. Where's the sacrifice in competing for for what's essentially become a glorified paid vacation?
But then, we thought about it some more. Theoretically, Congress is supposed to be a body of public servants. They're supposed to sacrifice for the public good. And they're supposed to be a part of a respected institution.
Sadly, that's not the case. And sadly, the recent unfortunate remarks from Niger Innis will probably just be treated as another "stupid gaffe" rather than a call for serious introspection from his own party's "leaders" on Capitol Hill. Think about it. If they're not there to make any kind of sacrifice or offer any kind of public service, then why are they there in the first place?
Monday, February 24, 2014
We Know How This Story Goes
Over the weekend, both major parties held biennial caucuses. As usual, Nevada Republicans enjoyed plenty of melodramatic moments. And as usual, Nevada Democrats had mostly quiet and well organized affairs.
Of course, we stopped by our local caucus location for Clark County Commission District G Democrats. And we were actually somewhat surprised to see the Painters' Hall fill up like that. The room held hardcore activists, local candidates, and even some high profile candidates.
State legislators reminded the audience that the balance of power in Carson City is at stake this fall. And of course, Congressional candidates reminded the audience that the balance of power in Washington (DC) is also at stake this fall.
Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) met with local NV-04 Democrats at his caucus site. NV-03 candidate Erin Bilbray made the rounds at various caucus locations with significant NV-03 territory, including the District G site in Henderson. And even up north, Washoe County Democrats got fired up and ready to go.
Meanwhile at the District G site, a very special (yet familiar) guest dropped by. Rep. Dina Titus spoke with caucus goers and let them knew she'd be working hard alongside them this year.
Once again, Nevada faces a fun filled and hotly contested even numbered year election cycle. And once again, Nevada Democrats are preparing as they know best. First come the caucuses, then come the voter registration drives, then come the field offices, then...
Well, you know how this story goes.
Of course, we stopped by our local caucus location for Clark County Commission District G Democrats. And we were actually somewhat surprised to see the Painters' Hall fill up like that. The room held hardcore activists, local candidates, and even some high profile candidates.
State legislators reminded the audience that the balance of power in Carson City is at stake this fall. And of course, Congressional candidates reminded the audience that the balance of power in Washington (DC) is also at stake this fall.
Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) met with local NV-04 Democrats at his caucus site. NV-03 candidate Erin Bilbray made the rounds at various caucus locations with significant NV-03 territory, including the District G site in Henderson. And even up north, Washoe County Democrats got fired up and ready to go.
Meanwhile at the District G site, a very special (yet familiar) guest dropped by. Rep. Dina Titus spoke with caucus goers and let them knew she'd be working hard alongside them this year.
Once again, Nevada faces a fun filled and hotly contested even numbered year election cycle. And once again, Nevada Democrats are preparing as they know best. First come the caucuses, then come the voter registration drives, then come the field offices, then...
Well, you know how this story goes.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Another Day, Another "Rebranding" FAIL
What else can we say? We told you so. And we definitely saw this coming. After all, G-O-TEA politicians are good at following their true leader. And today, Cresent Hardy proved our point... And then some.
So what exactly did the current Nevada Assembly Member and NV-04 Congressional Candidate do? Let's start with his interview with the Las Vegas Sun this week. When asked about his views on LGBTQ civil rights, Hardy dropped these bombs.
Let's start breaking this sh*t down. So Cresent Hardy believes he'd have to deny the god he believes in order to grant LGBTQ families the same freedom (and responsibilities) that other families enjoy. What kind of god does he believe in? News flash: Cresent Hardy doesn't have to deny his faith to ensure legal equality.
And that leads us to the other bomb he dropped on The Sun this week, which also happens to be the bomb that the national media are now noticing. How on earth is ENDA a "segregation law" that "creates separation"?
Actually, ENDA would do the opposite. In 34 states, LGBTQ workers are forced to work in fear (or lose their jobs) because some companies engage in unjust discrimination. ENDA would actually remedy this and prevent segregation by ensuring equal opportunity for all workers.
This is why Governor Brian Sandoval (R) signed into law a state level ENDA in 2011 (that Cresent Hardy voted against). And this is why US Senator Dean Heller (R) voted for the federal ENDA last November. Both are fellow Republicans, and Heller is a fellow Mormon, so what's Cresent Hardy's problem? Why doesn't he get what they get?
But wait, there's more! At the Hispanics in Politics brunch this morning, Cresent Hardy doubled down on his anti-equality platform with another declaration of his opposition to marriage equality. And in case that wasn't enough H8 for the audience, his G-O-TEA primary opponent, Niger Innis, also declared his opposition to marriage equality. And funny enough, Niger Innis considers himself to be a "civil rights leader". Oops.
So how's that "Republican rebranding" coming along? Did no one else get Governor Brian Sandoval's memo? Or are they just ignoring it? If the NV-04 G-O-TEA primary is showing us anything, it's that the newly "rebranded" Nevada Republican Party looks exactly the same as the old one.
Oh, and they've yet to learn this very important lesson. If they want to wow us, they better not remove that wig... Unless there's another wig under that wig.
So what exactly did the current Nevada Assembly Member and NV-04 Congressional Candidate do? Let's start with his interview with the Las Vegas Sun this week. When asked about his views on LGBTQ civil rights, Hardy dropped these bombs.
“I will always vote against same sex marriage because of my religious beliefs, the way I was raised,” said Hardy, who is Mormon. “For me to vote for it would be to deny the same God that I believe in.”
Hardy also would oppose the Employment Nondiscrimination Act [ENDA], a federal measure that would make it a crime for an employer to discriminate against an employee based on the employee’s sexual orientation or gender identity, adding that language to a list of federally protected classes. In 2011, Hardy voted against a similar law in Nevada; Horsford supported it.
“When we create classes, we create that same separation that we’re trying to unfold somehow,” he said. “By continuing to create these laws that are what I call segregation laws, it puts one class of a person over another. We are creating classes of people through these laws.”
Let's start breaking this sh*t down. So Cresent Hardy believes he'd have to deny the god he believes in order to grant LGBTQ families the same freedom (and responsibilities) that other families enjoy. What kind of god does he believe in? News flash: Cresent Hardy doesn't have to deny his faith to ensure legal equality.
And that leads us to the other bomb he dropped on The Sun this week, which also happens to be the bomb that the national media are now noticing. How on earth is ENDA a "segregation law" that "creates separation"?
Actually, ENDA would do the opposite. In 34 states, LGBTQ workers are forced to work in fear (or lose their jobs) because some companies engage in unjust discrimination. ENDA would actually remedy this and prevent segregation by ensuring equal opportunity for all workers.
This is why Governor Brian Sandoval (R) signed into law a state level ENDA in 2011 (that Cresent Hardy voted against). And this is why US Senator Dean Heller (R) voted for the federal ENDA last November. Both are fellow Republicans, and Heller is a fellow Mormon, so what's Cresent Hardy's problem? Why doesn't he get what they get?
But wait, there's more! At the Hispanics in Politics brunch this morning, Cresent Hardy doubled down on his anti-equality platform with another declaration of his opposition to marriage equality. And in case that wasn't enough H8 for the audience, his G-O-TEA primary opponent, Niger Innis, also declared his opposition to marriage equality. And funny enough, Niger Innis considers himself to be a "civil rights leader". Oops.
So how's that "Republican rebranding" coming along? Did no one else get Governor Brian Sandoval's memo? Or are they just ignoring it? If the NV-04 G-O-TEA primary is showing us anything, it's that the newly "rebranded" Nevada Republican Party looks exactly the same as the old one.
Oh, and they've yet to learn this very important lesson. If they want to wow us, they better not remove that wig... Unless there's another wig under that wig.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Poor Dave McKeon
I know we've been doing quite a bit of it this week, but we really must take one more stroll down Memory Lane. Remember Dave McKeon? He's now the Chair of the Clark County Republican Party. And he was supposed to make everything better for Southern Nevada's G-O-TEA faithful.
Needless to say, that still hasn't happened. Instead, McKeon's family woes continue to make news in Nevada and California...
Wait, what??!! Remember that Dave McKeon is the son of Rep. Buck McKeon (R-California), the Santa Clarita Republican who likes to question whether hardworking immigrant families are somehow aiding and abetting terrorists. He's also made a habit of mastering the art of pay-to-play politics (of pure corruption).
And now, Rep. Buck McKeon is finally calling it quits. No, he's not quitting his pay-to-play racket. Rather, he's quitting Congress. He just can't stand the fact that the G-O-TEA Culture Warriors keep getting in the way of his military-industrial complex gravy train.
Well, cry me a river. Buck McKeon is now complaining about the Crazy Caucus nearly derailing America? Where was he when the Crazy Caucus was about to throw America into Armageddon? (Crickets.)
We find it quite ironic that Rep. McKeon is shedding (crocodile) tears now. Could it be due to his weakened political position in his own district? (A heavy TEA drinker was already preparing to run before McKeon announced his retirement, and national Democrats were already preparing to contest his seat this year.) We can't help but laugh as Buck McKeon only comes around to criticizing the TEA powered political Frankenstein monster when the monster turns around to come for him.
We can only wonder what poor little Dave McKeon must be thinking right now. He's about to lose his juice on Capitol Hill, and that can't possibly come at a worse time. Does he have enough juice left to stop members of his own party from sabotaging Cresent Hardy's already long-shot challenge to Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) in NV-04? Is the Nevada G-O-TEA Civil War about to enter another round of gruesome battles this year?
Whatever comes next, we're just glad we're not in Dave McKeon's position.
Needless to say, that still hasn't happened. Instead, McKeon's family woes continue to make news in Nevada and California...
Wait, what??!! Remember that Dave McKeon is the son of Rep. Buck McKeon (R-California), the Santa Clarita Republican who likes to question whether hardworking immigrant families are somehow aiding and abetting terrorists. He's also made a habit of mastering the art of pay-to-play politics (of pure corruption).
And now, Rep. Buck McKeon is finally calling it quits. No, he's not quitting his pay-to-play racket. Rather, he's quitting Congress. He just can't stand the fact that the G-O-TEA Culture Warriors keep getting in the way of his military-industrial complex gravy train.
McKeon, at a press conference formally announcing his reported retirement on Thursday, said that about 80 members of the House GOP caucus identifying as tea partiers contributed to his decision to retire.
"That was just one issue," McKeon said according to Defense News. "I can't say it was not part of it because it has been a frustrating year. Not so much for us but for our leadership."
The outgoing congressman said that too often in the last few years House Republican leadership came to their caucus with a certain plan on legislation that was eventually "rejected" by tea partiers because "it wasn't good enough."
"I think every member of our conference needs to look at themselves and re-evaluate what they were sent here to do," McKeon added.
Well, cry me a river. Buck McKeon is now complaining about the Crazy Caucus nearly derailing America? Where was he when the Crazy Caucus was about to throw America into Armageddon? (Crickets.)
We find it quite ironic that Rep. McKeon is shedding (crocodile) tears now. Could it be due to his weakened political position in his own district? (A heavy TEA drinker was already preparing to run before McKeon announced his retirement, and national Democrats were already preparing to contest his seat this year.) We can't help but laugh as Buck McKeon only comes around to criticizing the TEA powered political Frankenstein monster when the monster turns around to come for him.
We can only wonder what poor little Dave McKeon must be thinking right now. He's about to lose his juice on Capitol Hill, and that can't possibly come at a worse time. Does he have enough juice left to stop members of his own party from sabotaging Cresent Hardy's already long-shot challenge to Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) in NV-04? Is the Nevada G-O-TEA Civil War about to enter another round of gruesome battles this year?
Whatever comes next, we're just glad we're not in Dave McKeon's position.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Misrepresentation
It's not easy representing such an expansive district. That's something Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) has had to learn the hard way. And he's especially had to learn as Congress and the nation debate gun safety reform.
In January, Horsford was quick to endorse the entirety of President Obama's gun safety agenda. Later that month, Rep. Horsford even want on "Ralston Reports" to talk with Mr. Nevada Pundit himself on gun safety.
Yet since then, he's stepped back. Sure, Horsford still personally supports gun safety reform. However since taking office, he's been listening to constituents throughout his district to seek their input on the subject.
Indeed, Nevada's 4th Congressional District is quite diverse and expansive. NV-04 stretches from Yerington and Ely in rural Northern Nevada all the way down to Pahrump, then crosses the Spring Mountains and Sheep Range into Clark County, where just over 80% of the district's population resides. And even the Clark County portion of NV-04 is incredibly diverse, as it stretches from exurban Mesquite to minority heavy West Las Vegas and affluent Summerlin.
So Rep. Horsford represents not just a wide swath of Nevada land, but also a wide array of views on gun violence. And he's been doing his best to show respect to all his constituents. Why can't more Members of Congress do this?
And let's not forget, this isn't a one way street. In fact, February's KLAS-SUSA poll showed that 57% of Nevadans support the Assault Weapons Ban while only 33% oppose! And not only that, but the poll showed 71-23% support among Nevadans for a state gun registry and 76-19% support for expanded background checks. Oh, and since then, multiple polls have shown 86% support for expanded background checks for gun purchases!
So why am I bringing this up now? It's important to note just how out of touch Senator Dean Heller (R-46%) is with his constitutents. Instead of talking to Nevadans from throughout the state on what they'd like to see on gun safety, he's making excuses and even using "tea party" talking points as reason to oppose what 86% of Nevadans support.
And now, because Senator Heller is thumbing his nose at 86% of his constitutents, gun safety reform may finally be dying in Congress.
That's another thing to keep in mind. Not only is Senator Heller opposing any and all gun safety reform, but he doesn't even want to give these proposals a vote! He's joining the "tea party" backed filibuster on all these measures, even the background checks proposal with 86% support. Why won't he even allow a vote on the bill and related amendments?
Ask that. And remember this. And go ahead & wonder if Senator Dean Heller is actually doing anything to truly represent Nevada.
In January, Horsford was quick to endorse the entirety of President Obama's gun safety agenda. Later that month, Rep. Horsford even want on "Ralston Reports" to talk with Mr. Nevada Pundit himself on gun safety.
Yet since then, he's stepped back. Sure, Horsford still personally supports gun safety reform. However since taking office, he's been listening to constituents throughout his district to seek their input on the subject.
[... A]nyone who was listening to Horsford in the wake of December’s mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. — a galvanizing event in the gun control debate —knows Horsford promised to back an assault weapons ban in Congress. The children who had been killed with a semiautomatic rifle in Newtown were the approximate age of his daughter, Ella, he noted at the time.
“I come at this not as an elected official but as a parent,” Horsford told the Sun two weeks before being sworn in as a U.S. Congressman.
But since taking on his elected role, Horsford has repeatedly and noticeably tempered that personal conviction, suggesting his mind is not made up about the more controversial points of gun control legislation, such as an assault weapons ban.
“As a parent I have a personal viewpoint on military-style weapons not being in our neighborhoods,” Horsford said in a recent interview at his congressional office. “As a policymaker, it is my job to listen to my constituents and then vote on the legislation that comes before us to represent the view that I’ve heard from my constituents.” [...]
“Part of what I’ve experienced listening to people in my district, particularly in the rural communities, is ‘respect my right to own a gun. I live in a community where I may not have police or law enforcement protection for 30, 60, 100 miles, and I need to be able to protect myself … and I have the right to do that,’” Horsford said. “And I agree, and respect that right, and have said without wavering that that is a right that we have to respect in this process.”
Horsford tells of some Republican, National Rifle Association-member constituents who he says, once they realize he respects their Second Amendment rights, are willing to talk about getting some of the higher magazine clips and semiautomatic rifles off the streets.
But, he admits, he also has several other constituents for whom “listening to them and then voting for a ban is not going to make them feel any better.”
“I’m honestly, in the core of my job as a public servant, trying to represent the needs of all my constituents,” he said. “I take it very seriously that my job … is to represent my constituents. Not some of my constituents. Not the ones I agree with only. My job is to represent the whole district.”
Indeed, Nevada's 4th Congressional District is quite diverse and expansive. NV-04 stretches from Yerington and Ely in rural Northern Nevada all the way down to Pahrump, then crosses the Spring Mountains and Sheep Range into Clark County, where just over 80% of the district's population resides. And even the Clark County portion of NV-04 is incredibly diverse, as it stretches from exurban Mesquite to minority heavy West Las Vegas and affluent Summerlin.
So Rep. Horsford represents not just a wide swath of Nevada land, but also a wide array of views on gun violence. And he's been doing his best to show respect to all his constituents. Why can't more Members of Congress do this?
And let's not forget, this isn't a one way street. In fact, February's KLAS-SUSA poll showed that 57% of Nevadans support the Assault Weapons Ban while only 33% oppose! And not only that, but the poll showed 71-23% support among Nevadans for a state gun registry and 76-19% support for expanded background checks. Oh, and since then, multiple polls have shown 86% support for expanded background checks for gun purchases!
So why am I bringing this up now? It's important to note just how out of touch Senator Dean Heller (R-46%) is with his constitutents. Instead of talking to Nevadans from throughout the state on what they'd like to see on gun safety, he's making excuses and even using "tea party" talking points as reason to oppose what 86% of Nevadans support.
And now, because Senator Heller is thumbing his nose at 86% of his constitutents, gun safety reform may finally be dying in Congress.
As a policy matter, [Heller's excuse for joining the G-O-TEA filibuster of gun safety reform] is gibberish. Indeed, it's so wrong, it's almost insulting. There's nothing unconstitutional about background checks -- indeed, background checks must be legally permissible, since they already exist without legal controversy. What's more, fearing the creation of a national gun registry from the proposal is idiotic, given that the legislation explicitly bans such a registry. The Toomey/Manchin language strengthens the prohibition against the very registry Heller is worried about.
Also note, as recently as February, Heller called background check expansion a "reasonable step forward." Since then, he saw a poll showing 87% of his constituents support the idea. Then Heller used a ridiculous rationale to oppose the popular policy.
Of course, it's not just Heller who's been irresponsible. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell wouldn't even meet with Newtown families yesterday.
And then there are a handful of red-state Democrats who aren't just prepared to oppose background-check expansion, but are also likely to side with Republicans on the filibuster. It's not enough to vote against it; they're prepared to join the GOP in denying the popular measure a vote at all.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), sounding very discouraged, said last night, "I honestly just didn't believe GOP Senators would turn their back on 90% of Americans. I was naive."
That's another thing to keep in mind. Not only is Senator Heller opposing any and all gun safety reform, but he doesn't even want to give these proposals a vote! He's joining the "tea party" backed filibuster on all these measures, even the background checks proposal with 86% support. Why won't he even allow a vote on the bill and related amendments?
Ask that. And remember this. And go ahead & wonder if Senator Dean Heller is actually doing anything to truly represent Nevada.
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