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?

The Root of All Kinds of Evil

It's that time of the cycle again. We're seeing a downpour of campaign finance reports. And of course, reporters and pundits are "analyzing" "who's up & who's down" due to how much each has raised.

We're seeing tremendous fundraising hauls for candidates in hot races... And we're even seeing tremendous fundraising hauls for candidates who aren't in hot races. So what does this all mean?

Now, we're even seeing attack ads over "gifts" paid for by "gifts" from "high friends in low places". Hell, these "high friends in low places" are even paying for attack ads that indirectly attack them! What on earth are we supposed to make of this?



This is actually what US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) was talking about yesterday. This is what happens we allow so much corporate money to flood our politics.

Want to know why we're now having to decide major tax policy in the voting booth this year? Look no further than here... Or here... Or here.

Want to know why we're all too often subjected to a vapid debate over "optics" instead an actual, substantive debate on the issues we truly care about? Take a look here. Need we say more?



There's a reason why we keep harping on this. And there's a reason why religious texts, such as The Bible, have warned about the love of money.

Want to get to the root of all the evil that's seeped into our politics? Follow the money. And if you want to uproot this evil, you need to get this dirty money out of our politics.

Love Is All We Need.

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



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



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

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



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

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

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



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

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

The Most Poignant PRIDE Yet

This was a bittersweet weekend for us. We had the opportunity to reconnect with old friends, meet some new friends, amd remember someone who's made such a huge mark in our lives.

On the eve of Sevcik v. Sandoval's day in court (at the Ninth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals) and just after a remarkable series of advances for transgender civil rights, Las Vegas PRIDE weekend came and went. It was a time for celebration of recent progress, as well as a time of reflection on the challenges that still lie ahead.





Friday night's parade offered quite the exciting line-up. Communities of faith, Cleve Jones & Culinary 226, a host of local businesses, and even a few Las Vegas Metro Police officers (!!!) participated in the parade. Also riding in the parade were State Senators David Parks (D-Paradise), Pat Spearman (D-North Las Vegas), Kelvin Atkinson (D-North Las Vegas), & Justin Jones (D-Enterprise), along with Assembly Member James Healey (D-Enterprise), Lieutenant Governor candidate Lucy Flores (D), NV-03 Congressional candidate Erin Bilbray (D), and State Senate candidate Teresa Lowry (D).

Along 4th Street in Downtown Las Vegas, all these people marched in solidarity with Southern Nevada's LGBTQ community and our continuing struggle for full civil rights. They came to show their respect for our community and ask for our support. Doesn't it feel nice to receive this kind of respect?







Then came the Saturday festival. And yes, there were festivities all throughout Clark County Government Center's amphitheater. There were also some elected officials coming back to meet voters. And there were volunteers registering voters. There were families coming in to soak in the sun, along with young LGBTQ Nevadans coming in for a safe place to express themselves.





The whole weekend was a thing of beauty. When I first moved here to Southern Nevada five years ago, one of the first activities I did was Las Vegas PRIDE. So I always experience a rush of emotions around this time of the year every year. However, this PRIDE was the most poignant one for me yet.







I came to know Sandy Eddy quite well over the years. We both served on the Stonewall Southern Nevada board together. And during our time on the board, she became one of my "Vegas adopted mothers". She really meant that much to me, and to all the other people who came into her life.

Last Thursday, Sandy suffered a stroke and was rushed to the hospital. She didn't make it. Yet even at life's end, she kept giving of herself. Several of her organs are about to be donated to those in need. And during this time of mourning, she's brought back together those who had recently drifted apart.



Las Vegas PRIDE was one of the many community events Sandy made sure to do. That's why I ultimately felt compelled to go this past weekend. Even though I initially didn't even want to pull myself out of bed Friday morning, I knew Sandy would kick my ass if I didn't pull myself together and go. She always made sure to go where she was needed.



Sandy Eddy may no longer be with us physically, but I could feel her spirit with me at PRIDE. And I figured she would have been happy about everyone who turned out for the parade, all the activity at the Stonewall & PLAN booths at the festival, and all the other people at PRIDE who were there to serve the greater community.

This was a bittersweet weekend for so many of us. But with so much more to do, Sandy would want everyone to press forward. So we will. (Yet in the spirit of giving that Sandy embdodied all the way through to her very last moments, now's a great time to reach out & help her family during their time of grief.)

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.

Something Different

Ever since her arrival in Carson City, she's been making waves. And now, she's ready to bring a tsunami into the Lieutenant Governor's Office.

Assembly Member Lucy Flores (D-North Las Vegas) knows she's doing something different. She's represented a minority-majority inner city district since 2011. She hasn't been afraid to take on issues like sex education, LGBTQ civil rights, mental health care, public school funding, and even medical marijuana (along with the legislative process). Clearly, she's not following "standard operating procedure" on "how to succeed on the Nevada political scene".



Yet now, Lucy Flores is running for Lt. Governor. She's running to provide a different perspective. She's running to represent those who often aren't even heard in Carson City.

Last weekend at the Nevada State Democratic Party Convention in Reno, Lucy Flores explained why she's running and why she's not afraid to offer something different to the table.



We know this whole race has turned out to be something quite different. With the "official top of the ticket" not being contested, the Lt. Governor race has become the "de facto top of the ticket". And even though the Lieutenant Governor's Office may not seem important at first glance, this year's election has turned into a different kind of choice.



But then again, is it all that different of a choice? There's Lucy Flores, someone who has overcome multiple life challenges and knows the challenges working class Nevada families face. And then, there's this.

Lucy Flores is offering something different this fall. And this Lt. Governor race should keep things interesting this year.

Ready for the Job

Every so often, this has reemerged. Back in 2012, an outgoing G-O-TEA legislator hinted at it. In 2013, State Senator Barbara Cegavske (R) and her usual G-O-TEA allies tried to turn meaningful election reform into it. Later that year, Assembly Member Pat Hickey (R) joked about it. And earlier this year, none other than Sharron Angle tried to toss it onto the ballot.

Voting rights is something we should take seriously. But for Barbara Cegavske, voter suppression is great and the Secretary of State's office is just another political stepping stone.



Outgoing Secretary of State Ross Miller (D) has big shoes to fill. And so far, Kate Marshall (D) looks set to fill those shoes. She's already been serving the state as Treasurer. But now, she's ready to pivot to protecting people's right to vote and oversee new business coming to Nevada.

(Below is her speech from the Nevada State Democratic Party Convention in Reno last Saturday.)



And it's really not that dramatic of a pivot. Kate Marshall has already been keeping close watch on our public dollars. She's a trained lawyer. And she seems to care about a little thing called public service.

And Barbara Cegavske? Barbara Cegavske? Barbara Cegavske? Barbara Cegavske? Ain't she grand?

But is she ready for the job?

Work for Us

What? How? Why? Really?

Those were some of the reactions when the keynote speaker was announced for the Nevada State Democratic Party 2014 Convention. But when Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) took the stage in Reno last Saturday, the only question on people's minds was, "When will she come back?" Well, that and, "For the Caucus?"



On Saturday, Senator Klobuchar fired up the crowd in Reno by making it clear what she, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) are fighting for. (Hint: It's the same agenda Rep. Steven Horsford [D-North Las Vegas] is fighting for in that other House of Congress, as well as the same agenda President Obama is advancing in The White House.)



Why must young Americans be shackled down by student loans? Why must the working poor work to remain poor? Why must workers live in fear of losing it all for simply being who they are? Why must American families live in fear of being torn apart? And why must American women be required to take so much crap?

Why can't we change things for the better?



What? How? Why? Really?

Must we simply accept a raw deal? Must we simply accept that Congress can't work? Or should we try to make Congress work for us? Senator Klobuchar really got us thinking last weekend.

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.

Ross Miller Has "Issues".

What an exciting weekend this has been. Back home in Vegasland, the Electric Daisy Carnival was rocking. However, that didn't mean sparks weren't flying up here in Reno. (Get it? Sparks!)

The Nevada State Democratic Party held its 2014 Convention in Reno this weekend. Democrats from across the state came here to "The Biggest Little City in the World" to meet each other, meet their candidates for this fall, and take care of party business.



One of Nevada Democrats' candidates for this fall is Ross Miller. He's our outgoing Secretary of State. And he's now running for Attorney General.

Oh, and Ross Miller isn't one to back down when he sees a wrong that must be made right. So when it was his turn to address the convention, he didn't hold back. In fact, he specifically addressed his issues with Adam Laxalt's "political issues".



Adam Laxalt may have "political issues" with marriage equality and LGBTQ civil rights in general, but Ross Miller certainly does not. Rather, he has issues with those who have "political issues" with human rights



We swear, sparks flew during that barn-burner of a speech. He's actually had to implement SB 283. He's actually had to fly with friends to California to take them to their wedding. And when the unthinkable happened, he had to help a friend cope with the unimaginable.

For G-O-TEA politicians like Adam Laxalt, LGBTQ civil rights may be "political issues" he prefers to blithely dismiss. But for Ross Miller, we are human beings who deserve the same respect & dignity that everyone else takes for granted. It looks to us like he takes his oath of office seriously. And it's looking like he values the US Constitution more than some mere "political issues".

Please take notes, Mr. Laxalt.

From Las Vegas Blvd... To Eastern Ave.

She considers herself to be a "daughter of Eastern Avenue". She grew up off Eastern Avenue. Her campaign office is now on Eastern Avenue. And she vows to represent "Eastern Avenue values" should she be elected into Congress.

Erin Bilbray is now running in the 3rd Congressional District, which spans from Laughlin to Summerlin. And the Eastern Avenue corridor is probably the beating heart of this district. But last weekend, Erin Bilbray ventured to another iconic Southern Nevada street, Las Vegas Boulevard, to address the Clark County Democratic Party Convention.



On Saturday, Bilbray explained her "Eastern Avenue values". And she drew a stark contrast between her values and her opponent's.



Bilbray described the current state of Congress. She hinted at her opponent's contribution to that current state of Congress. And she talked about what she wants to do in Congress and how she wants to change the climate of Capitol Hill should she arrive there next year.



Make no mistake. Another hot campaign season is simmering in NV-03. Expect to see plenty of signs along Eastern Avenue, as well as all the other major thoroughfares of NV-03.

Erin Bilbray has been touting "Eastern Avenue values". It's not just about that street. It's about the communities along that street. It's about the people who commute to & from work along that street. And it's about the reality of the 3rd Congressional District that's seen up and down Eastern Avenue.

And ultimately, this campaign may be won or lost on Eastern Avenue.

(Not the) End of the Road

Late in 2010, it looked like she was approaching the end of the road. She had lost a hard fought reelection race. Between that and narrowly losing the statewide gubernatorial election of 2006, plenty of political pundits were declaring the death of Dina Titus' political career.

Obviously, they spoke too soon. The following year, redistricting changed the game. And Dina Titus was ready for a comeback.



She did face a rather interesting race in 2012... But she ultimately won. And not only did she win, but she dominated. And she definitely made her way back to Congress.

And since returning to Congress, Rep. Dina Titus (D-Paradise) has been working quite hard on a number of critical issues. And she hasn't forgotten why she's there in the first place.

Last Saturday, Rep. Dina Titus came to the Clark County Democratic Party Convention and addressed the crowd. Some of them were her former constituents, while others are her current constituents. Regardless, she wanted to fire them all up and get them ready for the 2014 cycle.



While Rep. Titus herself doesn't have to worry about her reelection race this year, she does seem to want to return to a Congress that's actually functioning. And that means her work is not yet finished. It's far from the end of the road for her, or for her fellow Nevada Democrats.

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.

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 her history 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.

Unavoidable

Who knew one bill could cause this much ruckus? Who thought one bill that was never expected to pass the House could scare House "leadership" so much? And who figured one bill that's often deemed "hopeless" by many media pundits could determine the future of an entire political party?

Meet HR 15. House Republican "leaders" have done everything possible to kill it. Rep. Joe Heck (R-Backbench) has said everything possible to excuse his inaction on it. And the national Republican Party has tried everything possible to "rebrand" it away.

Yet try as they might, they still haven't succeeded in killing HR 15. And now that House Democrats have already collected 190 signatures for their HR 15 discharge petition, it's become completely unavoidable.

It wasn't that long ago when House Republican "leaders" themselves declared their interest in passing comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). And earlier this year, they tried to wow everyone with their "principles for immigration reform". Yet despite their occasionally lofty rhetoric, they've failed to match that rhetoric with action.

Instead, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-P90X) boasted about killing his own "principles". And even after declaring his "support" for CIR, Ryan nonetheless recently voted twice against reform: first on the House floor to defeat a parliamentary maneuver to move HR 15 forward, and again in the House Budget Committee to reject inclusion of the measure to reduce the federal budget deficit by $900 billion in his House Budget (that's destined to go nowhere). (And FYI, Rep. Joe Heck also voted against CIR on the House floor.)

House Republicans have been trying so hard to evade this one bill. They've yet to realize that HR 15, along with the larger issues behind it, is unavoidable. No amount of parliamentary parsing and/or silly "rebranding" can change this reality.

They can't have it both ways. They can't pander to Latin@ voters with vague promises of reform while simultaneously pandering to their 21st Century Know Nothing base with real, concrete anti-immigrant/anti-reform votes. They must eventually make the unavoidable decision: Will they finally allow a floor vote for CIR, or will they eventually admit that they never really wanted to pass any kind of CIR?

Who knew one bill could so forcefully call out House Republicans' duplicity on immigration reform? Apparently, HR 15 is. And this truth is increasingly becoming unavoidable.

Make a Difference

It's quite well known by now. And whoever doesn't know this yet is about to get schooled. Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) is fierce. When he's not charming us with cupcakes or inspiring our kids at school, he's serving us bad@ss legislator realness. And we are officially living for it!

Today, he reminded us again why it's a shame that he can't do more in the House of Representatives. Even as a minority party freshman in that chamber, Rep. Horsford has managed to make a difference in advancing a number of important policies on Capitol Hill. One of those policies happens to be in the bill number we should all know by heart now: HR 15.

Last week, Rep. Horsford reminded us of the necessity of HR 15 when he did his part to help Bryan Rivera get his mother out of jail. Even though his father was the one who abused his mother and failed to pay child support, he turned her in to Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE). Bryan then shared his family's story at Horsford's immigration reform town hall. And while Bryan Rivera's mother was ultimately able to reunite with her son, Rep. Horsford used this as a teaching moment to show us exactly why comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) is so badly needed.

Today, Rep. Horsford took this message back to where it belongs: Capitol Hill. He was joined by Reps. Xavier Becerra (D-California), Judy Chu (D-California), and Joe Crowley (D-New York) to discuss House Democrats' next steps on HR 15 and CIR in general.



Remember when we discussed the Congressional procedure known as the discharge petition? That's what House Democrats will now be using for HR 15. If Senators Dean Heller (R) & Harry Reid (D) could join 13 other Republican Senators and 53 other Democratic Senators to pass S 744, why can't the House at least hold a floor vote on HR 15?

After all, House Republican "leaders" claim to
care about "family values". HR 15 would help keep American families together if passed. They also claim to care about "fiscal responsibility". HR 15 would lower the federal budget deficit by $900 billion in the next 20 years if passed. And again, HR 15 is firmly rooted in the bipartisan CIR plan that's already passed the Senate, attracted the support of numerous prominent Democrats & Republicans, and enjoys widespread public support. Why can't a bill like this have a floor vote?

House Republicans are still struggling to answer that question. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) has tried blaming President Obama. Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) has tried blaming local CIR activists. And House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has tried blaming everyone (but himself, of course). Yet while they've tried and tried and tried again to deflect blame onto someone, anyone else, they've failed to make any real effort to put together their own CIR plan that can pass Congress.

No wonder why Rep. Steven Horsford and House Democratic leaders have had enough of the G-O-TEA's tiresome temper tantrums & pointless pity parties. If they truly want CIR, then they know exactly how to achieve it. It will just involve less hot air and more real action.

Rep. Horsford doesn't have to charge so hard on CIR, or on any other major issue for that matter. After all, he's a minority party freshman in what's become the lower House of Congress. He could have easily chosen to fade into the background and enjoy the easy backbencher life. However, he didn't choose that path. He chose this one. And he's clearly out to make a difference.

And if certain alleged "pro-reform" Republicans want to join him in making a difference, they know exactly how to do so. They can start by signing the discharge petition.

Ours to Make

Let's just get this out of the way now: Outgoing Assembly Member & current Lt. Governor candidate Lucy Flores (D) kicked @ss on "Ralston Reports" last night. She drove the narrative. She generally answered Ralston's questions in the best way possible. And she came off far more polished than the two other candidates running in the other major party's primary for this race.

Yet with all this being said, there was one moment that gave many progressives at least a little heartburn. Of course, that was when Lucy Flores proposed an alternative to The Education Initiative (TEI). She said she has problems with TEI...

And she's not alone. Many state legislators do. Yet when it was in the Legislature last year, none of them proposed an alternative... Until it was too late. And even then, that supposed alternative was still very half-baked.

So now, the choice is this: TEI or nothing. And the choice is not Lucy Flores' to make for us. In fact, the choice is no longer in any one legislator's hands. It's now in our hands. The choice is now ours to make.

For years, this issue has been studied. Eventually, it became studied to death. We know our schools are "grossly underfunded". We know our business climate does suffer due to our gross underfunding of public education. We know our 19th century tax system is in dire need of 21st century reforms. And we know our Legislature has dragged its feet on tax reform for far too long, as it's only succeeded in delivering broken promises of reform.

This is why TEI happened. And this is why TEI will be on our ballot this fall. After seeing the same cycle of FAIL spin around for far too long, many thousands of Nevada citizens decided enough was enough. These citizens decided to break the cycle of #NVLeg #nved #FAIL by turning the decision of tax reform to "We the People" to make.

We're sick & tired of too late & half-baked alleged "alternatives". We're sick & tired of absurd straw men standing in the way of reform. And we're sick & tired of the long string of broken promises from Carson City. We're sick & tired of waiting for reform. TEI is now here, and it's the only tangible option for real reform now.

While we understand why Lucy Flores, Jon Ralston, and various other politicians & pundits have problems with TEI, we also recognize that the decision of long awaited & badly needed tax reform is no longer solely theirs to make. It's now ours to make. It's either TEI or nothing, and that decision will be made by all of us later this year.

Where the Blame Lies

Every so often, we hear from certain media pundits on how certain politicians truly "support immigration reform". Yet when push comes to shove, we always hear excuses from them as they try to deflect blame onto someone else. What a definition of "support".

Yet unlike those politicians who try to have it both ways on comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) (cough- Joe Heck -cough), Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Fierce) is truly all in for reform. He doesn't just talk the talk. He also makes sure to walk the walk.

He proved his commitment to CIR again yesterday when he stood outside The Capitol to speak to CIR advocates who were about to deliver a petition to House Speaker John Boehner (R-"Liquid Courage") demanding a floor vote for CIR.



While Republicans keep debating each other on immigration, CIR is languishing in the lower House of Congress. G-O-TEA "leaders" there promised "principles for immigration reform", but instead delivered more flip-flops full of tired excuses. And now, they have nothing to show for all their lofty rhetoric.

Yet as G-O-TEA politicians keep debating each other on the politics and the rhetoric of reform, millions of American families are suffering the consequences of (the lower House of) Congress' failure to act on CIR. Families are being torn apart. Communities are being drained. And local authorities are left to try to fill the void caused by Congress' failure to pass CIR.

So we can't blame Rep. Horsford for losing whatever respect he had left for his House's G-O-TEA "leadership". And we can't blame activists who have lost faith in that very "leadership's" ability to lead. We do, however, blame those shifty politicians who keep trying to have it both ways while ultimately producing nothing. That's where the blame properly lies.

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.

There's More to That FAIL

Last Wednesday, we couldn't help but chuckle a bit (actually, quite a lot) over the State of Nevada's absolutely batshit crazy eye-popping brief to the Ninth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals in the latest round of Sevcik v. Sandoval. It went to great lengths to defend the state’s history of "promoting traditional marriage", even though our state's history has proven anything but that. Oh, and it also took outrageous and downright nonsensical detours into the territory of incest and bigotry.

And now, it's close to ending a political career. And surprisingly (actually, not really), it's not Governor Brian Sandoval's (R-Still Unaware That It's 2014). Perhaps because he was expected to do something this stupid, he hasn't received much blowback (other than from yours truly here).

Instead, Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto (D-??!!) looks to be receiving quite the farewell party from Carson City. Why? Her office went along with Sandoval's request for this brief. And nearly everyone expected better from her.

Her office initially suggested she was just "following orders". Really? So "following orders" is more important than paying attention to what's actually in the US Constitution? Keep in mind that the first and foremost duty of Attorneys General is to protect & defend the Constitution.

So why didn't Catherine Cortez Masto remember her own oath of office? Why did our Attorney General just go along with the Governor? And why is either one of them bothering to defend an indefensible denial of civil rights? Both are trained lawyers, and Sandoval previously served as Attorney General before being appointed as a federal judge.

While I don't always see eye to eye with Jon Ralston, he's totally correct on this case. Both the Governor and the Attorney General blew it when they decided to defend discrimination & inequality rather than remember their own oaths of office. And ironically enough, whatever political calculation they made to do this has only resulted in a major "EPIC FAIL" moment and one hell of a backfire.