Nevada's Progressive Voter Guide for 2014

Obviously, the big day is almost here. Early voting starts tomorrow. And what, did we just hear you still have questions?

No worries, this is why we're here. Check here for all the information you need on early voting throughout the state (including links to location listings). Early voting will be available until Halloween (October 31).

But wait, who are we to vote for? We certainly won't tell you who to vote for (wink, wink), but we are certainly happy to direct you to the SEIU 1107, Humboldt Toiyabe Sierra Club, Nevada Advocates for Planned Parenthood, and Nevada Impact/Las Vegas Night Beat/GayVegas.com 2014 voter guides for more information on all the candidates on the ballot. Also make sure to check PLAN Action and ProgressNow Nevada Action for even more useful election information.

And speaking of useful election information, go ahead and check out the Vegas PBS debate archives to see the candidates make their own respective cases.

We hope this helps. And above all else, we hope you go out and vote. If you want to make your voice heard, you know what you need to do.

Last Call

Consider this your last call! You don't want to miss out on this. Seriously, you don't want to miss out on ProgressNow Nevada Action's exciting event, "Celebrate Progress".

Join Arshad Hasan, national ProgressNow Executive Director, and ProgressNow Nevada Action for a big announcement and fundraiser.

In addition to celebrating the big news, join us to celebrate and honor four amazing progressive individuals in Southern Nevada for always standing up for the issues that matter most.

Progressive Leader Award - Senator Tick Segerblom

Rising Progressive Leader Award - Rudy Zamora

Progressive Voice of Reason - Andrew Davey

Progressive Business Owner Award - Cassandra Rice, owner of GymCats
GymCats

There are plenty of great reasons to "Celebrate Progress". So why not join us?

How often do you have the chance to Arshad Hasan, a premier nationwide expert on grassroots campaigning? This alone is worth the price of admission. A source close to the event actually told us, "I learned everything I know about grassroots campaigns from Arshad."

So consider this your last call. We'll be celebrating progress next Tuesday at 6:00 PM. We'll be at Artifice in Fabulous Downtown Las Vegas. And tickets start at just $50... Or $5 a month for the next year!

Please RSVP here. We hope to celebrate progress with you & all our friends at ProgressNow Nevada Action next Tuesday.

We Need You

We need to talk.

ProgressNow Nevada Action will be giving us an award. We still can't believe this is actually happening.

However, we're not surprised by the other fine people ProgressNow will be honoring some very worthy people at its Celebrate Progress awards reception on September 16. State Senator Tick Segerblom (D-Las Vegas), organizer extraordinaire Rudy Zamora, and GymCats owner/activist superstar Cassie Rice will all honored for all their amazing work. We certainly couldn't be happier for them.

It's amazing to think we'll be sharing the stage with them. And it's great to see so many worthy people honored. But will it truly be an honor if we're in a mostly empty bar?

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You know who we want to see at Artifice on September 16 at 6:00 PM? You! If you want to honor some great progressives and a great organization committed to fighting for progressive values, please come to Artifice on September 16. Tickets start at $50, proceeds will be put to great use, and you'll have the opportunity to meet the best of the best in person (along with us).

We couldn't have achieved this without you, so we need you at Artifice on the 16th.

This Is Our Future.

Yesterday was the first day of school for Clark County School District (CCSD). We actually stopped by Gibson Elementary School in Henderson to check out the scene. We also stopped by there to hear local residents who had something to say about The Education Initiative (TEI).



We've heard plenty in recent days from the usual suspects screaming "DOOM!" over TEI every chance they find. They've even suppressed data showing how TEI can help Nevada's economy grow.

They can go ahead and continue suppressing UNLV studies. They can't, however, suppress local business owners like Ron Nelsen. He's the owner of Pioneer Overhead Door, and he's anything but afraid of TEI.



Electra McGrath is actually looking forward to TEI. She's a parent of a CCSD student. And her neighbors send their children to CCSD schools. Unlike TEI's well heeled opponents, Electra and her neighbors actually live the reality of public education in Nevada. This is why Electra supports TEI.



For far too long, we've heard endless rhetoric from Carson City followed by the constant lack of results. This is why Nevada schools are "grossly underfunded". And this is why grassroots education activists drew the paperwork for TEI.



At Gibson Elementary School, we caught a glimpse of Nevada's future. We noticed all the potential waiting at Leisure Circle. And we couldn't help but think of how much more potential could be realized if we were to just invest in schools like Gibson.

This is our future. These kids are our future. Why shouldn't we actually invest in our future? TEI's opponents can suppress economic studies, but they can't suppress this potential for a better future.

Stop Failing Them.

Today is the first day of school for the Clark County School District (CCSD). When we stopped by Gibson Elementary School in Henderson this morning, we witnessed dozens of parents dropping their children off as teachers were preparing for class. Everyone seemed to be ready for the school year.

Yet as parents, students, and teachers were ready for the new school year, the state and CCSD didn't seem to be. CCSD now has a teacher shortage. And on top of this, not all students have the materials they need. Textbook shortages have been reported across the valley. Many of the textbooks that are available are outdated. And English Language Learner (ELL) programs remain limited.

You know what can alleviate all these problems? The Education Initiative (TEI).





At Gibson Elementary School, local business owners and educators shared the reasons why they're supporting TEI. GymCats owner Cassie Rice stated her business is among the 13% of Nevada businesses that will have to pay the corporate margin tax under TEI. And she's perfectly fine with that, as she knows the value of public education to our community and our economy.



Lisa Muntean and Tom Wellman are CCSD teachers. They experience firsthand the challenges of educating so many kids on a shoestring budget. They know our kids need the extra $800,000,000 per year TEI will provide Nevada public schools. And they know our economy will benefit greatly (to the tune of at least $630 million added to Nevada's GDP in 2016 alone) from the additional investment in public education.





TEI's opponents have thrown just about everything (including the kitchen sink) at it. They tried to spin it away at Four Seasons. They tried setting up the "Esmeralda Straw Man" against it. They even tried various parliamentary tricks to stop the Nevada State Democratic Party from endorsing it. Yet each time they try to spin TEI away, they reveal something about themselves.

Have they been to any CCSD schools lately? Do they know anyone in a local public school? Don't they realize just how "grossly underfunded" Nevada schools are?

It's easy for them to make their philosophical case against TEI from their guard gated and gold plated bubble. And it's easy for them to complain about TEI's "flaws" when they've repeatedly failed to provide a realistic alternative. What seems to be incredibly difficult for them to admit is that they have no real alternative to TEI. They offer Nevada nothing but the same hot air and empty rhetoric that have failed this state for far too long.

At Gibson Elementary School this morning, we saw children going to school. We saw them enter a place where they encounter new ideas, new knowledge, and new opportunities. For far too long, we've been failing these children by failing to maintain public education. It's long past time for us to stop failing them.

Why Does ProgressNow Want to Award This Blog? (Find Out 9/16!)

We weren't asking for this. We swear!

We certainly weren't demanding that ProgressNow Nevada Action risk ruining its reputation by giving us an award. But alas, they just had to do that.

Fortunately, ProgressNow will also be honoring some very worthy people at its Celebrate Progress awards reception on September 16. State Senator Tick Segerblom (D-Las Vegas), organizer extraordinaire Rudy Zamora, and GymCats owner/activist superstar Cassie Rice will all honored for all their amazing work. We certainly couldn't be happier for them.

However, it will be more than a little awkward for us to share the stage with them. After all, we just run this dowdy little blog that's dedicated to ending political careers. While Senator Segerblom is working on seemingly endless worthy legislation and Rudy & Cassie are taking the good fight to a whole new level, we just point and laugh at the latest & greatest Sharron Angle endeavor. Oh, and we occasionally embarrass ourselves on Twitter.

If you want to see us embarrass ourselves live, come to Artifice on September 16 at 6:00 PM. And if you want to honor some great progressives and a great organization committed to fighting for progressive values, please come to Artifice on September 16. Tickets start at $50, proceeds will be put to great use, and you'll have the opportunity to meet the best of the best in person (along with lowly us).

Loud & Clear

It's hard work. Try working all day, and possibly all night as well. And try working so hard... Only to be paid so little.

This isn't just a theoretical scenario for these workers. This is real life.





That's why they and some community friends stood outside a local McDonald's in Las Vegas today. They have been working hard for minimum wage and near minimum wage pay. And they're struggling to survive.



Minimum wage hasn't been enough for them to take care of their families. So they asked for a raise. And they weren't alone in doing so.

This was just one of many #FastFoodGlobal events across the nation... And around the world. They were simply asking for fair wages. They were asking for a chance to feed their families. And they were asking for a chance to improve our economy.

And they weren't alone today. State Senator Ruben Kihuen (D-Las Vegas), community activist Linda Turner, and many more community allies from PLAN, ProgressNow Nevada, SEIU, and elsewhere joined the protest.



For over an hour, they were all baking under the hot Southern Nevada sun. And this was just one of three #FastFoodGlobal events in the valley today. Local fast food workers really wanted to make sure their voices were heard today.



They can only hope they were heard loud & clear.







This isn't some theoretical argument over abstract numbers. This is real life. Real families here in Nevada are struggling, even as they're working as hard as they can to get by.

Can we hear them? We should. The message should be coming across loud & clear by now.

Bloody Juice

We just saw another one unfold. It's easy to lose count of how many we've witnessed in the past few years. However, it's never easy to witness such a brutal and cruel loss of innocent lives.

This time, it happened at Fort Hood, Texas... Again. On November 5, 2009, Major Nidal Malik Hasan opened fire at Fort Hood. He killed 13 people and wounded at least 30 others.



On April 2, 2014, Ivan Lopez opened fire at Fort Hood. He killed 3 people and wounded 16 others before shooting himself dead. Lopez was under evaluation for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) just before he picked up his .45 caliber pistol and opened fire.

Once again, we're reminded of the serious public health, national security, and civil rights threats posed by unfettered gun violence. And once again, we're left wondering why this keeps happening. Once again, we're left wondering why we haven't taken more action to curb this senseless loss of lives.

Ironically enough, The White House had scheduled a "Champions of Change" event today to honor those who have been working hard on gun violence prevention. One of those honored today was Nevada's own Teresa Crawford. The event went on as planned this morning, but it certainly had a more somber tone in light of yesterday's tragic event at Fort Hood.

It also felt (even) more poignant. Think about it. Fort Hood has just endured another mass shooting. The perpetrator had mental health struggles. And yet, he successfully accessed and discharged a .45 caliber Smith & Wesson pistol. How could this happen again? And why are we letting this happen over & over again?



At today's event, Teresa discussed the campaign gun violence prevention activists have used to hold politicians like Senator Dean Heller (R-NRA), Rep. Joe Heck (R-NRA), and Governor Brian Sandoval (R-NRA) accountable for serving as "what stood in the way" between us and better gun safety standards. She and the other panelists shared stories of their own experience with gun violence, and how they've been able to turn their stories of tragedy into opportunities to build community and work on positive action to improve their communities. And yes, they also shared stories of how they're still working to overcome the immense political juice the NRA & gun industry still hold locally & nationally.

What we're now realizing is that the juice the NRA & gun industry produce is a rather bloody juice. They keep peddling fantasies of deregulation heaven. Yet when we follow their orders, we only end up with hell is nightmares. Something must change. We can't afford to continue drinking this bloody juice.

There's Gold Out There.

When most think of Southern Nevada, they envision the glitz & glamour of the Las Vegas Strip. Perhaps some also manage to imagine the emerging "hipster haven" of Downtown Las Vegas. Perhaps a few can even manage to picture the wonder of the Hoover Dam & O'Callaghan-Tillman Memorial Bridge, and/or the natural phenomenon that is Red Rock Canyon.

Just imagine what these potential tourists would think if they knew about Gold Butte.



We've been following this story for some time. Activists have been working for years to secure federal protection for a very special stretch of land. And they encountered a historic breakthrough last May when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) and Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) introduced legislation to create a National Conservation Area (NCA) for "Nevada's Piece of the Grand Canyon".

So what's next for Gold Butte? We've been waiting all these years for the final move that will save Gold Butte for future generations. Will this bill finally get us there?



ProgressNow Nevada isn't waiting any longer. It's now calling on President Obama to declare Gold Butte a National Monument. (Under the Antiquities Act, the President has the authority to do so.)

Why? Take a look at the productivity (or lack thereof) of this current Congress. If Congress struggles to even keep the government open and pay its own bills, how can we realistically expect it to handle issues like preserving Gold Butte & other sensitive public lands?

But then again, miracles occasionally happen. And if anyone can make miracles happen on Capitol Hill, it's Harry Reid. Perhaps he can figure out a way to get this Congress to save Gold Butte.

But what if he can't? How much more political limbo can Gold Butte endure? How much more neglect & degradation of this unique Nevada treasure must occur before someone finally takes action to save it? Who really wants to risk waiting until it's too late?

There's Gold out there. And it's just too golden and too precious to let waste. Sooner or later, someone will have to save it. And the one question that remains is: How much longer must we wait?

The Reality of Gun Violence

2013 was a memorable year for numerous reasons. Perhaps one of the saddest reasons was the increasing frequency of mass shootings. And already, 2014 is off to an incredibly dangerous start.

From movie theaters to restaurants to neighborhood strip malls and even the famous Las Vegas Strip, the fear of gun violence penetrated deep into our daily lives. Even our schools have sometimes transformed into armed battlefields.

So what can we do about this? How can we reverse this alarming trend? This is what several Nevadans discussed during a special summit on gun violence prevention that was hosted by the Center for American Progress and ProgressNow Nevada.





When we talk about gun violence, we often encounter a number of misconceptions and wrong assumptions. One is that the debate is between "big guv'mint loony lib'rul gun grabbbers" and "gun totin' freedom lovin' conservatives". Unlike the caricatures we see in the media and from certain politicians, reality doesn't resemble the simple caricatures. And local gun owner Dwayne Morton came to the summit to explain this to the audience.



Actually, most gun owners support common sense efforts to reduce gun violence. Don't believe us? Believe this new PPP poll. Overall, 78% of Nevadans support expanding background checks for gun purchases. And 54% of that sample were gun owners.

So why do many in the media still resort to inaccurate caricatures when talking about gun violence? That's a good question. And it's one that Peter Ambler inadvertently brought to the forefront during his presentation. Before he went to work at Americans for Responsible Solutions, he started working for (then) Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Arizona) just days before she was shot at the Tucson massacre.



Both Gabby Giffords and her husband, Mark Kelly, are gun owners. Giffords even enjoyed favorable grades from the NRA during her service in Congress. So what changed? They became victims of gun violence, and they later concluded that America is ready to move beyond the inaccurate caricatures and have a real discussion on the reality of gun violence.

Of course, the reality of gun violence isn't limited to other states. It's also come home to Nevada, and we can no longer ignore the dangerous consequences of inaction.

That's why ProgressNow Nevada's Annette Magnus & Teresa Crawford took to the stage at the summit. They reminded the audience of what occurred in Downtown Las Vegas on January 4, 2010. Security officer Stanley Cooper and US Marshal Richard Gardner were shot on duty at the Lloyd George Federal Building. Johnny Lee Wicks shot both of them with a gun he purchased without a background check at a gun show. Gardner ultimately survived the attack, but Cooper passed away.



Sadly, tragedies like this have become all too common in Nevada and throughout the nation. Believe it or not, 20 kids are hospitalized every day on average in this nation due to firearms injuries. And domestic violence victims now face more danger due to easy & lax gun laws (which allow abusers to access firearms).







The reality of gun violence isn't sexy. It isn't always simple. It's never really limited to just "over there" and/or "not here". And it should never be forced into false caricatures.

Last year, very basic gun safety reform proposals were on the table in Congress and the Nevada Legislature. Both were ultimately smothered to death by the gun lobby. And we're all still living the consequences of that.

The reality of gun violence is quite lethal, yet it can be changed. Are we willing to change it? Are we ready to save lives? This is reality, but it doesn't have to remain this way.

What Happens in Vegas...

Las Vegas: "What happens here stays here." Yeah, right! Actually, what happens here often ends up taking the world by storm!

Case in point: Last week's Consumer Electronics Show. Everyone is still talking about all the hot new gadgets coming soon to a store near you. And that's not all. Las Vegas has become a major destination for business conventions highlighting trends of the future. In fact, we have another headline grabbing convention in town this week...

It's the SHOT Show. It's at Sands Expo this week. And it will showcase all the hot new firearms, ammunition, "outdoor living accessories" (Quack), and even military grade survival kits coming onto the market. The latter should make a great gift for all the doomsday preppers in your life.

But wait, there's more. Freedom Group is upping the ante this week with its militaristic campaign to sell its military grade assault weapons and accompanying accessories. Freedom Group promises ease in "killin' zombies", as its products are "built to be tough as the job", "made to run, not collect dust in the gun safe", and "giv[ing] you the confidence and firepower to get the job done". Oh, and let's not forget that these are the same military grade assault weapons that have been used by the likes of Adam Lanza (Newtown), James Holmes (Aurora), Christopher Dorner (Orange County/Los Angeles), and other perpetrators of mass shootings to "get the job done".

In recent years, we've witnessed massive bloodshed as the result of epic gun violence. That's why ProgressNow Nevada could not remain silent on the eve of this year's SHOT Show.



Cars are tightly regulated. So are toys. So are kitchen appliances. So are many other everyday items consumers use. So why can't we do the same with items that are specifically designed to kill?

Think about it. Gun manufacturers spend millions on eye-popping ads like what we discussed above. They also give millions to the NRA to fight even the most modest gun safety reform efforts. How on earth does this qualify as "responsible behavior"? And should we be more concerned about what's happening at Sands Expo this week?



This is happening just a few steps away from The Strip, where Kenneth Brown and Michael Boldon lost their lives to gun violence. And this is where gun manufacturers are selling the same weapons and ammo used to kill Trayvon Martin, Janay Mcfarlane, Michael Landsberry, and many others. Why are these gun manufacturers pumping so much money into the NRA in order to fight efforts to prevent their products from taking away so many innocent lives?

Like other major conventions, the SHOT Show is taking advantage of the glitz and glamour of the Las Vegas Strip to highlight its products. Yet unlike most other major conventions, the products being highlighted this week are built to kill. And unlike most other major conventions, the organizers have pumped millions of dollars into vitriolic campaigns to kill legislation meant to foster safer communities in Nevada and throughout the nation.

What happens here in Las Vegas typically doesn't stay here. One can hope what happens here this week will lead to some sober reflection on what's happening at Sands Expo... And in our communities.

Take This Seriously.

Just when we thought we could enjoy the Thanksgiving Holiday last week, the Nevada G-O-TEA Circus of Batsh*t Crazy had to interrupt our plans. Oh, yes. That's right. They went there... Again!

So what happened this time? Oh, Assembly Member Michelle Fiore (R-Las Vegas) just decided to "spice up" a local "talk radio" show with veiled threats of violence. After all, she just loves her weapons... And her NRA Seal of Approval.

So what exactly happened? Assembly Member Fiore was a guest on a KNXT show on Tuesday. So were Culinary 226's Yvanna Cancela and ProgressNow's Annette Magnus. When Fiore confronted Cancela over Culinary's aggressive organizing, she dropped this verbal bomb.

"The behavior that you did in front of the Cosmo would get you a bullet in your head in Brooklyn, because that is not the behavior that we want here in Nevada."

While many (even some on the left) have disagreed with Culinary's more controversial battle plans in its ongoing war against anti-union casinos, no one can say Culinary organizers aren't protected by the First Amendment. And no one can say they deserve "Second Amendment Remedies" for exercising their First Amendment rights.

Of course, the usual G-O-TEA spin doctors tried to change the subject as soon as this news hit Twitter. AFP Nevada even tried to start a flame war over Assembly Member Fiore's Twitter handle! But of course, it didn't work.

Instead, we were reminded of what happens when such violent rhetoric is injected into our political dialogue. When does this ever demonstrate "responsible behavior"? (Hint: Never.) And really, elected officials should know better.

Haven't we experienced more than enough bloodshed this year? Hell, we've even seen gun violence hit awfully close to home here in Nevada. Seriously, this isn't something to blithely dismiss and/or ignore.

So why aren't we taking this seriously? Why are some of our elected "leaders" threatening bullets in others' heads? What will it take for us to finally learn? Gun violence needs to be taken seriously.

On Record

So it finally happened. After many signs and letters and hopes and prayers, Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) personally came down yesterday to meet with grassroots activists calling for comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). He listened to their stories... And he even prayed with the group before returning inside.

However, that wasn't all. Shortly after that, Culinary 226 and Nevada AFL-CIO workers, along with community activists from PLAN and ProgressNow Nevada, joined the DREAM Big Vegas crew in Pebble Park to make a second trip to Rep. Heck's Henderson area office and demand a House vote for CIR.





Culinary's Yvanna Cancela fired up the crowd at the park...



And then, the group prayed together before making the big walk.



Finally, everyone crossed the street and marched together in solidarity.



But because the manager of the complex was trying to rent vacant offices there, only groups of four were allowed inside one group at a time. The rest had to wait outside. They had to wait outside, in the back of the building, under the hot August sun.

And yet, they all waited. They waited to file inside, turn in "constituent comment forms", and let Rep. Heck's office know that Nevada families from all walks of life want Congress to finish the job on immigration reform.





All it takes is a floor vote. Rep. Heck and other House Republicans need to be willing to join a bipartisan call for a floor vote. Will they?

At least now, it's on record that real NV-03 constituents want one.

Glimmer of Hope

Earlier today, immigrant rights activists gathered outside Rep. Joe Heck's (R) Henderson office. They asked for Rep. Heck to stand up and push for a vote on comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). And to everyone's surprise, Rep. Heck came down himself to meet with the activists in the parking lot.

He first spoke with Denice. She explained to Rep. Heck why she and Jacinto (her husband) can't visit his family.



He then heard Victoria's story. She was separated from her mother when she was eight. She hasn't seen her mother since, and she's constantly had to live in the shadows as a DREAMer.



He also heard from Chris and Juan. Both recently signed up for DACA. Juan and his father have even been able to start their own pool maintenance business since then. They were on hand to represent the very people Joe Heck and other House Republicans voted to deport in June.



What a difference two months can make. Since then, Rep. Heck has (again) changed his tune on CIR. He even prayed with the crowd today.



At least today, it seemed like there was renewed hope all around. Rep. Heck agreed to come down and engage DREAM Big Vegas. Everyone discussed without screaming. Everyone even prayed together.

So will this translate into the long awaited House passage of CIR? We shall see. But at least for now, a glimmer of hope survives.

Lives on the Line

As #NVLeg #77 finally comes to a close today, we're monitoring all the insane, nonsensical drama surrounding what should be the common sense of SB 221. Last we checked this morning, it was drowning in committee. But moments ago, it finally got a life preserver at the very last minute.

The intense lobbying on the gun bill paid off a short time ago when the background checks measure, SB 221, got out of Assembly Judiciary with Olivia Diaz, who had been waffling, voting yes to get it to the floor. It will now likely pass the Assembly and be vetoed by the governor. And then we will see what Mayors Against Illegal Guns does in 2014.

Yet with that being said, Assembly Members James Ohrenschall (D-Sunrise Manor) and Richard Carrillo (D-Paradise) joined all the Republicans on the Assembly Judiciary Committee in voting against the bill. We discussed earlier Ohrenschall's excuse for opposing the bill. And now, ProgressNow Nevada is responding.

“As with any new law there would have to be some public education,” said Brian Fadie, Executive Director of ProgressNow Nevada, “however SB 221 is unique in that the issue and the bill itself has been extensively covered by media outlets throughout Nevada and in different languages.”

Spanish media specifically has covered SB 221 almost weekly and just last week both Telemundo and Univision in Las Vegas ran stories on Nevada’s gun laws. Telemundo Las Vegas was even present at the bill’s hearing last Tuesday in the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

“There are multiple bills that have passed through the Nevada Legislature that are more difficult to understand than SB221 and have not had anywhere near the coverage and attention this bill has received,” said Brian Fadie. “86 percent of Nevadans want expanded background checks and they deserve a vote from the members of the Nevada Assembly.”

And I personally saw the cameras at last week's SB 221 hearing. English and Spanish language media have been covering this issue relentlessly. Perhaps that's why Assembly Member Olivia Diaz (D-North Las Vegas) finally came around to pass the bill out of committee?

Meanwhile, Assembly Members Carrillo and Ohrenschall actually sided with Michele Fiore (R-Las Vegas) in rejecting expansion of background checks to keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of dangerous criminals. Is the NRA's seal of approval (and blood money campaign cash) truly that much more important than saving lives? Really? Is a $250 check worth more than saving innocent people's lives?

Even though it's now out of committee, SB 221 still faces a rocky road ahead. It will likely pass the Assembly, but Governor Brian Sandoval (R-NRA) continues his veto threats. And the lives of many Nevadans remain on the line. The lives of many Nevadans of many ethnicities in many communities throughout the state remain on the line. And yet, the Governor and several legislators who are supposed to be representing and serving these people don't seem to care about that.

Yep, this is how we're ending the 77th session of the Nevada Legislature.

What About the Actual Policy?

This morning, we saw full houses in Carson City and Las Vegas. SB 221 faced its Assembly Judiciary Committee hearing. And we heard plenty from all sides on gun violence.

In Carson City, we heard plenty of testimony. And we heard testimony from people who know guns quite well. David Chipman was one of them.

atdleft: http://t.co/UXB3TlOfmS "This is a crime control problem... No 1 wants loved ones hurt." @DemandAction's David Chipman @ #NVLeg #SB221 #nvp2

He's a former ATF agent. And he now works with the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Demand Action project precisely because he knows personally how dangerous unchecked firearms can be.



And that's not all. ProgressNow Nevada's Brian Fadie and Teresa Crawford came prepared to the Grant Sawyer Building in Las Vegas to talk about the real facts on SB 221 and gun safety. And they were not alone. In addition, citizen activist Esther Sass reminded the committee of the real world consequences of allowing dangerous weapons to fall into the wrong hands.





Yet when Senator Justin Jones (D-Enterprise) described the scene of the crime of the 2011 Lloyd George Las Vegas Courthouse shooting, a SB 221 opponent in Las Vegas shouted, "So what?!"

Eventually, it was their turn to testify. And here's how that went down.

SteveSebelius: Enforce laws that currently exist? Current law says felons, mentally ill can't have guns. B-ground checks will help us enforce existing law!

And that wasn't all. They even tried feigning concern for LGBTQ families, the mentally ill, and even the working poor! Isn't it funny how the "tea party" and NRA only care about oppressed minority communities when gun safety legislation comes up? Where's their "concern" when our civil rights and well being are actually at stake?





Of course, we're now seeing plenty of political jockeying on possible life or death for SB 221 and overall gun safety reform in the Nevada Legislature. What about the actual policy? With time quickly running out on #NVLeg #77, who's noticing this?

A Memorable Visit to Reid's & Heller's Offices

Well, someone isn't backing down. On KNPR's "State of Nevada" this morning, Senator Harry Reid (D) reiterated his commitment to the comprehensive gun safety reform bill he is introducing into Congress. Even in the wake of Senator Dean Heller's (R) waffling on the matter, Reid is sticking to his bill.

We know gun violence is a serious problem here in Nevada. We've seen it first hand in many instances. Yet now, Congress has a chance to act. Will Congress act?



This is why the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Demand Action campaign, ProgressNow Nevada, OFA Nevada, and more local citizens paid a visit to Senator Harry Reid's (D) and Senator Dean Heller's (R) respective offices at the Lloyd George Federal Courthouse in Downtown Las Vegas. They wanted the Senators to know Nevadans demand action. Yet in arriving there, protesters encountered a surprising twist.

But before we get to that, let's hear from ProgressNow's Brian Fadie on why action is needed.



We also heard from ProgressNow's Teresa Crawford. She also works as a nurse, so she's seen first hand the damage of gun violence.



Also speaking at the PLAN/ProgressNow office before the march to Lloyd George was Esther Sass. She's very much experienced the pain of gun violence first hand. And she powerfully made the case for action.





The group then made the trek to Lloyd George. Then upon arrival, they found out... They wouldn't be allowed in. Everyone then had to move out.

A representative from Senator Reid's office soon came out. He thanked the crowd for coming. And he reiterated Senator Reid'a support for expanded background checks.





He was soon followed by representatives from Senator Heller's office.



And that's all I can show you because Senator Heller's staff refused to allow cameras (but somehow KTNV's video camera was allowed to keep rolling, so at least there was that). The staff took the binder full of supporters of gun safety reform, but refused to state Senator Heller's position on gun safety. Again, they did not even want any recorded evidence of this occurring! Talk about a "profile in courage". (/snark)



Senator Heller is more than willing to pin all the blame on Hollywood for gun violence, yet Heller refuses to take any personal responsibility to fix the holes in current federal law. Again, 86% of Nevadans and about 90% of Americans support expanded background checks. So why won't Senator Heller commit to voting for that?

Surely, he doesn't agree with Sharron Angle and her "Second Amendment Remedies"? Surely, he thinks dangerous criminals should not have easy access to dangerous ammunition? So what's he afraid of?

Why These Families Demand Action

Today, local parents are speaking out. These moms and local volunteers with the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Demand Action campaign just explained why they're speaking up on gun safety in Las Vegas today.



The action has begun at the PLAN Las Vegas office. Local moms like Jessica Nelsen and Linda Cavazos explained their stories on gun violence.





So did Esther Sass. She lost her brother to gun violence. And since then, she's done her research on gun violence.



Yes, this is reality. People are dying because we haven't fixed our gun laws. We've asked this before, and we must ask this again today. How many more people must die before we finally take action?



This is why people in Nevada and throughout the nation demand action.

Just minutes ago, the Nevada Assembly finally voted to expel Steven Brooks. And remember, he came very close to buying a gun despite his recent record.

So now, it's Congress' turn to take action. Something must change. It's time for Senators Harry Reid and Dean Heller to act.

A Message for Joe Heck

In a very eventful week on gun violence, this was the climax. On the day after the Las Vegas Strip shooting that killed 3 and wounded 3 more, and 3 days after Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) agreeing with local right wing talk radio host Alan Stock's characterization of Gabby Giffords as a "prop", there were both progressive protesters and "tea party" protesters outside Heck's district office in the Southwest Valley.





Just hours after Heck appeared on Alan Stock's show, he held a town hall meeting in Henderson where he took several questions on gun safety. And after that disastrous radio debacle, Heck tried toning down his language on guns. He even endorsed universal background checks and legislation to curb illegal gun trafficking. Yet even on Tuesday, he used some rather strong language in defending civilian use of military grade assault weapons.



That's why OFA Nevada, ProgressNow Nevada, the Southwest Democratic Club, and more grassroots progressives were paying a(nother) visit to Heck's office. They wanted to know what he will actually do when he returns to Washington. Will he abide by what he said Tuesday when he promised to reach across the aisle on gun trafficking, background checks, and even allowing CDC research on gun violence? Or will he cave to "tea party" pressure (again)? After all, they were there to protest Heck doing anything on gun safety!

Kathleen Wilson is a Navy veteran, a mom, and a local OFA volunteer. She went to Joe Heck's office to ask him to use common sense when looking at gun safety reform proposals.



Teresa Crawford and Linda Cavazos are OFA "super volunteers" in Henderson. Teresa is also a registered nurse who lives just down the hill from Heck's posh guard gated community. Linda works as a mental health professional, and she & her husband are responsible gun owners. They spoke about what Heck said this week, the gun violence Southern Nevada has experienced recently, and why Congress must act on all of President Obama's gun safety agenda.





Outside, progressive protesters outnumbered "tea party" protesters by about 3:1. Yet several Heck staffers came outside to greet both sides. And they had "constituent comment forms" on them. Heck himself was not to be found.





This has been quite a week here in Southern Nevada. We had another painful reminder of the reality of gun violence in this country. And a Member of Congress here has been trying to straddle the fence in the gun safety debate.

But now, it's time for Joe Heck to act. And it's time for the rest of Congress to act. After today's event, some OFA volunteers will hand deliver letters to the respective offices of Senators Harry Reid (D) and Dean Heller (R) asking them to act on the entire gun safety agenda proposed by the President. Nevadans demand action. That's something Heck's staff should have noticed today.

Joe Heck('s Office) Gets a Reality Check

This issue isn't going away any time soon. Especially as we see more shootings here in Nevada and across the country, gun safety remains in the headlines. And today, Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) finally broke his silence on the issue that's already been debated by many of his colleagues in Congress for the past two months.

So what did Dr. Heck prescribe as a policy solution? [crickets]

That's why ProgressNow Nevada and some NV-03 concerned constituents paid a visit to Joe Heck's district office in the Southwest Valley. Here's a glimpse of what happened.







Several of Heck's constituents came to make a statement. Yet interestingly enough, Heck's district staff were ready and waiting for them. To their credit, they talked a bit with constituents. But of course, they soon handed out "constituent comment forms" for them to fill out and leave with the staff. There was no actual sit-down time at the office.

Unfortunately for Heck's staff, media cameras were also present. But hey, at least there were also a few counter-protesters there to decry President Obama's gun safety plan... Or at least the NRA's spin on it. Even a couple of the counter-protesters conceded the necessity of universal background checks!

So how much longer can Heck stay mum on gun safety reform?

This likely won't be the last time Heck hears from his constituents on gun safety. President Obama and gun safety advocates plan to highlight this issue in a major way tomorrow during the State of the Union Address. Grassroots groups like Courage Campaign will continue pushing for comprehensive gun safety reform, including the new Assault Weapons Ban proposed by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California) and President Obama. And as long as a broad majority of Americans demand action on gun safety, Congress will feel the pressure to act.

So is Heck ready to have an honest conversation on real solutions to prevent gun violence? Or will he hide behind empty platitudes while tacitly approving of the latest outbreak of "tea party" madness? How many more gun induced tragedies must Nevada and the nation endure before Heck & his colleagues in Congress take action? Heck's constituents are waiting for answers.