Color Us Unimpressed

They're here! They're here. Yep, they made it. However, their opponents did not.

Last night, State Senator Justin Jones (D-Enterprise) and Assembly Member Marilyn Dondero Loop (D-Spring Valley) were set to debate their Republican opponents in their respective State Senate races on Ralston Reports. They showed up... But their opponents did not.

Last night, State Senator Michael Roberson (R-Henderson) had the opportunity to disprove the critics who've been calling his hand-picked running mates "spineless" for taking his marching orders to hide from the general public. He had the chance to prove to everyone that he & his hand-picked running mates have nothing to hide. But instead, all we heard from the reclusive Republicans was this.



Oh, and this. No really, Roberson apparently believes it's OK to leak internal poll numbers in lieu of actually appearing in public to answer questions from constituents. Does he actually expect us to believe it's OK for him and his hand-picked running mates to avoid public contact because his hand-picked running mates are "WINNING!!!"?

Not so fast. That poll is from Tarrance Group. Oh, yes. That's right. This poll is from the same firm that claimed Meg Whitman (R) was tied with Jerry Brown in the 2010 California Governor race (she ended up losing by 13%), and that Carly Fiorina (R) was tied with Barbara Boxer (D) in California's US Senate race that year (Fiorina ended up losing by 10%). In October 2012, Tarrance Group notoriously released a poll showing Danny Tarkanian (R) clobbering Steven Horsford (D) by 10% in NV-04 (Tark ended up losing by 8%). In addition, Tarrance released polls showing Republicans close behind or ahead in House races in California, Iowa, and New York... And those races were all won by Democrats in November 2012.

So Senator Roberson shouldn't be gloating right now. Even if "We predict 52-47 ROMNEY!!!" Tarrance Group had a decent reputation, it's never acceptable to substitute poll numbers for debate appearances. But since Roberson can't even release trustworthy poll numbers in lieu of releasing his hand-picked running mates, all we have to say is this. Sorry, but that is not how to properly remove a wig during a lip sync.

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.

"Rebranding" BS

Earlier this month, we noted the lower House of Congress' failure to ensure equal access to military family benefits. Yes, you read that right. The G-O-TEA led House could not even agree to that.

Rep. Dina Titus (D-Paradise) has been working on this issue for some time. And finally, she succeeded this month at securing a committee vote for her legislation as an amendment to a related veterans' bill. It then lost by one vote.

Obviously, Rep. Titus was upset. However, she's not alone on this.



And she isn't stopping on this one issue. Yesterday, Rep. Titus joined Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) in signing a discharge petition for ENDA. And as of today, Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colorado) now has 75 signatures for his ENDA discharge petition.

The catch? All 75 of those signatures are from Democrats. And House Republican "leaders" just canceled all remaining work days until after the election. How sweet. So right after Congress returns from summer recess, the House will essentially enjoy a fall recess. We wonder where else one can find so many paid vacation days.

Unfortunately for millions of LGBTQ American workers, it's far from easy to even feel safe at work. Rep. Polis has amended the House version of ENDA to close any & all loopholes opened by the US Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby decision. Even though President Obama did sign an executive order forbidding federal contractors from engaging in employment discrimination, that still leaves millions of LGBTQ Americans throughout the nation who simply have the misfortune of living in a state without a state level ENDA and working for a company without any federal contracts.

Last November, the US Senate passed ENDA on a broad, bipartisan 64-32 vote of approval. Yet since then, the House has refused to take it up. Just like House Republican "leaders'" blithe dismissal of military equality legislation, they've been awfully swift in shooting down any & all attempts at bringing ENDA to the House floor.

Last November, the Republican Party's internal culture war burst onto national media headlines when Liz Cheney nearly disowned her sister in preparation for a US Senate campaign in Wyoming. Yet while Liz Cheney later abandoned her diastrous attempt at electoral politics to return to the cozy confines of the Northern Virginia DC suburbs, her sister Mary Cheney continues to plead with her party to make peace with the 21st century. Unfortunately for her and other Republican campaign consultants hoping to "revamp the party's image", the 21st Century Know Nothings continue pulling the G-O-TEA in more of a 19th century direction.



They're still struggling to accept marriage equality. They're still attacking transgender Americans with reckless abandon. They won't allow a floor vote on ENDA. And they can't even allow equal access to military spousal benefits. And we're supposed to believe "Republican rebranding" is real?

Sure, it's real... Bull$h!+.

Think Before You Act

Today, we're all remembering what happened 13 years ago. And we're facing tough questions that harken back to the decisions made in the aftermath of September 11.

Not even a year after 9/11 and the start of the Afghanistan War, then President George W. Bush wanted to go to war in Iraq. We were initially told Saddam Hussein was personally responsible for 9/11. Then, we were told Saddam Hussein was providing safe harbor to al-Qaeda terrorists. Then, we were told Iraq was somehow part of the "Axis of Evil". Then, we were told of "smoking guns" and "mushroom clouds".

Ultimately, then President Bush got the war he wanted. Thanks to neoconservative allies in Congress like Senator
John McCain (R-Arizona), approval for the Iraq invasion was a snap. And Bush never had to worry about obtaining more funding for what later became a war of "liberation" and "spreading democracy".



Senator John McCain, along with so many of the other regular cable "news" talking heads and Sunday show pundits, have regularly been proven wrong on their constant assertions that all we need is another war in order for Americans to "feel safe".



But what if we don't need another war in order to "feel safe"? What if we don't need to repeat the mistakes from our last war in the region? What if we actually think before we act?

We can't afford to make the same mistakes we made in Iraq last decade. While Isis indeed poses a threat to regional stability in the Middle East, it's not the some rapidly approaching apocalypse for America. Yet if we make the wrong move there, we risk further destabilization of the region (and ironically, a stronger Isis).



Contrary to what certain "TEA" flavored media pundits like to say, sports analogies won't help. Neither will bombastic rhetoric. And probably neither will yet another full scale Middle East war.

Perhaps we should think some more before we act. We have no obligation to repeat the mistakes of the previous Iraq War. And we have no obligation to commit thousands more American troops to a geopolitical Pandora's Box that only promises more brutal & bloody mayhem if opened. However, there are 535 people on Capitol Hill who do have an obligation to hold a vote. We'd like for them to think and act on it.

Down the Rabbit Hole (Again)

How did we know this was coming? Are we prophets? Or are we just able to put 2 & 2 together to make 4?

Remember the fine folks at Heritage? After several Republicans accused them of cooking the books to derail Congressional momentum for comprehensive immigration reform (CIR), Heritage stood by the work of Jason Richwine... Even as reporters uncovered "research" he wrote suggesting Latin@s have lower IQs than white people. Even though Heritage ultimately quietly released him, it still stood by the findings of that epically flawed "research" on CIR.

And now, Heritage is actually soliciting state government funds for anti-immigrant militia outfits. Oh, yes. That's right. Heritage is demanding wingnut welfare taxpayer dollars for these people.



Of course, this makes perfect sense to Heritage, as it's also advocating the murder of pro-CIR Republicans.



So now, Heritage is swimming in the same cesspool as Shawna Forde and JT Ready. Heritage is endorsing their brand of "securing the border" while calling for taxpayer dollars to be siphoned over to the likes of Jim Gilchrist and the Arizona Militia. So this is what Heritage and its G-O-TEA cheerleaders now call "immigration reform"?



Who are they kidding? The US Department of Homeland Security has confirmed that Cliven Bundy and his Patriot Movement BFFs have encouraged even more violent activity from anti-government extremists. And Heritage now says it's a great idea for state governments to fund these very anti-government militia outfits?

How did we know this was coming? Heritage jumped down the rabbit hole long ago. As of late, Heritage has been succeeding in taking most of the Republican Party down with it. And they all seem hell-bent on repeating the very same mistake they made when they rushed to endorse Cliven Bundy's "Range War" in April. When will they ever learn?

Whatever

Whatever happened to "fiscal responsibility"? Whatever happened to austerity? Whatever happened to "live within your means"? Oh, and whatever does Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Austerity) have to say about this?

Outgoing Texas Governor Rick Perry (R) has decided to pull another political stunt on the border. Fresh off his ammosexual orgy "heat packing display" with Sean Hannity, Rick Perry decided to send about 1,000 Texas National Guard troops to the US-Mexico Border. And he wants the federal government to pay for this political stunt National Guard deployment.



Remember that National Guard troops are not authorized to make arrests. And keep in mind that Congress can easily alleviate the situation in South Texas by approving the $3.7 billion emergency appropriations bill that President Obama has proposed. Oh, and the comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) legislation that Perry's fellow Republicans on Capitol Hill rejected would have added even more border security on top of the already aggressive border security regime that President Obama already has in place. (How does Rick Perry think all these #BorderChildren have been picked up by Border Patrol?)

So why is Rick Perry now doing this? Why is he ordering roughly 1,000 Texas National Guard troops to the US-Mexico Border? Why is he ordering troops who can't even make arrests and demanding the feds pay for them? Why won't he instead do something more productive?

Well, why did infamous G-O-TEA pot stirrer Laura Ingraham concoct a brand new anti-Obama conspiracy theory centered on the downed Malaysian Airlines plane in eastern Ukraine? Why did G-O-TEA Demon Queen professional flame thrower Ann Coulter attack a teenage girl? Why has G-O-TEA conspiracy king Glenn Beck been mercilessly attacked by his own party for suggesting refugee children be treated with compassion?

Whatever happened to policy consistency? Whatever happened to human decency? And whatever happened to good political sense?

Whatever G-O-TEA politicians are thinking... Wait, are they even thinking? Or are they just reacting out of pure stupidi-TEA? Whatever they're doing, it's already a strong contender for "Most Ridiculous Political Stunt of the Year".

When You Wish Upon... What?!

OK, kids. It's time to fire up the Wayback Machine. Let's travel back to January 2013. Remember the sordid tale of John Swallow & Jeremy Johnson?

Wait, who?!

Here's what we know so far. St. George businessman Jeremy Johnson wanted the legal equivalent of a magic wand to wave away a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigation into his internet marketing company, I Works. So he contacted then Deputy Utah Attorney General John Swallow (R), who then connected him with the late Check City (payday loan provider) owner Richard Rawle. 

Now here's where we descend into "he said, he said" territory. Johnson alleges that Swallow & Rawle struck a deal with him where he'd give them $600,000... For them to then bribe Senator [Harry] Reid [D] into making the FTC investigation of I Works go away. 

However, Swallow vehemently denies this allegation. Swallow's version of the story goes as this: He just thought (at the time that) Johnson was facing an unfair probe by the FTC. So he referred Johnson to his former employer Rawle. And he's even presented an affidavit from Rawle (prepared just before his death) stating Johnson paid Rawle $250,000 to hire federal lobbyists to make Johnson's case in DC.

At the very least, some sleazy wheeling-dealing was going on here. And now that John Swallow is Utah's Attorney General, he's facing the political scandal of his life. However, there's been nothing produced so far that confirms that Reid accepted any kind of bribe from Johnson, Swallow, and/or Rawle.

Yesterday, Former Utah Attorneys General John Swallow (R) & Mark Shurtleff (R) were indicted on 23 counts. They face up to 30 years in prison if convicted. And yes, this has to do with their alleged dealings with Jeremy Johnson and the late Richard Rawle.

Already, this is causing a huge political earthquake in Utah. And already, investigators are suggesting more indictments are on the way in the Swallow-Johnson corruption case.

However, some in Utah are disappointed that the federal Department of Justice declined to take this case. Even the lead investigators have suggested such. Could it possibly be...

Still, no. Even as certain figures whisper about Senator Harry Reid's potential involvement, no evidence has actually been found. We only have Jeremy Johnson's claims that Senator Reid is involved. And keep in mind that Jeremy Johnson had demanded a refund of the $250,000 he paid Richard Rawle because Senator Reid never made that pesky FTC investigation of I Works go away!

We get it. This is awful news for Utah Republicans. Many sense this case goes far deeper than some money Rawle, Shurtleff, and Swallow passed around. And certain media pundits are hungry for a big, splashy "SCANDAL!!!" involving Nevada's top elected leader.

But no matter how much certain pundits & politicians wish for a "Reid connection" here, they can't wish it into being true. Just as they couldn't turn a UNLV Foundation fundraiser into a giant "Hillary Clinton SCANDAL!!!", they can't just wish it into reality.

The 2014 Election Cycle isn't even over yet, and already some politicians & pundits are wishing for 2016 fireworks. And already, they're wishing for "SCANDALZZZ!!!" that only seem to be political mirages. Perhaps instead of wishing for that which will never materialize, they need to focus on what's actually here.

Ugly Numbers Game

Last week, it was soccer. No really, it was soocer. The 21st Century Know Nothings declared their opposition to soccer because the World Cup is actually something the entire world participates in (and more Americans are just discovering "the beautiful game").

Now, it's children. No really, it's children. The 21st Century Know Nothings are so enraged by Central American immigrant children that they want to deport them all. And even though President Obama is planning to move ahead with deportation for at least most of these children, Congressional G-O-TEA Culture Warriors still plan to impeach President Obama for something he did not do.

On Saturday, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) joined House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-California) and Rep. Filemon Vela (D-Texas) to tour a detention facility in Vela's Brownsville district that's housing many of these immigrant children. And there, they made the case for strong action... For these children, and eventually for comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) as well.



But now, these children have become the latest excuse for House Republican "leaders" to kill CIR. They've tried #Benghazi. They've tried #IRS. They've tried #VA07. And yes, they've even tried #Bergdahl. And all of that was before they turned to children and soccer.

Now, as always, Congressional G-O-TEA "leaders" are blaming President Obama for their own shortcomings. And even though President Obama has overseen the deportation of about 2 million immigrants during his time in office, and even as his administration is about to order even more deportations, they're now attacking the President for "not enforcing the law"... Even when he has.

And of course, they're now attacking the President just as he's about to announce further executive action to curb the record pace of deportations. Millions of American families and numerous American communities risk being ripped apart and decimated if this record high pace of deportations continues. Yet because the lower House of Congress refuses to finish what the upper house (aka the Senate) started, President Obama must now figure out how many more to deport and how much more executive action to take to limit future deportations. It's an ugly numbers game. And it's actually an unnecessary numbers game...

That we wouldn't have to consider if supposedly pro-reform House Republicans (cough- Joe Heck- cough) had simply allowed a floor vote for HR 15. They know recent consideration of CIR has had nothing to do with the arrival of the immigrant children from Central America. They know the other "#ObamaScandal" excuses carry no weight. And they know they'll find their "principles for reform" in HR 15, especially since a few of them crossed over to cosponsor it!

So now, they expect us to play this ugly numbers game while they play politics with people's lives. And they expect us to cheer them when they threaten to impeach sue President Obama and invade Mexico. Apparently, they still haven't realized we're not interested in their petty political games.

Variations?

Today marks a major anniversary. Just a year ago today, the US Supreme Court issued its ruling on US v. Windsor. And ever since then, we've seen a flurry of federal court rulings throughout the nation in favor of marriage equality.

Earlier today, Rep. Dina Titus (D-Paradise) took to the House floor to celebrate the anniversary.



However, she didn't stop there. In recent weeks, Rep. Titus has also been speaking up and demanding full equality for LGBTQ veterans.



LGBTQ families still face difficulties in securing the veterans' benefits they earned. And while "Don't Ask Don't Tell" may be over for gay, lesbian, and bisexual soldiers, trans* soldiers still can't serve their nation openly. There's still plenty of unfinished business in and out of The Pentagon when it comes to LGBTQ civil rights...

So why can't Rep. Joe Heck (R-What?!) and Senator Dean Heller (R-Why?) see this? Rep. Heck still can't serve anything other than a tossed word salad. And Senator Heller? Well, he... He... He... Actually, we'll let Ralston try to explain this one.

What does @SenDeanHeller mean? He's against gay marriage, but there are "variations" in marriage between a man and a woman? Jabberwocky.

Now we'll give credit where credit is due. Last November, Senator Dean Heller did ultimately vote for ENDA. He has made some progress in accepting LGBTQ civil rights. So why is it so difficult for Senator Heller to accept what Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) now celebrates, Senator Harry Reid (D) cheers on, and most other Nevadans now strongly support?

Do he and Rep. Heck share the same "political issues" with Adam Laxalt? Are they just as confused about "segregation laws" as Cresent Hardy? Or do they actually believe "Republican rebranding" can magically make this inconvenient "political issue" go away?

This may be an inconvenient "political issue" for G-O-TEA politicians like Heller, Heck, & Hardy. But for Americans like Yaz’min Shancez and Brittany-Nicole Kidd-Stergis, this literally means life or death. For millions of American workers, this means dollars and sense. For millions of American families, this means love and honor. And for a number of American veterans and active servicemembers, this means dignity & respect.

Senator Heller and other G-O-TEA politicians might like to believe there are "different variations" of equality, but the only true type of equality is actual equality. How many "different variations" of this simple message must spread before they finally get it?

Personal Responsibility

All this year, we've heard nothing but excuses from House Republican "leaders" when asked about comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). Even though they've been the ones blocking a floor vote, they've always tried to blame someone else for their own inaction.

Once again, they're passing the buck on CIR. Once again, they're trying to blame President Obama instead to take any personal responsibility. (Didn't they use to preach that?) But this time, they're stooping to the new low of blaming both President Obama and returning Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl for their failure to advance CIR.

Oh, yes. That's right. They're going there. Not only are they claiming that Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is some sort of "double agent TERRORIST!!!" (way to "support the troops", jack@$$es), but they're now also claiming he's some legendary political mastermind who somehow killed CIR all the way from a US Military hospital in Germany.

Never mind that the very Congressional Republicans trying to turn #Bergdahl into the new DC scandal du jour were the same ones who were demanding that the President do everything possible to #BringBoweHome before President Obama accomplished just that. They're craving a new haute faux scandal to "investigate" to death. And in their twisted, demented minds, they actually believe they've found it in the return of a prisoner of war who suffered 5 years of Taliban captivity.

And not only that, but House G-O-TEA "leaders" now want to use #Bergdahl as their latest excuse for dropping the ball on CIR. Again, whatever happened to that time honored "conservative value" of "personal responsibility"? When did "The Buck Stops Here" become "Not My Fault, Mommy!"?

For the past year, Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) has become notorious here in Nevada for his excuses and flip-flops on immigration reform. Who knew he was just setting an example for the rest of the Republican Party? (Or is it the other way around?) He and his House G-O-TEA colleagues still refuse to take any personal responsibility for their own inaction. And ultimately, millions of American families will continue to pay the price for this latest bout of irresponsible immaturity inaction from the usual G-O-TEA suspects.

Troublesome "TEA"

Welcome to the newest G-O-TEA sensation. Seemingly out of nowhere, Dave Brat emerged to make national headlines. And House Majority Leader Eric Cantor's (R-Virginia) political career is suddenly over.

Already, the G-O-TEA's finest talking heads are proclaiming today as "The Death of #Shamnesty". Are they correct?

Not really. And here's why. Comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) was already going nowhere fast before yesterday. House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has already made that clear. So has Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin). And so has their dear loyal local lackey, Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson). They don't actually cherish family values. They just want to remain on good terms with the 21st Century Know Nothings.

House Republican "leaders" never had any real intention of giving CIR a proper floor vote. HR 15 has been sitting there, just waiting for action. Yet every chance Republican "leaders" have been given to act on CIR, they've instead tried to blame someone else for their own inaction.

Yet even as House Republican "leaders" (such as Cantor) were obstructing CIR to death, they were rallying around the "imagery of reform". They were using "softer language". They were "rebranding"...

And even that was too much for the 21st Century Know Nothings. So they rallied around Dave Brat. And they propelled him to victory yesterday.

And now, they're dancing around the corpse of #Shamnesty. There's just one problem with their disgusting happy dance: It's revolting to everyone else. CIR polls well nationwide, even in Virginia's 7th Congressional District. Dave Brat may have capitalized on the 21st Century Know Nothings' unbridled xenophobia in the primary, but his hard line against CIR may hurt him in November.

Rep. Joe Heck should take note of this. Emulating Dave Brat may win him more hard core G-O-TEA fans, but it will lose him general election votes. There truly are consequences to drinking too much of that troublesome "TEA".

Upset

Ah, so now it makes sense. Nice to see that cleared up...

Actually, not really. Actually, this is pretty scary. No, scratch that. This is awfully scary.

Last Wednesday, Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) flip-flopped (again) on comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). After a year of him refuting the 21st Century Know Nothings on CIR, he parrot ed their talking points. And even worse, his staff called the police on CIR advocates.

Now we understand why this happened. For the past week, we were scratching our heads. Even though Rep. Joe Heck never actually voted for CIR, he had seemed to play nice with activists... Until last week.

Like Heck, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Virginia) never actually voted for CIR. He just occasionally hinted that he may one day allow some bits & pieces of it. And that was still too much for the G-O-TEA base in his district.



By the time Rep. Eric Cantor's supporters lashed out at CIR advocates, it was too late. Eric Cantor just lost his own primary. It wasn't even close. He barely scored over 44% in his district.

Dave Brat was not supposed to win last night. Republicans were not supposed to deliver this message on immigration reform. This simply wasn't supposed to be the big headline news today.

But now, it is. Dave Brat is "hot". Eric Cantor is not. And the "TEA Party" is far from over.

Today, Republican establishment "leaders" were planning to celebrate "victory" in Nevada and elsewhere. That's not happening. A little upset in Virginia just upset that narrative. That's because it reminds us of that inconvenient truth about "the establishment" becoming more "TEA Party" in order to survive. And if any "establishment" figures even stray a millimeter too far from the "TEA Party" line, they'll be the ones upset come Election Night.

So now, it makes sense. Still, one thing confuses us: How did Rep. Joe Heck oobtain accurate VA-07 poll numbers that Rep. Eric Cantor himself couldn't? Well, at least someone could smell this upset from a few thousand miles away.

Empty Words

Just when we finally figured he was acknowledging reality, he backtracked. Again. And we're pretty much back where we originally thought we were.

Last week, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) openly mocked his own House Republican Caucus for refusing to pass comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). For a moment, it looked like Speaker Boehner was finally admitting in public what everyone on Capitol Hill discusses in private. And maybe, just maybe, there was finally an opening for CIR to pass the House.

But alas, it's not to be. Even after publicly mocking his own members, Speaker Boehner is once again declaring CIR dead in his lower House of Congress. Once again, his words have been proven to be empty. And once again, he's trying to blame President Obama for something Boehner himself admitted his party has done.

So we're back where we thought we always were. House Republican "leaders" occasionally make a big splash over their alleged "principles for immigration reform"... Only to kill their own zombie-fied "principles" over and over and over again because "argle bargle- OBAMA SCANDAL!!!- argle bargle".

So CIR is officially... Still available. No really, HR 15 still awaits action in the House. All it needs is for supposed "pro-reform Republicans" like Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) to sign its discharge petition.

American families like Isaac Lugo's, Maria Esmeralda Conejo's, and Bryan Rivera's have been waiting far too long for craven (& often hypocritical) politicians to go beyond mere lip service. They've been waiting for real, concrete reform. And even though it's been 10 months since S 744 passed the Senate, the House still hasn't followed through on that long ago promised companion bill.

These American families don't need any more empty words. Neither do our communities. Neither does our economy. We need real reform. And if Speaker Boehner insists on providing nothing but more empty words, then those supposedly "pro-reform Republicans" need to stop uttering empty words and start offering real action.

Out of Excuses

So we're not the only ones who recognize the incredibly f**ked up state of the Republican Party today. None other than House Speaker John Boehner (R-Where's He Been?) is chiding his own party for failing to pass comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). No really, he went there.



Apparently, he doesn't remember that he's Speaker of the House. He's supposed to set the floor agenda. And he can bring HR 15 to the House floor whenever he wants.

So why hasn't he? Speaker Boehner clearly sounds upset over his Congressional G-O-TEA colleagues constantly scuttling reform. So why not just bypass them? If all the "pro-reform Republicans" actually vote for reform, then HR 15 will pass and CIR will be ready for President Obama to sign into law.

What's so complicated about this? Oh, wait. That's right. The 21st Century Know Nothings. House Republican "leaders" just won't stop pandering to them.

But they don't have to. Again, Speaker Boehner is supposed to be in charge. If he truly wants to pass CIR, he can bring HR 15 to the House floor so the House can finally accomplish what the Senate already did 10 months ago.

Over the past year, we've heard Rep. Joe Heck (R-Where's He Been?) pay lip service to "supporting reform". Why can't Speaker Boehner give them the chance to actually do it? Or if Speaker Boehner really doesn't want to "get his hands dirty over this", why can't he at least let them sign the discharge petition for HR 15?

Might Speaker Boehner finally be realizing that he & his G-O-TEA House Caucus are out of excuses? They've tried everything to deflect blame. They've blamed President Obama. They've blamed the Senate. They've blamed CIR activists. And now, they're at the point of blaming their own unhinged base.

Instead of playing this never ending blame game, why don't they just pass HR 15 already? Instead of dumping tons of money into misleading ad campaigns, why don't they try passing useful legislation for a change? It's painfully obvious that House Republicans are out of excuses. So why won't they simply allow a floor vote for the CIR they claim to want?

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.

Is #BundyRanch Just #TeaPartyWoodstock?

They had traveled from various corners of the nation. They brought plenty of colorful signs, along with big guns. They came in buses, cars, and even a few motorcycles. And the national media showered them with the attention they so craved.

Of course, we're reminiscing about the "Showdown in Searchlight" that happened just over 4 years ago. G-O-TEA Culture Warriors from across the nation wanted to send Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) a "message", so they descended upon Senator Reid's hometown. Michele Fiore made her bug debut. Sue Lowden tried so hard to buy the baggers' love. But ultimately, their hearts belonged to Sharron Angle. And most of the people there couldn't vote for any of them.

Sound familiar yet? We're seeing the same dynamics, and even some of the same characters, reemerge at #BundyRanch. Sharron Angle's "Second Amendment Remedies" have taken center stage. Assembly Member Michele Fiore (R-Las Vegas) shocked the entire nation with her bizarre defense of Cliven Bundy's brazen lawlessness. And a number of other Republican politicians have jumped in to grandstand while the Koch funded astroturf outfits have tried to use this "SCANDAL!!!" to further their ideological agenda.

Oh, and let's not forget the TV "infotainment" channel that's been trying to turn Cliven Bundy's temper tantrum into a ratings bonanza.



To be fair, there is one key difference. In 2010, the G-O-TEA Culture Warriors left Searchlight after their day long "Teabag-a-palooza". But now, the G-O-TEA Culture Warriors are still running wild around Mesquite. And they're still packing heat.

In a way, this has been an opportunity for some to relive their "counterculture days" in a whole new way. This has been their long fantasized chance to "Stick it to the man!" and celebrate "FREEDOM!" Perhaps this is just #TeaPartyWoodstock? (Or at least #TeaPartyAltamont?)

Think about it. Envision the colorful signs. Listen to the blaring music. Picture the crowd of rebels with (?) a cause. And notice their zeal in challenging authority. Are the throngs of 'baggers who've been rushing to #BundyRanch just "hippies gone right wing"?

If only we were just talking about a rowdy rock concert. Instead, we're talking about people rallying behind people advocating armed rebellion against the United States. And we're left wondering this: Whatever happened to peace, love, and understanding... And paying one's bills?

Why Republicans Probably Won't Pick @LV2016

Every so often, a certain local journalist and media pundit (cough- Jon Ralston- cough) has been begging national Republicans to bring the 2016 Republican National Convention to Las Vegas. He's certainly tried his best to promote our region to Republicans and make a convincing case why "The Entertainment Capital of the World" should host what may be the most entertaining political party event ever. Unfortunately for Ralston, most Republicans don't want to listen to his case.

But why is that? Ralston has made many good points. The Strip has plenty of quality lodging, dining, and entertainment options. Nevada will likely be a key Swing State that cycle. And Southern Nevada has become a diverse society that would serve as the perfect backdrop for the Republicans' big party.

Unfortunately for Ralston (and all other @LV2016 boosters), the G-O-TEA Culture Warriors strongly object to this. And why's that? Oh, our lodging, dining, and entertainment options threaten their "Judeo-Christian values". In fact, our "entertainment" is so wicked & sinful that it corrupted poor Rep. Vance McAllister (R-Louisiana) from thousands of miles away! (/snark)

And it's not just our lack of "moral values" that will likely prevent "Sin City" from hosting the 2016 Republican National Convention. There's also the matter of the entire Nevada Republican Party's lack of common decency and common sense. Last week, state & local G-O-TEA politicians rushed to sing the praises of Cliven Bundy violating federal law at Gold Butte. They also tacitly endorsed outside G-O-TEA groups meddling in #BundyRanch to the point of encouraging armed conflict with federal public servants who were just attempting to enforce the law.



But wait, there's more. Republicans just concluded their convention... The 2014 Nevada Republican Party Convention, that is. And while most delegates decided to cast a few votes in favor of the 21st century, they nonetheless decided to spurn the Governor they just endorsed for reelection by rejecting nearly all his preferred candidates in other races up & down the ballot. And even after they endorsed a new platform, they're still fighting each other over it!

But hey, at least they agreed to endorse Sue Lowden for Lt. Governor.



Apparently, all of this finally weighed on Jon Ralston as he prepared to say farewell to his fantasy of the 2016 Republican National Convention playing out in his back yard...

"Thanks to #BundyRanch and @NVGOP folks for providing great advertisement today why @LV2016 should happen. Thanks, geniuses."

Except that he forgot to mention Nevada Republicans' other great shining moment from last week.



Hillary Clinton may have had a shoe thrown at her, but Republicans are ultimately throwing away whatever chance they have left of defeating her in 2016 by embracing so much crazy. And this visual must be terrifying those in charge of the Republican National Committee.

This is why Republicans probably won't pick Las Vegas to host their 2016 national convention. While Southern Nevada is home to a diverse electorate who likely resembles the future of America, "Republican rebranding" has accomplished nothing but the repeat of the same old lame excuses of why the G-O-TEA base rejects 21st century America. And even though Nevada is a key state that Republicans need to win more often in order to remain a nationally relevant party, the Nevada Republican Party long ago lost interest in winning elections as it's pursued ideological "purity" to the point of endorsing "Chickens for Checkups" and armed anarchy. Southern Nevada can all too easily remind everyone of why the Republican Party has become radically out of touch with the mainstream electorate, and this is why the Republican National Committee will likely "rebrand" itself into a convention somewhere else.

(Sorry, Jon Ralston.)

"Rebranding" the Same Old...

Rejoice! It will come! The Republican National Committee (RNC) announced Las Vegas as one of its finalists for the 2016 Republican National Convention.

Despair! It won't come. Already, two national media pundits have declared the RNC won't pick Vegas for 2016. And Jon Ralston's dreams of having a national Republican Party convention in his back yard have officially been dashed.

Does it really matter either way? In terms of political postioning, probably not. Republican Conventions don't have a great track record when it comes to flipping states from Blue to Red.

So why are so many media pundits treating the RNC's convention host selection process like it's a holy grail for 2016? Perhaps because it's easier to do this than to look more closely into the party's serious structural trouble?

Sure, plenty of ink has been spilled over "Republican rebranding". And party "leaders" seem to be suggesting that their 2016 convention selection will be the highlight of all this "rebranding". And of course, this is why many "party insiders" have suggested that Las Vegas is the perfect place to showcase the "rebranded Republican Party".

Well, this would be the perfect location to showcase the Republican Party that's rebranded its way into... Scaring away longtime Republican leaders like Sue Wagner, claiming the likes of (no, not that) Michael McDonald as its "leaders", trying to have it both ways on immigration reform, not even trying all that hard to hide its love of "segregation laws", and always trying its hardest to please its true leaders. Oh, yes. Las Vegas is the perfect location to highlight all the amazing rebranding the Nevada Republican Party has led the national Republican Party into.

And this is why it really doesn't matter where the RNC ultimately chooses to place its 2016 convention. As long as that "Republican rebranding" keeps going nowhere fast, hardly anyone will actually believe the RNC has anything new to offer.

Still Not Over

Wasn't this supposed to be over by now? The last two Republican Presidential Nominees spoke against it. Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R) vetoed it. Several Nevada Republicans ran away from it... Despite championing it a year ago. But nonetheless, it was supposed to be "dead".

Yet now, the "TEA" powered "License to Discriminate" movement has come roaring back to life. And why's that, you ask? Thank the Mississippi Legislature for this. It just passed SB 2681, which is Mississippi's version of "License to Discriminate".

SB 2681 now sits on Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant's (R) desk. Yet unlike his Arizona counterpart, Bryant is expected to sign SB 2681 into law. And should Mississippi's Governor soon sign it into law, he'll probably boost efforts in Missouri, North Carolina, and Oklahoma to pass similar "License to Discriminate" legislation.

If Cresent Hardy is still experiencing difficulties in understanding what constitutes "segregation laws", he need not look further than Mississippi's SB 2681. Hell, he need not look further than SB 192, the "License to Discriminate" bill that he & Barbara Cegavske introduced to the Nevada Legislature last year.

This was supposed to be over by now. After all, "Republican rebranding"... Oh wait, that's gone nowhere. Instead, the G-O-TEA has been doubling down on its "Culture War". And the recent developments in Mississippi have only confirmed what we've already known.

Never mind the minor cosmetic changes and changing around of certain words. Pay closer attention to what they're doing. This was supposed to be over... But it's not. It may not be over until the courts weigh in. And it may not even truly be over until the Republican Party can learn to say no to its radical base.

Simple

Just this morning, we had to point out the ugly reality of G-O-TEA politicians continuing to beat that poor dead horse. We just didn't expect them to celebrate it... And lie about it so brazenly.

Yet it happened. No really, it happened last week at the "Campaign for Life Summit" as anti-choice activists and G-O-TEA strategists discussed proper "messaging". And yes, they actually advocated using "compassionate" sounding lies to mask the War on Women they so eagerly want to continue.

So they actually took Pat Hickey's advice. What on earth are they thinking? Apparently, it's the same thing Texas Republicans are thinking when they claim women are "too busy" to care about equal pay for equal work.





So they want us to believe that women are "too busy" to care about paycheck fairness? And they want us to think that this would not be a problem if women were to just "negotiate more like men"? And they still wonder why Sue Wagner left the Republican Party?

Here's why: "Republican rebranding" won't make it go away. "Softer" rhetoric won't make it go away. And no, lying about it definitely won't make it go away.

If Republican "leaders" truly don't want their party to be bogged down any more by their War on Women, then they need to stop fighting it! It's just that simple.

G-O-TEA politicians can't just lie about their own record and expect their political problems to disappear. They decided to start the War on Women. It just sucks for them that most Americans don't care for it.

And no, slick new ads won't do the trick. Neither will sleeker technology. And neither will "soft" lies. It's not that simple.

The solution to their problem, however, is quite simple. It's their choice not to take it.