Last month, the local "newspaper" figured it was a great idea to publish the new home address of US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D). What could possibly go wrong with that?
Apparently, the local "newspaper" didn't realize that Charles Jason Moreland was already sending explicit emails to Senator Reid declaring that he's "a dead man". Moreland wrote to Senator Reid to demand he resign from office "or face stern, harsh, unimaginable consequences to him and his family." And now, Moreland is about to stand trial in an Oklahoma federal court for his alleged death threats against Senator Reid.
Meanwhile just to the south in Texas, Douglas Lee Leguin was arrested in a tony North Dallas neighborhood. Dallas firefighters had arrived to fight a dumpster fire when Leguin allegedly opened fire on them. A SWAT team was then called to respond to him. And after an armed standoff with police, Leguin was arrested and charged with 7 counts of aggravated assault.
During the shootout with police, Leguin declared himself to be a "sovereign citizen". This isn't the first time a sovereign citizen has resorted to violence to "fight for freedom". In May 2010, the father-son team of Jerry & Joseph Kane shot dead West Memphis, Arkansas, police officers Brandon Paudert & Bill Evans during what was supposed to be a routine traffic stop.
Sovereign citizens and their ideological twins in the Patriot Movement are not above violence. In fact, they sometimes resort to violence to "start the revolution".
Does the West Memphis murder of 2 on-duty police officers seem eerily familiar? If so, that may be due to what happened in Las Vegas this past June. Metro Police Officers Alyn Beck & Igor Soldo were shot dead at a local CiCi's Pizza by Jerad & Amanda Miller to "start the revolution". They then moved to a nearby Walmart, where they shot Joseph Robert Wilcox dead before they sacrificed themselves to "the revolution" in their final standoff with Metro.
Before they brought "the revolution" to Las Vegas, the Millers were in Bunkerville to assist Cliven Bundy in his "Range War" against the federal government. The Patriot Movement and allied anti-government radicals formed a critical mass in Bunkerville to defend their fellow sovereign citizens at #BundyRanch. They declared "posse comitatus" as they commanded Metro Officers to arrest federal agents for trying to enforce federal law.
Even before Cliven Bundy made international headlines, radical right violence was on the rise. But ever since sovereign citizens and the Patriot Movement (re)gained major media attention earlier this year, they've been enjoying a cultural zeitgeist on the fringe right as they increasingly permeate into what's supposed to be "political mainstream". Even though the Bundy clan no longer command media attention like they did in April, various "TEA" flavored media personalities continue to fan the flames of Bundy approved extremism with discredited conspiracy theories and xenophobic fearmongering.
Charles Jason Moreland didn't just send ugly emails to Senator Reid. Last September, the Tulsa man sent The White House an email last September in which he threatened to go to Washington, DC, “and start killing people if the monitoring of his Internet and cell phones did not stop.” He also sent threatening emails to his local Member of Congress, Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-Oklahoma).
Once upon a time, this kind of activity was considered shocking. Not any more. It's unknown at this time if Moreland has any direct ties to the Patriot Movement and/or any sovereign citizen group. However, we can't deny they're leaving indelible and rather dangerous marks on contemporary American politics.
Showing posts with label Texas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Texas. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Thursday, July 10, 2014
(In)Action
In the past week, we've been doing our part here to explain the severity of the #BorderChildren crisis. They are indeed real people. They are not mere political footballs.
But for the newly "rebranded" soon-to-be-ex-Governor Rick Perry (R) and his fringe militia loving BFF Sean Hannity, today is the perfect day to pack extra heat at the Texas Border. Of course, we're just wondering why they didn't invite the rest of the Open Carry Texas crew to join them. We're sure they would have loved to pack heat alongside them.
Perhaps instead of trying to (mis)use a genuine humanitarian crisis to score political points, Governor Perry should actually do his job? Did he miss the big news occurring in his own state?
Yesterday, Ron Lee Haskell was arrested after Spring, Texas, police finally convinced him to surrender. He's suspected of killing 4 children and 2 adults. Another young girl was wounded in the shooting, and she's still in critical condition.
This comes just days after a major shooting next door (in Louisiana). On New Orleans' famous Bourbon Street, Trung Le is suspected of shooting 1 person dead and injuring 9 other people. Keep in mind that this occurred on Bourbon Street. That's where tourists like to "whoop it up" and enjoy themselves.
Sound familiar yet? It should. Last year, we witnessed multiple shootings on the Las Vegas Strip. And just this past March, we saw another near miss on The Strip.
Last year, Congress had the chance to do something on gun violence, even something as tiny & modest as expanding background checks for gun purchases. But for Dean Heller (R-NRA), that was just too much. And for Rep. Joe Heck (R-NRA), the "portal" wasn't right. For them and many of their G-O-TEA colleagues, it was far easier to serve as "what stood in the way" than to make any effort to prevent more senseless bloodshed.
And so far, it looks like they prefer Rick Perry's brand of heat packing (photo-op) "action" over real action. We've been seeing them grandstand on immigration reform. And... Well, they're not pretending to act on gun violence any more. Apparently as long as the NRA is happy with their inaction, they're happy. Never mind the "new normal" of bloody dystopia all the rest of us must live under.
But for the newly "rebranded" soon-to-be-ex-Governor Rick Perry (R) and his fringe militia loving BFF Sean Hannity, today is the perfect day to pack extra heat at the Texas Border. Of course, we're just wondering why they didn't invite the rest of the Open Carry Texas crew to join them. We're sure they would have loved to pack heat alongside them.
Perhaps instead of trying to (mis)use a genuine humanitarian crisis to score political points, Governor Perry should actually do his job? Did he miss the big news occurring in his own state?
Yesterday, Ron Lee Haskell was arrested after Spring, Texas, police finally convinced him to surrender. He's suspected of killing 4 children and 2 adults. Another young girl was wounded in the shooting, and she's still in critical condition.
This comes just days after a major shooting next door (in Louisiana). On New Orleans' famous Bourbon Street, Trung Le is suspected of shooting 1 person dead and injuring 9 other people. Keep in mind that this occurred on Bourbon Street. That's where tourists like to "whoop it up" and enjoy themselves.
Sound familiar yet? It should. Last year, we witnessed multiple shootings on the Las Vegas Strip. And just this past March, we saw another near miss on The Strip.
Last year, Congress had the chance to do something on gun violence, even something as tiny & modest as expanding background checks for gun purchases. But for Dean Heller (R-NRA), that was just too much. And for Rep. Joe Heck (R-NRA), the "portal" wasn't right. For them and many of their G-O-TEA colleagues, it was far easier to serve as "what stood in the way" than to make any effort to prevent more senseless bloodshed.
And so far, it looks like they prefer Rick Perry's brand of heat packing (photo-op) "action" over real action. We've been seeing them grandstand on immigration reform. And... Well, they're not pretending to act on gun violence any more. Apparently as long as the NRA is happy with their inaction, they're happy. Never mind the "new normal" of bloody dystopia all the rest of us must live under.
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Political Paradox
We're now used to hearing about "the next big march in DC". How many times have we heard this from the usual G-O-TEA suspects? Anyone remember "Operation American Spring"?
They're already back. But this time, they're doing the #March4Marriage. All those tens of 21st Century Know Nothings descended upon the nation's capital to try to stop marriage equality. No, we're not kidding. This actually happened.
But why? Why did this have to happen? Why are G-O-TEA Culture Warriors still fighting against civil rights? Are they truly that threatened by parents like Jason Hanna & Joe Riggs raising their children?
Are they that afraid of American innovators like Martine Rothblatt making even more positive contributions to science, medicine, and society?
Or are they just too caught up in Adam Laxalt's "political issues" and Cresent Hardy's "segregation laws" to realize we're all living in the 21st century now?
Here's the strange paradox of the G-O-TEA's relationship with LGBTQ civil rights. They're trying so hard to make us believe "Republican rebranding" as some real phenomenon, yet they keep following the marching orders of an ever shrinking yet somehow still quite vocal minority who refuse to accept LGBTQ Americans as real people. They're trying so hard to make us believe politicians like Rick Perry, Daryl Metcalfe, Kevin Cramer, and Joe Heck have "rebranded" their way to being "refreshed and renewed"... When they're simply supporting the same old agenda of bigotry and discrimination.
There were only tens of #March4Marriage agitators on Capitol Hill. So why are they still allowed to dictate nationwide policy? Why do they still have so much juice in Congress? And why must we still take them seriously?
How can so few have so much power to discriminate against so many? Perhaps this is the great political paradox of our time.
They're already back. But this time, they're doing the #March4Marriage. All those tens of 21st Century Know Nothings descended upon the nation's capital to try to stop marriage equality. No, we're not kidding. This actually happened.
But why? Why did this have to happen? Why are G-O-TEA Culture Warriors still fighting against civil rights? Are they truly that threatened by parents like Jason Hanna & Joe Riggs raising their children?
Are they that afraid of American innovators like Martine Rothblatt making even more positive contributions to science, medicine, and society?
Or are they just too caught up in Adam Laxalt's "political issues" and Cresent Hardy's "segregation laws" to realize we're all living in the 21st century now?
Here's the strange paradox of the G-O-TEA's relationship with LGBTQ civil rights. They're trying so hard to make us believe "Republican rebranding" as some real phenomenon, yet they keep following the marching orders of an ever shrinking yet somehow still quite vocal minority who refuse to accept LGBTQ Americans as real people. They're trying so hard to make us believe politicians like Rick Perry, Daryl Metcalfe, Kevin Cramer, and Joe Heck have "rebranded" their way to being "refreshed and renewed"... When they're simply supporting the same old agenda of bigotry and discrimination.
There were only tens of #March4Marriage agitators on Capitol Hill. So why are they still allowed to dictate nationwide policy? Why do they still have so much juice in Congress? And why must we still take them seriously?
How can so few have so much power to discriminate against so many? Perhaps this is the great political paradox of our time.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Can't They Just Say, "Happy PRIDE Month"?
On Tuesday, we learned who would advance to the November general election. In NV-04, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) will be up against outgoing Assembly Member Cresent Hardy.
Remember Cresent Hardy? He's a self-proclaimed expert in "segregation laws". He doesn't want to "create classes" and "separation"... Unless that separation is called for by his "religious beliefs".
When he and Adam Laxalt launched their puzzling campaign against LGBTQ civil rights just as other Nevada Republicans were trying to "rebrand" their way out of the Stone Age, we could sense that "Republican rebranding" wouldn't accomplish much of anything. After all, it's not just a Nevada problem. It's a nationwide problem for their party.
Scott Esk is a Republican running for a Oklahoma State Legislature seat. Normally, a candidate running for state legislature doesn't attract national headlines. However, this is a special case. In this case, Scott Esk supports the death penalty (stoning, specifically) for "homosexuality".
But wait, there's more. Remember Rick Perry (R)? He's the future ex-Governor of Texas. He made a total @ssclown of himself when he tried running for President in 2011/12. And he's still making a total @ssclown of himself now. Just this week, he compared being queer to alcoholism... Because he's such a "compassionate conservative".
Wouldn't it just be easier for the Republican Party to send out a nice press release wishing everyone a happy PRIDE Month? Couldn't they just follow Katie Couric's lead and learn from their past mistakes? Why are they so hell-bent on repeating their mistakes over and over and over again?
Republicans in Nevada and elsewhere have been trying so hard to "rebrand" when they simply need to reevaluate their Stone Age era platform. Seriously, there's no way to "rebrand" "the right side of the Bible". Perhaps instead of constantly trying to sell us on "Republican rebranding", they can try treating us with some respect & dignity for a change? Oh, and they can start by simply wishing us a happy PRIDE Month.
Remember Cresent Hardy? He's a self-proclaimed expert in "segregation laws". He doesn't want to "create classes" and "separation"... Unless that separation is called for by his "religious beliefs".
When he and Adam Laxalt launched their puzzling campaign against LGBTQ civil rights just as other Nevada Republicans were trying to "rebrand" their way out of the Stone Age, we could sense that "Republican rebranding" wouldn't accomplish much of anything. After all, it's not just a Nevada problem. It's a nationwide problem for their party.
Scott Esk is a Republican running for a Oklahoma State Legislature seat. Normally, a candidate running for state legislature doesn't attract national headlines. However, this is a special case. In this case, Scott Esk supports the death penalty (stoning, specifically) for "homosexuality".
But wait, there's more. Remember Rick Perry (R)? He's the future ex-Governor of Texas. He made a total @ssclown of himself when he tried running for President in 2011/12. And he's still making a total @ssclown of himself now. Just this week, he compared being queer to alcoholism... Because he's such a "compassionate conservative".
Wouldn't it just be easier for the Republican Party to send out a nice press release wishing everyone a happy PRIDE Month? Couldn't they just follow Katie Couric's lead and learn from their past mistakes? Why are they so hell-bent on repeating their mistakes over and over and over again?
Republicans in Nevada and elsewhere have been trying so hard to "rebrand" when they simply need to reevaluate their Stone Age era platform. Seriously, there's no way to "rebrand" "the right side of the Bible". Perhaps instead of constantly trying to sell us on "Republican rebranding", they can try treating us with some respect & dignity for a change? Oh, and they can start by simply wishing us a happy PRIDE Month.
Monday, June 2, 2014
Unfortunate Accident
Last month, we witnessed what happened when some "open carry advocates" decided to pack the wrong kind of heat at Chipotle. Then, we saw armed madness erupt at Chili's and Sonic. But now, Open Carry Texas has fallen to a new low.
And what might that new low be? Oh, their Fort Worth group harassed a Marine veteran. And not only that, but they chased down James Henry on a city street. And they were doing so while brandishing assault weapons in an urban neighborhood on Memorial Day... Just 3 days after the Isla Vista massacre.
Perhaps sensing the negative publicity this was causing "the cause", the NRA actually criticized the Open Carry Texas groups that have been packing heat on the street. However, keep in mind that the NRA only criticized Open Carry Texas' tactics, not Open Carry Texas' policy goals. After all, they share the same policy goals.
That's because the NRA shares the same radical agenda as the open carry radicals. That's because a group of radicals took control of the NRA in the 1970s and changed its mission over time from one of promoting gun safety to one of prioritizing gun industry profits over all else (even people's lives). The NRA is still promoting this radical agenda. It just doesn't want the kind of public backlash that Open Carry Texas is now experiencing.
Funny enough, 85% of Texans support stronger and universal background checks for gun purchases. This is in line with the numbers we've seen for Nevada and the rest of the nation. Even the US House approved additional funding for the background checks system.
For the record, Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) voted for the additional funding. However, Rep. Heck continues to reject legislation to make that funding go further by closing the loopholes that allow criminals to obtain lethal firearms. Rather, he and his fellow Nevada Republicans remain proud of the fact that they were what stood in the way between us and better gun safety laws.
Last week, a Republican running for US Senate in Iowa described the Isla Vista massacre as an "unfortunate accident". Joni Ernst's fellow Republicans were then quick to criticize... Those who criticized her characterization of this tragedy as merely an "unfortunate accident".
As is the case in this era of "Republican rebranding", G-O-TEA "gun enthusiasts" have occasionally criticized wording, "framing", and "lighting". They're working hard to "change the optics". But when it comes to the policy they're celebrating, they refuse to stop celebrating that. Why let some "unfortunate accident" get in the way of "gun enthusiasm"? Just make sure not to carry an assault weapon into "the wrong restaurant" or make "the wrong comments" about the next mass shooting.
And what might that new low be? Oh, their Fort Worth group harassed a Marine veteran. And not only that, but they chased down James Henry on a city street. And they were doing so while brandishing assault weapons in an urban neighborhood on Memorial Day... Just 3 days after the Isla Vista massacre.
Perhaps sensing the negative publicity this was causing "the cause", the NRA actually criticized the Open Carry Texas groups that have been packing heat on the street. However, keep in mind that the NRA only criticized Open Carry Texas' tactics, not Open Carry Texas' policy goals. After all, they share the same policy goals.
That's because the NRA shares the same radical agenda as the open carry radicals. That's because a group of radicals took control of the NRA in the 1970s and changed its mission over time from one of promoting gun safety to one of prioritizing gun industry profits over all else (even people's lives). The NRA is still promoting this radical agenda. It just doesn't want the kind of public backlash that Open Carry Texas is now experiencing.
Funny enough, 85% of Texans support stronger and universal background checks for gun purchases. This is in line with the numbers we've seen for Nevada and the rest of the nation. Even the US House approved additional funding for the background checks system.
For the record, Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) voted for the additional funding. However, Rep. Heck continues to reject legislation to make that funding go further by closing the loopholes that allow criminals to obtain lethal firearms. Rather, he and his fellow Nevada Republicans remain proud of the fact that they were what stood in the way between us and better gun safety laws.
Last week, a Republican running for US Senate in Iowa described the Isla Vista massacre as an "unfortunate accident". Joni Ernst's fellow Republicans were then quick to criticize... Those who criticized her characterization of this tragedy as merely an "unfortunate accident".
As is the case in this era of "Republican rebranding", G-O-TEA "gun enthusiasts" have occasionally criticized wording, "framing", and "lighting". They're working hard to "change the optics". But when it comes to the policy they're celebrating, they refuse to stop celebrating that. Why let some "unfortunate accident" get in the way of "gun enthusiasm"? Just make sure not to carry an assault weapon into "the wrong restaurant" or make "the wrong comments" about the next mass shooting.
Thursday, April 3, 2014
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.
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.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
From "Rebranding" to Crash Landing...
Here we go again. Once more, G-O-TEA politicians must pay the consequences of paying too much attention to the bullshit "words of wisdom" that drop from Rush Limbaugh's mouth. Once again, "El Rushbo" threw a temper tantrum over Jason Collins' return to the NBA courts and Michael Sam's possible entry into the NFL. And once again, G-O-TEA "playaz" are trying to turn Limbaugh's temper tantrum into actual legislation (and losing lobbying clients while doing so).
Oh, and speaking of actual legislation, Rush Limbaugh also had something to say about Arizona's SB 1062, aka Arizona's version of the "License to Discriminate" Bill. Surprise, he loves it! Surprise, he hates the "drive-by media" reporting on the real danger this bill presents. And surprise, he makes absolutely no sense when he claims Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R) has been "bullied" over this bill.
We guess Rush Limbaugh would know, since he's the biggest bully of them all. And he's now stooping to new lows (even for him!) to promote the Koch-TEA Empire's greatest legislative masterpiece yet.
Unfortunately for him and other fans of "legalized" wrongful discrimination, the rest of America doesn't feel the same way. The NFL threatened to move the Super Bowl out of the state if SB 1062 had become law. And now, we know Governor Jan Brewer (R) just vetoed it. So there we have it...
Except that's not all. While Arizona faced a potentially horrendous anti-LGBTQ statute, Texas faced a potentially paradigm shifting courtroom decision while California faced one fewer ballot initiative this year. In California, proponents of a ballot initiative to overturn a new law guaranteeing civil rights for transgender students failed to gather enough valid signatures to place this initiative on the 2014 ballot. And in Texas, a federal judge just struck down Texas' marriage ban. Just as we've been saying here for some time, H8 is so outdated and marriage discrimination has no legal leg left to stand on... Not even in Texas.
Of course, the 21st Century Know Nothings are seething in rage tonight. That's why they're reveling in frivolous law suits, accidentally endorsing marriage equality on Twitter, and attacking each other for daring to "attack god". Oh, yes. That's right. They're really going there.
Meanwhile closer to home, the Nevada Republican Party continues to struggle with acceptance of the 21st century. After State Senator and Lt. Governor candidate Mark Hutchison (R-Las Vegas) boasted of his cosponsorship of SB 192 and Governor Brian Sandoval's (R) support for his bill, Sandoval himself then rebukedhis own favored running mate Senator Hutchison and promised to veto anything resembling SB 1062. And that would have meant a veto for the original version of SB 192 that Hutchison supported.
Once again, we're seeing the result of all that "Republican rebranding". And what's the result? Just take a look at California, Arizona, & Texas. Republican "leaders" are struggling to save face as their own base demands more and more extreme legislation... Along with a divorce from 21st century America. And funny enough, they're the ones claiming to "defend family values & traditional marriage". Yep, those Republicans are enjoying quite the "rebranding" lately...
Oh, and speaking of actual legislation, Rush Limbaugh also had something to say about Arizona's SB 1062, aka Arizona's version of the "License to Discriminate" Bill. Surprise, he loves it! Surprise, he hates the "drive-by media" reporting on the real danger this bill presents. And surprise, he makes absolutely no sense when he claims Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R) has been "bullied" over this bill.
We guess Rush Limbaugh would know, since he's the biggest bully of them all. And he's now stooping to new lows (even for him!) to promote the Koch-TEA Empire's greatest legislative masterpiece yet.
Unfortunately for him and other fans of "legalized" wrongful discrimination, the rest of America doesn't feel the same way. The NFL threatened to move the Super Bowl out of the state if SB 1062 had become law. And now, we know Governor Jan Brewer (R) just vetoed it. So there we have it...
Except that's not all. While Arizona faced a potentially horrendous anti-LGBTQ statute, Texas faced a potentially paradigm shifting courtroom decision while California faced one fewer ballot initiative this year. In California, proponents of a ballot initiative to overturn a new law guaranteeing civil rights for transgender students failed to gather enough valid signatures to place this initiative on the 2014 ballot. And in Texas, a federal judge just struck down Texas' marriage ban. Just as we've been saying here for some time, H8 is so outdated and marriage discrimination has no legal leg left to stand on... Not even in Texas.
Of course, the 21st Century Know Nothings are seething in rage tonight. That's why they're reveling in frivolous law suits, accidentally endorsing marriage equality on Twitter, and attacking each other for daring to "attack god". Oh, yes. That's right. They're really going there.
Meanwhile closer to home, the Nevada Republican Party continues to struggle with acceptance of the 21st century. After State Senator and Lt. Governor candidate Mark Hutchison (R-Las Vegas) boasted of his cosponsorship of SB 192 and Governor Brian Sandoval's (R) support for his bill, Sandoval himself then rebuked
Once again, we're seeing the result of all that "Republican rebranding". And what's the result? Just take a look at California, Arizona, & Texas. Republican "leaders" are struggling to save face as their own base demands more and more extreme legislation... Along with a divorce from 21st century America. And funny enough, they're the ones claiming to "defend family values & traditional marriage". Yep, those Republicans are enjoying quite the "rebranding" lately...
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Let It Go.
How would you feel if your last wishes were not granted... Or even considered? How would you feel if your family members had to go to court and beg a judge to let them grant your last wishes? How would you feel if you were left to become a national laughingstock, and you couldn't even utter a single word in your own defense?
Believe it or not, this garish nightmare has become reality for the family of Marlise Munoz.
Marlise Munoz has been legally dead since November 26, yet a hospital in Fort Worth, Texas, is keeping her corpse "alive" against the wishes of Munoz and her family. Why? The hospital claims it's obeying Texas law.
Never mind that the fetus has been described as "severely abnormal" and has no guarantee of surviving childhood. And never mind that this fetus is inside a legally dead body. Apparently, this Fort Worth hospital and the State of Texas are more interested in playing Frankenstein games than respecting the family's wishes (as well as those of Marlise Munoz herself).
When did this ever become acceptable behavior? When did it become acceptable to deny a dying woman her final wish to rest in peace? And when did a party supposedly espousing values of "freedom, personal responsibility, and individual liberty" become the party of forced birth under any & all circumstances... Even dead ones?
Perhaps Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee (R) can clue us in?
No, Huckster. You got it completely wrong. You and your fellow G-O-TEA politicians continue insulting the women of America by declaring that you have complete control over all American women's bodies and health care decisions. Seriously, who decided to make you the judge, jury, executioner, doctor, pharmacist, and deity (all rolled into one sleazy politician) ruling over all American women?
Sadly, Mike Huckabee, some Texas G-O-TEA yahoos, and the Washoe County Republican Party are not alone in their desire to escalate the G-O-TEA's War on Women. This weekend, the Republican National Committee (RNC) looks set to double down (again) on its extreme anti-choice agenda. And that's coming on the heels of Rep. Steve Pearce (R-New Mexico) "enlightening America" with his thoughts on marriage. And of course, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Yep, Texas) sharing his thoughts on women and "servitude". And then, we can't forget their House G-O-TEA colleagues' proposed bill to force the IRS to audit rape victims.
And they wonder why their party has trouble connecting with American women? Have they tried refraining from constant threats to take away their civil rights?
This brings us back to Fort Worth, Texas, and the horrifying case of Marlise Munoz. It's saddening enough for her family that they had to find her unconscious on the kitchen floor. It's even worse to see her declared legally dead. And it's downright cruel and unusual punishment to force this family through such a disgusting legal clusterfuck, just so some G-O-TEA politicians can strut their stuff in front of their extreme(ly deranged) base.
And to think, some G-O-TEA players want to put their party's latest & greatest Culture Warriors on full display here in Nevada in 2016? Can Las Vegas truly handle that? Perhaps we should just let that one go.
Believe it or not, this garish nightmare has become reality for the family of Marlise Munoz.
Erick and Marlise Munoz were both paramedics, and had discussed her wishes that she not be on "life-sustaining" measures if she were to become brain dead.
John Peter Smith Hospital says that they are just trying to follow Texas law that states Texas law that says "you cannot withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatment for a pregnant patient."
Mr. Munoz has filed an emergency motion with the court, and a complaint against John Peter Smith Hospital that he hopes will allow him to have the hospital disconnect the machines "so that her family can take her body and give her a proper burial."
"Marlise Munoz is legally dead, and to further conduct surgical procedures on a deceased body is nothing short of outrageous," her husband says in the motion.
Marlise Munoz has been legally dead since November 26, yet a hospital in Fort Worth, Texas, is keeping her corpse "alive" against the wishes of Munoz and her family. Why? The hospital claims it's obeying Texas law.
Never mind that the fetus has been described as "severely abnormal" and has no guarantee of surviving childhood. And never mind that this fetus is inside a legally dead body. Apparently, this Fort Worth hospital and the State of Texas are more interested in playing Frankenstein games than respecting the family's wishes (as well as those of Marlise Munoz herself).
When did this ever become acceptable behavior? When did it become acceptable to deny a dying woman her final wish to rest in peace? And when did a party supposedly espousing values of "freedom, personal responsibility, and individual liberty" become the party of forced birth under any & all circumstances... Even dead ones?
Perhaps Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee (R) can clue us in?
"If the Democrats want to insult the women of America by making them believe that they are helpless without Uncle Sugar coming in and providing for them a prescription each month for birth control because they cannot control their libido or their reproductive system without the help of government then so be it! Let us take that discussion all across America because women are far more than the Democrats have played them to be," Huckabee said.
Huckabee argued that Democrats "think that women are nothing more than helpless and hopeless creatures whose only goal in life is to have the government provide for them birth control medication."
No, Huckster. You got it completely wrong. You and your fellow G-O-TEA politicians continue insulting the women of America by declaring that you have complete control over all American women's bodies and health care decisions. Seriously, who decided to make you the judge, jury, executioner, doctor, pharmacist, and deity (all rolled into one sleazy politician) ruling over all American women?
Sadly, Mike Huckabee, some Texas G-O-TEA yahoos, and the Washoe County Republican Party are not alone in their desire to escalate the G-O-TEA's War on Women. This weekend, the Republican National Committee (RNC) looks set to double down (again) on its extreme anti-choice agenda. And that's coming on the heels of Rep. Steve Pearce (R-New Mexico) "enlightening America" with his thoughts on marriage. And of course, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Yep, Texas) sharing his thoughts on women and "servitude". And then, we can't forget their House G-O-TEA colleagues' proposed bill to force the IRS to audit rape victims.
And they wonder why their party has trouble connecting with American women? Have they tried refraining from constant threats to take away their civil rights?
This brings us back to Fort Worth, Texas, and the horrifying case of Marlise Munoz. It's saddening enough for her family that they had to find her unconscious on the kitchen floor. It's even worse to see her declared legally dead. And it's downright cruel and unusual punishment to force this family through such a disgusting legal clusterfuck, just so some G-O-TEA politicians can strut their stuff in front of their extreme(ly deranged) base.
And to think, some G-O-TEA players want to put their party's latest & greatest Culture Warriors on full display here in Nevada in 2016? Can Las Vegas truly handle that? Perhaps we should just let that one go.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
"Second Amendment Remedies"... Revisited
I know it may seem like such a long time ago, but it's important to remember what happened here in Nevada during the 2010 Election. During that year's US Senate campaign, Sharron Angle actually said this.
And just seven months later, an armed madman attempted to assassinate then Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Arizona). Jared Loughner succeeded in shooting her and eighteen other people, and six of them were killed. And Loughner used a Glock pistol with a high-capacity magazine.
Fast forward to December 2012. In the wake of the horrific Newtown elementary school massacre in Connecticut, we saw renewed demand for gun safety reform. And despite some DC pundits' spin to the contrary, the solid majority of Americans are still demanding action on gun violence today.
And now, all of a sudden, the violent rhetoric and actions that plagued the country in 2010 and boiled over horrifically in Arizona in January 2011 have returned in a major way. Some even wonder if the violent rhetoric and actions really waned for very long in 2011. Take into consideration this...
And this...
And this.
Yes, this actually happened this week. Here we go again.
And again, Sharron Angle's words return to haunt us. We're now seeing "Second Amendment Remedies" materialize. Once again, Members of Congress are receiving death threats. And law enforcement leaders are being shot dead. And even schools are again vulnerable.
I'm sure Senator Dean Heller (R-NRA) is trying to blame Hollywood for all of this. Yet despite his & the gun lobby's best attempts to spin away all this violence, the fact remains that it's here. So what will we do about it?
Sure, taking hunting rifles away from law abiding citizens won't help. And no one's talking about doing that. The problem, rather, is with extremely violent rhetoric paired up with easy access to dangerous military grade weapons. And especially when those military grade weapons fall into the wrong hands at the wrong time, (even more of) these horrific tragedies happen. And the violent rhetoric that's seeped into our politics in recent years has made this problem even worse.
So when will we do something?
And just seven months later, an armed madman attempted to assassinate then Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Arizona). Jared Loughner succeeded in shooting her and eighteen other people, and six of them were killed. And Loughner used a Glock pistol with a high-capacity magazine.
Fast forward to December 2012. In the wake of the horrific Newtown elementary school massacre in Connecticut, we saw renewed demand for gun safety reform. And despite some DC pundits' spin to the contrary, the solid majority of Americans are still demanding action on gun violence today.
And now, all of a sudden, the violent rhetoric and actions that plagued the country in 2010 and boiled over horrifically in Arizona in January 2011 have returned in a major way. Some even wonder if the violent rhetoric and actions really waned for very long in 2011. Take into consideration this...
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
And this...
A sheriff known for cracking down on the drug trade in southern West Virginia’s coalfields was fatally shot Wednesday in the spot where he usually parked his car for lunch, a state official said, and a suspect was in custody.
State Police told Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin that Mingo County Sheriff Eugene Crum died of his wounds, said his chief of staff Rob Alsop. The suspect, who was also shot, was taken to a hospital in Logan, Alsop said.
The courthouse was evacuated, streets into the city were blocked off and officers held white sheets around the crime scene, Crum’s body further shielded by two vehicles.
The shooting occurred within a block of the county courthouse, said Office of Emergency Services head dispatcher Willis Spence. Officials planned a news conference for 6 p.m. in the county in the southwest corner of West Virginia, on the border with Kentucky.
And this.
“Yesterday, several death threats were phoned into my New York office in response to news reports about a bill I authored requiring gun owners to have insurance,” the congresswoman said in a statement Wednesday morning. “The calls were fielded by young interns, who were understandably shaken by this experience.” [...]
“They said they were going to kill me,” she told the [New York Daily News]. [...]
In her statement, Maloney said she’s proud of her work to stem gun violence and strongly supports President Obama’s gun control initiatives. “100,000 Americans are injured by guns every year,” she said. “Carrying insurance is the responsible thing to do.”
“Given all the acts of gun violence we have seen in the past two years, the shootings in Aurora and Newtown, the attack on my friend and colleague Gabby Gifford (sic), I take the threat of more gun violence very seriously,” the congresswoman continued. “But it is not something that I will allow to stop me from doing my work.”
Yes, this actually happened this week. Here we go again.
And again, Sharron Angle's words return to haunt us. We're now seeing "Second Amendment Remedies" materialize. Once again, Members of Congress are receiving death threats. And law enforcement leaders are being shot dead. And even schools are again vulnerable.
I'm sure Senator Dean Heller (R-NRA) is trying to blame Hollywood for all of this. Yet despite his & the gun lobby's best attempts to spin away all this violence, the fact remains that it's here. So what will we do about it?
Sure, taking hunting rifles away from law abiding citizens won't help. And no one's talking about doing that. The problem, rather, is with extremely violent rhetoric paired up with easy access to dangerous military grade weapons. And especially when those military grade weapons fall into the wrong hands at the wrong time, (even more of) these horrific tragedies happen. And the violent rhetoric that's seeped into our politics in recent years has made this problem even worse.
So when will we do something?
Monday, February 4, 2013
Son of a Gun
Last weekend, we saw some troubling news out of Texas. Yep, there was yet another shooting.
This guy was a former Navy SEAL. He was highly trained in armed combat. And he was killed at a gun range. It just goes to show how no one is really immune from this kind of danger.
Against this saddening backdrop, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid finally came forward with his own plan to tackle gun safety reform. Fortunately, Reid's bill addresses a number of issues, including magazine capacity & universal background checks. However, there is one thing notably missing from Reid's bill.
So at least Senator Reid has finally put something on the table. And to his credit, he's ignoring the gun lobby's bullpuckey and proposing common-sense items that are wildly popular. However, he still seems to be afraid of the Assault Weapons Ban that President Obama, his good friend Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California), and at least 58% of Americans support. Why is that?
Why are military grade weapons OK for regular civilian exposure? How are they necessary for hunting or recreation? Remember that these assault weapons are specifically designed to kill masses of people in very little time.
And that's just the start. There's even more data pointing out the need for complete gun safety reform. And President Obama perhaps hit on the most easily understandable reason today in Minneapolis.
Think about it. Why are these military grade weapons on the streets, in schools, in houses of worship, in shopping malls, or anywhere else other than a war zone? When did we start living in war zones?
Why is this even controversial on Capitol Hill? We all know the answer (3 letters: NRA), but it's still so nonsensical. And even Reid's more conservative bill may still be "too much" for House Republicans. No really, we still don't know yet of House Speaker John Boehner will allow a floor vote on any kind of gun safety reform.
Even with a couple smaller bills attracting bipartisan support, we don't know yet what can pass Congress. How many more deaths must occur before they start waking up & smelling the bloody reality out here in the real world?
Chris Kyle, a former Navy SEAL and author of the best-selling book American Sniper, and a second person were shot and killed Saturday at a gun range in Erath County, U.S. Marshals said.
Late Saturday, Lancaster police arrested a man who they say matched the description of a man wanted in connection with the slayings. After a brief chase, officers arrested 25-year-old Eddie Ray Routh, according to Lancaster police spokesperson Kelly Hooten.
Reporting on the shootings, the Stephenville Empire-Tribune said Erath County Sheriff Tommy Bryant would not discuss the victims. But the newspaper said that a source working at Rough Creek Lodge, which has a gun range at which the newspaper reported the slayings occurred, confirmed that one of the victims was Kyle.
WFAA-TV (Channel 8) reported that Kyle was shot point-blank while helping another soldier who is recovering from post traumatic stress syndrome.
This guy was a former Navy SEAL. He was highly trained in armed combat. And he was killed at a gun range. It just goes to show how no one is really immune from this kind of danger.
Against this saddening backdrop, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid finally came forward with his own plan to tackle gun safety reform. Fortunately, Reid's bill addresses a number of issues, including magazine capacity & universal background checks. However, there is one thing notably missing from Reid's bill.
An aide to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid sketched out a plan for post-Newtown legislation to the paper that includes a lot of stuff gun control advocates want — but left out the ban.
“The bill would likely seek to limit the capacity of ammunition magazines; expand background checks to include sales at gun shows and other private transactions; and require better record keeping to keep guns out of the hands of those with mental illnesses,” the story said. “It would also try to curb gun sales in states with more relaxed gun laws to buyers in states with stricter laws.”
On ABC’s This Week on Sunday, Reid said he’ll allow amendments on a gun bill giving Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), the sponsor of the new assault weapons ban in the Senate, a chance to include it in a final package. But Reid was noncommittal on whether he’d vote for Feinstein’s ban (he’s voted against bans before), and repeated his promise to move a gun bill he thinks the Republican-controlled House could actually pass. That likely means no assault weapons ban.
So at least Senator Reid has finally put something on the table. And to his credit, he's ignoring the gun lobby's bullpuckey and proposing common-sense items that are wildly popular. However, he still seems to be afraid of the Assault Weapons Ban that President Obama, his good friend Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California), and at least 58% of Americans support. Why is that?
Why are military grade weapons OK for regular civilian exposure? How are they necessary for hunting or recreation? Remember that these assault weapons are specifically designed to kill masses of people in very little time.
But an assault weapons ban is designed for an entirely different subset of homicides. It targets the mass shootings that have occurred roughly once per month since 2009, according to the Mayors Against Illegal Guns data.
When assault weapons or high capacity magazines are used in a mass shooting — 23 percent of the time since 2009 — more people are shot and more people are killed.
Mass shooters who use an assault weapon or a high capacity magazine shoot more than twice as many people than those who use handguns, according to the MAIG data. The data also shows them to be 54 percent more lethal.
This chart shows the average number of casualties at a mass shooting event since 2009. When a shooter doesn't use an assault weapon or high capacity magazine, he or she shoots 7 and kills 5.4 people on average. When a shooter is using a high capacity magazine or an assault weapon, he or she shoots 15.6 and kills 8.3 people on average.
And that's just the start. There's even more data pointing out the need for complete gun safety reform. And President Obama perhaps hit on the most easily understandable reason today in Minneapolis.
President Obama on Monday reiterated his call for a ban on assault weapons during a speech in Minneapolis, saying, "Weapons of war have no place on our streets or in our schools or threatening our law enforcement officers."
"Our law enforcement officers should never be outgunned on the streets," Obama said.
Think about it. Why are these military grade weapons on the streets, in schools, in houses of worship, in shopping malls, or anywhere else other than a war zone? When did we start living in war zones?
Why is this even controversial on Capitol Hill? We all know the answer (3 letters: NRA), but it's still so nonsensical. And even Reid's more conservative bill may still be "too much" for House Republicans. No really, we still don't know yet of House Speaker John Boehner will allow a floor vote on any kind of gun safety reform.
The House GOP leadership has not said whether it will allow votes on either the trafficking or background check proposals. So it needs to be reiterated that these are both no-brainers that don’t infringe on the rights of the law abiding and are supported by law enforcement. Hopefully we’ll soon see more leadership like that shown here by Rep. [Scott] Rigell [R-Virginia] from a handful of other House Republicans.
As unlikely as it might seem that these two proposals could ever get through the House, it is premature to write them off as completely dead. And if they both pass, that would constitute passage of two thirds of Obama’s gun control agenda —and would amount to a major achievement, with or without any assault weapons ban.
Even with a couple smaller bills attracting bipartisan support, we don't know yet what can pass Congress. How many more deaths must occur before they start waking up & smelling the bloody reality out here in the real world?
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Another Day of Bloodshed
I guess this was bound to happen. Is anyone truly surprised any more?
So far, at least two people have been injured. And an entire college has been locked down for today, along with other nearby schools.
This is what gun safety advocates have been warning Nevada legislators about. And this is why President Obama wants to work with Congress on comprehensive gun safety reform ASAP. Can we really afford any more days of bloodshed? Is this really "freedom"?
Again, when did this become "normal"? And should this ever be "normal"?
As we've discussed before, this is not conducive to a functioning democratic society. Something must change. How many more days of bloodshed can we take?
Multiple people have been shot at Lone Star College's North Harris campus in Houston, Texas, according to KPRC.
Police told KPRC least one person has been detained, but they have not said if that person is a suspected shooter. Another is on the loose. [...]
KTRK reports the shooting took place near the campus library. A television helicopter showed medical crews tending to at least two victims, but there is no confirmation on the victims' conditions.
The campus is being evacuated and locked down. No one is allowed the enter the campus.
So far, at least two people have been injured. And an entire college has been locked down for today, along with other nearby schools.
This is what gun safety advocates have been warning Nevada legislators about. And this is why President Obama wants to work with Congress on comprehensive gun safety reform ASAP. Can we really afford any more days of bloodshed? Is this really "freedom"?
Again, when did this become "normal"? And should this ever be "normal"?
Students said two men were involved in a dispute in the library and both pulled out guns and began firing at each other. Law enforcement officials have not confirmed those accounts.
Officials have not said exactly how many people were shot and have not released the extent of injuries. Ben Taub Hospital said it was expecting two patients. Memorial Hermann Hospital said one person was transported by ambulance. [...]
"I was waiting for my English class to start. It was five minutes before class and all of a sudden, I heard shots fired and people started rushing in the hallway. A few students even came in to our room seeking shelter and we closed the door and we pushed the table against the door and we were hiding," student Amanda Vasquez said. "You never think this is going to happen to you."
Vasquez said the shots seem to be fired in her classroom's hallway.
"They sounded very close -- the shots. (We heard) five or six gunshots," Vasquez said. "I just ducked under the table as fast as I could and hoped for the best. I saw one of the shooters when he was already under police control."
As we've discussed before, this is not conducive to a functioning democratic society. Something must change. How many more days of bloodshed can we take?
Monday, April 2, 2012
What a Waste, Or Why Southern Nevada's "Water Crisis" Doesn't Have to Be One
Over the weekend, Will Doig wrote this article for Salon.com on the coming Sun Belt water crisis. Across the once fast growing "Sun Belt" of Southern and Southwestern cities, local governments are running into trouble as they're realizing the water is running out... Or is it?
Funny enough, SNWA produced that ad years ago. And funny enough, SNWA looked poised last decade to lead the nation in forming innovative and progressive water conservation measures. But now that Nevada State Engineer Jason King has green-lighted the proposed Snake Valley "water grab" from rural Eastern Nevada and Western Utah, SNWA seems to be slacking off in the conservation department as it rewards the region's biggest "water hogs" over small users in Clark County who have been working to conserve water. And now that SNWA is feeling emboldened by recent news, it's raising rates disproportionately on small users in order to fund the Snake Valley Pipeline.
Remember that the Snake Valley Pipeline began as ascheme way to make feasible Harvey Whittemore's proposed Coyote Springs exurban development that he wanted to stretch all the way to Lincoln County. Yet despite all the political and legal fallout over Harvey Whittemore and the budding scandals surrounding him, SNWA still plans to proceed with this pipeline. Why?
SNWA "Water Czar" Pat Mulroy has claimed this is all about preparing for the future. Tensions are rising over negotiations for Colorado River water, and Mulroy continues to say Southern Nevada must prepare for the worst, which would be Lake Mead's water level dropping below 1,050 feet. This would force Hoover Dam to shut off its hydroelectric plant, and it would throw Clark County's primary supply of drinking water into severe doubt.
So why pump in water from 300-400 miles away? That's where Mulroy's case gets weak. If Clark County has been able to avoid catastrophe for the past two decades by employing intense conservation efforts, why is SNWA now poised to drop at least some of those conservation efforts? Strangely enough, a smarter option for Greater Las Vegas' future may lie right in the heart of TEXAS.
Yes, you read me right. Let's go back to that Salon.com article for a moment to see how.
Like us, Dallas is looking for water... And now lusting after water found in East Texas and Oklahoma. Yet even as some Dallas officials are whining about ongoing drought conditions affecting the whole State of Texas, San Antonio doesn't seem to be worrying about any drought crisis. Simply because San Antonio made smart decisions early on in turning to conservation instead of "water grab" boondoggles, San Antonio is humming along just fine.
And here's the kicker. Even with drought conditions, Dallas still got 26 inches of rain last year. And even with that drought, Dallas still dumped tons of wastewater into the Trinity River... That the City of Houston is now recycling and reusing for its local water needs!
Wow. What a waste.
So if San Antonio and Houston can work on innovative solutions to water shortages brought on by past suburban development as well as the present reality of climate change, why can't Las Vegas?
Last week, The Salt Lake Tribune posted a stinging editorial rebuking the Nevada State Engineer's approval of the Snake Valley Pipeline. Believe it or not, the water there affects Utah's health, environment, and well-being in more ways than Pat Mulroy is willing to admit.
So why again is SNWA doing this? It would destroy the ecosystem of rural Eastern Nevada and Western Utah, as well as destroy the livelihood of local farmers and ranchers there. It could harm air quality in and around Salt Lake City. It would cost Clark County taxpayers many billions of dollars when we desperately need money for local schools, parks, transportation, and community services. And it just looks like pure folly when we have better options right in our own back yard (in some cases, literally!).
So why is SNWA doing this? All I see here is waste.
“When I talk to water utility people, one of the things I say to them is, ‘I bet most of you aren’t planning how to manage your water demands with 20 percent less than what you have now,’” says Charles Fishman, author of “The Big Thirst.” “If you don’t have a plan for that, you’re in trouble.”
You’ll find Fishman’s book in the nature section at Barnes & Noble, but it’s really about urban planning. Because the creeping hydro-crisis has nothing to do with “running out of water.” The earth has the same amount of water as it had 4 billion years ago, and it always will. “It’s all Tyrannosaurus rex pee,” says Fishman with a laugh. The water’s recycled endlessly through the clouds, but it’s the way we’ve built that’s made it seem scarce — with industry, farming and cities in places where there’s not enough water to support them, but still demanding more every year.
Luckily, an urban-planning problem can be mitigated with urban-planning solutions, and cities are blazing the trail — including, believe it or not, Sin City itself. Today, Vegas is soaked in “reclaimed water,” water that’s been used once and then purified for another go-round. It waters the golf courses and washes the thousands of hotel bed sheets. Even the pond at Treasure Island, where the nightly pirate-ship battles take place, is filled with water that the hotel’s guests have brushed their teeth with. (It gets run through a treatment plant under the casino.)
But even reclaimed water has a way of vanishing in a place where the sun shines 300 days a year — some estimates suggest Lake Mead loses half its water to evaporation. One solution? Store it underground, says Tom Brikowski, professor of hydrology at the University of Texas-Dallas. “It could work in a lot of places and it’s starting to be done now.” For instance, Tampa, Fla., is trying it out with a method called aquifer storage and recovery, pumping water into the earth when it rains, then extracting it during the drier months.
SNWA - THIRSTY from Kurt Rauf on Vimeo.
Funny enough, SNWA produced that ad years ago. And funny enough, SNWA looked poised last decade to lead the nation in forming innovative and progressive water conservation measures. But now that Nevada State Engineer Jason King has green-lighted the proposed Snake Valley "water grab" from rural Eastern Nevada and Western Utah, SNWA seems to be slacking off in the conservation department as it rewards the region's biggest "water hogs" over small users in Clark County who have been working to conserve water. And now that SNWA is feeling emboldened by recent news, it's raising rates disproportionately on small users in order to fund the Snake Valley Pipeline.
Remember that the Snake Valley Pipeline began as a
SNWA "Water Czar" Pat Mulroy has claimed this is all about preparing for the future. Tensions are rising over negotiations for Colorado River water, and Mulroy continues to say Southern Nevada must prepare for the worst, which would be Lake Mead's water level dropping below 1,050 feet. This would force Hoover Dam to shut off its hydroelectric plant, and it would throw Clark County's primary supply of drinking water into severe doubt.
So why pump in water from 300-400 miles away? That's where Mulroy's case gets weak. If Clark County has been able to avoid catastrophe for the past two decades by employing intense conservation efforts, why is SNWA now poised to drop at least some of those conservation efforts? Strangely enough, a smarter option for Greater Las Vegas' future may lie right in the heart of TEXAS.
Yes, you read me right. Let's go back to that Salon.com article for a moment to see how.
[... I]n San Antonio, conserving water is a religion. In the ’90s, the city was sued by the Sierra Club for draining the Edwards Aquifer. The aquifer happens to be the home of the Texas blind salamander, an endangered amphibian. A small culture war ensued, but after a few years of predictable hippies-versus-cowboys animus, something incredible happened: San Antonio became a capital of conservation chic. Low-flush toilets became status symbols, and overwatering your lawn could get a person ostracized. Water consumption dropped from 200 to 130 gallons per person per day. And suddenly, droughts that crippled neighboring cities weren’t affecting San Antonians. “I hate to say ‘big government,’” says [Tom Brikowski, professor of hydrology at the University of Texas-Dallas], “but these regional plans where everyone shares the sacrifice are pretty effective.”
Compare that to Brikowski’s hometown of Dallas, the “water hog” of Texas, where no such stigma exists, and the average resident uses more than twice as much water as a San Antonian. Between 1980 and 1999, as other big Texas cities slashed their water consumption, Dallas’ grew by 35 percent. And now Dallas, like Vegas, is looking for water elsewhere — specifically, east Texas and Oklahoma. “It’s not that they need the water to survive,” one irate east Texan told the Wall Street Journal. “What they want is to destroy our wildlife so they’ll have enough water for their grass.”
Like us, Dallas is looking for water... And now lusting after water found in East Texas and Oklahoma. Yet even as some Dallas officials are whining about ongoing drought conditions affecting the whole State of Texas, San Antonio doesn't seem to be worrying about any drought crisis. Simply because San Antonio made smart decisions early on in turning to conservation instead of "water grab" boondoggles, San Antonio is humming along just fine.
And here's the kicker. Even with drought conditions, Dallas still got 26 inches of rain last year. And even with that drought, Dallas still dumped tons of wastewater into the Trinity River... That the City of Houston is now recycling and reusing for its local water needs!
Wow. What a waste.
So if San Antonio and Houston can work on innovative solutions to water shortages brought on by past suburban development as well as the present reality of climate change, why can't Las Vegas?
Last week, The Salt Lake Tribune posted a stinging editorial rebuking the Nevada State Engineer's approval of the Snake Valley Pipeline. Believe it or not, the water there affects Utah's health, environment, and well-being in more ways than Pat Mulroy is willing to admit.
The trouble with this approach is that, unlike surface water in a river, the effects of underground pumping often are not immediately seen. Plants could die off only slowly. Once the damage is apparent, however, it may be irreversible, and the political pressure to keep pumping water south, particularly after Las Vegas had invested billions in the pipeline project, would be enormous. The complaints of a few ranchers in Nevada and the people of Utah would not count for much. [...]
There’s not a lot of water in the Great Basin to begin with, and it’s not like Las Vegas could give it back to be pumped into the ground again. Monetary damages could not undo the mischief, and there’s nowhere else to go to get replacement water.
If predictions about climate change are correct, and the amount of snowpack that provides groundwater to the Great Basin is on the decline, then there’s even worse trouble.
In his ruling in favor of the water district that serves Las Vegas, Nevada State Engineer Jason King dismissed the objections of people who worry about climate change because no evidence was submitted. However, the scientific consensus for climate change argues against going forward instead of plowing ahead.
We throw in with Utahns who worry about dust clouds enveloping Utah from denuded valleys to the west. We also believe the warnings of Snake Valley ranchers who say that well levels already are falling. Sucking more water from this environment is folly.
So why again is SNWA doing this? It would destroy the ecosystem of rural Eastern Nevada and Western Utah, as well as destroy the livelihood of local farmers and ranchers there. It could harm air quality in and around Salt Lake City. It would cost Clark County taxpayers many billions of dollars when we desperately need money for local schools, parks, transportation, and community services. And it just looks like pure folly when we have better options right in our own back yard (in some cases, literally!).
So why is SNWA doing this? All I see here is waste.
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