Bernie Sanders' Big Announcement

Will he or won't he? We know that's what some are asking right now, especially since another likely 2016 Presidential Candidate flew into Southern Nevada for a UNLV Foundation fundraiser. And yes, he directly addressed that matter.





But first, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) wanted to discuss the reason why he came to the Culinary Academy this week. First, he wanted to talk about the issues.



Senator Sanders covered everything from workers' rights to Social Security to Medicare and Obamacare. He talked about everything from the ongoing G-O-TEA campaign against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) to the corporate media's obsession with "scandals". It was the kind of very frank discussion that one typically doesn't expect to have with a Member of Congress.

And speaking of frank, Senator Sanders cut to the chase when he was asked about 2016. Will he or won't he? Well, that depends on whether he can count on the kind of campaign machine that will be necessary for a Presidential campaign.

Senator Sanders then spoke a truth that is hardly ever uttered in political pundit circles. How does change truly happen? How can one make our system work?



Short answer: One can't. Longer answer: It truly takes a village. It takes a large village. It takes a village that becomes a large and enduring grassroots movement. One person alone can't change the system, but one person can help put together a critical mass who can...

If they stick together. If anything, that's the big takeaway of Senator Sanders' visit to Southern Nevada. But shhh, don't tell the media pundits. They're still obsessing over Hillary Clinton's shoes.

Lunch With Bernie (Sanders, That Is)

So we attended a campaign event today. And we met someone who may run for President in 2016. And yes, he talked about that.

US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) was invited by the Culinary Union to speak at its get out the vote rally at the Culinary Academy in North Las Vegas. At today's event, Senator Sanders touched on the major issues in this election. He addressed the the one issue that's come to define political landscape in recent cycles.





He also touched on why so many Americans are so disgusted with our government. (Hint: Follow the money.)



And yes, Senator Sanders addressed the matter of the Kochs. He explained how all the Koch money being dumped into campaigns across the nation (including here in Nevada) prevents us from having nice things. And when we say nice things, we mean policies like a livable minimum wage, extended unemployment insurance, strong action on climate change, and relief for students who are drowning in student loan debt.



Earlier this week, Nevada's top media pundits and "bid'ness establishment" elite were fluttering around a certain visit by another rumored 2016 Presidential Candidate. Yet while they were debating the "optics" of the event, they completely overlooked the policy questions that should have been examined when she arrived. Why didn't any one at Bellagio want to talk about the actual issues that the fundraiser should have been all about?

Perhaps because Senator Sanders' visit to the Culinary Academy didn't attract the kind of media attention and "controversy" that the Bellagio UNLV Foundation fundraiser did, the conversation didn't devolve into a shouting match over "optics". And perhaps that's a good thing. After all, we can now present you with this very real discussion over truly important issues.

And frankly, this is the kind of "candidate sighting" we actually enjoy.

A Big Deal Over So Little ($)

Yesterday, a very special guest appeared at Casa Don Juan in Downtown Las Vegas. Vice President Joe Biden stopped by to host a roundtable discussion on raising the minimum wage. Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas), Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman (I), and local business owners joined Vice President Biden at Casa Don Juan.

The Vice President received some tough questions yesterday, including one on the economic impact this would have on small businesses. Here's how he responded.



And he's actually quite far from alone. According to a CareerBuilder national survey released late last month, 55% of hiring managers support raising the federal minimum wage to at least $10 an hour (while another 30% want it raised above $8 an hour). This falls in line with a July Lake Research poll showing 61% of small business owners support a $10.10 national minimum wage. And that came after a March Greenberg Quinlan Rosner poll showing 57% of small business owners support a $10.10 minimum wage.

So yes, even those in charge of hiring understand the need for a fairer and more livable minimum wage. And why not? They're on the economic front line. They realize how much we're losing by allowing so many people to fall between the cracks and into unnecessary poverty.

Yesterday, the usual "TEA" powered suspects were mocking Vice President Biden's message at Casa Don Juan. Have they tried living on minimum wage level earnings? Have they met the hard working Americans who are struggling to make ends meet on poverty level income? Have they even visited the states that have recently raised the minimum wage and are actually experiencing improved job growth?

Our guess is no. After all, it's so much easier to take political pot shots than to examine the actual policy. It's so much easier to pontificate about "economic philosophy" than to produce actual policies to solve our growing inequality crisis.

Who knew there could be such a huge fight over so little?

Hardy, Meet Romney

Today, we must return to the vault. We made another trip to the Nevada Progressive archives to uncover this gem from none other than Mitt Romney. Remember when this now infamous video first dropped in September 2012?

Herein lies Romney's problem, which is the same problem he's had all along. Basically, Mitt Romney continues to reveal himself as an out-of-touch plutocrat who just doesn't care about the middle class and working poor. And no matter how many glossy mailers he sends to me and to other Democratic households, he can't convince us to vote against our best interest. In fact, he keeps making sure of that whenever he opens his mouth and goes "off the cuff"!

And remember when a critical mass of Republicans (even Nevada's own Joe Heck) closed ranks around Mitt Romney and his "47% philosophy"?

As we've discussed before, Paul Ryan's budget is nothing less than a full assault on America's middle class and the working poor aspiring to become middle class. And not only has Mitt Romney fully embraced Paul Ryan's "vision" of a middle class busting budget, but he also wants to undo decades worth of BIPARTISAN economic policy meant to boost the ranks of the middle class. And in pursuing this false dichotomy of "the makers versus the takers", he's actually attacking upwards of 60% (!!!) of Americans along with these bipartisan decades old policies meant to build and sustain America's middle class.

This is the real poison of what Mitt Romney said at that Boca Raton fundraiser. Mitt Romney revealed that he's more than willing to undo the foundation of America's middle class just so he and his fellow 1% plutocrats can pay even less in taxes. Heh, I guess Harry Reid has been right all along.

And this is why the teabaggers are reverting to screaming about what President Obama supposedly did or did not do in Las Vegas last week. Despite all their howls suggesting otherwise, perhaps even they are starting to realize this is a losing issue for Mitt Romney. Perhaps they are finally realizing that Mitt Romney is losing this election. One just can't attack 60% of Americans and expect no blowback.

Believe it or not, The Great 47% "Gaffe" of 2012 is back. And you won't... Actually, you should have no problem believing this Nevada Republican is reviving this incredibly offensive and misleading meme.



Oh, yes. That's right. Cresent Hardy went there. And he did so at the same fundraiser at Falcon Ridge Golf Club where he blamed everyone who voted for President Obama for anything and everything that's gone wrong. Oh, and that was the same Mesquite fundraiser where he refused to take any responsibility for driving his own company into bankruptcy (before someone else had to buy him out).

So now, Cresent Hardy wants to branch out. "Segregation laws" just aren't enough. Not even Highland Hills is stinky enough for Cresent Hardy. No, he must now enter Mitt Romney territory of total douchebaggery.

Who could have ever guessed Danny Tarkanian would one day earn the title of "Best NV-04 Candidate Nevada Republicans Have Ever Recruited"?

"Count on Joe"

Today, let's take another trip to the always exciting Nevada Progressive archives. This time, we're traveling back to September 2011. Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) was caught doing a rare town hall meeting in Summerlin. And he had to answer a tough question from the audience on his vote for Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-Wisconsin) Medicare busting austerity budget earlier that year.



Ouch. He had to resort to rhetorical pretzel twists to defend that vote... Yet he voted for another Paul Ryan austerity budget in March 2012. But after he caught some political heat for those votes later that year, Rep. Joe Heck turned around and voted against the third Paul Ryan austerity budget last year.

Now, Heck seems to be feeling the "Ryan-mentum" again. This past June, Rep. Heck had Paul Ryan write a fundraising letter for his reelection campaign. Of course, the letter contains all the usual accusations of President Obama, Senator Harry Reid (D), and Nancy Pelosi being such meanie poopyheads who won't let the "YOUNG GUNS!!!" have any fun on Capitol Hill. Oh, and Rep. Ryan "can count on Joe as a leader in the struggle to revive our economy".

How so? Was he talking about the government shutdown that yanked $26 billion out of our economy? Is he talking about the continuing denial of unemployment insurance (UI) that's hut over e million Americans (including over 37,000 Nevadans)? Is he talking about the denial of a minimum wage increase that could have given our economy the extra boost we all need? Or is he just talking about his austerity program that's been suppressing economic growth?

Income inequality is a serious problem in this nation. Don't believe us? See the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Standard & Poors (S&P) reports. Income inequality hinders economic growth.



And Paul Ryan's austerity regime is worsening our income inequality problem. Is that what he meant when he "can count on Joe as a leader in the struggle to revive our economy"? He can certainly "count on Joe" to vote for his policies that harm the economy and hurt working families. And if that's the message they want to share with Nevada voters, we won't stand in the way of that.

Ironic

Yesterday, we witnessed the tale of the conflicting appellate court rulings. While a 3 judge panel of the DC Circuit Federal Court of Appeals voted 2-1 to strike down Obamacare health insurance tax credits for working class families in 36 states, a 3 judge panel of the nearby Fourth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals voted unanimously to uphold the Obamacare/Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits. Of course, the usual G-O-TEA suspects cheered on the DC Circuit ruling. And of course, that means the usual G-O-TEA suspects want to raise taxes on the middle class & working poor.

Wait, what?! Oh, yes. That's right. 87% of Obamacare enrollees in the 36 states under the federal health insurance exchange would lose their tax credits if the plaintiffs succeed in Halbig v. Burwell. So essentially, they'd have to pay higher taxes. And health insurance premiums for all consumers in these 36 states would rise by an average of 76%. Oh, and some 6.5 million Americans would lose insurance coverage. So basically, G-O-TEA politicians are cheering on a health insurance "death spiral" that would result in higher taxes and less health care for many millions of Americans. (Just don't tell them they lost in King v. Burwell, and their chances of killing Obamacare in court don't look good going forward.)

Where's Grover Norquist? Where are the "TEA" fueled purists? We thought they were against raising taxes. And we thought they didn't want consumers hit with higher costs.

Perhaps they were too busy demanding the arrests (and firings) of working mothers? Debra Harrell was just fired by McDonald's after she was arrested for letting her daughter play in a park. No really, she was arrested for letting her 9 year old daughter play outside. And she was essentially arrested for being too poor to afford day care.

But wait, whatever happened to "LIBERTY!!!" Whatever happened to "FREEDOM!!!"? Whatever happened to "DON'T TREAD ON ME!!!"? Apparently for the usual G-O-TEA suspects, it's perfectly OK for "BIG GUV'MINT!!!" to arrest working parents for letting their kids play outside because they're too poor to afford summer camp.

Isn't it ironic? For all the G-O-TEA talk of "low taxes" and "limited government", they want the working poor to pay higher taxes and face police state style oversight simply because they work at or near minimum wage level pay? Why is this? Might it be due to their desire for "low taxes" and "limited government" only for those who can afford it?

Might we possibly be witnessing a tale of a party spouting an ideology rooted in paradox? Or do these "TEA" powered politicians just detest the middle class and working poor so much that they just don't care about their nonsensical "philosophy of governance"?

Impeachment Games

And it's on! We always suspected this is what they've been aiming for. But now, it's increasingly clear what their ultimate goal has been all along.

Benghazi. IRS. Bergdahl. And all the G-O-TEA's other haute faux "OBAMA SCANDALZZZ!!!111111!!!!!!1" They never really cared about any of that, especially since there's never actually been "any there there". No, they've just wanted some excuse, any excuse, to impeach President Obama.



Earlier today, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Jack Daniel's) announced a law suit against President Obama. For what? And why? He doesn't know yet, but he'll get back to us when he figures it out.

Wow. Perhaps this is why even Fox "News" pundits are questioning the utility of this law suit over nothing...



Except that we know that it's not for nothing. Rather, we know the real goal of this suit. We know the real goal is a little thing called impeachment. Remember the 1990s? Go ahead and feel the deja vu.

Yet while House G-O-TEA "leaders" want "Impeachapalooza: The Sequel", the rest of the nation wants something else. Here's a hint: #4jobs. And for all those 3 million+ Americans who are still seeking jobs, they just want a chance to survive.

While House G-O-TEA "leaders" are obsessing over scoring political points with campaign tactics that used to be considered actual punishment for real high crimes and misdemeanors, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas), Rep. Dina Titus (D-Paradise), and a bipartisan group of other House Members are introducing the same #RenewUI.



It's been nearly 6 months since Congress let the federal extension of unemployment insurance (UI) expire. Since then, over 37,000 Nevadans and 3 million Americans have been forced into unnecessary hardship. And even though the Senate has already passed bipartisan legislation to #RenewUI, House G-O-TEA "leaders" have still refused to bring it to the floor.

Instead, they're now playing impeachment games. It's nice for them that they don't have to worry about how they'll be paying the bills. Unfortunately for all the rest of us, we don't have the luxury of all this time & money to waste on impeachment games.

The Answer Is Simple

There's a reason why constituents asked Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) about it this past February. There's a reason why many constituents railed against Senator Dean Heller's (R) vote against it in April. And there's a reason why a number of Southern Nevada's fast food workers took part in #FastFoodGlobal last month.

Hint: The minimum wage is too damned low. It's not enough for most workers to survive. And the longer we wait to #RaiseTheWage, the more unnecessary pain we're causing ourselves.

Don't believe us? Believe the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Addressing the U.S.’s persistently high poverty rates, the report lauds the U.S.’s expansion of health care coverage thanks to the Affordable Care Act, then argues for two separate policy fixes to further aid in the reduction of poverty: expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to cover more low-income people and raising the minimum wage.

“An expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit—to apply to households without children, to older workers, and to low income youth—would be [an] effective tool to raise living standards for the very poor,” the report states. “Similarly, the government should make permanent the various extensions of the EITC and the improvements in the Child Tax Credit that are due to expire in 2017.

“[G]iven its current low level (compared both to U.S. history and international standards), the minimum wage should be increased,” it goes on. “This would help raise incomes for millions of working poor and would have strong complementarities with the suggested improvements in the EITC, working in tandem to ensure a meaningful increase in after-tax earnings for the nation’s poorest households.”

Back in February, Rep. Heck suggested expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) as an alternative to raising the minimum wage. However, many of his G-O-TEA colleagues don't even want to do that (cough- Mitt Romney- cough). And now, the IMF is urging us to do both to address our inequality crisis.

Wage growth has been minimal since the onset of The Great Recession, even as overall economic growth has resumed. The working poor are indeed working, and many of them happen to have families to support. Yet even as they're working, their wages haven't kept up with the cost of living. And even some Wall Street titans are starting to admit there are negative consequences to rising income inequality.

So what can we do to start filling the inequality gap? How can we ensure that hard work actually pays? And how can we stimulate more economic growth while also pulling Americans out of poverty? The answer is simple: #RaiseTheWage.

Perhaps when Congress comes back from another recess, it can actually try passing something #4jobs? That answer should be simple...

Real. Life. Tragedy.

In the last few days, we've been hearing plenty of moving stories... Of certain political careers ending while others are just beginning. Who's in? Who's out? Who's up? Who's down?

Yet while certain politicians and pundits are obsessing over some supposed political tragedy, millions of American families are living our real life tragedies.

Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) seems to understand this. While the usual suspects on Capitol Hill are debating how much more gridlock they want to inflict on the nation, Rep. Horsford wants to remind them of the real life consequences of all the inaction they've already taken.



For about 5.5 months, federal unemployment insurance has lapsed for just over 3 million Americans (including about 37,000 Nevadans). As the former number grows, so does the latter. And the longer this drags on, the more economic pain we'll all feel.

Over 3 million Americans are now enduring immense unnecessary hardship because the usual G-O-TEA suspects refuse to #RenewUI. Even Senator Dean Heller (R) and a few other Congressional Republicans have asked their colleagues to allow some justice for the over 3 million Americans who are falling into poverty simply because the usual G-O-TEA suspects in Congress don't want to play nice with others.



This week, many on Capitol Hill are mourning some alleged political tragedy. They're wailing and moaning and gnashing their teeth because they'll miss some "hot cocktail parties" and "networking opportunities". They're crying because their "climb up the political ladder" may have been interrupted.

Yet while they're mourning this supposed political tragedy, America is enduring a horrific real life tragedy. And this tragedy is entirely unnecessary.

Perhaps instead of obsessing over some alleged political tragedy, more of our elected "leaders" need to remember the real life tragedy that they can end today. No really, they can end it today. They can end the unnecessary hardship. They can help over 3 million Americans get back on their feet. All they have to do is #RenewUI. Hey, it may even help them avoid their own political tragedy this November.

Make Ends Meet

There's a reason why a number of Southern Nevada's fast food workers took part in #FastFoodGlobal last week. They're working incredibly hard to survive. Yet even as they're working, they're still finding it difficult to survive and make ends meet.

Just look at the numbers Desert Beacon unearthed earlier today. Those numbers tell a sobering story. Even workers who earn slightly more than the minimum wage struggle to make ends meet for their families.

Yet when we've seen Congress debate even a fairly modest increase in the minimum wage, we've heard the usual "job killing" rhetoric from G-O-TEA politicians. Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) tried it at a Henderson town hall in February. And Senator Dean Heller (R) tried it when he voted against raising the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour. (FYI, #FastFoodGlobal strikers last week were demanding $15 per hour because that's what a parent with child needs just to make ends meet.)

What they fail to acknowledge is that Washington has the highest state minimum wage in the nation... And the highest rate of growth for small business employment last year. They also fail to acknowledge is that San Francisco has the highest municipal minimum wage in the nation... And the highest rate of growth for small business employment. Oh, and Seattle is the #2 city for small business growth. It's the largest city in Washington State, and it's now implementing a plan to #RaiseTheWage to $15 per hour citywide by the end of the decade.

We've yet to figure out how businesses would be hurt by guaranteeing workers' ability to make ends meet. To the contrary, workers with higher wages mean consumers with more income to drop back into the economy. And that ultimately means less poverty and more economic growth.

If anything, our current system isn't working. Case in point: McDonald's, the nation's largest fast food chain. McDonald's low wage business model costs US taxpayers an average of $1.2 billion per year due to McDonald's forcing its workers to utilize the social safety net just to make ends meet. And McDonald's executives are wondering why their company's profits have been so weak lately?

Maybe it's because low wage workers are struggling so hard just to make ends meet that they can't afford to buy their kids a lot of "Happy Meals"? Maybe it's because they've contributed to the inequality gap that's threatening to undo the foundation of this very nation? Maybe it's because their short term avarice has harmed their company's (and this nation's) long term success?

Think about it. How are we supposed to succeed as a society if so many of our people are finding it increasingly difficult just to make ends meet? And how can our democracy function if so few can afford to participate? How will America then be able to make ends meet?

The Actual Scandal

Here we go again. It's "SCANDAL!!!!" time. And more specifically, it's #Benghazi time.

Right now, House Democratic leaders are deliberating whether to participate in the new House Committee devoted to the G-O-TEA's favorite hashtag. Dare they risk legitimizing this farce? Or dare they miss an opportunity to call the G-O-TEA out on this farce?

It's not an easy decision... Unlike the actual scandal that needs to be not just investigated, but actually fixed.

It's been nearly 5 months since Congress let the federal unemployment insurance (UI) extension lapse. That's meant the loss of over $5 billion in economic activity. And it's meant unnecessary hardship for over 34,000 Nevadans and over 2.3 million Americans. Oh, and it may also soon mean the loss of over 240,000 jobs if Congress doesn't act soon.

Last month, the Senate passed bipartisan UI extension legislation. Yet since that Senate vote, the lower House of Congress has not touched UI. Even as the UI lapse has taken its toll on our economy & on over 2.3 million Americans, House Republican "leaders" have refused to schedule a #RenewUI vote.

In recent weeks, Congressional Republican "leaders" have claimed they want to find "solutions to poverty". One actual solution is right here. Instead of wasting any more of our tax dollars "investigating" a "scandalous" hashtag, they can #RenewUI and end the unnecessary suffering of millions of people who are just trying to get by.

Here we go again. While a haute faux scandal is about to be "investigated" to filth, the actual scandal is ignored. And actual people are suffering because of this. Does anyone else notice what's wrong with this picture?

A Way Out

Last Thursday, a number of local fast food workers took to the streets with community allies as a part of #FastFoodGlobal. These workers either make minimum wage or just above minimum wage. And they're struggling just to survive.

These low wage workers are merely asking for this: #MakeWorkPay. That's all. They're already working hard just to feed the kids and pay the bills. How are we really hurting anyone by ensuring people can actually work for a living?

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) has yet to answer this question. He opposes increasing the minimum wage. And he opposes even sustaining social safety programs that actually work at reducing poverty. But now, we're supposed to believe that Rep. Paul Ryan wants to "fight poverty"?

How exactly does Rep. Ryan plan to "fight poverty" if he's constantly fighting against letting millions of workers work for a living wage? And how does he "fight poverty" by fighting to rip to shreds the social safety net that prevents millions of Americans from falling into deeper poverty? We can only wonder if any of the hedge fund executives who Ryan met at Bellagio. Did anyone address the glaring disparity between Ryan's rhetoric and his real policies during the pool side party or the Champagne mixer?

Economic inequality is not merely some philosophical conundrum in need of abstract concepts. It's a very real problem in America today. Real people are suffering. And they're not helped by empty rhetoric and counterproductive policies.

Here in Nevada and elsewhere throughout the nation, millions of Americans are merely asking for a way out. They don't want a handout. They just want a way out of the poverty cycle. Is this really too difficult for Paul Ryan and other Republican "leaders" to understand?

Loud & Clear

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

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





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



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

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

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



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



They can only hope they were heard loud & clear.







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

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

Take Notice

Last week, he went down in flames. As soon as he made some incredibly racist comments (and those comments hit the national media), Cliven Bundy suddenly went from "TEA Party Folk Hero" to "G-O-TEA Persona Non Grata". And now, he can't get on any Fox "News" show... Or even CNN.

Yet even as the national media have mostly dropped this story, Virgin Valley residents are still living the #BundyRanch nightmare. National media may have abandoned Bunkerville, but the extreme right militia groups who came to fight an epic "Range War" are still there. And they're still packing a whole lot of heat.

Oh, and a number of them are actually still a large part of the story that's still making headlines nationally.



This is what we were discussing earlier this week. It's not just Cliven Bundy. Much larger G-O-TEA players are engaging in race baiting. And it's time we all take notice.

Last month, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) shocked the nation with his statements on "inner cities". Yet since then, Rep. Ryan has refused to apologize for repeatedly accusing African-Americans of being "lazy". Instead, Rep. Ryan has actually been endorsing the pseudoscience of a known white supremacist.

Yesterday, the Congressional Black Caucus held a meeting with Rep. Paul Ryan to discuss both his "inner cities" comments and the ideology behind them. And shortly after that meeting, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minnesota) took to MSNBC to talk about what had just occurred.



And Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) had this to say about the Black Caucus' meeting with Rep. Ryan.

“Poverty is not just a black or white, urban or rural, problem; it’s an American problem, and we must discuss it in that way,” Horsford said. “Today’s meeting was a productive conversation with Budget Chairman Ryan in which he explained his priorities, while our members expressed to him our concerns with his budget. Chairman Ryan in particular was open to discussing the possibility of Rep. James Clyburn’s 10-20-30 plan, saying he supports policies that help lift people out of poverty.” [...]

Horsford observed during the meeting that policies must be proposed to prevent generational poverty; to address income inequality; and to safeguard critical programs like Head Start, Pell Grants, and SNAP.

“17.1% of my constituents live below the poverty level, and many others are hanging on by a thread,” Horsford continued. “We have the most unstable housing market in the country in Nevada, and many families are struggling to keep a roof over their heads. We need to refocus federal programs to help those who need it most and to provide families with the support they need and deserve. It’s time to end the school-to-prison pipeline and give all Nevadans the chance they need to succeed. Our state’s high school graduation rate is the worst in the nation. If we fail our kids at school, we prepare them for a life of unnecessary struggle and squalor. It is time for local and federal officials to focus on doing their jobs so that our children have a fighting chance.”

This is the reality of poverty in America. People are not poor because they're "black/brown & lazy". People are poor because they're working to just barely survive.

Last week, Cliven Bundy was making news across the nation for his "Range War"... Until he started talking about race. Now, he's an afterthought in the national media (even though his gang is still raising hell in Mesquite & Bunkerville). However, the disturbing message he conveyed is anything but an afterthought. We're still seeing that message rear its ugly head, even if that head happens to be more veiled now.

And it's time we take notice.

Why We Need That Raise

This past February, NV-03 constituents asked Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) about legislation to raise the minimum wage. They shared their personal experiences, and they presented the facts. Raising the minimum wage can raise nearly 5 million Americans out of poverty while boosting economic growth.

Rep. Heck didn't take kindly to either their stories or their facts.



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And neither have Senate Republicans (Dean Heller included), as they just filibustered the Senate minimum wage bill.

"Min wage vote fails 54-42. Corker lone R voting aye, Reid votes nay for procedural reasons. AR & MS sens absent"

FYI, Senator Reid had to switch his vote from "Aye" to "Nay" so he can bring it back for another vote. In fact, he tweeted this following the cloture vote.

"Republicans just turned their backs on millions of hardworking Americans who deserve a fair shot. This debate is not over."

A majority of US Senators wanted to #RaiseTheWage. So do most Americans. And even some prominent conservatives have advocated #RaiseTheWage, as it would lessen the need for the public sector to subsidize the private sector's low wages.

So why did Senate Republicans block a #RaiseTheWage vote? Why wouldn't they simply allow a final vote on the bill, especially when a number of their party's "leaders" have claimed interest in "solving our poverty crisis". How can we "solve the poverty crisis" when we expect so many Americans to work for so little?

G-O-TEA media spinners are already claiming this was just a "political stunt" meant to "pamper teenagers". What they refuse to acknowledge is that most minimum wage jobs are not filled by "pampered teenagers". In fact, they're mostly filled by grown women. And 26% of the people who would benefit from a higher minimum wage have children.

Keep this in mind when you hear Senator Heller, Rep. Heck, and other G-O-TEA politicians try to spin away their opposition to #RaiseTheWage. They're denying millions of American men, women, and children the opportunity to work their way out of poverty. They're denying our economy the kind of consumer buying power that's necessary for sturdier & more robust economic growth. And they're denying our nation the opportunity to start solving the inequality crisis that's defined our time.

America is in dire need of a raise. Why can't we just have it already?

The Real War Behind #BundyRanch

So now, America has a better sense of who Cliven Bundy truly is. Not only has he broken the law, but he has some rather repulsive racist "ideas". And all the Republican politicians & pundits who have rushed to Bundy's defense must now defend their own shortsighted comments in support of Bundy.

And yes, they now have no choice but to face the cold, hard truth. Media Matters now has the video. And Cliven Bundy himself has doubled down on his outrageously racist remarks.



The Washington Post's Paul Waldman sees this as a wakeup call to America that racism still hasn't died just yet. Salon's Joan Walsh sees this as the result of "TEA" powered media outlets fanning the flames of "Culture War". And both Washington Monthly's Ed Kilgore & Maddow Blog's Steve Benen just see this as Republicans having to own their own beloved "Range War Folk Hero".

And really, they're all correct. Race still matters. "The Culture War" doesn't. And Republicans here in Nevada & elsewhere must now deal with the consequences of endorsing Cliven Bundy's "Range War".

However, there's another factor at play here. It's one that Digby pointed out at Salon earlier today. And it's one that we've explored here from time to time.

There's a reason why so many Republican politicians have become merry Culture Warriors. They're pandering to the 21st Century Know Nothings. They've been using these "Culture War" issues to pander to culturally conservative white voters since the 1960s, and they've been hoping they can continue using this trick to win elections.

After all, this trick had been helping them distract voters from the issue they'd rather not talk about: their ineffective & unpopular economic policies. Not only has austerity handicapped economic growth, but it's also proving to be a rather big loser among voters. With federal unemployment insurance (UI) left in tatters for nearly four months and overall federal investment only slightly above the severe austerity levels it's been forced into since 2011, the American people are finally fed up with "The Hunger Games: Real Life Edition".

And Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) gets it.



This is the reality behind #BundyRanch and all the other G-O-TEA attempts to prolong their "Culture War". It's not actually about "range warfare", at least not to the G-O-TEA political operatives who made this into a national story. It's just another "Culture War" campaign to direct anger away from the class warfare we've endured for over 30 years, and in particular from the G-O-TEA austerity regime we've had in place since 2011.

Cliven Bundy was supposed to be a convenient pawn for ambitious G-O-TEA politicians. Instead, he's become an inconvenient scandal. And the "Range War" he was supposed to win has only become another reminder of the "war" the G-O-TEA is losing.

The Scandal Staring Them in the Face

For nearly 3 weeks, we've heard plenty of talk about "SCANDAL!!!" surrounding Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D). As usual, the "SCANDAL!!!" gossip has been proven false. But as usual, the 21st Century Know Nothings peddling the false rumors refuse to give them up.

And Senator Reid refuses to give up, either. Yesterday, he tweeted this.

"There are now over 2.5 million unemployed Americans waiting on Speaker Boehner to act on #RenewUI."

Remember that the Senate has already passed bipartisan legislation to extend federal unemployment insurance (UI). Yet even with 2.5 million unemployed Americans now without this critical lifeline, House Republican "leaders" continue to fiddle while Rome burns (with the "Rome" in this instance being the 2.5 million Americans cut off UI).

Why? Why must all these American families endure such unnecessary hardship? What's to gain in forcing people into poverty? Our economy has actually lost $5 billion of economic activity thanks to the federal UI lapse.

Aren't Republicans supposed to be #4jobs? Aren't they now boasting of their "solutions to poverty"? Here's a helpful hint on both ends: #RenewUI. UI extension can pump money back into our economy while keeping unemployed Americans out of poverty while they're looking for new jobs.

So why can't the House just #RenewUI already? Oh, but Republicans are now too busy... Investigating the new "SCANDAL!!!" surrounding Senator Reid's Twitter account. Because, you know, it exists. And Senator Reid uses it to express his views on legislation and current events.

While G-O-TEA politicians feign "OUTRAGE!!!" over phony "SCANDAL(s)!!!", real people are suffering. And these real people are suffering because those who are allegedly in charge of the lower House of Congress refuse to bring up bipartisan legislation that's already passed the Senate. This is the real scandal that's staring them in the face.

Imagery

Apparently, once wasn't enough. House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) is back in Las Vegas today. This time, he's doing a fancy Strip fundraiser. And once again, he's refusing to do any media.

Hmmm... We wonder why. Could it be the troubling optics of doing a glitzy Wynn fundraiser while our Republican Senator, Dean Heller, & four other Senate Republicans demand he allow a floor vote in his chamber on the unemployment insurance (UI) extension bill that's about to pass the Senate? Perhaps that wouldn't be the best image to present to the media?

And oh, yes. That's right. It's finally about to pass the Senate. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) just filed for cloture. And he should now have at least 60 Senate votes for it.

So far, House Republican "leaders" have said they're "not worried" about UI extension. Are they that unaware of the over 2 million Americans (including over 26,000 Nevadans) who are suffering due to their intransigence? Are they that unwilling to end the unnecessary hardship of these people, many of whom live in their districts?

Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) should know better. He represents a wide swath of one of states hit hardest by the Great Recession. He must realize the economic impact of leaving over 26,000 Nevadans unable to pay their bills, buy groceries, and keep roofs over their heads. And he must realize how even more Nevadans will feel about the 113th Congress he's serving in should Congress go to recess without a House #RenewUI vote.

Lately, we've seen Republican "leaders" feign concern over their public image. We've seen them deliver flowery speeches on "fighting poverty". Yet when we compare their language to their votes, we find a huge disconnect. While they claim they want to alleviate poverty, they're promoting policies that worsen it. And their resistance to #RenewUI only further cuts down that "rebranded" image they're trying to present to us.

We really don't want to sound like a broken GIF. And we're sure you're doing this now. But really, this is the reaction we have when Republican "leaders" talk about cosmetic political imagery while failing to do something to alleviate the unnecessary hardship of way too many Americans.

And really, we couldn't stay silent on this when Speaker Boehner came into town to headline another swanky fundraiser while even our Republican US Senator is begging him (& Rep. Heck) to schedule a #RenewUI vote already. No really, that's some f**ked up imagery right there.

Quality Time

Earlier this month, NV-04 G-O-TEA hopeful Niger Innis fell into some very hot water over comments he made about making "the ultimate sacrifice" when he decided to run for Congress. Hello, when did a glorified paid vacation become "the ultimate sacrifice"? And what made this comment sound even worse was the reminder of his party's "leadership" committing to an agenda of nothing. So far, the only sacrifices House Republican "leaders" are making involve burning sound policy at the stake.

Wouldn't it be nice if these politicians (especially the "TEA" drinking ones) could learn about real sacrifice? Perhaps they should try following the lead of Rep. Jackie Speier (D-California). Last month, she spent a night in a homeless shelter. And instead of lecturing the other guests there on "moral values", she listened to the stories they had to tell. And she learned about the real sacrifices they had to make just to survive.



While Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) blames poor lazy black people for poverty and extols the virtues of child starvation, he continues to neglect the reality of poverty in America. News flash: Poor people work hard. And those who aren't working can't find work.

Perhaps it would help if Rep. Ryan and other privileged Members of Congress take up Rep. Speier's challenge and spend some quality time with the underprivileged Americans who are bearing the brunt of the American austerity regime. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) did. During the holidays, he spent a day with a homeless constituent and followed him as he looked for work and housing. This person was caught in a "Catch 22" situation where he couldn't find a job because he didn't have a home... And he couldn't find a home because he didn't have a job.



This Connecticut man lost his unemployment insurance (UI) when Congress failed to extend it. Even when Senator Dean Heller (R) and a few other Congressional Republicans urged their colleagues to pass UI extension, those G-O-TEA colleagues tried to filibuster it to death. And in doing so, they made life that much harder for the impoverished Americans Senator Murphy and Rep. Speier recently spent time with.

We can't help but wonder if more in Congress would be more responsive to the real needs of America if they were to follow the example set by Rep. Speier & Senator Murphy. It's almost inexplicable to think that it's taken this long for Senator Heller to reach a potential deal on UI extension. And it's completely inexcusable to think that Senator Harry Reid (D) had to shame his & Heller's Republican colleagues until just enough of them agreed to #RenewUI.

This is the least we can do for those who have the most to lose. And it's too bad & so sad that so many on Capitol Hill fail to realize this. While they're cozying up to the Koch-topus of dirty money, they fail to notice their own constituents, especially the ones who may not have enough money to pay the rent and buy groceries.

We can't help but wonder what would happen if more of those G-O-TEA politicians were to step away from Capitol Hill more often to see how all the rest of us are living. Would it have taken them this long to realize what all of us knew from the start?

The Real "Joe Heck Scandal"

As of late, G-O-TEA politicians have been very eager to investigate phony nonexistent baseless bullshit "OBAMA SCANDALZZZZ!!!111111!!!!" And few have been as eager to waste time on investigate them as Rep. Joe Heck (R-Benghazi). Whenever asked, he's rejoiced responded that he's completely ready & able to investigate all these "scandals" to death.

Suffice it to say, this week offers an interesting turn of events for Rep. Heck. And why is that? Oh, some media personalities are now chortling over the new scandal involving Heck's campaign manager and the scene he created at a UNLV v. UNR basketball game in Reno.

Yet even as this scandal is cooking, some pundits continue to whisper about Heck's political future. Will he or won't he? Should he or shouldn't he?

With all this media buzz surrounding Heck's political team and political career, we can understand why some forget that he's still a sitting Member of Congress who's supposed to make critical decisions on a number of important policies. And with all the crazy that's come to define the 113th Congress, we can understand why many find it hard to believe that Congress makes any critical decisions on any important policies. Nonetheless, some important decisions seem to be flying under the radar.



One just happens to be the extension of unemployment insurance (UI). Since the federal UI extension lapsed in January, just over 26,000 Nevadans & 2,000,000 Americans have lost UI. And that means these families have lost a critical lifeline for survival. In the Senate, both Harry Reid (D) & Dean Heller (R) have been trying to round up 60 votes to pass UI extension in that chamber. And in the House, Reps. Dina Titus (D-Paradise) & Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) have both made #RenewUI a key priority.

Yet when we check @RepJoeHeck...



While Rep. Heck has been touting an education & workforce hearing he's bringing to Las Vegas next week, he's been supporting the very austerity regime that's hurt higher education in Nevada and elsewhere. And even as he's occasionally noted the economic struggles that remain in Southern Nevada, he's yet to offer any meaningful action. But now that House Democratic leaders are planning to start a discharge petition to #RenewUI, Rep. Heck now has a chance to match his words with concrete action.

So will he choose to act? Or will he choose more of the same austerity that's hindering economic growth? Believe it or not, this is the real scandal. The unnecessary suffering of all these American families, the unnecessary hit our economy is taking thanks to this newest "austerity bomb", is far more scandalous than any haute faux "OBAMA SCANDAL!!!" or idle 2016 speculation or UNR altercation.

So does Rep. Heck really want to raise all the fake scandals with a real one? Or can he recognize that it's long past time to #RenewUI?