The Real Deal

Earlier this month, Las Vegas Sun publisher Brian Greenspun shocked us... Not with his expected column opposing The Education Initiative (TEI), but with his assertion that LVGEA's gawd-awful Whitney Houston lip sync is somehow praiseworthy.

Queue today's Las Vegas Sun editorial on this year's ballot questions. While The Sun makes good points on Questions 1 & 2, it again ventures off to Neverland in search of a cohesive opinion on Question 3.

The solution is one we’ve already seen developing: Business groups are banding together and finding ways to fix the situation. They plan to come to the Legislature with a plan that will better fund education in a way that won’t break the backs of small businesses.

That’s what should happen and that’s the best way to go. This is a discussion for the Legislature, and seeing businesses involved in the process is encouraging. The bottom line is Question 3 is bad policy and would be disastrous for the state, especially when businesses are ready and willing to work with the Legislature to find a better way forward.

Here we go again with "The Deal". What is "The Deal"? What's in "The Deal" for our kids? And why can't we know how "The Deal" is being made? Maybe this is because "The Deal" is like all the other past "deals" that have gone nowhere?

As we've said before, why are we now to believe the very forces who have always fought against any kind of meaningful progressive tax reform suddenly want to give us "The Deal"? What have they ever done to earn our trust?

Think about this: They're spending millions on their campaign to defeat a mere 2% tax on $1,000,000+ of corporate income. If they're spending so much to defeat this at the ballot box, what makes us think they'll agree next year to any kind of tax reform that makes them pay something closer to their fair share?

So "Deal or No Deal"? Actually, how about we settle for The Real Deal?

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.

Pathetic

Here's what you need to remember about the most important race in this very important election: Something or nothing. That's the choice we have this month. We can do something, or we can continue to go along with nothing.

This is what you need to remember about Question 3. The Education Initiative (TEI) gives us the opportunity to finally do what our elected "leaders" have failed to do in Carson City for far too long. But if voters say no to Question 3/TEI this fall, there's no guarantee we'll see any of the changes TEI's opponents are now promising.

This is why we laughed yesterday. For some reason, Las Vegas Sun publisher Brian Greenspun wants us to believe LVGEA's horrifically pathetic Whitney Houston lip sync is somehow indicative of them "trying to craft a plan that will grow our public school system into what we need to be a 21st-century competitor". Huh? So now, we're supposed to believe the same people who've opposed every attempt at progressive tax reform and strengthening public education are now "finding common ground" with the very people they've been fighting tooth and nail all this time? While we're all for legal marijuana, perhaps Mr. Greenspun needs to put down the "magic brownies" before taking calls from anyone at Wizard of Oz Global HQ LVGEA.

This is why we laughed yesterday. For some reason, the local "newspaper" (of ill repute) decided to do an in-house ad against TEI. No really, the "newspaper" went there... Again! Now, we're just wondering when the "newspaper" will start slut shaming TEI proponents and publishing teachers' home addresses.

It's a shame we have to rely on "news media" like these newspapers. One publishes the classic "bid'ness establishment" fantasy, while the other is so desperate to fill ad space that it has to publish its own ads. While both still employ numerous great reporters, the leadership of both continue to value access over enlightenment.

Today is one of those days when we wish CityLife was still around to read both of the newspapers to high filth. But since that paragon of true journalistic virtue is no longer with us, it's now up to us to state the obvious. And what's obvious to all thinking Nevadans today is that both Southern Nevada newspapers looked like pathetic imitations of their former selves with their craptastic editorials.

The only thing more pathetic than these newspaper editorials of questionable value is No on 3's campaign of half-@$$ed fearmongering and laughable distortions. In fact, this may ultimately prove to be valuable... To the Yes on 3 campaign. If this is truly all No on 3 has, this says everything about why TEI landed on our ballots in the first place.

Radical Change

It's still dry out here. Sure, we've occasionally had storms drop some rain on us. However, we're still operating on a serious precipitation deficit.

And it's not over yet. Far from it, Nevada will likely endure another year of drought. This drought has caused a world of trouble for Nevada and the entire West. And it now looks like we must prepare for another year of Lake Mead & Lake Tahoe shrinking while wildfires burn across the state.

It's become increasingly undeniable that climate change is taking its toll on Nevada along with the rest of the world. So why aren't more people making noise?

But wait, there actually were about 400,000 people making noise in New York City on Sunday. And that was just one of the People's Climate March events happening in over 150 nations this week. And yet, you may not have even heard about it until now.



So why did the Sunday talk shows only barely mention this? After all, it was happening in their own back yard.

Even though many media pundits continue to ignore the perils of climate change, a number of captains of industry are now speaking up and making change happen. This isn't some "fringe movement". This is a very real statement on a very real threat to all of us.



As they always do, the usual G-O-TEA suspects were trashing last weekend's march while decrying "the radical left" for demanding "radical change". But you know what? If we want to survive, we must embrace radical change and do so soon. Hell, most American voters are now realizing this. So why shouldn't we start implementing the radical changes we need to save ourselves and our children's future on this planet?



This week, the United Nations is holding another climate summit. This time, it's in New York. And this is why we're seeing so much direct action in New York this week.



It's amazing that roughly 400,000 people took to the streets of Manhattan on Sunday demanding climate action. And it's amazing to think a number of those people are staying for further actions. However, this is not enough. They can't be the only ones to act.

Ultimately, we must all act. And yes, we must all begin making radical changes soon. We can't afford to delay any longer. If we need any further reason to act, all we must do is open the door.

"Play Long Ball"

Did you hear? Everything is coming up roses! We will be greeted as liberators! Just take a look on the bright side of life! And no matter what, always make sure to admire the bright & sunny "optics".

Last week, the mantra was supposed to be, "Ratification is different from rubber-stamping." But now that Tesla secured the deal it always wanted from Carson City, even the media pundit who uttered those words before the 28th Special Session of the Nevada Legislature is now upset because some legislators didnt rubber-stamp the Tesla deal quickly enough.

Wait, what?! Sadly, even some highly esteemed leaders of the Fourth Estate have caught #Teslamania.



Last week, The Atlantic's CityLab Editor-at-Large, Richard Florida, tried to warn those in Carson City of the risks of placing all of Nevada taxpayers' eggs in one "economic development" basket. And now, Los Angeles Times business columnist Michael Hiltzik is essentially calling our state's leaders "suckers" for approving the Tesla deal so quickly without analyzing the true cost of all the giveaways Tesla demanded along with the possibly way-too-rosy economic forecasts from the Governor's Office. Oh, and Good Jobs First continues to question the wisdom of allowing such a profitable company to operate in Nevada completely tax free for the next decade.

A cool $195 million is already leaving the state's coffers for Tesla corporate headquarters. And that's while Northern Nevada local authorities are just starting to realize the strain on local infrastructure that they just agreed to. How will we pay for the new roads and schools in Washoe, Storey, & Lyon Counties? And how will this affect state funding for the already overcrowded Clark County School District (CCSD), the already overburdened Southern Nevada transportation system, and still-in-need-of-some-TLC Southern Nevada economy?

Yesterday, the above mentioned media pundit used his Sunday Column to chide all the "ivory tower know-nothings and southern partisans" who dared to question Governor Brian Sandoval's (R) "play long ball"/"swing for the fences" strategy. Oh, really? What in any of this deal is "long ball"? How did Sandoval's "economic development team" "swing for the fences" by agreeing to the same old corporate welfare that this state has always tried to use to "diversify our economy"? How's that working out for us? The only difference this time is that the Tesla corporate welfare package is 14 times greater than the previous record setting Nevada corporate welfare package (cough- Apple -cough).

Look, we know Tesla likely has a bright future ahead. We even realize Tesla's potential role in a climate change/clean energy/human survival breakthrough. We can't understate the promise of the ground Tesla broke in Storey County.

We're just wondering why we're once again trying to substitute short sighted corporate welfare for long sighted economic planning. If we truly care about the well being of our state and our people, we know how to secure a far better bang for our buck. Yet in order for us to score this kind of real "long ball" deal, we'll need to approve it ourselves.

Who's Policing the Police?

A funeral is happening today. It's certain to attract a large crowd. In fact, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) is in Ferguson, Missouri, today.

Michael Brown's funeral is today. The Brown family has asked for calm in the St. Louis region today. And it remains to be seen how long the calm will last, especially since Ferguson Police still refuse to answer questions on Officer Darren Wilson's slaying of Michael Brown. There was never even an incident report filed.



And not only that, but Ferguson Police still refuse to admit they have a serious problem on their hands. Sure, they're finally dialing back the violence now. However, they're still refusing to take any accountability for their actions against local civilians.



Before Darren Wilson joined the Ferguson Police Department, he worked at the Jennings Police Department. He was let go in 2011... Along with the entire rest of the police force. Jennings Police had developed such a horrifying record of police brutality that the city council decided to dissolve the whole police department and start anew.

Apparently, this didn't faze Ferguson Police at all. Sure, it's never good to simply assume the worse and presume guilt before proving innocence. However, it's always a good idea to perform background checks on prospective enployees and investigate Wilson's role in the Jennings debacle.

Why didn't Ferguson Police seriously investigate Darren Wilson's record in Jennings? Why has Ferguson Police instead taken to Fox "News" to villify the victim? And why are the usual G-O-TEA suspects once again trying to stifle serious discussion on the serious issues surrounding Ferguson?



Once again, the actions of a mostly white police force against a minority-majority community has become a media circus full of heat yet lacking light. Once again, we're hearing outrageous accusations to go along with nonsensical conspiracy theories. What we have yet to hear are answers from Ferguson Police. So many in the media are rushing to put Michael Brown on trial, even as Michael Brown's funeral is underway. Yet who's policing the police?

The Real Issue

It was supposed to be the ultimate battle royale. It was supposed to be a war between Nevada royal families. It was supposed to be one of the "hot ticket races" of the 2014 election cycle.

Early this year, G-O-TEA operatives were salivating over the opportunity to knock out Ross Miller (D). The outgoing Secretary of State has built up quite the list of accomplishments during his tenure there. And even though he's running for Attorney General this fall, media pundits can't help but speculate about his political future. Obviously, Republican campaign consultants were shaking in their boots.

Then came Adam Laxalt (R). He seemed to be the answer to G-O-TEA prayers. He has a pretty face, a famous last name, and a seemingly impeccable resume. What more could Nevada Republicans ask for?

But when Adam Laxalt began revealing his "most flawed" "political issues", we could sense something was off. How could a well trained lawyer not understand the basics of Constitutional law? We understand he has his "political issues", but those should not become "legal issues" as well.

And speaking of "legal issues", Adam Laxalt has plenty. When his law firm did a performance review, Laxalt's self-assessment strayed quite far from the assessment of his seniors and peers. And now that this performance review is becoming public knowledge, his campaign has been in complete "damage control" mode.

Ever since Jon Ralston revealed the skeletons in Adam Laxalt's closet, his campaign has tried just about everything to change the subject. They've tried blaming whoever leaked the documents. They've tried questioning the authenticity of the documents. They've tried leaking some of Laxalt's military documents. And of course, they will probably try reviving "Gift-gate" yet again... Even as Laxalt jumps to accept all sorts of gifts from one Sheldon Adelson.

Herein lies the crux of Adam Laxalt's real issue. Forget the bombast over the "gifts". Forget the howls of protest over the "document leaks". And forget the whining over "political hits".

Here's the real issue: Adam Laxalt has yet to prove his qualifications to serve as Nevada's Attorney General. He and his biggest Republican boosters can throw temper tantrums on as many "newspaper" pages as they want, but this won't change the issue of Laxalt struggling to make his own case. They can cry as much as they want about Ross Miller being on top of his game, but it's not his fault that Nevada Republicans have so many issues with their handpicked opponent for him.

Where's the Scandal?

Must we do this again? Apparently, yes. While one local media pundit continues to beat this dead horse, national G-O-TEA media spinners have begun beating the "ZOMG!!! Hillary Clinton is a rich b---h!!!!" dead horse of a "scandal".



What Fox "News" talking heads call "rock star diva outrageous demands" are actually considered standard operating procedure for high profile politicians. If Hillary Clinton is a "rock star diva" making "outrageous demands", then so are George W. Bush, Rudy Giuliani, Sarah Palin, and Newt Gingrich.

But of course, Hillary Clinton is different... Because she's "stealing money from UNLV students"! Except she's not.

No really, the UNLV Foundation relies on private donations to fund its efforts to raise private money for UNLV (since the public college doesn't receive enough public funding). Since Hillary Clinton's speech will be for the UNLV Foundation, her speaking fee came from private donations. Already, there have been more than enough private donations to cover the fee. She has already donated that fee to charity. And the October event will likely raise a hefty sum... For the benefit of UNLV and its students.

So where's the "scandal"? Where were all these media pundits when politicians like Rudy Giuliani cashed in on big speaking fees? And where were they when Governor Brian Sandoval (R) pushed for more UNLV budget cuts in 2011?

Ironically, one of the most vocal critics of Clinton's UNLV Foundation gig accepted a for-pay speech at UNLV herself. And she's not alone on the list of high profile individuals UNLV and/or the UNLV Foundation paid to give a speech. So why are we still wasting so many characters arguing over this Hillary Clinton speech?

Whenever a Clinton runs for President, strange things happen. Extramarital affairs become "impeachable offenses". A money losing land deal becomes some horrifically sophisticated money laundering scheme. A tragic attack on a US consulate becomes some bizarre mass murder conspiracy. And a speaking fee becomes some heinous crime against higher education.

Perhaps if Republican political operatives and their media enablers were to spend less time hyperventilating over fictitious "scandals" and more time preparing better policies for their preferred Presidential candidates to espouse (along with decent candidates for them to prefer), they'd actually have a viable 2016 alternative to Hillary Clinton.

New Low

Just over 2 months ago, we noticed this. While their "Range War" was still in high gear, members of Cliven Bundy's armed militia gang made violent threats against US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D). This wasn't the first time Senator Reid faced violent threats, but it also wasn't the first time we noticed the violently dangerous side of #BundyRanch.

Last month, Las Vegas Metro Police received a horrific wake-up call to the severity of this situation when Officers Alyn Beck & Igor Soldo, along with civilian Joseph Robert Wilcox, we're shot to death by 2 extremely zealous #BundyRanch fans. Suddenly, Senator Reid looked to be awfully prescient for warning everyone about the "Patriot Movement"/sovereign citizen presence in Bunkerville & Mesquite.

But now, Senator Reid and his family face new threats. And why's that? Oh, we can thank everyone's favorite reckless "newspaper" for this doozy.

Believe it or not, the "newspaper" decided to print the streets where 2 of Senator Reid's sons live. The "newspaper" also noted that these streets happen to be in the same Henderson community where Harry & Landra Reid are moving to. Keep it klassy, "newspaper"!

Just last week, the FBI confirmed it's investigating an Indiana network with ties to the late Jerad & Amanda Miller after a member of this group threatened to kill police officers and judges who were involved with his 2011 arrest on drug charges. And last month, fellow "sovereign citizen" Brent Douglas Cole opened fire on law enforcement agents in the Lake Tahoe area. We've already seen violence emerge after Cliven Bundy and his "TEA" flavored friends decided to start their "Range War".

So why on earth did the "newspaper" publish the street addresses of Senator Reid's sons? The head honchos at Bonanza headquarters know these fringe characters are out there. Why give them such a road map to bloody tragedy?

Amazingly, the "newspaper" has found a new low to fall into. Just as as we're seeing a rise in extreme right domestic terrorism, the "newspaper" decides now is the perfect time to give aspiring "revolutionaries" the residence of Senator Reid & several of his family members. Words fail to describe the new EPIC FAIL the local "newspaper" has just committed.

Harsh Language & Misplaced Outrage

It must be that time of the year again. The weather is not as cold outside. The days are starting to feel longer. And Jon Ralston goes off on bizarre tangents.

This time, Ralston is excoriating US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) for daring to speak the truth on the Senate floor.



Indeed, the Koch front groups' attack ads against Obamacare (aka the Affordable Care Act, or ACA) have been proven false. Their scare tactics are nothing more than air brushed lies. And the Kochs have spent millions of dollars airing these misleading ads in states where they hope to elect Republican US Senators.

So why is Ralston fuming over what Senator Reid said? Oh, that's right. Senator Reid dared to call "un-American" the use of shadowy front groups to pump millions of dollars worth of misleading ads into states where one hopes to buy (additional) seats in Congress.

Of course, we can see why the Kochs are dumping so much money into all these misleading ads. Most Americans still oppose the Koch approved agenda of manufacturing crises in order to find the "sweet spot" for their extreme ideological agenda. And since the Kochs' agenda of "license to discriminate", climate crisis, "Stand Your Ground" (to shoot to kill), privatization of public education, and voter suppression.



So why again are we supposed to be raging against Senator Reid for calling "un-American" the Kochs' underhanded plan to buy more power in government? How was Senator Reid wrong?

If anything, Jon Ralston's outrage seems awfully misplaced. Did Senator Reid use some harsh language in criticizing the latest Koch gambit? Perhaps... But then again, the Kochs ideological agenda is even harsher.

Denial & Distractions

Last month, we witnessed a rather gruesome death. It was the death of the sterling reputation of "60 Minutes", CBS News' flagship Sunday "news" program. When it aired a segment on "The Cleantech Crash", actual renewable energy experts were left wondering how such a (once) lauded institution of journalism could get the story so damned wrong.

Perhaps we now have the answer. Was "60 Minutes" just trying to compete for the "Fox News" audience? Last weekend, we saw Fox's trademark idiocy "journalism" on display when it brought up climate change.



Oh, yes. That's right. "Fox News" went there... Yet again.

And that's not all. While "Fox News Sunday" was trying to spin away climate change, NBC News' "Meet the Press" hosted a debate between "Science Guy" Bill Nye and (anti-science) Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee). And when host David Gregory pressed Blackburn on climate policy, she unleashed this "pearl of wisdom".

"David, one of the things we have to remember is cost/benefit analysis has to take place. … And it is unfortunate that some of the federal agencies are not conducting that cost/benefit analysis. They’re focused on the outcome. … Now, you know, when you look at the social cost of carbon, and there is a lot of ambiguity around that, what you also need to be doing is looking at the benefits of carbon and what that has on increased agricultural production."

Really, Rep. Blackburn? Clearly, she doesn't know how it's affected agriculture here in Nevada. Hint: It hasn't helped. And now that the Southern Nevada Water Authority is doubling down on its quest for the Snake Valley Pipeline to quench Southern Nevada's thirst, Rural Nevada's farmers & ranchers have even more to worry about as water supplies dwindle throughout the state.

And then, there's the ever worsening California Drought. There's perhaps no more frightening sign of what unchecked climate change will unleash on us than the ongoing drought that risks turning "The Golden State" into "The Barren State". And Marsha Blackburn wants us to believe there are "benefits of carbon" pollution?

The "Dust-Bowlification" we're witnessing throughout The West is very real... And very dangerous. And it serves as another reminder of the severe consequences we face if we don't properly address the real challenge of climate change.

This is the time for solutions. This is not the time for distractions. And we're long past the time of denial. It's just horrifying to see how so many media pundits and "TEA" flavored politicians continue feeding their delusions with more denial & distractions.

No Means No

It isn't new, far from it. We've seen it happen time and time again. And we're seeing even more of it now.

We saw it happen to Assembly Member Lucy Flores (D-North Las Vegas) last year. We saw it happen to Sandra Fluke two years ago. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee (R) went there last month. And Wall Street Journal columnist James Toranto is going there today.

Working off a piece in the New York Times, Taranto highlighted an incident last year at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where a young man named Matt Martel prevented his intoxicated male friend from sleeping with a drunk female student. The young woman thanked Martel the next day, which apparently left Taranto baffled.

Taranto just doesn't think men and women — physical disparities, be damned — should be treated differently in such cases if both parties are drunk.

Taranto is a reliable soldier in what he's called the "war on men." He wrote last June that Democrats such as Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) were trying to "criminalize male sexuality" in their efforts to eliminate sexual assault from the military. McCaskill promptly shot back at Taranto's "bizarre and deeply out of touch understanding of sexual assault."

Except that James Toranto does believe men should be treated differently. He obviously doesn't support efforts to "criminalize male sexuality". And as long as a woman is also drunk, a drunk man has free reign to "do what he wants" with those "blurred lines".

Once again, we're seeing how slut shaming is used to silence those who criticize Rape Culture and its pernicious infiltration into mainstream culture. "Oh, but she wanted it! She was drunk. And she was probably scantily clad as well. And she likely has sex with lots of men all the time. She wanted it, so how dare she complain!"

Here's an easy rule of thumb when it comes to determining rape: No means no. If someone has not provided consent, then forcing oneself onto that person is rape. It's really that simple.

This is why it's incredibly difficult to take seriously those G-O-TEA politicians when they claim there's no War on Women. Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) has even gone as far as claim Democrats have a "woman problem". And why's that? Oh, he's rehashing then President Bill Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky. No, we're not even kidding.

Never mind the G-O-TEA's obsession with "legitimate rape". Never mind their campaign to kill the Violence Against Women Act. And never mind the ongoing G-O-TEA attacks on women's reproductive health care. No, the real threat to American women is Hillary Clinton, her husband, and the affair she drove him into committing nearly two decades ago. (Obviously, we're kidding here. #snark)

Today, James Toranto and Rand Paul reminded us that the War on Women still rages on. According to their army of G-O-TEA Culture Warriors, consensual extramarital sex threatens to destroy the world... But rape "isn't really rape" if both parties are drunk. They've yet to understand that at the end of the day, no means no.

The Spin Trap

Less than 24 hours ago, many media pundits (including that one) were salivating. And G-O-TEA politicians everywhere were licking their chops. Why?

"We wuz rite!!! OBAMACARE KILZ JOBZZZ!!!!"

And they were... As usual, wrong. And fortunately for us, the Los Angeles Times' Michael Hiltzik explains why.

The CBO [Congressional Budget Office] projects that the act will reduce the supply of labor, not the availability of jobs. There's a big difference. In fact, it suggests that aggregate demand for labor (that is, the number of jobs) will increase, not decrease; but that many workers or would-be workers will be prompted by the ACA [Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare] to leave the labor force, many of them voluntarily.

As economist Dean Baker points out, this is, in fact, a beneficial effect of the law, and a sign that it will achieve an important goal. It helps "older workers with serious health conditions who are working now because this is the only way to get health insurance. And (one for the family-values crowd) many young mothers who return to work earlier than they would like because they need health insurance. This is a huge plus."

The ACA will reduce the total hours worked by about 1.5% to 2% in 2017 to 2024, the CBO forecasts, "almost entirely because workers will choose to supply less labor — given the new taxes and other incentives they will face and the financial benefits some will receive."  That translates into about 2.5 million full-time equivalents by 2024 — not the number of workers, because some will reduce their number of hours worked rather than leaving the workforce entirely.

So those who'd rather not work as many hours won't have to any more. And those who'd like to break away to start their own business now can. And those who felt trapped because of the need for health insurance no longer have to feel that way. What's the problem here?

The problem here doesn't lie with Obamacare. Rather, it lies with misleading G-O-TEA spin... And the willingness of far too many media pundits to go along for the ride.

Republican "leaders" on Capitol Hill have become increasingly desperate in their efforts to placate their base of G-O-TEA Culture Warriors hell bent on provoking Armageddon. That's why they're latching onto whatever they can spin as "OBAMA FAIL!!!!" Clearly, they were hoping that the new CBO report would provide just that. And once they started realizing it actually didn't, they proceeded to attack the CBO.

Apparently this morning, all the misleading spin finally proved to be too much for The New York Times Editorial Page.

Some workers may have had a pre-existing condition and will now be able to leave work because insurers must accept all applicants without regard to health status and charge premiums unrelated to health status. Some may have felt they needed to keep working to pay for health insurance, but now new government subsidies will help pay premiums, making it more possible for them to leave their jobs.

The report clearly stated that health reform would not produce an increase in unemployment (workers unable to find jobs) or underemployment (part-time workers who would prefer to work more hours per week). It also found “no compelling evidence” that, as of now, part-time employment has increased as a result of the reform law, a frequent claim of critics. [...]

The new law will free people, young and old, to pursue careers or retirement without having to worry about health coverage. Workers can seek positions they are most qualified for and will no longer need to feel locked into a job they don’t like because they need insurance for themselves or their families. It is hard to view this as any kind of disaster.

It's just too bad that even The Times' own front page initially got caught in the spin trap. And it's too bad that certain media pundits are rewarding the spin rather than reporting the news. Oh, and this just serves as another reminder of why we need more independent media who are actually committed to reporting real news.

RIP, CityLife??!!

When we started the conversation on this little blog of ours nearly five years ago, we did occasionally wonder whether this site was actually necessary. After all, this damned thing is on Blogger! And it's a site slapped together by someone who came here because he didn't always like writing by certain other people's rules.

Oops, did I really just air some of my (quite old) dirty laundry?

Enough of that. Today, we have more important things to talk about. Believe it or not, another one is close to biting the dust. And what might that "another one" be?

Here's a hint: Go back to September and remember what we said about a little law suit involving the viability of the Las Vegas Sun?

[... W]ith the rise of TV newsrooms and online news sites, there are at least theoretically alternatives to the one "newspaper" left standing...

Except that's in theory. What about reality? Just how invested are the local TV stations in supporting real journalism? And can a few scrappy web sites truly make up for losing what was once a great paper?

For now, Southern Nevada still has two newspapers in circulation. We just don't know how much longer this will last. In so many ways, the slow and ugly decline of The Sun reflects the brutal reality of print journalism's dilemma in The Digital Age. And both the recent tabloid-ization of The Sun & the decimated reputation of the other "newspaper" remind us of what happens when corporate profit seeking gets in the way of reporting the news. We may be nearing the end of an era for Southern Nevada, but this is only the continuation of a disturbing trend in journalism.

Last fall, we received a rude awakening. The Sun was already becoming a shell of its former self, but it still had value as a newspaper reporting on real news. What would happen if it were to fully decease?

Even before it started becoming obvious that The Sun's days are numbered, we were concerned about the lack of independent voices in our local media. All too often, both major papers seemed to advocate a certain point of view that looked to be all too convenient for the powers-that-be in this state. Where could we find the news and views that the powers-that-be try to prevent us from seeing?

This is typically where Las Vegas CityLife steps in. For over two decades, CityLife has been more than willing to go places the "traditional media" in this town have refused to go. And even though CityLife has shared the same owner as the "newspaper" for some time, it's somehow avoided to catch the same disease the "newspaper" has refused to cure itself of.

But very soon, this will be no more. Why? Stephens Media recently decided to discontinue its publishing of Las Vegas CityLife. Next week's issue is supposed to be the last.

And this brings us back to where we started this discussion. I honestly never thought I'd be placed in such an awkward position. I've been accustomed to being a tiny electronic cog in much bigger alternative media machine. I never imagined the day when I'd be among the few alternative, independent voices left.

As we've mentioned before, this scrappy little site that was slapped together by some punky little online rabble-rouser just can't replace an entire newspaper. And I know we're not the only ones who realize this. As we speak, a MoveOn petition (calling for Stephens Media to let CityLife live on) is collecting signatures. Who knows, maybe Stephens corporate bosses aren't fully immune from public outrage?

But if that isn't the case, someone will need to fill the void left by a dead CityLife. Paging Vegas Seven?

In the mean time, we'll still be here. We just didn't want to become necessary this way. And we just don't have an entire office to publish an entire newspaper. That's supposed to be where actual newspapers step in. When did it become acceptable for shortsighted corporate greed to kill all this journalism?

Crash (Goes CBS "News")

Did you know "Cleantech" has crashed? We didn't. But apparently, it did... Because CBS "News'" "60 Minutes" told us so.

As of late, it seems like the once revered flagship "TV news magazine" has been receiving a "fair & balanced" makeover. CBS News is still under fire for the now infamous "60 Minutes" Benghazi report that turned out to be nothing but an error filled attempt to sell a book. And now, CBS is also in the hot seat over a recent "60 Minutes" report on Amazon's new drone program that turned out to be nothing but an Amazon infomercial. Yet despite these major league embarrassments, "60 Minutes" producers don't seem to be all that worried about the free-falling reputation of their show.

Case in point: This past Sunday's "Cleantech Crash" report. The San Jose Mercury News' clean energy reporter has already debunked the "60 Minutes" piece. So has Cleantechnica. And Think Progress has posted an interview with the clean energy expert featured on "60 Minutes" (whose words were twisted when featured on that show).

Here's what "60 Minutes" oh so quickly glossed over when bashing federal clean energy investment: The very Department of Energy Loan Guarantee Program that "60 Minutes" attacked for rewarding failure actually has a 97% success rate! Do you know how many Wall Street investors would sacrifice their parents and/or children on the altar of Mammon to obtain that kind of success rate? Actually, you probably don't want to know. However, we should all remember the rule of thumb for private sector venture capitalists, which is that 3 out of 4 startups fail on average. So it was oh so easy for "60 Minutes" to find examples of "Cleantech Crash", even though it would have also been easy for "60 Minutes" to find many examples of "Cleantech Success".

There's a reason why such "wild eyed lib'rulzzz" as Governor Brian Sandoval (R) and the entire State Senate Republican Caucus have been rushing to encourage more clean energy investment in Nevada. There's a reason why California has been seeing a lot of green lately. And there's a reason why much of the rest of the world is cashing in on the green evolution. Here's a hint: #GreenMeansGreen.

Oh, and let's not forget the reason why much of the world is looking to clean energy for a brighter future. Here's a hint: climate change. Not once did "60 Minutes" mention climate change in its "Cleantech Crash" hit piece story. Regardless of the near term profitability of renewable energy, we must wean ourselves off fossil fuels for the sake of our longer term survival. Yet on Sunday, nary a word was peeped on climate during the once revered flagship "TV news magazine". Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

Frankly, the only "crash" revealed this past Sunday was the reputation of CBS "News". And since it's bringing back the very reporter who botched the Benghazi story, we probably shouldn't expect any better any time soon. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

The Real Scandal

ZOMG!!! It's the biggest scandal ever! It's THE SCANDAL of 2013!!!! And ZOMG... It's working?!

Much has been said in recent weeks about Obamacare (aka the Affordable Care Act, or ACA) and its many (alleged) blunders. Here's what hasn't been bludgeoned to death in the media: The federal ACA Web site has improved dramatically since its initial glitchy debut on October 1. Oh, and 100,000 Americans were able to sign up for health insurance last month on that federal ACA web site. And we now know that the ACA's costs going forward will be even less than originally projected.

So how did a law that only became a law less than 4 years ago and was largely based on conservative health care policy proposals become the hallmark of "failed liberalism" and "Obama's failed presidency"? Think about it. As Desert Beacon noted yesterday, the bulk of the ACA's features have rolled out smoothly and are now much appreciated. Even the features (cough- the federal web site- cough) that didn't initially roll out smoothly are working better now. And the vast majority of Americans are still using private health insurance. So it's preposterous to call the ACA "failed" today, and it's quite a stretch to declare it "BIG GUV'MINT SOE'SHUL'IZM!!!"

While the usual G-O-TEA politicians and their favorite media pundits have been screaming about the latest and greatest haute faux scandal of the past month, they've been skillfully avoiding what's perhaps the real scandal of today. While Republican "leaders" have been complaining about a law that was passed during the 111th Congress, they've tried to avoid their own record of failure. The 112th Congress is now on record as the least productive session of Congress ever, and so far the 113th Congress is on track to match that record of FAIL. They even tried to (mis)use Obamacare as an excuse to shut down the government and threaten national default!

And now we're supposed to believe G-O-TEA politicians when they say they just want to "clean house"? They can't even agree on an alternative to a law that's based on what was originally their own alternative to "Hillarycare"! This makes absolutely no sense. They keep grinding government to a screeching halt, they fail to accomplish even the most basic tasks of governing, and they can't even come up with their own health care ideas (beyond empty platitudes that led us into trouble in the first place)... But now we're supposed to acknowledge they're "right about Obamacare"?

No, they're not. And really, all this "much ado about nothing" that's defined the 112th & 113th Sessions of Congress is the real scandal that we need to address.

Take This Seriously.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Don't Tell Us. Show Us.

He wants it. He really wants it! Or at least, that's what Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) wants us to believe regarding comprehensive immigration reform (CIR).

In an interview with the Las Vegas Sun, Rep. Heck cried about how the "Big, Bad, Meanie Democrats & Unions!!!" have been attacking him for not supporting something he already supports! Why are all the "Big, Bad, Meanie LIB'RULZZZ!!!" being so big and bad and mean?

Maybe this is due to the whole premise of this story being false? Seriously, when did telling the truth become "big, bad, & mean"?

When Rep. Joe Heck whines to local media about "LIB'RUL ATACKZZZ!!!", he fails to mention everything he can do to move CIR forward... Yet for some reason still refuses to do. While he lambasts HR 15 due to its "elements that he can not support", he fails to mention that HR 15 was modeled after S 744, the bipartisan Senate CIR bill that Nevada’s own Dean Heller (R) supported. So if S 744 was ultimately good enough for Dean Heller (& 13 other Senate Republicans) and HR 15 is good enough for 3 House Republicans to cross over to cosponsor, why isn't HR 15 good enough for Rep. Heck?

Rep. Heck also made the excuse that if he were to cosponsor HR 15, it wouldn't change anything. Actually, it would. It would bring HR 15 another step closer to officially garnering majority support. And if House G-O-TEA "leaders" were to refuse to bring HR 15 for a floor vote, Rep. Heck and other CIR supporters could then start a discharge petition.

So why isn't Rep. Heck doing any of this? Why is he instead only offering empty words? And did he really implicitly admit he's just a powerless backbencher who only does what House G-O-TEA "leaders" tell him to do?

Funny enough, the only "solution" Rep. Heck offered was the "piecemeal approach" that "leadership" approves of. Of course, this is the very approach to immigration reform that has failed to produce any actual legislation... Except for that one amendment calling to deport DREAMers. Rep. Heck voted for that amendment. Is that what he means when he says he "supports reform"?

Rep. Heck likes to tell us how much he "supports reform". Yet when it comes time to match his words with concrete action, he fails to do so. If he truly supports CIR and wants to convince Nevadans of it, he needs to stop telling us... And start showing us.

End of an Era?

Moments ago, a local judge denied a preliminary injunction to a very possible deal (between Stephens Media and some Greenspun family members) to end the joint operating agreement (JOA) that officially allows for the printing and physical distribution of two newspapers in Southern Nevada. This may not seem like a big deal at first glance, but take a closer look. There's more to this.

Sure, overall newspaper circulation has been in decline for years. And specifically here, the Las Vegas Sun has struggled to stay in business for nearly a decade. The JOA is likely the only reason why there's any Sun print edition at all. Most folks (moiself included) now get their news by other means, such as the great wide world of the internet. (Hey, that's what's allowed me to report, comment, on bloviate on the news here!)

Speaking as an internet person myself, the rise of blogs, online news clearinghouse sites, web-izines, and other news sites has very much changed the way we see news. A century ago, we had to wait until the newspaper was delivered to see the headlines. But now, one can click on a variety of sites from a variety of internet enabled devices to see what's happening in the world.

But you know what? Even though I'm very much an internet person, I still appreciate newspapers. They invest in newsrooms, dedicated reporters, and respected space for the community to discuss the important issues of the day. Hell, newspapers often help me and other bloggers catch onto stories we might otherwise miss!

This is why the possible death of the Las Vegas Sun concerns me. I know there are folks at that paper who still want to deliver quality content. While recent cost-cutting moves have resulted in more "fluff", there are still reporters there hunting for the truth. And while the editorial pages often seem to reflect the views of certain "friends in high places", they at least offer different points of view that one can't always find in the other "newspaper" in this town.

And that's what makes today's news at least somewhat alarming. The "newspaper's" management long ago quit caring about their reputation and allowed the state’s largest paper to become the state's largest laughingstock. Can we afford to allow the "newspaper" to become the only paper in the state’s most populous county?

Or does it even matter any more? As I alluded to above, recent budget cuts and "editorial makeovers" at The Sun have resulted in that paper losing a whole lot of serious journalistic talent as it's become more focused on repeating celebrity gossip than highlighting the real reporting from the journalists who are still there. And with the rise of TV newsrooms and online news sites, there are at least theoretically alternatives to the one "newspaper" left standing...

Except that's in theory. What about reality? Just how invested are the local TV stations in supporting real journalism? And can a few scrappy web sites truly make up for losing what was once a great paper?

For now, Southern Nevada still has two newspapers in circulation. We just don't know how much longer this will last. In so many ways, the slow and ugly decline of The Sun reflects the brutal reality of print journalism's dilemma in The Digital Age. And both the recent tabloid-ization of The Sun & the decimated reputation of the other "newspaper" remind us of what happens when corporate profit seeking gets in the way of reporting the news. We may be nearing the end of an era for Southern Nevada, but this is only the continuation of a disturbing trend in journalism.

Behind the Babble, Beyond the Batsh*t

He had it. He apparently had enough of the insane scandaliciousness and insanely naughty behavior as of late. So MSNBC's Thomas Roberts finally blurted out his frustration.



Since we're in the midst of summer and Congress is about to go to recess, the media have to talk about something (else). So of course, we're enduring another round of Scandal-mania. And this time, it's all about sex, sex, SEX!!!

As you all know, I do my best to keep away from salacious tabloid worthy stories... Except when they also involve more serious issues. This may finally be that occasion.

We've been enduring debates over who's responsible, who's to blame, who needs help, and who should "feel guilty" for such "bad behavior". And in some of these cases, truly egregious acts were committed. San Diego Mayor Bob Filner (D) apparently has a long history of sexually harrassing women, while Former Governor and current Rep. Mark Sanford (R) shirked his duties as Governor to pursue an affair in Argentina... And tried to lie about it.

And of course, there is the ongoing obsession over one very wild and incredibly stupid weiner. Yet while we're focusing on the banality that Carlos Danger embodies quite well, are we missing the more important aspect of these sex stories?

While we go on and on blathering over men who get off on women in sickening ways, we sometimes forget about the ongoing attacks on women's health care. Why is it OK to sexting, but not reproductive rights? Women can be sex objects, but they can't object to losing the right to make their own health care decisions?

And then, there's the matter of the women themselves. Are they victims? Are they villains? Are they human? Keep in mind the latter, especially as we rush to glamorize the scandalous men and castigate the women involved (until they're simply forgotten).

Frankly, we've seen a whole lot of batshit crazy on TV and online lately. But really, what's beyond the babble? What are we missing here?

Here's some food for thought. We have all these men engaged in all this inappropriate conduct. How have they been able to attain higher office? And why are some of them still running for office?

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Think about it.