Time to Move On

For five years, we've been here. Through thick and then. In good times and bad times. To celebrate and to mourn. To investigate and to analyse.

For five years, you've been here with us. You've seen it all. You've done it all. And all this time, you've stuck with us.

You were with us when we raged against the machine. You were with us when we took many looks under the hood of the machine. And yes, you were even with us when we drunkenly twerked our way all the way through the machine.

And now, I have to say this. And yes, I have to do this. It's time for me to move on.

Starting today, I'm becoming a contributing editor at Let's Talk Nevada. I already have my inaugural piece up as an official LTN contributor. It's an in-depth look inside the Nevada Democratic Party's 2014 campaign (or lack thereof). And trust me, there will be even more of the juicy policy realness there that you've come to enjoy here. And yes, there will be more political pieces like the one I posted this morning.

Anyone who knows my herstory knows that I have experience making waves on community sites. I'm not the type of blogger who's easily lost in the shuffle.

Rather, this is opportunity for us to be a part of something bigger. Now, more than ever before, we need to foster a better sense of community. And in this new community we're joining, we'll have an even greater platform to share the news and views you may not find anywhere else.

We've complained about the lack of independent media. Now, we're finally doing something about it. And I dearly hope you will join me at LTN.

As long as Google/Blogger allows me, I will keep the Nevada Progressive archives alive for you. Hey, I have just over five years of stories for you to re-read and enjoy! You can never say I didn't give you enough.

For five years, we've had a good run here. This blog may have been held together by duct tape, bubble gum, nail polish, and an endless supply of big dreams, but we made the most of it and fulfilled so many of our dreams here. I can't thank you enough for sticking with me for all this time.

But now, it's time to move on. The next chapter is about to begin. Would you like to turn the page with me?

This Too Shall Pass

(Thanks so much for your patience yesterday. The situation has calmed down somewhat, but I still have more issues there to resolve. But for the time being, I'll be picking up where I left off on the blog.

This month hasn't been an easy one for me. I lost a loved one, I'm having to sever a relationship, and it's almost the two year anniversary of my grandmother passing away.

This morning, I reached back into the Nevada Progressive archives for this. In a sense, I feel like my life is in this limbo again. Yet eventually, this too shall pass. I have to keep reminding myself of that.)

So I was helping with voter registration earlier today when I got the call. My dad called to tell me my grandmother had just passed away. And I didn't quite know what to do next.

We've known for some time that my grandmother was getting worse. It was becoming increasingly obvious by the time of her last hospital visit, when the decision was made to place her on hospice. I knew that at some point, she would have to leave us.

I just wasn't expecting this to occur today. I just didn't want to think it could happen so soon. But alas, it happened.

Even when one feels best prepared to deal with tragedy, one is never fully prepared when it finally happens. So it happened. She's gone. And I'm pretty much an emotional mess.

Yet somehow, I'm still here. And somehow, I'm continuing my day. Maybe it's because I know she is in a better place now. And maybe it's because I don't know what I'd be doing now if I had not been helping with voter registration when I got the call.

Sorry for the personal 411, but I just need to release what's been building in me since this morning.

Life Intervenes

Please excuse this latest interruption. I was planning some more stories today...

But life intervenes. Those closest to me know what's going down. It's a saddening and difficult situation. However, it's a situation that I'm working hard to resolve.

It's not often easy to say goodbye. It's often even more difficult to ask someone to exit one's life. And it's even more difficult when one is exposed to the underlying issues causing the strife.

I'm hoping to resume my regular work schedule at some point this week. But for the time being, life intervenes. I'm hoping I won't have to take too long of a break to resolve this issue.

My Own 9/11 (& Deja Vu, Fog of War)

(Especially in light of President Obama's big announcement on Isis last night, I figured now's a good time to rerun this piece from September 11, 2011. I'll have more on the President's plan to take on Isis later today.)



September 11, 2001, is a day I can't forget... Even though it was a day that seemed to start like so many others had. While I was getting ready for school, America's beating economic heart and central political nervous system were under attack. And as I was starting what I just thought would be my second day of high school, my entire outlook on life would forever change.

That morning, I woke up as just another Orange County kid attending just another conservative Christian fundamentalist private school. In the following weeks, I would be relegated as "extreme" as that crazy "anti-American" extremist, Barbara Lee. Why? Well, I agree(d) with her.



It was my first experience of expressing dissent, and of paying the price for holding an unpopular point of view. In the immediate days following 9/11, there was a sense of national unity. And while it was helpful in many ways, on the other hand it allowed for the Bush Administration to embark on policy prescriptions that we would later learn to be quite harmful to our country. It was easy to go with the masses and cheer on "retaliation" against the "evildoers". It most definitely wasn't easy to point out what would happen once Congress gave George Bush a blank check to engage in endless war.

I was just trying to make sense of everything that was happening all around me... And it just wasn't making sense. Even as everyone else around me kept beating the drums for war more loudly, I kept wondering why we were doing this. My teachers and my own mother were asking why I sympathized with "terrorists". Other students just saw me as "the liberal weirdo". Nothing seemed to make sense then...

But it all comes together now.

Fast forward ten years, and now Rep. Barbara Lee's words ring more prescient and true than ever before. We're mired in multiple wars abroad, yet we supposedly can't afford to create jobs for the unemployed here at home. Nearly ten years after the USA (Un)PATRIOT(ic) Act passed, Americans are now asking where their freedom went. And now that memories of a nation so proudly patriotic seem so distant, Congress has reached a new low in unpopularity as seemingly anything and everything is being questioned.

In many ways, it feels like the tables have turned. Back then, I felt so alone in opposing what seemed so American as apple pie. But now, I'm trying to explain how things work to the very same people who are now losing faith in the entire American experiment. It can be sad to watch, but I can't lose hope that our people will recognize what needs to be done to restore our democracy.

We Need You

We need to talk.

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

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

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

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

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

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

We weren't asking for this. We swear!

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

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

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

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

Technical Difficulties (Again)

Not again! Yesterday, we had another round of technical difficulties.

And yes, those technical difficulties were again due to incredibly slow internet while we were out. This is nothing short of embarrassing. We sincerely apologize for the brief post this morning.

But hey, we might as well bring this up again. The internet is too damned slow. And it's long past due for us to do something about this.

Really, it's this bad.

Please Pardon Our (Broken Smartphone).

Unfortunately, we ran into a terrible accident last Thursday. Our "mobile blogging device" slipped and fell while we were out. And sadly, our electronic companion won't be making it.

If you'd like to share condolences for our trusted "mobile blogging device", you may do so here. Otherwise, please hold tight while we await the arrival of our new electronic life partner and soulmate.

Hopefully, we won't be out of commission too much longer. It's just difficult typing on a shattered screen. Thanks so much for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.

We hope to be back up to full speed once our new "mobile blogging device" arrives this week!

Happy Birthday, America!

It's the start of July... And you know what that means. It's time for us to take a mental health break. And it's time for you to celebrate!



So go & celebrate America's 238th Birthday in proper style. Go ahead. We encourage it. Have some fun!

And please feel free to return here next week for more of the content you keep craving more of for some strange reason. And if for some reason you need something to read, check out our archives. Oh, and please visit the fine blogs featured on the sidebar.

Happy July 4!

Have Yourself a Big Happy Thanksgiving!

Believe it or not, we do have reasons to be thankful this week. So go ahead and be thankful, dammit!

We will be. And that's why we'll be taking the rest of the week off here. But don't worry, we won't be gone for too long (especially not if there's any breaking news this week, which we will still be on the lookout for just in case).

In the mean time, please check out the great blogs featured on the sidebars to the right. We're thankful for our fellow progressive bloggers in Nevada and elsewhere who are reporting news and/or cutting through spin like no one else can.

We'll be back in December to cover the usual year-end stories. We'll also recap 10 of the most memorable stories of 2013. So enjoy the holiday, then come on back next week to end the year the right left way here with us.

Farewell, Gus.

It may seem like a long time ago. But back in July 2009, I started this blog. And I didn't come out of nowhere. I was helped along the way by some great people back in "The Homeland", Orange County, California.

In particular, there was someone who inspired me greatly. In fact, he inspired me to start this blog when I moved here in 2009. And he taught me so much when I lived in OC and witnessed firsthand what he did.

Yesterday, Gus Ayer passed away. And I'm still in shock.

He sacrificed his own re-election campaign in Fountain Valley to try and elect Debbie Cook to Congress. He was the mayor and a city council member in Fountain Valley.

I could always count on Gus to make me laugh and to cut through the bullshit and tell it to me straight. He was my mentor and in my innermost circle of friends. [...]

This is a significant loss for progressives and environmentalists in Orange County.

Just to let you know what Gus worked on in the 2012 campaign cycle: Sandy Genis elected to the Costa Mesa City Council Jill Hardy elected to the Huntington Beach City Council Diana Carey elected to the Westminster City Council Helped to defeat Measure Z in Huntington Beach Worked on the anti-Charter initiative in Costa Mesa Worked on saving Coyote Hills in Fullerton and won at the ballot even though outspent 10-1. Worked on defeating an anti-open space initiative in Orange and won!

Gus's last project was defeating the Poseidon desalination project in Huntington Beach and we will be carrying on that fight now with a vengeance and in Gus' memory.

Gus often seemed like an unstoppable force for positive change. I won't ever forget how he masterminded a longshot campaign against a long-time "tea party before tea party was cool" Republican Member of Congress. His candidate, Debbie Cook, held that powerful OC Republican incumbent to just 53% of the vote, and she did so with no national Democratic assistance. Gus ran that campaign like a pro. And he showed me how a campaign could be run well and run without the kind of cynicism one often finds behind the scenes in big ticket campaigns.

Gus was also on the ground floor of the Netroots. I first met him on Daily Kos. He was also a pro at online rabblerousing. And when he saw a void that needed to be filled in Orange County, he started OC Progressive. And he invited me to join his new project. That was the launchpad from which I started this blog.

It's hard to think of a world and a blogosphere without Gus. He was a mentor to me in California, and he inspired me to start my own rabblerousing here in Nevada. He will be sorely missed.

Farewell, Gus.

You may have known him as Aeolus, I just knew him as Gus. He worked tirelessly for progressive efforts thru out Orange County and California. He was a force to be reckoned with, he liked fighting the man, he liked being the underdog and he loved being a thorn in the side of those who wanted to do harm to our environment. he liked a good fight.

And he loved big. He had an amazing family, he was so proud of his sons, his adopted and biological. And he just had a way of making you feel welcome. I always knew if I need someone to talk to I could call Gus.

We lost more than a friend today, we lost so much today and I would write more I think if I could just stop crying. But I wanted to mark this loss somehow, I needed to. [...]

You were one in a million Gus and I know so many others who will miss you just as much as I will. You were like a Father I didn't have, I'm sure you were to so many. I just can't wrap my mind around the fact I won't see you again.

Farewell, Gus. You may be gone, but not forgotten. And really, you're not completely gone. Your legacy lives on, even in places you never expected.

Mr. President's Final Rally (That I Will See in Person!)

After taking time off from the campaign trail to help with the start of recovery efforts after Hurricane Sandy ravaged several Northeastern states, President Obama returns to the campaign trail today. And yes, this means he's returning here.

The president is expected to address a campaign rally around 2 p.m. today at Cheyenne Sports Complex, 3500 East Cheyenne Ave. in North Las Vegas. Doors are scheduled to open at 11:30 a.m.

Actress Eva Longoria and percussionist Sheila E. will join Obama at the rally.

Obama spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki said that while the president remains focused on the storm recovery, "there is a reality of a political election happening in five days and he will return to the trail to make the case to the American people on why they should send him back for four more years."

And what a strange reality it is. But alas, we only have 6 days left until the final polls close. And here in Nevada, we only have 2 more days until early voting ends. So this may really be President Obama's last chance to fire up the base and persuade a few more undecided voters.

Oh, and I'll be there today. Yes, a friend & I will go to North Las Vegas to see Mr. President. And I'll update the blog later with reports from the Cheyenne Sports Complex. I'm sure it will be plenty of fun. ;-)

Senator Reid in Car Crash... But "He's OK" Now.

I just found out about this while I was out.

U.S. Sen. Harry Reid was taken to University Medical Center Trauma as a precaution early Friday afternoon after his motorcade was involved in a multivehicle accident on Interstate 15 in Las Vegas.

A source close to Reid's family said, "He's OK." The senator apparently had no visible injuries but was transported by a staff member to the hospital as a matter of caution.

Karen Gordon, a spokeswoman for UMC, said the condition report on Reid was "good."

Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper Jeremie Elliott said the accident occurred about 1:10 p.m. in the northbound lanes of I-15, north of Sahara Avenue.

Trooper Loy Hixson said five vehicles were involved in the accident: two vehicles carrying Reid and members of his party; two Metro Police vehicles; and one civilian vehicle.

Well, at least it looks like he'll survive and be all right in the end. But my goodness, what a scare!

And wow, the Reid family has been through so much lately. About two years ago, Landra and their daughter were in a car crash in DC. And Landra has recently survived breast cancer. They truly have been through so much lately.

And the Reids are definitely still in our thoughts and prayers today.

One Is Never (Fully) Prepared for This

So I was helping with voter registration earlier today when I got the call. My dad called to tell me my grandmother had just passed away. And I didn't quite know what to do next.

We've known for some time that my grandmother was getting worse. It was becoming increasingly obvious by the time of her last hospital visit, when the decision was made to place her on hospice. I knew that at some point, she would have to leave us.

I just wasn't expecting this to occur today. I just didn't want to think it could happen so soon. But alas, it happened.

Even when one feels best prepared to deal with tragedy, one is never fully prepared when it finally happens. So it happened. She's gone. And I'm pretty much an emotional mess.

Yet somehow, I'm still here. And somehow, I'm continuing my day. Maybe it's because I know she is in a better place now. And maybe it's because I don't know what I'd be doing now if I had not been helping with voter registration when I got the call.

Sorry for the personal 411, but I just need to release what's been building in me since this morning. Frankly, I'm just waiting to see what happens next before deciding if I should resume my weekend blogging schedule.

Going Offline for a Few More Days

Sorry that I haven't been posting too much lately. Long story short: I've had a combination of "family matters" and "technical difficulties" to deal with, and those have been cutting into my blogging time. But since I'll be flying back home next week, my regular blogging schedule should return to normal by then.

In the mean time, feel free to keep up with what's happening on all the other fine Nevada blogs you see on the tool bar to the right. And rest assured, I'll be back in full force next week to resume our ongoing conversation on all things policy and politics in Nevada.

Last Chance for Summer Fun

That's one reason why I'm leaving for Orange County today. The other is "family affairs".

So I may go quiet... For perhaps a couple days. But fear not, I will soon return. And even before I return home to "fall back" into life as we know it in Sin City, I'll keep an eye on all things Nevada once I've finished my weekend to-do list.

Thanks so much for continuing to read the blog and check in with my musings on what's happening in our fine state. It's things like this that make me WANT to sing, "Home Means Nevada".

And yes, it won't be too long before I make my way back home.

It's My Day Off

You know I don't do this often... But I'm pulling this card today. Why?

It's my birthday. ;-)

(Don't worry. I'll be back tomorrow morning to wrap up Tax Week.)

Do We Really Bowl Alone?

17 years ago, Dr. Robert Putnam suggested that America was losing the key to our past greatness. Specifically, he felt that we were losing "social capital" as communities built upon in-person social intercourse were being replaced by human islands isolated from each other by "individualizing" technology, such as TV, video games, and the internet. He (in)famously argued this case in his 1995 essay, which later became a full book in 2000, Bowling Alone.

Sometimes, it seems like Putnam may be right. As we spend more and more of our time plugged in and online, it's easy to feel less connected to the world outside... Especially in regards to the neighborhood just beyond one's own back yard. And when one thinks about the consequences of this disconnect, it becomes quite a scary thought...

But what if this isn't true? Earlier this month, there was huge uproar over SOPA and PIPA that led several internet communities to "strike back" and essentially force Congress to drop the (supposed) anti-piracy legislation (at least for now). And in the wake of that, there was actually a very interesting discussion on MSNBC about the new forms of social capital started by Dr. Melissa Harris Perry.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Perhaps Putnam is wrong, and social capital in America really isn't dead. After all, look at Facebook. Look at Twitter. Look at YouTube, and UStream, and social gaming sites. Look more closely at the internet, and notice the new home of social capital.

I can personally attest to the value of this new social capital. In the last week, I had a problem at home mushroom into a personal crisis. What had been a water heater that busted was quickly turning into a fiasco that put my very home and personal freedom in jeopardy. I was losing a whole lot of sleep this past week, and I was seriously nearing my wit's end.

So what was I to do? Sure, I made some calls. I contacted family members, and a couple of them offered help. But ultimately, it was when I reached out to "my family" on Facebook that I found an outpouring of concern, support, and ultimately critical help that diffused this personal life crisis. (Yes, you know who you are... And you're always more than welcome to take a bow and remind me why you light up my life.) ;-)

Some may look at web sites like Facebook and YouTube and see a bunch of silly people doing silly things, but I see more than just that. I see life lines. I see kids at risk of suicide whose lives are saved. I see folks who may otherwise feel isolated in "Rural America" find communities that they never knew existed. And I see new forms of social capital emerge to breathe new life into our fragile democracy.

As you know, it's not that often that I turn this much to personal issues, but I do have a point here that will take us back to the bigger picture. In the next 9 months, we'll probably hear from plenty of big media pundits about how new technology changes the dynamics of this upcoming election. The Nevada GOP finally did something right in agreeing to post caucus results on Twitter. Campaigns will be relying more on YouTube to release "viral videos" that allow for less expensive advertising. And volunteers will be corralled more via sophisticated social media venues, like the platform emerging at President Obama's web site, in a more effective manner than ever once just imaginable.

However, there's more. There's far more value to social media and the reemergence of social capital than most had originally thought. Perhaps instead of dividing and isolating us, new technology is allowing us to build new communities and rediscover the value of civic engagement. And perhaps instead of worrying about how the internet is making us lose what we liked about our country, we can use the power of the internet to make our country even better.

As 2011 Comes to a Close...

I've been holed up and sick for the last week, and I can tell you it hasn't been fun. I've also been spending time with family (no, it really isn't an excuse for avoiding some budding nonexistent sex scandal!) as we're dealing with some difficult changes. I apologize for not spending as much time here as I'd like, and I promise major improvements as 2012 begins.

Still, I won't be completely absent in the next few days. I'll be keeping an eye out for important stories as they develop. And in the mean time, I'll soon bring back the "10 of..." series by highlighting the ten most fascinating and game-changing stories we discussed here this year. Stay tuned for that.

Thanks so much for reading, and I hope our amazing journey at Nevada Progressive continues in the coming new year.

If You're Also an NSDP Delegate, I'd Really Appreciate Your Support. Thanks!

In case you also happen to be an NSDP Delegate attending the Nevada State Democratic Convention tomorrow, I hope you'll consider voting for me for Executive Board Member-at-Large (from Clark County). I'd really appreciate your support. Thanks! :-)

Dear Friends & Fellow Activists,


My name is Andrew Davey, and I am running for NSDP Executive Board Member-at-Large... And here’s why.

I may still be fairly new to Nevada, but I’m not new to progressive activism. Since I first involved with the Democratic Party back in 2005, when I joined my college’s Dem Club, I have been dedicated to growing this party, helping our candidates win, and fighting for what we and our party believe in. And ever since my first fiercely contested Congressional Campaign in 2006, I’ve learned how to build good relationships and how to organize. And ever since then as I’ve worked more on my advocacy for LGBTQ equality, health care for all, and sound environmental policy, I’ve learned how to work with our elected officials to promote strong progressive values.

Since moving to Southern Nevada last summer, I have jumped directly into “fighting the good fight” here. I currently serve as Secretary & Political Director for the Stonewall Democratic Club of Southern Nevada, and I have gotten my jump start on volunteering for local Democrats in my neighborhood. I want to continue to get involved, work in my local community, and get more and better Democrats elected here in Nevada. This is why I want to be your E-Board Member-at-Large.

Ever since getting to work for Stonewall last summer, I’ve had some “on the job training” and have quickly learned how to be effective here. I want to take the same lessons I’ve learned there and with my other advocacy projects here, and apply them to this position so I can do my best to serve the Nevada State Democratic Party and keep us winning in 2010, 2012, and beyond.

Thank you for your consideration, and I hope I can count on your support this weekend

- Andrew Davey
Proud Nevada Democrat
Henderson