Rory Be Gone? Get to the Root of It

"The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil"- 1 Timothy 6:10, Bible

It's saddening to see this...

In one of the most brazen schemes in Nevada history, gubernatorial candidate Rory Reid’s campaign formed 91 shell political action committees that were used to funnel three quarters of a million dollars into his campaign, circumventing contribution limits and violating at least the spirit – and maybe the letter – of the laws governing elections.

Reid, who was fully aware of what was done, essentially received more than $750,000 from one PAC – 75 times the legal limit -- after his team created dozens of smaller PACS that had no other purpose other than to serve as conduits from a larger entity that the candidate funded by asking large donors for money. Indeed, the shell PACs were formed in the fall and dissolved on Dec. 31, after they had served their short-term function, which was to help the candidate evade campaign contribution laws.

Reid solicited donations for the Economic Leadership PAC, which raised more than $800,000 over a five-month period – donations that were then disbursed in $10,000 increments to dozens of other PACS, which quickly funneled the money back to the candidate’s campaign account.

But why would any of us really be surprised? This is the system we have, and the politicians who raise the most corporate money are rewarded.

Already, we are hearing of "OUTRAGE!!!" over this... But this is merely the symptom. Hardly anyone in Carson City wants to talk about the disease.

Hmmm... I wonder why?

Nevada’s campaign finance laws are written to favor incumbents and the special interests that fund them — and that won’t change any time soon.

Let’s say a candidate is weighing a run against an incumbent and wants to know how much money the office-holder has. That’s nearly impossible because candidates for office aren’t required to report money in the bank.

Perhaps a constituent wants to see who is funding a candidate’s campaign before deciding how to vote. Even getting that basic information can prove tricky. Many reports are written by hand and are suspiciously hard to read.

The reports also can’t be searched electronically, making it difficult to track an individual donor’s contributions.

Critics also take issue with the schedule for releasing candidates’ contribution and expense reports.

For years, Ross Miller has lobbied The Legislature to reform our horribly antiquated Nevada campaign finance laws to make them more transparent. But for some reason, it keeps getting killed.

Hmmm... I wonder why?

Maybe instead of screaming about the symptoms, we should look at the disease.

And what might be the disease, you ask? Go back to the top of this diary.

Must we really keep asking what the problem is? It's all the corporate money flooding our system, buying and selling candidates to the highest bidder, and silencing all those who can't afford to bribe their way into power. We are now seeing this on the national level with the Koch family and their fellow "Tea Party, Inc." comrades in bloated checkbooks trying to buy wholesale control of our entire government, but it seems Nevada has been plagued by this kind of manipulation for even longer.

[Now Senator] Sheila Leslie, D-Reno, said campaign finance reform is unlikely without constituent pressure.

“The only way it’s going to happen is if the public demands it,” she said. “The people who benefit the most from loose campaign finance rules are those in elected office.”

The ultimate solution to the state’s transparency problems, Leslie said, is public financing of campaigns.

“If you take the money out, you’ll get a lot more qualified people to run for office,” she said. “You’ll take away the power of special interests, who will not have as much influence.”

Sheila Leslie is right. And so is Bill Moyers. So who else is listening?

Instead of whining about the symptoms, we need to take on the disease. In the near term, it helps to have a better idea of who is donating to whom. And in the long term, we need to make people understand that the only way to clean the system is to clean the money supply.

So before I hear anyone else screaming about what Rory Reid did or didn't do, or whatever new campaign money scandal soon emerges, I want to hear real solutions. Like Clean Money. Seriously, it's time to put up or shut up.

Home Means Nevada: The Congressional Redistricting (Part I)

(Note: I like to comment over at Swing State Project, so I decided to try my hand at redistricting and create a map that we might see emerge from The Legislature later this year. So here it is... And there it is at SSP as well.)

It is here. After hours of careful line drawing and days of poring over precinct results, the map has arrived. This is Nevada redistricted, baby!

So will the actual final map look something like this? Honestly, I don't know for sure. Perhaps legislators on both sides of the aisle will want even safer seats and are willing to configure some gruesome looking districts to get them... Or perhaps last minute talks of redistricting collapse as a casualty in an ongoing state budget brawl, leaving the courts to ultimately draw the lines. But most likely, as is usual tradition, The Nevada Legislature will agree on some sort of last minute budget deal, and on a bipartisan redistricting gerrymander.

Still, this year is different. As population continues to swell in Clark County (Greater Las Vegas), political power is slowly-but-surely shifting southward as well. Clark is destined to pick up as many as three legislative seats from the north, as well as a brand new Congressional District. For the first time ever, three Las Vegas area politicians will likely be sent to The House of Representatives.

And for the first time ever, Nevada will likely have three open House seats! It's looking increasingly likely that both Rep. Dean Heller (R-Carson City) and Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Las Vegas) will run for the US Senate seat currently held by John Ensign (R-Sleaze), so legislators may very well be drawing the new district map with this in mind. And more importantly, they will likely be keeping in mind that some of their own, as well as a few powerful friends outside, will want to run in each of these open seats.



In drawing this map, I had several objectives in mind. First, I didn't want to grossly "over-gerrymander" DeLay style, especially since law suits are already being filed here. But while I didn't want to go overboard, I did clearly have campaign politics in mind while drawing these districts. There are two minority-majority seats, one having a Latino plurality, designed to elect Democrats, and two seats engineered to be as Republican leaning as possible.

So did I succeed? We'll have to wait and see. Nevada Democrats may very well see unprecedented primary action in NV-01 and NV-04. And while NV-02 and NV-03 are currently held by Republicans, they will have to continue to fight an increasingly tough battle against changing Reno and Las Vegas demographics in the decade to come.

So enough of me blathering on and on... Let's check out the new districts!



NV-02

Population: 675,162
69.4% White (73.8% voting age)

The State of Play

First up, the second district. (We're starting north, and heading south.) Dean Heller currently represents this seat. And even though he's only done so since 2007, it seems pretty natural for him. He's a long time Carson City person (both in residence and in Nevada political experience), and he has a conservative-but-not-too-fire-breathing persona that allows him to win comfortably a district that only barely voted for John McCain (by fewer than 100 votes!) in 2008.

However, this will likely change. Again, Heller may very well soon announce his campaign for US Senate, leaving this seat open for the first time since Jim Gibbons left this seat to run for Governor in 2006. And due to Reno area growth, NV-02 has to shed some rural territory to meet the new Census Bureau population guideline. So what happens?

Long story short, NV-02 is now a district that narrowly voted for Barack Obama and Sharron Angle. It's a closely divided district that will provide a challenge for the typically mighty Washoe Republicans, in that they will need to settle on a candidate who can please GOP primary voters while being able to win enough moderate voters in the general election to keep this seat in GOP hands.

Who's All In?

Again, Dean Heller looks to be out, but a final decision hasn't yet be made, so he might still surprise us by staying put. Of course, there has also been plenty of talk of Sharron Angle running (again) for this seat. Even though she carried this district by 5.8% in her Senate run against Harry Reid last year, 2012 will be a Presidential year with higher Reno area turnout. And as we saw on the campaign trail last year, Angle couldn't even make peace with her fellow Washoe Republicans, so she will have a much harder time holding onto this seat than someone like Heller (who narrowly beat Angle in the 2006 NV-02 GOP primary).

The Wild Cards

Funny enough, I haven't heard much gossip (yet) over who may be angling for this seat... Other than the obvious. And even though they were just recently sworn into The State Senate (one elected, the other appointed), Reno Republicans Ben Kieckhefer and Greg Brower may be attractive to GOP leaders as they likely search for electable mainstream conservatives to stop Sharron Angle. On the Democratic side, the options aren't quite as wide. Nevada State Treasurer Kate Marshall does live in Reno, but she hasn't expressed interest in running for Congress... Can Sharron Angle change that?

2010 US Senate Results
49.6% Angle (R)
43.8% Reid (D)

Estimated 2008 Presidential Results
49% Obama (D)
48% McCain (R)

Estimated Cook PVI: R+4

Early Race Rating: Likely Republican if Dean Heller runs here again, but upgraded to Leans Republican if Heller runs for Senate, and upgraded further to Tossup should Sharron Angle run to replace him!

NV-03

Population: 674,792
66.5% White (69.7% voting age)

The State of Play

In the "Republican Wave" year of 2010, Joe Heck barely won with less than 50% of the vote and by fewer than 2,000 votes. That worries Nevada Republicans, and that's why GOP legislators (especially those in Clark) will likely go to the mat to make NV-03 safer for Heck.

Mr. "War Hero" Heck could barely beat supposedly reviled "Las Vegas LIB'RUL!!!" Dina Titus by fewer than 2,000 votes, and for Heck's campaign to succeed in a likely more Democratic friendly environment in 2012, this must change. So it has... At least here on my map.

Dina's political base is widely acknowledged to be the progressive minded, ethnically diverse, labor union heavy, and LGBT friendly confines of The East Side, also known as "Paradise Township", which consists the older neighborhoods just east of The Las Vegas Strip. So to shore up Heck, I removed The East Side from NV-03 and placed it instead in the newly created NV-04 seat (more on that later!).

Now in addition to that, Heck also had a problem much closer to home. Even though Heck lives in Henderson, both he and Sharron Angle lost a number of Henderson precincts just down the hill from him in uber-exclusive Roma Hills, in the slightly older (meaning built in the 1980s and 90s) and increasingly Democratic friendly neighborhoods of Green Valley and Green Valley Ranch. So to further shore up Heck, I also placed these areas in NV-04 (again, more on that later, including who this also helps!).

Instead, I gave Heck only the most Republican friendly parts of NV-03, and supplemented them with mostly GOP heavy areas previously in NV-01 and NV-02. The perennially stylish and upscale Summerlin development (including "retiree heaven" Sun City Summerlin) is almost entirely reunited here, and joined by a number of previously fast growing Northwest and Southwest valley exurbs. From there, NV-03 almost exclusively picks up the most conservative neighborhoods of Henderson, including wealthy Seven Hills and Anthem (including "retirement resort community" Sun City Anthem), as well as Old Henderson. In addition, NV-03 takes in all the rural Clark County communities (such as Mesquite, Primm, and Laughlin) outside The Las Vegas Valley.

Oh, and of course, all those rural areas previously in NV-02, from Ely to Hawthorne to Pahrump, have to go somewhere. They end up here... But they could end up being a double-edged sword for Joe Heck.

Who's All In?

From all indications, Joe Heck wants to run for reelection, and this map will surely entice him to do so again. However, he's not completely out of the woods yet. In fact, like the situation in NV-02, he will have to balance appealing to moderate suburban voters who may very well vote for President Obama again (who STILL won this district in 2008) with keeping "tea party" GOP primary voters happy. It's no easy task.

The Wild Cards

Should "Tea Party, Inc." ever fall out of favor with Heck, or Heck just decides to run for yet another higher office later this decade, they have a number of local GOPers to choose from. State Senator Elizabeth Halseth (R-Las Vegas) is seen by many as a rising "tea party" superstar, and State Senator Barbara Cegavske (R-Summerlin) is a long time right-wing stalwart. They're basically Vegas' answer to Sharron Angle, and Cegavske has already dropped hints of a future Congressional run. And of course, it's not like "Chicken Lady" Sue Lowden is ever really leaving the political stage any time soon.

However, they can easily be stopped cold in their tracks. Why? Look at the partisan numbers. Angle only barely won this district last year, and Obama may very well win this district again next year. Joe Heck may have a hard enough time locking down this seat, but the task becomes even more difficult should he ever leave (or be primaried out).

Even though the rural areas (save for Mineral County) may be incredibly difficult for any Democrat to win, a Democrat may once again win this district if he or she can run up the margin enough in Vegas. In the future, the incredibly smart and talented State Senator Allison Copening (D-Summerlin) may have a once-in-a-lifetime opening to go from Carson's Capitol to Capitol Hill... Or perhaps it will be Henderson Mayor Andy Hafen, someone from a long-time "Nevada royal family" who lives in the slice of Henderson staying in NV-03... Or maybe wonky "deficit hawk", Clark County Commissioner, and current Las Vegas Mayoral Candidate Larry Brown (D-Summerlin)?

2010 US Senate Results
Angle (R) 48.5%
Reid (D) 46.3%

Estimated 2008 Presidential Results
Obama (D) 51%
McCain (R) 47%

Estimated Cook PVI: R+2

Early Race Rating: Leans Republican



NV-01

Population: 675,212
44.4% Latino (38.7% voting age)
31.7% White (37.3% voting age)
14.7% African American (14.7% voting age)



The State of Play

"Your Favorite Congresswoman", Shelley Berkley, may soon be looking to move to greener pastures. And who can blame her? She's back in the minority in The House. She doesn't have the best relationship with Nancy Pelosi. In many ways, she's boxed in... Unless she stomps outside that box in her signature bedazzled pumps and forges new ground with a Senate run.

So that may very well happen, and if it does we have yet another open seat battle here in Nevada! But unlike NV-02, all the drama will be in the Democratic primary.

Assuming Shelley runs for Senate, her Summerlin area stomping grounds are moved aside to NV-03 and NV-04, so NV-01 can become more of a minority-majority district and help the state's Congressional Delegation better reflect the diversity of our fine state.

So instead, some heavily Latino Northeast precincts previously in NV-03 are moved here, even as other heavily Latino East Side precincts are shifted from NV-01 to the new NV-04 seat. Now, Latino and African American heavy North Las Vegas becomes the centerpiece of the district, complemented by the Democratic dominant inner city neighborhoods of Las Vegas.

See the recurring theme here? Notice how this affects the 2012 field below.

Who's All In?

State Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) had been seen as a rising star for years, but now he's made it to the top. He's among the most powerful pols in Carson City today, as well as the highest ranked African American in state government alongside Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael Douglas. His career has been illustrious, but it hasn't always been easy.

He's now locked in a tough budget battle with Governor Brian Sandoval (R) and GOP legislators, and he is one of the very people overseeing this entire redistricting process. If he truly wants to run for Congress, he has to make miracles happen in Carson City this year, otherwise...

The Wild Cards

"Conventional Wisdom" here in Vegas may again be turned on its head. After all, this is now a Latino plurality seat. State Senator Ruben Kihuen (D-North Las Vegas) knows this first hand as one of the youngest Senators, as someone raised in an immigrant Mexican American family who climbed his way all the way up here, and as someone who's succeeded despite earning the ire of the once omnipotent Culinary 226. While Kihuen himself hasn't expressed interest in running, especially after just being elected as State Senator, his name has been floated around.

State Senator John Lee (D-North Las Vegas) actually has signaled interest in running, but he's probably too moderate to win the Democratic primary in this district.

And sorry, Republicans, but there are virtually no GOP candidates who even want to try here.

2010 US Senate Results
62.9% Reid (D)
32.3% Angle (R)

Estimated 2008 Presidential Results
67% Obama (D)
31% McCain (R)

Estimated Cook PVI: D+14

Early Race Rating: Safe Democratic

NV-04

Population: 675,294
49.0% White (53.4% voting age)
27.0% Latino (23.2% voting age)
11.5% Asian American (12.0% voting age)



The State of Play

This is the story of "The Comeback Kid". After being beat up and beat down, it's time to rise again and shine in the glorious Mojave Desert Sun. But wait, whose comeback are we talking about?

Can it be Dina Titus'? After all, she's no stranger to comebacks. After her surprisingly-but-still-painfully close loss to Jim Gibbons in the 2006 Gubernatorial Election, she was written off for (politically) "dead". But when Democrats wanted to contest NV-03 in 2008 (and Harry Reid's political team wanted to do away with Jon Porter as a possible 2010 candidate against him) and their originally preferred candidate turned out to be a dud, they had nowhere else to go. Dina obliged, and she then found her redemption... Only to lose it again last year, and by less than 2,000 votes! But is Dina's story really over?

Or can Rory Reid's find a new beginning? He was heralded for ending a painful period of local political corruption culminating in the saucy, racy "G Sting" FBI probe that took down a voting majority of Clark County Commissioners for taking bribes from stripper clubs out to put rival clubs out of business. He was commended for thinking ahead and pushing Clark County to take seriously matters of sustainable growth. He was seen as a real contender, then the 2010 Gubernatorial race happened and he was lost in translation as the Reno powers that be championed Brian Sandoval as their "anointed one". It was so strange to see Rory's political career cut short so abruptly last year, but can it be regrown?

Or can Barbara Buckley's be reborn? After all, she was seen as the most powerful Assembly Speaker seen in ages. She was the once dismissed "bleeding heart liberal" who then rocked the political establishment with legislative accomplishments on everything from patients' rights to child welfare to home foreclosure mediation and prevention. And at one point, she looked to be quite the formidable candidate for Governor... Until she stepped aside for Rory Reid... But will she be so willing to step aside again?

Funny enough, all three of these big name Clark Democrats live in this newly created Congressional District. It starts in the more Democratic friendly Summerlin area neighborhoods, then leaps down to Buckley's home base of Spring Valley, then crosses The 15 and Las Vegas Boulevard to jump into Dina's East Side turf, then turns south to take in Rory's 'hood in the Green Valley part of Henderson. Either there will be some heated back room negotiations among party leaders on who gets this seat, or there will be a primary so exciting it may even eclipse the drama of the 2006 Democratic Gubernatorial Primary that Dina wasn't "supposed to win".

The Wild Cards

But wait, the list of candidates isn't even over yet! There's another potential suitor possibly waiting in the wings. After Barbara Buckley was termed out of The Assembly last year, John Oceguera became the new Speaker. However, this gig won't last long. He will be termed out himself next year. And even though he himself hasn't suggested it, his name has also been rumored for a run here. If he wins, he will be Nevada's first Native American member of Congress. His challenge will probably be succeeding in this legislative session (a shared goal with Horsford) and not letting the recent drama over Las Vegas/Clark County firefighter pay take him down (even though he's actually a North Las Vegas firefighter, and they've had no labor trouble there).

On the Republican side, however, it's slim pickings. Perhaps Assembly Member Mark Sherwood (R-Henderson) or State Senator Michael Roberson (R-Henderson) can try, but both are far too conservative to even get close. After all, both only barely defeated their Democratic opponents last year.

2010 US Senate Results
55.9% Reid (D)
39.3% Angle (R)

Estimated 2008 Presidential Results
60% Obama (D)
37% McCain (R)

Estimated Cook PVI: D+7

Early Race Rating: Likely Democratic for now... And probably eventually becoming Safe Democratic barring any major scandal or unusually strong GOP candidate.

So this is my first Nevada map, a map I had with state legislators and certain big name pols in mind. In the future, I may draw more maps under different scenarios, such as Dean Heller and Shelley Berkley staying put in The House, or what might happen should The Legislature come crashing down over the state budget, forcing the courts to draw the final lines.

Let me know what you think and/or if you have your own maps to share. :-)

From the Mouths of Babes

More of the voices of the revolution hitting my doorstep on Monday. These kids are so smart, and it's a shame that we've been short-changing them for far too long. Perhaps we'll change this? For the better?

Maybe these kids are more than smart enough to outsmart the closed minds?

The Revolution at Our Doorstep... Will Be Televised

Just today, another local business leader admitted the obvious.

What we do see more and more is that it’s not low taxes that bring companies to Nevada necessarily. I think that’s something everybody’s really agreeing on now, which is why the whole package is important of what makes this a good place for people to come and do business, and live and bring their families. [...]

One of the things it gets back to is what makes Las Vegas an attractive place to do business. Why do they want to come to Southern Nevada versus going to Arizona or another region? We have to give people a good reason to want to come.

That was Sallie Doebler, President of the group formerly known as the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties. Her industry has been particularly hard hit. Even Doebler herself was affected, as her former Reno based company shut its Las Vegas office as construction demand dried up. She now runs her own consulting firm, and apparently now she's ready to say what so many of us had to learn the hard way.

Unfortunately, not everyone is as fortunate as Sallie Doebler. I saw that for myself last night, as The Nevada Legislature held a town hall on education and the state budget at Green Valley High School. There, a number of students, teachers, and concerned citizens begged legislators to realize what Sallie Doebler and others already have.





Are we really that much smarter than much of the bunch presently occupying Carson City? Do they not recognize reality? Are they totally tone deaf?

Funny enough, two freshman Republican legislators, State Senator Elizabeth Halseth (R-Las Vegas) and Assembly Member Scott Hammond (R-Las Vegas) seemed to prove just that.

Despite who was behind the tweet, Halseth or AFP Nevada, you have to wonder why they were so upset by the testimony they heard that they feel government must step in and prevent voters from speaking and having access to their elected officials.

Was it the 3rd grader with type 1 diabetes who didn't want his school nurse to be fired because he'd have no one to give him his insulin shot? The bus driver who faithfully performed her duties for Clark County School District for 30 years? [...] Or the mother of three who wanted her kids education to mean something when they graduate and go out into the world?

Funny enough, neither one was present, yet both Republican legislators took to Twitter to spread lies about unions "shutting out citizens". I also have to ask why they and their "Tea Party, Inc." patrons were so afraid of seeing so many Nevadans, including parents, local teachers, and students, speak the truth.

Are they now becoming afraid as more and more business folk and economists state the obvious fact that we'll never have a first rate economy with third world schools? Are they now afraid that more and more Nevadans are waking up and tasting the anthrax that's our failed state of "no taxes"? Whatever the case, perhaps the teabaggers are sensing the revolution at our doorstep... And they are scared.

Honestly, I'm still wondering if enough legislators really get it. However, I'm suddenly feeling something I haven't genuinely felt in some time.I think I have hope again.

If so many people can take the time to send this powerful message, can Carson City keep ignoring us? It's finally starting to look like the revolution will be televised, after all. Can they really tune all of us out?

So Why Are These People Running?

In today's Sun, Delen Goldberg tried looking for distinction among Las Vegas' mayoral candidates (and eerily spouting off NPRI anti-worker talking points).

One interesting flash point developing is on local government consolidation.

Consolidating Las Vegas with Clark County has been debated for years as a possible way to cut costs by reducing duplicate services and management.

“Be careful what you ask for,” Brown said. “It’s not the panacea.”

Brown praised regional efforts, such as the Regional Transportation Commission and Clark County Regional Flood Control District, as common sense. Floods don’t care about city boundaries, he said.

But he warned against consolidating to disguise cuts. Rather, he said, officials should focus on combining only parts of government that are complementary and could be made more efficient.

Goodman argued that consolidation doesn’t always save money and could negatively affect constituents. Interestingly, her husband has long agitated for combining the city and county.

“Bigger isn’t always better,” she said. “A larger body doesn’t necessarily mean better services or saving money.”

Ross said he would vote for consolidation only if it saves money. He said he’s more in favor of shared services.

Giunchigliani is the only candidate to come out strongly for consolidation. She said she has been working to streamline government agencies and functions for more than a decade. She led the charge to consolidate the valley’s housing authorities and authored a regional spay/neuter law.

Giunchigliani argued that consolidation could improve services. Fewer agencies offering more services would result in people waiting in fewer lines and going through less red tape, she said.

Now this can be a touchy issue throughout the valley. Here in Henderson, the city often prides itself in NOT being like Las Vegas. And here, the city council candidates are arguing over who can best preserve the public services and amenities that residents have come to enjoy and expect.

But in Las Vegas, it's different. There's now a history of Las Vegas and Clark County consolidating certain services, such as police protection. And for so many who live in the stretch of the valley between Sunset and Lake Mead, they don't realize they may be living either in the city or unincorporated county territory. It's all just "Las Vegas" to them...

But is bigger really better? And might less actually be more?

[Chris] Giunchigliani proposes a streamlined “one fee, one form” process. Instead of businesses paying both the state and municipalities piecemeal fees for licenses, inspections, work cards and the like, Giunchigliani said she’d like to debate implementation of one fee charged by all governments and implement it. Giunchigliani fought for similar legislation several years ago, and it passed, but the city and other municipalities have since added fees, permit requirements and paperwork, so the legislation hasn’t kept pace with its intent.

Giunchigliani suggested working with Secretary of State Ross Miller, who is developing a “one-stop shop” computer program for businesses.

Las Vegas first lady Carolyn Goodman, County Commissioner Larry Brown and City Councilman Steve Ross all say they oppose tax hikes.

“It’s not going to jump-start the economy,” Ross said. “What you need to do is give businesses incentives and tax rebates for hiring and putting people back to work.”

Ross suggested that the city suspend all business license and building permit fees for a year to offset the contracted lending market.

Several candidates opposed to tax increases argued that families and employers are struggling in the down economy and increasing the cost of doing business will push them further underwater.

“You cannot get taxes from a turnip,” Goodman said.

You know, it's easy for a candidate to say, "I oppose tax hikes." It's all too often more difficult to just speak the truth on revenue and getting what we pay for. We're certainly learning that lesson the hard way at the state level. So even though the conversation may be difficult to start, Las Vegas may ultimately need to have one on taxes and revenue in order to properly fund the essential services the city so desperately needs. And perhaps by streamlining a number of fees, ordinary people won't be hit all that much.

At a recent radio forum last week, the candidates went into further detail on where they stand and why they're running.



Again, it's easy to get on the bully pulpit, attack public workers, and throw out general platitudes on "job creation". It's much more difficult, however, to actually propose a workable budget and implement sound policy that will actually put people back to work.

So why are these candidates running? Why do they want to be Mayor? And what are their real plans to make Las Vegas work? It's easy to play politics in campaigns, but we elect local government leaders to implement good policy that will make the most difference here at home.

Pomp & Circumstance... & Moving Beyond All That Jazz

Brian Greenspun was right on the money when he said this in his Sun Op-Ed today:

Whether it was our lack of commitment to education, our inability to address an inequitable and unsustainable tax structure, our failure to pay for the kind of city infrastructure that turns a good place to live into a great one, or our singular lack of leadership at the highest levels of state government, it is easy to understand why sophisticated industries choose other states over Nevada to relocate or build.

Too bad most are still obsessing over this.

Harry came back to Nevada, the state that gave him birth amid the rough and tumble of a mining town replete with the vices commonly available in such places, to lay out a vision of a Nevada that no longer condones or approves of the practice of legal prostitution. It caused quite a stir.

The story, of course, went worldwide. It didn’t drown out the voices of freedom and whatever else the protesters are clamoring for in the streets of the Middle East, or the devastation in Christchurch, New Zealand. But it did provide some relief for people worried beyond measure that the world is about to blow up in our faces while we can’t seem to do much to stop it.

Oh, jeez. "Brothel-gate". This is just stupid. OK, so Harry Reid doesn't approve of the brothels. WHO FUCKING CARES??!!

(I usually reserve the cursing and caps lock for real fits of anger, and right now I'm getting angry.)

The brothels aren't going away. Rural legislators won't allow for that, and frankly I hope Clark and Washoe legislators will be too busy tackling real issues to spend time on the stupid bullshit.

While I wish Senator Reid hadn't gone there, the fact of the matter is that he wanted to and he just did it. And come on, we should all know by now that this is how Harry rolls.

In my humble opinion, what's really pathetic is that the entire rest of Senator Reid's speech to The Legislature was almost entirely ignored, and talk of governing as grown-ups was shelved as certain politicians and pundits engaged in boyhood fantasies as they blathered on and on and on about sex with prostitutes.

Never mind that certain Taliban-esque Washington politicians are out to waste time attacking women's right to access the health care they need. Never mind that budgets still need to be passed at the state and national levels. Never mind that there now looks to be a real grassroots uprising happening throughout the country demanding an end to the attack on workers that people finally started to realize when Wisconsin started making the headlines. And never mind that people here in Nevada might be doing the same tomorrow.

Nope, never mind all that. What matters is what Harry Reid thinks of prostitution. And Sharron Angle taking her journey of self-delusion to New Hampshire. And a whole bunch of meaningless pomp and circumstance. And all that jazz.



It's so easy for the media to obsess over the latest salacious scandal full of sex, money, passion, intrigue, and/or whatever else can sell ads. And it's so easy for us to fall into the trap of thinking any of that crap really matters.

So what really matters? Look around you. Notice the kids wondering how they can afford college? Notice the neighbors wondering how much longer they can pay the mortgage with no jobs available? And we're still fixated on the sideshow?

What Are We Really Seeing on TV?

What do you think when you see this?



And this?



(Yay! Brown's campaign now has it on YouTube!)

And what do you think when you see this?



And this?



So what did you get out of those? That Larry Brown and Chris Giunchigliani are serious about getting Las Vegas out of the economic doldrums and into a brighter future? That Brown and/or Chris G care about regular Las Vegans? That they're "just like us"?

Now take a look at this.



What do you see here? "V for Victory"? "V for Vendetta"? Apparently, Victor Chaltiel for Las Vegas. So I guess that's what Sheldon Adelson's billions buy you these days?

Now take a look at this.



What did you get out of this? That we love Oscar? That Oscar has to "say goodbye"? Who's "good enough" to follow up his great act? It seems like Carolyn Goodman is taking a different approach in her ads, engaging with some playful nostalgia instead of the typical promises to do this or that.

Sadly, many voters' first impressions of the candidates will likely come from these TV ads. Do they convey the messages these candidates want to send? Or might voters eventually hear a different tune from what everyone else is saying away from commercial time?

I can definitely see different strategies at play with these various ads. Larry Brown and Chris G want to be taken seriously as practical problem solvers, and that's why they play up the general policy outlines and mix them up with "feel good" promises. Victor Chaltiel is trying to play the "businessman outsider" card a la Arnold Schwarzenegger v.2003, and it seems he's just trying to take advantage of whatever "tea party" fervor Sharron Angle left over with a vague "elect him, not a 'politician'" message.

And Carolyn Goodman? Well, what else can I say about that ad? It's original! ;-)

You Mean I'm Not Evil?

Someone recently alerted me to this. And I figured in light of this week's developments, this may be worth paying attention to.



Happy Thursday. :-)

Programming Note: Coming Up This Weekend

I'm working on some interesting stories to post here in the next few days. I know I've been silent about "Brothel-gate", but frankly that's because it's really more of a distraction than anything else. But since so many find it so, ahem, titillating, I'll post my own unique thoughts on legal prostitution soon.

Also coming up this weekend will be an update on Henderson municipal elections. Hey, it's my own backyard, so I might as well go out and see who's up to what.

Oh, and don't think I won't be talking more about the real state of our state! Get ready for another reality check on the "conventional wisdom" in Carson City.

So fear not, I haven't forgotten you. Stay tuned for more this weekend. ;-)

DOMA Be Gone? Not Yet, But Look Closer.

All of a sudden, hell froze over. President Obama directed the Justice Department to drop its legal defense of Section 3 of DOMA ("Defense of Marriage" Act), the provision of the 1996 statute forbidding the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages. This prevents legally married gay and lesbian couples from accessing such basics like federal tax deductions and spousal Social Security benefits that they're otherwise entitled to, and this is the provision being challenged in federal court.

And now, we're also hearing this.

Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) today said, “My own belief is that when two people love each other and enter the contract of marriage, the Federal government should honor that,” and then announced her intention to introduce a bill to repeal DOMA, the Defense of Marriage Act that bans federal recognition of same-sex marriages, into the Senate. This comes just hours after Attorney General Eric Holder announced President Obama believes DOMA to be unconstitutional and they have agreed to not defend the fifteen-year old law in court.

In a statement, Senator Feinstein announced, “As a Member of the Judiciary Committee, it is my intention to introduce legislation that will once and for all repeal the Defense of Marriage Act,” adding, “I opposed the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996.  It was the wrong law then; it is the wrong law now; and it should be repealed.”

Wow. No, really. Wow!

So now President Obama realizes there's no credible Constitutional defense of discrimination? And Dianne Feinstein is going to the mat for equality in The Senate? What's going on?

Perhaps 2012 politics is already in play. And funny enough, I think that's a good thing. Let me explain.

For far too long, we queer folk have been subjected to being scapegoated for pretty much all the nation's woes, and we've been used and abused as political pinatas as politicians out-maneuvered each other on who was more homophobic. Basically, our suffering was considered "good politics".

But all of a sudden, that seems to be changing. Now don't get me wrong, we still have a long road ahead of us in becoming truly equal in this country. Still, it's funny to see more and more politicians embrace LGBTQ equality as a "winning issue" and embrace pro-equality policy as good politics. It may not seem like much at first glance, but it's quite the step forward.

Remember that just seven years ago, President Bush embraced a Constitutional marriage ban and Congress was debating whether to make us permanent second class citizens and enshrine bigotry in our Federal Constitution. So even if there's virtually no chance of Congress repealing DOMA this year, it's at least refreshing to see the legislative conversation move from taking away our civil rights to protecting our civil rights. And even if Congress doesn't repeal DOMA soon, the courts will one day.

So today may be one small step for Barack Obama and Dianne Feinstein, but it's one giant leap for LGBTQ equality.

Dynasty: Las Vegas?

The intrigue. The mystique. The majesty...

The Goodmans??!!

It seems that the biggest issue being tossed about in Las Vegas' mayoral race may just be the question of whether Carolyn Goodman is some sort of "legacy candidate" running to keep "The Goodman Dynasty" the marquee show in Las Vegas.

Term limits are forcing out her husband after 12 years in office. Her critics said her candidacy was a ploy to keep her husband in power.

Many of those critics support other candidates and saw those people’s political aspirations take a hit when she entered the race. Others are simply projecting their dislike of Oscar, who they see as all style and no substance, onto his wife. Some think 12 years with a Goodman in office is enough.

Carolyn says her husband tried to persuade her not to run, but many political insiders find that hard to believe (in part because Oscar knows as well as anyone that Carolyn wears the pants in the family). Both enjoy the spotlight. Four more years with a mayor in their household would keep them in demand.

Carolyn stresses that she wants to be judged on her own merits. “I am my own person, and I will stand on my own beliefs,” she says adamantly. And she has an impressive professional track record at Meadows.

But in the next breath she introduces herself to voters as “Oscar’s wife.”

It’s a sound strategy, even if she’s loath to own it. Carolyn is a front-runner in the crowded race. A recent poll showed her leading her next closest competitors — Clark County Commissioners Chris Giunchigliani and Larry Brown — by more than a 2 to 1 margin.

Much of that support can likely be attributed to her last name. Oscar is Southern Nevada’s most popular politician, known internationally for his showgirls, gin and “happiest mayor” shtick.

It's never easy when a relative of a politician then runs for that same office. Accusations like these come all the time. Ask Hillary Clinton and George W. Bush. Still, it may be a legitimate issue to discuss, especially since we are in a state that cherishes its political dynasties.

Why is Carolyn Goodman running? And for that matter, why are the other candidates running? Whose agenda will the eventual winner serve?

Let's be fair here. It's not as if Carolyn Goodman is the only candidate who can be accused of being part of the dynasty. Both Larry Brown and Steve Ross have had close ties to Mayor Oscar. Victor Chaltiel is a close pawn "friend" of Sheldon Adelson. Chris Giunchigliani's husband is a powerful campaign consultant. Wherever we look, we see all sorts of juice.

So is it a problem that Las Vegas' next mayor may be the wife of the outgoing mayor? Honestly, it's a question I'm still wrestling with. What if Carolyn Goodman actually expands on her platitudes and offers good policy on remaking a Downtown that's accessible to all? What if she really does have more in store for Vegas than just "Oscar's vision"?

But what if she doesn't? Can someone who happily identifies as "Oscar's wife" on the campaign trail be trusted to move past the failed policies of criminalizing the homeless, pursuing endless "condo mania" Downtown, and using unsustainable "growth" at the edges of town to fund sweetheart deals with big developers Downtown?

I guess the jury is still out on that. No matter what last name Las Vegas' next mayor will have, will he or she be able to resist temptation from "the real estate industrial complex"?

The Part Where You Come In

Do you really need me to restate the facts that we've covered extensively? And that our friends at The Nevada View, The Sausage Factory, and Desert Beacon have detailed?



Our state is in dire straits. There's no way to avoid the awful truth. Our unemployment rate is the highest in the nation. Our economy has suffered from extreme boom and bust cycles for decades. There's a growing chorus of economists and business leaders telling us we must have better schools to produce the better educated workforce our state so desperately needs to diversify the economy and thrive, but Governor Sandoval continues to blithely ignore them and hopes to proceed in cutting our schools (and our economic future) to death.

So what else can be done? What else can be said? Can anything be done to change this?

This is the part where we come in.





We MUST let our legislators, the public servants we elect to represent us in state government, know what direction we want our state to take. Are we the masters of our own fate? Or will we let some nebulous external force (insert Tea Party Inc link) make us into its ideological slaves?

What are you prepared to do to save our state? What are you planning to do to rescue your state? Go to Green Valey High School next Monday and speak some much needed truth to power? Ask Governor Sandoval and The Legislature to agree on a fair budget?

Whatever you can do, just do it. This is the part where you come in. What will you do to save our state?

Jim Rogers on Twitter? Fasten Your Seatbelts, #NVLeg Tweeps!

I think I found my new favorite #nvpolitics #NVLeg tweeter... Other than my matron saint of Twitter, @LauraKMM, of course. ;-)

Guess who made the cut...

He’s a successful businessman. He owns Sunbelt Communications, which operates 16 television affiliates in five states, including KSNV Channel 3 in Las Vegas and KRNV Channel 4 in Reno. (The Las Vegas Sun is a media partner with the stations.)

He knows state government. He served as boss of Nevada universities and colleges from 2004 to 2009.

He is politically connected. He is a prodigious political fundraiser and donor, which helps him get meetings with just about anyone he wants.

To a certain extent, his tweets are condensed versions of the weekly memos he sent out as chancellor. As a vocal defender of colleges and universities, he delivered withering — and highly entertaining — attacks on Gov. Jim Gibbons over his proposed cuts to the system.

And look at what he's saying!

"Doesn't it makes sense that a business that produces a $500k profit should be able to take part of that profit and invest it in education?"

"All of NV businesses are not broke - many are thriving and could easily afford to support education which is the key to everyone’s future"

"Sandoval is right – less government is better – but less government should mean less Sandoval and less legislature."

"If Brian Sandoval had been the captain of the Titanic it would have gone down with him smiling, his hair perfectly combed...."

"Legislators with a 'one rule fits all' tax analysis ought to know that one rule never works"

"Think about the fact that Idaho taxes my Nevada income but Nevada doesn’t tax my Nevada income"

"If Nevada’s citizens wanted an excellent education system, Nevada would have one."

Wow. Just wow! Jim Rogers is speaking the truth and saying it like he means it!

For quite some time, I've wondered if I was just one of very few voices in the wilderness. But all of a sudden, it seems Nevadans are starting to wake up and smell the napalm. And perhaps if the most iconic and passionate advocate for Nevada students can light up Twitter, Carson City can wake up and notice reality calling.

Meanwhile on Capitol Hill...

While we have been focusing lately on the Nevada budget, there's also a massive fight brewing over the federal budget. House Republicans are already getting flak over their "job destroying budget" that would kill nearly 1,000,000 jobs if passed, likely pushing the country back into full recession. President Obama has already threatened to veto the House GOP budget if passed, and some House Democrats are now saying they have their own objections to Obama's proposed budget. Another federal government shutdown may be coming.

Wow. Looks like a full on train wreck, doesn't it?

Here's the reality of what's at stake, courtesy of Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN).



As we've talked about in regards to state issues, we need real investment in our public infrastructure. But with the House GOP's preferred budget, we'd be slashing that very investment we need and destroying the still fragile hope of sustained economic recovery. Meanwhile, neither House Republicans nor President Obama are looking at more thoughtful ways of reducing the federal budget deficit without punishing working class families for no reason.

And of course, Republicans are (mis)using the federal budget debate to continue their losing war on health care, their extreme assault on women's civil rights, their drive to make America more polluted and unhealthy, and so much more. When did the federal budget become an extreme right manifesto?



So in addition to all the madness up in Carson City, it looks like we'll be in for quite the bumper car ride in Washington. Let's see if lawmakers can put aside the ridiculous political games and agree upon some good policy.

And the Chorus... Is Us?

Surprise, surprise! Perhaps we the people can handle "the t word" after all?

By a stunning margin of 52 percent to 37 percent, Nevadans think the governor and the Gang of 63 should raise taxes to avoid cuts in government services, according to a poll just completed for the Retailers Association of Nevada. [...]

The survey was conducted for the Retailers Association of Nevada by nationally respected Republican pollster Glen Bolger, who also found that the public would prefer the tax increases remain temporary (well, no kidding.) But the significance here is that despite the relentless no-new-taxes mantra repeated by Gov. Brian Sandoval and his echo chamber across the courtyard, and fueled by the likes of Chuck Muth, the conservative firebrand, that’s not where the public is.Or at least not always. That is, voters tend to be more thoughtful than the vocal minority. What a shocker.

Indeed, as Bolger points out, “Support for raising taxes to address the budget shortfall is at an all time high.”

Another significant number: 74 percent of voters think teacher salaries should not be reduced.

Also: 55 percent say a corporate income tax, with 41 percent against.

Voters are split almost evenly on whether to change the tax system – 46 percent say it works well, 48 percent say it’s time for a change.

So Nevada voters get it? They/We really get it? Not so fast.

As usual, voters are a bit inconsistent. On a later question, when asked if the reduced spending in Sandoval’s budget is needed, 52 percent said yes and 44 percent said no. That’s still close but hardly jibes with the tax/cuts question.

Ralston is correct. This IS usual. Come on, don't we all dream about having our cake and eating it, too? Of course, the problem here is that it's simply unrealistic. Trust me, especially with the second lowest state tax rate in the country and #1 cheapest state government in the country, there's essentially no such thing as "waste" in Nevada's government... Unless we're talking about our future wasting away because we don't invest enough in our needed infrastructure, such as our schools.

Still, I must admit I'm feeling more confident about the near future. Despite all the lies being propagated by "Tea Party, Inc.", a strong majority of Nevada voters at least understand that we need revenue to fund the kind of infrastructure we need to build to get us out of the mess we're in AND prevent falling into the same old mess again. Let's hope the powers that be in Carson City are paying attention.