Last Saturday, Americans across this nation were shocked to witness the violence that broke out in Bunkerville over the BLM's attempt to rein in Cliven Bundy's illegal Gold Butte cattle run & tax evasion scheme. Apparently, it's not enough that Bundy's family has benefited from so much "big government welfare" for over 100 years. He's also wanted "legal recognition" to violate federal law with reckless abandon. And last weekend, he brought in some "TEA" drinking friends from other parts of the nation to provoke armed conflict with federal public servants.
Even though the BLM operation has been discontinued for now, the law will eventually catch up with this lawless bunch. Bundy & his "TEA" powered allies may face federal criminal charges for their attempt at provoking insurrection.
But of course, the wannabe #BundyRanch insurrectionists don't see it that way. They claim they're just taking advantage of what Sharron Angle (in)famously referred to as "Second Amendment Remedies".
And they're not the only ones who have been "going there" recently. Frazier Glenn Miller also resorted to "Second Amendment Remedies" when he opened fire on a Jewish community center & retirement village in Overland Park, Kansas, yesterday. The longtime white supremacist/Ku Klux Klan/neo-Nazi leader shot 3 people dead before police arrested him.
Once again, we're reminded of something evil in our society. Once again, we're reminded of what happens when we encounter a "bad guy with a gun". And once again, we're reminded of the lengths the NRA and the rest of the gun lobby will go to maximize their profits.
Are G-O-TEA politicians here in Nevada and elsewhere still proud of being "what stood in the way" between us and saner gun laws? Do they actually believe the bile filled rhetoric they spew when they praise Cliven Bundy's "Second Amendment Remedies"? Do they truly favor the ability of criminals like Frazier Glenn Miller to easily access dangerous firearms?
Think about it. What we saw this past weekend in Bunkerville and in Overland Park was the logical conclusion of "Second Amendment Remedies". And that should make us all remember what makes a civilized society (and what can tear one down).
Monday, April 14, 2014
Why Republicans Probably Won't Pick @LV2016
Every so often, a certain local journalist and media pundit (cough- Jon Ralston- cough) has been begging national Republicans to bring the 2016 Republican National Convention to Las Vegas. He's certainly tried his best to promote our region to Republicans and make a convincing case why "The Entertainment Capital of the World" should host what may be the most entertaining political party event ever. Unfortunately for Ralston, most Republicans don't want to listen to his case.
But why is that? Ralston has made many good points. The Strip has plenty of quality lodging, dining, and entertainment options. Nevada will likely be a key Swing State that cycle. And Southern Nevada has become a diverse society that would serve as the perfect backdrop for the Republicans' big party.
Unfortunately for Ralston (and all other @LV2016 boosters), the G-O-TEA Culture Warriors strongly object to this. And why's that? Oh, our lodging, dining, and entertainment options threaten their "Judeo-Christian values". In fact, our "entertainment" is so wicked & sinful that it corrupted poor Rep. Vance McAllister (R-Louisiana) from thousands of miles away! (/snark)
And it's not just our lack of "moral values" that will likely prevent "Sin City" from hosting the 2016 Republican National Convention. There's also the matter of the entire Nevada Republican Party's lack of common decency and common sense. Last week, state & local G-O-TEA politicians rushed to sing the praises of Cliven Bundy violating federal law at Gold Butte. They also tacitly endorsed outside G-O-TEA groups meddling in #BundyRanch to the point of encouraging armed conflict with federal public servants who were just attempting to enforce the law.
But wait, there's more. Republicans just concluded their convention... The 2014 Nevada Republican Party Convention, that is. And while most delegates decided to cast a few votes in favor of the 21st century, they nonetheless decided to spurn the Governor they just endorsed for reelection by rejecting nearly all his preferred candidates in other races up & down the ballot. And even after they endorsed a new platform, they're still fighting each other over it!
But hey, at least they agreed to endorse Sue Lowden for Lt. Governor.
Apparently, all of this finally weighed on Jon Ralston as he prepared to say farewell to his fantasy of the 2016 Republican National Convention playing out in his back yard...
Except that he forgot to mention Nevada Republicans' other great shining moment from last week.
Hillary Clinton may have had a shoe thrown at her, but Republicans are ultimately throwing away whatever chance they have left of defeating her in 2016 by embracing so much crazy. And this visual must be terrifying those in charge of the Republican National Committee.
This is why Republicans probably won't pick Las Vegas to host their 2016 national convention. While Southern Nevada is home to a diverse electorate who likely resembles the future of America, "Republican rebranding" has accomplished nothing but the repeat of the same old lame excuses of why the G-O-TEA base rejects 21st century America. And even though Nevada is a key state that Republicans need to win more often in order to remain a nationally relevant party, the Nevada Republican Party long ago lost interest in winning elections as it's pursued ideological "purity" to the point of endorsing "Chickens for Checkups" and armed anarchy. Southern Nevada can all too easily remind everyone of why the Republican Party has become radically out of touch with the mainstream electorate, and this is why the Republican National Committee will likely "rebrand" itself into a convention somewhere else.
(Sorry, Jon Ralston.)
But why is that? Ralston has made many good points. The Strip has plenty of quality lodging, dining, and entertainment options. Nevada will likely be a key Swing State that cycle. And Southern Nevada has become a diverse society that would serve as the perfect backdrop for the Republicans' big party.
Unfortunately for Ralston (and all other @LV2016 boosters), the G-O-TEA Culture Warriors strongly object to this. And why's that? Oh, our lodging, dining, and entertainment options threaten their "Judeo-Christian values". In fact, our "entertainment" is so wicked & sinful that it corrupted poor Rep. Vance McAllister (R-Louisiana) from thousands of miles away! (/snark)
And it's not just our lack of "moral values" that will likely prevent "Sin City" from hosting the 2016 Republican National Convention. There's also the matter of the entire Nevada Republican Party's lack of common decency and common sense. Last week, state & local G-O-TEA politicians rushed to sing the praises of Cliven Bundy violating federal law at Gold Butte. They also tacitly endorsed outside G-O-TEA groups meddling in #BundyRanch to the point of encouraging armed conflict with federal public servants who were just attempting to enforce the law.
But wait, there's more. Republicans just concluded their convention... The 2014 Nevada Republican Party Convention, that is. And while most delegates decided to cast a few votes in favor of the 21st century, they nonetheless decided to spurn the Governor they just endorsed for reelection by rejecting nearly all his preferred candidates in other races up & down the ballot. And even after they endorsed a new platform, they're still fighting each other over it!
But hey, at least they agreed to endorse Sue Lowden for Lt. Governor.
Apparently, all of this finally weighed on Jon Ralston as he prepared to say farewell to his fantasy of the 2016 Republican National Convention playing out in his back yard...
"Thanks to #BundyRanch and @NVGOP folks for providing great advertisement today why @LV2016 should happen. Thanks, geniuses."
Except that he forgot to mention Nevada Republicans' other great shining moment from last week.
Hillary Clinton may have had a shoe thrown at her, but Republicans are ultimately throwing away whatever chance they have left of defeating her in 2016 by embracing so much crazy. And this visual must be terrifying those in charge of the Republican National Committee.
This is why Republicans probably won't pick Las Vegas to host their 2016 national convention. While Southern Nevada is home to a diverse electorate who likely resembles the future of America, "Republican rebranding" has accomplished nothing but the repeat of the same old lame excuses of why the G-O-TEA base rejects 21st century America. And even though Nevada is a key state that Republicans need to win more often in order to remain a nationally relevant party, the Nevada Republican Party long ago lost interest in winning elections as it's pursued ideological "purity" to the point of endorsing "Chickens for Checkups" and armed anarchy. Southern Nevada can all too easily remind everyone of why the Republican Party has become radically out of touch with the mainstream electorate, and this is why the Republican National Committee will likely "rebrand" itself into a convention somewhere else.
(Sorry, Jon Ralston.)
Sunday, April 13, 2014
This Land Is Our Land
On Thursday, we were alerted to a troubling situation near Bunkerville. A local rancher named Cliven Bundy had been illegally sending his cattle onto BLM land. He had racked up a $1,000,000+ bill after refusing to pay grazing fees for over 20 years. And when the BLM was preparing to put an end to Bundy's illegal grazing on federal land, Bundy decided to call in local and national "TEA" fueled allies to provoke armed conflict with the BLM.
And now, the BLM has been forced to stand down at #BundyRanch in order to prevent a bloody, violent end to this conflict. Already, the situation had gone out of hand.
And even now, #BundyRanch is is still a very volatile situation. It's just escalated from a local embarrassment into a national fiasco. And "TEA Party, Inc. definitely had several hands in escalating this conflict.
Remember when Republicans marketed their party as "the law & order party"? Those days now feel like an eternity ago. Now, we have the Nevada Republican Party cravenly endorsing brazen lawlessness. And G-O-TEA politicians & pundits from across the nation have been piling on to worsen an already fragile situation.
Over the past week, all of us in Southern Nevada have witnessed "Stand Your Ground" run amok... Except this ground does not just belong to Cliven Bundy. Gold Butte is ground that belongs to all of us. There's a reason why it's called "public land". Hint: This land is our land, as we are the public.
This is something the Koch-topus has been trying to make us forget. No wonder why it's reared its ugly head to spin this brazen abuse of public property into some sort of demented "freedom fighting". It's just ironic that the "libertarian" "TEA" powered astroturf network is fighting for the very "welfare" it claims to fight against.
This land is our land. This land is ours to protect, ours to cherish, ours to preserve. It's not there for one misinformed man to exercise his anarchist fantasies on. It's not there for Koch backed militias to play "Cowboys & Cops" on. And it's certainly not there to prove every worst assumption everyone makes of America & Nevada.
This land is our land. It's not just Cliven Bundy's. And it's a damned shame that after benefiting from "big government welfare" for all these decades, he has the nerve to tell us we have no rights on what's our land.
And now, the BLM has been forced to stand down at #BundyRanch in order to prevent a bloody, violent end to this conflict. Already, the situation had gone out of hand.
And even now, #BundyRanch is is still a very volatile situation. It's just escalated from a local embarrassment into a national fiasco. And "TEA Party, Inc. definitely had several hands in escalating this conflict.
Remember when Republicans marketed their party as "the law & order party"? Those days now feel like an eternity ago. Now, we have the Nevada Republican Party cravenly endorsing brazen lawlessness. And G-O-TEA politicians & pundits from across the nation have been piling on to worsen an already fragile situation.
Over the past week, all of us in Southern Nevada have witnessed "Stand Your Ground" run amok... Except this ground does not just belong to Cliven Bundy. Gold Butte is ground that belongs to all of us. There's a reason why it's called "public land". Hint: This land is our land, as we are the public.
This is something the Koch-topus has been trying to make us forget. No wonder why it's reared its ugly head to spin this brazen abuse of public property into some sort of demented "freedom fighting". It's just ironic that the "libertarian" "TEA" powered astroturf network is fighting for the very "welfare" it claims to fight against.
This land is our land. This land is ours to protect, ours to cherish, ours to preserve. It's not there for one misinformed man to exercise his anarchist fantasies on. It's not there for Koch backed militias to play "Cowboys & Cops" on. And it's certainly not there to prove every worst assumption everyone makes of America & Nevada.
This land is our land. It's not just Cliven Bundy's. And it's a damned shame that after benefiting from "big government welfare" for all these decades, he has the nerve to tell us we have no rights on what's our land.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
The Real Reasons for Outrage
So we have another outbreak of outrage this week. But is it really all about cattle? Is there some sort of "overreach"? Or are the usual "OUTRAGED!!!" suspects missing the real reasons for outrage?
Cliven Bundy has been illegally letting his cows graze in the Gold Butte area for nearly 20 years. He has refused to pay grazing fees since 1993, and he has used some rather novel excuses to spin his brazen violation of federal law.
So why are Senator Dean Heller (R) & Governor Brian Sandoval (R) screaming about the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) stepping up to enforce the law? Are they really trying to argue that this is acceptable?
And is this what the NRA means when it claims "the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun"? Could this explain why Heller & Sandoval have even opposed modest efforts at gun violence prevention?
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And then, there's the issue of Bundy's specious claim to the land. That land isn't just his. It's ours. It belongs to all 300 million plus Americans. And if he doesn't believe that, he can read the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
That land also belongs to the wildlife who call Gold Butte home. Oh, and that land belonged to the Native Americans who called this region home long before our ancestors immigrated to this continent.
It's unfair to all the rest of us to allow one rancher to let his cattle trample upon the habitat of an endangered species (the desert tortoise). It's especially unfair to let that rancher let his cattle run rampant and ruin land that belongs to all of us. And it's particularly unfair to let this one rancher let his cattle run rampant when he's refused to pay the fee that all area ranchers must pay to use that public land. (After all, the BLM has to maintain this land for everyone.)
Oh, and haven't we talked about this before? Haven't we warned about this before? Haven't Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) delivered barn burning speeches about this? Hasn't the ongoing drought been reminding us of why we can't leave this unchecked?
If Senator Heller & Governor Sandoval are truly offended by what's going down at Gold Butte this week, then why don't they ask their fellow Republicans to stop denying the brutal reality of climate change? It's already having an effect on cattle ranchers. And pretty soon, it will have a major effect on all our lives if we don't step up our game.
Hey, someone had to do it. And since hardly anyone else is discussing the real reasons for outrage regarding this Cliven Bundy "scandal", we figured we might as well wade into this hot mess. So to recap, some G-O-TEA politicians are screaming at the BLM because the BLM is enforcing existing law. A rancher is willfully violating the law and encouraging armed rebellion against the federal government because he doesn't like the law. And meanwhile, the land itself and the original inhabitants of this land are reeling because we've allowed the land to be mistreated by the likes of Bundy... While we threaten the climate that's supposed to sustain this land.
Feeling outraged yet? At least now you understand why we are.
Cliven Bundy has been illegally letting his cows graze in the Gold Butte area for nearly 20 years. He has refused to pay grazing fees since 1993, and he has used some rather novel excuses to spin his brazen violation of federal law.
So why are Senator Dean Heller (R) & Governor Brian Sandoval (R) screaming about the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) stepping up to enforce the law? Are they really trying to argue that this is acceptable?
And is this what the NRA means when it claims "the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun"? Could this explain why Heller & Sandoval have even opposed modest efforts at gun violence prevention?
">
And then, there's the issue of Bundy's specious claim to the land. That land isn't just his. It's ours. It belongs to all 300 million plus Americans. And if he doesn't believe that, he can read the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
That land also belongs to the wildlife who call Gold Butte home. Oh, and that land belonged to the Native Americans who called this region home long before our ancestors immigrated to this continent.
It's unfair to all the rest of us to allow one rancher to let his cattle trample upon the habitat of an endangered species (the desert tortoise). It's especially unfair to let that rancher let his cattle run rampant and ruin land that belongs to all of us. And it's particularly unfair to let this one rancher let his cattle run rampant when he's refused to pay the fee that all area ranchers must pay to use that public land. (After all, the BLM has to maintain this land for everyone.)
Oh, and haven't we talked about this before? Haven't we warned about this before? Haven't Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) delivered barn burning speeches about this? Hasn't the ongoing drought been reminding us of why we can't leave this unchecked?
If Senator Heller & Governor Sandoval are truly offended by what's going down at Gold Butte this week, then why don't they ask their fellow Republicans to stop denying the brutal reality of climate change? It's already having an effect on cattle ranchers. And pretty soon, it will have a major effect on all our lives if we don't step up our game.
Hey, someone had to do it. And since hardly anyone else is discussing the real reasons for outrage regarding this Cliven Bundy "scandal", we figured we might as well wade into this hot mess. So to recap, some G-O-TEA politicians are screaming at the BLM because the BLM is enforcing existing law. A rancher is willfully violating the law and encouraging armed rebellion against the federal government because he doesn't like the law. And meanwhile, the land itself and the original inhabitants of this land are reeling because we've allowed the land to be mistreated by the likes of Bundy... While we threaten the climate that's supposed to sustain this land.
Feeling outraged yet? At least now you understand why we are.
Right Side (of What?!)
He's back! What, you thought he could stay away from making headline news (for all the wrong reasons)? Oh no, "Uncle Sugar" Mike Huckabee is back to tell us to get on the "right side of the Bible".
And why's that? Mr. Huckster thinks "hunting with other men" is A-O-K... So long as it's clearly done in a "not gay way".
Oh, but Huckabee is "not a homophobe". He's just fighting against LGBTQ civil rights because he thinks LGBTQ Americans are not on "the right side of the Bible".
So how's that "Republican rebranding" coming along? Adam Laxalt wants to "respect our Constitution" by disrespecting & undermining it. Cresent Hardy embraces "segregation laws". And Rep. Joe Heck? Good luck trying to get a straight answer out of him.
And that's just the Nevada Republican Party. Nationally, the G-O-TEA still seems to be following the lead of Mike Huckabee & Rush Limbaugh. That's why it's now taking a strong stand against "persecution"... By blocking ENDA and fighting against marriage equality?! So discrimination is wrong, except when it's "the right side of the Bible"?
We know G-O-TEA politicians & media spinners have been trying hard to change the media narrative on LGBTQ civil rights. What they fail to realize is that no one believes their "family values" rhetoric when they won't actually value families or live up to their own supposed "values". "Right side of the Bible"? How about trying the right side of common sense, logic, & HERstory?
And why's that? Mr. Huckster thinks "hunting with other men" is A-O-K... So long as it's clearly done in a "not gay way".
Oh, but Huckabee is "not a homophobe". He's just fighting against LGBTQ civil rights because he thinks LGBTQ Americans are not on "the right side of the Bible".
So how's that "Republican rebranding" coming along? Adam Laxalt wants to "respect our Constitution" by disrespecting & undermining it. Cresent Hardy embraces "segregation laws". And Rep. Joe Heck? Good luck trying to get a straight answer out of him.
And that's just the Nevada Republican Party. Nationally, the G-O-TEA still seems to be following the lead of Mike Huckabee & Rush Limbaugh. That's why it's now taking a strong stand against "persecution"... By blocking ENDA and fighting against marriage equality?! So discrimination is wrong, except when it's "the right side of the Bible"?
We know G-O-TEA politicians & media spinners have been trying hard to change the media narrative on LGBTQ civil rights. What they fail to realize is that no one believes their "family values" rhetoric when they won't actually value families or live up to their own supposed "values". "Right side of the Bible"? How about trying the right side of common sense, logic, & HERstory?
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Basic Instinct
Hey, someone has to do it. So who will it be? Kevin Drum can't figure it out yet. And frankly, we're having trouble with it as well.
So who will Republicans nominate in 2016? All we can say at this point is that whoever wins that nomination will have turned up the crazy to whole new levels. And whoever wins that nomination probably will have done so by pandering to the basest of base elements.
But why? Why is this likely bound to happen? Don't Republicans want to win? Oh, yes they do... But they're counting onvoter suppression "purging" to do the trick.
And perhaps that has helped them win some races here & there. However, not even that can guarantee nationwide viability going into the future. They can't simply purge every non-Republican voter off the rolls.
Ultimately, Republicans need to offer voters more than just hollow "rebranding" in order to expand their ranks. But instead of that, they're just offering failure to govern, warmed over "Culture War" hysteria, and unnecessary hardship. And they're wondering why their 2016 polls look so damned ugly?
They need to pay closer attention to the state of their own party in 2014. They need to pay closer attention to why the Nevada Republican Party has become nothing more than a glorified political fight club. They need to pay closer attention to why their empty slogans don't translate into functioning policies.
We know basic is hardly ever something to aspire to, but we also know that far too many Republican Party "leaders" fail to recognize the basic reality that their party will ultimately be screwed if it fails to adapt to the reality of 21st century America. It's so basic, yet it's so out of their grasp. And if it remains out of their grasp in 2014, they'll eventually regret it come 2016.
So who will Republicans nominate in 2016? All we can say at this point is that whoever wins that nomination will have turned up the crazy to whole new levels. And whoever wins that nomination probably will have done so by pandering to the basest of base elements.
But why? Why is this likely bound to happen? Don't Republicans want to win? Oh, yes they do... But they're counting on
And perhaps that has helped them win some races here & there. However, not even that can guarantee nationwide viability going into the future. They can't simply purge every non-Republican voter off the rolls.
Ultimately, Republicans need to offer voters more than just hollow "rebranding" in order to expand their ranks. But instead of that, they're just offering failure to govern, warmed over "Culture War" hysteria, and unnecessary hardship. And they're wondering why their 2016 polls look so damned ugly?
They need to pay closer attention to the state of their own party in 2014. They need to pay closer attention to why the Nevada Republican Party has become nothing more than a glorified political fight club. They need to pay closer attention to why their empty slogans don't translate into functioning policies.
We know basic is hardly ever something to aspire to, but we also know that far too many Republican Party "leaders" fail to recognize the basic reality that their party will ultimately be screwed if it fails to adapt to the reality of 21st century America. It's so basic, yet it's so out of their grasp. And if it remains out of their grasp in 2014, they'll eventually regret it come 2016.
If It's Dirty, Why Not Clean It?
How many times have we confronted this? We've examined the shells. We've smelled the stinky juice. We've felt the shadows. We've even raced to catch up with the Speedway.
Yet through it all, we've become quite dizzy from all the rides on Nevada's notorious "Merry-go-round of Corruption". Sadly, we need to step back on that merry-go-round this morning to examine an aspect of Nevada politics that is often overlooked: our local judiciary.
We must give credit where it's due. "Newspaper" columnist Jane Ann Morrison (one of the few other reasons to even bother reading it) recently exposed the kind of bare knuckle political maneuvering that we typically don't expect on the judicial bench. There are now even accusations of what authorities in other states call bribery... But what we in Nevada just refer to as "politics as usual".
To be fair, there are a number of shady characters in this story. At this point, it's hard to figure out who's telling the complete truth (if anyone). However, what can't be denied at this point is that a number of judicial candidates are dependent upon well heeled contributors who also happen to visit the courtrooms they aspire to preside over. And that in and of itself is a problem.
One of the foundations of our judiciary is the guarantee of equal protection under the law. How are we supposed to expect that if we sense that those who can afford to "pay to play" happen to receive "more equal protection" than the rest of us? How are we supposed to trust our courts' ability to fairly interpret the law when they're under the influence of a few powerful & moneyed interests who expect a certain interpretation that happens to favor them?
We've said this many times before, but we must say it again today: If we want to end this dizzying feeling we sense when viewing the dirty reality of Nevada politics, we must stop the merry-go-round of corruption. And the only way to truly stop it is to end the seemingly endless flow of dirty money into all aspects of our political system... Even our judiciary.
We're again hearing debate over whether we should continue direct election of judges, or just allow the state to appoint them. And while fair arguments can be made for either side, we sense both sides are missing the point. After all, can we fully trust the Governor and legislators when they are also under the influence of numerous campaign donors?
For us, there's one clear solution to this problem: clean money. Why not simply level the playing field so we can all participate?
It's already working in other parts of the nation. Why not bring it here to Nevada? (And for that matter, why can't the entire nation have it?) Lordy knows we need a whole lot of disinfectant to clean up our system. So why not start cleaning it up already?
Yet through it all, we've become quite dizzy from all the rides on Nevada's notorious "Merry-go-round of Corruption". Sadly, we need to step back on that merry-go-round this morning to examine an aspect of Nevada politics that is often overlooked: our local judiciary.
We must give credit where it's due. "Newspaper" columnist Jane Ann Morrison (one of the few other reasons to even bother reading it) recently exposed the kind of bare knuckle political maneuvering that we typically don't expect on the judicial bench. There are now even accusations of what authorities in other states call bribery... But what we in Nevada just refer to as "politics as usual".
To be fair, there are a number of shady characters in this story. At this point, it's hard to figure out who's telling the complete truth (if anyone). However, what can't be denied at this point is that a number of judicial candidates are dependent upon well heeled contributors who also happen to visit the courtrooms they aspire to preside over. And that in and of itself is a problem.
One of the foundations of our judiciary is the guarantee of equal protection under the law. How are we supposed to expect that if we sense that those who can afford to "pay to play" happen to receive "more equal protection" than the rest of us? How are we supposed to trust our courts' ability to fairly interpret the law when they're under the influence of a few powerful & moneyed interests who expect a certain interpretation that happens to favor them?
We've said this many times before, but we must say it again today: If we want to end this dizzying feeling we sense when viewing the dirty reality of Nevada politics, we must stop the merry-go-round of corruption. And the only way to truly stop it is to end the seemingly endless flow of dirty money into all aspects of our political system... Even our judiciary.
We're again hearing debate over whether we should continue direct election of judges, or just allow the state to appoint them. And while fair arguments can be made for either side, we sense both sides are missing the point. After all, can we fully trust the Governor and legislators when they are also under the influence of numerous campaign donors?
For us, there's one clear solution to this problem: clean money. Why not simply level the playing field so we can all participate?
It's already working in other parts of the nation. Why not bring it here to Nevada? (And for that matter, why can't the entire nation have it?) Lordy knows we need a whole lot of disinfectant to clean up our system. So why not start cleaning it up already?
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Can't "Rebrand" Real Values
They've made every possible excuse not to act. They've done everything possible to block a simple floor vote. Yet they're claiming the President is about to "spoil the well"? Clearly, they still haven't realized they can't have it both ways.
House Republican "leaders" have gone out of their way to take every step possible to kill comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). And they've are it clear for some time that they don't want HR 15 anywhere near the House floor. But now, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Agent Orange) is actually claiming President Obama will "spoil the well" if he takes any executive action to curb the record pace of deportations that have occurred under his watch.
Yet when Speaker Boehner is confronted over when his lower House of Congress will ever pass any kind of CIR, he says it won't happen... Because of President Obama! So let's try to understand John Boehner's incredibly twisted (lack of) logic here. The House can't pass what the Senate already passed over nine months ago because "Obama is a poopyhead!" But if President Obama tries to minimize the damage that's done thanks to the House's failure to pass CIR, that will jeopardize any (already nonexistent) chance of Boehner agreeing to any CIR? Seriously, how does any of this make sense?
There's a reason why the President is facing growing calls for executive action to curb deportations. It's because his administration has already been vigorously enforcing current immigration law since he first took office in 2009. And it's because millions of American families (like Bryan Rivera's) are at constant risk of being torn apart as long as the status quo remains in place.
The status quo is unsustainable. It's hurting families, hurting communities, and hurting our economy. But wait, aren't Republicans supposed to be the "family values" & #4jobs party?
Maybe not. As long as they're blocking real pro-family & pro-growth policies, it's hard to take any of their homilies to "values" seriously. And no amount of "Republican rebranding" can actually hide their real values.
House Republican "leaders" have gone out of their way to take every step possible to kill comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). And they've are it clear for some time that they don't want HR 15 anywhere near the House floor. But now, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Agent Orange) is actually claiming President Obama will "spoil the well" if he takes any executive action to curb the record pace of deportations that have occurred under his watch.
Yet when Speaker Boehner is confronted over when his lower House of Congress will ever pass any kind of CIR, he says it won't happen... Because of President Obama! So let's try to understand John Boehner's incredibly twisted (lack of) logic here. The House can't pass what the Senate already passed over nine months ago because "Obama is a poopyhead!" But if President Obama tries to minimize the damage that's done thanks to the House's failure to pass CIR, that will jeopardize any (already nonexistent) chance of Boehner agreeing to any CIR? Seriously, how does any of this make sense?
There's a reason why the President is facing growing calls for executive action to curb deportations. It's because his administration has already been vigorously enforcing current immigration law since he first took office in 2009. And it's because millions of American families (like Bryan Rivera's) are at constant risk of being torn apart as long as the status quo remains in place.
The status quo is unsustainable. It's hurting families, hurting communities, and hurting our economy. But wait, aren't Republicans supposed to be the "family values" & #4jobs party?
Maybe not. As long as they're blocking real pro-family & pro-growth policies, it's hard to take any of their homilies to "values" seriously. And no amount of "Republican rebranding" can actually hide their real values.
Discharge Time?
As expected, it passed last night. The US Senate finally approved a temporary federal extension of unemployment insurance (UI). Senators Harry Reid (D) & Dean Heller (R) voted for UI extension, along with 57 other Senators.
Yet even as this UI extension bill cleared the Senate, it faces a difficult struggle ahead in the House. Why? As usual, House Republican "leaders" value political gamesmanship over sound economic policy.
But at least this time, they're finally starting to feel some push-back from their own ranks. Even Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) is finally saying something. He has recently joined six other House Republicans in sending House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) requesting a House floor vote on the bipartisan UI extension bill that just passed the Senate.
So at least some House Republicans are finally starting to speak up... But will this sternly worded letter be enough? Or will they need to prepare for further action?
Last month, House Democrats drafted a discharge petition for UI extension. Reps. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) & Dina Titus (D-Paradise) quickly signed it upon its introduction. And if Rep. Heck and those six other House Republicans who just sent that letter really want UI extension, they may need to prepare to do the same.
Why? Speaker Boehner's media spinners still claim UI extension is "not necessary". Even though their decision to let the federal UI extension lapse has sucked $5 billion out of our economy and thrown over 2.3 million Americans (including over 34,000 Nevadans) into economic ruin, one of Boehner's top lieutenants (Rep. Tom Cole [R-Oklahoma]) actually just said federal UI should "come to an end".
Try arguing this to the over 2.3 million Americans struggling to survive because federal UI has been cut off for over three months. We bet they won't. Instead, they'll probably continue trying even more lame@ss excuses to spin away what the Senate just passed. What they still fail to recognize is that people can't pay our bills and/or buy groceries with spin. These unemployed Americans have been looking for work and continue to look for work. But until they find work, they need to survive. And simply cutting them off won't help these people survive, let alone find work.
What House Republicans looking to pass the bipartisan #RenewUI legislation that's already passed the Senate need to recognize is that they need to send a clear message to their "leaders" that ignoring reality is simply not an option. And while sternly worded letters are a start, they may not be enough to finish the job. If Speaker Boehner and his lieutenants continue to drown #RenewUI in their toxic "TEA", then the only way to rescue it will be a discharge petition. Are they ready to sign?
Yet even as this UI extension bill cleared the Senate, it faces a difficult struggle ahead in the House. Why? As usual, House Republican "leaders" value political gamesmanship over sound economic policy.
But at least this time, they're finally starting to feel some push-back from their own ranks. Even Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) is finally saying something. He has recently joined six other House Republicans in sending House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) requesting a House floor vote on the bipartisan UI extension bill that just passed the Senate.
So at least some House Republicans are finally starting to speak up... But will this sternly worded letter be enough? Or will they need to prepare for further action?
Last month, House Democrats drafted a discharge petition for UI extension. Reps. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) & Dina Titus (D-Paradise) quickly signed it upon its introduction. And if Rep. Heck and those six other House Republicans who just sent that letter really want UI extension, they may need to prepare to do the same.
Why? Speaker Boehner's media spinners still claim UI extension is "not necessary". Even though their decision to let the federal UI extension lapse has sucked $5 billion out of our economy and thrown over 2.3 million Americans (including over 34,000 Nevadans) into economic ruin, one of Boehner's top lieutenants (Rep. Tom Cole [R-Oklahoma]) actually just said federal UI should "come to an end".
Try arguing this to the over 2.3 million Americans struggling to survive because federal UI has been cut off for over three months. We bet they won't. Instead, they'll probably continue trying even more lame@ss excuses to spin away what the Senate just passed. What they still fail to recognize is that people can't pay our bills and/or buy groceries with spin. These unemployed Americans have been looking for work and continue to look for work. But until they find work, they need to survive. And simply cutting them off won't help these people survive, let alone find work.
What House Republicans looking to pass the bipartisan #RenewUI legislation that's already passed the Senate need to recognize is that they need to send a clear message to their "leaders" that ignoring reality is simply not an option. And while sternly worded letters are a start, they may not be enough to finish the job. If Speaker Boehner and his lieutenants continue to drown #RenewUI in their toxic "TEA", then the only way to rescue it will be a discharge petition. Are they ready to sign?
The War They Can't Spin
Here we are again. It's on its way back to the floor. It should receive a vote soon... But why can't it pass?
Of course, we're talking about the Paycheck Fairness Act. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) has scheduled a vote this week, perhaps as early as tomorrow. But once again, Senate Republicans look set to filibuster this bill to death.
Why? Republicans claim it's some "job killing regulation". Never mind that it actually ensures women are fairly paid for the work they do. And never mind that our entire economy benefits when women are ensured their fair share. They have their talking points down, and they're out to take them for a spin on national media.
What they fail to recognize is that no talking points can spin away the truth. They can make as many desperate excuses as they want, but they can't change HERstory.
Women are still earning less than men (as in 18-23% less on average) for doing the same work. And since mothers are the sole or primary breadwinners in at least 40% of American households, this is hurting a whole lot of American families. And yet, the "family values party" won't value at least 40% of American families?
Oh, and we're still supposed to believe there's no G-O-TEA War on Women? Even though this is how they're "celebrating" Equal Pay Day? And this is what they think of their Democratic women colleagues on Capitol Hill?
Try as they might, G-O-TEA politicians can't spin us away from their War on Women. If they want us to believe they're not opposed to equal pay for equal work, then they should drop their opposition to legislation to guarantee just that.
Of course, we're talking about the Paycheck Fairness Act. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) has scheduled a vote this week, perhaps as early as tomorrow. But once again, Senate Republicans look set to filibuster this bill to death.
Why? Republicans claim it's some "job killing regulation". Never mind that it actually ensures women are fairly paid for the work they do. And never mind that our entire economy benefits when women are ensured their fair share. They have their talking points down, and they're out to take them for a spin on national media.
What they fail to recognize is that no talking points can spin away the truth. They can make as many desperate excuses as they want, but they can't change HERstory.
Women are still earning less than men (as in 18-23% less on average) for doing the same work. And since mothers are the sole or primary breadwinners in at least 40% of American households, this is hurting a whole lot of American families. And yet, the "family values party" won't value at least 40% of American families?
Oh, and we're still supposed to believe there's no G-O-TEA War on Women? Even though this is how they're "celebrating" Equal Pay Day? And this is what they think of their Democratic women colleagues on Capitol Hill?
Try as they might, G-O-TEA politicians can't spin us away from their War on Women. If they want us to believe they're not opposed to equal pay for equal work, then they should drop their opposition to legislation to guarantee just that.
Monday, April 7, 2014
Stop Wasting Time. Just #RenewUI
Earlier today, we noted the inexcusable reality of House Republicans' stealth campaign to shut down any last chance of passing comprehensive immigration reform. We also noted their decision to instead focus on... Mindless crap. Last week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Fierce) again took to the Senate floor to condemn House Republicans' latest time wasting gambit. And of course, he pointed out why they're so eager to waste our time (& taxpayer dollars).
As usual, the G-O-TEA Culture Warriors are taking their marching orders from the Kochs. And the Kochs just happen to love Rep. Paul Ryan (R-P90X), his austerity poisoned fiscal policies, and his willingness to subject the entire nation to manufactured crises in order to further the Kochs' radical ideological agenda.
Of course, the above mentioned G-O-TEA Culture Warriors don't like it when Senator Reid (or anyone else, for that matter) speaks the truth about their relationship with the Kochs. So they're now resorting to personal attacks on Senator Reid. And as always, they're running to the media and claiming victimhood in the most pathetic way possible.
Yet while the Kochs and their "TEA" powered ideological soulmates claim to be "victims" of people telling the truth about them, we now have over 34,000 Nevadans and 2.3 million Americans who have become real victims thanks to House Republicans holding federal unemployment insurance (UI) extension hostage. And we're supposed to be "OUTRAGED!!!" over Senator Reid speaking the obvious truth?
The Senate is set to pass its UI extension bill later today. Yet even with the Senate approving its UI extension deal, the lower House of Congress may still be nowhere near approving this deal. And why's that? It's still wasting time on legislation to hurt Paul Ryan's own constituents.
Once again, Senator Dean Heller (R) is asking his former House G-O-TEA colleagues to stop wasting time and join the Senate to #RenewUI already.
Perhaps the Kochs enjoy watching House Republicans waste our time & money on their ideological circle jerks, but the rest of us don't. We've already lost nearly $5 billion worth of economic activity thanks to the G-O-TEA's Koch addiction. Must they waste even more time & money while so many Americans suffer needlessly?
As usual, the G-O-TEA Culture Warriors are taking their marching orders from the Kochs. And the Kochs just happen to love Rep. Paul Ryan (R-P90X), his austerity poisoned fiscal policies, and his willingness to subject the entire nation to manufactured crises in order to further the Kochs' radical ideological agenda.
Of course, the above mentioned G-O-TEA Culture Warriors don't like it when Senator Reid (or anyone else, for that matter) speaks the truth about their relationship with the Kochs. So they're now resorting to personal attacks on Senator Reid. And as always, they're running to the media and claiming victimhood in the most pathetic way possible.
Yet while the Kochs and their "TEA" powered ideological soulmates claim to be "victims" of people telling the truth about them, we now have over 34,000 Nevadans and 2.3 million Americans who have become real victims thanks to House Republicans holding federal unemployment insurance (UI) extension hostage. And we're supposed to be "OUTRAGED!!!" over Senator Reid speaking the obvious truth?
The Senate is set to pass its UI extension bill later today. Yet even with the Senate approving its UI extension deal, the lower House of Congress may still be nowhere near approving this deal. And why's that? It's still wasting time on legislation to hurt Paul Ryan's own constituents.
Once again, Senator Dean Heller (R) is asking his former House G-O-TEA colleagues to stop wasting time and join the Senate to #RenewUI already.
Perhaps the Kochs enjoy watching House Republicans waste our time & money on their ideological circle jerks, but the rest of us don't. We've already lost nearly $5 billion worth of economic activity thanks to the G-O-TEA's Koch addiction. Must they waste even more time & money while so many Americans suffer needlessly?
Inexcusable
"Deporter-in-chief"? Again? Why are we hearing this again? What is President Obama doing?
The New York Times published this morning an title detailing the evolution of federal enforcement of immigration law since Congress' failure to pass comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) in 2006. Once the Bush Administration recognized CIR was going nowhere in Congress any time soon, it began stepping up ICE crackdowns all across the nation. And even after George W. Bush turned over The White House to Barack Obama in January 2009, the Obama Administration decided to make some tweaks to ICE policies... But nonetheless continue tough & broad enforcement.
In 2012, President Obama seemed to be turning a corner when he announced DACA. Even as many DREAM Act eligible immigrants (that is, they would benefit from the DREAM Act if it were law) have found a reprieve from living in constant fear thanks to DACA, their parents, friends, neighbors, and other family members still live in fear. Even since DACA was first announced, we've witnessed even more ICE raids and deportations.
Since President Obama first took office, nearly 2 million immigrants have been rounded up and deported. This is why we saw "Two Million Too Many" protests sweep across the nation this past weekend. Immigrant rights activists are again calling on President Obama to curb his administration's record breaking pace of deportations.
Yet even as pro-CIR activists protest President Obama's record number of deportations, the 21st Century Know Nothings are calling for even more deportations while claiming President Obama is "not enforcing the law" (cough- Joe Heck- cough- Paul Ryan- cough). And why are they flat out denying the facts and calling for even more of what's already happening? Apparently, it's something about "slaves" and "amnesty" and "drug mules". Oh, and let's not forget "libertarian populism" and "Republican rebranding".
No wonder why Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Illinois) couldn't take any more insani-TEA. He recently took to the House floor to ask his Republican colleagues to finally get their act together on CIR... Or force President Obama to take further executive action to halt the deportations that are tearing American families apart and ripping entire American communities to shreds.
At least Rep. Jeff Denham (R-California) paid attention. Last fall, he joined a couple other House Republicans, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Fierce), and the vast majority of House Democrats to cosponsor HR 15. And last week, he offered a modest amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would allow DREAMers to obtain legal status by way of military service. His G-O-TEA colleagues killed that amendment.
And remember, this was after House Republicans (including Denham & Heck) voted in unison against CIR on the House floor. Never mind that American families like Bryan Rivera's suffer while the lower House of Congress dithers on CIR and forces President Obama into an incredibly difficult conundrum of whether to strictly enforce current law or try to alleviate the unnecessary hardship of these families. It's inexcusable that the lower House of Congress continues to waste time on ridiculous bullshit before skipping town for an 18 day vacation.
Seriously? Do they really need another 18 day vacation while so many American families are worrying over whether they can even stay in their homes? How much more inexcusable can their behavior become? And how can they criticize President Obama over any further action he takes when they refuse to fulfill their Constitutional duty and act themselves?
The New York Times published this morning an title detailing the evolution of federal enforcement of immigration law since Congress' failure to pass comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) in 2006. Once the Bush Administration recognized CIR was going nowhere in Congress any time soon, it began stepping up ICE crackdowns all across the nation. And even after George W. Bush turned over The White House to Barack Obama in January 2009, the Obama Administration decided to make some tweaks to ICE policies... But nonetheless continue tough & broad enforcement.
In 2012, President Obama seemed to be turning a corner when he announced DACA. Even as many DREAM Act eligible immigrants (that is, they would benefit from the DREAM Act if it were law) have found a reprieve from living in constant fear thanks to DACA, their parents, friends, neighbors, and other family members still live in fear. Even since DACA was first announced, we've witnessed even more ICE raids and deportations.
Since President Obama first took office, nearly 2 million immigrants have been rounded up and deported. This is why we saw "Two Million Too Many" protests sweep across the nation this past weekend. Immigrant rights activists are again calling on President Obama to curb his administration's record breaking pace of deportations.
Yet even as pro-CIR activists protest President Obama's record number of deportations, the 21st Century Know Nothings are calling for even more deportations while claiming President Obama is "not enforcing the law" (cough- Joe Heck- cough- Paul Ryan- cough). And why are they flat out denying the facts and calling for even more of what's already happening? Apparently, it's something about "slaves" and "amnesty" and "drug mules". Oh, and let's not forget "libertarian populism" and "Republican rebranding".
No wonder why Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Illinois) couldn't take any more insani-TEA. He recently took to the House floor to ask his Republican colleagues to finally get their act together on CIR... Or force President Obama to take further executive action to halt the deportations that are tearing American families apart and ripping entire American communities to shreds.
At least Rep. Jeff Denham (R-California) paid attention. Last fall, he joined a couple other House Republicans, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Fierce), and the vast majority of House Democrats to cosponsor HR 15. And last week, he offered a modest amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would allow DREAMers to obtain legal status by way of military service. His G-O-TEA colleagues killed that amendment.
And remember, this was after House Republicans (including Denham & Heck) voted in unison against CIR on the House floor. Never mind that American families like Bryan Rivera's suffer while the lower House of Congress dithers on CIR and forces President Obama into an incredibly difficult conundrum of whether to strictly enforce current law or try to alleviate the unnecessary hardship of these families. It's inexcusable that the lower House of Congress continues to waste time on ridiculous bullshit before skipping town for an 18 day vacation.
Seriously? Do they really need another 18 day vacation while so many American families are worrying over whether they can even stay in their homes? How much more inexcusable can their behavior become? And how can they criticize President Obama over any further action he takes when they refuse to fulfill their Constitutional duty and act themselves?
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Unavoidable
Who knew one bill could cause this much ruckus? Who thought one bill that was never expected to pass the House could scare House "leadership" so much? And who figured one bill that's often deemed "hopeless" by many media pundits could determine the future of an entire political party?
Meet HR 15. House Republican "leaders" have done everything possible to kill it. Rep. Joe Heck (R-Backbench) has said everything possible to excuse his inaction on it. And the national Republican Party has tried everything possible to "rebrand" it away.
Yet try as they might, they still haven't succeeded in killing HR 15. And now that House Democrats have already collected 190 signatures for their HR 15 discharge petition, it's become completely unavoidable.
It wasn't that long ago when House Republican "leaders" themselves declared their interest in passing comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). And earlier this year, they tried to wow everyone with their "principles for immigration reform". Yet despite their occasionally lofty rhetoric, they've failed to match that rhetoric with action.
Instead, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-P90X) boasted about killing his own "principles". And even after declaring his "support" for CIR, Ryan nonetheless recently voted twice against reform: first on the House floor to defeat a parliamentary maneuver to move HR 15 forward, and again in the House Budget Committee to reject inclusion of the measure to reduce the federal budget deficit by $900 billion in his House Budget (that's destined to go nowhere). (And FYI, Rep. Joe Heck also voted against CIR on the House floor.)
House Republicans have been trying so hard to evade this one bill. They've yet to realize that HR 15, along with the larger issues behind it, is unavoidable. No amount of parliamentary parsing and/or silly "rebranding" can change this reality.
They can't have it both ways. They can't pander to Latin@ voters with vague promises of reform while simultaneously pandering to their 21st Century Know Nothing base with real, concrete anti-immigrant/anti-reform votes. They must eventually make the unavoidable decision: Will they finally allow a floor vote for CIR, or will they eventually admit that they never really wanted to pass any kind of CIR?
Who knew one bill could so forcefully call out House Republicans' duplicity on immigration reform? Apparently, HR 15 is. And this truth is increasingly becoming unavoidable.
Meet HR 15. House Republican "leaders" have done everything possible to kill it. Rep. Joe Heck (R-Backbench) has said everything possible to excuse his inaction on it. And the national Republican Party has tried everything possible to "rebrand" it away.
Yet try as they might, they still haven't succeeded in killing HR 15. And now that House Democrats have already collected 190 signatures for their HR 15 discharge petition, it's become completely unavoidable.
It wasn't that long ago when House Republican "leaders" themselves declared their interest in passing comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). And earlier this year, they tried to wow everyone with their "principles for immigration reform". Yet despite their occasionally lofty rhetoric, they've failed to match that rhetoric with action.
Instead, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-P90X) boasted about killing his own "principles". And even after declaring his "support" for CIR, Ryan nonetheless recently voted twice against reform: first on the House floor to defeat a parliamentary maneuver to move HR 15 forward, and again in the House Budget Committee to reject inclusion of the measure to reduce the federal budget deficit by $900 billion in his House Budget (that's destined to go nowhere). (And FYI, Rep. Joe Heck also voted against CIR on the House floor.)
House Republicans have been trying so hard to evade this one bill. They've yet to realize that HR 15, along with the larger issues behind it, is unavoidable. No amount of parliamentary parsing and/or silly "rebranding" can change this reality.
They can't have it both ways. They can't pander to Latin@ voters with vague promises of reform while simultaneously pandering to their 21st Century Know Nothing base with real, concrete anti-immigrant/anti-reform votes. They must eventually make the unavoidable decision: Will they finally allow a floor vote for CIR, or will they eventually admit that they never really wanted to pass any kind of CIR?
Who knew one bill could so forcefully call out House Republicans' duplicity on immigration reform? Apparently, HR 15 is. And this truth is increasingly becoming unavoidable.
Bloody Juice
We just saw another one unfold. It's easy to lose count of how many we've witnessed in the past few years. However, it's never easy to witness such a brutal and cruel loss of innocent lives.
This time, it happened at Fort Hood, Texas... Again. On November 5, 2009, Major Nidal Malik Hasan opened fire at Fort Hood. He killed 13 people and wounded at least 30 others.
On April 2, 2014, Ivan Lopez opened fire at Fort Hood. He killed 3 people and wounded 16 others before shooting himself dead. Lopez was under evaluation for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) just before he picked up his .45 caliber pistol and opened fire.
Once again, we're reminded of the serious public health, national security, and civil rights threats posed by unfettered gun violence. And once again, we're left wondering why this keeps happening. Once again, we're left wondering why we haven't taken more action to curb this senseless loss of lives.
Ironically enough, The White House had scheduled a "Champions of Change" event today to honor those who have been working hard on gun violence prevention. One of those honored today was Nevada's own Teresa Crawford. The event went on as planned this morning, but it certainly had a more somber tone in light of yesterday's tragic event at Fort Hood.
It also felt (even) more poignant. Think about it. Fort Hood has just endured another mass shooting. The perpetrator had mental health struggles. And yet, he successfully accessed and discharged a .45 caliber Smith & Wesson pistol. How could this happen again? And why are we letting this happen over & over again?
At today's event, Teresa discussed the campaign gun violence prevention activists have used to hold politicians like Senator Dean Heller (R-NRA), Rep. Joe Heck (R-NRA), and Governor Brian Sandoval (R-NRA) accountable for serving as "what stood in the way" between us and better gun safety standards. She and the other panelists shared stories of their own experience with gun violence, and how they've been able to turn their stories of tragedy into opportunities to build community and work on positive action to improve their communities. And yes, they also shared stories of how they're still working to overcome the immense political juice the NRA & gun industry still hold locally & nationally.
What we're now realizing is that the juice the NRA & gun industry produce is a rather bloody juice. They keep peddling fantasies of deregulation heaven. Yet when we follow their orders, we only end up with hell is nightmares. Something must change. We can't afford to continue drinking this bloody juice.
This time, it happened at Fort Hood, Texas... Again. On November 5, 2009, Major Nidal Malik Hasan opened fire at Fort Hood. He killed 13 people and wounded at least 30 others.
On April 2, 2014, Ivan Lopez opened fire at Fort Hood. He killed 3 people and wounded 16 others before shooting himself dead. Lopez was under evaluation for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) just before he picked up his .45 caliber pistol and opened fire.
Once again, we're reminded of the serious public health, national security, and civil rights threats posed by unfettered gun violence. And once again, we're left wondering why this keeps happening. Once again, we're left wondering why we haven't taken more action to curb this senseless loss of lives.
Ironically enough, The White House had scheduled a "Champions of Change" event today to honor those who have been working hard on gun violence prevention. One of those honored today was Nevada's own Teresa Crawford. The event went on as planned this morning, but it certainly had a more somber tone in light of yesterday's tragic event at Fort Hood.
It also felt (even) more poignant. Think about it. Fort Hood has just endured another mass shooting. The perpetrator had mental health struggles. And yet, he successfully accessed and discharged a .45 caliber Smith & Wesson pistol. How could this happen again? And why are we letting this happen over & over again?
At today's event, Teresa discussed the campaign gun violence prevention activists have used to hold politicians like Senator Dean Heller (R-NRA), Rep. Joe Heck (R-NRA), and Governor Brian Sandoval (R-NRA) accountable for serving as "what stood in the way" between us and better gun safety standards. She and the other panelists shared stories of their own experience with gun violence, and how they've been able to turn their stories of tragedy into opportunities to build community and work on positive action to improve their communities. And yes, they also shared stories of how they're still working to overcome the immense political juice the NRA & gun industry still hold locally & nationally.
What we're now realizing is that the juice the NRA & gun industry produce is a rather bloody juice. They keep peddling fantasies of deregulation heaven. Yet when we follow their orders, we only end up with hell is nightmares. Something must change. We can't afford to continue drinking this bloody juice.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
"Rebranding" the Same Old...
Rejoice! It will come! The Republican National Committee (RNC) announced Las Vegas as one of its finalists for the 2016 Republican National Convention.
Despair! It won't come. Already, two national media pundits have declared the RNC won't pick Vegas for 2016. And Jon Ralston's dreams of having a national Republican Party convention in his back yard have officially been dashed.
Does it really matter either way? In terms of political postioning, probably not. Republican Conventions don't have a great track record when it comes to flipping states from Blue to Red.
So why are so many media pundits treating the RNC's convention host selection process like it's a holy grail for 2016? Perhaps because it's easier to do this than to look more closely into the party's serious structural trouble?
Sure, plenty of ink has been spilled over "Republican rebranding". And party "leaders" seem to be suggesting that their 2016 convention selection will be the highlight of all this "rebranding". And of course, this is why many "party insiders" have suggested that Las Vegas is the perfect place to showcase the "rebranded Republican Party".
Well, this would be the perfect location to showcase the Republican Party that's rebranded its way into... Scaring away longtime Republican leaders like Sue Wagner, claiming the likes of (no, not that) Michael McDonald as its "leaders", trying to have it both ways on immigration reform, not even trying all that hard to hide its love of "segregation laws", and always trying its hardest to please its true leaders. Oh, yes. Las Vegas is the perfect location to highlight all the amazing rebranding the Nevada Republican Party has led the national Republican Party into.
And this is why it really doesn't matter where the RNC ultimately chooses to place its 2016 convention. As long as that "Republican rebranding" keeps going nowhere fast, hardly anyone will actually believe the RNC has anything new to offer.
Despair! It won't come. Already, two national media pundits have declared the RNC won't pick Vegas for 2016. And Jon Ralston's dreams of having a national Republican Party convention in his back yard have officially been dashed.
Does it really matter either way? In terms of political postioning, probably not. Republican Conventions don't have a great track record when it comes to flipping states from Blue to Red.
So why are so many media pundits treating the RNC's convention host selection process like it's a holy grail for 2016? Perhaps because it's easier to do this than to look more closely into the party's serious structural trouble?
Sure, plenty of ink has been spilled over "Republican rebranding". And party "leaders" seem to be suggesting that their 2016 convention selection will be the highlight of all this "rebranding". And of course, this is why many "party insiders" have suggested that Las Vegas is the perfect place to showcase the "rebranded Republican Party".
Well, this would be the perfect location to showcase the Republican Party that's rebranded its way into... Scaring away longtime Republican leaders like Sue Wagner, claiming the likes of (no, not that) Michael McDonald as its "leaders", trying to have it both ways on immigration reform, not even trying all that hard to hide its love of "segregation laws", and always trying its hardest to please its true leaders. Oh, yes. Las Vegas is the perfect location to highlight all the amazing rebranding the Nevada Republican Party has led the national Republican Party into.
And this is why it really doesn't matter where the RNC ultimately chooses to place its 2016 convention. As long as that "Republican rebranding" keeps going nowhere fast, hardly anyone will actually believe the RNC has anything new to offer.
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