Still "Grossly Underfunded"

(Surprise, surprise. The local "newspaper" decided to run another in-house ad against The Education Initiative [TEI, aka Question 3]. This time, the "newspaper" ran a "myth busting column" that actually did nothing but propagate long ago debunked myths.

So today, let's take a trip into the Nevada Progressive archives. Let's go back to May 2013 and remember just how "grossly underfunded" public education is in this state. FYI, this is why TEI is on the ballot.)

At first glance, yesterday's Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce luncheon seemed like the typical chamber of commerce luncheon. It was full of glitz and glamour... And many who are part of Nevada's ruling gaming-mining-lobbying industrial complex. Let's just say this typically isn't the kind of event where long held social injustices are bemoaned... Or even uttered aloud.

Yet yesterday, newly minted Nevada State Board of Education President Elaine Wynn did just that. She uttered aloud what's been a glaring injustice here in Nevada. And she bemoaned it. After mentioning the typical "reform" talking points that Governor Brian Sandoval (R-Denial) would happily say himself, Wynn pivoted to declare this.

However, not enough is being done, especially for minority students — which constitute the majority of students in Nevada, Wynn said.

"Our melting pot is curdling," Wynn said. "The achievement gap between the haves and have-nots is widening. … There is a sense of urgency to break the cycle of poverty, and we know it can only be done through education." [...]

However, Nevada must change, Wynn said. To effectively reform schools, Nevada lawmakers must allocate more funding for education, she said.

"Conceptually speaking, we are grossly underfunded," she said, to applause from the audience.

Wynn recalled a dinner she recently had with education philanthropist Eli Broad, founder of the Broad Superintendent Academy and the Broad Prize for Urban Education. Broad asked Wynn what Nevada's annual per-pupil expenditure was.

"When I told him, he just shook his head," Wynn said. "And he said, 'You'll never get anywhere with that.'"

How often does this happen at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon? No really, think about that. At a Chamber of Commerce luncheon, Elaine Wynn laid it all out for the audience to see.

And think about this. We're now reaching the point where hardly any one can avoid the painful reality of Nevada's shortchanged schools. I've said it before, and I'll say it again today: We have been incredibly penny wise and pound foolish by failing to fund public education.

We've been neglecting our schools for far too long. And really, we've been neglecting the entirety of our public infrastructure for far too long. And without that foundation, we can never achieve a stable economy.

How many more years must we wait before we do something? Remember when we discussed this in May 2011?

Silicon Valley is the epicenter of hi-tech and e-commerce because of the presence of Stanford and UC Berkeley. San Diego has become the epicenter of biotech and medical research because of the presence of UCSD. And similar stories can be told in other western locales, such as Salt Lake City, Denver, and Tucson, where the strong presence of strong universities has led to stronger economies with more stable job markets.

But because Nevada hasn't invested as much in [...] education, we in turn have lagged behind. We mistakenly thought we could "grow our way" out of this problem by the way of artificially inflated real estate development fueled by personal debt. Now we are paying the consequences of that huge mistake. Simply put, we can't expect another "bubble" of "irrational exuberance" to "grow" us out of this crisis. The only realistic long-term solution to Nevada's economic problems involve developing the [...] educational opportunities we desperately need to grow the workforce new industries will want, leading to a more stable and diversified economy.

I stick by those words today. And I'll add PreK-12 to the mix. We can't keep ignoring this gross mistake. That's just grossly unacceptable.

Bye, Felicia.

It doesn't get any better than this. When a few vocal curmudgeons howled in protest over this Reno Gazette Journal cover, RGJ editor Brian Duggan responded with this:

Dear people complaining about today's front page: I chose that photo to run on the cover and I'd do it again. Kthxbye pic.twitter.com/dWGttCFNoO

Overall, that was quite the good read. But because we're awfully shady b-tchez, we thought of the perfect response.



Look, hunties. We get it. Not everyone is happy about marriage equality coming to Nevada. But come on, grrl. Just because they want a temper tantrum doesn't mean they have the right to spoil the party for all the rest of us.

News flash: They're not the only people in the world. Hell, they're not even the majority any more. Who do they think they are? Beyonce? Oh, hellz to the no!



Now that the usual H8 filled suspects no longer have a law suit to fight, they have to find something else to fill their time with. So now, they're trolling.

This isn't the first time they trolled. They've just become far more pathetic in doing so over the past five years.

And all we have to say about it is...



#ByeFelicia

Love Is All We Need.

Yesterday was a very special day at the Clark County Clerk's Office. For the first time ever, marriage licenses were being issued to all couples requesting licenses. Finally, Las Vegas was truly living up to its reputation as "The Marriage Capital of the World".



The crowd was huge at the Clark County Clerk's Office last night. The crowd wasn't as huge, however, at the Washoe County Clerk's Office. Nonetheless, the fortunate couples in Reno were greeted by flowers, cheers, and the marriage licenses they've been waiting so long for.



Finally, finally, marriage equality is now the law of the land here in Nevada. Kristy Best & Wednesday Smith were the very first same-sex couple to obtain a marriage license in Nevada, as the Carson City Clerk's Office decided not to wait any longer for the formal injunction order that Clark & Washoe were still waiting for. But once that injunction order was issued (preventing any further enforcement of Nevada's marriage ban), Theodore Small & Antioco Carillo became the first Clark County same-sex couple to obtain a marriage license. Shortly after, Karen Vibe & Karen Goody became the first Washoe County same-sex couple to obtain a marriage license.

Shortly after, State Senator Kelvin Atkinson (D-North Las Vegas) tied the knot with Sherwood Howard. Later in the evening, RuPaul's Drag Race Season 5 Quarterfinalist Coco Montrese (aka Martin Cooper) became the first "Diva of Las Vegas" to obtain a marriage license. And the fun didn't even stop there. All through the night, Las Vegas wedding chapels stayed open to help newly licensed couples "put a ring on it".



Yep, this really happened. And why not? This was a night some fourteen years in the making.

In 2000, Question 2 was placed on the ballot by the usual H8 filled suspects with the intent of ensuring these joyous moments would never occur. In 2002, they succeeded when Question 2 passed Round 2 on the ballot. And for the next decade, the usual H8 filled suspects had immense political juice in this state.

But when US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) made his big announcement in May 2012, something changed. While Senator Reid had already been quietly evolving on this matter, his public proclamation radically changed the political dynamics of the marriage fight in this state. And of course, the Sevcik v. Sandoval law suit forever changed the legal dynamics in this state.



Back in 2010, Rep. Dina Titus (D-Paradise) reminisced on the dark days of 2002. And she summed up quite nicely why the Question 2 marriage ban would be struck down four years later. Why stop love? Why would someone even want to try stopping loving couples from enjoying their lives together? Just take a closer look at the couples featured above. Do you want to stop them?

Love is love is love. And now, love can no longer be stopped here in Nevada. Now, love (along with $60 for the license fee) is all one needs to be married here in Nevada. And yes, this is most definitely something to celebrate.

Happy Marriage Equality Day, Nevada!

It's here! It's finally here! It's finally happening.

Washoe and Clark Counties are now good to go. Carson City was actually first to the marriage equality party, as the County Clerk there decided not to wait for Judge Mahan's order. But once that injunction order hit the Twitter wires, everyone else quickly hopped on board the Equality Express.

Here's the official Freedom Nevada statement on today's joyous news.

“Today is a day for the history books. The freedom to marry has come to Nevada, and soon across our great state, loving same-sex couples will at long last share in the respect and dignity only marriage can provide,” said [State Director Ward] Curtin.



“From this day forward, marriage equality will strengthen our families, strengthen our communities and make Nevada a better place to live and work.”



“We are forever grateful for the incredible legal team at Lambda Legal and the brave plaintiff couples who put their families front and center in this historic fight. Without their heroic efforts, today’s victory would not have been possible.”

And here's Lt. Governor candidate Lucy Flores (D) on tonight's most pleasant (not really a) surprise.

“My sincere congratulations to my good friends Kelvin and Woody,” Assemblywoman Flores said in her official statement. “This is a great day for the LGBTQ community in Nevada. Allowing people to marry who they love is fundamentally the right thing to do. Very soon all Nevadans will be able to experience the legal rights that come with full marriage.”



“It is unfortunate that my opponent does not support equal rights,” she continued – referring to Sen. Mark Hutchison, the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor.

Here's what Rep. Dina Titus (D-Paradise) tweeted:

#MarriageEquality finally! Congratulations to the couples getting married! #Nevada is on the right side of history! #NVproud #LGBT

Oh, and according to KSNV/News 3's Reed Cowan, State Senator Kelvin Atkinson (D-North Las Vegas) is now married! Congrats to Kelvin & Woody!

Consider this an open thread. We may update later if more major news breaks. Otherwise, we'll have a clean summary of the big break tomorrow morning.

Happy Marriage Equality Day, Nevada!

Marriage Equality: Where We Now Stand

So where do we now stand in the ongoing Sevcik v. Sandoval legal psychodrama? Here's the latest:

- The Ninth Circuit judges just reinstated their mandate to end Nevada's marriage ban.

- As we reported earlier, the usual (H8 filled) suspects dropped their petition to the US Supreme Court for a stay on the Ninth's ruling in favor of marriage equality. While the SCOTUS drama continues in Idaho, it's officially over here in Nevada.

- Now, all eyes turn to Las Vegas Federal District Judge James Mahan. Since the case is now in his court, it's up to him to issue an injunction barring any further enforcement of the Question 2 marriage ban.

- Once Judge Mahan issues this injunction that everyone in The Silver State is now eagerly awaiting, Clark County will begin issuing marriage licenses an hour later. Other Nevada county clerks will likely soon follow.

- But in the mean time, Lambda Legal's Tara Borelli is wondering why we're even waiting: “Finally, the confusion has ended and the Ninth Circuit’s decision is final and fully in effect. While the trial court will enter an order in the case finalizing relief, nothing prevents marriages from beginning immediately for same-sex couples in Nevada.” And technically, she's correct. Our hunch is that after yesterday's Supreme clusterf-ck, county clerks are exercising extreme caution (perhaps, too extreme).

- And finally, expect more legal movement in the coming days in Alaska, Arizona, & Montana. These are the remaining states covered by the Ninth Circuit that don't yet have marriage equality (other than Idaho, which is appealing Tuesday's ruling).

So here's where we stand now. As soon as we find an announcement stating when marriages will begin in Nevada, we'll post an update.

What's Next?

Apparently, we're not done checking up on our original homeland. And sadly, we have to discuss another heartbreaking Orange County story here.

In June, Zoraida Reyes was found dead in the parking lot of a Diary Queen in Anaheim. She was a fierce activist who advocated tirelessly for immigrant and trans* civil rights. When she passed away, the local DREAMer and transgender communities were shocked by this horrifying loss.



But now, they're a little closer to justice. On Tuesday, Anaheim Police arrested Randy Lee Parkerson for suspicion of murder. Anaheim Police are not investigating the Zoraida Reyes case as a hate crime, even though local trans* activists suspect Reyes' transgender identity was a "huge factor" in her death.

Southern California LGBTQ community advocates are also asking questions in the death of Aniya Parker in the East Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles. LA Police initially described Parker's death as the result of a "robbery gone bad", but video surveillance shows the assailants shooting Parker after she ran away from them, then leaving her purse behind.



The untimely deaths of Zoraida Reyes and Aniya Parker in Southern California serve as sorrowful reminders of the dangers so many LGBTQ Americans still face in this nation. And they serve as reminders to LGBTQ civil rights activists that we still haven't reached the end of the long road to equality just yet.

Now, we're finally a bit closer here in Nevada. Just moments ago, Jon Ralston posted the document showing the usual H8 filled suspects withdrawing their respective petitions to the US Supreme Court and the Ninth Circuit for an emergency stay in Sevcik v. Sandoval. They can still try requesting an en banc hearing in the Ninth or an appeal to the US Supreme Court. But as we've explained before, Perry v. Brown will ultimately be cited in their dismissal due to lack of standing.

So now, finally, after this very long wait, marriage equality is coming to Nevada. And already, we can hear folks asking, "What's next?" "What do those people want?" "Can't they leave all us 'normal people' alone now?"

As long as injustice persists, the beautiful struggle for equality continues. As the old saying goes, "No Justice, No Peace." Hate crimes are still happening, and perpetrators are still claiming "panic defense". People are still being fired, and perpetrators are still claiming "freedom". People still face wrongful discrimination on a number of matters daily, and perpetrators are still claiming "segreation laws".

While we've come a long way here in Nevada, there is still more progress needed here. And yes, there's still far more progress needed nationally. Today, we can't help but feel relieved that the Nevada case is finally coming to an end as marriage equality is fast on the move nationally. However, this doesn't mean the LGBTQ civil rights movement is now finished.

So what's next? Justice. And equality. For everyone. As long as people like Zoraida Reyes and Aniya Parker are losing their lives because of who they are, we should all know what's next for the LGBTQ civil rights movement.

All Too Real

Anyone who knows us well knows our origins. Yes, "Home Means Nevada" today. However, this is not where we originally came from.

We'll admit, we migrated here from Orange County. Yes, that Orange County... No, scratch that. We actually grew up in the part of the county where people tend not to throw wine at each other at "classy parties".

Sadly, most people in OC have far more "real" lives in that. And unfortunately in Santa Ana, sh-t got very real in a not-funny-at-all way.



Long story short, concerned citizens showed up at a Santa Ana City Council meeting. And one individual showed up with a portable camera and a hat that made a very bold fashion statement. The Mayor then summoned the police to clear out the building, even though there was no violence present.

Actually, those Santa Ana residents were irritated over a growing pattern of police brutality in Orange County's seat of government. In June, immigrant resident Edgar Vargas was brutally beaten by Santa Ana Police. The FBI is now investigating the case. And while the Orange County District Attorney's Office is still pursuing an attempted burglary charge against Edgar Vargas, it's dropped all other charges while ICE has dropped its deportation case against him.



This is not even the only police brutality case in our original homeland. We actually grew up in Tustin, a usually quiet middle-class suburb just to the east of Santa Ana. But when Robert Villa was shot dead by Tustin Police this past February, the city was anything but quiet.



And both these cases come less than three years after another Orange County city, Fullerton, was ripped apart over the police shooting Kelly Thomas dead. See, Ferguson isn't the only place in America where this is happening.

In fact, it's also happened here. But so far, both candidates for Clark County Sheriff seem to be ignoring this matter. Never mind that Metro Police is being sued over its trigger happy ways. And never mind that we may still not know the full scope of this not-so-little problem at Metro.

For us, "Home Means Nevada" today. Here is where we call home. It would just be nice to know we can actually trust those who swear to protect & serve our community. It would be nice to know we won't be at risk of arrest or serious injury just for wearing a hat that makes a very bold fashion statement. We probably won't ever actually do it, but we want to make sure the constitutional rights of those who do it are respected.

On Long Waits & Enduring Hope

(The past 48 hours have been frustrating as hell. We just can't candycoat the sh-tshow that the Sevcik case has become. For the time being, marriage equality remains on hold in Nevada due to yesterday's epic courtroom confusion. Stay tuned here for further marriage updates.

In the mean time, let's take another trip to the Nevada Progressive archives to calm our nerves. Here, this might help us feel better: a classic from August 2010 on dealing with delays and confronting the bigotry that threatens to hold us down.)


This week has been a doozy for me. I was up. I was down. I was right. I was wrong. I was elated with joy. I was horrified and filled with fear.

And in the end, I just have to keep on chugging and do what needs to be done to move forward and achieve the full equality we so badly need and fully deserve.

I still have painful memories from 2008.

The yard signs that were stolen from my front yard. The homophobic insults coming from my own family. The belligerent Yes on H8 paid canvassers trying to bully my dad into taking away my civil rights. The "urine yellow" Yes on H8 signs being sprinkled all over my neighborhood by the anti-equality churches. These are my memories from the campaign.

The married couples wondering if their marriages were still "legally valid". The couples that waited too long and missed the chance to get a "limited edition marriage". The kids who were bullied in school before and after the election. These are still memories I have from the first days after Prop H8 passed.

Beating myself up constantly about why I didn't do more to stop this oncoming tragedy. This is the guilt I still have over my failure to do enough to stop Prop H8 from passing.

I still remember the drive home with my dad on the day after the election. (We were actually here in Nevada to help Obama win.) As soon as I heard on the radio that Prop 8 passed in California, I broke into tears... And cried all the way home. For the next two weeks, I was deeply depressed.

Am I sub-human? Are gay couples just inferior to straight couples? How could this happen here? Is this all my fault? These were the questions swirling around my head.

This week, I finally felt some closure. Prop 8 was overturned in federal court... And while marriage equality is still on hold in California, it was nice to see a glimpse of that "liberty and justice for all" I've heard about in this country.

I know we've all been frustrated by what may seem sometimes like a stunning lack of progress on attaining even the most basic of human rights for LGBTQ Americans. I know I have been. But this week, my hope was renewed. For once, the politics of hate and fear and bigotry was trumped by the possibility of a better America, an America that isn't ashamed to treat all her citizens equally.

Yes, I was feeling so great on Wednesday...

Then reality slapped me in the face yet again.

You see, last year I moved to Nevada. Yes, my dears, Nevada. I live smack dab in the middle of Henderson, which feels like the heart of that mythical "Middle America" I heard about when I was safe in the confines of "Left Coast California".

And believe it or not, this crazy lady is actually running for US Senate here.

Among her positions, outlined in answers to 36 yes-or-no questions, [Sharron] Angle would oppose making sexual orientation a protected minority in civil rights laws. In a section on school prayer, she affirms that students and teachers should be able to talk openly about religion in schools, including the right to "publicly acknowledge the Creator." [...]

In the questionnaire, submitted to the Washington-based Government is not God political committee, Angle said she would vote in Congress to prohibit abortion "in all cases," and considers a fetus a person under the Constitution.

The Washington-based group's website says it supports candidates who oppose abortion rights and "stand firmly against the unbiblical welfare state that is destroying the spiritual and economic greatness of our nation."

And if you think that's all, think again. Sharron Angle is supported by "Christian Reconstructionist" religious right extremists who want to impose THE DEATH PENALTY on "homosexual sodomites".

An organization calling itself Vision to America sent out a recent fundraising appeal sponsored by U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) on behalf of Nevada Republican senatorial candidate Sharron Angle. "I have put together a plan to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars into the Nevada Senate race — along with several others like it — to achieve conservative victory. This plan includes running statewide television and radio ads, sending direct mail to targeted voters, and operating phone banks — all geared toward defeating Harry Reid in November."

What is American Vision, and why do they love Sharron Angle? American Vision has a goal: "The goal is to return America to its Biblical foundations “from Genesis to Revelation” (a postmillennial reading of Revelation, which holds that the Second Coming will occur after an era of Christian dominance). American Vision is a non-profit, tax exempt, educational organization. Like many of these groups, DeMar also has a companion organization that can raise money and promote candidates for elected office: Vision to America." [link ...]

The Bible is clear on moral issues that are culture-killers: homosexuality, homosexual marriage, and abortion," says DeMar, who is closely allied with D. James Kennedy of Coral Ridge Ministries, where he frequently speaks.

While DeMar insists that homosexuals wouldn't be rounded up and systematically executed under a "reconstructed" government, he does believe that the occasional execution of "sodomites" would serve society well, because "the law that requires the death penalty for homosexual acts effectively drives the perversion of homosexuality underground, back into the closet."

Another "long-term goal," he writes elsewhere, should be "the execution of abortionists and parents who hire them." [...]

In 1993, American Vision helped county commissioners in Cobb County, Ga., pass an anti-gay resolution so strongly worded that it sparked a national controversy. Cobb County Commissioner Gordon Wysong spoke at American Vision's annual fundraising banquet the following year, saying of gay people, "We should blame them for every social failure in America." [link]

Frightening enough, right? Wait, it gets worse. Sharron Angle herself openly advocated the complete denial of even the most basic civil rights to LGBTQ Nevadans when she helped found the openly xenophobic Independent American Party of Nevada in the early 1990s. Yep, that's right. She thinks we SHOULD be discriminated against at work, when shopping, when on the bus, when applying for disability benefits, when searching for a place to live, whenever, wherever.

Oh, and Sharron Angle won't even take money from companies that treat their LGBTQ employees fairly and equally. Yep, she's that serious about her homophobia!

So how can someone like this even be taken seriously? How can someone like this earn votes in her run for the United States Senate? What happened here?

It's still saddening to see bigotry used as a "wedge issue" in political campaigns. It broke my heart with Prop 8 in California two years ago, and now it just infuriates me to see Sharron Angle flaunt in my face her hatred of me and my extended queer family.

It just goes to show how much progress we still need to make in this country. It's great to see federal judges like the Honorable Vaughn Walker rule in our favor and rightly decide that we are citizens deserving of equal rights... And then it's terrifying to see Senate candidates like Sharron Angle vow to oppose any and all remedies to wrongful discrimination. Of course, it's safe to say she doesn't agree with Judge Walker's Prop 8 ruling.

OK, I guess I should mention the elephant... No, make that donkey in the room.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not making excuses. And I'm not saying it's wrong for GetEQUAL or any other LGBTQ advocacy group to demand full equality. As a gay person myself, I'm 110% there with you! I'm just saying that Harry Reid is NOT the enemy, but rather a friend who I know wants to do the right thing. Sometimes we need to give him the extra push and "make him do it", as both he and Nancy Pelosi said on Saturday at Netroots Nation. But in the end, it's important to keep building these relationships, holding leaders like Reid and Pelosi accountable when necessary, but also remembering that these are our friends and we don't have to fight against them.

Yes, Harry Reid is my Senator. And yes, I know he's not perfect. But whenever I feel frustrated about why DOMA is still on the books or why ENDA hasn't been passed yet, I remember what's at stake here. I remember the batshit crazy tea-nut queen running against him, and I remember I have no choice but to make sure the tea-nut queen gets nowhere near the US Senate.

Sometimes, change isn't fast. Most often, change isn't easy. But in the end, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was right. Change happens. "The arc of history is long, but it bends toward justice."

That's what gives me hope... Hope that Prop 8 will soon be another sad footnote in our history, one that we will have overcome. It's what gives me hope that one day soon (oh, it should be soon!), Harry Reid and Barack Obama will be able to herd those cats often referred to as "US Senators" and deliver on basic freedom from discrimination in the workplace. It's what gives me hope that homophobic, transphobic extremists like Sharron Angle won't be able to win elections on pure, primal hate.

So I guess the hope is still alive. It's been a long walk to freedom and equality, but I guess we'll soon make it all the way up there.

Hurry Up... & Wait.

We started the morning thinking it was about to happen. That was after we spent much of yesterday thinking we had to wait a little longer. But then, we were thrown another delay. And suddenly, we had to wait again.

But now, the wait may finally be coming to an end. Just hours after US Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy issued a temporary stay on yesterday's Ninth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals ruling bringing marriage equality to Nevada and Idaho, Justice Kennedy recalled his own stay.

So what now? In Justice Kennedy's revised order, a temporary stay has been issued for Idaho. There, Governor Butch Otter (R) & Attorney General Lawrence Wasden (R) are requesting an en banc (or full court) hearing in the Ninth. The temporary stay will last until Thursday, when both sides have a deadline to respond to Otter's request for an en banc hearing and an extended stay of the Ninth's panel ruling.

The full Ninth Circuit is also asking for responses from both sides in Nevada by 5:00 PM Thursday, as the usual (H8 filled) suspects have requested a stay for Nevada. However, neither Governor Brian Sandoval (R) nor Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto (D) is appealing the case. And considering the precedent the Supreme Court set in Perry v. Brown (the California Prop 8 case), it doesn't seem likely the Court will even grant the usual suspects standing to further appeal Sevcik v. Sandoval.

So what now? Officially, Nevada is about to receive legal marriage equality. But technically, Washoe County, Clark County, and other county clerks are turning away couples seeking licenses until Nevada federal district Judge James Mahan and/or the full Ninth Circuit clarifies next legal steps.

Today has felt like an infuriating game of "hurry up & wait". We can only imagine how the couples seeking marriage licenses must feel right now. Stay tuned here at Nevada Progressive as we continue attempting to wrap our heads around the legal ping-pong game this Sevcik case is rapidly devolving into.

Suppression v. Participation

In April 2012, then Assembly Member Mark Sherwood (R-Henderson) threw a fit. For some reason, he felt compelled to troll Twitter during the Clark County Democratic Party Convention. And he decided one of his final acts as a state legislator would be to demand more voter suppression.

And he wasn't alone. In 2011, a slew of G-O-TEA legislators were firmly behind Sherwood's voter suppression agenda. One of them was State Senator Barbara Cegavske (R-Spring Valley).

And she didn't stop after Sherwood left the Legislature Building (as a legislator, only to reeenter later as a lobbyist). Rather, Barbara Cegavske decided to sabotage Secretary of State (and current Attorney General candidate) Ross Miller's (D) election reform agenda by demanding voter suppression in lieu of SB 63, Miller's electronic verification bill that would have guaranteed secure elections without disenfranchising lawful Nevada voters. But for Cegavske, she didn't see the point of passing any kind of election related bills that didn't disenfranchise lawful Nevada voters (especially the ones least likely to vote for Republicans).

Now, Barbara Cegavske is running to succeed Ross Miller as Secretary of State. And of course, she's running on a platform of dismantling all the progress Miller and his predecessors made in protecting Nevadans' right to vote. (Start at 14:15 below for the good stuff.)



Basically, Barbara Cegavske wants to import the national G-O-TEA voter suppression agenda into Nevada. And if she wins next month, we can expect more of this here in The Silver State.



At the very least, Barbara Cegavske offers a stark contrast from her opponent, Kate Marshall (D).



Ultimately, this race comes down to this: How strongly do we value our right to vote? Do we think it's OK for well heeled out-of-state G-O-TEA aligned special interests to come in and install someone with a stated goal of preventing people from voting? Or do we want to ensure all legal Nevada voters have the chance to participate in the "small d" democratic process?

The "Issue(s)" With Adam Laxalt

Wait, so "Gift-gate" is no longer a trending meme? Well, you heard it here first (as you, our faithful readers, usually do).

All of a sudden, Adam Laxalt (R) is searching for a new "political issue" to run on. So now, he's actually taking to the airwaves to outright lie about Ross Miller (D), his oppoent in the Attorney General race.

Believe it or not, Adam Laxalt is now claiming Ross Miller leaked the scathing legal evaluations from Laxalt's law firm. The trouble with Laxalt's claim is that there's no truth to it. Jon Ralston actually made the documents public, someone at Lewis & Roca leaked the documents to him, and Ross Miller's campaign had nothing to do with that.



It's funny that Laxalt wants to talk about those documents again. After all, those documents revealed to everyone exactly why Adam Laxalt (R) is woefully unprepared to serve as Nevada's top "legal eagle". So why does he want to remind us of the (lack of) qualifications he has for the office he's running for?

And why again is Adam Laxalt (again) refusing to run on his own "political issues"? Considering what's making headlines today, why won't Laxalt talk about his ongoing crusade against marriage equality and the overall Constitutional rights of LGBTQ Nevadans?



Doesn't he want to further explain his "most flawed case against Obamacare? And why wouldn't he want to impress us with his depth of knowledge on the state's open meeting laws?

Poor (little rich guy) Adam Laxalt. He just can't get over his many "political issues". But sadly for him, a whole lot of Nevadans are so over his campaign.

Dammit, Justice (Kennedy) Delayed Again.

Of course, it can't be easy. It can't be simple. It must be confusing.

When we woke up this morning, marriage equality was set to become the law of the land here in Nevada today. Because the State of Nevada already promised not to appeal the case, the legal fight was supposed to end today.

But then, this happened. And mass confusion on Twitter soon followed. Some legal experts seem to think US Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy's temporary stay in Idaho also applies to Nevada because both cases were consolidated by the Ninth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals, but SCOTUSBlog's Lyle Denniston is reporting Justice Kennedy's stay only applies to Idaho (as that state is appealing The Ninth's ruling).

For now, it looks like Nevada officials are once again erring on the side of caution. Moments ago, the Clark County Clerk's Office recanted its proclamation from last night and will not issue marriage licenses today. And since the Washoe County Clerk's Office had already stated its plans to wait this out, that doesn't seem to be changing any time soon.

So what happened? Short answer: Idaho. Longer answer: Idaho Governor Butch Otter (R) is appealing the ruling, and the state's lawyers requested a temporary stay from Justice Kennedy. So Kennedy granted the stay.

But because Idaho and Nevada cases are consolidated, we must wait even longer to find out where we actually stand. Will the Supremes "decouple" the cases? Will they decide to take up both cases? Or will both cases be subsequently dismissed (like all the other ones were on Monday)?

Stay tuned. This isn't over yet.

What We Have... & What We Will No Longer Be Denied

(So we're still waiting for the federal district court to issue an injunction barring any further enforcement of the Question 2 marriage ban. Once that happens, marriage equality will finally be a reality here in Nevada. However that day may come sooner than originally thought, as Ninth Circuit Judge Steven Reinhardt ordered a prompt issuance demanding the lower court issue that injunction ASAP. And Clark County will begin issuing marriage licenses at 2:00 PM today!

Here at Nevada Progressive, we've been waiting just over 5 years for this joyous occasion. To celebrate, we took to our archives and pulled out this gem from 2009. Oh, yes. That's right. We're going all the way back to the beginning of SB 283, and of this blog.

This not only explains what we've had for the past 5 years, but also why a few brave people decided to sue for full equality. And now, we're here. Hallelujah, the wait is finally over!)



Probably one of the biggest Nevada stories of 2009 was SB 283 becoming law. Sure, it's not marriage... But it's something so new for Nevada. For once, we've become somewhat of a leader on LGBTQ equality. On May 31, 2009, "Luv-Guv" Gibbons' veto was overrode and Nevada became the first Mountain West state to recognize LGBTQ relationships and offer "marriage-like rights".



OK, so those "marriage-like rights" still don't ensure health care benefits for everyone and they still do nothing at the federal level. That's the problem, but hopefully one day this will change and these "marriage-like rights" will actually become full civil marriage equality. But in the mean time, let's reflect on SB 283 with this piece I wrote here back in August.

.... As we've been talking about for some time, SB 283 will officially become law on October 1. This will bring about some major changes in the law, mostly helping us. However, there are some things that we need to remember. Secretary of State Ross Miller hasn't yet updated the Nevada SoS site to include a domestic partnership page (as California's SoS does).

First off, David Parks wasn't joking when he said that this is NOT marriage. While SB 283 provides for domestic partnerships (DPs) that are supposed to treat "domestic partnered" couples just like married spouses, let's remember that this theory doesn't always work out in practice. So while we celebrate the first major advance in civil rights in Nevada in decades, let's keep working toward the final goal of true civil marriage equality. Probably the most significant reminder of the challenges LGBT families face in this state is the section of SB 283 considering workplace health care benefits. Simply put, employers are NOT required under Nevada law to provide health care benefits to domestic partners of employees as they do to other employees' married spouses.

Fortunately it is at least optional, so you'll continue to receive DP benefits at work if your employer already provides them. And if your employer doesn't yet provide DP benefits, you can still try to convince them to do so. Just don't expect the State of Nevada to make them do so... At least until we can improve the DP law.

Nonetheless, SB 283 will change Nevada law for the better for our families. One major example of this will be in family law. Specifically, child custody laws will be improved to make it easier for gay & lesbian couples looking to have children to do so. And considering the current headaches LGBT families with children have, this is quite a welcome development. And in many other matters, our families will receive more legal protections. Hospital visitation (should the partner become ill) will be easier. Community property laws will apply to domestic partners. State tax benefits currently afforded to married spouses will also be extended to domestic partners.

But again, we must stress that DPs under SB 283 are not marriage and will not be treated by the federal government as such. Even if you and your partner file for a DP this fall, you will still not be able to file a joint federal tax return. You won't be able to receive any spousal benefits from the military or the VA. You won't be able to sponsor your partner for US citizenship or permanent residency if he/she is a foreign national. Unfortunately, DOMA still applies here as it does across the nation. This is why it's crucial that not only Nevada law change to give our families full equality, but that federal law change as well.


I hope this helps answer some of the questions you may have about SB 283 and its imminent implementation. I'll keep the Stonewall site updated with any new information from the Secretary of State, as well as new legal opinions on what will and will not be covered by SB 283.

Marriage Equality... Is Finally Coming to Nevada!

Boom goes the dynamite. Just like this, it's over.

We hold that the Idaho and Nevada laws at issue violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment because they deny lesbians and gays who wish to marry persons of the same sex a right they afford to individuals who wish to marry persons of the opposite sex, and do not satisfy the heightened scrutiny standard we adopted in SmithKline.

Judge Stephen Reinhardt wrote the majority opinion. Judges Marsha Berzon and Ronald Gould agreed, so the panel was unanimous in rendering this decision. The full Ninth Circuit opinion is now up. And like that, marriage equality is coming to Nevada! Oh, and it's coming to Idaho, too!

Actually, this is no suprise. Back in September, the Ninth Circuit judges were highly skeptical of the H8ers' whines and screams. H8ers are going to hate... But the Ninth Circuit panel wanted none of it.

Now keep in mind that this decision will not be appealed by the State of Nevada. And since the US Supreme Court just turned down seven cases appealing lower court pro-marriage rulings, it's probably a good idea for our world famous wedding chapels to prepare for the onslaught of wedding requests that's about to begin any day now.

Moments ago, Reps. Dina Titus (D-Paradise) & Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) tweeted their congratulations. We're still awaiting word from Cresent Hardy (R-"Segregation Laws"), Adam Laxalt (R-"Political Issues"), & Barbara Cegavske (R-License to Discriminate). And we have a feeling we'll see far more reactions from elected officials across the state as the news sets in.

Color Us Unimpressed

They're here! They're here. Yep, they made it. However, their opponents did not.

Last night, State Senator Justin Jones (D-Enterprise) and Assembly Member Marilyn Dondero Loop (D-Spring Valley) were set to debate their Republican opponents in their respective State Senate races on Ralston Reports. They showed up... But their opponents did not.

Last night, State Senator Michael Roberson (R-Henderson) had the opportunity to disprove the critics who've been calling his hand-picked running mates "spineless" for taking his marching orders to hide from the general public. He had the chance to prove to everyone that he & his hand-picked running mates have nothing to hide. But instead, all we heard from the reclusive Republicans was this.



Oh, and this. No really, Roberson apparently believes it's OK to leak internal poll numbers in lieu of actually appearing in public to answer questions from constituents. Does he actually expect us to believe it's OK for him and his hand-picked running mates to avoid public contact because his hand-picked running mates are "WINNING!!!"?

Not so fast. That poll is from Tarrance Group. Oh, yes. That's right. This poll is from the same firm that claimed Meg Whitman (R) was tied with Jerry Brown in the 2010 California Governor race (she ended up losing by 13%), and that Carly Fiorina (R) was tied with Barbara Boxer (D) in California's US Senate race that year (Fiorina ended up losing by 10%). In October 2012, Tarrance Group notoriously released a poll showing Danny Tarkanian (R) clobbering Steven Horsford (D) by 10% in NV-04 (Tark ended up losing by 8%). In addition, Tarrance released polls showing Republicans close behind or ahead in House races in California, Iowa, and New York... And those races were all won by Democrats in November 2012.

So Senator Roberson shouldn't be gloating right now. Even if "We predict 52-47 ROMNEY!!!" Tarrance Group had a decent reputation, it's never acceptable to substitute poll numbers for debate appearances. But since Roberson can't even release trustworthy poll numbers in lieu of releasing his hand-picked running mates, all we have to say is this. Sorry, but that is not how to properly remove a wig during a lip sync.