Can Garth Brooks Save Las Vegas?

That seems to be what we're all asking now after today's big announcement. Garth Brooks really is coming to Vegas!

Eight years after trading in his Stetson and pop music superstardom for domestic life raising his three young daughters, Garth Brooks, the biggest-selling solo performer of all time, has decided to dust off that hat and come out of retirement -- but only on weekends.

Brooks announced Thursday afternoon that he'll start a series of solo acoustic concerts in the 1,500-seat Encore Theater at the Wynn casino and resort in Las Vegas as part of a multimillion-dollar deal with Steve Wynn, the hotel's billionaire developer.

"Steve started talking about this kind of show, just Garth and a guitar, because he said he thought it was something people ought to see," Brooks said. "I said he couldn't afford me. I was wrong."

The schedule will see Brooks play one show on Friday, two on Saturday and one on Sunday. The first show will be Dec. 11; tickets for the first five sets of weekend performances will go on sale Oct. 24.

And already, excitement is building. Garth's fans are ecstatic. Local country fans are giddy. Oh yeah, and casino execs are jumping for joy!

Las Vegas hoteliers must be uncorking champagne bottles today: Country superstar Garth Brooks announced that he's coming out of retirement to do an extended show at the Wynn Resort in Las Vegas, according to the Associated Press.

Brooks, 47, made the announcement, confirming music industry rumors, at a press conference in Nashville earlier today. He had retired in 2000 to spend more time with his three children, the AP story says. He's mostly stayed out of the limelight, though he performed on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial at the kickoff concert for Pres. Barack Obama's inauguration.

Brooks is a huge name that could draw new crowds to Las Vegas, which has been hit hard by the travel downturn. He passed Elvis Presley to become the top-selling solo artist in U.S. history in 2007. At the time, he'd sold more than 123 million albums, according to the AP. He last released an album in 2001, called Scarecrow, the story says.

To say that we've been "hit hard" is an understatement. As I said earlier this week, we're in need of some miracles. Perhaps Brooks' return to Las Vegas will be one of them.

After all, Garth Brooks is the best selling contemporary artist around. Wynn and Encore will benefit from all the new customers. And since I'm sure not all of Garth's fans will be able to stay at The Wynn Compound, other casinos will also benefit from all these new Vegas customers.

But will they be able to afford to travel? Will they gamble? Will they eat at Okada and Sinatra? Will they party at XS and Blush?

I guess time will ultimately tell how much Garth fans will spend at Wynn, Encore, and the rest of Las Vegas. But without a doubt, all these new visitors can't hurt. And ultimately a combination of this, City Center's opening, the casino expansions still in progress, and whatever becomes of Fontainebleau (just as long as the damned thing opens!) can really help in bringing economic recovery to Southern Nevada.

While I'm admittingly not a huge country person myself, Garth Brooks is one of those artists who does connect to me. I may be tempted to buy one of those $125 tickets myself. And hopefully if more folks are thinking what I'm thinking, this is a good sign for Sin City. ;-)

Maine: Today's the Day!

Remember what I told you yesterday?



Today's the day for the Big Maine Moneybomb for Equality! Now GIVE, GIVE, GIVE as much as you can! We're so close to winning marriage equality in Maine, but No on 1 can't do it without our help. Please give what you can today so we can see victory in Maine on November 3.

Thanks. :-)

Renewable Energy: How About Some Fierce Urgency of Now?

So "Luv Guv Gibbons" finally remembered what he was required to do under state law? Did someone make him stop texting his girlfriends for a minute to... You know, do actual state business?

For months potential developers of renewable energy projects have been in limbo, unable to get answers from the state about the renewable energy tax abatements passed by the Legislature in late May, according to legislators and industry lobbyists.

The delay has led to growing frustration with Gov. Jim Gibbons and the state’s energy policy, which Republicans and Democrats alike have billed as key to the state’s economic future.

“We’ve lost a great deal of momentum,” said Sen. Randolph Townsend, R-Reno, the senior GOP state lawmaker on renewable energy issues. “Some might be because of the economy, but when you have priorities, you make time. You don’t pay lip service to it.”

Assemblywoman Debbie Smith said, “We’re behind. We’ve had unfilled positions for a long time. We have a lot of work to do in this state, a very big hill to climb.”

During this year’s session, renewable energy and creation of a “green economy” were key issues. The Legislature passed more generous tax incentives for renewable energy projects and created the energy commissioner position, which will oversee the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Authority.

But renewable energy lobbyists said that since the session ended, there has been no sense of urgency from the governor’s office to get these projects under way.

“It’s a perception issue,” said one lobbyist with renewable energy clients, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he still has to work with the state. “We get incentives passed in the last session and show everyone we’re serious about creating a new renewable energy industry in Nevada. And basically, since the session, we’ve done nothing. I guess, how serious are we really?”

I'll totally agree with today's Sun editorial that renewable energy can't wait any longer. We need the jobs, we need the power, and we need to start reducing our carbon footprint ASAP. Maybe Gibbons doesn't care about any of this, but the people of Nevada do.

Hopefully someone in Carson City actually lit a fire under Gibbons' ass that will make him fulfill these promises. It's that between the climate crisis and the economic crisis, we'd think we'd have a Governor who actually cares about things like this. What a novel idea!

Health Care: Reid Delivers on Antitrust Reforms

See, I told you so.

In a rare appearance as a witness at a Senate hearing, the majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, told the Judiciary Committee on Wednesday that it should repeal a 1945 law that granted the insurance industry limited exemption to national antitrust laws by allowing states to regulate insurers.

The law, the McCarran-Ferguson Act, is often cited by Mr. Reid and other critics of the health insurance industry as a reason why coverage can be so expensive for many people. They say the law allows insurers to monopolize markets and fix prices in ways that are usually illegal.

“Since 1945, the insurance industry has enjoyed exemption from federal antitrust laws because of the McCarran-Ferguson Act,” Mr. Reid said. “Pat McCarran, who was the senior senator from Nevada at the time, lent his name to this piece of legislation. Although we’re both Nevadans, I’m not sure what Pat McCarran had in mind when he pushed this bill. And if Pat were around today, he couldn’t be happy with the state of the insurance industry.”

“Providing an exemption for insurance companies to antitrust laws has been anticompetitive and damaging to the American economy,” Mr. Reid continued. “Health insurance premiums have continued to rise at a rapid rate, forcing businesses to cut back on health insurance coverage and forcing many families to choose between health insurance and basic necessities.”

He added: “Insurance companies have become so large they dominate entire regions of the country. They have become so powerful they block start-up businesses from entering the market, and they put smaller companies out of business. They have become so dominant that they dictate business practices. They are so influential that they exert tremendous influence over public policy.”

Harry Reid now looks ready to really go at the heart of the problem by taking out all the antitrust protections in McCarran-Ferguson that the HMOs use today as justification to price gouge consumers and trap us in overly expensive plans that do nothing. If he delivers, he'll deserve our kudos. And if he heeds Sen. Jay Rockefeller's advice in sticking with a good public option, Reid will be my hero. ;-)

Maine: No on 1 Has Small Lead, But the Race is STILL CLOSE!

We have some good news today on the Maine front.

According to new poll data, 51.8 percent of people who plan to vote in November say they will vote no or are leaning in that direction on question 1, the people’s veto of Maine’s same-sex marriage law.

The poll shows that 42.9 percent plan to vote yes, or are leaning that way. And 5.2 percent remain undecided.A “no” vote would allow the same-sex marriage law to stand. A “yes” vote would overturn the law.

The poll was from Portland-based Pan Atlantic SMS Group, which released its fall Omnibus Poll today. [..] According to Pan Atlantic, the survey is of 401 Mainers who identified themselves as “likely” voters in the Nov. 3 election. The margin of error is plus or minus 4.9 percent at the 95 percent confidence level.

So either we have quite a tiny lead or we're starting to see a larger lead. But most likely, No on 1 is leading by just under 9%. Folks, that's still too close for comfort.

And Gerald at Dirigo Blue has the internals. While we're holding our own in the more progressive Portland based 1st District (only 34.2% voting Yes on 1), we're still being clobbered in the more conservative 2nd District up north (51.8% voting Yes on 1). And when leaners are taken out, we just have 50.6% knowing for sure they will vote No on 1.

So basically, we still have a lot of work to do. The No on 1 ads are clearly working in turning around public opinion, but now we need to focus on turning out the No on 1 vote. By the way, here's the latest No on 1 ad that's turning on the waterworks for my eyes.



Here's another recent ad fighting back against blatant Yes on 1 lies.



Now if we want to keep seeing ads like this on the air, we need to donate so the No on 1 campaign can afford it. And if we want to help the campaign turn out the No on 1 votes needed to win, we need to volunteer for virtual phone banking! There's just no getting around it. We can't afford to be lazy.

Remember this time last year? Remember when all of a sudden, what was thought to be an "easy win" for No on 8 California suddenly became a losing campaign? Do we really want to see a repeat of that in Maine? Let's remember that the very same people who ran the disgustingly deceptive and hateful Yes on H8 California campaign are doing it again this year in Maine. There's nothing they won't consider doing to trip us up and steal away our civil rights.

As I've said before, I'm sick and tired of seeing LGBT families being kicked around like political footballs. I'm also sick and tired of hateful idiots trying to capitalize on "momentum" in Washington and Maine to spread the discrimination to states like mine... And here in Nevada, we'll only be trying to protect domestic partnerships! So don't think what happens in Maine won't affect you, as they may already be planning to hit your state next!

Again, this is why we must keep fighting. No matter what the poll numbers say, this will be a hard fought race all the way to the last minute before polls close on November 3. So please, please remember to donate what you can through tomorrow to ensure No on 1 has what it takes to win!



Thanks.

Today's the Day

Yes, we've all been waiting for this. Rory Reid finally admits the obvious.

Rory Reid released a 30-page blueprint for Nevada timed to his announcement today that he is running for governor, and in the process he told a hard truth, wrapped in a pleasant myth.

The hard truth, which Reid doesn’t shy from: The good old days of a recession-proof, ever-growing Nevada where jobs are easy to come by are not coming back. The Silver State must change or continue its decline.

“We have a state government built for the 19th century and happy to stay there, looking no further ahead than yesterday, squandering what we have today and failing to invest in tomorrow,” he writes. “I see a different road ahead for Nevada.”

The easy myth: Changing will be relatively cost-free and just take some know-how.

The next governor will face a $2 billion budget hole, and the kinds of strategic investments needed to diversify Nevada’s economy will take real money.

Well, duh! Hardly any politician wants to scare people with all of the hard reality we're facing. That's just how our political system works, unfortunately... And just how voters prefer fantasy to reality. (Hello, Gibbons was actually elected 3 years ago.) Still, it would be nice to see Rory Reid not even try to candy-coat reality, but just tell us plainly how he will get the state out of this mess that not Gibbons put us in, but that we've been putting ourselves in for many, many decades.

But hey, at least Reid, Jr., is seriously talking about diversifying our economy. No matter how much sweet talk one gets from Sheldon Adelson, our next Governor needs to realize that tourism is no longer "the magic recession-proof bullet" that will keep this state going on its own. Nevada needs new industries to survive and ultimately thrive in the future, and those industries of the future require a more educated workforce.

That's why I hope to hear more from Rory in the coming months on his plans to lure more green-collar jobs to Nevada, invest in a strong universal Pre-16 education system, and ultimately strengthen Nevada's economy by growing these new sectors like information technology, renewable energy, and biotech research. The casinos won't and shouldn't go away, but our days of being overdependent upon them are numbered. Nevada shouldn't be a one trick pony any more, so I hope Rory proves to Nevadans that he will make a good Governor by foregoing conventional wisdom, showing reality for what it is, and offering real plans to change that reality for the better.

NV-Sen: Progressives for Reid Now on Facebook

I joined. Will you? :-)

Dear Friends:
You've already taken action to join Progressives for Reid, so we're inviting you to become a fan of Progressives for Reid on Facebook.
Sen. Harry Reid is in the middle of an impossible job trying to herd the conservatives in his caucus and bring the president a health care reform bill with a public option.
We know Sen. Reid is working hard to get President Obama the comprehensive health care reform legislation he wants. So, it's important we stand up against the right-wing messaging and left-wing misunderstandings as Reid shepherds health care reform to the president.
Support the Facebook page today.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Progressives-for-Harry-Reid/151446233934?v=wall

Don't let the attacks go unanswered. Stand in support of Sen. Reid.


Join today.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Progressives-for-Harry-Reid/151446233934?v=wall

Thanks,

Erin Neff

So the Baucus Bill Is Passed...

What next?

Of course, we all now know that it was a 14-9 vote to clear the bill out of the conservative dominated Senate Finance Committee. But of course, we also know that this is The Baucus Bill we're talking about. Remember The Baucus Bill? The one with no public option? The one with really weak regulation of the insurance companies? The one that will force people to buy HMO plans without offering them any real alternative?

The one with no public option?



Seriously, I am at least a bit relieved that all the hemming and hawing from The Senate Finance Committee is finally over. So while we still wait on further action in the House, all focus now shifts to Obama, Reid, Dodd, and Baucus. Why? Well, they're the ones who will be merging the conservative Finance bill with the more progressive HELP bill with a good public option and better subsidies to working families.

MoveOn is wasting no time in ratcheting up pressure on the Senate and the White House to stand by the public option.



So what next? Right now, we need to keep reminding Obama and Reid why we supported them. We in Nevada have leverage over them because Obama's our President and Reid's our Senator. I'm hopeful that Reid will be reelected next year, but it's always good for him to motivate progressives to support him and the entire Democratic farm team all the way to victory next year. I'm sure a good health care bill with a strong public option will do just the trick.

Hopefully, Obama, Reid, and all the other Democrats who care will deliver. Yes, The Baucus Bill was passed. But hopefully, Baucus won't have the last word on what becomes law.

NV-Sen: Reid Disagrees with LDS Leadership Pushing Prop H8 in California

This is major news. The Senate Majority Leader, America's highest ranking Mormon elected official, and Nevada's Senior Senator is standing up to LDS church leadership on their involvement in last year's effort to strip millions of LGBT families of their fundamental civil rights.

In a meeting with gay-rights activists last week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid criticized the LDS Church for backing a ballot measure banning same-sex marriage in California, saying the leaders of his faith should have stayed out of the contentious political fight.

Reid, a Democrat from Nevada, is the highest ranking elected official who is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He previously has not commented on the flood of Mormon money and volunteers who helped propel Proposition 8 to victory in November.

But three organizers of the past weekend's National Equality March said Reid brought up the topic during a conversation in his office.

"He said that he thought it was a waste of church resources and good will," said Derek Washington, a Nevadan who worked as the outreach director for the march. "He said he didn't think it was appropriate."

Before I go on, I just want to commend Stonewall Vice-Chair Derek Washington for organizing that meeting and sharing our community's thoughts with Senator Reid.

And while Reid declined to endorse full civil marriage equality, he at least agreed that his church had better things to do than attack California LGBT families... And for that matter, all of Nevada's LGBT families that were married in California last year.

The LDS Church kicked in nearly $190,000 in in-kind contributions to ProtectMarriage.com, the leading pro-Prop. 8 group. In the end, Prop 8 passed with 52 percent of the vote.

Marchers in Sunday's equality rally, which drew tens of thousands to the U.S. Capitol, repeatedly referenced the Prop 8 defeat in signs, statements and even face paint. But when organizers sat down with Reid, it wasn't a topic they intended to raise. They wanted to thank him for supporting the march and push him on their desire for federal action giving gay Americans the ability to get married, serve openly in the military and fight workplace discrimination.

Reid signed a letter supporting the march and encouraged a sustained lobbying campaign.

In the meeting, those present touched on issues most important to them. Dan Choi, a veteran of the Iraq War, who was booted from the military under the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy, thanked Reid for lobbying President Barack Obama on his behalf. Robin McGehee, of California, talked about her own family. Then, McGehee said, Reid brought up his LDS faith and discussed a recent meeting with Mormons in which he criticized the Prop 8 efforts.

"He personally said they needed to be focused on other things," she said, "and he felt it was harmful for the church to focus on such a divisive issue."

While we obviously still have plenty of work to do in convincing Reid to support full equality for LGBT families in all matters, I'm glad to see that he's at least listening to us. And better yet, I'm glad to see him at least pushing for full federal equality and see him show that not all Mormons agree with church leadership that LGBT people don't deserve civil rights.

It's just good to see pushback against LDS leadership reach this high. For Harry Reid to break his silence and condemn their effort to funnel money to anti-equality campaigns in California and elsewhere shows that outrage is growing. I just hope this will eventually lead to new leadership that focuses on what most Mormons would actually want their church to do. After all, when did Jesus ever preach hatred?

Casino News: How to Open City Center? $1.5 Billion to Finish F-bleau?

So apparently MGM Mirage doesn't quite know how to tone down the grandeur for City Center's "grand opening". After all, 2009 hasn't been so grand for them. They just barely avoided bankruptcy earlier this year. They just lost another board member. City Center's often been in the news for all the wrong reasons, such as construction worker deaths, controversy over the quality of the construction work, and Dubai World nearly bolting from this joint venture project.

And when we combine all these woes with the overall craptastic economy, we can see why MGM Mirage might feel it's inappropriate to party like it's 1999.

Meanwhile on the north side of The Strip, The Fontainebleau just looks more and more like a total hot mess. Baby F-bleau in Vegas may not be faring nearly as badly as all of Mommy F-bleau's destitute Miami neighbors, but that isn't all that much of a consolation prize. After all, "suitor" Penn National Gaming doesn't even want to pay $300 million for a building that's already cost $2 billion to build so far and may require up to $1.5 billion just to finish. But of course, that's because Penn's done its homework and knows that they'll immediately need to start cleaning up F-bleau's hot mess by settling all those unpaid bills.

Let's hope Penn or someone else can rescue F-bleau before it becomes yet another barren North Strip skeleton a la Echelon Place.

So we have more doom and gloom today... But also a few signs of hope. Perhaps if MGM Mirage can pull it off with City Center, maybe it can be the start of a real turn around for our economy. And maybe if F-bleau finds a buyer to finish that damn casino and get it opened, maybe it will be a harbinger of good news to come for the hard hit North Strip.

But of course, it all depends on whether these two projects can finish and attract more tourists upon opening. Let's hope a couple miracles happen. We know our town needs some.

Health Care: Whither the HMO Bailout?

So the big news today is that the HMOs are backing out of the deal they supposedly made with President Obama and Sen. Max Baucus (D?-Insurance Industry). So why am I not crying over it? Let me explain.

First, they were never really planning to support any version of health care reform. Rather, the HMOs only wanted to ensure that whatever legislation is passed is so weakened that it will never really hurt them.

Oh, and they really wanted a bailout in the form of subsidies and individual mandates to force people to buy HMO plans without facing any competition from a public health insurance option or any real regulations to curb such despicable practices as fabricating "pre-existing conditions" to deny people care or artificially hold up premiums. Apparently, Chuck Schumer's plan really scared them.

Sen. Chuck Schumer has been working to actively cripple or destroy the individual mandate. An amendment offered in the Senate Finance Committee by Schumer and Snowe reduced the penalty for not buying health insurance, and slowly phased in the penalty over several years. It also reduced the threshold at which a person could apply for a hardship waiver to avoid paying the penalty for not having insurance.

That was only step one in Schumer’s attempt to water down the individual mandate. Last Thursday, Schumer made a barely covered announcement that he would seek to further weaken the individual mandate. The penalty collected from people for not having insurance would be placed in a trust fund instead of going directly to the government. Individuals would have up to three years to use the full penalty collected from them to buy insurance.

This three-year trust fund is just asking to be “abused.” It would create a strong incentive for younger people to wait until they got sick to buy health insurance. They could skip having insurance for up to three years without “losing” any money due to the individual mandate penalty. This is exactly the scenario that AHIP is desperate to avoid. If there is to be any Republican support for health care reform, and with progressives threatening to go to war if there is an individual mandate without a public option, it is very likely we’ll see the individual mandate continue to be weakened as the bill moves forward.

Heh. It's about damn time that Democrats wisen up! Again, the HMOs are NOT interested in "reform". All they care about are their profits, so why did The White House let Baucus take the lead in doing everything possible to appease them only for them to still say that Baucus' insurance industry bailout plan isn't enough? Why shouldn't Obama just realize that these same companies that deem infants "obese" to deny them coverage aren't acting in the public's interest?

So maybe instead of doing everything possible to win over the giant corporate interests that will never back real reform, perhaps The White House needs to focus more on mending fences with the progressive grassroots/netroots that helped elect Obama President and who will be key in building support for health care. Last I checked, the "left of the left" fringe seems to be advocating for what the strong majority of Americans want to see out of health care reform.

Yes, this is why I'm not crying over the apparent death of "Baucus Care". It was a flawed plan to start with, and the HMOs would never really carry water for it despite their original assurances to him and Obama. It's time for Democrats to remember whose side they're supposed to be on, who's really on their side, and what they're supposed to be fighting for.

Republicans So "Popular", They Make No Net Gain Over Democrats

So how do we know the teabaggers and birthers are on the rise? Well, look at the registration numbers!

Republicans have added just 1,549 voters since February, when the secretary of state’s office cleaned up voter registration rolls.

Democrats, meanwhile, added 4,860 and nonpartisan registration grew by 3,783. Even the hard-right Independent American Party registered more Nevada voters in that span than Republicans.

“Coming in fourth? Ouch,” said Erik Herzik, a professor of political science at the University of Nevada, Reno, and a registered Republican.

Oops, so the new extreme right Republican Party isn't on the rise? So Sue Lowden's fantastic leadership has resulted in continued unpopularity? And the GOoPers still think she can beat Harry Reid? And some guy who lost his State Senate seat to a political novice can beat Dina Titus? Gimme a break!

Ah, another day of Republican folly! :-p

Obama Shouldn't Wait... And We Won't Wait

So President Obama spoke at the HRC dinner tonight. Apparently, he had some nice words for us.

President Obama gave a rousing, well-rounded speech to an audience of LGBT people and their advocates in Washington, D.C. tonight, stating right up front, "I am here with you."

At the 13th Annual Dinner of the Human Rights Campaign, and on the eve of the National Equality March, the president acknowledged that equal rights for LGBT Americans was taking longer than expected, but promised that during his administration, we will see an end to employment discrimination, the end of discharging LGBT soldiers from the military, and recognition of same-gender relationships in the United States.

The president took particular care to remind the audience that the "American" part of LGBT American is the most thing to consider. Mr. Obama said, "it's important to remember that all the important things that affect the lives of Americans ... our families, our relationships, healthcare ... are also important to LGBT Americans."

That's nice. So when will we see action? I feel Unite the Fight is onto something.

So why do I feel disappointed?

Obama declared "there are still laws to change and hearts to open" and described discrimination as "painful and heartbreaking." He added that "We cannot and will not put aside issues of basic equality" and that he is standing with us against those "who would enshrine discrimination into our constitution." [...]

"I appreciate that many of you don't feel that progress has come fast enough," he said. "It's important to be honest amongst friends . . . It's not for me to tell you to be patient . . . I will say this. We have made progress and we will make more."

After acknowledging that we are impatient, after admitting that progress has been slow, after ignoring Maine and Washignton state, he stuck to a theme of incremental progress without a commitment to any timeline, gave himself credit for allowing gays and lesbians to play with Easter eggs on the White House lawn and then dressed it all up in beautiful language hoping yet again to distract us from the fact that the speech lacked any real content.

". . . do not doubt the direction we're headed and the destination that we will reach." But how will we get there? Convince me I shouldn't doubt!

If you want to see for yourself and decide, you can watch Obama's HRC speech at The Blend. It just seems to me like he offered yet more of the same. When will we see DOMA and DADT repealed? When will ENDA become law? When will we see full federal equality?

Sure, rolling easter eggs is nice... But it doesn't pay the bills, offer health care benefits, or offer legal protection to our families. When will we see full federal equality?

Remembering Stonewall is nice. Telling sentimental stories about our families is nice. But come on, we are under attack and our very lives are at stake. When will we see full federal equality?

We can't wait any longer. We simply can't afford to. We need action, dammit!







We don't just need words. We need action! And regardless of whether President Obama wants to act, we need to act!

While I appreciated Obama's nice words for our LGBT community tonight, I'm not settling for anything less than real action. I hope he joins us in taking action. But again, I won't be holding my breath. None of us should. We need to get working and keep working until we have full federal equality.

NV-Sen: GOP Is Still a Hot Mess

Such is the story being told by today's Sun story on the GOP "circus clown candidates" coming out to challenge Harry Reid. The ones that seem most likely to excite the teabagger base are precisely the ones so extreme they turn off mainstream voters. The one that looks "media savvy" screwed up her own "debut" with easily traced lies on Yucca Mountain.

Oh, and the rest? They're just amusing sideshows.

And do any of them have any real solutions to the problems we face? Foreclosure crisis? Health care? Jobs? Energy? Nope, but they'll say stuff that makes no sense!

This is why fewer and fewer Nevadans identify as Republicans. That party has gone from merely annoying to downright psychotic and extremist!

No wonder why even Sig Rogich now backs Reid.

NV-Sen-B: Oops, Johnny Did It Again!

Just as Republicans started trashing Harry Reid for doing a fundraiser with VP Joe Biden in Reno tonight, it looks like Politico's Ben Smith just caught them red-handed in an attempt to do a big Vegas fundraiser headlining none other than Johnny Casino!

An RNC [Republican National Committee] fundraiser, Lindsey Williams-Drath, raised some eyebrows among Republican donors this afternoon with an email that a big donor weekend in Las Vegas from October 16 to 18 -- headlining the embattled Senator John Ensign -- had been scuttled "due to unforeseen circumstances."

But the RNC's Gail Gitcho dismissed the suggestion it had anything to do with Ensign, and said it would be rescheduled, possibly for as soon as later this month.

Heh. I told you that they're hypocrites! They whine and scream and moan when Reid brings the big names to Nevada for his campaign events, but then expect us to stay mum when they do Bush "Pioneer" events and schedule big Ensign fundraisers? Gimme a break!

Once again, Nevada and national Republicans don't give a hoot about working families in Henderson or struggling farmers in Panaca or hard-hit miners in Winnemucca or anyone else, for that matter, who isn't a billionaire donating millions of dollars into GOP coffers. And these GOoPer fools think they can get away with attacking Reid's fundraising practices?