The Tweets Tell the Story

Apparently, this is becoming a story. So it's a good thing we were actually there last night to see it unfold. Who knew a "boring" debate at a typically quiet neighborhood synagogue could become so raucous?

Last night, Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) debated his opponent, Erin Bilbray (D), at the Ner Tamid Reform Congregation in Henderson. At first, the atmosphere seemed pretty calm. Heck and Bilbray were even being polite towards each other. But then, this happened.

That didn't last long. @RalstonReports popped off on interrupting audience. & @Heck4Nevada interrupted @erinbilbray #sigh #rude #NV03

— Andrew Davey (@atdleft) October 21, 2014

Heck interrupted Bilbray, which resulted in a few Bilbray supporters heckling Heck, which resulted in some Heck supporters shouting at Bilbray. And of course, this all resulted in moderator Jon Ralston popping off on everyone. He even threatened to have Ner Tamid organizers "clear the room".

Perhaps that's what was needed, as that caused everyone to quiet down so the debate could resume.

The scene @ #NV03 Ner Tamid Debate #Vegas pic.twitter.com/RzT4ORFCUA

— Andrew Davey (@atdleft) October 21, 2014

And so it did. Ralston started with foreign policy, and Heck seemed prepared for that. In fact, he stated he not only wants air strikes against ISIS in Iraq, but also more ground troops. He even went so far to say it was a "mistake" for the US to pull troops out of Iraq. Heck pretty much announced he's a "born again neo-con" last night with his desire for a renewed US occupation of Iraq.

Bilbray, on the other hand, was far more careful with her words. She said she supports President Obama's air strikes campaign, but does not want any more troops on the ground. She even called out Rep. Heck and other Members of Congress who haven't backed up their rhetoric with any floor votes.

Then, the conversation moved to #Ebola. And here's what actually happened:

.@erinbilbray w/ on point #Ebola response: Why cut #CDC #healthcare budget during time of need? #AusteritySucks #Vegas #NV03

— Andrew Davey (@atdleft) October 21, 2014

Bilbray pointed out how CDC budget cuts have hurt our ability to prepare for outbreaks like this. Heck scoffed at that, but then came back down to earth when he acknowledged Ebola won't suddenly kill us all. But then, he just had to blame Texas nurses. Keep it klassy, Rep. Heck.

Once Ralston moved the debate to domestic issues, that's when Bilbray seemed to hit her stride. She struck a decidedly combative tone, yet nonetheless a tone suggesting she knows what she's talking about. And while Heck scored some points here and there, he still seemed somewhat off his game after his surprisingly weak performance at the Vegas PBS Debate.

Here we go: @erinbilbray hitting @Heck4Nevada on his support 4 @RepPaulRyan #KillMedicare plan. #Boom #NV03

— Andrew Davey (@atdleft) October 21, 2014

Q 4 @Heck4Nevada : Why hasn't there ever been #Congress vote on his #Obamacare #ACA "replacement plan"? #NV03

— Andrew Davey (@atdleft) October 21, 2014

Whoa. @erinbilbray hitting @Heck4Nevada on @SpeakerBoehner thwarting $ for veterans. She also reminded him of #Iraq war creating need #NV03

— Andrew Davey (@atdleft) October 21, 2014

& now, #GunFAIL : @Heck4Nevada says he wants background checks, but won't vote 4 actual bill on table #HR1565 #gunsense #Vegas #NV03

— Andrew Davey (@atdleft) October 21, 2014

After the gun safety question and brief closing remarks, it was over... Or at least, we thought it was over.

That was the only Ner Tamid debate, as other candidates had backed out. We'll have more on that later. Suffice to say, the audience then had the chance to watch a live version of "Ralston Reports" as he grilled Lt. Governor candidate Lucy Flores (D) and Clark County Sheriff candidate Larry Burns.

But once all the speeches were over, this happened:

@RepJoeHeck you need to tell your supporter not to attack @erinbilbray child. Not okay! #bully pic.twitter.com/fz961jGN3X

— Adriana Martinez (@lvadriana1) October 21, 2014

We noticed something from the corners of our eyes, but couldn't hear what was being said. Apparently, it was a Heck supporter who decided to confront Erin Bilbray's daughter.

@DWashingtonLV Because Caroline is friends with " illegal children". What is wrong with these people?

— Erin Bilbray (@erinbilbray) October 21, 2014

Oh, my. What a lovely way to end such a lovely debate (/snark). At least we have the tweets to tell the whole story.

Answer for His Own Record

He's gone back and forth. He's stated support... Then declared opposition. He's been dancing his way around the issue.

And he probably wasn't at his campaign office today. However, that didn't stop local Everytown volunteers from stopping by Rep. Joe Heck's (R-Henderson) campaign office off Horizon Ridge Parkway in Henderson.





In February 2013, Rep. Heck claimed he was ready to pass legislation to expand background checks for gun purchases. Yet when a bill emerged to do just that and simply close the loopholes that allow dangerous criminals to obtain lethal firearms, Rep. Joe Heck responded with nothing but excuses on why he would not support it.

There's a reason why gun safety advocates are now campaigning for ballot initiatives here in Nevada and elsewhere to expand background checks. When Congress had the chance to pass a very modest background checks bill, the usual G-O-TEA suspects killed it. And Rep. Heck stood by those who killed the bill.

Earlier today, Everytown volunteers made the trip to Heck's campaign office to give him a questionnaire. They're giving Rep. Heck a chance to answer for his own record. We can only wonder what he says (or if he even returns the questionnaire).







These are his constituents. And so are the thousands of other NV-03 residents demanding #GunSense. It's time for Rep. Heck to answer for his own record.

Another Foolish Project (Brought to Us by the Kochs)

We do our best to stay on top of everything. But jeez, how on earth did we miss this? Jon Ralston just took a trip to our archives!

So what did he find? Just this gem from October 2012 on the Koch backed AFP jumping into certain Nevada Legislature races.

Perhaps the SD 4 incident was just a "test run" meant to prepare AFP for what they're doing now. The doorhanger we found earlier this month attacked President Obama and Shelley Berkley on one side, then attacked John Oceguera and Joyce Woodhouse (the Democratic nominee for SD 5) on the other side. And now, AFP mailers are being caught attacking Justin Jones (the Democratic nominee in SD 9) and Sheila Leslie (the Democratic nominee in SD 15). It just looks too funny that, all of a sudden, AFP is playing in the very State Senate seats that Republicans must win in order to take control of the Nevada Senate. And we're still supposed to believe that AFP is some sort of "nonpartisan, educational, charitable foundation"? Yeah, right.

It's now looking quite clear as to what AFP Nevada is aiming to do. And no, it doesn't involve "charity" or "education". Rather, AFP is trying to tip several competitive federal and state level races into Republican hands. Yet in failing to file the appropriate paperwork as a political action committee (PAC) and disclose its donors, AFP may actually be violating state election law while trying to elect lawmakers! Surely, we can't be the only ones seeing the irony here?

In July 2012, AFP waded into a Democratic State Senate primary in North Las Vegas. For some reason, AFP attacked Kelvin Atkinson in a district where Republicans weren't even targeting. That really had us scratching our heads.

But when AFP sent a tour bus to Shelley Berkley's Congressional office, their actions started to make more sense (even if they still looked quite silly). It then tried to top that grandiose gesture with cheap gas. And for the grand finale of its 2012 campaign, it staged a "freedom concert" and dropped the wrong campaign literature in the wrong areas.

Oh, and did we mention AFP considers itself an "educational charity"? How on earth is any of this "educational" or "charitable"?

So why are we now talking about AFP? Take a look at how AFP operatives are boasting about themselves to Beltway media. They're essentially declaring their plan to defeat Senator Harry Reid (D) in 2016.

There's just a little problem with AFP's latest grandiose plan: It looks more like a delusion of grandeur. Ralston just aired out all of AFP Nevada's dirty laundry. And even though AFP just moved its Nevada headquarters to a new location, it took all its old dirty laundry with it. And to make matters even worse for the Koch-topus' loudest and longest reaching tentacle, AFP's chief just left the building.

Of course, AFP is still overflowing in Koch money. It just came off an outrageous Cliven Bundy love-fest. And it's preparing to make waves again in 2016.

But just because one makes waves doesn't mean those waves are beneficial. Just because one is loud and gregarious doesn't mean one is making friends and allies. Just because AFP has a ton of money to spend doesn't mean AFP is spending that money well. And just because AFP plans to carpet-bomb this state again to attack Senator Reid doesn't mean AFP won't undercut itself again in 2016 (like it did in 2010 and 2012).

"Count on Joe"

Today, let's take another trip to the always exciting Nevada Progressive archives. This time, we're traveling back to September 2011. Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) was caught doing a rare town hall meeting in Summerlin. And he had to answer a tough question from the audience on his vote for Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-Wisconsin) Medicare busting austerity budget earlier that year.



Ouch. He had to resort to rhetorical pretzel twists to defend that vote... Yet he voted for another Paul Ryan austerity budget in March 2012. But after he caught some political heat for those votes later that year, Rep. Joe Heck turned around and voted against the third Paul Ryan austerity budget last year.

Now, Heck seems to be feeling the "Ryan-mentum" again. This past June, Rep. Heck had Paul Ryan write a fundraising letter for his reelection campaign. Of course, the letter contains all the usual accusations of President Obama, Senator Harry Reid (D), and Nancy Pelosi being such meanie poopyheads who won't let the "YOUNG GUNS!!!" have any fun on Capitol Hill. Oh, and Rep. Ryan "can count on Joe as a leader in the struggle to revive our economy".

How so? Was he talking about the government shutdown that yanked $26 billion out of our economy? Is he talking about the continuing denial of unemployment insurance (UI) that's hut over e million Americans (including over 37,000 Nevadans)? Is he talking about the denial of a minimum wage increase that could have given our economy the extra boost we all need? Or is he just talking about his austerity program that's been suppressing economic growth?

Income inequality is a serious problem in this nation. Don't believe us? See the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Standard & Poors (S&P) reports. Income inequality hinders economic growth.



And Paul Ryan's austerity regime is worsening our income inequality problem. Is that what he meant when he "can count on Joe as a leader in the struggle to revive our economy"? He can certainly "count on Joe" to vote for his policies that harm the economy and hurt working families. And if that's the message they want to share with Nevada voters, we won't stand in the way of that.

The Numbers Don't Lie.

It's been a while since the last time we examined the voter registration numbers. But with another big election looming, we figured it's time to take a look at what's been happening lately.

Back in July 2012, Nevada Democrats had a 4.43% voter registration advantage (or around 47,500 raw votes). In July 2014, Nevada Democrats closed the month with a 64,983 raw vote lead. That means Nevada Democrats now have a 5.49% voter registration advantage.

For Clark County overall, Democrats now have a 13.29% advantage and 106,742 raw vote lead. In NV-03, Democrats now have a 1.1% advantage and 3,520 raw vote lead. And in NV-04 (overall, not just Clark County), Democrats now enjoy an 11.38% advantage and 33,546 raw vote lead.

And in case you were wondering about the hottest Nevada Legislature races of the year, here are the numbers to keep a close eye on. In the Summerlin South based State Senate District (SD 8), Republicans now have a mere 16 raw vote lead, which is so tiny that we have to go all the way to the thousandths to reach a percentage (0.003%). But in nearby SD 9 in the Southwest Vegas Valley, Democrats have jumped to a 3,628 raw vote lead, or a 6.53% registration advantage. And in the Henderson based SD 20, Republicans now stand at a mere 468 raw vote lead, or a 0.01% voter registration advantage.

Of course, the numbers can change some more in the next 10 weeks. The voter registration numbers certainly experienced some change during the final weeks of the 2012 cycle.

Early this year, some were wondering how Nevada Democrats could get their act together in a midterm year with no top of the ticket fireworks. Now, we have a better sense of how they may just pull it off. The numbers don't lie.

Think About It.

He thought he could get away with it. He thought he had pulled off the perfect switcheroo. He thought he had deftly handled this "political hot potato".

Now, it looks like the potato just exploded in Rep. Joe Heck's (R-Henderson) face. Rep. Joe Heck had tried hard to have it both ways on comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). But after 16 months of dancing around the issue, Rep. Heck finally publicly embraced the 21st Century Know Nothings last month when he allowed his staff to call the police on immigrant rights activists. Rep. Heck then doubled down on this earlier this month by personally dismissing immigrant rights activists in Boulder City.



And now, Heck's 21st Century Know Nothing base is exploding in rage over children. Yet while he's been busy pandering to them, other NV-03 residents have been waiting to be heard. Yesterday, they paid a visit to Rep. Heck's Henderson adjacent district office.



Remember that while politicians & pundits are screaming over #BorderChildren (and failing to note their own role in creating this crisis), we're witnessing tragedies unfold throughout the nation. American families have had to live in fear of being torn apart. And yes, American kids must live in fear of having their DREAMs ripped to shreds.

Immigrants come here seeking a better life. They come for various reasons, and they come from different parts of the world. But ultimately, they come here seeking "The American Dream".



Hell, this has been happening for over 500 years. Unless you're Native American, your ancestors were immigrants. Even Rep. Heck has acknowledged that his grandparents immigrated from Italy. Does he realize what they experienced when they came here?





Think about it. Rep. Heck's ancestors came to America seeking a better life. Our ancestors came to America seeking a better life. US immigration law has frequently changed over the past 238 years. And the first European immigrants to America were "illegal" in that they were confiscating tribal lands.

So really, who are we to break up American families? Who are we to denigrate refugee children? And who are Rep. Heck and his Congressional colleagues (particularly the "TEA" flavored ones) to lecture everyone else on immigration policy? Think about that.

No Surprise

He may have a new "intellectual" look, but don't let appearances deceive you. Rick Perry may look a little different these days. But behind the "cool glasses", he still has that mouth... And that foot that always finds its way into that mouth.

When the soon-to-be-ex-Governor of Texas (and a "good friend" Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval would rather forget he still has?) appeared on ABC News' "This Week" to talk about the Central American immigrant children, host Martha Raddatz had to correct Perry when he tried to blame President Obama for their arrival.



Already, President Obama has announced his administration's plans to deport many of these children. Border Patrol has already begun an ad campaign urging Central American families not to send their children to the US Border. And President Obama has asked Congress to amend the laws passed by Congress and signed by then President George W. Bush that codified current procedure for dealing with migrant children from nations that don't touch the US Border.

Yet, we must keep this in mind. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees has already declared this a humanitarian crisis and stated that about 60% of these children qualify for some sort of humanitarian aid. And the Vera Institute of Justice suggested that at least 40% of these immigrant children qualify for legal protection... Back in 2012, using 2010 data. This was before the recent surge in Central American refugees...

And this was before last week's shocking display of 21st Century Know Nothing hate in Murrieta, California.



In a move reminiscent of Cliven Bundy's "Range War", anti-immigrant extremists rushed to Murrieta to turn away buses with migrant children. And it comes as no surprise to us that many of the same "Patriot Movement" figures who rushed to aid Cliven Bundy in his "Range War" are now celebrating the Murrieta bus blockade and the flagrant disregard for federal law. It also comes as no surprise to us that these same "(anti-)Patriots" are now cheering House Speaker John Boehner's (R-Courvoisier) plan to impeach sue President Obama.



It really comes as no surprise to us that G-O-TEA politicians are now scraping the bottom of the barrel like this. We're wondering if Speaker Boehner and other G-O-TEA "leaders" were ever actually serious about passing comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). Every chance they've had to simply do what the Senate already did, House Republican "leaders" instead devised some cockamamey excuse and tried to deflect blame onto President Obama.

Rep. Joe Heck (R-Baloney) had pulled this stunt numerous times... Until he decided to just call the police on immigrant rights activists last month and rudely ignore activists in Boulder City last Friday. In reality, he's just following G-O-TEA marching orders. They feigned interest in CIR when they considered that politically expedient. But now that their G-O-TEA Culture Warrior base have made it clear they want no CIR ever, they're pandering to the lowest common denominator simply following Rick Perry's lead.

Not too long ago, Republican Party "leaders" boasted of their "successful Republican rebranding campaign". Perhaps they've been trying new looks. But just as Rick Perry can't hide the idiocy behind those "cool glasses", the G-O-TEA can't hide unbridled hatred and bigotry behind lofty rhetoric. Sadly, it comes as no surprise to us that the reality behind the "rebranding" has finally surfaced in such a brutally ugly way.

Upset

Ah, so now it makes sense. Nice to see that cleared up...

Actually, not really. Actually, this is pretty scary. No, scratch that. This is awfully scary.

Last Wednesday, Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) flip-flopped (again) on comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). After a year of him refuting the 21st Century Know Nothings on CIR, he parrot ed their talking points. And even worse, his staff called the police on CIR advocates.

Now we understand why this happened. For the past week, we were scratching our heads. Even though Rep. Joe Heck never actually voted for CIR, he had seemed to play nice with activists... Until last week.

Like Heck, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Virginia) never actually voted for CIR. He just occasionally hinted that he may one day allow some bits & pieces of it. And that was still too much for the G-O-TEA base in his district.



By the time Rep. Eric Cantor's supporters lashed out at CIR advocates, it was too late. Eric Cantor just lost his own primary. It wasn't even close. He barely scored over 44% in his district.

Dave Brat was not supposed to win last night. Republicans were not supposed to deliver this message on immigration reform. This simply wasn't supposed to be the big headline news today.

But now, it is. Dave Brat is "hot". Eric Cantor is not. And the "TEA Party" is far from over.

Today, Republican establishment "leaders" were planning to celebrate "victory" in Nevada and elsewhere. That's not happening. A little upset in Virginia just upset that narrative. That's because it reminds us of that inconvenient truth about "the establishment" becoming more "TEA Party" in order to survive. And if any "establishment" figures even stray a millimeter too far from the "TEA Party" line, they'll be the ones upset come Election Night.

So now, it makes sense. Still, one thing confuses us: How did Rep. Joe Heck oobtain accurate VA-07 poll numbers that Rep. Eric Cantor himself couldn't? Well, at least someone could smell this upset from a few thousand miles away.

From Las Vegas Blvd... To Eastern Ave.

She considers herself to be a "daughter of Eastern Avenue". She grew up off Eastern Avenue. Her campaign office is now on Eastern Avenue. And she vows to represent "Eastern Avenue values" should she be elected into Congress.

Erin Bilbray is now running in the 3rd Congressional District, which spans from Laughlin to Summerlin. And the Eastern Avenue corridor is probably the beating heart of this district. But last weekend, Erin Bilbray ventured to another iconic Southern Nevada street, Las Vegas Boulevard, to address the Clark County Democratic Party Convention.



On Saturday, Bilbray explained her "Eastern Avenue values". And she drew a stark contrast between her values and her opponent's.



Bilbray described the current state of Congress. She hinted at her opponent's contribution to that current state of Congress. And she talked about what she wants to do in Congress and how she wants to change the climate of Capitol Hill should she arrive there next year.



Make no mistake. Another hot campaign season is simmering in NV-03. Expect to see plenty of signs along Eastern Avenue, as well as all the other major thoroughfares of NV-03.

Erin Bilbray has been touting "Eastern Avenue values". It's not just about that street. It's about the communities along that street. It's about the people who commute to & from work along that street. And it's about the reality of the 3rd Congressional District that's seen up and down Eastern Avenue.

And ultimately, this campaign may be won or lost on Eastern Avenue.

It's the Field, Stupid

There's a strip mall on Eastern Avenue, near Sunset Park and a short drive away from the back end of Las Vegas' McCarran Airport. It doesn't look all that special at first glance. There's a grocery store. There are a few restaurants. And there are furniture stores.

But take a closer look. There's a new office that just opened there. And that office may very well make an impact on this fall's election results.

Those who have been reading this blog for a while have become quite familiar with the story of how Nevada Democrats win elections. And for those who haven't, here's a helpful hint: It's the field, stupid!









The Nevada State Democratic Party (NSDP) has become such a potent force in this state's politics because it's spent several election cycles building a reputation on field. And it has no plans to let it slide this cycle. So last Friday, over 300 grassroots Democrats came over to the new NSDP field office on Eastern... And caught a first glance of what lies ahead this year.

And they weren't the only ones taking in the scenery. Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) took some time out of his busy weekend schedule to stop by the new field office and greet a bunch of soon-to-be campaign volunteers.



So did Assembly Member & Lt. Governor candidate Lucy Flores (D). She came by to fire up the crowd and remind them of what's at stake this fall.



Shortly after, it was NV-03 candidate Erin Bilbray's turn at the podium. She talked about her history HERstory with Eastern Avenue, then made a contrast between her Nevada values and what her opponent, incumbent Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson), seems to value.



Her father, Former Rep. James Bilbray (D-Las Vegas), joined her, along with her mother, her husband, her children, other family members... And over 300 local grassroots Democratic activists. It was one large family affair.









And this probably won't be the last large family affair in this office in the strip mall on Eastern Avenue. In fact, this is only just the beginning. With so much at stake up & down the ballot this fall, Nevada Democrats don't want to leave anything to mere luck. Luck alone doesn't win elections.

So what does? Look above. Look back. And keep an eye going forward. It's the field, stupid.

Out of Excuses

So we're not the only ones who recognize the incredibly f**ked up state of the Republican Party today. None other than House Speaker John Boehner (R-Where's He Been?) is chiding his own party for failing to pass comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). No really, he went there.



Apparently, he doesn't remember that he's Speaker of the House. He's supposed to set the floor agenda. And he can bring HR 15 to the House floor whenever he wants.

So why hasn't he? Speaker Boehner clearly sounds upset over his Congressional G-O-TEA colleagues constantly scuttling reform. So why not just bypass them? If all the "pro-reform Republicans" actually vote for reform, then HR 15 will pass and CIR will be ready for President Obama to sign into law.

What's so complicated about this? Oh, wait. That's right. The 21st Century Know Nothings. House Republican "leaders" just won't stop pandering to them.

But they don't have to. Again, Speaker Boehner is supposed to be in charge. If he truly wants to pass CIR, he can bring HR 15 to the House floor so the House can finally accomplish what the Senate already did 10 months ago.

Over the past year, we've heard Rep. Joe Heck (R-Where's He Been?) pay lip service to "supporting reform". Why can't Speaker Boehner give them the chance to actually do it? Or if Speaker Boehner really doesn't want to "get his hands dirty over this", why can't he at least let them sign the discharge petition for HR 15?

Might Speaker Boehner finally be realizing that he & his G-O-TEA House Caucus are out of excuses? They've tried everything to deflect blame. They've blamed President Obama. They've blamed the Senate. They've blamed CIR activists. And now, they're at the point of blaming their own unhinged base.

Instead of playing this never ending blame game, why don't they just pass HR 15 already? Instead of dumping tons of money into misleading ad campaigns, why don't they try passing useful legislation for a change? It's painfully obvious that House Republicans are out of excuses. So why won't they simply allow a floor vote for the CIR they claim to want?

Deporting the American DREAM

"Deporter-in-chief"? Really? How could that be?

Believe it or not, that was the topic for discussion on "Ralston Reports" last night. Immigrant civil rights advocates right and left (including Astrid Silva) slammed President Obama's astonishingly high number of deportations. And they reminded Ralston (& his audience) of what's happening at home as immigrants continue to be rounded up and hauled into Henderson Detention Center.

(The good stuff starts at 20:00. The video counts time backward.)



Even today, immigrants with no actual criminal record are being rounded up as "criminals" and thrown in jail simply because of their immigration status. And however one feels about President Obama's record number of deportations, one can't deny that President Obama is indeed enforcing current immigration law.

So why on earth did Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) accuse President Obama of failure to enforce current immigration law at his Henderson town hall meeting last month? He claimed his vote last June to deport DREAMers was due to the "lawlessness" of the Obama Administration. Earth to Rep. Heck: Presidents can legally use discretion when making decisions on deportations. Yet even as President Obama has exercised his authority to use discretion, he has nonetheless proceeded with many other deportations.

And that's the sad reality of the present situation. While DACA has given many DREAMers a sorely needed reprieve from constant fear of being torn away from everything & everyone they know, it's not a long-term solution. Really, only one thing is: comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). The longer Rep. Heck & other House Republicans twiddle their thumbs and deflect blame onto others while failing to pass CIR, the more painful this problem becomes.

No matter how often Rep. Heck & other G-O-TEA politicians try to deny it, it's their choice to block reform. And so long as reform is blocked, the President is forced to make hard decisions on how to enforce current law... And millions of American families will remain at risk of forever losing their American dream.

We Know How This Story Goes

Over the weekend, both major parties held biennial caucuses. As usual, Nevada Republicans enjoyed plenty of melodramatic moments. And as usual, Nevada Democrats had mostly quiet and well organized affairs.

Of course, we stopped by our local caucus location for Clark County Commission District G Democrats. And we were actually somewhat surprised to see the Painters' Hall fill up like that. The room held hardcore activists, local candidates, and even some high profile candidates.





State legislators reminded the audience that the balance of power in Carson City is at stake this fall. And of course, Congressional candidates reminded the audience that the balance of power in Washington (DC) is also at stake this fall.

Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) met with local NV-04 Democrats at his caucus site. NV-03 candidate Erin Bilbray made the rounds at various caucus locations with significant NV-03 territory, including the District G site in Henderson. And even up north, Washoe County Democrats got fired up and ready to go.

Meanwhile at the District G site, a very special (yet familiar) guest dropped by. Rep. Dina Titus spoke with caucus goers and let them knew she'd be working hard alongside them this year.







Once again, Nevada faces a fun filled and hotly contested even numbered year election cycle. And once again, Nevada Democrats are preparing as they know best. First come the caucuses, then come the voter registration drives, then come the field offices, then...

Well, you know how this story goes.

What We Need Is a Raise

Plenty of tough questions were asked at Green Valley High School last Wednesday. That required Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) to come up with real answers. Constituents had questions on topics ranging from gun safety to marriage equality, but those weren't all. There was one other issue that was raised... And that put Rep. Heck in a very uncomfortable position (for him).



Nevada's minimum wage now stands (for the most part) at $8.25 per hour, while the federal minimum wage remains $7.25 per hour. The minimum wage hasn't kept up with inflation for some time, and that's meant millions of working families have had to work for poverty level earnings. And this is why most Americans (and even some conservatives) support raising the minimum wage.

Yet last Wednesday, Rep. Heck was pulling out every available "TEA" flavored scare tactic in an attempt to spin his opposition to raising the minimum wage into a more "complimentary light". Unfortunately for him, NV-03 constituents Wendy Starkweather, Esther Sass, & Lisa Muntean weren't letting him.



Rep. Heck cited the recent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report as evidence that a minimum wage increase would harm the economy, but he failed to mention what was actually in the CBO report. He also failed to mention how it would barely budge prices for consumers. And he failed to mention how it would lift at least 900,000 Americans out of poverty.

When Rep. Heck declared that raising the minimum wage would be "bad for business", he likely wasn't expecting a rebuttal from a local business owner. Unfortunately for him, that's what happened when NV-03 constituent & business owner Cassie Rice had a chance to speak. She explained to him and the audience what motivates her hiring decisions. (Hint: It's not the minimum wage.)



Actually, what affects hiring decisions the most is the simplest of economic rules: supply & demand. Is there demand for a company's products? And is that company demanding more workers? Those influence corporate hiring decisions far greater than the where the minimum wage stands.

Yet in another way, the minimum wage can affect the overall economic climate. Think about this: What determines consumers' purchasing decisions the most? It ultimately comes down to how much money they have to spend. The more they can spend, the more they will buy.

This is what policy makers like Rep. Heck should take into serious consideration. By lifting at least 900,000 American workers out of poverty, that can lead to a real "bubbling up" effect of more consumers buying more products, which would mean more economic growth. And let's face it, what we need right now is more economic growth.

We know Rep. Heck's "TEA" drinking base either dismisses economic inequality as a serious problem or claims it can be solved by "right-wing social engineering". However, we also know neither of those claims is true. Economic inequality does pose a serious challenge, and it can't be solved with "right-wing social engineering".

Last Wednesday, Rep. Joe Heck was confronted by real constituents who had a real case to make for raising the minimum wage. He can deny their stories and their facts all he wants, but he can't change reality. What we seriously need right now is a raise... In the minimum wage.

Joe Heck's "Rebranding" FAIL

This week hasn't been the easiest one for the Nevada Republican Party. After all the "rebranding" attempts of the state and national party, all Cresent Hardy had to do was open his mouth to remind everyone of the Nevada Republican Party's ongoing hostility toward LGBTQ civil rights. Even as Governor Brian Sandoval (R) and a handful of other Republicans have made peace with the 21st century, the rest of the party continues to fight against equality.

We were again reminded of Nevada Republicans' angst over LGBTQ equality during Rep. Joe Heck's (R-Henderson) town hall meeting at Green Valley High School in Henderson. We had to sit through over a hour's worth of heated discussion on a number of other hot button topics (and we'll dive into those issues later). But at the very end of the town hall, a constituent asked Rep. Heck for his stance on marriage equality.





She pointed out the legal rights & responsibilities of marriage that Nevada's LGBTQ families currently can't access because domestic partnerships are not actual civil marriages. Yet even as this constituent pointed out the severe difference between domestic partnership and marriage, Rep. Heck said he could not support marriage equality. He then added that he's OK with domestic partnership and he supports giving LGBTQ families "the same rights"... Except he doesn't.



Even as Rep. Heck attempted to portray his opposition to marriage equality in a "softer light", it was nonetheless revealed in its gruesome entirety. While he tried to convey support for "more rights & benefits", he seemed blind to the fact that domestic partnerships can't offer the same rights as marriage because they are not marriage. Only civil marriages can qualify for federal marriage benefits, which include Social Security, veterans' benefits, federal tax status, and more. By withholding this one critical word from thousands of Nevada families, they've been forced into a muddled patchwork of legal uncertainty.

Rep. Joe Heck couldn't explain and/or excuse away his opposition to marriage equality. He hemmed and hawed, but ultimately he couldn't make sense of his own stance on this critical issue for LGBTQ Nevadans. And in (not) doing so, he reminded us of why his party continues to struggle in its "rebranding" campaign. How can one truly "rebrand" something that hasn't actually changed?

Reform for Real

Earlier this month, Las Vegas Country Club experienced quite a lot of action. House Speaker John Boehner (R-¡Díos Mio!) had come to town to raise money for Rep. Joe Heck (R-¿Por qué?). And a whole lot of frustrated constituents were outside to ask them why they couldn't get their house of Congress working on anything worthwhile for a change.

Did that strike (some more) fear in the heart of Speaker Boehner? All of a sudden, his "leadership team" will release principles for immigration reform".

Oh, really. So what might be in those "principles"? Whatever they are, they're not real comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). After all, this is the same line that Speaker Boehner has used before for the past year. And it's the same line Rep. Joe Heck used last summer in an attempt to quell local demands for CIR.

What has their preferred "step by step" approach delivered so far? Nothing, other than a House passed amendment to deport DREAMers. So why are we supposed to believe differently this time, especially when the 21st Century Know Nothings are already mobilizing to kill whatever bill House Republican "leaders" ultimately settle upon?

The G-O-TEA Civil War is probably set to worsen in the coming days. And if Speaker Boehner indeed vows to double down on his "principles", those "principles" will only succeed in killing CIR for the foreseeable future. Is that the real goal here? Are these "principles" just another attempt to deflect blame onto someone else?

There's a reason why Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-No Really, He's Still There!) is quietly suggesting that Republicans stop fighting CIR. And there's a reason why HR 15 has 3 Republican cosponsors. And there's a reason why S 744 attracted the support of Senator Dean Heller (R-Sí, Se Puede).

Here's a hint: The status quo has failed us. Too many American families are being torn apart. And too many economic opportunities are being missed. So why waste any more time trying to prop up the status quo?

Sure, House Republican "leaders" now want us to believe they have "principles for immigration reform". But why are we supposed to believe them if they keep rejecting the one feasible path for real reform? Here's some advice for them: Don't tell us. Show us.

Quite the Country Club Luncheon

Today, an extra special guest drove into the Las Vegas Country Club. Guess who? Here's a hint: Mr. Speaker.

Yes, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) is in town today to raise money for Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson). They enjoyed lovely $2,600 per plate lunches and chatted about what's happening in Congress.





Meanwhile, many of the people standing outside Las Vegas Country Club are constantly reminded of what Speaker John Boehner refuses to let happen in his house of Congress. That's why they (including activists from PLAN, the Culinary Union, DREAM Big Vegas, ProgressNow Nevada, and elsewhere) showed up today. They were not going to let Speaker Boehner come to Vegas without getting a sense of what Nevadans really think about the 113th Congress.





Over 100 people stood outside Las Vegas Country Club this morning. Many even managed to stay until Speaker Boehner arrived at the Country Club. Many were upset over the lack of progress on comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). Many were also upset over Congress' failure to extend unemployment insurance (UI). All were frustrated with the sloth that's come to define Boehner's House of FAIL.







After the protest began, Rep. Joe Heck's campaign manager emerged from Las Vegas Country Club to try to spin away the frustration across the street. Yet even as he was trying to spin it all away, some Teamsters were picketing just steps away. Why? Apparently, Las Vegas Country Club sidestepped its usual union crew to use non-union workers for today's $2,600 per plate G-O-TEA luncheon.

Without a doubt, this wasn't the typical country club luncheon.

Don't Tell Us. Show Us.

He wants it. He really wants it! Or at least, that's what Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) wants us to believe regarding comprehensive immigration reform (CIR).

In an interview with the Las Vegas Sun, Rep. Heck cried about how the "Big, Bad, Meanie Democrats & Unions!!!" have been attacking him for not supporting something he already supports! Why are all the "Big, Bad, Meanie LIB'RULZZZ!!!" being so big and bad and mean?

Maybe this is due to the whole premise of this story being false? Seriously, when did telling the truth become "big, bad, & mean"?

When Rep. Joe Heck whines to local media about "LIB'RUL ATACKZZZ!!!", he fails to mention everything he can do to move CIR forward... Yet for some reason still refuses to do. While he lambasts HR 15 due to its "elements that he can not support", he fails to mention that HR 15 was modeled after S 744, the bipartisan Senate CIR bill that Nevada’s own Dean Heller (R) supported. So if S 744 was ultimately good enough for Dean Heller (& 13 other Senate Republicans) and HR 15 is good enough for 3 House Republicans to cross over to cosponsor, why isn't HR 15 good enough for Rep. Heck?

Rep. Heck also made the excuse that if he were to cosponsor HR 15, it wouldn't change anything. Actually, it would. It would bring HR 15 another step closer to officially garnering majority support. And if House G-O-TEA "leaders" were to refuse to bring HR 15 for a floor vote, Rep. Heck and other CIR supporters could then start a discharge petition.

So why isn't Rep. Heck doing any of this? Why is he instead only offering empty words? And did he really implicitly admit he's just a powerless backbencher who only does what House G-O-TEA "leaders" tell him to do?

Funny enough, the only "solution" Rep. Heck offered was the "piecemeal approach" that "leadership" approves of. Of course, this is the very approach to immigration reform that has failed to produce any actual legislation... Except for that one amendment calling to deport DREAMers. Rep. Heck voted for that amendment. Is that what he means when he says he "supports reform"?

Rep. Heck likes to tell us how much he "supports reform". Yet when it comes time to match his words with concrete action, he fails to do so. If he truly supports CIR and wants to convince Nevadans of it, he needs to stop telling us... And start showing us.

Put Up or Shut Up.

Just when we thought there was some sort of synergy happening, the bubble just had to burst. Ralston just had to tweet out some sympathy for "poor" Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson). He figured that since Steve Sebelius is ready to give Rep. Heck a free pass on comprehensive immigration reform (CIR), everyone else should as well.

Stop right there. There's a reason why the AFL-CIO, SEIU, & other CIR advocates are not giving Rep. Heck a free pass on CIR. That reason is HR 15.

Earlier this week, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) joined with Rep. Jeff Denham (R-California) and Rep. Joe Garcia (D-Florida) to discuss why they're cosponsoring HR 15. Here's a hint: They actually want to show some leadership. And they actually want to finish the job on CIR.

(Skip to about 44:30 for the good stuff.)



Two other House Republicans, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Florida) and David Valadao (R-California) have already joined Rep. Denham in backing HR 15. And remember that HR 15 closely resembles S 744, the bipartisan Senate CIR bill that Senator Dean Heller (R) crossed over to support. So what's keeping Rep. Heck from supporting HR 15?

Rep. Heck can't honestly say he's "doing everything possible" to pass CIR when he's not actually doing everything possible to pass CIR. It's time for him, and for other House Republicans trying to have it both ways on reform, to put up or shut up. Either they actually do whatever they can to allow a floor vote on HR 15 or they admit that all the G-O-TEA House "leaders" will do on immigration reform is support deporting DREAMers.

The American families and communities who are suffering due to the broken immigration system of today have had enough of the double-talk on Capitol Hill. It's time to put up or shut up.

This Shouldn't Be a Tough Call.

Last week, we tried to warn them. If Republicans in Congress are truly determined to kill comprehensive immigration reform (CIR), they must be prepared to live with the consequences. And now, we have our first sign of the consequences ahead.

Jon Ralston caught wind yesterday of a new Magellan poll showing strong support among voters of Congressional District 3 for CIR... And voters of Congressional District 2. NV-03 voters support the bipartisan Senate CIR bill 68-30, while NV-02 voters support it by a margin of 64-33. And pluralities in both districts say they'll think more highly of their respective Representatives if they pass CIR.

So what do they think of their respective Representatives now? In NV-02, Mark Amodei sports an OK 42-33 favorability rating. But in NV-03, Joe Heck has fallen underwater in NV-03. Here, Heck's favorability rating is 41-45. Ouch.

This actually comes on the heels of a PPP poll released earlier this month that showed Rep. Heck barely ahead of a Democratic challenger as anger was building against the most recent G-O-TEA manufactured crisis. As we've discussed before, most Americans want a government that works. Yet this month, we've seen anything but that.

One would think the G-O-TEA's EPIC FAIL of a Shutdown Sh**fest would light a fire under enough @sses to accomplish something, anything, so Republicans can put this FAIL Whale of a month behind them. However, that's not happening. Instead, many Republicans seem all too happy to kill reform.

And they wonder why their poll numbers suck? This is why. Millions of American families, businesses, and workers demand solutions. Yet instead of providing solutions, the G-O-TEA hardliners just want to create more problems with their seemingly endless manufactured crises. And to make matters even worse, Republican "leaders" are all too willing much too often to indulge in G-O-TEA delusions of grandeur.

Reps. Heck and Amodei may be backbenchers, but they're not completely powerless. If they want CIR, they can step forward and demand it. Other Republicans did so this month in calling for an end to the manufactured crisis, and it worked last week when the federal government finally reopened.

And ultimately, their political future may very well depend on the fate of CIR. Does Rep. Heck want to serve another term? And does Rep. Amodei want to serve in the majority? This shouldn't be a tough call.