Hot Mess on Capitol Hill

Here we go again. Congressional Republican "leaders" thought they were going to make a killing off their latest & greatest manufactured crisis. However, they ran into a problem on their way to their victory lap on the hamster wheel of drama. And as usual, their problem is their own base.

Conservative groups like FreedomWorks, Club For Growth and Heritage Actionvehemently oppose the plan and have vowed to punish lawmakers who vote to bring it up. They want Republicans to force a confrontation over defunding Obamacare at risk of a government shutdown. These well-financed groups wield tremendous influence over the GOP and have repeatedlybested — and embarrassed — the party leadership.

“This is a legislative gimmick designed to provide political cover to those who are unwilling to fight to defund Obamacare,” said Michael Needham, the leader of Heritage Action. “Any constituent who looks at this vote will know it is intended to look like a vote to defund Obamacare while failing to do so. The American people are tired of gimmicks, and it is our expectation that no conservative in Congress will try to deceive their constituents by going along with this cynical ploy.”

Well, at least the "Tea Party, Inc." spinners are correct that this is a ridiculous gimmick. However, what they fail to recognize is that Americans are sick and tired of the manufactured crises. And the more they pursue the same old manufactured crises, the less trust Americans put in Congress... And the less popular Congressional Republicans become.

This is what Salon's Brian Beutler tried to explain to them earlier this morning.

Serially picking fights with the Senate and White House over the budget is really dumb. It’s bad for the country and the economy for obvious reasons. It’s no longer a fruitful way for Republicans — who only control the House of Representatives — to achieve significant policy objectives. It remains an effective way to undermine the public’s faith in Congress and the government, which Republicans like, but it reduces their own party’s favorables more than the Democrats’. And at this point they’re doing much more internal harm to themselves than anyone else.

Indeed, routine budget fights have unified Democrats and are hastening the GOP crackup. Just yesterday, House GOP leaders fumbled (yet) a(nother) bill because the GOP is too divided over budget policy and strategy to pass anything other than completely suicidal legislation without Democratic votes.

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Tang) lost control of his own caucus long ago. House Republicans are now too busy fighting each other to be bothered with figuring out what's best for the nation. We have a spiraling hot mess on Capitol Hill, and it's going to take some actual grown-up leadership to get us out of this.

So what can be done now? Republican "leaders" can starr by reaching out to Senator Harry Reid, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-California), and the President. The only way any budget can pass is with bipartisan support. That's the only way they can begin cleaning up the hot mess on Capitol Hill.

12 Years Later

Twelve years ago, I woke up to my second day of school. I ate breakfast, threw on my uniform, and left. It wasn't until I arrived in my first period class when I learned of what was occurring on the other side of the nation.



At first, it was so shocking, especially for all of us in Orange County. What happened in New York? A plane crashed into The Pentagon as well? And there's a fourth plane still on the loose?

Eventually, it all sunk in. And September 11 would forever be associated with the events of this day twelve years ago.

Twelve years later, I woke up to this.



Twelve years later, we're still concerned about terrorism. We're still concerned about unbridled hate. We're still dealing with conspiracy theories. And we're still grappling with matters of war and peace.

In the past twelve years, we've experienced some painful moments in history. Yet in the past twelve years, we've also experienced major breakthroughs Who would have guessed back then we'd now have a President named Barack Obama, a still vibrant multicultural society, and real efforts to find diplomatic solutions to the world's problems?

Twelve years ago, this nation endured a horrific tragedy. Twelve years later, our nation still stands. And while there are still many problems facing us at home and abroad, there are also opportunities for us to learn and grow.

Twelve years ago, we were so shocked by what had just occurred that we rushed into two wars. Twelve years later, we may finally be giving peace a chance. Some things may be the same after twelve years, but others have changed.

The Consequences of Foolishness

Remember, it was all supposed to be over by now. Governor Brian Sandoval (R-Denial) was supposed to have fixed all the problems at Rawson-Neal Psychiatric Hospital. And there's supposed to be no more patient dumping.

Last month, news broke of incredibly long wait lists at Lake's Crossing Psychiatric Hospital in Sparks. And after all the revelations of mental health patient dumping (into other states) from Rawson-Neal Psychiatric Hospital in Las Vegas, someone is now stepping forward to demand justice. Yep, San Francisco is taking the state to court.

San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera filed the class-action lawsuit against Nevada, Rawson-Neal Psychiatric Hospital in Las Vegas and state mental health administrators, seeking reimbursement for the care of indigent patients he said the system “dumped” onto California in an effort to save money.

“What the defendants have been doing for years is horribly wrong on two levels,” Herrera said in a written statement announcing the lawsuit. “It cruelly victimizes a defenseless population, and punishes jurisdictions for providing health and human services that others won’t provide.”

In addition to unspecified financial damages, the suit asks for a permanent injunction preventing Nevada from dispatching psychiatric patients to California unless they are residents of the destination city or county, are being sent to family members who have agreed to care for them, or are being sent to a medical facility where arrangements have been made for their treatment.

Ever since The Sacramento Bee first uncovered the horrific story of James Flavy Coy Brown's bus ride to Northern California, media from across California began investigating the matter. Pretty soon, other states began reporting patient dumping incidents. Then, federal health officials began investigating Nevada's broken mental health care system.

And now, federal investigators are confirming what many had suspected all along.

The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Servicesassessed a sample group of 41 charts for patients at Rawson-Neal Psychiatric Hospital in Las Vegas and found that in 16 cases, patients were discharged without evidence the hospital had made even basic arrangements for their shelter, support or follow-up care.

The majority of those patients were discharged directly to Greyhound buses bound for other states, without documentation of specific instructions about how to find housing or mental health treatment.

Most had been living in Las Vegas shelters or on the streets before being transported to other cities. A few were sent by bus to homeless shelters in the area.

CMS officials said the hospital's handling of the cases violated the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act or EMTALA, sometimes known as the "anti-dumping" law, requiring hospitals to either stabilize emergency patients or, at the patient's request, to transfer them somewhere else. Rawson-Neal, which already has lost its accreditation following investigations into its discharge practices, could face further sanctions for violating the act.

So is anyone still wondering why San Francisco is suing the state? And why are we left to wonder when our state will finally invest in fixing our languishing public infrastructure?

These are the consequences we are now paying. Southern Nevada's only public hospital dedicated to mental health care is losing federal accreditation, at risk of losing federal funding, and now faces a law suit in federal court. And why? Oh, it's just because our state government has had a knack for penny wise and pound foolish bullshit.

These are the consequences of failure to invest in our own people. Can we afford to continue making this same mistake? Can we afford to continue being so foolish?

No More Excuses

As of late, all eyes in The Beltway have been focused on Syria... And what The White House & Congress decide to do to resolve the crisis there. This has inadvertently moved the bulk of the domestic issues to the legislative back burner, though some in the G-O-TEA gang are still demanding another manufactured crisis. That should be fun (not).

And now, Congressional Republican "leaders" are hoping their plan is finally coming to fruition. Late last month, they were hoping more manufactured crisis drama would provide the perfect excuse for preventing any House vote on comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). Today, they're trying to use this and the actual Syria crisis as excuses for killing CIR.

No really, they're back to the "We're Too Busy!" excuse. So what exactly are they "busy doing"? Sure, Syria is a serious issue in need of deliberation. Derailing Obamacare, passing more unconstitutional abortion bans, and worshiping at the altar of Ayn Rand, however, are not .

But what can CIR advocates do in the face of G-O-TEA obstructionism? Organize. And that's exactly what they're doing.

“We believe they can walk and chew gum at the same time,” said Eliseo Medina, who leads the immigration campaign for theService Employees International Union, referring to members of Congress. “The more they delay, the worse it will be for them.” [...]

The organizations plan a mobilization in early October, with rallies in at least 40 cities on Oct. 5 followed by a march and rally in Washington on Oct. 8. Convinced that a majority exists in the House for the legislation, they will press for Mr. Boehner to allow a vote before the end of the year. Leaders said the Syria debate and the fiscal fight should not become “excuses” to set aside immigration.

“We’re gearing up for late October — we’re going to push really hard for votes this fall and negotiations with the Senate,” said Frank Sharry, the executive director of America’s Voice, an advocacy group. “We never figured we’d have an opportunity in September because of the budget stuff and with the debt ceiling.”

Immigrant rights activists are now aiming for an October House vote. By then, Syria and the federal budget should be resolved. And there should be no more excuses for delay.

It's always truly been a question of whether enough Republicans were willing to put the well-being of millions of American families and the health of the American economy above the irrational demands of their extreme base. What happens in the coming weeks will really put this to the test. They can't expect to get away with silly excuses for killing serious (and badly needed) policy.

Really?

A little earlier, we caught up on the latest news regarding the possible diplomatic breakthrough on Syria. The Obama Administration is now agreeing to UN talks on Syria. While White House officials are publicly leaving military options on the table, they are looking closely into Russia's latest offer.

So against this backdrop, Senator Dean Heller (R-??!!) finally announced his opposition to military action against Syria. Um... OK?! And this came on the heels of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Duck & Cover) announced his opposition to military action against Syria.

Why did they announce this today? Frankly, this feels awfully "day late and dollar short".

Many Members of Congress have had to struggle over this decision. And many have reached differing conclusions for various reasons. And yes, some have even still had trouble reaching a conclusion very recently.

However, it seems awfully odd that certain Republicans have quickly abandoned their bellicose foreign policy posturing "principles" to oppose President Obama no matter what. Some have even gone as far as to praise Russian President Vladimir Putin for recent developments while castigating President Obama for... Something, anything! And Republicans wonder why their party has become so dysfunctional?

Many on the left and on the right have differed with President Obama's Syria proposal for legitimate and principled reasons. That's not being questioned here. Rather, what is being questioned is politicians playing political games with the Syria issue.

In recent days, we've had a chance to have a legitimate debate on the use of force, and on the future of US foreign policy. It's just irritating to notice how some have tried to cheapen the debate by trying to score fast political points while ignoring the real policy issues at stake.

Peaceful Answer to the Syria Question?

What a difference a day makes. Yesterday, the drumbeats of war sounded awfully loud. But today, a diplomatic solution to the Syria crisis looks near.



Just hours after Russia stepped forward with a proposal for Syria to turn over its chemical weapons stockpile to international control, France decided to test the seriousness of this proposal by submitting it to the United Nations (UN) Security Council for consideration. And the Syrian Government is now claiming it will comply with this agreement.

But then again, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was denying possession of chemical weapons just 48 hours ago. And Russia was openly challenging the veracity of Western intelligence on Syrian chemical weapons just last week. So is this offer truly in good faith?

This is why President Obama is proceeding cautiously. However, he is proceeding with this in hand. After all, this may be the breakthrough that the world has anxiously been waiting for.

Obama had planned to use [today's] meetings with Democratic and Republican senators to personally lobby for his plan of targeted strikes against Syrian President Bashar Assad’s forces in retaliation for last month’s massive chemical weapons attack outside of Damascus. Instead, he signaled in interviews ahead of his trip to Capitol Hill that new diplomacy involving Russia and others could eliminate the risks of a repeat chemical attack without requiring an American intervention. He presents his case to the American people Tuesday night.

“The key is, to paraphrase Ronald Reagan, that we don’t just trust, but we also verify,” Obama told CBS. “The importance is to make sure that the international community has confidence that these chemical weapons are under control, that they are not being used, that potentially they are removed from Syria and that they are destroyed.”

Yesterday, the numbers in Congress did not appear to be on the side of military intervention in Syria. But today, things may be changing. While intense skepticism remains, there are also new questions about this potential diplomatic solution. Yet with this diplomatic solution now on the table, this may provide an escape hatch for Members of Congress who were caught between a desire to "punish Syria & snub Russia", and real fear of the US being caught in another Middle East war.

Tonight, President Obama will be addressing the American people live. But now, he needs a new script... Or does he? At least now, the Syria Question may be nearing a peaceful answer.

Reality Is Not on Their Side.

So far this month, we've actually had real crises to talk about. And as the world awaits resolutions to the real crises, there's even less of an appetite among the general public for manufactured crises. Perhaps this is why Congressional Republican "leaders" may now be preparing to wrap up the sabotage circus.

Wait... What?! Oh, yes. That's right. And TPM's Sahil Kapur has more details on the latest "Fiscal Cliff 2.0" chatter on Capitol Hill.

If and when they do cave, Republicans will be hard-pressed to show their base they got something in return for raising the debt ceiling. In January, they got Senate Democrats to agree to pass a non-binding budget resolution. This time around, the possibilities for symbolic concessions range from a doomed Senate vote to delay or defund Obamacare or instructions to initiate the process of tax reform.

There are a number of demands rank-and-file Republicans have urged leaders to make which could genuinely complicate the battle, such as dollar-for-dollar spending cuts or unwinding Obamacare. Cantor’s memo mentioned neither. GOP members have also called on leadership not to bring up any debt limit bill that lacks the support of half the conference. Boehner hasn’t committed to this and Cantor didn’t mention it in his memo.

There are several reasons Republicans will have a hard time extracting concessions. Back in January, when Obama held firm and refused to negotiate on the debt limit, Republicans folded and agreed to suspend the debt ceiling without substantial concessions but rather symbolic ones. And due to deep divisions within the conference, House Republicans will face enormous challenges in rounding up 218 votes to pass any conceivable debt limit hike.

As we've been talking about here, many G-O-TEA acolytes have been willing to endanger the US & global economy if their radical ideological agenda isn't passed. But now that their demands are looking increasingly far-fetched and delusional, Republican "leaders" are now desperate to find a way to calm down their nouveau Fiscal Cliff fever pitch while also diffusing their latest political stink bomb without embarrassing themselves.

Over time, the G-O-TEA austerity fetish, especially when coupled with political histrionics, has proven to be an economically dangerous addiction. And while they still don't want to give up their Sequester Madness, at least their "leaders" may be starting to realize that their party's madness isn't flattering.

For now, we may hear a few more G-O-TEA Fiscal Cliff battle cries. But just as Version 1.0 didn't end well for them, Version 2.0 probably won't as well. Why? Simply put, reality is not on their side.

The Syria Answer?

It's been on everyone's mind this past week. Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) has been thinking about it as well. And while he still hasn't yet announced a firm position on military intervention in Syria, he is sounding increasingly skeptical.



And he's not alone. The public remains largely skeptical of the utility of any kind of military action against Syria. And Congress is increasingly feeling pressure from the left and the right to reject anything seen as approval to join in the Syrian Civil War.

So is it game over for the Obama Administration on Syria? Perhaps... But with a twist.

Over the weekend, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that a deal was in the works for Syria to turn over its chemical weapons. Then, Russia's Foreign Ministry emerged with a plan for the Assad Regime to surrender its chemical weapons to "international control". And now, the Syrian government appears willing to surrender its chemical weapons.

Is this what President Obama wanted all along? If so, then his tough talk is finally making sense. And Rep. Horsford & other Members of Congress can now see the logic behind the Obama Administration's hard red line.

This past week, fears have grown over a larger scale Syria War... And especially one that involves the US. And at this point, it still may not be completely out of the question. But in light of the latest developments, it's increasingly looking like The White House's tough diplomacy may soon pay real dividends. And if this deal is sealed, we can avoid a potentially dangerous global war.

The Meaning of PRIDE

In March, the Nevada Legislature was abuzz over a constitutional amendment. Not that long ago, SJR 13 would have been unthinkable. But now, Nevada is on the path to marriage equality.

This and other recent civil rights advances were on everyone's mind at this year's Las Vegas PRIDE. There was plenty to celebrate this past weekend in Downtown Las Vegas. And there was plenty to reflect on. While the overall vibe of the Friday night parade was quite fun and lighthearted, there was a more serious moment.





Assembly Member James Healey (D-Enterprise) and State Senator David Parks (D-Paradise) briefly talked about what's at stake, especially in regards to marriage equality. They drove in the parade, along with Culinary 226, PLAN, ProgressNow Nevada, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas), Rep. Dina Titus, and HRC Las Vegas. And they drove alongside floats for casinos, bars/nightclubs, religious groups, social groups, and much more.



The fun continued the next day at the PRIDE Festival at the Clark County Government Center... Along with plenty of good work. Representatives from Senator Harry Reid's (D) Las Vegas office came by to talk with festival goers. The Clark County Democratic Party and Southern Nevada Stonewall were registering voters at their table, while the PLAN crew were doing the same at their table. Oh, and Rep. Horsford even came by to say hi to festival goers.





Senator Parks and Assembly Member Healey later had a chance to speak again at the festival. They were joined by Assembly Member Lucy Flores (D-North Las Vegas), who shared what PRIDE means to her.



Throughout the weekend, folks were reminded of the meaning of PRIDE. After many years of struggles for acceptance, the seeds of equality are finally sprouting. In just the past four years, Nevada has seen progress on relationship recognition, hate crimes, employment discrimination, and more. Half of Nevada's Congressional Delegation (guess who...) now support full LGBTQ civil rights. And now, Nevada is finally on the road to marriage equality.







And of course, the festival had plenty of fabulous live entertainment. After all, this was a celebration. After many years of shame, Nevada's LGBTQ community can finally begin to reap the rewards of PRIDE.

The Meaning of Public Service

Earlier this week, we were discussing the ongoing plague of sexism in our society and our politics. Even now, some are still trying to justify misogyny as "morality", "art", "conviction", "fun", or something else. And it's having a strong influence on the major policy fights of our time.

This past spring, Assembly Member Lucy Flores (D-North Las Vegas) had to confront this head on. After she testified on comprehensive sex-ed legislation and shared her personal experience on the matter, she was confronted with horrific death threats and disgusting "slut shaming" from the state’s largest "newspaper" and its 21st Century Know Nothing allies. Despite these personal attacks, Assembly Member Flores continued to speak out and aid efforts to pass the sex-ed bill. The bill (AB 230) ultimately passed the Assembly, but died a rather mysterious death in the State Senate.

Yet since that fight, Lucy Flores has gained an even higher profile than the one she had before the 77th session (and that was already pretty high). In fact, it's now so high that there's a grassroots #WhyNotLucy campaign to draft #FierceFlores to run for Lieutenant Governor next year. Now talk about a meteoric rise...

And colossal fall? Early on, Lucy Flores looked like a potential frontrunner as enthusiasm was building for a possible statewide run. However, a major plot twist emerged this week. On Wednesday, Jon Ralston reported on whispers from prominent political power players that indicated growing buzz for Susie Lee.

And who is Susie Lee?

Lee is a longtime ally of state Board of Education member Elaine Wynn, and this flattering profile of her role in Communities in School shows her commitment on a key issue for voters. As one key insider put it: "Susie is smart, effective, aggressive. A longtime Nevadan.  Brings a unique set of skills to the position and to the campaign - is someone who can get things done. An education champion - long pushing an agenda of equal opportunity for quality education. Ties to gaming so understands value/role of Tourism to this economy. And has demonstrated a commitment to this community."

Oh, and her ability to self-finance.....

Susie Lee is close to Elaine Wynn, so Susie Lee is automatically assumed to have "the inside track" for winning statewide office. That's because Ms. Wynn has all the right "juice" with all the right people. Oh, and of course, she's a billionaire who served on the board of one of the state's top gaming companies.

Now don't get me wrong, Elaine Wynn has done many good things with her money. She has often given back to the community. And her politics (thankfully) doesn't match up with her ex-husband's.

Yet with that being said, Ms. Wynn has very strong ties to the school privatization "reform" campaign. We've discussed before the fallacy behind the promise of "school reform". And far too many in Southern Nevada have had to learn this the hard way.

Perhaps Susie Lee will offer something different. After all she's running, not Elaine Wynn. But then again, Lee's well connected allies seem be promoting her by talking up her ties to Wynn. And until Susie Lee articulates her own policy platform, we won't know for sure if her plan is really all that different from Wynn's.

Lucy Flores, however, already has a record. She's already been tested in campaigns. And she clearly knows how to fight back when opponents attack.

Fortunately for everyone involved, sexism isn't the issue this time (at least for now). Both prospective Democratic Lt. Gubernatorial candidates are women, and that in and of itself says something. Now, it's a matter of who, what, and why these candidates stand for. Public office is supposed to be about public service. And as we learn more about these candidates and all the other candidates announcing for the 2014 cycle, we need to ask them all if they truly understand the meaning of public service.

All too often, it's easy to forget this as we experience the day-to-day hurly burly of contemporary American politics. Who's up? Who's down? Who has the most "juice"? Who has the most money? Who has the party bosses? And who has the inside track?

How about who has the best vision for this state's future? Who has articulated smart policy proposals? And who truly wants to demonstrate good public service? These are the kinds of merits we need to see more in Carson City.

So far, Lucy Flores shows promise in this regard. And maybe Susie Lee will be able to prove she's more than just "juiced up". We just have to keep in mind the meaning of public service as we're about to choose new public servants.

End of an Era?

Moments ago, a local judge denied a preliminary injunction to a very possible deal (between Stephens Media and some Greenspun family members) to end the joint operating agreement (JOA) that officially allows for the printing and physical distribution of two newspapers in Southern Nevada. This may not seem like a big deal at first glance, but take a closer look. There's more to this.

Sure, overall newspaper circulation has been in decline for years. And specifically here, the Las Vegas Sun has struggled to stay in business for nearly a decade. The JOA is likely the only reason why there's any Sun print edition at all. Most folks (moiself included) now get their news by other means, such as the great wide world of the internet. (Hey, that's what's allowed me to report, comment, on bloviate on the news here!)

Speaking as an internet person myself, the rise of blogs, online news clearinghouse sites, web-izines, and other news sites has very much changed the way we see news. A century ago, we had to wait until the newspaper was delivered to see the headlines. But now, one can click on a variety of sites from a variety of internet enabled devices to see what's happening in the world.

But you know what? Even though I'm very much an internet person, I still appreciate newspapers. They invest in newsrooms, dedicated reporters, and respected space for the community to discuss the important issues of the day. Hell, newspapers often help me and other bloggers catch onto stories we might otherwise miss!

This is why the possible death of the Las Vegas Sun concerns me. I know there are folks at that paper who still want to deliver quality content. While recent cost-cutting moves have resulted in more "fluff", there are still reporters there hunting for the truth. And while the editorial pages often seem to reflect the views of certain "friends in high places", they at least offer different points of view that one can't always find in the other "newspaper" in this town.

And that's what makes today's news at least somewhat alarming. The "newspaper's" management long ago quit caring about their reputation and allowed the state’s largest paper to become the state's largest laughingstock. Can we afford to allow the "newspaper" to become the only paper in the state’s most populous county?

Or does it even matter any more? As I alluded to above, recent budget cuts and "editorial makeovers" at The Sun have resulted in that paper losing a whole lot of serious journalistic talent as it's become more focused on repeating celebrity gossip than highlighting the real reporting from the journalists who are still there. And with the rise of TV newsrooms and online news sites, there are at least theoretically alternatives to the one "newspaper" left standing...

Except that's in theory. What about reality? Just how invested are the local TV stations in supporting real journalism? And can a few scrappy web sites truly make up for losing what was once a great paper?

For now, Southern Nevada still has two newspapers in circulation. We just don't know how much longer this will last. In so many ways, the slow and ugly decline of The Sun reflects the brutal reality of print journalism's dilemma in The Digital Age. And both the recent tabloid-ization of The Sun & the decimated reputation of the other "newspaper" remind us of what happens when corporate profit seeking gets in the way of reporting the news. We may be nearing the end of an era for Southern Nevada, but this is only the continuation of a disturbing trend in journalism.

What Will Congress Do on Syria?

This week, we've been talking plenty about the crisis in Syria. President Obama wants a limited military strike to prevent Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from instituting any sort of mass genocide and/or causing any more problems for American allies in the Middle East (like Israel and Turkey). But with growing skepticism at home, the President will have to deliver a nationally televised address on Tuesday to try to convince a war weary public and jittery Congress to go ahead and authorize the strike.

So will it work? At this point, no one knows for sure. Even AIPAC whipping in favor of Syria military intervention hasn't seemed to move many Members of Congress in their direction. And typically, very few on Capitol Hill have been willing to endure the "anti-Israel" and "weak on defense" lines of attack that AIPAC and other hawkish outfits wield at those who don't adhere to their foreign policy goals.

According to the latest whip count, Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) has moved to a definite Nay while Reps. Mark Amodei (R-Carson City, and finally announced something), Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas), and Dina Titus (D-Paradise) remain undecided. We're now hearing conflicting reports on Senator Dean Heller(R), since one lists him as a likely Nay while others still count him as undecided. Only Senator Harry Reid (D) so far is a firm Yea.

There's a real possibility Congress won't authorize any use of military force in Syria. Perhaps that’s why Secretary of State John Kerry sat down for an interview with MSNBC's Chris Hayes to make the Administration's case for military action.

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Clearly, he and the President are worried about the consequences of not striking. However, most Americans are now more worried about the consequences of striking. They just don't want to see more US troops dying in yet another mistaken war.

This weekend, I'll explain my own take on Syria. For now, I'll just say I can see the logic in Chris Hayes' and Joan Walsh's respective arguments. This is a messy situation that may not even get cleaned up with US military action.


So what can we do? And what should we do? Again, I'll get into more detail on that this weekend. And in the mean time, I'll update this space if we hear more breaking news on Syria.

Blurred Lines? (Or Just Plain Crossed?)

Before the nation started getting jittery over possible drumbeats for war in Syria, we were dealing with a very different kind of crisis. All over the media, pundits were aghast. There were cries of horror. And there was plenty of wailing and gnashing of teeth. And it was all over Miley Cyrus twerking at the VMAs.

Sure, there was plenty about Ms. Cyrus' twerking that was disturbing. However, what also disturbed me was the sexist "slut shaming" she had to endure afterwards. Why was she condemned for her suggestive dancing on stage... But not Robin Thicke for his alarming song? Perhaps the New Zealand law students shown below were also thinking about this, as their parody of Thicke's "Blurred Lines" music video (which is also the same song Thicke & Cyrus danced to at the VMAs) aims to highlight the degradation of women in using them as naked props while suggesting rape can sometimes be "excused".

(The video below may not be safe for work, but Thicke's actual video most definitely is not.)



So why are we talking about Robin Thicke and Miley Cyrus today? Simple: The "Blurred Lines"/VMAs controversy is emblematic of the larger problem of sexism in our society.

And the sexism isn't limited to the entertainment industry and pop culture. Just this week, Rep. Joe Heck's (R-TEA Curious) campaign manager flippantly dismissed criticism of Heck's own voting record on (disrespecting) women's rights. Also this week, Senator Mitch McConnell and the national Republicans backing him caught a whole lot of heat over their misogynistic attacks on McConnell's Democratic opponent. And on top of that, a Washington Post columnist (Richard Cohen) even tried to blame Miley Cyrus for the increasingly infamous Steubenville rape!

How can we ever achieve true equality when we stomp on women's rights and treat them as mere sexual toys? America, we have a problem. And no, the problem is not the feminists pointing out the problem.

Robin Thicke may sing/rap about "Blurred Lines", but I'm concerned about him and so many other men flagrantly crossing the line on degrading women. When did it become OK to do this in Hollywood and Washington? Think about it.

Syria: Where We Stand Now

This week, we've been discussing the tough decision that Congress must make on Syria. Not only are there many questions on whether the US should take any military action in Syria, but now we're also seeing questions arise on how broad that action should be (should it be approved). And this is further complicating White House efforts to build support for a military strike, since some Members of Congress only feel comfortable backing a very limited air strike while others only feel comfortable backing a much much broader military campaign.

As it stands now, the fate of authorization for military force (AUMF) is still very much up in the air on Capitol Hill. This certainly holds true for the Nevada Delegation. According to TPM and Think Progress, Senator Dean Heller (R) and Reps. Dina Titus (D-Paradise) & Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) are all still undecided. Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Carson City) still hasn't declared a position, and only Senator Harry Reid (D) is a firm Yea. The only recent movement has come from Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson), who's increasingly sounding like he’s preparing to vote Nay.

This is coming on the heels of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voting 10-7 (with one voting present) in favor of a bill crafted by Senators Bob Menendez (D-New Jersey) and Bob Corker (R-Tennessee) to only authorize 60-90 days of air strikes. While Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) succeeded in adding amendments in support of ultimate regime change in Syria, they're non-binding and don't commit any troops on the ground.

While AUMF passage looks like a fairly strong possibility in the Senate, the House is still a very different story. There, progressive and conservative groups may be close to securing an anti-war majority. But even there, it's far from settled, as there are still enough undecideds to tip the scales in favor of passage.

Meanwhile, President Obama is in St. Petersburg, Russia, for the G-20 Summit. There, he's dealing with a skeptical international audience... And Russian President Vladimir Putin, who's as dead-set against military intervention in Syria as ever. Can President Obama win over more international allies?

That may ultimately determine Congress' decision on Syria. Hardly anyone wants the US to go it alone. And President Obama risks violating international and US law if he orders military strikes without Congressional approval. So what happens in the coming days will be critical.

Match the Words With Action

It seems to be the never ending tragedy. Every day, seven children die from gun violence. That's why the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Demand Action campaign and local OFA volunteers paid a visit to Senator Dean Heller's Southern Nevada office in the Southwest Vegas Valley.





In April, Senator Dean Heller (R-NRA) actually filibustered rather modest gun safety legislation. The background checks provision was actually designed by two Senators with NRA "A" ratings! Yet despite that and the overwhelming support among Nevadans for expanding background checks for gun purchases, he nonetheless took the gun lobby's bait.

Yet since then, Senator Heller has occasionally spun his filibustering of even the most modest gun safety reform as "supporting expanded background checks". Yep, he's actually tried to spin away his own record. And he seems to be inspiring Rep. Joe Heck's take on gun safety.

This is why two local gun owners asked Senator Heller to finally match his words with action. Ron Nelsen and Bob Cavazos both have experience with guns. And they both explained how rights come with responsibilities.



Tyron Boldon also spoke. He wanted to relay to Senator Heller the same message he gave to Rep. Heck last month. He lost his brother to a horrific outburst of gun violence on the Las Vegas Strip. How many more Nevadans must lose loved ones to such senseless brutality?



Newtown, Connecticut, parent Neil Heflin also spoke up today. He lost his son, Jesse, in the Sandy Hook Massacre. He knows all too well what happens when dangerous weapons fall into the wrong hands. That's why he urged Senator Heller to match his words with action on gun safety.



After the speeches outside, everyone went inside to deliver constituent petitions to Senator Heller. Staff would not let them in the office. How nice (not).







This issue may not always be in the headlines, but it's far from over. As long as people keep dying from senseless gun violence, this issue will still be awaiting actual action from Congress. When will Senator Heller be ready to match his words with action?