How 'Bout That BIG Rally for Immigrant Rights in Las Vegas?

So we're still hearing plenty about the teabaggers' "Rendezvous in Searchlight"... You know, the one that attracted mostly out-of-state nutjobs to go to Searchlight to try to harrass Harry Reid while listening to Sarah Palin's sweet nothings about nothing. And yet, we don't often hear as much about actual Nevadans coming out and speaking their minds.

We're seeing this again with the RIFA rally in Vegas on Saturday. Wait... What was that, again? This:

Thousands of people rallied outside a federal building Saturday in support of swift congressional action on immigration reform.


Demonstrators cheered when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., told them they’re committed to making immigration reform a top priority.


Reid said legislation would include border security and a guest worker program for seasonal workers. Activists also want it to include a pathway to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants.


“For those that are undocumented, we’re going to make some rules,” Reid said. “We’re going to make sure there will be a penalty or a fine, people will have to work, pay taxes and stay out of trouble and learn English. Not so bad, is it?”


People held signs with slogans such as “Stop Tearing Our Families Apart,” “Reform Now” and “Workers, Taxpayers, Voters.” They also chanted U-S-A and waved American flags. Police estimated the crowd at roughly 3,500 people.


The rally outside the federal building was sponsored by a coalition that includes the non-partisan Reform Immigration for America Campaign, labor groups and faith-based organizations.

The R-J actually also had a halfway decent article about it... But as usual, they buried it beneath their half-baked, fake-@ss "polls" and other bits of GOoPer/teabagger advertising.

And even if we are to believe the "lowball" estimates of 3,500 pro-immigrant, pro-reform activists out on the streets, that still means there were far more Nevadans going out to SUPPORT a progressive agenda than oppose it. After all, the vast majority of demonstrators on Saturday were local Las Vegans... As opposed to the teabaggers busing in people from other states.

But as usual, we know which event The R-J and the other radical right noisemakers will proclaim (the one filled with out-of-state anti-Reid teabaggers) and which events they'll try to downplay and ignore (the progressive rallies filled with real Nevadans).

NV-Sen: Suzy Lowdown on "So-called Nuclear Waste"? Or Is That NUCULAR, Suzy?

Major props to Nevada Scandalmonger for finding this!



Never mind that the facts prove just how dangerous Yucca Mountain would have become if the proposal to make Nevada the nation's radioactive nuclear waste dump had succeeded, Suzy Lowdown still loves her some “so-called nuclear waste”. It’s just too bad she wants to shove it down our throats. So does this confirm her membership in the “Batsh*t Crazy GOoPer Club” with Luv-Guv Gibbons and Johnny Casino?

The Long Awaited Henderson Democratic Club Lieutenant Governor Debate!

So how was that Lieutenant Governor candidates' debate? Well, I'm about to answer this and some more questions you may have about the Henderson Democratic Club's debate on Wednesday. We had four Democratic candidates come by to visit and take questions: Paul Murad, Jessica Sferrazza, Robert Randazzo, and Bob Goodman. Clark County Democratic Party Chair Roberta Lange moderated.

The debate started with opening statements. Bob Goodman began by describing his work on the Nevada Tourism Commission in the 1970s and 1980s, and the progress he mad on the economic front with Governor Mike O'Callaghan. Paul Murad was next, opening by declaring, "I'm ready to serve on Day One!" He then went into a little bio of him as a small business owner in Las Vegas, and his call to "keep the job local". Robert Randazzo then tried to "one-up" that, saying that "ordinary Nevadans like me should get more involved" as he was describing his private sector accomplishments in Reno. And finally, Jessica Sferrazza declared, "I'm proud to be a lifelong Democrat!", and said how experience in local government in Reno prepared her for the job.

And from there, it was on to questions. You can take a look at the Stonewall Twitter page to see all the details of what was asked. I'll shake it up this time by just cutting to the chase with each of the candidates and what they said.

They all claimed records of achievement. However, Murad and Randazzo highlighted their business careers while Sferrazza and Goodman noted their track record in public service. (Sferrazza serves on the Reno City Council, while Goodman was appointed to the Tourism and Economic Development Commissions by Gov. Mike O'Callaghan.) Sferrazza said that "now is not the time for on the job training in this economic crisis",

All of them talked about the need for more renewable energy development in Nevada, and all touted their respective records. Sferrazza spearheaded the "clean energy bonds" that have funded a number of green projects in Reno, and said she would like to make this program statewide. Murad mentioned that he actually drives a Prius, and that he's already been working on green projects in the private sector. Randazzo highlighted his plans to recruit more renewable energy projects for the state, and then create a private fund to collect clean energy royalties and create tax free money for people to use for education and health care.

All of them talked about tourism and expanding our entertainment industry, but each of the candidates had a slightly different take on what to actually do to make it happen. Goodman talked about his experience with Gov. O'Callaghan in the 1970s in working to bring TV show production to Nevada. Murad mentioned his experience in bringing New York and LA professionals to Vegas, so he said that means he has what it takes to lure the film industry to Nevada. Sferrazza, meanwhile, mentioned that she's already worked in Reno to bring more TV and film crews to Reno. Randazzo then said, "Our support of the movie industry must start from the ground up", and promised that he would have a direct line to TV and film professionals, and that he would use these contacts to bring them here to Nevada.

The candidates also went at it on tourism. Sferrazza thanked Senator Harry Reid for the Tourism Promotion Act, and discussed her experience in Reno in bringing major events to town, getting the Reno Aces' Stadium built, and bringing more national conventions to Reno. Randazzo talked about his experience in selling airline tickets, and that he's especially prepared to increase Nevada tourism. Murad talked about high speed rail and brining the Winter Olympics to Reno and Tahoe.

And then, the inevitable... The question on North vs. South. Doesn't the North get more money than the South? Doesn't the South need more help on economic diversification than the South? Goodman proclaimed that "everyone has to work together, or no one will succeed". Sferrazza then proclaimed that "we are one Nevada", and talked about her work with the Nevada League of Cities to fight state raids of local budgets and her work with Senator Reid to secure $22 million in foreclosure relief funds for Reno. Murad, on the other hand, blurted out that "there is a North/South divide", but then said that he's neither a Southern or Northern candidate and that he's work hard for all parts of Nevada.

Toward the end, the candidates had a chance to talk more about their backgrounds. Rendazzo started off cleaning toilets for United Airlines, then began selling tickets for United, and now runs a software company in the Reno area... And is still a union member, and he talked about how he thinks about his employees every day when making business decisions. Murad talked about growing up in the former Soviet Union, emigrating to America, and not letting his "rags to riches" story get the best of him... He's still giving back to the community today. Goodman described his humble beginnings as a truck driver, all the way to serving Gov. O'Callaghan and moving on to the private sector.

And finally, there was a question of what one would first do upon taking office. Goodman said he wants to "fire all the cronies" and only hire competent professionals. Randazzo said he wanted to start immediately on redirecting sales tax revenue to fund needed public works projects. Sferrazza said she wanted to start working immediately on bringing more renewable energy projects to Nevada. Murad said he wanted to start on his "50/50 plan" to recruit the 50 top domestic companies and 50 top international companies to do business in Nevada.

So what attacks were thrown out? Honestly, it didn't get too bad. Sferrazza just threw something out about Nevada needing a Lieutenant Governor who didn't need "on the job training", and Murad said he wasn't a "career politician". And other than that, Goodman just seemed to laugh all of it off as he kept reminding us that he was around when the other candidates were still in elementary school.

So who won? And who lost? I'll let you decide. And again, please check my Twitter notes to see all that was said. And whomever wins the primary, he or she will be far better at the job than "Krooklicki" is now.

The Majesty of Our "Party of No Progress"

I thought you'd like this:



And aren't they so cute! These GOoPer kiddies have really come a long way. And you know who loves them so much, even as other GOoPers are running away from them as fast as they can?

Yes, my dears, it's Suzy Lowdown!

"Sen. Ensign is very popular here in Nevada, and he has an excellent voting record," Lowden said. "I hope that he becomes part and parcel of what's going to be a very vigorous campaign."

Oh yes, Johnny Casino has an "excellent voting record" when it comes to obstructing economic recovery, preventing people from accessing the health care they need, and just kicking working families while they're down. And it already looks like Suzy Lowdown is following in his footsteps!

Yes, they are all part of the big, crappy "happy" dysfunctional GOoPer family. "Luv-Guv-Lite" Sandoval and Suzy Lowdown may occasionally forget to remind us of this, but all we have to do is look at the family portraits to see the resemblance.

Please Pardon the Wait...

I apologize for not having any new material up yet. Don't worry, I still love you, my dear readers! I just have a backlog of stories I'm working on. I'll have some exciting stories up tomorrow morning, and even more great stuff up on Monday.

And if you're really good, I'll have something fabulous for you up later today! :-D

Rundown of Team Reid's NARA Luncheon/Training

In case you're not one of my Twitter friends, here's a quick rundown of what happened earlier today at Harry Reid's and NARA's fabulous luncheon and training. We talked about the issues we're facing, especially issues that Nevada's seniors are talking about, like Social Security, Medicare, and what will happen now with health care reform becoming law. Oh yes, and let's not forget all the long-time Nevadans who know Harry Reid quite well and know what he's been doing to help his fellow Nevadans.



In fact, I met a number of wonderful folks today, long-time Nevadans who I will be talking with more in the coming days so I can share with you what they know about Harry Reid and what he's been doing for us here in Nevada. And really, that's also what we talked about today. We talked about sharing our stories, our stories of Nevada and our experiences of working with Senator Reid.

Danny Thompson, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Nevada AFL-CIO, shared his story (and you can read all about it on my Twitter page). So did a number of other good union workers and retired Nevadans who were there. And again, in the coming days and weeks you'll hear more of their stories.

So why am I going on and on about this crazy sh*t? Here's why. When I moved to Nevada last year, I wasn't really all that gung-ho for Reid. I knew he was Senate Majority Leader, but I found him a little too milquetoast and centrist for my personal taste.

But you know what? This last year has been my "crash course" on Nevada politics and how this state works. And believe it or not, this state wouldn't work if it weren't for all of Harry Reid's hard work for us in the Senate.

Think about it. We got the stimulus pumping much needed money back into our state's economy. We got the Travel Promotion Act, which will help bring more international tourists to Las Vegas. We got CityCenter opened. We got Harrah's debt restructured. We got health care reform passed. And now, we're getting jobs programs passed and on line. And if it weren't for Harry Reid, none of this would have happened.

This is what I remember whenever I'm griping at him over any of my usual minor complaints. He may not be perfect, but he's really the best public servant Nevada has... And we really can't afford to lose him.

That's what all of us at the luncheon were realizing as we were talking about the campaign, about reaching out to our neighbors, and about how to refute the radical right's ridiculous lies. We're not just doing this so that Harry Reid can be reelected, but we're doing this to make sure Nevada still has a powerful advocate speaking up for us working class folks in DC.

So again, be on the lookout for more true stories from real Nevadans coming soon. And in the mean time, here are a few more pics from the luncheon and training. Oh yes, and you can always find more of my pics at Twitpic.







Oh yes, and don't forget to follow @LVStonewallDems at Twitter tonight for my live-tweets from the Henderson Democratic Club's Lieutenant Governor Candidates' Debate!

Henderson Dem Club Lt. Gov. Debate TONIGHT!

If you're here in the 'hood (you know, my bad@ss hood of Green Valley!), please stop by, say hi, and learn more about these candidates... Hopefully, one of them will be our next Lieutenant Governor!

Lt. Governor (D) Candidates Round Table Debate
Type:
Meetings - Informational Meeting
Date:
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Time:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location:
IBPAT 1701 Ramrod Ave, Henderson
Description
Lt Gov candidates are scheduled to participate in a roundtable discussion: Reno Councilwoman Jessica Sferrazza, Las Vegas Businessman Paul Murad, former Director of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Economic Development Robert E. Goodman and Reno Businessman Robert Randazzo.

CC Democratic Central Committee Chairman Roberta Lange will speak about the importance of the primary election, as well as give us a Central Committee update, and she will moderate the discussion.

Doors open at 6:30pm Meeting starts at 7pm

And in case you can't make it, I'll (AGAIN!) be live-tweeting it tonight! Just follow Stonewall at @LVStonewallDems, and you can follow the play-by-play online from the comfort of wherever you're at.

So I'll see you tonight! :-)

Wish Me Luck on Friday!

I'll be doing something I haven't done in a long time... I'll be trying a brand new restaurant! Yes, add this to the many delights you're enjoying this week.

So long story short, Mr. ELV reported yesterday that Paymon's Downtown closed. Sorry, but no tears were shed by moi... I've never had better than a mediocre dish at any of the Paymon's I've tried. (Seriously, this is where to go for good Middle Eastern grub.)

And then at last night's Stonewall mixer at The Arts Factory, I learned more about who will be replacing Paymon's. The Arts Factory’s new restaurant will be called “Bar+Bistro”. And since the web site isn’t up yet, let me give you a sneak preview of what’s to come. It’s starting out for lunch Monday through Friday, and it will expand to full dinner service Monday through Saturday. They have plenty of salads and sandwiches on the menu (a no-brainer for lunch service), along with some pastas and meat dishes (probably what will be the more popular dinner choices).

I’m not seeing any booze on the menu, so I guess I’ll have to wait until Friday to see if they have their liquor license yet. The chef/owner was pretty friendly when I met him last night and seemed pretty knowledgeable about good Italian cooking, so I’m cautiously optimistic going into Friday dinner.

So wish me luck on Friday! And if you have any good suggestions of new restaurants for me to try, please let me know. I'm almost always up for something new and exciting! :-)

NV-Sen: What an Actual Hometown Rally Looks Like

(Also at Stonewall)

Above are some scenes from yesterday's Harry Reid rally in Las Vegas. Since thousands of teabaggers weren't bused in from out-of-state for this, the righties are trying to spin this as "FAIL"... However, they forget that we can see that it was a crowd of locals on a busy Monday afternoon.

So we had some good speeches from State Treasurer Kate Marshall, State Assembly Member Ruben Kihuen, Representatives Dina Titus and Shelley Berkley, and a few others.

Here were some of my favorite quotes, pulled from my Twitter:

"I am a Democrat because we are the party of YES WE CAN!"- Nevada Treasurer Kate Marshall

"It's because of his leadership that we got health care through... He deserves a big thank you from us" [...]
Reid is "driving Nevada forward, and driving the country forward" - Rep. Dina Titus (D-CD3)

"This guy's gonna be the future of Nevada"- Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-CD1)... This is what she said in 1968 when she volunteered for Harry Reid's first State Assembly race.

And all in all, it was a pretty festive event. The mood was upbeat, and people were merrily chatting it up, munching on hot dogs and burgers, and having a good time. Now contrast this to this load of batsh*t crazy:





If the GOoPers really think flying in a few Faux News teevee stars will help them defeat Harry Reid, they don't even know what's coming for them.

Casinos: Whither Circus Circus? The North Strip?

One upon a time, Circus Circus was MGM Mirage's most profitable casino. Ever since Jay Sarno was forced in the early 1970s to sell his then failing experiment to Bill Bennett, Circus Circus was transformed into a supreme moneymaking "grind joint" with low operating costs allowing the casino to make loads of money off low rollers.

However, this has changed. In less than two years, Circus Circus went from MGM Mirage's biggest moneymaker to its biggest money loser.

Circus Circus used to be fed by pedestrians coming up its way from the New Frontier, the Stardust and Westward Ho, but those resorts are gone. The detrimental effect has been considerable, MGM Mirage spokeswoman Yvette Monet says.

The next-door neighbors that Circus Circus has left are having more than their share of economic troubles, too. Financial figures aren’t available for the Sahara because it is privately held, but the property has been closing some of its rooms now and then to save operating costs. The Riviera reported a $5.6 million loss in the fourth quarter and is negotiating with creditors to restructure the company’s debt, which may include seeking bankruptcy protection.

For that same quarter, Circus Circus was MGM Mirage’s biggest money-loser on the Strip.

After expenses, the resort posted a loss of $3.4 million in operating income. It earned only $4 million in operating income for all of 2009, down from $33.7 million in 2008.

So why is this happening? Two reasons. First off, the recession forced the casinos into a "musical chairs price war" and downscale hotels/motels like Circus Circus have been left standing... Without a chair.

Circus Circus is a lower-rent property, and analysts and executives say budget properties are suffering as customers upgrade to well-appointed resorts that are offering deep discounts. If tourists can pay just a little bit more to stay at a more luxurious, newer hotel, they do it.

The industry has a name for this trend: price compression.

Think about it. Circus Circus regularly offers rooms for under $100 per night... But today, the same can be said of a number of more upscale Strip hotels. And for only $20-30 more per night, wouldn't you want to upgrade to, say, Luxor, Monte Carlo, or New York New York?

And speaking of that end of The Strip, that's the other reason why Circus Circus' fortunes have so suddenly changed. Much of The North Strip now consists of mothballed "skeletons" of former construction sites, so Circus Circus can't count on pedestrian traffic from nearby casinos like Excalibur can on The South Strip.

Excalibur is more centrally located on the Strip, with more walk-by traffic and proximity to higher-end hotels, and it posted operating income of $8.4 million in the fourth quarter. That’s within striking distance of the $8.9 million earned by neighboring Mandalay Bay, a much larger and more luxurious property that includes The Hotel, an upscale hotel expansion.

For 2009, Excalibur posted $48 million in operating income. That’s down from $84 million the prior year but was better than Monte Carlo, New York-New York and Luxor, which are more expensive properties with higher-end amenities.

Circus Circus and Excalibur earned vastly different amounts of a key profit indicator called EBITDA — earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. By this measure, Excalibur earned $72.1 million against Circus Circus’ $27.1 million. Excalibur’s EBITDA fell 35 percent, which is more within the range suffered by other major casinos in the recession. Circus Circus’ EBITDA, however, fell by 52 percent.

Excalibur benefits from being "the low rent alternative" to Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, and other nearby higher end MGM Mirage casinos. The same can't be said, however, of Circus Circus, since its next door neighbors are now... Well, nothing. The lot at the corner of Las Vegas Blvd. and Sahara Ave. is empty, and Echelon won't resume construction until 2012 at the earliest.

And obviously, it isn't just MGM Mirage feeling the pain with Circus Circus. Riviera and Sahara have also suffered from this curse of the mothballs, as Fontainebleau looks likely to remain a smoldering hot mess until Carl Icahn decides to finally finish it.

So in the coming weeks, months, and years, it will be interesting to see what happens on The North Strip, what was once "The Original Strip". Many of the casinos up there were once sturdy survivors... But will they be able to survive the rest of "The Great Recession"?

What's Coming Up on the Blog This Week

And we're back! How was your holiday weekend? I had a great time, and I'm so glad to be back with you, my dear blog buddies. So let me give you a rundown of what to expect on the blog this week:

- Harry Reid's campaign bus in Las Vegas

- Erin Neff and Robin McGehee at Stonewall

- the Lt. Governors' debate at the Henderson Democratic Club

- two of the Lt. Governor candidates doing an interview with moi!

- First Friday stories

- Vegas Uncorked

- casino news

... And much more! We'll be having quite the busy week here on the blog, so stay tuned and prepare for quite the wild ride! :-D

Happy Easter Weekend!

Having fun? I thought so. I just wanted to check in and let y'all know that I'm OK... I just needed another "sanity break weekend". So while you're enjoying the peace & quiet...

Oh hell, no more quiet! Time to bow before the Goddess of GAGA!





Now run off and be fierce, my little monsters. We'll talk more on Monday. :-)

Casinos: Interesting Developments on The Strip

The Kardashians are opening a club at Caesars? Silk Road is closing at Vdara to make way for a special casino? What is this town coming to? I guess Vegas is going insane.

Oh yes, and did I mention the new rumors about Celine Dion's new Vegas show? Oh jeez, what an interesting day this is today!

Not an April Fool's Day Joke: The NV GOP's in Deep Sh*t

So the last post was my April Fool's Day joke. Liked it? I thought so.

However, this is no joke... Well, it is, but this is for real.

Nevada Republican Party Chairman Chris Comfort officially resigned Tuesday, leaving the party committee leaderless just seven months before it hopes to unseat Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).

The statement from the state party said Comfort resigned for "business and family reasons," something he had previously indicated he planned to do. His departure is just the latest upheaval for the state party, known for its dysfunction, which complicates the GOP's efforts to capitalize on Democratic vulnerabilities in the state in 2010 after significant losses in 2008.

Comfort took the helm last November, after Chairwoman Sue Lowden stepped down to run for Senate. His short tenure has not been without controversy -- recently, he faced blowback for approving the party's endorsement of Michele Fiore for the 1st district seat, over other GOP candidates.

State Republicans continue to lag badly behind the Democrats in funding, though they have narrowed the gap slightly in voter registration.

Ah, the Nevada GOoP continues to devolve further into a giant hot mess! I'm loving it.

So what's "Plan B"? I'm really interested in finding out.

BREAKING: Health Care Reform Deemed Unconstitutional

This is major news. I guess this means health care is done... Kaput... FAIL. Sadly for us, our chance to really make progress on health care is gone. And really, we're to blame.

This is truly a sad day for America.