(no subject)
ELECTION RANT
Nevada IS a blue state; we have enough people that agree with the Democrats, especially here in Las Vegas. The problem is, NEVADANS DON’T VOTE. It may be because of the lack of education for most of the service-oriented workers here. It may be the busy 24 hours work schedules that we have here. It may be the Libertarian belief that many Nevadans have - keeping the government, and thus politics, out of our private lives. The people who do vote religiously, as an UNLV political scientist said on NPR, are the people in Washoe County up north, where Reno and Tahoe is: old WASPS voting every single election for Republicans. That’s why the Democrats are the minorities in the State Houses and we have two Conservative Congressmen and Governor.
If the problem is that people don’t vote, Democrats would concentrate on Voter Registration efforts. NO! None of the campaigns had actively done any Voter Registration Drives. Nor even any heavy GOTV. To make up my first three months of political hibernation, I went to phone bank for Jack Carter in the past few nights. There were about 3 people each night to phone bank, and over the weekend they didn’t do ANY canvassing at all. Maybe they are sensing that the campaign is near the end and perhaps that Jack doesn’t really stand a chance, but still it is embarrassing to give up so easily.
Governor: Dina Titus (D) vs. Jim Gibbon (R)
Gibbon doesn’t have concrete plans for ANYTHING, just a vague idea (sounds like a lot of Democrats), while Dina has actual and detailed plans for renewable energy, for health care, for education, for illegal immigration, for economy, for the water issue (most of Nevada is a desert). . . Just two weeks ago, Gibbon was accused of assaulting a cocktail waitress in a parking lot. He denies it, saying he was being chivalrous and escorting her to her car because she was drunk. Good job escorting a drunken woman to her car so she can drive home. A few days ago, his questionable contributions were on the front page of Wall Street Journal (a newspaper that most Las Vegans would ask, “is that a magazine?” There is also allegation about him hiring an illegal immigrant maid for many years, and now he is coming strong on anti-immigrant platforms. Even with all these scandals, he is still leading about 4 points in the polls. Now that the assault scandal has been cleared up by a surveillance tape, and they are turning the arrow back at Dina and blame her on the scandal. It’s going to be close, and I don’t have too much hope. Having said that, this looks like the best chance for a Democrat to win a major office. Sad, isn’t it?
Senate: Jack Carter (D) vs. John Ensign (in, R)
Jack is a pretty lousy candidate. He does remind me a lot of his father Jimmy though, in terms of his looks and accent. The resemblance sort of ends there. He lacks charisma, experience, and most importantly, policies for change. He talks about all of these platforms, but he doesn’t have any concrete plans at all (neither does Ensign other than “stay the course,” but he is an incumbent). Jack just decided to run after Katrina, and completely lack any political experience aside from being the son of Jimmy. Yes, that is about the ONLY thing going for him. That’s why Jimmy Carter has been out here for many, many, many times, along with his entire family. Jack’s daughter Sarah was at the office phone banking with us, one of the three. His one other strategy seems to just equate Ensign with Bush (see my facebook photos), which is fine in say California. It is not enough to equate the two, he also needs to connect to the voters, understand what the voters want. Lastly, his campaign is a total mess. His press person should be fired. 100 people and barely any press (I counted two cameras) showed up at the GOTV event with Gore and all the major Democratic candidates. On my first day to phone bank, it took them about 5 minutes to acknowledge that I was there, and another 15 to get me a list of numbers to call; there were about 10 people in the room doing nothing. Most of the people on the campaign I talked to were inexperience.
House of Representatives:
Shelly Berkley (in, D) vs. Wenger (or whatever his name is)
She’s going to win without a problem. She’s damn liberal too.
Tessa Hafen (D) vs. John Porter (in, R)
Porter is going to win without a problem. His ad has puppies (he used to be a vet) for fuck sake. He keeps hitting her on the issue of illegal immigrants and being a carpetbagger (also a problem for Jack), and she is way too verdant. She is too easily being painted as a dumb blond, which she is.
Now, a few of the “State Questions” that I actually care and paid attention:
STATE QUESTION NO. 4
Amendment to Title 15 of the Nevada Revised Statutes
Shall Chapter 202 of the Nevada Revised Statutes be amended in order to prohibit smoking tobacco in certain public places, except all areas of casinos, gaming areas within establishments holding gaming licenses, bars and certain other locations?
&
STATE QUESTION NO. 5
Amendment to Title 15 of the Nevada Revised Statutes
Shall Chapter 202 of the Nevada Revised Statutes be amended in order to prohibit smoking tobacco in certain public places, in all bars with a food-handling license, but excluding gaming areas of casinos and certain other locations?
*The key to the two is the exemption in Question 4 about “all areas . . . gaming areas within establishments holding gaming licenses, bars and certain other locations.” By definition, any place with a slot machine is a “gaming area.” This is Vegas, and we have slot machines in grocery stores, restaurants, 7/11, etc. The question boils down to this. . . do you want smoking in grocery stores, restaurants, and 7/11s? The gaming industry is in full force against 5 and supporting 4, saying how 4 is “protecting our children” and a “no” on 5 is protecting Nevada’s right. 5 is endorsed by all the health associations. Unfairly, everywhere you see around are huge signs (some the entire side of a parking complex) supporting 4 and anti-5.
STATE QUESTION NO. 6 Amendment to the Nevada Constitution
Shall the Nevada Constitution be amended to raise the minimum wage paid to employees?
*YES.
STATE QUESTION NO. 7 Amendment to Title 32, 40 and 43 of the Nevada Revised Statutes
Shall Titles 32, 40 and 43 of the Nevada Revised Statutes be amended in order to allow and regulate the sale, use and possession of one ounce or less of marijuana by persons at least 21 years of age, impose licensing requirements on marijuana retailers and wholesalers, allow for the sale of marijuana by licensed marijuana retailers and wholesalers, impose taxes and restrictions on the wholesale and retail sale of marijuana, and to increase the criminal penalties for causing death or substantial bodily harm when driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol?
*This IS the legalization of marijuana. I think it’s great! It is losing in the polls, not surprisingly.
Nevada IS a blue state; we have enough people that agree with the Democrats, especially here in Las Vegas. The problem is, NEVADANS DON’T VOTE. It may be because of the lack of education for most of the service-oriented workers here. It may be the busy 24 hours work schedules that we have here. It may be the Libertarian belief that many Nevadans have - keeping the government, and thus politics, out of our private lives. The people who do vote religiously, as an UNLV political scientist said on NPR, are the people in Washoe County up north, where Reno and Tahoe is: old WASPS voting every single election for Republicans. That’s why the Democrats are the minorities in the State Houses and we have two Conservative Congressmen and Governor.
If the problem is that people don’t vote, Democrats would concentrate on Voter Registration efforts. NO! None of the campaigns had actively done any Voter Registration Drives. Nor even any heavy GOTV. To make up my first three months of political hibernation, I went to phone bank for Jack Carter in the past few nights. There were about 3 people each night to phone bank, and over the weekend they didn’t do ANY canvassing at all. Maybe they are sensing that the campaign is near the end and perhaps that Jack doesn’t really stand a chance, but still it is embarrassing to give up so easily.
Governor: Dina Titus (D) vs. Jim Gibbon (R)
Gibbon doesn’t have concrete plans for ANYTHING, just a vague idea (sounds like a lot of Democrats), while Dina has actual and detailed plans for renewable energy, for health care, for education, for illegal immigration, for economy, for the water issue (most of Nevada is a desert). . . Just two weeks ago, Gibbon was accused of assaulting a cocktail waitress in a parking lot. He denies it, saying he was being chivalrous and escorting her to her car because she was drunk. Good job escorting a drunken woman to her car so she can drive home. A few days ago, his questionable contributions were on the front page of Wall Street Journal (a newspaper that most Las Vegans would ask, “is that a magazine?” There is also allegation about him hiring an illegal immigrant maid for many years, and now he is coming strong on anti-immigrant platforms. Even with all these scandals, he is still leading about 4 points in the polls. Now that the assault scandal has been cleared up by a surveillance tape, and they are turning the arrow back at Dina and blame her on the scandal. It’s going to be close, and I don’t have too much hope. Having said that, this looks like the best chance for a Democrat to win a major office. Sad, isn’t it?
Senate: Jack Carter (D) vs. John Ensign (in, R)
Jack is a pretty lousy candidate. He does remind me a lot of his father Jimmy though, in terms of his looks and accent. The resemblance sort of ends there. He lacks charisma, experience, and most importantly, policies for change. He talks about all of these platforms, but he doesn’t have any concrete plans at all (neither does Ensign other than “stay the course,” but he is an incumbent). Jack just decided to run after Katrina, and completely lack any political experience aside from being the son of Jimmy. Yes, that is about the ONLY thing going for him. That’s why Jimmy Carter has been out here for many, many, many times, along with his entire family. Jack’s daughter Sarah was at the office phone banking with us, one of the three. His one other strategy seems to just equate Ensign with Bush (see my facebook photos), which is fine in say California. It is not enough to equate the two, he also needs to connect to the voters, understand what the voters want. Lastly, his campaign is a total mess. His press person should be fired. 100 people and barely any press (I counted two cameras) showed up at the GOTV event with Gore and all the major Democratic candidates. On my first day to phone bank, it took them about 5 minutes to acknowledge that I was there, and another 15 to get me a list of numbers to call; there were about 10 people in the room doing nothing. Most of the people on the campaign I talked to were inexperience.
House of Representatives:
Shelly Berkley (in, D) vs. Wenger (or whatever his name is)
She’s going to win without a problem. She’s damn liberal too.
Tessa Hafen (D) vs. John Porter (in, R)
Porter is going to win without a problem. His ad has puppies (he used to be a vet) for fuck sake. He keeps hitting her on the issue of illegal immigrants and being a carpetbagger (also a problem for Jack), and she is way too verdant. She is too easily being painted as a dumb blond, which she is.
Now, a few of the “State Questions” that I actually care and paid attention:
STATE QUESTION NO. 4
Amendment to Title 15 of the Nevada Revised Statutes
Shall Chapter 202 of the Nevada Revised Statutes be amended in order to prohibit smoking tobacco in certain public places, except all areas of casinos, gaming areas within establishments holding gaming licenses, bars and certain other locations?
&
STATE QUESTION NO. 5
Amendment to Title 15 of the Nevada Revised Statutes
Shall Chapter 202 of the Nevada Revised Statutes be amended in order to prohibit smoking tobacco in certain public places, in all bars with a food-handling license, but excluding gaming areas of casinos and certain other locations?
*The key to the two is the exemption in Question 4 about “all areas . . . gaming areas within establishments holding gaming licenses, bars and certain other locations.” By definition, any place with a slot machine is a “gaming area.” This is Vegas, and we have slot machines in grocery stores, restaurants, 7/11, etc. The question boils down to this. . . do you want smoking in grocery stores, restaurants, and 7/11s? The gaming industry is in full force against 5 and supporting 4, saying how 4 is “protecting our children” and a “no” on 5 is protecting Nevada’s right. 5 is endorsed by all the health associations. Unfairly, everywhere you see around are huge signs (some the entire side of a parking complex) supporting 4 and anti-5.
STATE QUESTION NO. 6 Amendment to the Nevada Constitution
Shall the Nevada Constitution be amended to raise the minimum wage paid to employees?
*YES.
STATE QUESTION NO. 7 Amendment to Title 32, 40 and 43 of the Nevada Revised Statutes
Shall Titles 32, 40 and 43 of the Nevada Revised Statutes be amended in order to allow and regulate the sale, use and possession of one ounce or less of marijuana by persons at least 21 years of age, impose licensing requirements on marijuana retailers and wholesalers, allow for the sale of marijuana by licensed marijuana retailers and wholesalers, impose taxes and restrictions on the wholesale and retail sale of marijuana, and to increase the criminal penalties for causing death or substantial bodily harm when driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol?
*This IS the legalization of marijuana. I think it’s great! It is losing in the polls, not surprisingly.