THE ODD COUPLE
I found this little item a little odd, though somehow not quite surprising (Hat tip/RalstonReports):
R&R Partners…the mega-lobbying colossus of Democrat Billy Vassiliadis and Republican Pete Ernaut…will be hosting a fundraising reception next Thursday for Democrat AssemblywomanDebbie Smith, who is a lock for re-election.
So buying access in the election cycle; I get that.
But…the $500-a-plate dinner is a joint event which will simultaneously raise money for Republican state Sen. Ben Kieckhefer, who isn’t even up this election cycle!
The invitation refers to Kieckhefer as “pragmatic.” In this instance, the word pragmatic is defined as: “Moderate Republican who often votes with Democrats, especially on bills to raise taxes and expand government.”
Kieckhefer chalked up a limp 63% in Citizen Outreach’s conservative ratings for the 2011 session, and yes, is one of those Republicans who refused to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge and voted to re-impose that $620 million tax hike on all of us last session.
Gee, I wonder how he’s gonna vote next year when Gov. Sandoval, Assemblywoman Smith and R&R Partners push to renew those “temporary” taxes again?
DRIVE-BY MUTHINGS
* I have a BIG announcement with a major development on a very exciting project Citizen Outreach Foundation has been working on for the past couple of years. I will make the announcement on Monday, October 1, 2012 at 7:30 am on KDWN 720 AM’s Alan Stock Show.
Tune in for the live announcement…or get the details right here in Silver State Confidentiallater in the day on Monday.
* Elections are about contrasts. Here’s one I read today: Mitt Romney wants fewer poor people. Barack Obama wants fewer rich people.
Decide.
* This just in from the RJ: “The Federal Aviation Administration plans to restrict airspace around Las Vegas from Sunday evening to Wednesday afternoon while President Barack Obama is in town.”
That ought to do wonders for our tourism economy, huh?
* So police hauled off and will destroy $7.4 million worth of marijuana from a Mt. Charleston “farm.” How much would that have generated in sales tax revenue if we legalized, taxed and regulated it the way we do liquor?
* No, I did not watch the Heller/Berkley debate last night. I already know who I’m voting for in that race and there’s nothing either of them could say or do at this point to change my mind. So I opted to watch my hometown Baltimore Ravens defeat the Cleveland Brownson the tube instead.
In reading the after-action reports, it appears I made the right call.
* Speaking of which, last night’s football game was the first one with the regular refs back in action. The result: blown calls, missed calls, delays, replays, booing by unhappy fans. You know, just like the games officiated by the replacement refs. Welcome back, guys!
* Back to the Heller/Berkley debate. Regular readers know that political pundit Jon Ralstonand I haven’t exactly been friendly to each over the past year. But that shouldn’t stop you from reading his “dead-on balls accurate” (it’s an industry term) assessment of last night’s “embarrassment.”
I didn’t even have to watch it to know Jon nailed this one. Read his commentary by clicking here
* So the Republican National Committee gave the Nevada Republican Party $166,000 to use for voter registration, but required the NRP to use the money to pay a company the RNC already had on payroll?
In the real world I think that’s called money-laundering.
* By the way, the firm the party “hired” has now been fired by the RNC for allegedly registering voters fraudulently in Florida. So glad the national GOP folks saved Nevada by paying out-of-state shysters instead of using locals who, you know, actually know how to register locals.
* John Ensign appears to be getting back in the game. I learned yesterday that the former Nevada senator – who was run out of office after being caught having an affair with one of his staffers - will be the featured speaker at a “prayer breakfast” in Las Vegas next month during the convention of the National Association of Convenience Stores.
You know, the “quickie” marts.
Seems wholly appropriate.
* A couple months ago, the Nevada Policy Research Institute sent out letters to Clark County teachers letting them know how and when to quit the union. And the campaign appears to have paid off.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports today that membership in the teachers union this year has dropped by 800. That’s 800 fewer teachers coughing up $768 from their paychecks to fund legislative efforts designed to prevent any and all education reforms that might actually help improve education for our children.
Nice job, NPRI!
FAMOUS LAST WORDS
"I think it’s my opponent’s motto that’s it’s not a lie if she can convince people to believe it.” – Republican U.S. Sen. Dean Heller in his debate Thursday night with Democrat opponent Shelley Berkley
"The biggest problem with Medicare today is that my opponent keeps stealing from it." -Republican U.S. Sen. Dean Heller in his debate Thursday night with Democrat opponent Shelley Berkley
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