NEVADA IS UNAMERICAN

A battle being waged for 5 days in Carson City is coming to a collision point. Like islands threatened by today’s tsunamis in the Pacific Ocean, caused by built up pressure being released, so to is Nevada faced with potential destruction from years of constraint on revenue reform.

Nevada legislators have long been the dog being wagged by the tail that is big business in this state. With few but powerful interests in this state (mining and gaming), the legislature has rarely gone directly against their will. This is why Nevada has the lowest gaming and mining taxes anywhere on this globe.

If that wasn’t enough, Nevada has practically no other taxes beyond very modest sales and property tax. It’s no wonder that Nevada is at the bottom of the heap in spending on essential governmental programs that American’s enjoy everywhere. So where do we stand?

Higher Ed: 48th
K-12: 52 (Puerto Rico spends more per pupil than Nevada)
Fewest government employees per cap.
Least taxes per capita

Is there a correlation with the above stats and the stats that follow?

3rd highest violent crime rate
highest high school drop out rate
2nd highest suicide rate

Is it any surprise that CNBC ranked Nevada 45th in business climate? Quality of living factors into a business friendly environment.

Why does Nevada continue to be dead last in everything? I have been a registered Republican for 10 years. I’ve been to many other states around this country. The kind of conservatism in this state is drastically different from the rest of America to the point where it is drastically Un-American.

Big business claims that we shouldn’t tax them during a recession. When the economy was good, they cried not to raise taxes for fear it would hurt the economy. During recovery, surely they will say taxes would hurt the recovery. Turns out that business thrives in the two most taxed states in the nation, New York and California.

No one is suggesting we try for that. Climbing out from the bottom is all we ask. Let’s try a legitimate effort to fund our basic (and I mean utterly basic) programs in this state, like education, and public health and safety. The fact that all we can do is talk cuts is so absurd. We are backwards to the point of lunacy.

The session is not looking like it will close today, but no one really knows what is being discussed behind closed doors down there. For real time coverage and chatting of the special session, go here.

It is amazing, in these days of hyper-extreme media sur-reality of politics in America, that we are bombarded by polls and surveys, day-in and day-out bought and paid for by major media sources, campaigns, parties interest groups and the like.  In ancient days-say 30 years ago- there were only three or four major survey firms, and they were cautious and deliberate in their efforts to find out what the public thinks, and why!

The foundations, though, of the public’s many opinions, do not seem to be the goal of many surveys, and from experiences in the public/political world, and from observations of the media that drives public opinion, it is shocking to think how little the public knows, or cares, about what drives their opinions and what the impact will be.

.... Last time I checked, we do have representatives in Congress.

If one were to ask the average voter how they feel about a major issue such as health care reform or the war in either Afghanistan or Iraq (whichever one is not important because the average voter can’t find it on a map, anyway) they will not be able to identify why this matter is a major concern today, how we reached this point, and what significant efforts have been made, either in historical reference or just the recent past, about what factors must be considered when weighing the options before the lawmakers.  Truly, the voters don’t even understand what the options are that the lawmakers are considering.  The reasons for this lack of information and knowledge is pressing our political consciousness into a path that is scary to consider.

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Las Vegas firefighters to get raise, despite economic tsunami and looming budget crisis.  Some question both County and Las Vegas officials for weak knee politics and Union infiltration.  Read more, see a photo, and a video below.

Las Vegas Fire Department

Thomas Mitchell, Editor of the Review Journal, was keen to pick up on law makers’ plans to meet in private to discuss the raise with union negotiators.  There is normally a presumption in the law and in the mind of the electorate that government deliberation should be open to the public.  Unfortunately, there probably is not enough public outrage to change this.

The Las Vegas firefighters have reportedly ratified an agreement with the city to cut down the size of their raise, in exchange for more money being contributed to retirement benefits, etc.  Lawmakers are attempting to spin this by saying the proposed contracts “save” millions, when in reality it is simply less of an increase than previous raises.  No matter how you spin this, firefighters are still getting a raise, when thousands of other employees are being laid off, or having pay or hours cut, and are loosing their retirements and health benefits.

The County is also dealing with the same issue.  They too have received a proposal with “concessions” offered.  Commissioner Steve Sisolak pointed out one of the problems with the concessions.  Two more paid-leave days would cost $1.3 million but only $1.2 million would be saved with the reduced pay raises.

Does the government hold itself to a different standard than the private sector when making important decisions affecting its own viability?  It would appear that this epitomizes government bureaucracy.  Funny that some people want government bureacracy to take over the health care system.

See video about Nevada economy here.