NoisyRoom.net

By: Chuck Muth
Nevada News and Views

TODAY’S NN&V HEADLINES

• CANDID CANDIDATE: An e-Interview with Jodi Stephens (Nancy Dallas) – Jodi Stephens is a Republican candidate for Assembly District 32 which includes portions of Humboldt, Lander and Washoe Counties.
• Democrats Commit Political Suicide — In Three Steps (Newt Gingrich) – Over at Pollster.Com, President Obama’s “streams crossed” this week. That’s part “Ghostbusters,” part-pollster speak for saying the President’s approval rating dipped below his disapproval rating, causing the lines of the graph charting his standing with the American people to cross.
• Kill Bill: Death to the Death Tax! (Karri Bragg) – The following letter, signed by Citizen Outreach and 24 other conservative grassroots organizations, was sent to each member of the United States Senate on Friday.
• Horsford Urges Nevada Officials To Immediately Seek Race to the Top Funds (Sean Whaley/Nevada News Bureau) – State Sen. Majority Leader Steven Horsford, D-Las Vegas, urged a legislative panel today to push Nevada to apply in the first round of federal Race to the Top funds to improve student performance by a Jan. 19, 2010 deadline.
• Democrat Union Boss Councilman Guilty, Says Ethics Commission (Sean Whaley/Nevada News Bureau) – Las Vegas City Councilman Steve Ross (D) was found today to have violated state ethics laws for failing to disclose his labor union interests and abstain from voting for a new city hall project at two different meetings in December 2008 and February 2009.

Click here to read these stories at the Nevada News & Views site!

MUTHS TRUTHS

• Correction: In a recent column, I criticized Assemblyman Tom Grady (R-Yerington) for voting for AB 433 last session. He did. However, he voted for the bill BEFORE it was amended by Sen. Dennis “Nanny Stater” Nolan to include a provision making failure to wear a seatbelt a primary offense. The amended bill never made it back to the Assembly, so we don’t know if Assemblyman Grady would have or would not have voted for it the second time around.
• For the umpteenth time, would somebody PLEASE tell Sen. Bill Raggio that I have absolutely nothing to do with the recall effort reportedly under way in his district. I support it, you betcha. But I don’t know the voters who are doing it, have never spoken with or otherwise communicated with the voters doing it, and have provided no financial or advisory assistance to the effort. Period.
• Last week the Reno Gazette-Journal published an editorial opposing Sen. Raggio’s recall, while Nevada Appeal columnist “Mean” Gene Paslov ripped the recallers today while kissing the Reno senator’s arse, saying the anti-Raggio forces “don’t have a clue.” Interesting that the stronget voices in defense of Sen. Raggio are among the most liberal in the state, huh? I imagine it’s only a matter of time before the teachers union and the trial lawyers come to his defense, as well.
• The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported last evening that “Every Nevadan who wants a vaccination for the H1N1 flu is now eligible to receive one, local and state health officials confirmed today.” Except, of course, those unfortunate folks who have already died while the government was rationing the vaccinations. ObamaCare, here we come!
• Six workers at UMC were fired yesterday after a pregnant woman in the hospital’s emergency room, complaining of severe abdominal pain and begging for help, was left untreated for SIX HOURS. The woman eventually left and delivered her child pre-maturely at her home. The baby died shortly thereafter. UMC is the state’s government-run hospital. Welcome to the future of health care in America if ObamaCare passes.
• John Ralston reported in Flash yesterday afternoon that the chairman of the Education Committee, Sen. Joyce Woodhouse, refused to allow Stacy Woodbury, a senior aide from the governor’s office, to testify before her committee yesterday about Race to the Top grant money. Foolish and childish, to be sure. But no doubt Woodhouse did it “for the children.” Mike Roberson, where’s your press release?
• From the Rumor Mill: Former longtime Democrat Assembly Speaker Joe Dini is mulling a race for Senate District 39, currently held by term-limited Sen. Mark Amodei. Two Republicans – Assemblyman James Settelmeyer and former Carson City Mayor Ray Masayko – will face off in the Republican primary for this seat next June.
• Stephen Miller, Chairman of the Economics Department at UNLV, believes Nevada isn’t getting enough tax revenue and should start taxing Internet sales. So a man who gets paid with taxpayer dollars is using his taxpayer-funded position to push for higher taxes from the taxpayers paying his salary. And they say there’s nothing left to cut in the higher education budget? I can think of one government employee who could be laid off yesterday.
• Apparently Assemblywoman Peggy Pierce (D-Las Vegas) went bat-sh!t yesterday over how a Christmas tree was decorated and called the governor’s office to rip somebody a new one. Read gubernatorial Chief-of-Staff Robin Reedy’s response HERE
• Republican Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki is off the hook after Democrat Attorney General Catherine “Ahab” Cortez-Masto blew the questionable case against him this week. As such, Krolicki is reportedly receiving entreaties for him to now enter the U.S. Senate race which currently has a field of, at last count I think, 2,379 other Republicans already running. Fuggetaboutit.
• The issue this campaign cycle is jobs, jobs and more jobs. As lieutenant governor, Krolicki is in charge of economic development….which translates into jobs, jobs and more jobs. The likeable lieutenant governor should forget about his senatorial aspirations, run for re-election, and focus on Job #1….creating jobs, jobs, and more jobs for Nevadans by killing stupid government rules and regulations which discourage job creation.