Elizabeth Crum

This community organizer position is paying $35,000 to $45,000 plus benefits. 

According to Yahoo! Finance, Nevada is behind only California, Arizona, and Florida in terms of total state budget shortfall.

Nevada’s budget gap is 16% of the total state budget or $1.2 billion.

Nevada has the worst foreclosure rate in the nation, and falling tourism and gambling revenues has slowed the economy dramatically.

A special legislative session in June resulted in budget caps and cuts, but it’s quite likely another special session will have to be called – after the elections in November.

NV Congressman Dean Heller is holding his lead over challenger Jill Derby. 

Heller voted against the $700 bailout bill (twice) and has consistently complained about the spendy RINO (Republicans in name only) in D.C.  Heller represents our second district, which encompasses most of rural Nevada.  A little history:

Heller announced his run for the House in 2005.  He won the GOP primary for the seat being vacated by Jim Gibbons who was then running for governor.  In the primary, Heller received 24,781 votes to Sharron Angle’s 24,353 (squeaker!) and, interestingly, to Dawn Gibbons’ (yes THAT Mrs. Gibbons) 17,328.

In the general election, Heller defeated U of NV regent and Dem candidate Jill Derby by about 5%.  Although he lost Washoe County/Reno, he won in the rural areas by a margin of over 2-1 and took the election by over 12,000 votes.

Check out this page at the National Rifle Association for grades on the records of Nevada’s political candidates in re: to gun rights and Second Amendment issues.  Includes our elected officials in D.C. as well as the state senate and assembly.

 Just received a press release (statement) from the Titus campaign.  Here are some excerpts:

Titus: Bailout Package Is One More Example of How Washington Is Broken

1.  Titus fails to mention that the government policies which birthed the Fannie/Freddie financial crisis were enacted in the Carter and Clinton administrations with the approval of both Ds and Rs in Congress, so she’s either uninformed or being deliberately dishonest.

2.  Titus says Bush and Porter are to blame for the lack of oversight when nearly everyone including the present Democratic leadership was complicit in looking the other way, so she’s either uninformed or being deliberately partisan.

3.  Titus rips Porter for being in favor of the imperfect bailout bill, but then says “with so many critical tax breaks” for Nevada she would have “reluctantly” voted for the inadequate bill also, so she’s either very confused…or being hypocritical.

Porter voted for the bill.  Titus bloviates at length – and then says she would have voted for the bill.  When all the ranting and raving is done, what in Sam Hill is the difference?!

Neither the guy who’s in, nor the gal who wants to BE in, has the gumption to stand on principle and fight for good policy when there are special tax credits to be had.  Of course:  how else could they ingratiate themselves to the voters?  Just look at all they’ve done for you!!

That’s a REAL example of how Washington is broken – and Nevada, too. 

Blue Collar Muse:

You’d think after Chuck Schumer’s ignorance was plastered all over the news for leaking his letter to the Office of Thrift Supervision and personally creating the run on IndyMac Bank that destroyed IndyMac in just 3 business days that Democrats would learn to keep their mouths shut.

E!!:

You would, wouldn’t you?

Alas, Harry “I Am Compelled to Bloviate” Reid (D-NV), has not learned to keep his big trap shut.

Exhibit 1: Reid’s recent statement that he’d heard a big player in the insurance industry was on the verge of failure.

Exhibit 2: Three insurance companies fitting Reid’s description, “… a major insurance company — one with a name that everyone knows …” had major stock selloffs following his comments.

While I certainly don’t condone rumor-spawned panic among shareholders, the reality is that investors are reeling and the least little ripple rocks their proverbial boat.

So it is that Reid’s ego grew three sizes while MetLife stock plunged $7.19 (15%) to $40.96; Hartford dropped $12.20 (32%) to $25.91; and Prudential sank $7.15 (11%) to $57.65.

Reid then came out with a statement that he was “not personally aware of any particular company being on the verge of bankruptcy” and that “he has no special knowledge about nor has he talked to any insurance company officials.”

Whatever, Dude.

You either knew something or not, but either way, you ran your mouth, scared people out of their wits, and caused a major sell-off.

Apparently “consumer confidence” is a concept that exists outside the scope of Senator Reid’s cognitive skills.

Or perhaps he just doesn’t give a damn, because consumer panic and irrational thinking equal more room for government meddling – and possibly an Obama win.

Well I guess it’s also Harry Reid Day here on E!!

Here’s the text of an automated phone message Chuck Muth received last week…