A national political Web site ranked Nevada the second most dysfunctional state for governing and politics. [Reno Gazette Journal]

That national political web site is National Journal Online. Here are some excerpts:

Leadership Problems: 10

Imagine that, leadership problems. Of course the main focus of the Nation Journal’s leadership evaluation centers on Governor Jim Gibbons, with honorable mention to Senator John Ensign. [Read more →]

As Congress considers the future of our health care system this month, it is important that our representatives in Washington know that we support their efforts to reform a broken system that has left 46 million Americans without health insurance. There are currently 470,000 Nevadans living without health insurance.

That’s why millions of people across America, including many in Nevada, will join Organizing for America for a Health Care Week of Action next week. OFA is back in action and the same people who worked so hard to elect Pres. Barack Obama are now working just as hard to support the policies he stood for during the campaign. [Read more →]

Is it not time to re-look at marijuana and ask whether keeping it illegal makes sense?

Considering the revenue need of the government to pay for healthcare reform would not legalizing marijuana, regulating its sale and taxing it like alcohol or cigarettes make sense? I do not know, I am just asking.

Not being a marijuana user, I am no expert. However, I doubt marijuana is a greater public harm than cigarettes and alcohol, or even junk food leading to obesity. Taxing physically harmful food sounds reasonable to me, if it prevents disease or illness.

I am aware that the federal government has laws making possession, cultivation and sales of marijuana illegal. Nevertheless, California and other countries condone possession of small amounts of pot for personal use. Some construe possession of small quantities an infraction. Drug courts have come into use as a sort of decriminalization effort. [Read more →]

The Las Vegas Sun, today, reported:

Republican Sen. John Ensign said Monday that not only does he have no intention of resigning in light of his affair and his parents’ payout to the woman’s family, he plans to seek reelection when his term is up in 2012.

If Senator Ensign holds to that plan to seek reelection the question for voters is, “Should I vote for him or not?”

What do you think? Should you vote for him?

Maybe it is time to re-examine Senator Ensign. Decisions about whether to vote for someone or not can be subjectively made or objectively made. It depends on how a voter approaches formulating the decision. Almost every voter is inclined to go one way or the other dependent upon their political viewpoint.

Lets try an objective methodology as a preferred way. [Read more →]

Goldman Sachs, reports earning second-quarter net profits of $3.44 billion, or $4.93 a share. The profits come just one month after it paid back its $10 billion in federal aid. [New York Times]

Over all, Goldman’s net revenues were $13.76 billion, compared with $9.43 billion in the first quarter.

The bank lost money in the final quarter of 2008. JPMorgan Chase have been emerging as strong players since last year’s financial troubles, and analysts also expect them to record strong results, again partly on the back of robust trading revenues.

Goldman, along with other banks, also benefited from a government program that allows banks to issue debt cheaply with the backing of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. In addition, it received money from the government’s bailout of the American International Group, being paid 100 cents on the dollar for its $13 billion counterparty exposure to the insurer.