Mr. Paul Reeves

Interview of Paul Reeves

Before you read this post I recommend you first go to ABC News and watch the video.

The lady, Mary, called in from North Carolina and  informed President Obama she had been told there is a clause in the healthcare reform bill that provided the government would send someone to talk with “everyone of Medicare age to decide how they wish to die.” President Obama told her no, but seemed to miss what Mary was getting at, and began explaining about Living Wills. [Read more →]

Having just posted the House Committee’s analysis of HR 3200 I went to Huffington Post to see what they are saying about it.

Here are some excerpts:

HR 3200, the House version of health care reform. The Senate’s H.E.L.P.’s subcommittee finished marking up its version of a health reform bill too. Only the Senate’s Finance Committee is not finished with its work, since its draft of reform legislation has yet to be introduced. Regardless, Obama wants bills to the floors of each chamber for a vote by the August recess. It looks like he will get his way with HR 3200; probably not with the Senate’s product.

Here is what the American Medical Association had to say: [Read more →]

Watch the Time video.

Proponents of marijuana legalization have advanced plenty of arguments in support of their drug of choice: marijuana is less dangerous than legal substances like cigarettes and alcohol; pot has legitimate medical uses; the money spent prosecuting marijuana offenses would be better used for more pressing public concerns. [Time]

Thirteen states permit the limited sale of marijuana for medical use. Polls show a steady increase in the number of Americans who favor legalization. Federal law still bans the cultivation, sale or possession of marijuana. Feds still classify marijuana as a Schedule I drug, one that has no “currently accepted medical use” in the U.S. Fifty-six percent (56%) of the state’s registered voters support legalizing and taxing marijuana as a way of offsetting some of California’s budget deficit.

Advocates for legalization say that if state or local governments could collect a tax on even a fraction of pot sales, it would help rescue cash-strapped communities. Not surprisingly, the idea is getting traction in California, home to the nation’s largest supply of domestically grown marijuana (worth an estimated $14 billion a year) and biggest state budget deficit (more than $26 billion).

Democratic state assemblyman Tom Ammiano has introduced legislation that would let California regulate and tax the sale of marijuana. The state’s proposed $50-per-oz. pot tax would bring in about $1.3 billion a year in additional revenue.

If the state legislature doesn”t act, perhaps California voters will. One group is preparing to place a statewide initiative for the November 2010 ballot that would regulate and tax the sale of marijuana for Californians 21 years of age and older. [Tax Cannabis 2010]

Even Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is asking for a study about legalizing marijuana. He said:

“I think it”s time for a debate,” the governor said at a news conference. “I think we ought to study very carefully what other countries are doing that have legalized marijuana and other drugs.”

I haven’t heard anything about Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons calling for a study. But then he is sort of in a coma, planning his re-election. Considering Nevada and Nye County’s financial problems they would be prudent to start looking at a marijuana tax themselves. But then Nevada seems to be last or close to last on anything progressive.

Ross Miller, Secretary of State of Nevada has issued the following:

It is my pleasure to share the news that we are diligently working to develop the State Business Portal. Once operational, Nevada will be the first state in the country to maintain a comprehensive business portal. I believe it will revolutionize the ease of transacting business with government. Assembly Bill 146, sponsored by Assembly Majority Leader John Oceguera, establishes this one stop shop where businesses can conduct most, if not all, of their transactions with Nevada state government. Our vision is that businesses will be able to access licensing, permitting, regulatory, and taxation requirements through one portal, a new website that will be created just for your use. The cost/benefit analysis says the Business Portal could net the state as much as $49 million in the first five years. That doesn’t count what you in the private sector would save. You can find more information inside this report. [emphasis added] [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 →]

Mark Robison writes in today’s Reno Gazette Journal that “Nevada ranks last in the nation for having allocated federal stimulus funds for transportation projects, according to a study by the investigative journalism site ProPublica.org.”

That stimulus money was supposed to get hiring and employment of people going by building infrastructure. Remember all that talk we heard on TV about “shovel ready” projects ready to go?

With Nevada’s high employment rate one would think all that stimulus money allocated to Nevada would be busy building stuff and that Nevada’s unemployment rate would be dropping.

So I took Mr. Robison’s suggestion and zipped over to see how Nevada is doing with the $201,352,460 got. Sure enough, Robison was right in his article. Nevada ranks dead last in the nation in getting that money to work. According to the ProPublica chart Nevada has only allocated the money for 13 projects.

None of that stimulus money is doing anyone any good setting in some bank account.

Anyone have any idea why Nevada is so slow?

If you are interested in running for the Assembly,

You are cordially invited to attend

“Running and Serving in the Nevada Assembly: An Overview”

Sponsored by the Assembly Democratic Caucus

Las Vegas:   Wednesday, July 29, Noon and 5:30 p.m., Nevada State Democratic Party, Conference Room, 1210 S. Valley View Blvd., Ste. 114, Las Vegas, NV 89102

This seminar will provide interested candidates a comprehensive overview of what prospective candidates can be doing now and details on what is involved in an Assembly campaign.

RSVP to the Assembly Democratic Caucus—Attention: Cianti

(702) 737-8683 or cstewartreid@gmail.com

For more information see Nevada Assembly Democratic Caucus.

On June 8 a petition signed by 131 people was submitted to the Pahrump Town Board wanting Town Manager Bill Kohbarger fired. Board members Frank Maurizio and Mike Darby had signed the petition for removal of Kohbarger.

Photo from Pahrump Valley Times: GINA B. GOOD / PVT
After Tuesday night’s town board meeting, attendees gather in front of the Bob Ruud Community Center. Tables for various petitions have been set up on meeting dates since May 12.

See No vote yet on Kohbarger in the Pahrump Valley Times on June 26, 2009. Then see Scare tactics won’t deter attendee.

On June 23 the Town Board met again. The primary issue for most  in attendance was whether or not Town Manager Bill Kohbarger would be fired. An additional 150 signatures were added to the 131 names the group, wanting Kohbarger fired, had turned in June 8.

In Kohbarger’s defense came a lone voice.

A young lady, Stephanie Lopez, attending her first board meeting, addressed the Board. She told the Board she and her family moved to Pahrump in 2005 from Las Vegas.

Photo from Pahrump Valley Times: GINA B. GOOD / PVT
Stephanie Lopez attended her first town board meeting to support Town Manager Bill Kohbarger. She said she was harrassed after the meeting.

She said, “I volunteer at my son’s elementary school and my husband coaches T-ball.” She said she knew Kohbarger because his son plays T-ball. She did not know he was the town manager until she saw his picture in the Pahrump Valley Times and read that signatures had been gathered from people who wanted him terminated.

“Bill and his wife were at every game and you could see the joy and love on Bill’s face,” Lopez said. “Bill never came off like he was arrogant or powerful. He brings a lot of joy to this town. He can bring some serious, much needed changes to this town.”

Lopez presented 150 signatures who wanted Kohbarger to remain as town manager. She had secured the signatures by talking to residents in the Wal-Mart parking lot. “Attendees applauded her three-minute statement.” [Pahrump Valley Times]

After the meeting, Lopez said, “I usually don’t say much because I don’t like the limelight or the drama. I was so nervous to get up and talk. I don’t like to have the center of attention, but after the meeting, people were shaking my hand as I left. Two gentlemen gave me their cards and said if I needed help to contact them. Someone told me I was the first person who had the strength and the will to support Bill. Another guy said I was the voice of all of us.”

But some of those wanting Kohbarger fired accosted Lopez. She was told to “move back to Las Vegas.” with epithets “Screw you.”

All this was followed up by a Letter to the Editor with the headline Kohbarger doesn’t ‘get’ Pahrump in the July 1 issue of the PVT. The author of that letter apparently wants to get rid of Kohbarger because of  “an ill advised proposed ban on guns on town property.”

Then on July 3, the day before Independence Day, Lopez to turn in petition, then step back appeared in the PVT. Mrs. Lopez is quoted:

“I have two small kids. I don’t need stuff like that. I don’t want this to become a hate thing. I have the right to my opinion. I’m going to the next town board meeting to turn in my signatures and all the e-mail comments I receive — whether good or bad, as long as they aren’t hateful, but that’s the last one I’ll attend.”

Pahrump persistently embroils itself in controversy. A few years ago the Town Board displayed almost unbelievable bigotry fueling divisive hatred when it attacked the Hispanic community with proposed ordinances to require registration of illegal immigrants, governing flag flying, prohibiting landlords from renting to illegals. All in the name of patriotism. Pahrump’s Town Board brought international media attention. The Hispanic community rose up en masse in opposition to such treatment. Thankfully that Town Board was replaced.

What is it about Pahrump that fosters this kind of behavior? Each Town Board election brings new people onto the board. Then the board members are attacked with threats of recall by some of the very voters who elected them.

It isn’t just the Town Board either. Nye County Commissioners are subject to the same fickle behavior of voters. They get elected then seem to have to brace themselves and ward off recall movements. Recalls R Us, touted as “concerned citizens of Pahrump have formed a recall committee … filed a recall petition with Nye County and the state of Nevada to recall Nye County Commissioner Butch Borasky and town board members Nicole Shupp and Bill Dolan.”

There seems to be this constant “pot stirring” of discontent of some in Pahrump that perpetuates these events.

The behavior of those who accosted Mrs. Lopez following her presentation to the Town Board about Mr. Kohbarger is despicable. In the name of the 2nd Amendment they are willing to chill the 1st Amendment.

One of these days one of those 2nd Amendment hot heads is going to lose it and gun down a 1st Amendment exerciser.

President Barack Obama

Organizing for America (OFA) has officially landed in Nevada. Organizing for America is dedicated to forwarding President Obama’s agenda through grassroots action, and to creating a progressive, grassroots movement in the State of Nevada.

In order to best serve Nevada, OFA will visit cities throughout the state to re-engage and mobilize the grassroots movement in support of President Obama.

For Organizing for America to succeed, we need to hear from you – your effort and commitment are the backbone of this movement, and your input will help guide our action in Nevada. [Read more →]