Opinion/Streetalk

This MoDern WorlD by tom tomorrow

Sore winners Did you follow the legislature this year?

Michelle Fiore’s crybaby poor governance during this year’s session of the Nevada Legislature simply defied rational explanation.

Just a few quotes from emails she sent in the final week of the session should give an idea of what kind of demagogue was representing Nevadans—or one Nevadan, anyway.

“This session has had me questioning the integrity of some of my peers. Many of our elected officials are using their power to play political games instead of being focused on helping Nevadans. ... It is heartbreaking for me to see legislation that I have worked so hard to endorse killed because of someone’s personal vendetta.” (“Playing political games,” May 27.)

“In light of this morning’s announcement by Senator Greg Brower that AB487 is dead, clearly Majority Leader [Paul] Anderson and the rest of the Not-So-Great Eight were lying to everyone when they claimed to have struck a deal with the Senate to bring campus carry to not only a vote in the Senate but also by implying the Governor would sign it.” (“Criminals keep their guns on campus; law abiding students and faculty prohibited,” May 30.)

“I am very disappointed with my peers for caving to political pressure. Some of the biggest name lobbyists in Nevada have been twisting arms and making promises to pass this tax, and several of my peers fell for the act. In the hours leading up to the vote, these members could not be found, as they were whisked away so they could not be reminded of the promises they had made to voters.” (Fiore statement on Senate Bill 483, May 31.)

There was much wailing and gnashing of teeth after the Red Tsunami last November. Many liberal types thought this would be the end of a liveable Nevada with environmental protections being removed, abortion rights undermined, unions coming under fire, tax revenues redistributed to the wealthy, and in truth, much of this happened. But it could have been so much worse. And you know what happened? The moderates carried the day.

In many cases, members of both the major political parties could look at empirical data and come to logical conclusions. For example, many experts in the field of bringing business to Nevada could show that our crappy K-12 education system was hurting the state’s ability to attract good business—without giving away the farm, as was done with Apple and Tesla.

Even most “guns everywhere” proponents could look at the sheer numbers of university users standing in opposition to having more guns on campus and see that if they wanted to represent their constituents instead of their own biases, there was only one correct way to go.

It would be the height of sanguinity to think that these moves to the middle will redefine politics in Nevada—after all, politics is a blood sport these days—but hopefully, people will be able to look back and see what bad manners, petulance and dogma did to legislators’ ability to achieve goals. Ω

Asked at Michael’s Deli, 628 S. Virginia St.

Joey Santos

Account executive Not so much, no. I haven’t heard much on the news or the news I’ve been watching. I’ve been watching more international or national news.

Trish Kirsch

Mortgage lender No. I just don’t stay up on current events. I have a bunch of friends who are lobbyists, and I hear so much from them. I just kind of stay out of it.

Dave Snaza

Building inspector No, I didn’t. I’ve just been so busy. I have a lot of stuff going on. I listen to it a little bit on the radio, but that’s about it.

Sean Brown

Graduate student What bill? I did to the minimum wage. State, not so much. More involved with the federal. For the state, I haven’t really paid attention to it, no.

Sydney Wright

Dental intern coordinator No, I didn’t. Well, I just turned 19, so that’s why. I’m pretty young. I don’t really know anything about it yet.