Lets Not Forget - Ron Knecht Lacks Common Sense

Let's Not Forget - Ron Knecht Lacks Common Sense

May 26, 2003

In early February 2003, Assemblyman Ron Knecht, submitted an anonymous bill draft request to rename the state of Nevada as East California, make the state song the "Taxman" by the Beatles and designate the "RINO" as the state animal. RINO refers to Republican In Name Only. The BDR was a slap at the governor, a fellow republican who proposed significant tax increases at the beginning of the legislative session.

This was the summary on the Legislature website: Renames the state "East California," changes the state song to "The Tax Man," and changes the state animal to the "RINO."

How juvenile.

Eventually the prankster Knecht was caught and given lectures by the governor and others.

He was interviewed by a Las Vegas newspaper, and admitted to the deed, stating that ".. it didn't cost anything" and , " I've got nothing to hide." He was also annoyed that someone (the governor's office) would refer to the person drafting the bill as lacking courage.

Good grief! He did not put his name on the bill because he was hiding and lacked courage to stand up for his position. He kept anonymous because he knew it was a stupid thing to do.

He also said the whole thing cost "about 15 pages of ink.", perhaps as much as a dime and offered to pay for it from the change in his pocket.

Mr. Knecht really doesn't get it.

It costs much more than a dime to create a BDR, even if it doesn't get to be a bill. It is not just the cost of paper and ink but also the cost of staff time at the legislature and governor's office to deal with the request and the fallout. The BDR probably cost thousands of dollars in state resources.

Ron Knecht needs to reimburse the state for the waste of resources just to show him that his prank does have a cost.

Mr. Knecht's political efforts will be tainted by this. His actions this year shows he is not serious, lacks adult character and common sense. It also shows he lacks courage. None of these attributes are something voters want in a representative.

Let's NEVER forget this.