February 4, 2011

“They” are afraid. “They” are the people and business groups who support Sandoval in his “No new taxes”  mantra and have nothing else to offer except that  ”Businesses can’t afford it right now.”  Thing is, if you go back in history that excuse was used when things were fiscally great. It’s never time for “shared” sacrifices but it’s always time for others to pay what they won’t hence , the “State Employee Tax“.

The more you hear about the public demanding better education, taxes and even fairness for state employees the more “they” will push back. “They” will say state employees, and teachers are whiners and we need to take what we get and shut up about it or else. What “they” are saying is, public employees aren’t supposed to speak and are annoyed when we do. In fact, “they” don’t want to hear from us at all because in their view, we are nothing and so deserve nothing. Some even believe we are parasites for being public employees and are chattel to be bought and sold in the political market, a market they control.

Nevadans, all Nevadans have a right to say and act, even public employees. It seems to me Nevada’s parasites are casinos and mines because they pay shockingly low taxes by any standard and block any attempts for fiscal reform.

Right now “they” are getting more and more shrill because the session is about to start. “They” want to set the stage for dozens of their lobbyists to make sure laws aren’t changed and their taxes are kept low. “They” are  scared that people will talk about what Nevada needs and afraid that this might actually get some attention and traction. “They” are scared their lobbyists will not have the influence they once had and the millions “they” invested in campaigns and inaugural balls will be diluted or gone.

Now, who specifically is afraid, you ask?  Well, right now, ”they” are the Las Vegas Review Journal, the Reno-Sparks Chamber of Commerce, the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, the hyper political Nevada Policy Research Institute, the mining industry and of course the casinos, mainly in Las Vegas.

“They” are afraid of constitutional democracy and want oligarchy instead where rich and influential people and businesses get control.

And the more afraid “they” are the more their newspapers and allied groups will push back with more “studies”, threats, lies and editorials criticizing people for speaking out. “They” will blame public employees for our fiscal troubles and though this is simplistic and lame,  ”they” believe it like a religion. “They” have faith their politics will win because it always has. For example, demonizing and scapegoating state employees has been effective and “they” have reaped significant financial benefits with low taxes for themselves.

“They” are afraid… let’s keep them that way. Speak up and take control.