Where I Stand — Mike O’Callaghan: People up north should remember there is only one Nevada

Friday, Dec. 21, 2001 | 4:11 a.m.

We have all heard the claim that Nevada is one solid state. Yes, and every session of the Legislature we hear how important it is for lawmakers to act in the interest of the whole state.

Since we have had to count every vote to determine the membership of the Legislature, and Clark County has rapidly increased in population, the voices from the North have become louder when calling for cooperation. Until recently, rural and Northern Nevada, despite a dwindling number of legislators, have been able to control legislation because of seniority and committee leadership positions. This strength is also disappearing and will continue to fade during the 2003 and 2005 sessions.

Few people understand better the need for cooperation and for the entire state to be economically healthy than a governor. When I was governor in the 1970s, I learned the great value of people and their lives in every county.

The hard-working rancher or miner is every bit as important as a casino worker who strives to provide for his or her family. The casino worker in Reno or Elko is just as important as one who works in Las Vegas or Henderson. The health and welfare of every Nevadan is important if we, as a state, are to progress in our fast-moving world.

Somebody should tell the business people in Carson City, Sparks and Reno that the people of Clark County are also part of their world. When the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, without consultation with the people directly affected, joined the wealthy nuclear energy corporations in support of shoving their deadly waste down the throats of Nevadans, the local chambers of Las Vegas, Henderson and Boulder City struck back. They withdrew their memberships from that reckless, money-grubbing national organization.

The Carson City, Sparks and Reno chambers have continued their national memberships. Evidently, as far as they are concerned, nuke waste being dumped on Southern Nevada isn't of great importance. So much for the importance of the health of the entire state. According to some of the northern members, they want to work within the national organization. Yeah, like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce consulted local chambers about its plunge into promoting nuke waste for us to live or die with. They didn't.

Nevadans have always promoted themselves as independent thinkers. If you don't believe it, then recall the results of past local and state elections. Continuing to be part of an organization that has shown nothing but disrespect for every resident of the Silver State isn't the kind of response that we would expect from Nevadans.

If there is an accident when transporting nuke waste through either Northern or Southern Nevada, the economic impact will affect all of us. Yucca Mountain will be the final destination for the waste, but it can't get there without being an open invitation to an act of terror or an accident. Murphy's Law will take over, because if an accident is possible, it will happen. No longer will Nevada be one solid state, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce couldn't care less.

Then there is the great possibility that Murphy's Law will go into effect in some other populated area, long before the waste arrives in Nevada. Will the U.S. Chamber of Commerce take credit for promoting a disaster? We all know the answer to this question.