Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Where I Stand — Mike O’Callaghan: Politics, pot and power

REPUBLICAN STATE SENATE CANDIDATE DENNIS NOLAN is the latest person who says he can't turn off the spigot flooding his campaign with slime and unfounded charges against his opponent Terry Lamuraglia.

Nolan isn't the first Republican or Democratic candidate to claim they can't control the advertisements run by the state and national parties. This issue has surfaced several times during recent years and appears to be getting out of control.

Until the state Republican Party got involved, both Nolan and Lamuraglia were running positive campaigns. Lamuraglia continues down this positive road as election nears. There is no good reason to believe that Nolan would change his tactics and submerge his campaign into the sewer it has become. He told me he has twice asked the party leaders to stop these attacks.

Do political parties honestly believe they are more important than the man or woman who has put their name and reputation on the line? Do political party leaders believe that they should also be able to control the candidate after they enter public office?

Large numbers of party officials making campaign decisions haven't been successful in their own bids for office. Many couldn't get elected if they were on the ballot. Somehow or other they become "experts" on campaigning.

The problems that these campaigns leave behind in a community are suffered by both the winner and loser and their families. The political party goes on to the next election with a bigger bucket of swill to dirty up honest candidates trying to make a difference in their district, city, county, state or nation.

Somebody must be held accountable for campaign activities. How about an agreement that all political advertisements must be approved by the candidate before they are made public?

Why do the people supporting Question 9 continually tell us it will allow for the medical use of marijuana? We already have a law that provides for the medical use of marijuana. That law was made possible by an amendment to the Nevada Constitution, a change that I and a majority of Nevadans supported.

Even the explanation of Q 9 tells voters, "The proposed amendment to the Nevada Constitution would amend sections of the Nevada Constitution that currently authorize the use of marijuana for medical purposes." (emphasis added)

What Q 9 goes on to do is expand the legal use of marijuana far beyond medical use. It can bring it into every home no matter how big or small the family. This is why many Nevadans, who supported medical use, have become opponents of Q 9.

If Q 9 fails, and it should, the use for medical purposes will remain legal.

The proposed expansion of legalizing marijuana can only add to the health and safety problems already too plentiful in our state and nation.

Is the $1.6 million disinformation campaign against Q 14 by Nevada Power confusing the public? Let's hope not. So what is the truth?

I have learned that the biggest lie being spread by Nevada Power in its attempt to frighten the public away from Question 14 is that of $3 billion of new debt. Replacing the managerially and financially reeling Nevada Power with a public power provider would not create new debt -- period. Although most people don't realize it, Southern Nevada's residents and businesses are already making payments on more than $3 billion through their electric bills. And because of Nevada Power's disastrous financial condition and guaranteed profit, customers are paying a steep price. By replacing Nevada Power's existing $3 billion obligation with municipal revenue bonds, electric customers would save hundreds of millions of dollars a year. Conservatively combined with an exemption from federal income taxes, that translates into a 20 percent rate decrease across the board. It's just that simple.6 million disinformation campaign against Q 14 by Nevada Power confusing the public?

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