Sun editorial:

Our whining governor

Gibbons has gall to blame others for failing to find solutions to problems Nevadans face

Thursday, Nov. 6, 2008 | 2:07 a.m.

On the eve of the election, Gov. Jim Gibbons said he had been cleared by federal investigators of any wrongdoing in the eTreppid Technologies probe. That investigation centered on a claim that Gibbons, while serving in Congress, had wrongfully used his clout to land defense contracts for his friend Warren Trepp, owner of the Reno software company.

Buried in Monday’s news release from the governor’s office, in which he whined about “the pattern of false accusations against me,” were unrelated statements that were pathetic.

“I am mystified and disturbed that elected leaders in this state don’t seem to be able to set aside partisanship for even five minutes to come up with solutions to the problems our citizens face,” Gibbons said. He went on to assure Nevadans that he is working on ideas to get the state’s economy back on track. “I don’t care where good ideas come from,” he said.

Well, Nevadans should be downright concerned that their governor hasn’t come up with a single bright idea to save the economy or improve any aspect of state government since he was elected in November 2006. Who is Gibbons to be lecturing anyone on the failure to come up with solutions to problems our citizens face? Isn’t that what a governor is supposed to do?

What is painfully obvious is that Gibbons has been unable to do his job in running the state. When voters elect a governor, there is an expectation that the office will be held by someone with the fortitude to cope with outside pressures. Gibbons clearly has failed that test.

While he has been whining, real leaders such as Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, have been busy traveling the state getting input from community leaders on what Nevada’s funding priorities should be and ways to properly fund them. That should have been Gibbons’ initiative, but it wasn’t because he still hasn’t learned what it takes to be a real leader.

Discussion: 29 comments so far…

By KDR81

11/6/08 at 7:28 a.m.

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One side, RAISE TAXES RAISE TAXES.

Other side: how about charter schools, privately financed toll roads, privatize hospitals.

So yeah, one side has no solution the other side has a host of solutions.
By thebs

11/6/08 at 10:40 a.m.

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"One side?"

Uh, did you miss the statement from Bill Raggio, announcing he's willing to consider expanding the tax base?

Or is the NPRI announcing that Raggio's suddenly a liberal now?
By jfnance32

11/6/08 at 10:54 a.m.

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I do not remember any Democrat taking a "Lets raise taxes" pledge.

How can they now claim a mandate for a stand they never took during the election?
By thebs

11/6/08 at 11:04 a.m.

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"How can they now claim a mandate for a stand they never took during the election?"

Nice straw man. Quote a Dem claiming a mandate.

And answer my question, why is Raggio suddenly willing to consider expanding the tax base?
By jfnance32

11/6/08 at 11:15 a.m.

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That is even better.....I guess Democats will try to pass higher taxes without claiming that the people mandated it.

Raggo is a RINO. Has been and always will be. He help pushed the last big tax increase.

Like many Democrats, in his primary run, he took a "No Tax Hike" pledge. He quickly abandon that after he won the primary. He even did not wait until after the election.

Good thing there are term limits. He is in the minority. He is in last term which means his political power is greatly reduced. Lame ducks can not offer future political favors to make deals. He will fight for high taxes like his life dependent on it. He wants to build up good will with his dinner party high-society crowd. He will say, "Look at me. I am so proud that I raised taxes. I am enlightened."
By thebs

11/6/08 at 11:26 a.m.

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Oh Nance, I see no quote claiming a mandate.

You know what's funny? In comments on another article on this website, you said, "I think is so funny when non-Conservatives spout out on what Conservatives think."

Then, minutes later, you claim to know that Democrats think this election is a mandate for more taxes, but can't support that statement with any facts or a quote.

Debunking yourself now, I see.

"Raggo is a RINO. Has been and always will be."

Ah, I see. Raggio's special. Any excuse to cling to your debunked rhetoric...

"He help pushed the last big tax increase."

Actually, Raggio and Gansert took tax increases off the table during the last special session. Get your facts straight.
By jfnance32

11/6/08 at 11:53 a.m.

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I guess you can not read.

"He help pushed the last big tax increase." I did not say, "He help pushed the last attempt for a big tax increase."

The last big tax increase did not occur in the last special session or even the last regular session.

The last big tax increased was pushed by Raggio.

My argument is that no Democrat has the right to claim a mandate to raise taxes because they made no promise to do so during the election. Yes, now and in the future, "How can they now claim a mandate for a stand they never took during the election?"
By thebs

11/6/08 at 12:14 p.m.

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"How can they now claim a mandate for a stand they never took during the election?"

And when challenged to name and quote one single elected Democrat claiming a mandate, you could not. You could only change the subject and try to reframe your failed argument.

Thus, your straw man argument is a gigantic failure.
By jfnance32

11/6/08 at 12:22 p.m.

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I am glad that you agree that they would have no basis to make such a claim since they made no such promise to raise taxes during the election.
By thebs

11/6/08 at 12:52 p.m.

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So when your argument fails, you put words into my mouth?

Another failure.

Also, pathetic attempt at reframing your argument.

"How can they NOW claim a mandate for a stand they never took during the election?"

No one is making that claim now, as evidenced by your complete lack of corroborating proof.

LOL, clueless.
By ksand99

11/6/08 at 1:11 p.m.

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Nevada voters spoke loud and clear on Tuesday.

They are tired of Jim Gibbons failure to lead and his slash-and-burn economic policies that have only served to hurt Nevada's families and our economy. They removed Bob Beers and Joe Heck from impeding Nevada's progress toward the future. They rewarded Bill Raggio's and Heidi Gansert's obstructionism with new titles... "Minority Leader."

I don't know what jfnance32 is drinking, but voters rejected your entire premise of government on Tuesday. Clark County went blue, Washoe County went blue, even Carson City went blue.

Only a complete dunce couldn't read the writing on the wall.
By jfnance32

11/6/08 at 1:25 p.m.

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ksand99....even theBS is agreeing that Dems are not claiming to have a mandate to raise taxes.

They did not mention raising taxes during the election.

They can not claim to have a mandate to so now.
By thebs

11/6/08 at 1:30 p.m.

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Nance, stop lying.

I asked you to quote a single elected Democrat who claimed a mandate. You could not.

I did NOT agree with you.

Is that the best you can do? Just blatantly lie when anyone can read my own words? Pathetic.

Ksand has a great point, the voters spoke and sent your buddy Bob Beers packing. They were obviously unhappy with the lack of progress suffered from a Republican Senate.

Nevada voters want progress and we elected Democrats. Let those elected leaders make the best choices for our state.
By jfnance32

11/6/08 at 1:59 p.m.

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No Democrat made a campaign promise to increase taxes.

In fact, some said that they do not want to raise taxes.

They do not have a mandate to increase taxes.

How did the Democrats win control of the state senate?

They said lies like Beers is for porn and wants children to die and that he is under Ethics reveiw.

They said lies like Heck is for women getting cancer.

I guess Dems can claim a mandate to generate more lies.

Copening can claim a mandate to start a state lottery and to build a water project to drain water from the North Nevada for a cost limited to $2 billion dollars.
By thebs

11/6/08 at 2:16 p.m.

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Beers has no one to blame but himself. He lost to a candidate that was embarrassingly unprepared at the first debate.

That says more about the voters' displeasure with Beers than anything else.

The funniest thing about this? NO ONE has claimed a "mandate." The last person to do so was President Bush.

Nance, you're arguing with yourself.
By worstnightmere

11/6/08 at 3:52 p.m.

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Whin Whin Whin... That is all Gibbons is doing, is whinning... Poor little me, I'm a victim.... Please Mr. Govornor, if you can really call yourself a Govornor... Wake up and smell the roses, get on the ball and run this State....
This Great State of ours, spoke loud and clear on Tuesday, we the people do not want anymore of Gibbons, nor his cronies....
By jfnance32

11/6/08 at 4:06 p.m.

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Like theBS says, Democrats are not claiming to have a mandate to do anything, much less a mandate to raise taxes.
By thebs

11/6/08 at 4:44 p.m.

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When the straw man fails, put words into peoples' mouths.

Nance, you're tired and bankrupt.
By jfnance32

11/6/08 at 4:51 p.m.

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theBS quote: "No one is making that claim now"

theBS is saying no Democratic is claiming to have a mandate to raise taxes.

Thanks theBS
By thebs

11/6/08 at 4:55 p.m.

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"How can they now claim a mandate for a stand they never took during the election?"

At 10:54 this morning, you said they are now claiming a mandate.

Now, they aren't?

And you're claiming victory in the argument?

LOL, clueless.
By gmag39

11/6/08 at 4:57 p.m.

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Nance, I do recall the Gov promising to be the "education Governor"... I'm sure we all backed him up with a mandate there. Where would the "education Governor" be putting his imprint on Nevada Education, I'd like to see a nice article saluting him for a job well done. I'm sure he's come up with some innovative, cutting edge ideas. I'm sure by now we're funding full-day kindergarten & early education. Probably every kid that needs a hand-up is getting benefit of at least one of the Governor's wonderful new programs. Class sizes are down, no doubt, he'd have seen the benefit of that surely, even if kdr81 used his emmense influence
to sway him not to. New technologies, better trained teachers, less interference from administrators, books for ALL students, a newfound parental involvement that just astounds,
ALL due to the efforts of our "education Governor" and his mandate. I'm so happy for Nevada.
By jfnance32

11/6/08 at 5:04 p.m.

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Before the financial troubles, Gibbons approved of a budget that had significant increases spending in l-12 and for the first time in a long time, major increases for higher education.

A fact that many kool-aid drinkers refuse to admit.

I am sure that most people want to see increase spending in all levels of government but there is this reality that Nevada is in a deep recession.

I guess we could raise taxes and put more businesses out of work or have them lay off more employees.

That will just make it harder to get out this recession.
By gmag39

11/6/08 at 5:25 p.m.

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Kool-aid drinkers. Is that a term of endearment?
Taxes, Nance, aren't the only issue. Again, it's a question of leadership, of which Jim Gibbons has shown ZIP. Contrary to 99.9 percent of your posts, everything in the world doesn't revolve around you, small buisnesses, and taxes.
That being said, what you & the Gov and most people who post fail to acknowledge is that with the population increases that have continued unnabated for years in Clark County, every budget where there is no increase you have a de-facto cut in funding for education.
By jfnance32

11/6/08 at 5:32 p.m.

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State funding for education has exceeded the rate of inflation plus the rate of growth in population in the last 10 years before the financial downturn.

Also, the per pupil spending rate has gone up faster than the rate of inflation for the last 10 years before the financial downturn.

This is first year that education spending has not exceeded inflation rate in a very long time. They approved in the budget for it to exceed the inflation rate but because sale taxes revenue is down they have to cut during the year.
By gmag39

11/6/08 at 7:15 p.m.

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In my post, I didn't indicate that prior cycles didn't account for inflation and growth, but I'd love to see the data. I'm sure it's from a politically neutral source, right?
Nevada Ranks:
among the lowest in test scores in the country
among the highest in dropout rates in the country
among the lowest for teacher pay
among the poorest funded
has a shortage of textbooks
lacks space for oversized classes
has already made steep cuts
and on and on.
you'll dispute it all with facts and figures of your choosing,from a politically neutral source i'm sure, and make it seem as though Nevada is a veritable bastion of educational excellence. It's not. It sucks. And undeniably, no matter how you couch your facts, making drastic cuts to education funding at this time will add exponentially to the disaster that it is becoming.
By jfnance32

11/6/08 at 8:11 p.m.

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I do not know here you get your facts.

Nevada ranks 25th in the nation in teacher salary.
By gold1020

11/6/08 at 8:53 p.m.

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Next election-THIS GUY IS TOAST.
By johnevegas

11/7/08 at 5:50 a.m.

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"Next election-THIS GUY IS TOAST"

I hope you are right, but don't be too sure.

If Gibbons opponent has ever held office, voted, had any relationships with people, went to school, had an opinion, owned a business, or participated in any organizations, Republicans will find a way to use it against them.

Did you know that Barack Obama is a terrorist who hates America?
By morgen

11/7/08 at 10:32 p.m.

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""State funding for education has exceeded the rate of inflation plus the rate of growth in population in the last 10 years before the financial downturn."

I'd be curious to know where jfnance is getting this information from.

In any case, we're at the bottom of the list in education in Nevada--that's a fact