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twitterThe Economy:
Numbers show Nevada is most ‘distressed’ state
Service providers caught between growing need, shrinking revenue
Monday, July 20, 2009 | 2 a.m.
Sun Archives
- 'One stop' center soon to be down to just one agency (7-7-2009)
- Editorial: State drops the ball (7-2-2009)
- Price of emergency aid from county is a long wait in line (5-26-2009)
- Increasingly, not just the poor are uninsured (4-27-2009)
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Beyond the Sun
Carson City — Nevada’s misery could be conveyed in thousands of individual stories — of layoffs, lost homes and vanishing customers.
In the aggregate, the toll of the region’s economic turmoil can be measured in a series of staggering numbers.
Consider that 42 percent more state residents are on food stamps than a year ago and 30 percent more reached out to the county for housing vouchers and other social services over the past 12 months than a year earlier. Forty percent more Nevada children are on Medicaid than last year.
By summer 2011, an estimated 300,000 Nevadans — about 11 percent of the state’s population — will be on food stamps and another 300,000 will qualify but never apply, according to the state Health and Human Services Department.
Suffering Nevadans are increasingly turning to the government for help, as the state’s economy continues to struggle.
The numbers of people seeking government assistance “are a fair reflection of pain Nevadans are experiencing,” said Jon Sasser, a statewide advocacy coordinator for legal service agencies. “I don’t think they’re surprising. We know how bad the economy is, how high unemployment is. A lot of bad things are happening.”
Not surprising perhaps, but still hard to bear.
Nevada’s economy has been spiraling downward for more than 18 months, according to economists. On Friday, the state announced that unemployment had jumped to 12 percent statewide and 12.3 percent in Clark County, the highest levels since the state began paying unemployment benefits.
According to one index, Nevada has the most “distressed economy” in the nation. The measure, done by the Kaiser Family Foundation, combines the number of foreclosures per housing unit (one in 64), the increase in unemployment and the growth in numbers of people on food stamps. In the last measure, Nevada was the second fastest-growing.
David Rousseau, director of statehealthfacts.org, said Nevada has topped the list since January, when it bumped Florida from the No. 1 position.
Service providers, meanwhile, are being stretched between falling tax revenues and budget cuts on one side and the increase in demand on the other. They worry how governments will pay for these services if the numbers needing them continue to grow.
Those seeking services are increasing faster than the recent grim projections made during the legislative session, according to Mike Willden, director of the state Health and Human Services Department.
About 209,000 Nevadans were on Medicaid in May, almost 5,000 more than the Legislature had approved funding for.
“If our assumptions all remain the same, and the caseloads are running higher, we’re obviously in extreme trouble,” Willden said.
At Clark County Social Service, which mostly serves childless adults under 65, the department is facing layoffs and program cuts, according to Nancy McLane, the county’s director. At the current rate of spending, the department will run out of money by November.
The Legislature redirected property tax money from the county during the last session. A portion of that was designated to fund social services, she said.
Last fiscal year, the department spent $16.6 million. To keep up with the increased demand, the department would need $20 million, but she said it will instead have $11 million to $12 million under the best-case scenario, or $9 million to $10 million.
“We are going to have both staff reductions and program cuts,” she said.
McLane said the increase in people turning to the county for help began in July 2007. It spiked in July 2008, followed by another surge over the past three months.
“I’m not sure what we should see,” she said. “There are a lot of issues that people are facing.”
Guy Hobbs, a fiscal analyst and president of the consulting firm Hobbs, Ong & Associates, said the only bit of hope he has found is “some people say that the level of drops we’re seeing month over month seem to be decreasing. “We’re bouncing on the bottom right now, instead of searching for the bottom.”
Discussion: 74 comments so far…
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When will Too Big Too Fail Senator Harry Reid'mand Weep strat to do something for Nevada.
Nevada has the most "distressed economy" in the nation. The measure, done by the Kaiser Family Foundation, combines the number of foreclosures per housing unit (one in 64), the increase in unemployment and the growth in numbers of people on food stamps. In the last measure, Nevada was the second fastest-growing.
The forecloure help is failing - fix it
Deeeeeeeep Recession!
cancel the cell phone service, the pet insurance, cable tv, get rid of the gas guzzler,use generic toilet paper, and start using coupons at the grocery store. hold on to your seat belt, its gonna be a bumpy ride!
This is the calm before the storm. By turning blind eyes on the illegal population has put such a strain on Social Services as well. As a disabled Senior Veteran it's more than a slap in the face when I am denied a ride on a CAT bus, filled to capacity, because 30% of it's occupany is illegals during an excess of 110 degree tempatures. Put the politicians at the front of the deportation line and call it "Treason" also. Something needs to be said and done NOW!
Let's raise some more taxes on someone, that always helps. Let's raise the room tax and make the cost of coming here higher, that helps attract visitors. Let's raise the minimum wage of taxi drivers, that will put more riders in the cabs. Just follow harry Reid and Hope for change, that always helps.
When Obama showed up in Nevada,
was it to apologize for a lame Las Vegas remark? nope
was it to address the states problems? nope
the visit was to campaign for dirty Harry RE-election.
Obama needs a teleprompter to even say, "God bless America".
Wrong place. You guys need to take your right turn back to the R-J. Who made the mess? Your lousy conservative movement over the last thirty years.
Give us a break and go away.
Keep blaming the politicians that will help. Americans are lazy and cannot stop spending for stuff they dont need.
I see plenty of folks tooling around in big SUVs and whining because they cost alot in gas. Run around yacking on I phones bitching about what they cannot afford. Buying houses they have no business trying to live in. Live within your means would be a good start.
I am a veteran also but why should retired vets get double and triple pensions along with social security while having double coverage for medical with medicare and VA and Tricare? We cannot afford that anymore. Pick one and be happy with it.
I was waiting for someone to point to the 'other side'. BOTH SIDES need to assume the responsibility. As long as the "the lessor of two evils" prevail and we keep electing these dirtballs, this will continue. It don't have to be that way. There is an excess of 40 political parties in this country. If you don't vote with your conscience then you are throwing your vote away. Who's got who 'programed'? An Independant
Steve7952.... GW needed a teleprompter to make up the word "strategery". Not only could he not read (upside down books caught in photos) he could not complete a sentence.
When your own heart throb GW used a teleprompter to say "good morning", and your dearly beloved Hannity can't speak without a teleprompter - why would you even bring up Obama's use of a teleprompter? This is standard equipment dude.
if you want to cut down on criminal behavior, quit re-electing them!
Judy, good point however perhaps "standard equipment" is part of our delima when one doesn't speak from the heart. I watch for 'body language'. So important.
Let's sign the CAP & TAX
& HEALTH SCARE
SO we can raise the burden on businesses even
more and have more misery.
Is your legislator even reading the bills
they are signing? NO
So much for "Transparency" i.e. reading a Bill and giving 72 hour notice. Guess that was GW's fault too.
Las Vegas was a direct beneficiary of easy credit that was available a few years ago. Casinos were hirinbg to meet the booming visitor demand, businessmen committed to building more casinos, resorts, and condos. All of that bullding brought high-wage construction work. Without that easy credit that level of visitor numbers will not happen any time soon, construction work for the most part is gone, too. The Las Vegas economy will operate at a lower level for quite some time. The unemployed will go to where the work is, but is there work anywhere? For now, these people will be on the dole until there is work and most likely that will be out-of-state.
"When will Too Big Too Fail Senator Harry Reid'mand Weep strat to do something for Nevada."
Future -- what??
This is a DEEP recession for LV, no doubt and one Les Vegas will not come out of any time soon. I've said it a million times....I hope they will learn something from all this. After all this is unlike Las Vegas has ever seen before and hopefully will NEVER again.
if you live in nevada...
and criticize reid...
you have got to be a total moron..
a complete and total moron...
reid is the only reason we have a chance to prevent the building of the deadliest, most hazardous dump known to man in our back yard...
period...
end of story...
so you terribly misguided republicans who continue to criticze reid...
well...
you are among the dumbest humans on the planet...
period...
end of story...
Ensign has been spending his time covering up his dirty deeds, and has not provided any new ideas except getting his parents to bail him out. He is a "boy-man" ...he never grew up. In the cult house where he lives in DC, he is in a zombie mode.
Reid will be re-elected. Please provide the names of Republicans who can beat him?
Why does it have to be a "Republican"? There are others. An Independant
most distressed along with what is perhaps the nations largest tax hike.
It really couldn't be any worse than Michigan where the sole employer - the auto industry - has been failing for years.
Patrick- what good did Bush tax cuts for the rich do to the economy? NONE. We ought to roll those back. Tax the wealthy so all Americans can be healthy. We're going to get a government health plan and the private money-making insurance companies will have to lower costs and profits. You Republicans think that lower taxes and "free market" is the solution for everything. That's what that clown of GW tried to do for 8 years and put us in this terrible hole we're in right now. You want to continue going down that path? COME ON, WAKE UP!!!
Mindless party politics ... Can't any of you fight your own intellectual battles without resorting to the partisan crutch?
Nevada and Las Vegas will be fine. If you can't buckle down until then, remember ... A plane leaves Vegas every 30 seconds.
Judy,
Also, the photo of Bush reading an upside down book was photoshopped ding dong. Do you believe everything you see on the internet & SNL?
http://www.snopes.com/photos/politics/bu...
Thumper, your comments are useless to me and any other thinking adult.
Go spread your empty, anonymous anger elsewhere, because it means zero to me.
So far AIG has been saved, the banks have been saved, GM has been saved, TARP has stopped the foreclosure crisis and the STIMULUS has kept unemployment at 8%. Now we just need amnesty for illegals, free health care for all and CAP & TAX all the casino's for their huge air-conditioning carbon footprint.
a "thinking adult is useless"? Stalin and Hitler exterminated them.
Nevada is not in such bad shape. Last month, single-family home sales jumped to record levels by 70% vs. June '08 just as they had increased month after month vs. last year comparison months. Apartment/town homes sales soared by 200% in June '09 vs. June '08 and total real estate inventory had shrunk by 40%.
Also, driving around the other day within just a few miles a $350,000 Maybach pulled up next to me, tons of $60,000+ Hummer H2 (12mpg) rigs were cruising the streets, and one Lexus, Benz and BMW after another aside from the many new SUVs everywhere.
All we had was an economic cycle just that this time it was speeded up. The problem is that state and county governments need to manage risk appropriately by not expecting growth year after year, but to also figure that there will be corrections in between. The Las Vegas economy had an amazing run almost all the way through from 1989 through 2006 and now there was a correction which is absolutely normal. The LV economy is already recovering, ... MGM-Mirage is hiring 12,000 people for their CityCenter project.
Sure, the economy isn't booming currently, but it's on its way of recovery and it just took a breather. What does anyone expect after home prices rose by 200% within just a few years? But the NV and LV economy will come back strong and soon and it will be much stronger than ever before and fortunes will be made again, and everybody will be happy again. Just relax and get yourself ready for the next boom, ... just as history repeats itself over and over again.
scherf, you need to jump out of your bubble and observe and get involved. I am Okay as well however I see others inside their bubbles and I am beating the drum in their behalf. They are hardly making it. That matters.
It's not a democrat or republican thing. But it is political. And we are all to blame. Why? We don't vote for fiscal responsibility or accountability. We vote for or against gun control and abortion. Politicians have a top priority. It's getting re-elected. Who votes for the man or woman who can and will do the right thing? None of us. Why? Because he or she doesn't run because the headlines will be about their lesbian daughter or some cousin in prison or virtually anything else other than the boring issues. And then we complain about policy that leads us to this mess when none of us ever voted for the real issues in the first place.
Who are you "quoting" Steve? Because it isn't me, even though that's your implication.
Las Vegas is what it is - a cyclical, transient, boom and bust city. Anyone who moved here to take advantage of a specific economic scenario would be better served by moving on once that particular economic scenario has run its course.
hey thumper...
you terribly misguided republicans crack me up...
you are willing to have the largest nuclear dump known to man located in our own backyard...
just to prevent reid from scoring one of the greatest political victories of our time...
in case you didn't know it...
nevada is not one of the most populous states in the country...
and therefore it is not one of the most powerful states in the country politically speaking...
so...
for one senator from nevada to hold off this dump...
well...
that is just plain old awesome...
period...
end of story...
and for you to have such a defeatist attitude about yucca mountain...
well that is just plain old pathetic...
for you to actaully argue that since we already have sunrise mountain who cares about yucca mountain...
wow wee...
that is sad...
what a sad clown you must be...
and a total and complete moron to boot...
you are willing to have our community polluted by the most dangerous and hazardous stuff know to man...
just so you can score a political victory...
pathetic...
absolutely and totally pathetic...
period...
end of story...
bottom line...
you and your terribly misguided republican friends...
are total and complete morons....
and you can kiss my proud liberal democrat derriere!!!
Okay. Have all the Democrats complained about the Republicans yet? Have all the Republicans complained about the Democrats yet?
Get it out of your system. Come on, just a few more posts. Okay, good.
NOW SHUT UP. Work on solutions. Both sides are crying about spilled milk. What a waste of time.
Build Interstate-11 from Phoenix to Reno. Connect I-10, I-40, and I-80. Encourage businesses that ship products to move to Reno & Vegas and diversify the economy.
Put limits on the growth for the next five years and review it again in 2014/2015 since we're already done with 2009. Southern Nevada is overbuilt, I don't know about Northern Nevada.
Build the train to SoCal, don't build the train to SoCal - but either way look at another way to bring people into the state of Nevada and help our economy.
The last three paragraphs are not "gospel" or ideas that are "perfect", but it's an attempt to start generating ideas that find solutions to our problems.
Screaming and moaning about Democrats and Republicans is a waste of time. In fact, both sides probably are glad we spend time complaining about issues instead of getting something done about it.
We're Americans. That takes precedence over political parties.
I don't care if you're Republican, Democrat, Independent or whatever party you belong to.
Give me a good idea or solution with some facts and reasonable projections (don't promise me the world) and I'm all for giving it a try.
George Washington was right: Political parties will be the death of this country. It might not happen until we're long gone, but he knew it back in 1796:
George Washington, detested the concept of parties, or factions, because they did not want any political group in the nation to become too powerful. In his Farewell Address to the nation, first published in Philadelphia's American Daily Advertiser on September 19, 1796, rather than delivered orally, Washington waned against the party system in America. Cautioning the public "in the most solemn manner" against the "baneful effects of the spirit of Party," Washington said the party system "serves to distract the Public Councils, and enfeeble the Public Administration... agitates the Community with ill founded Jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one... against another... opens the door to foreign influence and corruption.... Thus the policy and the will of one country, are subjected to the policy and will of another."
http://www.answers.com/topic/what-did-ge...
If the fish is rotten at the tail, you better believe the head is rotten too. And, that seems to be the case for Nevada in general, the country in total. Corrupt, do-nothing leaders that fail the people in order to grease their own palms and fatten their coffers.
Take a look at the C Street mentality and how can anyone expect anything different? Bush operated on that ideology. He was the "decider" - he was "appointed by God to be President" - he changed the laws and the interpretation of the constitution to suit his agenda.
The DC powers that be were all in it for what they could get, and it had a profound trickle down effect on every huge bank, corporation, and industry across the country.
Everyone was on the take no matter what the consequences. Every bank tried to find a way to package and sell subprime and other things they could dream up. It all came back to bite them on the a$$, but before bush left office he began the big bank bailout, without any strings attached and no accountability for the money given. (just like he did with Haliburton and the rest of the war contractors). Even the republicans running for office wanted no part of the bush "legacy" for fear of not getting elected because they knew he was a FAILURE.
This country is going through a purging. But, it still hasn't hit the top level fat cats in corporate America as hard as it should. Let's face it, they are so arrogant as to show up in DC to ask for money after flying there on their corporate jets! Here in Vegas you have casinos laying off hundreds and the CEOs getting multi-millions in compensation. Tell me how this can be justified? is Loveman worth being paid an average of $40,000 per hour???
Everything is out of balance. The rich want to get richer, no matter what the toll on the country. Patriotism?? Try Narcissism!
You people yelling about tax and spend, tax and cap, and all of the other little slogans that make you feel so powerful are barking up the wrong tree. The tax dollars we middle Americans pay, because we don't have the tax shelters afforded to the rich, have been paying for just about everything this country hands out.
The real big money the country could use desperately is being hoarded by the rich and hidden in the loopholes of the tax codes, which were written with them in mind. Of course they don't want to be taxed! who does???
And, how did the corporate fatcats get their money? Mostly through corrupt business practices, over-charging and gouging whomever they could! Then, bribing and lobbying their government lackies for tax codes and other legislation to protect them.
The de-regulations have hurt this country. No one is accountable. Hey...screw your neighbor before they find out how to screw you - and no one will be able to stop you!
This country, state, county, and city need a good LAXATIVE - FULL BLOWN ENEMA! And, sorry to say, those at the tail end feel the most pain. (pun intended)
No need for toilet paper here.
The poop is too deep to remove.
Of course the food that is thrown away at the Casino`s could feed everyone in the state, and if the gaming industry paid their fair share a lot of the suffering would be allieviated.
Well Said transplanted. I could not have said it better myself. It amazes me how the Republicans have these working class people beliving that they have the same tax consequences as the rich. Ronald Raygun was a master at making belive it was a good idea to vote against your own best interest. And now people like Gingrich are trying the same crap.
Here is one thing everyone should know about Reagan. He managed to undue the energy plan that Carter had signed four bill on. An energy plan that included Alternative sources, higher cafe standards clean coal...(he was way ahead of the curve) and nukes. If we would hav followed his plan we would not be at war in the mideast..in fact we would not care what went on in the mideast as that plan would have put us on energy independence. Raygan even tore the solar cells off the white house ..........And the coporations love him. Remember he worked most of his live for GE. He was a true Corporate shill..
steve, i'm a senior vet also, and i take offense the way you look inside a bus and determine who's who. i think vets have been taken care of terribly. to me once you serve you should have free health care for life. as far as vegas economy, youre not the only part who's having a hard time. practices the lead back to regan have caught up america. you can't give everything to rich folks and think they will help the common good.
Govt spending created many jobs in the Great Depression, Hoover Dam for example. Some paint that as socialism, others as a wise public investment -- found a cool site; Balkingpoints ; incredible satellite view of earth
The rich get richer and the poor get children all because all those who could vote, don't.
formervegas, no pune intended however it's so dangerous to draw conclusions over 'assumptions'. Fact is, I had around 15 in line in front of me (Charleston and Maryland Pky) as the boarding was in process. So when I speak with Russian students in the Social Security Office applying for disability I shouldn't be concerned? Nuff said!
vegas = detroit.
one industry, based on discretionary income, with competitors overseas nipping away at it bit by bit.
general motors is to big to fail = vegas is recession proof.
lvdjlv
Good comments. Thanks for trying to steer the Titanic crowd back to reality.
This is not the first severe recession and will not be the last.
If the jump off the ledge crowd saved some money instead of blowing everything and using houses as "investments" aka "ATM housing" then many would not be where they are at.
stevem,
Don't you mean government motors?
Why is Obama holding up a mandatory July budget report from the public until August? hmmm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con...
We were in Vegas for a week last year. It was quite interesting that it looked like 90% of the staff at Circus Circus were Hispanic and mostly spoke Spanish. Seems like if you all have an illegal problem, many legal workers could use those jobs. Plus, how much are they swelling your social services and food stamp program along with health care services???
lvdjlv and newtovegas
We speak the SAME language. The language of common sense.
I think birdiedreamin should look into the chemtrails if (s)he's so concerned about toxic waste. I thought it was a fantastic idea to boldly, willingly take the initiative to handle toxic and nuclear waste and store it properly.
I'd rather have that door opened in my backyard than the "well we better not say what is actually in your backyard if we don't have a place to dispose of it". There's a lot of stories there...
hey phargo...
are you challenged mentally???
sure seems that way to me...
yucca mountain has not already been built...
got that skippy...
and for anyone from nevada to argue that it is ok to become the largest dump on the planet for the worst stuff known to man...
just to win a political battle...
wow wee...
that's just plain old stupid...
but sadly...
most of our terribly misguided republican friends are stupid fools...
just look at w the loser scum bag clown...
and palin...
complete and total fools!!!
Atta Boy Harry Reid. What a fine mess you help get us in supporting Obabanomics. You Jerk!
formervegas 76....and who might pay for for "your" health care that you wish not to pay for? Me? You want it free for life ? You have the VA around the country to go too at a very good rate.And if you think for one moment the VA's across this country are suffering trying to make ends meet,because they have to subsidize those who "are not paying" because they are cheating the system....not because of related injuries,get your facts straight.
Thumper you forgot a few things about sen flip flop though, mag lev is the future? Until someone else puts more money in my pocket!Dont even waste your time with this mindless twit!No doubt this person lives in a world of all they have to do is click there heals 3 times and say,its gonna get better!Its really go s to show you how a statment can be so true( THERES A SUCKER BORN EVERY MINUTE!)All of you that choose our current administration i say THANK YOU!I just love to watch these illegals spend hundreds of my tax dollars at the store,and me walk out with next to nothing! Who gets my vote next time? PAT PAULSON! He may be dead,but could prob do better than the fools we have now!
I thought these comments were monitored and supposed to be relevant.
Insults, name calling and accusations regarding others comments does not seem to elevate the discussion. In fact, many seem to have nothing to do with the topic.
Where are you, Sun Editors? I have always admired the quality of the reporting. What about the quality of the comments?
Comment removed by staff.
And by the way,im neither repooplican,nor democrap!I have a mind of my own,and i am demanding my dividen check for my tax bail out that the current administration seems so eager to hand out to all the others! Im sure this birdiedreamen also has the attude too,(WE NEED THE DUMP,BUT NOT IN MY BACKYARD)!Look around your own house and just see how bad your polutieing the ground all by yourself!
Its a waste of time thumper with someone thats got that much devotion to Sen flip flop!With some of his comments it just may be Scary Harry himself?
ahhh...
did i hurt somebodies feelings...
boo hoo hoo...
so you poor poor terribly misguided loud mouth republican clowns had to go running to the las vegas sun police to have one of my brilliant posts removed...
boo hoo hoo...
reminds me of johnnie boy ensign running to mommy and daddy for help...
was it you thumper...
are you the girly man...
was it you rumrunner...
are you the thin skinned wuss...
what a bunch of cry babies...
boo hoo hoo...
hee hee hee...
hoo hoo hoo...
haa haa haa...
sounds like a lot of people here have a lot of time on their hands but very little experience or education to back up the words that easily come out of their brains. i'm sure the staff at the sun have heard all this rhetoric before and are most likely bored out of their minds. they'd rather be in san diego or san francisco.
Its pretty bad all over. There is a city in Cali with 25% unemployment. Foreclosures are happening in unbelievable numbers here and CA put another moratorium on foreclosures for 90 days.
LV has too much uneducated, unskilled labor. You have to do more than serve food to own a house and raise a family anywhere in the country and most all of the world.
The cost of living in most cities is much higher. You may not have it that bad there.
Its
Remember all of the jabs at California by the Nevada Business Development Agency? Yes we have it bad -their government has it worse. But, at least their economy is not centered around one industry. Where are all of those companies that this agency was getting to move to Las Vegas? Sorry but most people out of work can not get educated on solar power work without losing unemployment and the fact is that so far these jobs have not created thousands of opportunities that we need.
Everyone got greedy when things were good 2 years ago:
Casino Room Rates and lack of care for locals, Casino Top Level Management Salaries, Unions that had more business due to all the conventions coming to town and of course our always friendly cab drivers (well they continue to long haul - so they still are greedy). Of course the Fire Fighters, who admittedly chose a brave profession, have not had to suffer with their salaries and benefits. No wonder why so many want to sign up.
To hear about how millions of dollars of stimulus money created - wow a whopping 100 jobs for one state! It just seems that the money just served as a stopper for State budgets.
Gibbons - what a great leader he has turned out to be. How did Reno get more money than Vegas?
Too many leaders with too many interests, none seem to be for the common man that is hurting right now in Nevada. For the position that Harry Reid has, what is he bringing home to Nevada? Not very much. So what is that doing for us. Then again, who is the answer to even replace him? There is no one for Las Vegas, that is for sure.
Ensign - you got to wonder if bringing home the bacon means to everyone in this State what it means to his lovelife? He is no help right now.
Oscar - come on
LVCVA - still eating at the best places in town talking about $300 room rates from new hotels being built. Is that helping?
People are losing their homes, they can not find work, unemployment benefits are not at the level of other states for those who are trying to get out of this mess.
Will a leader emerge for Nevada? Will a leader emerge for Las Vegas? Someone without an agenda, someone who wants to help everyone get up out of this.
Hey thumper sounds as if birdbrain is in harry s pocket? BIRDBRAIN seems to live in a world of deception and fits right in what the powers that be want to hear! Keep clicking your heals together and say it will get better?Or is that what harry told you at your lunch on tax payers dime!And they only person i hear the crying from is birdbrain! Keep to the facts pal and stop with the personal attacks.Seems thats the only tactics democraps have!