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twitterNevada’s diminished governor
Wednesday, June 3, 2009 | 2:01 a.m.
One man is responsible for the state’s budget devastation being averted, for domestic partnerships being legalized, for F Street in West Las Vegas being reopened, for the most backward of the country’s 50 states looking progressive after the 75th session of the Nevada Legislature.
Thank goodness for Jim Gibbons.
With all due respect to the caucus discipline remarkably enforced by Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley and the elevating leadership precociously displayed by Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, the unifying force in the state capital in the 120 days of bathos was The Man Formerly Known as Governor.
This will be Ø’s legacy as he plays out the string of one of the most undistinguished yet eventful gubernatorial terms in Nevada history — the man who brandished his veto stamp like a wildly swinging swordsman, cutting only himself and solidifying a legislative coalition that held together the state’s fragile foundation.
Thank goodness for Jim Gibbons.
This oxymoronic man was so irrelevant that he was relevant, making policy, political and rhetorical gaffes that cemented support against him. His inability to collaborate, which could have been foretold from his decade on Capitol Hill, enabled lawmakers to perform the functions of the legislative and executive branches.
State Senate Minority Leader Bill Raggio’s instincts are to respect the institutions of government to a fault — and he might have led his caucus to stand by Gibbons if The Man Formerly Known as Governor had relationships. But he did not try — or, perhaps, he simply is incapable of forming bonds.
Gibbons, a loner in Congress, failed to develop any important partnerships, and that cost him any chance of advancement within the House. Similarly, when he became governor, his method of reaching out was the same as it was in D.C. — issue a news release — and that cost him any chance to advance his legislative agenda.
Indeed, one wonders if he even cared about his supposed agenda. What is so striking here is that amid his claims that he kept his promise — no new taxes — is that in one of the country’s strongest executive branch states, he did not lift a finger to go beyond his rhetoric. He came, he spoke, he receded.
Thank goodness for Jim Gibbons.
There is not a shred of evidence, his staff’s equivocations aside, that The Man Formerly Known as Governor lobbied strongly for any key piece of legislation or against the tax package he has said will destroy the Nevada economy. If he indeed believes that lunacy, he could have followed through his words with deeds.
He rarely picked up the phone to talk to legislative leaders — not any of them said they had talked to him more than a handful of times. And the only lawmakers who trundled over to his office to flank him during any of his media stunts were members of the Just Say No to Anything Caucus, about a half-dozen assemblymen who will eventually be remembered as accidents of history. They were already with him; Ø moved no votes.
Thank goodness for Jim Gibbons.
This was the Session of Few Surprises, one in which the lofty goals of the Democratic leaders, complete with Churchillian “never again” pronouncements, a hard and fast timeline and promises of openness and vision, gave way to economic and political realities. They did what they have always done and, in some ways, what they had to do: just enough.
But compared with the budget presented by the executive branch — a thoughtless, meat-headed manifesto that even conservative think tanks and editorial boards eviscerated — they accomplished a prodigious feat. They shredded the executive budget and produced their own — and that truly was bipartisan, even if many of the Republicans later tried to have it both ways by voting for spending and voting against the taxes to provide it.
Thank goodness for Jim Gibbons.
The Man Formerly Known as Governor provided the perfect, emblematic ending to his governorship with his 40-plus vetoes, about 60 percent of which were overridden. Only a governor so bereft of any relationships with either party could have such a wide array of vetoes — some of the bills were supported unanimously or nearly so, some were backed by groups that normally support him.
Republicans who fear a 2010 tsunami reminiscent of the 2008 tidal wave soon will pay a visit to The Man Formerly Known as Governor to persuade him to retire. They know that he has Ø chance of reelection but that he could, potentially, survive a GOP primary.
And if that happens, once again he will become a unifying force, this time for the state Democratic Party. And from Harry Reid on down, Democrats will be chanting a familiar chorus:
Thank goodness for Jim Gibbons.
Discussion: 18 comments so far…
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Jon, great article! Thank you for your in the trench work of the Zero and a long 5 months.
Thank you, Jon, for continuing to keep the heat on this sorry excuse for a Governor.
Sum zero can now retire to his tax free ranch in Elko, text his numerous girlfriends, on state time, collect his retirement checks from organizations he inhabited through his worthless career.
Only in a state as corrupt as Nevada, where its back room scammers such as the saloon operators, international mining companies, whore houses and Casino Operators could such a leadership come into being.
Yep we are just a notch behind Mississippi with slot machines.
Tell the truth Jon, you know you secretly have a man crush on old Big Head Gibbons don't you? But you are right, the man has been about as effective as a soup knife.
Excellent commentary, as usual.
Your coverage of this legislative session has been worthy of a Pulitzer.
Lead-er-ship: The ability to discard as useless other peoples; ideas, concerns, suggestions, experience, education, knowledge and opinions while remaining secure in the superiority of one's self and one's ability to have the only possible answer to any problem presented.
Our beloved governor is very qualified for such a role.
It's funny how we hate the hallway conversion, the back room handshake, and the shady deal until we have someone in power who has no clue how to do any of those things.
Is there a test for autism in adults? (the love-gov, not you, John)
Thank goodness for Jim Gibbons.
The man who single-handedly galvanized the gang of 63 towards a common cause. To prove how inept the governor is and to actually accomplish something this legislative session by protecting Nevada's future. Hopefully the state leaders will take the initiative to produce some type of tax reform for the next legislature to implement so that Nevadans can survive the lean times as well as enjoy prosperous times.
Nice article from the man formerly know as D.U.I.
Jon,
This is one of the finest works you have ever written. It will go down as one of the best rebukes of former Governor Jim Gibbons in the history of Nevada. Beautifully said and one that will never be forgotten.
Thank EWE, Gym Gibbins!
Gud luk in the few chur.
Yer fordy vee toes will linger as yer badj of on er.
U R NOW N HISTORIK FIGUR!
I wonder whether this budget would have been passed if the legislature actually had to go out and get people to willingly contribute to funding it, rather than just expcting to just steal it from them through taxes !!!!
The fox always votes to increase the number of hens in the henhouse, doesnt it? At least the governor tried to minimize the tax bite for us citizens.
The country flushed the toilet in 2008. Nevada will flush it in 2010.
Boy yet another oh so predictable lynching of Jim Gibbons.
So short of the guy killing himself, what would make you people happy? I mean come-on don't you think this is all a bit creepy the overwhelming need to tare this man down? For what exactly? incompetence? arrogance? surely for not being like most Politicians, a well-connected crook.
The Hypocrisy of Gibbons bashers is surreal.
Hey Unk, take a spelling class.
Tare this man down? How about tear this man down? That's how the rest of the world spells.
How about tear him down for being an ignorant imbecile who is too busy texting his love interests to pay any attention to what is going on in this state, and being too much of a coward to do what is necessary to keep core services working through the tough times.
He is the lamest Governor ever, and the citizens of the state deserve an apology for his 4 years of disservice, and his salary back.
I think its pretty obvious how lame Gibbons has become. His wife can't stand him, other politicians can't stand him. Hes become a joke for this state.
Hey Unk, you wanna know what sucks about Gibbons?? Its about the same thing that sucked about George Bush. These idiots are in office and they are suppose to be working for US...and despite public opinion or what the people of Nevada made clear that they want or don't want. Jim "Captain Combover" Gibbons does exactly the opposite, and then tries to pat himself on the back while other republican state officials are like..."Huh??"
This joke of a man does not deserve to be in government in any sense of the word. I wouldn't trust this idiot to be city dog catcher.
So one is to believe Nevadans WANT their taxes raised? In the worst economic times since 1930?
The attack of Gibbons is so transparent. We all know why he is being attacked day after day. It is like a bunch of whiny kids arguing with their parents over not getting their allowance increased.
The Sun Newspaper and an army of Bloggers have kept this bash-Gibbons-Meme alive for far too long. Gibbons has become the new Bush for many. Grow up already.