Print
E-mail
Share
digg
Newsvine
Facebook
Stumble
Technorati
reddit
Fark
twitterOne Man’s View:
Congressman lies about Las Vegas railroad
Wednesday, March 4, 2009 | 4:59 p.m.
Tim O'Callaghan
Arizona Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., has either lost his moral compass, spent too much time in the Arizona sun or is a baldfaced liar.
Franks flatly deceived viewers on Fox's "America's Newsroom" earlier this week by implying that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had earmarked funds for a railroad from Disneyland to the Moonlight Bunny Ranch, one of many legal brothel outside Carson City.
How could Franks come up with such bucket of hogwash? It's obvious he has already spent too much time in Washington, D.C., because he has clearly forgotten his western geography. There is no direct rail right-of-way from Las Vegas to Carson City, 400 miles away.
First, the proposed $12 billion magnetic levitation train is planned connect Las Vegas to Anaheim, Calif., not to Lyon County, Nev.
Maybe he just got confused. There are two separate projects being proposed with a single thread in common — tourism.
The two rail projects are probably a century apart in design, the maglev is a super speed aerodynamic passenger train yet to be completely designed. The other is the McCloud No. 18, built by Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia in 1914. This steam engine burns oil to make steam.
The reconstruction of the Virginia Truckee Railroad project began in 1974 from Virginia City to Gold Hill, with plans that now extend all the way to Carson City — well past the brothels at Mound House. By the way, the funds proposed for the VTRR are less than $500,000.
This is no more than another Republican arrow whizzing at the target on Reid's back. It also demonstrates the desperation of the GOP to cast aspersions on Nevada's senior senator and Senate Majority Leader.
The mere fact that a member of the United States Congress would go on a national cable news program to tell a lie is sickening. To fabricate such a ridiculous lie by combining two projects 400 miles apart, then spinning up a little diversion to include businesses that are in the vicinity of each project, is desperation.
Fox host Megyn Kelly laid the track for Franks' line of deceit by saying, "It's a super railroad of sorts, a line that will deliver customers straight from Disney — we kid you not — to the doorstep of the Moonlight Bunny Ranch Brothel in Nevada."
Franks clearly misled viewers by affirming the train would run from Disneyland to the Moonlight Bunny Ranch in Mound House, Nev.
Kelly later piped in with, "The bunnies are very happy about this development," adding fuel to Franks' outrageous lie.
Fox obviously has an inside line with the Bunny Ranch by means of Fox talk show host Sean Hannity, who spent some time interviewing the bunnies at the ranch in 2007.
Even though Kelly half-heartedly challenged the validity of Franks' claim, she was doing her best to take advantage of the interview.
The irony of Franks' charade is that 80 percent of his district, which includes the Colorado River system and the Grand Canyon, benefits from Nevada tourism, which sends thousands of Las Vegas and Laughlin tourist to those sites every day.
The second irony is that Franks alluded to Americans losing trust in government, but how can Americans trust congressmen like Franks when he is capable of totally twisting the truth with a straight face?
Wow, I need to remove my rose-colored glasses.
Tim O’Callaghan, co-publisher of the Home News, can be reached at 990-2656 or tim.oc@vegas.com. He writes a regular blog at tocomv.blogspot.com.
Discussion: 20 comments so far…
Post a comment
- Most Read
- Discussed
- Most E-mailed
- Franchione potential early candidate for UNLV football post
- Police: 3 arrested in officer’s death have gang ties
- Big fight headed for a New Frontier?
- Mayor: Morale not good among LV city employees
- Hotels rein in risque advertising campaigns
- $60 million to stabilize neighborhoods buys five homes
- MGM Mirage (finally) makes George Strait show official
- Las Vegas condo hotels remain a tough sell — just ask Trump
- Reserve Rebels didn’t have time to panic
- Funny Face: Carrot Top’s stage act a mask of contradictions
Blogs
Elsewhere
Sands China raises $2.5 billion in Hong Kong IPO
Marquardt v. Sonnen scheduled for UFC 109
Bloggity, Bloggity, Bloggity
Will a fourth consecutive title by Jimmie Johnson be good or bad for NASCAR? (1 Comment)
Top Chef: Las Vegas
The Jet Stream: And then there were four
Top Chef Episode 12: On keeping it simple
Miech Again
Chilly start for Chace, but Stanback says he'll warm up (1 Comment)
Elsewhere
Harvard Poker Pro: Texas Hold 'Em skills can help traders
- Live chat
- Tuesday, noon PST
- Chat with Krista Creelman
- Problem Gambling Center executive director Krista Creelman will answer questions about gambling addiction from Las Vegas Sun readers from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. ... Submit question
Calendar »
- 21 Sat
- 22 Sun
- 23 Mon
- 24 Tue
- 25 Wed
-
UFC 106 at Mandalay Bay Events Center
Mandalay Bay Events Center | 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
-
Julio Iglesias at the Las Vegas Hilton
Las Vegas Hilton
-
Natasha Wicks hosts at Hawaiian Tropic Zone
Hawaiian Tropic Zone | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
Tito Ortiz hosts at Tao
Tao | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
Hiroshima at Santa Fe Station
Santa Fe Station
-
Frank Mir hosts at LAX
LAX Nightclub | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
The Four Tops at The Orleans Showroom
Orleans Hotel-Casino
-
Amir Sadollah hosts at Prive
Prive | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
Yesterday, from the floor of the House of Representatives, Congresswoman Shelley Berkley responded to several attacks on Nevada by other Members of Congress over funding, including the Mag--lev train.
Here is what she had to say about the train, "Then we found out about the Mag-lev train, countless republicans have misrepresented the $8 billion included in the stimulus bill as being an earmark for the Las Vegas-Anaheim Mag-lev route."
"The only problem is even after it was pointed out that there is no earmark, that Las Vegas and California are going to have to compete with other projects, that this has been a project that's been in the works for 20 years and that it will bring thousands of visitors to the Las Vegas area and to the Southern California area, the lies continue."
"The latest one was Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. He repeated the lie in his televised response to the President's remarks to Congress, claiming the bill included funding for a magnetic levitation line from Las Vegas to Disneyland."
"And then it goes one worse. Trent Franks just mentioned there's a Mag-lev going from Disneyland to the Moonlight Bunny brothel. Now I grew up in Las Vegas and I've never heard of the Moonlight Bunny brothel, but I guarantee the Mag-lev train is not going there."
I've posted the entire statement on my blog, tocomv.blogspot.com
Sorry to say its just politics as usual for the GOP..."dont' let the facts get in the way of your opinion" and if you repeat a lie loud enough and long enough it becomes fact.
The video is very telling...
Statement A:"It (the stimulus bill) includes ... $8 billion for high-speed rail projects, such as a magnetic levitation line from Las Vegas to Disneyland," "
Statement B: "...$8 billion for high-speed rail that could help develop a proposed line between Las Vegas and Disneyland could bring additional jobs to the state."
Statement C: "...$8 billion to construct high-speed rail lines.....noting that a proposed Los Angeles-to-Las Vegas rail might get a big chunk of the money."
Which one(s) are lies?
Who cares what anyone on Faux News says anyway.
you know whats really sad my poor mother watches that news and takes as gospel....how can we allow this? staight up lies?.....but we do if this keeps up .. civil war.. the only problem is most of the GOP talk tough but when it come to actually doing the fighting they no where to be found.
nance,
Statement D "It's a super railroad of sorts, a line that will deliver customers straight from Disney -- we kid you not -- to the doorstep of the Moonlight Bunny Ranch Brothel in Nevada."
Megyn Kelly-FOX NEWS
According to Google Maps, that place is in Northern Nevada, not Southern Nevada. So not only does FOX fail basic geography and fact checking, but they repeat lies at the same time.
Do the throw a nickel in a jar or something for every time a FOX News talking head lies? I'd love to get a piece of that action.
I guess everybody is saying all three statements are truthful.
Actually Nance,
None are true because the proposed rail is going to neither L.A. or Disneyland. It is going to Anaheim, however, Disneyland is certainly in Anaheim and the Bunny Ranch is definitely in Nevada...
Need a spoon for the sarcasm?
Wow....none of them are true.
One statement came from a Republican.
One statement came from Reid's office.
One statement was written by a Sun reporter in the reporters new article.
A politician not telling the truth. Sorry, not news anymore. Happens every day. Comes from both sides, not just Republicans. Nothing new here......
Unfortunately.
Was that a new revelation?
Arizona doesn't have any congressmen or congresswomen that possess brains.
In a Sun's "news article" they called Jindal a liar for saying the above statement.
Yet, on another day, in a Sun's "news article" they make a similar statement as fact.
So is the Sun now calling itself a liar?
Nance,
Not sure I totally agree with your logic in this matter... What we're talking here pure semantics.
1: the study of meanings: a: the historical and psychological study and the classification of changes in the signification of words or forms viewed as factors in linguistic development b (1): semiotic (2): a branch of semiotic dealing with the relations between signs and what they refer to and including theories of denotation, extension, naming, and truth
2: general semantics a: the meaning or relationship of meanings of a sign or set of signs ; especially : connotative meaning b: the language used (as in advertising or political propaganda) to achieve a desired effect on an audience especially through the use of words with novel or dual meanings
I must admit I appreciate your tenacity.
Cheers
I guess I would say that the statement that said the stimulus package included the $8 Billion is the false one. The package never did.
Any statement that says it COULD be built, or it would definitely help tourism if it WAS built, would also be correct. I don't think that's really open for debate. Simple common sense.
As for basis for this article, this isn't news any more. Have 10 Senators read any proposal, and you'll definitely get at least 2 completely different spins on it. How 2 parties can read things so drastically different is beyond me, but that's precisely why I think politics as we know it is horrifically anitquated and ruining our country.
It's a good thing when you have two sides offer different ideas on how to solve a problem. It's stupidly counterproductive when you have two sides disagree ON the problem, or even agree whether there IS a problem. This is why congress' popularity and approval rating is near an all-time low.
I watched the Fixed News actress talk that nonsense with that dope from Arizona and I have to say... it is true; The Arizona heat affects the brains of those simple little desert rats most obviously. What I can't understand is how a retarded desert rat like Trent Franks gets elected in the first place, except by other retarded desert rats.
hmmmm.....since Amtrack is a loser what does one think about funding this???? how many people are going to pop out of Disneyland then hop to Vegas?? SouthWest airlines will bury it....oh boy....yet another dumb idea....but what does one expect from Reid-Obama!!!!! this grows in hilarity day by day from the Muslim Nation!!!! oh wait a minute....we can just add it to the yearly bailouts like the post office, Amtrack. Government Motors.....hahahahahaha....looks like the heat is getting to everyone.....