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Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012 | 2:01 a.m.
Another view?
View more of the Las Vegas Sun's opinion section:
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Our state has 12 percent unemployment, which is the highest in the nation. To reduce this high unemployment, every major study recommends that we diversify our economy. Following these studies, many of our leaders talk about action, but few do anything.
Sen. Harry Reid is the exception to the rule because he is doing something about our high unemployment as he works (not talks) to diversify our economy by creating clean energy production (geothermal, solar and wind) which has already created more than 3,500 jobs and $248 million in state revenue. Meanwhile, powerful old industry interests and their lobbyists are attacking Reid’s plans by arguing that things are fine just as they are, while enjoying record profits.
We have an abundance of geothermal, solar and wind energy in Nevada. So let’s follow Reid’s leadership and try to quadruple our state’s clean energy production by the year 2020. This will employ an additional 10,000 Nevadans and generate $744 million more for our state’s coffers.
LOL Reid created jobs
Reid's fixation on solar plants for years has left Nevada buying most of it power from out of state.
Every two weeks we hear from Reid how he is streamlining the federal rules and regulations only for solar plant. Yet it is still to hard to permit a solar plant.
Obama keep adding new harsh DOE, EPA, and Interior rule everydays and Harry can not keep up with them.
Harry want to shutdown the Reid coal plant and Obama said no
The solar plant in Reid's backyard only employes 5 people
Reid has been in on every scam land deal for these solar plants
--
--
They need to get their act together
The only thing Reid is working to diversify is his political support. He made this abundantly clear when he switched his support from the MagLev to The Train to Nowhere. Add in his efforts to bring Chinese solar interests here instead of US companies, coupled with his insistence that there is no illegal immigration problem in Nevada, and one has to wonder if rumors of his having a stroke might be true.
Both Reid and the green energy business are dismal reflections of the policies of this current administration. The truth is that green energy is far over rated,expensive, and not job intensive. Green energy certainly has its place in the mix. Nevertheless it's a distant finisher to coal, natural gas and oil. Reid has been an utter failuare along with Obama.
In reply to Jim Bacon, "boftx"; your comment of Senator Harry Reid having a stroke truly shows your colors as to who you really are. Just remember, "Turnabout is fair play."
"Ronald Reagan could have been a much better Leader on economics if he had been in the latter stages of Alzheimer's during his presidency." <Bradley Chapline>
BChap,
I fully agree that it is a sobering thought to realize that our President, the most powerful man in the world at the time, had Alzheimer's. But surely you will admit it was a well kept secret at the time.
It wasn't until after he left office we heard jokes about the new IBM Presidential typewrite: it had no memory and no colon.
Only diversification dirty harry is working on is his pocketbook. Long ago he sold his soul to the highest bidder to pay for his luxury Watergate condo in Washington DC. He's history. His career is over.
CarmineD
On a more serious note, setting aside any question of Reid's ethics, he has made a number of verbal gaffes in recent years that call his state of mind into question.
Two of the most notable is his statement that Nevada does not have a problem with illegal immigrants in the workforce (at the time) and that Ford could not have survived without the most recent government bailout (when they were the only one of the Big Three NOT to take it.)
I sincerely wish that Reid will be replaced as the Senate Majority leader, either by another Democrat or by the Republicans winning the Senate.
Reid simply is not doing a good job at this point and is creating as many problems with how he runs the Senate as the Republicans are with their actions in the House.
As usual, "Houston's" comments have "Jack-knifed". Most American based coal manufacturers are refusing to invest in "clean coal" systems. However, as the Obama administration continues to more strongly regulate these polluters, now the game, as usual is to outsource to China. What a brilliant move!!! China, at 80% now leads the world, by far as the most significant polluter of our environment.
Sure Republicans, we all understand your level of thinking. When a nuclear bomb is detonated, the devastating effects of that bomb never ever go outside the borders of the country the subject bomb was used against. Yeah!!! I remember all the classroom instruction I had on that in school!!!
Another Republican ideology; I may be breathing hard. My butt may be singed, but my pockets are filled with dollars!!! Ya-Hooooooo!!!
Why are we (or rather, Reid) looking to China to build solar panel manufacturing plants here in Nevada when China is at the same time the worst polluter in the world (as BChap mentions)?
If Reid (and every other Nevada politician) really gave a damn about clean energy they would raise bloody hell about Nevada Energy putting in so-called "smart meters" that still don't allow a consumer to sell power back to the grid if they have the capability and HOAs that basically forbid putting "unsightly" solar panels on rooftops.
"Boftx"; Jim Bacon writes, "If Reid (and every other Nevada politician) really gave a damn about clean energy they would raise bloody hell about Nevada Energy putting in so-called "smart meters" that still don't allow a consumer to sell power back to the grid if they have the capability and HOAs that basically forbid putting "unsightly" solar panels on rooftops."
Ummmm, this would fall on the shoulders of Republican Governor Brian Sandoval. But, we understand, Sandoval has been getting himself groomed at an undisclosed "Mutt Shop" for his upcoming speech at the Republican National Convention.
BChap,
Unless I am mistaken, the smart meters were installed in 2010, before the election. Point the finger at Gibbons if you must, but both parties in Carson City are culpable in this.
No, it was Reid getting in bed with Sig and the Train to Nowhere that says it all, when it comes down to it.
As usual "Boftx"; here goes Jim Bacon spouting off and reaching out for illegitimate excuses to slam Senator Harry Reid.
The link below proves the practicality and profitability of the train. Read it! Understand it!
A visitor to Las Vegas who has had no stress, no frustrations in their trip to Vegas is a much better spender than one who is under forms of frustration and or strain.
Jim, get your fingers ready. One plus one, equals two. Two plus one, equals three. Two plus two, equals four. Simple, isn't it? I'm only asking this because I care about your health. Have you been checked lately for the possibilities of a brain-altering illness? Because, Senator Reid certainly does not have any of the health problems that you have accused him of possessing.
http://www.railroad.net/l-a-las-vegas-bu...
Sen. Reid should go after the big mining thieves. While local and state government scrape for pennies the mining giants can't haul away their free bullion fast enough.
Unbridled corporate welfare is killing Nevada.
What about the 10% of Nevada workers who are ILLEGAL invaders stealing jobs from Americans? "Nevada home to largest share of illegal workers" according to AP headlines propagated in the LVSun but NO COVERAGE and NO ACCOUNTABILITY. What about the resulting 20-40% of illegals in K-12 taxing CCSD and Nevada Citizens? Hey Harry, what about it?
My, my, my, Roslenda, why do you make it so easy for us Democrats to defeat you in a debate?
Here are the facts:
"During the three years of his term, Mr. Obama has deported more than 1.1 million immigrants, the most by any president since the 1950s."
And here is the remainder of the article;
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/16/us/us-...
Try Roslenda to calm your abhorrence towards Hispanics. This does not paint a good picture of you.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/california...
The Hispanics understand many ignorant Americans hate them and they are leaving in droves. Soon Roslenda and the rest of us will be paying 5 bucks for a tomato.
At 8 bucks an hour the 12 million Hispanics were producing nearly $100,000,000.00 an HOUR in output. Maybe Roslenda can take one of those farm jobs. Farmers are forced to pay close to 19 an hour for work that used to get done for 50 a day.
If Reid wanted to pad his pockets he would open a lobbying firm or powerful law firm. He would make in a week what he makes as a politician. A first year grad from a top 14 law school makes close to what he makes and the kid doesn't have to maintain multiple residences and leave his or her family.
We outsource to China for the cheap abundant labor but the vast cheap labor supply to our south we attack.
China spends ten times what we spend on alternative energy. If we don't get our heads out of our rear ends energy and food prices will explode when recession number 48 comes and goes over the next few years.
Nevada has a sky high violent crime rates, terrible education and the highest medical costs. Families in large numbers will never move here. Kids get killed left and right. Legalize marijuana, gay marriage and prostitution and the cash will fly into the state. NY is expected to make $200 million a year off gay marriage alone. The above are multi-billion dollar businesses. Get the party started!
Gerry said: "We outsource to China for the cheap abundant labor but the vast cheap labor supply to our south we attack."
That is because all of these seemingly independent issues trace back to one really, namely the Rotten Money. That a production of the Republican Richard M. Nixon.
China buys US Treasury Debt. Mexico not so much. next
Just for the record Harry Reid destroyed our Gaming Industry. That achievement started in the 70's when as Gaming Control boss he drove the mob out and welcomed in the low fruit picking Corporations. Now we are an economy driven by Pool Parties and foot long margaritas dispensed from slurpie machines.
What we need is to double down. We need to get into Exchange Betting in a very serious way. We need to be the center of the Universe for internet gambling. We need a massive refocus of our entire gaming offerings to cater to young people. We need to legalize pot and prostitution.
But instead of what we need, we will get airport re-namings, solar farms, choo-choo trains to Barstow and stripmalls.
That's Harry lol.
"During the three years of his term, Mr. Obama has deported more than 1.1 million immigrants, the most by any president since the 1950s."......
Now that's a Chris Mathews moment for dimwits. Why would he be deporting immigrants, the article in reference was about President Obama circumventing Congress and the current law regarding illegals and their children. The fact is Democrats and Republicans both have been exploiting immigrants and illegals, particularly Latino immigrants. Reid and Obama working to destroy the Nevada economy is the reality, and they're doing a fine job of it.
We have been exploiting Blacks, Mexicans, Chinese and Eastern Europeans since the founding of this nation. What do you think slavery was all about???? Low cost labor. My wife's family was brought here to work in mining from Poland. Americans don't have a clue as to what hard back breaking work is all about. Most have never done it.
There are thousands of housing units being built all over Vegas. Try to find a worker with light colored skin.
zippert: are you bipolar? (Some posts have some logic and thought. Other posts are ranting defensive of PERCEIVED slights.) I've nothing against Hispanics and much of my family could pass.... I'm against law breakers. Fairly simple math explains that our economy cannot support all the illegals and all the third world without seriously degrading our standard of living. I don't want to go there. It's rather common knowledge (try a web search) that there are 14 million illegals EMPLOYED in NON-agricultural (is that word too big for you?) jobs in this country. They do not pay taxes other than some FICA which is offset by fraudulently claiming (because the tax preparers "tell them to") refunds for child tax credits. Visaed workers are not illegal and I know of no one opposed to this practice or even expanding it. Re 9:42: Would eliminating the illegals not bring down the crime rate and the attacks on OUR children? Enough violent crime against AMERICANS by illegals who want our cash. Don't you pay enough in taxes? You want to pay for K-12 for 30-40 million illegal kids? You don't want anything left to fund SS, Medicare, law enforcement?
What does the Senator have to say about the Obama administration ordering federal agents to break federal law and their oath to uphold the constitution? It takes ICE agents to file suit against the illegal invaders. What are the invaders dreaming about now?
diversify (d-vurs-f, d-)
v. diversified, diversifying, diversifies
v.tr.
1.
a. To give variety to; vary: diversify a menu.
b. To extend (business activities) into disparate fields.
2. To distribute (investments) among different companies or securities in order to limit losses in the event of a fall in a particular market or industry.
v.intr.
Just in case our politicians can't recall what it means.This is something that should have been done DECADES ago....DECADES !!
Roslenda...I may be bipolar but you can't read. Read my 0925 post. Illegals come to this country to do the crap work that Americans are to fat to do or not willing to do. Because they are leaving labor shortages are popping up all over the country and costs are exploding. Billions in food is going to waste and farmers are paying up for workers when they can find them.
I wish you all the best when food prices double and triple. You are going to need it.
In terms of crime millions of crimes are committed every year in the USA. Crime is part of a vast underground economy.
Illegals who commit crimes belong in a different category than the folks that build our homes, clean our homes, wash our dishes, raise our kids and provide us with affordable food. If you want to be hostile about the illegal issue blast your neighbors who hire these people. They are to lazy to cut their own lawns or mop their floors.
Step away from your computer and talk to folks in agriculture. If they have to pay 20 an hour to bring food to market they WILL pass the cost to YOU.
If Obama is such a border warrior why are ICE agents suing the Feds for hamstringing their enforcement efforts?
Bradley, I get that you are in the tank for Obama but can you at least post relevant information? I actually think you have regressed from your earlier posts. Just saying.
Mr. Pall: of the 3,500 jobs "created," how many exist today. Lets be careful with our numbers...
What... reid the obstructionist is blocking every reasonable bill from congress to address our debt and economy.
Bradley,
I think you are in a small minority of people, even among Democrats, who think the Train to Nowhere is a better choice than the MagLev would have been.
I could support a high-speed train that went all the way to L.A, and even better, to Anaheim, even if it were just steel-on-steel. But the DesertXpress route is a joke. Even if it were MagLev I would be against that route.
I'm sure you've made the drive from L.A. to here and vice versa several if not many times. Coming from L.A., getting to Victorville is the worst part of the drive! By the time you get there it is well worth the rest of the drive if for no other reason than to stop in at Peggy Sue's Diner for some of the best food you can find in the country.
Peter.....Great letter, spot on.
YES, Our great Harry Reid is working to diversify
our economy.
Nevada is the perfect state for big solar and
wind projects.
Harry is doing a great job and a train from
California will be a great help for our Nevada
economy.
All we need to do is to ignore the stupid,
ignorant and backward republican morons.
After the damage greedy republicans have done to
our middle class and economy, Why would anyone
still listen to those idiots.
HARRY REID IS THE MAN!!!
THANK YOU HARRY!!!
How ignorant would somehave to be in order to actually believe this garbage. How long has Reid been in office? Where is Nevada ranked in education? Where has the economic diversity been?
It seems Reid is only good at creating jobs for his kids. You people need to wake up and realize that Reid is using you to enrich himself and his family.
Keep voting for people like Reid and Collins, and thats why this city is where it is.
Thanks to Harry Reid and PRESIDENT OBAMA the
Nevada economy is comming back.
People are buying new homes again.
People are buying new cars again.
People are going to casinos, eating, drinking,
gambling and laughing.
resident702, does that sound like Nevada is not
making a comeback?
Take your republican blinders off.
WE'RE KEEPING HARRY REID AND OBAMA/BIDEN!!!
We won't let romney/ryan drag us back to those
HORRIBLE bush/cheney/republican years of horror!
NO WAY/NO HOW!!!
WE'RE NOT STUPID!
It is difficult to have a rational conversation with a pot smoker, especially when he's smoking some bad stuff.
Since April 2009 with dirty harry in charge of the Dem party and Senate, the US Senate has not passed a budget. 3 years! A first in US history. Thank you dirty harry.
CarmineD
Please. The "green energy economy" is going to move us 'forward' to palookaville.
The British experience over the Olympics:
At one point last week, Britain's 3,500 turbines were contributing 12 megawatts (MW) to the 38,000MW of electricity we were using. (The Neta website, which carries official electricity statistics, registered this as "0.0 per cent").
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/94686...
boftx,
XpressWest is no longer the "train to nowhere". If you check the maps on the website you will see that it is a part of a network that is planned for the Southwest.
California dropped the MagLev as well, and approved the development of their portion of the system, which connects with Victorville.
http://www.xpresswest.com/expansion.html...
~~~~~~~~~
Reagan's Alzheimer's Disease became obvious to me during his Presidency, but I know what it is and how to recognize it. I wasn't surprised when it was announced.
I see the conservatives are doing their usual sterling job of dragging the conversation down to the lower levels of two digit IQ land. Roberta Anderson obviously hates people because they look and sound different. I wonder who she thinks was here in Nevada (boy that word sounds Spanish!) first?
Meanwhile, Carmine is still completely disconnected from reality.
The only important question is whether there are impressionable people being swayed by the nonsense politically radical conservatives post here and that is doubtful. It is a small cadre of such people posting and rarely changes except for an occasional comment by some newcomer.
Bradley, there is no EVIDENCE that illegals are leaving--that's just Demo hype to pretend Mr. O is doing something. We MUST expel them so our economy has a chance. 10% of Nevada employees are illegals--just think how we could bring down our unemployment rate.
XpressWest is still a train which ends in Barstow. The "connections" are autos driven to Barstow.
Anyhow none of this matters since the darn thing will never be built. These morons have been talking about a train like this for 4 decades.
As I see it the problem with Maglev is it threatens trucking and existing freight trains. Thus no maglev. The silly XpressWest is touted as a party train to Vegas. There is no mention of moving freight. Thus the focus on this stupid choo-choo to Barstow.
If the DOT is about anything it is about protecting their handlers, namely trucking and freight trains. XpressWest is really nothing but a way to stop development of efficient and cheap alternatives to trucks and trains hauling commerce.
"Since April 2009 with dirty harry in charge of the Dem party and Senate, the US Senate has not passed a budget. 3 years! A first in US history. Thank you dirty harry.
CarmineD"
Correction to my above post. I should have said 4 [FOUR] years of dity harry and no Senate passed budget. A record for the US Senate led by dirty harry.
CarmineD
"Meanwhile, Carmine is still completely disconnected from reality."
Mr. Schaffer:
When the economy goes south, money is tight, jobs are non-existent, housing prices are at record lows, and people are losing their houses, guess what they become? Conservative.
Interestingly, when Romney was on the campaign trail for the party nomination, Dems called him too moderate to lead the party. Called him a Massachusetts moderate. Now that he's won the nomination, or soon will, the Dems call him too extreme [Obama's words]. Which is it with these democrats? Can't be both moderate and extreme simultaneously lest you are disconnected from reality.
CarmineD
"I see the conservatives are doing their usual sterling job of dragging the conversation down to the lower levels of two digit IQ land."
That's the only way a l... no wait that one is just too easy.
3,500 permanent, work until they retire jobs. Really? More like 3,500 jobs constructing the farms (wind, solar, geothermal) with a couple of hundred needed to maintain the entire state-wide infrastructure.
Wm. F. Buckley said: "Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views but are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views."
BTW, I opine that Buckley's IQ was a power or two more than two digit.
CarmineD
"Only diversification dirty harry is working on is his pocketbook. Long ago he sold his soul to the highest bidder to pay for his luxury Watergate condo in Washington DC. He's history. His career is over."
Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Complete nonsense again from you know who...
Does Carmine know that Harry has some 4+ years left on his current Senate term and is the most powerful man in the US Senate?
Apparently not! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Harry has been great for Nevada. Can any one imagine how little influence Nevada would have in Washington if Harry was not our Senator?
Oop's, I guess we could depend upon Republican Senator Dean Heller to look out for us, right?
He has been such a dynamic force in Washington, voting the straight GOP party line, and spending most of his time trying to get keep his Senate seat come November...
Of course, Heller followed another super dynamic Republican in the person of John Ensign. I wonder if Carmine remembers "pretty boy" Ensign?
Carmine, I'll help refresh your memory....John, John was that guy who preached all that religious stuff but couldn't keep his pants zipped up!
He's the guy who paid a huge sum of money ($96,000) to the husband of the woman that he was sleeping with, in order to get the guy to shut up about his wife's affair..
Yep, you've got to love those Republicans...saying one thing and always doing another.......
Ha! Ha! Ha!
El_Lobo......Great comment.
YES, our great Harry Reid is the MOST POWERFUL MAN
IN THE U.S.SENATE.
That fact drives Carmine and the loser
republicans out of their tiny minds.
Thank God for Harry Reid.
AND THANK GOD FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA!!!
I predict dirty harry will retire before his current term expires. After the Senate goes GOP in 2012. He'll blame family obligations and commitments. He stayed as long as he did so Rory could have his place in Nevada politics and then his Senate seat when he retired. Didn't work. Nevadans saw through the ruse.
He who laughs last laughs best.
CarmineD
Uhhh Carmine...
This statement:
"When the economy goes south, money is tight, jobs are non-existent, housing prices are at record lows, and people are losing their houses, guess what they become? Conservative."
Is directly contradicted by reality:
http://www.lvrj.com/news/nevada-democrat...
Thanks for confirming your disconnection from reality.
Mr. Schaffer:
I said "conservative." Never mentioned a party affiliation. The article you posted supports my theory that voters are conservative in bad economic times. If otherwise, they would be declaring themselves as democrats rather than non-partisans, which by the way, I am and have always been.
CarmineD
I should also say Mr. Schaffer that many democrats will not vote for Obama-Biden BECAUSE he is too left and extreme for them. ESPECIALLY in hard economic times.
CarmineD
11 swing states that were solidly Obama in 2008 are in a statistic dead heat now. By Nov they will be for Romney. These are the facts and reality Mr. Schaffer. Whether or not you believe them.
CarmineD
here's a link for you on my last post. Read it and weep.
http://www.examiner.com/article/romney-h...
CarmineD
Is anyone buying the nonsense Carmine is selling?
Here is a dose of reality for those non-thinkers in our midst. When you cannot afford fossil energy anymore due to a lack of supply and high cost of extraction.. you are then living in a green energy society..whether you like it or not..
Better to perfect those technologies now while we still have affordable Fossil energy.. rather than wait until we don't! What would we build alternative energy systems with if we wait until we don't have enough surplus fossil energy to do it?
No technology is at its best when in the early stages of its implementation.. it is perfected over time.. some here would have us wait and then try to perfect it only after we have no other option.. its the classic Ant and the Grasshopper...
Nevada is not a Coal or Oil or Gas producing state. We are a net importer of all energy (except some HydroElectric). We could be energy independent in Electricity and also be an exporter!
So we have a choice.. remain dependent on external sources of fossil fuel sending our money outside the state along with jobs.. or become an exporter bringing jobs and money into the state... the not so funny thing is that the self proclaimed money and jobs party (R) is the one that wants to keep us dependent on outside fossil fuels!!
Let dump these grasshoppers and build our own future!
Mark......
I wonder if Carmine will show up for the party
here when PRESIDENT OBAMA gets re-elected?
Yes, Mr. Schaffer. Open your eyes and ears. The voters who will elect RomneyRyan on Nov 6. You and others like you will just have to get use to it.
CarmineD
I see no one is bothering to come to the defense of Carmine. Carmine, no one cares what you write because almost no one reads your screeds. That you think the Examiner is a legitimate source of information shows how disconnected from reality you are.
Vote Obama/Biden/Reid and enjoy 'endless recovery'. That's the only disconnect here.
Looks like they shutdown the Volt line again. Bet a buck you won't catch any of the above driving in one of the little clown cars they're mandating the sheeple to drive.
"I see no one is bothering to come to the defense of Carmine"
Facts and truth need no defense. They are what they are and speak for themselves.
CarmineD