The Policy Racket - Las Vegas Sun

GOP candidates seem tone deaf on music choices at campaign rallies: Tuesday, February 7, 2012; By Karoun Demirjian; Back in 1984, Ronald Reagan goofed when he started playing “Born in the U.S.A.” at his campaign rallies, apparently oblivious to the fact that Bruce Springsteen was not a Republican and the song was about America’s screw-ups. In 2012, the Republicans are doing it again. If you attended any of the campaign rallies in Nevada last week, or have been listening to the victory speeches on C-SPAN over the last few weeks, you may have noticed that almost every Republican presidential campaign includes Toby Keith’s 2009 smash hit “American Ride” on their rally mix CD.

Mitt Romney mentions Brian Sandoval as Cabinet possibility: Thursday, January 26, 2012; politics:; By Karoun Demirjian; Apparently Mitt Romney harbors no ill feelings toward Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval for endorsing his one-time rival Rick Perry, because when asked at tonight’s CNN debate which Hispanics he’d like in his Cabinet, Romney topped the list with none other than the leader of the Silver State.

VP Biden plans Reno visit to fire up Dems for Obama: Saturday, January 14, 2012; By Karoun Demirjian; Vice President Joe Biden will come to Reno on Thursday, according to the Obama 2012 campaign, right before Nevada Democratic Party’s presidential caucuses next weekend.

NV Democratic congressional candidates sparring over payroll tax cuts: Wednesday, December 21, 2011; By Karoun Demirjian; WASHINGTON — Looks like Republicans aren’t the only party infighting over the issue of payroll tax cuts. Nevada Democrats gunning for the House of Representatives in 2012 have been having a field day watching from home as the payroll tax and unemployment insurance debate plays out in Washington, and throwing blame from the sidelines at incumbent Republicans angling against a bipartisan interim extension of the expiring programs.

Obama signs Hoover Dam power allocation bill: Tuesday, December 20, 2011; By Karoun Demirjian; President Barack Obama signed the Hoover Power Allocation Act into law today, cementing an electric power-sharing agreement that will be in place until 2067.

Congress reaches deal on payroll tax cut and jobless benefits: Friday, December 16, 2011; Key to payroll and unemployment deal: oil pipeline; By Karoun Demirjian; WASHINGTON — By noon tomorrow, Congress will have passed a budget to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year. But when it comes to payroll taxes and unemployment insurance, short-term stopgap measures are still the way things will be working, at least in the near future.

Iowa and New Hampshire outcomes will have effect on Nevada caucuses: Friday, December 16, 2011; Silver State could be a tiebreaker for GOP presidential hopefuls; By Karoun Demirjian; WASHINGTON — The Republican presidential candidates gathered in Iowa for a debate Thursday night that’s probably their last as a seven-piece band; the next one isn’t until after New Hampshire’s primary, and by then, one or two contenders will have likely disbanded their campaigns.

Negotiators reach accord, keep government from shutting down: Thursday, December 15, 2011; No brinksmanship this time: 'I think it's just time to legislate,' says Boehner; By Karoun Demirjian; WASHINGTON — Barely 24 hours before federal funding was set to run out and shut down the government, lawmakers resolved their remaining differences, saving federal employees from being furloughed right before the holidays and implementing cuts Congress agreed to this summer.

New report says Yucca Mountain at the root of Nuclear Regulatory Commission tensions: Tuesday, December 13, 2011; By Karoun Demirjian; WASHINGTON — We already knew that the four commissioners who serve with Nuclear Regulatory Commission chairman Gregory Jaczko were upset enough with his leadership to complain to top White House officials that he acted inappropriately in the wake of Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant disaster in March.

House votes on payroll tax bill, sets up final compromise: Tuesday, December 13, 2011; Reid: House GOP bill dead on arrival in Senate; By Karoun Demirjian; Disregarding the sure threat of a presidential veto, the House of Representatives passed their version of a payroll tax cut extension Tuesday, setting up the final stage of this season’s prime political showdown.

Heller working with nonpartisan group that includes Democrats: Tuesday, December 13, 2011; Nevada senator's 'No Budget, No Pay' proposal part of group's 12-point plan; By Karoun Demirjian; Well here’s something you don’t see every day: Dean Heller, flanked by Democrats — some of whom even had nice things to say about his legislative proposals.

Nevada Democrats push to confirm new top consumer finance watchdog: Wednesday, December 7, 2011; By Karoun Demirjian; Nevada Democrats — with the help of a few consumer advocates — are kicking into high gear in anticipation of Thursday’s vote to confirm President Barack Obama’s nominee to lead the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Democrats relying on 'girl power' to help win Senate: Tuesday, December 6, 2011; politics:; By Karoun Demirjian; To win the Senate, Democrats and Republicans are going to need successful fundraising, great messaging and a strong get-out-the-vote effort. But Senate Democrats say they’ve got something else giving them an advantage: girl power.

Newt Gingrich threading the needle on immigration issue: Wednesday, November 23, 2011; By Karoun Demirjian; Newt Gingrich didn’t rise to the top of the Republican presidential field by being the nicest guy at the debates, nor by delivering safe and simple talking points on the issues.

'Slugfest' is on between Heller and Berkley for U.S. Senate seat: Thursday, November 17, 2011; By Karoun Demirjian; Sometimes, it’s the personal touch that counts. Or at least that’s what U.S. Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., was banking on this Wednesday, when he made a round of calls to Nevada reporters to stress the talking points of a press release calling on U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., his main opponent in the 2012 race for Nevada’s second U.S. Senate seat, to vote in favor of a balanced budget amendment she’s trashed as irresponsible since Day One.