As part of its review process to determine whether to approve an application to allow construction of wind turbines on 32,000 acres of public land in Nevada adjacent to the California border just west of Searchlight, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) conducted a series of scoping meetings to allow public input. At a recent meeting in Las Vegas a half dozen speakers largely … [Read more...]
Census Should Ask About Citizenship
Ignorance is not bliss. Eighteen states and the District of Columbia have sued in an effort to block the 2020 Census from asking about citizenship status, claiming the question will prompt illegal immigrants to not respond and thus result in an undercount of population. That, they say, could result in the loss of congressional representation and federal funding for states, … [Read more...]
Customers Should Be Able to Shop for Electricity
Question 3 on the 2016 General Election ballot — the Energy Choice Initiative — passed by an overwhelming 72.4 percent to 27.6 percent. The measure failed in only one county, White Pine, but by only four votes. Because the measure would amend the state Constitution it is back on the ballot this fall for final voter approval, but this time around a coalition headed by the sta … [Read more...]
Court Case Is About Free Speech Not Abortion
This past week the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a case — NIFLA v. Becerra — that could answer the question of whether forcing speech on certain professionals is a violation of the free speech clause of the First Amendment. NIFLA is the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, which gives legal advice to pro-life pregnancy centers, and Becerra is Xavier Bec … [Read more...]
Trump Administration Settles Suit Over Habitat Rules
The Trump administration has settled a lawsuit filed by Nevada and 19 other states over Obama administration rules that sweepingly redefined what constituted critical habitat for endangered species and has agreed to rewrite those rules. The suit, filed in November 2016 against various federal land agencies, accused the federal bureaucrats of essentially rewriting the … [Read more...]
Two Different Approaches to Internet Access
When boiled down to its essence, the key difference between the two major political parties is this: Democrats believe government is the solution. Republicans believe government is the problem. This difference is on display with bills being pushed by two Nevada senatorial candidates -- incumbent Republican Dean Heller and challenger Jacky Rosen, currently a freshman … [Read more...]
Let the Public See the Work of Public Servants
Next week is Sunshine Week, March 11-17. The annual observation was created by the American Society of News (formerly Newspaper) Editors to spotlight the importance of public access to government information in a democratic republic, allowing citizens to be the watchdogs over their elected and appointed representatives. The sunshine label was derived from a quote by Justice … [Read more...]
A Immodest Proposal for a 28th Amendment
The horrific shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., that left 17 dead and more than a dozen wounded at the hands of a 19-year-old armed with a semi-automatic rifle has again set off a flurry of rational and emotional debates over gun control, mental health and school security measures. Worthy topics all, but the event has also fostered an … [Read more...]