By Chuck Muth,
AMERICA’S WORST REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR
I felt queasy in my stomach. Fever. Chills. Nausea. Light-headedness. Shortness of breath. Aches. Pains.
No, not from the flu.
From watching Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval’s (R&R-Advertising) State of the State Address Thursday night.
1929.
That’s the last time Republicans in Nevada had control of the governor’s office, the state Senate and the state Assembly.
And what’s the first thing Sandoval does with this historic opportunity to reform and streamline state government.
He proposes the largest tax increase in Nevada’s history.
Over $1 billion worth of higher taxes!
No other Republican governor in the country is proposing any tax increase whatsoever as far as I know, let alone such a massive one as this.
But do you know the most infuriating part of it?
That the governor lied so boldly during the election season.
It was a lie by omission, to be sure. But a lie nonetheless.
Sandoval KNEW he was going to do this all along.
He knew it when he filed to run for re-election.
But did he campaign on a billion dollar tax hike? No.
He hid his tax hike plans until after he was safely returned to office for a second term.
He could have made his case during the election. Sold his plans to the electorate. Built public support for it. Championed it.
But he didn’t have enough respect for the voters for level with them and tell them the truth.
He treated them like idiots; rubes.
Like Jonathan Gruber did when it came to selling ObamaCare.
Our “Republican” governor is a political coward.
When he ran for governor in 2010 he promised, in no uncertain terms, that he would not raise taxes or extend the sunsets.
He then extended the sunsets.
Twice.
And now proposes making them permanent!
He’s now also proposing a new gross receipts tax to the tune of over $400 million!
The same type of gross receipts tax that Nevada voters rejected at the ballot two months ago with an 80% margin!
Brian Sandoval lied to us.
He is simply not a man of his word.
He’s a two-bit, bought-and-paid-for, double-talking politician dressed up in an expensive – though empty – suit, with pretty blow-dried hair, manicured nails and a sunny smile.
He’s the worst Republican governor in America.
I’d rather get the flu again than listen to another of his Gruberesque speeches.
I hope he gets head lice.
WHAT IF THE GOVERNOR WAS A REAL DEMOCRAT?
Imagine that our governor today was Democrat Rory Reid or Ross Miller or Dina Titus instead of “Republican” Brian Sandoval (R&R-Advertising).
And imagine they came to the floor of the Legislature and proposed a billion tax hike like the one proposed by Sandoval last night.
Now imagine the response by Republican elected officials.
Exactly. There’d have been howls of protests. Furious press statements. Torches. Pitchforks. The whole nine yards.
But because Sandoval has an “R” behind his name…crickets.
With the exception of a few solid fiscal conservatives in the Assembly, nary was heard a discouraging word. Instead…
“It’s an honor to serve with Governor Sandoval as he announces investments in a new Nevada that will ensure future generations have the tools necessary to succeed,” said liberal RINO Lt. Gov. Mark Hutchison, joining the misleading and dishonest wordsmithing game by calling the tax hikes “investments.”
BTW, why do I get a sense of déjà vu when I hear “new Nevada”? It reminds me of…”new Coke.”
And we all know how great THAT turned out.
“We should all applaud Governor Sandoval for ignoring personal political risk and proposing a bold new revenue plan that would help fund the many reforms needed in our education system,” chirped liberal RINO State Sen. Ben “Blue Dog” Kieckhefer, joining the misleading and dishonest wordsmithing game by calling the tax hike a “revenue plan.”
What political risk? He’s a lame duck governor.
The political risk would have been to tell the electorate about his plan BEFORE the November, election; not after. To have sought a mandate from the people rather than hiding it from them until it was too late.
“Political risk”? Gimme a break.
HOW THE CHAOS CAUCUS REACTED
In the Assembly, what is now passing for “leadership” weighed in with official statements in response to Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval’s (R&R-Advertising) State of the State speech.
For his part, Speaker-of-the-Weak John Hambrick put down his Irish whiskey long enough to declare in a loud, clear voice…
“Mumble, mumble mumble! Argle bargle, uh, mumble cough grunt mumble. Mumble mumble, erp, mumble mumble mumble jumble. Pish posh mumble kibosh slish slosh. Rickety reck, stickety steck. Uh, uh, uh mumble berp jumble!”
Thank you, Speaker-of-the-Weak Hambrick. Well put. We’re expecting big things from you this session!
Assemblyman Paul Anderson – the man appointed without authority by Hambrick to replace conservative Assemblywoman Michele Fiore from the position she was elected to as Majority Leader – somehow found it possible to not even mention the proposed billion tax hike in his own prepared statement…
“This is an exciting time for Nevada, and I believe the governor has set out an aggressive, yet attainable set of goals for this legislative session. We agree that we must fund education in a way that is targeted, accountable, and effective. We will do our jobs so that every child in Nevada has an opportunity for a high quality education. We look forward to seeing the details of the governor’s proposals and our member’s collective experience as small business owners, educators, and veterans to help serve our constituents.”
Now compare that mouth full-o’-mush to Fiore’s own post-speech statement…
“I voted against extending the sunsets in 2013 and will vote against extending them, in whole or in part, again in 2015. The people of Nevada were told that this huge tax hike package was only necessary to weather the worst of the housing meltdown and economic crisis of 2009. The people of Nevada were promised that these emergency tax hikes would only be temporary until 2011. We tell our children that a promise made should be a promise kept. It’s time for the Legislature to keep its promise.”
Or this one from conservative freshman Assemblywoman Victoria Seaman…
“I can’t support a $1.2 billion dollar increase, $882 million just for education, being paid for by burdening small business with increased business licensing fees. This new source of revenue will stifle new business growth, the lifeblood of our economy. It will result in loss of jobs and new business expansion.”
Now you know exactly why Sandoval and the GOP establishment were so intent on removing Fiore from any and all leadership positions this session, especially as Chairman of the Taxation Committee…and why they dumped Seaman from the committee as well!
CHAOS CAUCUS UPDATE
Laura Myers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal caught up with U.S. Sen. Rand Paul in New Hampshire Wednesday on the eve of his Nevada visit today and tomorrow. I found this quote particularly interesting…
“There has to be rules. … (He) is almost like a frustrated teenager who says, ‘They won’t give me my way and so I’ll just do it anyway.’ … I’m not for (him) doing whatever he wants.”
I know, I know.
Who KNEW Sen. Paul knew Speaker-of-the-Weak John Hambrick!
Alas, Paul wasn’t talking about how Hambrick unilaterally sacked conservative Majority Leader-in-Exile Michele Fiore from her leadership position with no authority.
He was talking about President Obama.
Birds of a feather…
FAMOUS LAST WORDS
“Tax hikes are what politicians do who have not the vision, competence or desire to reform government.” – Grover Norquist, president, Americans for Tax Reform