First Amendment

by S. LANEY OLSON

Retired Nevada Senator Valerie Wiener introduced Senate Bill 414 to the Senate Committee on Judiciary today. The bill would work to prevent minors from “transmitting or distributing certain images of a violent offense committed against another minor” and would also revise the definition of cyber-bullying.

Recently, while dialing thru the radio spectrum I stumbled upon the “conservative” Mike Gallagher talk show, which is broadcast locally here in Carson City, on KKFT-99.1.

Mr. Gallagher stated (and I am paraphrasing here) “our children are not allowed to pray in public schools”

“The United States Supreme Court has never held that students cannot pray in school.

The article on the web page Citizens United Petition delivered to Carson City leaders in Carson Now states that 300 cities and 11 states are passing around a resolution for a constitutional amendment to overturn this Supreme Court decision.

Every political season brings out the candidate yard signs and every season, it seems, where Carson City residents are asked to vote, the ugly side of politics rears its head with vandalism. This year is no different. But what has changed over the years has been the aggressive nature of it, said Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong.

Occupy Wall Street began their two-week march from Nov. 9-23 to Washington, D.C. to tell Congress' Deficit Super Committee that the Occupy movement is against any extension of the Bush tax cuts. An extension of those cuts, which are due to expire in 2012, as well as reducing the tax rate on the highest bracket from 35 percent to 28 percent is being suggested as part of possible negotiations in creating the deficit reduction package which has a deadline of Nov. 23.

Carson City, NV - Occupy Carson City, an extension of the Occupy Wall St. movement, will hold their weekly peaceful assembly on Saturday from 1:00-3:00 p.m. at the Legislature Sidewalks at 401 S. Carson Street in Downtown Carson City. Everyone is welcome to participate, and the group has been in close communication with law enforcement to avoid any problems.

By Sean Whaley
CARSON CITY – An ambitious effort to make major reforms to Nevada’s campaign finance laws moved to the state Senate today after three measures sought by Secretary of State Ross Miller passed the Assembly by a deadline last month.

“Confessions of a Paper Pimp,” by Sam Bauman. Slalom Press, 2011. Hard copy available at Amazon, $18.95; Kindle version, $10.

By Guy W. Farmer

By Andrew Doughman / Nevada News Bureau
One year later, the impacts of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizens United case are plain to see.
On Jan. 21, 2010, the court ruled that corporate and union donations to political candidates cannot be limited under the First Amendment.
The impact?

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – A state lawmaker is having a bill drafted for the 2011 legislative session to make English the official language of Nevada, saying his intent is to unify rather than divide the state’s diverse residents.

There was a disturbance near the Legislature Building Saturday afternoon in Carson City. A woman who was apparently angry at some political signs, allegedly threw rocks at three demonstrators.

The news that came across the scanner this July 3 afternoon was that there was a fight involving "protesters" in front of the Legislative Building. Given the political climate these days, it was worth following up.

CARSON CITY – GOP U.S. Senate candidate Sharron Angle said today the attacks on her campaign from opponent Sue Lowden trying to link her to the Church of Scientology are off base and a distraction from the real issues of concern to voters.

CARSON CITY – A Las Vegas attorney running for attorney general as a Republican against Democrat incumbent Catherine Cortez Masto, and who called for a State Bar investigation into her release of a letter to the press about a potential legal challenge to the federal health care law, is now himself the subject of a bar inquiry.
Attorney Jacob Hafter called the inquiry ridiculous.
“It just shows the type of protection these incumbents have,” he said.

The federal appeals court in San Francisco has ruled that Nevada can limit the amount of advertising brothels can display in cities and counties where brothels are banned.

When we initially activated the comment feature of the website, one of our primary focuses was on hoping to elevate the level of discourse in local politics and news issues.

Why Are We So Afraid to Use The First Amendment?
By
Karl Neathammer
“ Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the fre