Opinion

Finally. A bipartisan all out political campaign is launched against the pot industry written and financed Question 2 to legalize commercial marijuana in Nevada.

Strong statements of opposition to Q2 were made by Governor Brian Sandoval, Lt. Governor Mark Hutchison, Attorney General Adam Laxalt, Senator Dean Heller and 3 members of Nevada's House delegation.

In both sports and life, we love great champions.

But athletic dominance alone isn't what makes a champion great. Character is what elevates some to the greatness. Humility, integrity, sportsmanship and respect for others are what set some champions apart.

That’s why we think more highly of Greg Maddux than Roger Clemens. Maddux was all class all the time, while Clemens was full of ego, aggression and controversy.

The dictionary defines the word “Plan “with many examples. Here are several; “a detailed proposal for doing or achieving something”, “an intention or decision about what one is going to do”, “a detailed diagram, drawing, or program, in particular”, “decide on and arrange in advance”. I’m sure those of you reading this understand what a plan is. But have you ever stopped to think about how you “plan” your life on “other’s plans”?

As Barack Obama’s second Presidential term winds down, what can one say about his signature domestic initiative, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare or ACA)?

Passed in 2010 by a Democrat Congress without a single Republican vote, it promised to improve health care, cut costs and assure everyone is protected by insurance. Also, numerous times, unequivocally on the public record, Obama assured us: If you like your health insurance, you can keep it; if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor.

None of those goals and assurances was realized. All failed.

This is to express my gratitude to the organizers of the 9/11 memorial held at Mills Park. The ceremony was poignant, reverent, and healing. The presentation of colors in front of the I-Beam was so moving as was the ringing of the fire bell later in the service. Also, I wish to thank the members of the community who showed up to remember our heros. Your attendance and quiet respect was amazing. Thank you Carson City for not forgetting.

All workers have the constitutional freedom of association and may form labor unions if they so choose. Under the same constitutional right, employees should be free not to join the union. And employers, public or private, should have the right to bargain with a union or not.

This week we note a recent death and two retirements. As Mr. Lincoln said: It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. As we mourn the passing of a man, we are reminded of the joy and goodness he brought us, and we also comfort his survivors. And in honoring the two retirees, we celebrate the values they exemplified and the inspiration and joy they provided.

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Rick Fineberg recently lost a long battle to esophageal cancer. He was admired and will be sorely missed by many.

In many ways Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton could be considered much alike. Those two would dispute that opinion vigorously. But the American voting public might be interested in the following:

1. Both have low scores with the American public concerning trust and honesty when it comes to many polls.

Unprofitable companies often eventually go out of business. Tesla Motors is very unprofitable.

The electric-car maker scored a big win in 2014 when Gov. Brian Sandoval and Nevada lawmakers passed a $1.3 billion subsidy package to entice Tesla to build in Storey County a huge battery manufacturing facility that’s a key part of its business. The package also forgave sales taxes for 20 years, property and payroll taxes for ten years, and provided discounted electricity rates.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has “Question 4” on their November ballot which mirrors Nevada’s “Question 2”—the commercialization of legalized marijuana in the two states. Both initiatives were drafted and are promoted by the Marijuana Policy Project (Washington, D.C.) and are each locally sponsored by a “ Committee to Regulate and Tax Marijuana Like Alcohol.”

Nevada was once a nationwide model of fiscal rectitude. Not now.

During the Great Depression, state leaders even launched a promotional campaign called "One Sound State" boasting of this fact. It advertised a state with "no income tax, no inheritance tax, no sales tax, no tax on intangibles, but with a balanced budget and a surplus."

Lake Tahoe was at a crossroads in 1997. The lake’s famous water clarity, once measuring 100 feet, was declining year after year because of stormwater pollution from roads and developed areas and erosion from streams damaged by logging and cattle grazing.

In our last column, we explained that the financial collapse of 2007-08 was due much to collusion between private banks and government. Congressional mandates required lenders to issue mortgages to people who couldn’t afford them. Then, government agencies would purchase the faulty loans from the banks, thus relieving the banks of the risks.

CHRISTMAS IN JULY
July was an interesting month indeed.

Sometimes Hollywood hits a homerun.

For example, The Big Short, the movie account of the US financial collapse of 2007-09. Its all-star cast is notable. But we were skeptical from the sound bites used in previews and other promotional blather that this would be another anti-capitalist propaganda flick. We were wrong.

As most of my readers know when it comes to politics I am a registered Independent. Most other Independents that I spend time around are individual thinkers who appreciate space and time to make up their minds before voting They are not party hardliners as are many Democrats and Republicans. Most Independents that I actually have met several times and waded into great exchanges of political conversation with struck me as voters who are very careful giving their vote to anyone.

Yesterday here in Carson City, a new dawn exploded across the desert hills where I snapped this glorious photograph. Thunderstruck with creation's beauty, I had to add a sentiment. It seems to me that we all live in a world of our own creation and we can choose to walk in the light or to curse a darkness of our own making. Yet even when surrounded and blinded by darkness, we can still choose wisely to remember the light and the new dawn that will surely come. A wise philosopher and teacher once said that we are the light of the world. I pray that he was right.

"Confirmation bias may be defined and often refers to a type of selective thinking whereby one tends to notice and to look for what confirms one's beliefs, and to ignore, not look for, or undervalue the relevance of what contradicts one's beliefs.”

Admittedly, we all suffer from this weakness in our personal analysis of the many issues that confront the citizens of Carson City.

Nearly everyone, it seems, has been focused lately on Donald Trump’s nomination by the Republicans and now the chaos of the Democrat convention. We want to celebrate some other important aspects of the GOP convention (where Ron was a delegate) as reflected in speeches by Paul Ryan, Scott Walker and Mike Pence.

This is in response to a posting by a frequent contributor:

http://carsonnow.org/reader-content/07/17/2016/northern-nevada-developme...

which is yet again a perfect illustration of the sad fact that if one can't make a sensible argument, one resorts to distortions, insults and just plain silliness. But then that's all that's left when one does not have the facts on one's side.

"In Mr. White’s recent paranoid screed..."

In response to Mr. Waclo's letter dated July 19, 2016, his statements regarding my positions are not accurate.

I opposed the 1/8th cent sales tax because voters were denied their right to vote. This tax includes funding for narrowing the downtown street and is similar to a project previously voted against by the citizens. Based upon past and current input received, nothing has changed.

The underground utility work would have been required and the funds were available, even if the narrowing of Carson Street had NOT occurred. That is a fact.

“We learn from history that we learn nothing from history,” said Friedrich Hegel.

Last week in Reno former Soviet economic advisor Yuri Maltsev began a speech with that quote. We appreciated his remarks, although his message is an ominous one.

Yuri related some of his experiences growing up in Soviet Russia as a warning for people who think socialism is great. In his view, Americans are often far too cavalier about praising certain aspects of socialism and similar collectivism while failing to recognize socialism for what it truly is: state slavery.

In Mr. White’s recent paranoid screed against the Northern Nevada Development Agency (NNDA) and against his political opponent, Supervisor Brad Bonkowski, is the classic example of the simplistic “argument of incredulity”. His argument is presented as such: “I don’t know anything about the NNDA, but I know it’s a “government agency”, and therefore it is bad”.

Susan Crowell, wife of Mayor Bob Crowell of Carson City, is a mixture of strength, forthrightness, and intrigue. Susan is an attractive, well-spoken, well educated, and independent thinking female — both as a wife, mother, and citizen of Carson City. The definition of who she really is lies in her upbringing, her education, her marriage, her children, and in her personal interests. All these components interact to make for a thoughtful woman with a definite mind of her own, yet one who wants the best for others involved in all of these relationships.

Tonight, after reading about the horrible event in Nice, France, we attended the benefit for the Carson City Greenhouse. It was the Eighth Concert Under The Stars. Hundreds of us gathered to raise money for our Community Greenhouse, which produces healthy produce for our food banks, the High School Culinary Program, and supports programs for our youth, including the Future Farmers of America, and the special need program.

We were again reminded this week that ignorance can breed misunderstanding and occasionally violence.

We were deeply saddened by the senseless murder of five police officers in Dallas. The young shooter, an African-American, claimed outrage over several earlier shootings of black men by police officers elsewhere. He had no known connections to these men, nor to the police officers he shot.

His motive was based on a logical fallacy to which too many people fall prey.

Why do we pay Northern Nevada Development Authority $100,000 dollars a year?
In short, we tax payers pay them to talk to local manufacturers.
In August of 2014 Carson City entered into a two-year contract with NNDA for $150,256 with the stated goal of “create a one-stop resource for existing Carson City manufacturers for all issues attached to growth, expansion, and retention of their business”. Additionally Carson City provides $24,000 a year in other financial support to NNDA.

To the Editor:
This November we will choose our Mayor for the next four years. Although I was not selected to move forward to the general election, I am very blessed with a wonderful life and do not regret putting my hat in the ring. I will continue to work hard volunteering for our community and working towards a Carson City that remains a kind and progressive place we all want to live and invest.

I feel there is only one person in the race for Carson City Mayor that shares that common vision and will work with him and stand behind his non-partisan leadership. I ask all of my supporters to stand with me and say “I Like Bob Crowell for Mayor.”

The two best days of my life will always be the day I married Kathy and the day our daughter Karyn was born.

For our wedding music, I chose “Sunrise, Sunset” from Fiddler on the Roof, among other pieces.

“But we’re not Jewish,” said Kathy.

“Don’t have to be,” I answered. That song and everything about the film had always moved me greatly. Fiddler’s on the short list of best films ever, and the song perfectly captures a wedding.

This is a composite photo of several Carson City Fireworks pictures celebrating the birth of the first and most singular Democratic Republic in the history of the world. Let us celebrate today the end of an American dark age that has trampled our liberties for almost eight years. Let every patriot celebrate our Independence Day and later, this fall, reignite the Liberty torch that also celebrates our Independents Day where We The People reaffirm the wisdom of our Founding Fathers.