Monthly archive
Good morning, everyone. The weather outside in Carson City is delightful, but I don’t see much sun inside the building. It seems as if we have entered not so much The Rush to Close, but The Going Through the Motions. Lawmakers are doing the drudgery of getting their bills passed and getting bills passed for lobbyists who have worked very, very hard to curry favor for 110 days. It’s nice to have a front-row seat to---history.
Speaking of history, it was almost anticlimactic Thursday to witness...
Good morning, everyone. My penultimate trip top Carson thismorning (I hope). I must acknowledge that I am not the joyful fellow you all knew on Feb. 4. The spring in my step has become a trudge, the hopeful outlook has become a resigned one. A flicker of hope remains because that’s how I got my reputation as Sunny Pundit. But the Session of Nothing – we have had those before – is about to peter out, full of sound---
In case you missed it, I did muse Wednesday on what might have been. It’s...
Good morning, everyone. This is the way the session ends, with a whimpering bang? Great expectations dissolved Tuesday in a remarkable raising of a white flag (by Senate Majority Leader Mo Denis) followed by a to and fro between Republicans and Democrats about who cares the most about kids, highlighted by Senate Minority Leader Michael Roberson tearing into Denis & Co. for a lack of leadership and courage. It was mesmerizing and ridiculous at the same time, as if there was nothing they...
Good morning, everyone. So there are only 13 days lets of the regular session, and by my calculations, I will be in Carson City for at least 9 of the 13 days. How lucky am I? There is nothing like The Rush to Close, with one thing constant: Something unexpected will happen, large or small or both, and probably more than just one incident. Zombies will come alive, tax plans will float (briefly), Republicans will be relevant (briefly) and then we will go home for summer vacation to prepare for...
TONIGHT'S RALSTON REPORTS: Exit interview for Randy Walker, longtime head of McCarran.
DAYS UNTIL THE REGULAR SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE ENDS: 14
DAYS UNTIL ELECTION DAY 2014: 533
DAYS UNTIL THE TEEN CAN AFFECT THE POLITICAL WORLD: 53
Good morning, everyone. I saw a couple of movies over the weekend in my desire to escape thoughts of the Legislature, both about (at least in part) a man’s longing for the wrong woman (at least in part). I...
Good morning, everyone. You have to hand it to NV Energy. Under assault privately from major gaming players, publicly from a small-user group headed by ex-AG Frankie Sue Del Papa, and plagued by a process that is as ugly as any I have seen, the utility (again) adjusted its major session bill. I’m sure it’s a coincidence and lest I be too solipsistic to think so, the changes were given to me a few minutes before I went on the air last night to talk about the PUC’s smashing of the bill (link...
Good morning, everyone. Very interesting interview Wednesday with ex-Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge (link below) in which he did a slow burn on the White House scandals, went off on the DOJ on the AP records search and also lambasted Congress on guns. Worth a look. Ridge also spoke at an event for the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, which also featured appearances by former Govs. Bob Miller and Richard Bryan. And both kept their remarks brief, which was the most shocking part of the ...
TONIGHT'S RALSTON REPORTS: An exclusive with ex-Homeland Security boss Tom Ridge; update from Carson City
DAYS UNTIL THE REGULAR SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE ENDS: 19
DAYS UNTIL ELECTION DAY 2014: 538
DAYS UNTIL THE TEEN CAN AFFECT THE POLITICAL WORLD: 71
Good morning, everyone. Rushing today because I have a busymorning. First, I’m honored to be moderating a panel for the U.S. Global Leadership Council. It features former Homeland...
Good morning, everyone. I still can’t get over the talking points scandal that is consuming the political world. No, I’m not, ahem, talking about Benghazi. I mean, the Democrats’ TAX talking points in Carson City. You’ve seen them, right?
February: PROMISE THE WORLD
March: IGNORE ROBERSON AND THE MARGINS TAX
April: PROMISE IT’S COMING ANY DAY
May: TALK ABOUT DOING AN INTERIM STUDY
If that’s not scandalous, what is? Meanwhile, of course, the governor has had the same talking points, with...
TONIGHT'S RALSTON REPORTS: We'll see.
DAYS UNTIL THE REGULAR SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE ENDS: 21
DAYS UNTIL ELECTION DAY 2014: 540
DAYS UNTIL THE TEEN CAN AFFECT THE POLITICAL WORLD: 73
Good morning, everyone. Spent the weekend in Boston for my brother’s surprise 50th birthday and soaked in the greatness of that city. I could provide a list of what a city such as Boston has that nowhere in Nevada does, but it would just depress...