When Dan DeQuille wrote for the Territorial Enterprise of Virginia City fame, back in the 19th century, he used this depiction of a braying, angry, miner's burro. He always called it, as did most of the prospectors of the day, "A Washoe Canary." Below are some of our brayings, that is, Washoe Canary Songs.

Publisher's  New Year's message

Best wishes to our readers for a happy New Year, from all of us at The Nevada Observer. We're looking forward to 2004, and we're looking forward to covering the news of Nevada for you.

This new year will be a very important year for Nevada. There will be national and state elections, and important issues to discuss. At The Nevada Observer, we'll be offering lengthy, in-depth coverage of some of those issues, and more on the special challenges facing Nevada. We'll have our usual regular coverage of state affairs as well.

We're certainly looking forward to seeing more of you in 2004.

Happy New Year!

—David Thompson

Who's to blame for scandal?

by Johnny Gunn

As you’ve already read, I hope, there is and has been much political scandal over these last 140 years (and before you jump all over me, remember, it is 2004), in Nevada, and it’s doubtful there will be a decrease in that category over the next many years. Why? First of course, we have to look at the individuals committing the fraud, but I think there is an underlying cause that hasn’t been brought out in nice company.

Many of those convicted or just charged with political bribery, fraud, conspiracy are plain old fashioned crooks, and have found a warm comfortable way to make a few bucks. Some attorneys have said that law enforcement stings that net some of the fraudulent politicos are entrapment, but I rather doubt that any adult human being today, living in the United States, can truthfully say, “I didn’t think taking money for a vote was a crime,” or thoughts along that line. No, individuals must be accountable in public life just as in the private sector.

So, place the primary blame where it belongs. On the individual committing the crime. But I do believe there just might be a secondary culprit, and that would be the process of being elected in the first place. To run for city council in Reno, one could very likely spend in excess of $100,000, and that would be for a job that will barely pay back that hundred grand over a four year period. More than one candidate for a Reno council position has spent a half million dollars.

There are no limits on how much can be spent, how much can be raised, how much, how much, how much. And when we look at campaign spending reports, in addition to raising hundreds of thousands of dollars in political donations, we find often, candidates loan themselves money from their own resources. The campaign finances are so far from reality, that for a politician to think twice about a bribe must almost seem like money from heaven.

Would you take a job that might pay you $250,000 over a four year period, if your potential employer told you to pay him $450,000 to hold that job? And then mortgage your home and other properties to pay him? That would not be considered a sane thing to do.

So to pay these outrageous political costs, one secures donations to the cause. Do they come with their own price tag? Promises made, promises kept? My vote to the highest bidder? What is the difference between selling your vote to an undercover FBI agent running a sting operation and selling your vote to the guy with the big campaign contribution? On the campaign report that is supposed to outline donations and expenditures, the politician is only asked to sign the statement that what is on the report is the truth. Nothing is needed to verify that truth.

Doesn’t have to prove a thing. One Reno Council person made a personal loan to the campaign fund in the amount of $40,000, and didn’t have to prove where the money came from. No canceled check, no bank records, nada. And we wonder why a politician might be tempted to take a bribe, sell a vote, create a friendly atmosphere for someone wishing to do contemptuous things?

There is a second part to this discussion. Would campaign reform that forced candidates to a limited amount of spending for a seat, probably based on what the politician might reasonably expect to earn during the period he would be elected to serve, tend to give us more honest candidates? If the amount of money a candidate could spend was limited, what would that do to those who contribute legally today? If a candidate couldn’t accept any more than say $150,000 for a political seat that would pay him $150,000 over the next four years, would that candidate then only take money from the big boys who want favors, and cut out John and Joy citizen?

This current election year is sure to be filled with campaign promises from everyone running, whether it’s a seat at city council, or living privileges at the White House, and very few of the campaign financial reports that will be filled out will really tell us answers to these questions.

There is still only one way for Joe public to try to get honesty in government, and that’s to participate at every opportunity. Ask the hard questions. Where did you get the money? Who will you represent, me or somebody with deep pockets who wants something other than honest government? Where do you stand on such and such an issue?

And between now and then, inundate every politician you know with demands for financial honesty in electioneering, in campaign finance forms, and mostly, in their own way of serving.

I can’t say I believe it’s the lack of reform in campaign financing that leads to fraud, but what I can see is this. If the politician is already committing some form of untruth, or less than the whole truth, in filling out a financial statement, what’s a little bribe here and there? The weak will fail to fill out the campaign finance forms truthfully, and then be susceptible to bribery and other fraudulent practices.

Opportunities Coming in 2004

by Johnny Gunn

I’ve never made a new year resolution in my life. I can’t even make it from breakfast to lunch without stopping for a snack along the way, so the idea of telling myself I’ll stay fit and trim makes me a potential liar before the first day of the year is out. But it is fun to try and look ahead, maybe whimsically, maybe with a jaded eye, maybe hopefully.

Let those who are crying about Indian gaming remember they’ve known it was coming for well over 10 years and have done nothing about it. Something other than video poker and second bananas have to be on the menu if they seriously want visitors. In the early to mid 90s, I was editor of AdNews, a statewide publication for and about the advertising, marketing, public relations, and creative graphic arts industry. It was in 1992, and again in 1993, and again in 1994 that I ran articles decrying the state of casinos in northern Nevada.

When all you can offer is exactly what the Indian casinos are offering, why would someone want to drive over Donner Summit in the middle of winter to come to Reno?

_________________

This question goes to both ends of the state. Will the spaghetti bowl ever be finished? There’s one in Reno, one in Las Vegas. Or, conversely, if one or both are finished, will it or they be better than before the work started?

__________________

If enough snow falls to replenish the waters in Lake Mead, will fountains be turned back on along the strip? Or will we have learned something from the drought.

If enough snow falls to replenish ground water sucked up by drought and overbuilding in northern Nevada be enough to allow more building? Or will we have learned something from the drought?

_____________________

Will the legislators who come to Carson City following the election of 2004 have learned something from the debacle of 2003?

____________________

And it’s questions like these that keep me from even thinking about making a resolution. Maybe we’ll just take a note from beauty pageants and ask for world peace.