Opinion:

Hucksters And Their Like,

Take Heed Here And Now

Big Money's Free Ride Coming

To A Glorious End?  Maybe?

by Johnny Gunn

There seems to be a level of cynicism that is as thick as a marble ledge and just as difficult to break through around the concept of campaign finance reform.  Voices abound, generally from those involved in the political world, that reform isn't necessary on the one hand and would accomplish nothing on the other.  This is part of that marble ledge, a grand smoke screen designed to make the general public believe that if politics is really as nasty as we believe, it isn't campaign finance reform that will change it.  Election laws would be unnecessary if the world was a perfect place, but as we see daily in Washington, it isn't.  If national representatives are found wanting regularly, and because of election law, then why are Nevada's elected officials to be considered all but perfect?

From town boards through the presidency those caught up in political imbroglios are usually found to be ethically challenged when it comes to election law and particularly campaign finances.  In fact it is the misuse of money that usually leads to other major ethical issues.  But this is on the federal level, not the Nevada level.  When the two are compared, the federal campaign finance and ethics laws and rules appear to be heaven sent while Nevada's are straight out of the devil's own musing.  Most will tell you that the federal election laws are porous, that they don't go far enough in keeping politicos in order, and that finance laws simply let fraudulent behavior run rampant.  And, they aren't wrong in saying so.

What this points out is just how very bad Nevada's election law really is.  At the federal level lobbyists, congressional representatives, congressional aides, and campaign donors are brought to justice on a fairly regular basis through someone -- usually a member of the free press -- finding discrepancies in federal election forms that are filed.  It is rare indeed that the same can be said for a politician, lobbyist, aide, or donor to be brought before the bar in Nevada, even when the person involved says right out loud and in front of everyone that they are guilty. A small fine, a slap on the wrist, and off you go.  Fraudulent misuse of election funds should be a felony with prison time as the only option.

Couple that lack of aggression on the part of those charged with protecting the general public from ethically challenged politicians and those that seek their favors, with forms and documents that are unreadable, and one understands why Nevada's politicos can get away with murder.  Those are your dollars being discussed at every level of government, it therefore should be your right to know who is messing with those dollars.  If an elected official is ethically challenged with his own campaign finances, what will he do with tax dollars?  From quasi-governmental agencies through town boards, city councils, county commissions, to the legislature and the executive branch, Nevada's politicians are not placed under financial background microscopes because the laws are lax, those responsible for maintaining the law do not do so, and what few forms are required are unreadable.

Big money interests rule Nevada and there is no way they are going to allow their underlings in the legislature to make changes.  It simply isn't going to happen.  Those same big money interests are responsible for keeping Nevada youth from a full and complete education by maintaining the lowest gaming tax rate in the nation.  Big money buys the elections, and you pay the bills.  Big money hires PR people to distribute huge sums of money to campaigns, all bundled up with a nice ribbon and bow, and the politician bows and begs.  Big money withholds money from those they don't like and you continue to pay the bills.  Public relations people believe they are king makers, but all they are lackeys of big money, strutting around mouthing platitudes.  Big money rules and you pay the bills.

Two hundred and some years ago the gentlemen who gathered in Philadelphia understood the concept that our government is by, for, and of the people.  They created the idea of being able to petition the government for changes.  The idea gets bruised from time to time when special interests try to ram something down our throats, but it is still the finest tool at the hands of the public other than the ballot box itself for correcting grievances, bringing forth programs that the elected officials hold in disdain, and allowing those that participate in this grand experiment to voice their thoughts.  Representative democracy only works when the representative in question is working for the represented, not the purchaser.

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Cartoon by Thomas Nast, April 12, 1874