Progress in Nevada? Yes, But We Still Have Work to Do!

(Cross-posted at My Silver State)

It finally happened. In case you missed last night's big news, the Nevada Legislature overrode Idiot-in-Chief Jim Gibbons' veto to make comprehensive domestic partnerships into law. Nevada is the first Mountain West state to offer legal recognition for same-sex couples, and is the first non-coastal state to do so by way of the Legislature. Believe me, I'm quite proud of "my other home state" today.

But hey, our work isn't over yet.

It's quite true that SB 283, the domestic partnership (DP) bill, will go a long way to help LGBT families. Gay and lesbian couples previously had little legal protection under state law. But starting in October, both same-sex and opposite-sex couples can register for a DP and receive largely the same legal rights as married spouses.

Again, this is a major step forward for equality in Nevada. However, it's not enough. We're still dealing with "separate but equal", and we still have far more work to do. Nevada now prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation, but not gender identity. The LGBT working poor are still coping with brutal budget cuts to essential social services. And of course, gay & lesbian couples still aren't allowed the dignity and respect of full civil marriage.

I know it's easy for us to look at what happened over the weekend, pat ourselves on the back, and conclude that "gays have rights in Nevada". Perhaps so, but LGBT people still don't have full civil rights and we must keep working to eventually achieve equality for all.

Separate is never equal. LGBT people have the same hopes and dreams as everyone else. Our families deserve to enjoy the same commitment, dignity, and responsibilities of marriage. Our workers, whether they be gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender, deserve to be safe at work and judged for what they do, not who they are. No one deserves to be discriminated against simply because of one's sexual orientation or gender identity. All people are created equal, and the law should fully recognize that.

So let's celebrate the progress we're making today, then get back to work tomorrow. HRC Nevada did some great work with the SB 283 this year, and hopefully they'll keep it up. The Southern Nevada LGBT Center has never given up, and continues to deserve our support as they support all of our community. Nevada Women's Lobby, Progress Now Nevada, and Progressive Leadership Alliance Nevada are also committed to continue working for LGBT equality.

We're not even halfway through 2009 yet, but we've already seen so many leaps forward and falls backward. I'm heartened and joyful that Nevada's now one of those leaps forward. But hey, we're still just halfway up the stairs. Let's keep going until we achieve full equality.

Nevada: Opening the Mountain West to Equality

Something amazing happened yesterday. Maybe it isn't revolutionary, but hopefully it will be evolutionary. The Commerce & Labor Committee of the Nevada Senate agreed to domestic partnerships (or "DP's"). Unfortunately it's not marriage, but let me explain to you why this is a major step forward for equality in the Mountain West.

First off, no Western state without a Pacific coastline has either marriage equality or civil unions/domestic partnerships. Currently California and Oregon have "marriage lite" domestic partnerships available for same-sex couples, while Washington (state) and Hawaii offer some domestic partner (DP) rights (though Washington may soon agree to expanded DP rights). While New Mexico is unique in being the only Western state without a marriage ban (for now, until CA's Prop H8 is overturned in court this year or by voters next year), their DP bill failed in the Legislature and gay & lesbian couples still have no official legal rights. Considering the recent setbacks in California and New Mexico, Nevada's DP bill gives us a chance to turn the tide in LGBT civil rights out west.

Secondly, Nevada's proposed DP law is quite special in guaranteeing equal rights. While DP isn't marriage, this DP will move us much closer to full equality. Why? In the proposed law, all rights, responsibilities and benefits of marriage will be afforded to same-sex AND opposite-sex couples who choose to form a DP. Hopefully, this will help Nevadans become comfortable with the practice of treating gay & lesbian couples the same as straight couples. And hopefully as they become more comfortable with the idea of equality, they'll one day put the idea fully into practice by repealing their marriage ban.

And finally, this bill now gives gay & lesbian couples the ability to be together without worrying about extra legal paperwork for hospital visits, child custody, property inheritance, state and local tax filings, and much more. For far too long, Nevada LGBT families have been suffering under arcane laws that added hardship to their lives. At least if the DP bill becomes law, these families will have it a little easier.

So what can we do? If you're in Nevada, please contact your state legislators and ask them to support SB 283, the domestic partnership bill. If you're out of state, please contact everyone you know in Nevada and ask them to contact their legislators in support of it. And wherever you are, please support organizations like The Las Vegas Center, ACLU of Nevada, and PLAN Nevada.

We can do it. I know we can. We're winning our civil rights in states across the nation, so let's get working in Nevada to add yet another victory to the rolls!

Nevada Moves One Step Closer to Equality!

Yay! Domestic partnerships for everyone may soon be a reality in Nevada.

A bill to give same-sex couples the rights of married couples passed a key hurdle Wednesday, clearing a Senate committee by a 4-2 vote.

Senate Bill 283 would allow gay couples the right to enter into domestic partnerships, which would grant the same benefits to partners as married couples.

It now will have to clear the Senate floor, where Democrats hold a slim 12 to 9 majority over Republicans.

Sen. David Parks, D-Las Vegas, sponsored the bill. He added an amendment Wednesday that exempts state and local government from being required to pay for domestic partner benefits.

Parks, Sen. Maggie Carlton, Sen. Mike Schneider, and Sen. Allison Copening, all Las Vegas Democrats, voted in support of the bill. Sen. Warren Hardy, R-Las Vegas and Sen. Dean Rhoads, R-Tuscarora, voted against the bill. Sen. Mark Amodei, R-Carson City, was not present.

Let's hope this becomes law. Nevada families are counting on it.

How Nevada's Republican Governor "Respects the Sanctity of Marriage"

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Yes, that's all for real. So how come the radical right screams about how loving gay & lesbian couples threaten other people's committed relationships but never complains about this? Just wonderin'...

UPDATE: There will be a committee vote in the Nevada Senate on SB 283, the domestic partnership bill. If you're in The Silver State, please call or email your legislator in support of SB 283!

Obama Returning West

I guess I'll need to be in Las Vegas some time this spring. It looks like President Obama hasn't forgotten The West.

Looking Southwest for 2010 & Beyond

This year has been quite transformative for The West, especially The Southwest. Colorado, Nevada, and New Mexico have gone from Red to Blue. Utah and Arizona don't look quite as Red as they used to. Oh yes, and California now looks bluer than ever before.

But will this last? Will The Southwest continue to trend blue? And can Democrats continue to make gains here?

Honestly, I think so. Why? First off, demographics are shifting our way. Latinos continue to grow in population and political influence. "Creative Class" professionals continue to breathe new life into the region's urban areas. The area has changed, and the changes favor us.

And because the the demographics of The Southwest has changed, so has the politics. The old "rugged individualism" and "libertarian conservatism" that used to define the region's politics have faded away as these formerly rural states are becoming much more urban and suburban. After all, why would young parents in Henderson, NV, worry about whether or not they can own assault rifles when they have to make plans for their kids' college education, keep their kids safe from dangerous air and water pollution, and be able to afford a home and food and health care? Why would a couple of biotech researchers in Aurora, CO, feel threatened by public park land in the state when they're worried about keeping their jobs?

See where I'm going? The West has changed. I know. I've witnessed how my native Orange County, CA, has changed from "John Birch Society" embarrassment to dynamic urban environment. I've seen firsthand how Las Vegas has transformed from small casino town to world-class destination. I've been amazed by how the entire region has changed, and how we all saw this on full display as Democrats won across the board here.

So what should we do next? Let's first talk about Nevada. Barack Obama won here by 12% (vs. a 2% Bush win in 2004), Democrat Dina Titus defeated GOP incumbent Jon Porter for Congress in NV-03, and Democrats now control both houses of the state legislature. So what next? We keep Majority Leader Harry Reid in the Senate and put a good Democrat in the Governor's seat to replace the disgraced GOP incumbent Jim Gibbons, as both are quite doable. I'd now peg the Senate race as "Leans Democratic" and the Governor's race as "Toss-up". Oh yes, and we'd be wise to take advantage of Obama's possible 2012 coattails here by finding a legitimate challenger to GOP Senator John Ensign.

Colorado was also good to us this year, as Obama won by 9% (vs. a 5% Bush win in 2004), Tom Udall won a formerly GOP Senate seat, and Betsy Markey unseated GOP Rep. Marilyn Musgrave in CO-04. So what can we do now? I'd peg incumbent Senator Ken Salazar's 2010 race as "Likely Democratic" now, but we should keep a close watch to make sure we win again. And of course, we'll need to make sure Obama wins again in 2012.

But what about California? Obama won here by a whopping 24% (vs. a 10% Kerry win in 2004) and Democrats already have both Senate seats & 33 of 53 House seats. What more can we have? How about the Governor's seat, which I already consider "Leans Democratic" as the GOP has no strong candidate to succeed Arnold Schwarzenegger? And how about winning the "Toss-up" House races in CA-03, CA-04, and CA-44 in 2010, where we came so close this year? Same goes for the "Leans Republican" races in CA-46 and CA-50?

And what about Arizona? McCain won his home state by 9% (vs. an 11% Bush win in 2004), but Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick still managed to win a formerly GOP seat in AZ-01. So is there still potential here? I think so. Without the McCain home state edge, Obama can win here in 2012. And better yet, we can beat McCain in 2010, as well as fellow GOP Senator Jon Kyl in 2012, with the right candidates. Same goes with the 2010 Governor's race, which can be a "Toss-up" if we can have a quality candidate run against newly minted GOP Governor Jan Brewer.

So where do we go from here out West? We win! Ready to win?

Wherein Las Vegas Makes Me Proud

Whoo-hoo! I guess all it takes is a threat to civil rights to get people moving... Even in Vegas! I only hope this is the beginning of a strong movement for equality in Nevada & nationwide.

Whoops...

Nevada Rethuglicans look to be in a tailspin! Their one possibly legitimate challenger to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid looks like he's about to be indicted for mishandling state college savings funds. And they want to complain about supposed "Democratic corruption"? What about the rot plaguing their own house?

Haha. Give 'em hell, Harry. ;-)

How The West Was Won... And Lost

This week has been nothing short of amazing! Barack Obama will be our next President. More and better Democrats will be going to Congress. The electoral map has undergone a major blue shift.

So why has this whole experience been bittersweet at best for me? Well, all is not well in my own home state. So what can we celebrate and what must we fix? Let me share with you the story of this election from behind the scenes.



First off, let's start with the bad news. We lost in California. But wait, you ask, didn't Obama win by about 24%? Isn't that good? Of course it is, and that isn't the problem.

The problem in California is that Barack Obama had hardly any coattails here. Look at how Prop 8, the marriage ban, may end up having to be stopped at the courts (again, hopefully). Look at how, barring the results in CA-44 & CA-04 changing in the provisional vote count, we have not gained any new Congressional seats. Look at how we're still short of a 2/3 supermajority in both houses of the state legislature.

Simply put, we failed our mission in The Golden State. There were hundreds of thousands of "undervotes" here, meaning that people voted Obama for President but did NOT continue downballot to vote on Congress, the initiatives, and local races. This is nothing short of tragic, and there's no excuse for the nation's biggest Blue State to still show so much red! Because of the inept and disastrous "leadership" of the state party, the refusal of the DCCC to invest in real races like CA-44 & CA-46, and the horribly gawd-awful "leadership" by The Task Force & Equality California on the No on 8 campaign & their failure to have a real ground game, we missed the opportunity to turn the Obama victory into a progressive victory in California.







Now contrast what happened in California on Tuesday to what happened in Nevada on the same day. While one state didn't change much, the other state next door underwent a massive transformation! Like Mountain West neighbors New Mexico & Colorado, Nevada is now officially a Blue State! And not just that, but Democrats now have a broad and clear mandate for progressive change.

Progressive Democrat Dina Titus was elected to Congress in a "swing district" that Bush won in 2004. Democrats now control both houses in the state legislature for the first time since 1991, including a 2/3 supermajority in the Assembly. Voters approved a good initiative that will actually help Nevada fully fund its schools. And of course, Barack Obama won the ex-Red State by a whopping 12%, including an 18% win in Clark County (Las Vegas Metro) and wins in the formerly Republican Carson City & Washoe (Reno) Counties!

So why were the results in Nevada so dramatically different? Let's see, Harry Reid and the state party leaders actually began early in registering more Democrats and building an aggressive field operation while the GOP was power drunk and asleep at the wheel. The Obama campaign and the state party were effective in coordinating with the Dina Titus campaign, the Jill Derby campaign up north, and the local campaigns. All the candidates up and down the ballot had a clear and consistent message for change on the economy, energy & environment, education, health care, and so much more. Basically, Democrats worked together on the ground and that's why we won!

So what lessons can we learn from this tale of two states? First off, there's no real substitute for a grassroots door-to-door, face-to-face campaign. Despite the good last-minute ads, they may have been too little & too late to make up for the lack of a ground game for No on 8 in California. Meanwhile in Nevada, no amount of negative attack ads from the Republicans against Dina Titus & Barack Obama could make up for their complete lack of a ground game while we Democrats truly rocked the vote!

Secondly, Nevada Democrats succeeded in translating an Obama victory into a progressive victory while California Democrats were simply lost in translation. Why couldn't we win the 45th & 48th Congressional Districts when Obama carried them? Why couldn't Debbie Cook win in the 46th when Obama carried it? Why were there so many undervotes statewide? Whatever the Nevada Democratic Party did right, the California Democratic Party needs to learn how to do it.

And finally, we should all be of good cheer! The West is ours if we want it! The results across the region prove that where Democrats work, Democrats win. But in places like California where state party leaders grew complacent, we lost out on real opportunities.

So what do we do next? After we're done celebrating, we will go back to work! We have more work to do to keep progress going, so let's do it! :-D

The Closer

There's a reason why Michelle Obama is called "The Closer". I found it out yesterday in North Las Vegas. She knows how to seal the deal!

I was amazed yesterday as I heard from Michelle Obama herself on her own story, Barack's story, their family's common story, and our common story as Americans. Because both she and Barack actually remember where they came from what struggles they endured, they understand the economic problems that all of us are facing. I got that, and so did everyone else in North Las Vegas. We were all fired up & ready to go!

When Michelle Obama finished rallying us up, I quickly moved to the campaign office near the airport to see if I can be a "closer" as well. I was assigned a neighborhood in Silverado Ranch, a fairly Republican suburban area. I was up to the challenge, so I took it!

So I hit the pavement. I took notes from those who already voted early for Barack Obama & Dina Titus. I reminded those that haven't yet voted to vote today. All in all, I was able to reach out to some last-minute voters and remind them just how important today is.

Upon returning to the office, I made a few more calls to Henderson. And after that, I visited my family there. Oh yes, and I did remind them to vote for Obama & Titus today!

Here in Nevada, polls will be open today from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT. If you can, please make the calls and help me turn out the vote! Now's the time for all of us to be closers. Let's seal the deal and make victory happen today! :-D

What's Up in Vegas

Another day, another opportunity to win over some more Nevada voters! Yesterday, I had a chance to do this at the campaign office as I got my phone out and called local voters. I made the calls, and here's what happened.

First off, I found some voters who are understandably irritated by the 24/7 campaign in Nevada. I tried to explain to them that I wasn't out to deliberately annoy them, but I don't know if these people really got it. And honestly, these people are the ones who usually look for an excuse not to vote.

Fortunately, I found many more people at home who are planning to vote for Obama and Titus. These people missed early voting, so all they needed was a reminder to vote on Tuesday. Oh yes, and I also found even more Democrats who did vote early before the 10/31 deadline! And whether these folks already voted or will vote on Tuesday, they all sounded enthusiastic about Obama & Titus.

Oh, and did I mention that I was calling Henderson yesterday? And did I forget to say that I reached no McCain-Porter voters while on the phone?

So far, the state of the race looks good in Southern Nevada. However, our work is NOT done! We obviously still have voters to turn out to vote on Tuesday. So please, don't stop working now! Keep up the good work, help me turn out the vote, and I know we'll win! :-)

Baracking the Vote in Nevada

In case you forgot, I'm busy this week helping Barack Obama's campaign here in Nevada. And of course, this also means I'm working hard for the Dina Titus for Congress campaign in Nevada's 3rd District. And as I get ready for another hard day of campaigning today in Las Vegas, I want to share with you my experience on the ground yesterday.





First off, the rally yesterday morning was fantastic! We filled up the entire football field AND the whole set of open bleachers at Coronado High School in Henderson to see Barack Obama lay out his vision for a stronger America. It's just amazing to witness how Obama has grown as a candidate. Not that long ago, I wondered where all the specifics were amidst all the talk of hope and change and unity. But now, he can inspire while also fleshing out concrete plans for change on Iraq, the economy, health care, energy, and so much more. Obama has really found his inner Clinton, and I think he's all the better for it.

After the rally, I headed over to Obama & Titus office near McCarran Airport to pick up my assignment. And guess what? They gave me a neighborhood in Henderson's Green Valley community, arguably the most Republican heavy area in the Vegas Valley! I suddenly wondered how much success I'd have with even finding Democrats, let alone Democrats who will vote on Tuesday.

But ultimately, my fears were misplaced as usual. For one, there were as many Obama yard signs as McCain signs up in the neighborhood. Oh yes, and I ran into quite a few Democrats who already voters! Of the many Obama supporters I found at home, only two had not voted yet. And remember, this is supposed to be a "Republican stronghold"! Not bad, eh?

So really, we have good reason to feel good about Tuesday. But still, this election is NOT a done deal for us! Remember that my friends and I here in Nevada still need to turn out the last-minute Obama-Titus voters and persuade those still undecided voters to vote for Obama & Titus! So if you can, please keep up the good work by volunteering and making calls from wherever you're at!

If you work as hard as you can in these next three days, we will win and WIN BIG! So what are you waiting for? Let's go out and win this election, baby!

Nevada Early Voting UPDATE

Here's the latest news. Democrats have been outnumbering Republicans in early voting turnout so far by a 48%-34% margin in Washoe County (Reno) and a 52%-30% margin in Clark County (Las Vegas). And to put things further into perspective, Bush won Washoe County by 4% in 2004 while Kerry won Clark County by 6%. So far, SO GOOD for Democrats! ;-)

Whoops, No "Voter Fraud" in Nevada!

The Nevada Secretary of State has issued a report debunking all the myths of "VOTER FRAUD!!" that the Rethuglicans tried so hard to push. Oh noes, so how will McBush & Failin' now be able to suppress enough votes to win The West? Haha. Hooray for Nevada! Let the people vote!

So Far, So Good in The Silver State

That's what The Las Vegas Sun. Democrats continue to hold a large advantage in on-site early voting while only being slightly behind in vote-by-mail returns. Overall, this means Democrats hold a key edge in early voting.

So let's keep up the good work in Nevada! :-)

McBush Pulling the Plug on Nevada to Dress Up Failin'?

Not yet... But they have cut back on their Nevada campaign. What shocks me the most is that they have yet to pay for & execute the live paid calls (you know, the "OSAMA OBAMA PALS AROUND WITH TERRORISTS!" bullshit) in Las Vegas that they ordered some two months ago.

So apparently, they can't afford to make the ugly attack calls in Vegas... But they can afford to buy $150,000 worth of ugly AND expensive clothes for Sarah Failin' at Saks, Neiman, Macy's, & Bloomingdales??!! Wow, talk about "fiscal conservatism" being thrown out the window!

But hey, if they'd rather play "Extreme Makeover" with Failin' than win Nevada, I'm happy with this. I'm sure Barack Obama awfully appreciates those extra 5 electoral votes. ;-)

Nevada Early Voting UPDATE

Nevada's premier political reporter & analyst, Jon Ralston, has an update on Nevada early voting in The Las Vegas Sun. Here's what he's saying today.

[... M]ore than 15,000 Democrats voted the first day, then about 12,000 the second and 13,000 the third. More important, for Beers and the GOP, everything is relative 5,700 Republicans voted Saturday, a little more than 5,000 on Sunday and about 6,000 on Monday. If that pathetic pace continues though it seems unlikely by the end of the 14-day early voting period, Republicans will be far enough behind to make Nov. 4 an afterthought.

The state Palin visited Tuesday has been overtaken by a Democratic registration tsunami that has put the GOP more than 100,000 voters behind statewide. And now, after three days of early voting, it appears Democrats have converted their registration machine into a turnout juggernaut, holding a 59 percent to 25 percent lead in Clark County in the early vote 56 percent to 29 percent, if mail ballots are counted.

That is nothing short of devastating if it holds up: no GOP Election Day machine, no voter suppression techniques, no wailing about ACORNs and Ayers can change that.

This is great news for us! The more Democrats vote and vote early, the less likely it is for Rethuglicans to steal the election for McBush-Failin'. That's why we must continue to drive Democrats to the polls NOW and why we must fight the GOP's efforts to supress the vote.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO HELP OBAMA WIN NEVADA!! See how you can help get out the vote! We're already winning The Silver State, so all we need to do now is seal the deal and make the victory as large as possible so that Dina Titus & Jill Derby are elected to Congress and so Democrats win both houses of the Legislature!

Oh yes, and please don't forget to donate while we can still make a difference! We can win Nevada and win here BIG! YES, WE CAN! :-)

Nevada Voting Early... And Turning Blue?

Early voting has begun in Nevada. I should know. I've been calling Nevada voters & asking them to vote early since Thursday. (Don't worry, I'll update you on that later today.)

But even though early voting has just begun, is it already game over for McBush & Failin'? The Silver State's premier political reporter, Jon Ralston, is now starting to think so. Here's what The Las Vegas Sun's columnist has to say about the state of the race in Nevada today.

But more and more, the state is looking as if it leans toward Barack Obama, no matter what the overmatched McCain folks do here. There are 100,000-plus more registered Democrats than Republicans in Nevada now. That should be an insurmountable barrier. If its not, and McCain wins Nevada, the Democrats will have to go into hiding.

Oh yes, and check out the early early voting returns!

Of the 25,000-plus who voted early, 15,644 were Democrats and 5,721 were Republicans, according to Clark County Election Department records. If that trend holds, this wont be a wave; it'll be a tsunami. Republicans had a lead on the first day of mail ballot tallying -- 5,407 to 4,947. So overall, its 20,591 to 11,128 [in the Democrats' favor].

Yes! We're almost there! Keep up the good work, and we'll turn this & more formerly "Red States" blue! :-D

States of the Race: Good News Out West!

Hot off the presses! Rasmussen has two new polls in two crucial Western swing states. Here, let's take a look!

Nevada:
Obama (D) 50%
McCain (R) 45%

Colorado:
Obama (D) 52%
McCain (R) 45%

The bad news: None here!

The good news: Obama is solidifying his leads out West! The closer to the election we get, the better Democrats are poised to win Colorado, Nevada, and New Mexico! At this point, both Colorado & New Mexico show strong leans toward Obama while Nevada is starting to show an Obama lean as well. With Obama winning all the Kerry states, Iowa, and these three Western Swing States, Obama has secured 278 electoral votes and a win on election day!

Conclusion: PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T STOP WORKING FOR VICTORY! Please keep donating, keep volunteering, keep going until we win! I post these poll numbers not to lull us into complacency, but to encourage us to work harder for victory. We're almost there now, so let's make it happen! :-)

Yay! We're Making a Difference in Nevada!

We are... Really! Take a look at what The LA Times has to say about us. Doesn't it feel good to make a difference? :-)