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Opinion
Nov. 08, 2009
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NEVADA VIEWS: How Gov. Gibbons can get his groove back

His stance on tax hikes might help him survive

By CHUCK MUTH
SPECIAL TO THE REVIEW-JOURNAL

So, is Gov. Jim Gibbons toast? In a general election held today ... yeah. But in the Republican primary next June? Not so fast.

Former Nevada Attorney General Brian Sandoval will raise a boatload of money and will rack up a boatload of "establishment" endorsements. Former North Las Vegas Mayor Mike Montandon probably won't raise as much money but will be a favorite of movement and social conservatives. But neither has signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge that Gov. Jim Gibbons has signed -- and the next session of the Legislature will, once again, be all about raising taxes or not.

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    • By the way, the two winning Republican gubernatorial candidates in Virginia and New Jersey this week both signed the Tax Pledge, as did 22 winning legislative candidates in both Virginia and New Jersey.

    Nevada Republican candidates, are you paying attention?

    Anyway, GOP primary voters will be reminded over and over again that when the Legislature sent Gov. Jim Gibbons that $800 million gorilla tax hike earlier this year, the governor ...

    Vetoed it.

    And that will resonate with GOP primary voters, especially if his opponents continue to refuse to put their John Hancocks where their "no new taxes" lips are.

    Here's what the governor now should/could do to position himself for the Republican nomination next June despite his current in-the-cellar polling numbers:

    1) Answer, in advance, the question on everyone's mind: How do you plug what is reportedly going to be a $2 billion budget hole when the stimulus money runs out and the Raggio tax hikes sunset next biennium? Go on record, with specifics, and dare his opponents to come up with a better solution, with specifics, and without raising taxes.

    2) Throw the tax-hike ball in the opposition's corner. Tell them that when it comes to tax hikes, he supports the "public option." Tell opponents to go out and collect enough signatures to put tax hikes on the ballot and then let the public vote on it, rather than lobbyist-controlled legislators. Tell the tax-hikers to do the same thing to raise taxes that he did in the 1990s to restrain them -- take it directly to the public through the citizen initiative process.

    3) Launch the Gibbons Tax Restraint Initiative II. The original Gibbons Tax Restraint Initiative requires a two-thirds supermajority vote of the Legislature to pass tax hikes. The loophole is in allowing special interests -- such as gaming and the unions -- to put tax hikes on the ballot and then getting them passed with a simple majority vote.

    The governor should champion a constitutional amendment which would also require a two-thirds supermajority vote for tax hikes that appear on the ballot.

    Do that and the governor's prospects for winning the GOP nomination in June will look far more promising than they do today.

    Now about that general election ...

    Chuck Muth is a conservative political consultant. He writes from Las Vegas.

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    HELENWEILS wrote on November 08, 2009 07:19 PM: I INHERITED EVERYTHING I HAVE INCLUDING MY PERSONALITY DISORDER.


    ANOTHER CON BITES THE DUST wrote on November 08, 2009 07:16 PM: Miss California, Carrie Prejean, appeared in a television advertisement opposing same-sex marriage for the National Organization for Marriage, which had contacted her shortly after the pageant. She also hired a Christian public relations firm. In late April, Prejean presented an award at the Gospel Music Association's 2009 Dove Awards in Nashville, Tennessee. Prejean also spoke at Liberty University's final convocation of the year on April 29, 2009.

    Then some naughty pics surfaced. Her response:

    "I am a Christian, and I am a model. Models pose for pictures, including lingerie and swimwear photos. Recently, photos taken of me as a teenager have been released surreptitiously to a tabloid Web site that openly mocks me for my Christian faith."

    National Organization for Marriage president Maggie Gallagher stated that the release would not affect Prejean's role with her group.

    AND NOW!

    Former Miss California Carrie Prejean was hoping to get a substantial amount of money in a lawsuit against pageant company umbrella company K2 after claiming she was stripped of her title due to "religious discrimination." however, she instead received nothing but a few legal fees after pageant officials realized that she had participated in a sex tape.

    Her mother was in the room when the Miss California USA lawyers pressed play. Sources tell TMZ Carrie's mom was in shock -- instantly turning sheet white.

    It took all of 15 seconds for Carrie to drop her $1 million demand from the Pageant people after the XXX tape was played.


    Charles B wrote on November 08, 2009 02:42 PM: A majority of elected officials in America have not signed the "no tax pledge", so trying to imply that the victors in NJ and VA governors race having done so and thus secured their victories is ludicrous.

    When did the "no tax" pledge trump an oath of office?

    Muth should have mentioned a legal issue;
    4) The Nevada Constitution demands that the GOVERNOR submit a balance executive budget to the Legislature...Gibbons can't throw the ball to anyone! Gibbons, under penalty of perjury, a felony, MUST! SHALL! submit a balanced budget....so, let's see where Gibbons CUTS $2,400,000,000!


    How many tax dollars from the Socialist South wind up bailing out the "self reliant/self responsible" rural counties?

    Chuck, Please tell us how many counties in rural Nevada have rejected federal stimulus dollars? Where are the teaparties in the rural cities, towns and counties demanding that their local government officials refuse Recovery monies?

    Just earlier this year the Mayor of Goldfield Nevada was begging for more money from "socialists" to redevelop his town (is it a city?), and was THRILLED to have secured funding for porta-poties (out houses) on Highway 95 outside of town!


    Joe the Plumber wrote on November 08, 2009 12:08 PM: "How Gov. Gibbons can get his groove back."

    Did he ever have a "groove"?


    HELEN WEILS wrote on November 08, 2009 09:41 AM: GO JIM GIBBONS, YOU'VE GOT 2 VOTES FROM
    US!!! NO RHINO'S NO WAY!


    Jessi wrote on November 08, 2009 08:23 AM: Unlike many, many other bureaucrats - Gov. Gibbons KEPT HIS WORD. That is priceless in today's political climate.


    Lawrence Hyde wrote on November 08, 2009 07:52 AM: I will vote for Governor Gibbons primarily because of his stand on taxes. His personal life has absolutely nothing to do with his political life. Unless he has personally done something against the law that would legally keep him from holding office there is no reason not to vote for him. If rory reid gets in office along with the tax and spend crowd that are in the legislature our taxes and fees will be so high that it would become almost impossible to live in this state. Businesses would be ran off, new business would not even look at us, but, our politicians would continue to thrive.


    Ben wrote on November 08, 2009 07:30 AM: Bill, you need to check your poll numbers. Cleanface Reid's negative numbers are the highest in Nevada history, higher than anyone ever. He has no chance of re-election, even with his tv commercials slapping us all in the face every 30 seconds. Voters are not as stupid as Cleanface believes. His time is over.


    Mike Laughlin wrote on November 08, 2009 07:27 AM: If the Democratic party gets into office(Govenor) you can kiss Northern Nevada good by.
    Gibbons is still the best bet to save us in Northern Nevada


    Bill wrote on November 08, 2009 06:38 AM: Here's how he can get his groove back. He can get on the horse he rode in on, and ride out. Fast. Somehow Mr. Muth fails to mention that Mr. Gibbons' approval numbers are about half of Harry Reid's right now.


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