Senator Reid and Nevada

In the state of Nevada - Sen. Harry Reid's overall approval rating has fallen from 35 percent in January to 29 percent. Among Democrats in Nevada, it has slipped from 57 percent to 45 percent. Reid is facing a stiff challenge in his reelection bid, approval in his home region has dipped to 23 percent. His state has seen staggering unemployment rates, steep declines in home prices, one of the highest percentages of foreclosure rates in the country and near zero jobs creation. This is not a slide that has happened overnight, it has been going on for a few years now. As a Senator wielding as much influence as he has in Congress, he has done little to help bolster the economy of his state. He has done little for education in his state. The overall graduation rate in Nevada is one of the lowest in the in the nation with approximately 55% of students graduating. He has been tied up with pushing a very unpopular Health Care Reform bill through the Senate and has virtually abandoned his home state.

It is widely thought that he has planted a candidate as the “The Tea Party candidate” in order to help siphon off some of the Republican vote this November. The Tea Party candidate, Las Vegas businessman Jon Scott Ashjian, a former Republican, came out of the blue to announce his candidacy. A Democratic lawyer is handling the paperwork for the candidate. This was somewhat of a surprise to the national movement of The Tea Party, they never heard of this person and have not even endorsed him as their candidate. The Republican GOP was taken aback also, it has been wooing The Tea Party group, a conservative, anti-tax, anti-big government group.

Currently the Polls show that Reid is slightly ahead in the running. But Sen. Reid is winning against nameless, faceless people," said Brad Coker, managing director of Mason-Dixon. "It's easier to win against nameless, faceless people than real people."

Sen. Reid has been in hot water for more than his States’ economy lately. He moved quickly to show remorse after a book, "Game Change" by journalists John Heilemann and Mark Halperin revealed that he made comments in 2008 suggesting that Barack Obama could be elected president because he is “light skinned” and lacks “Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one.” Somewhat of a racist remark if I ever heard one. Nevada has not been known for it’s welcoming of African Americans over the years, Sammy Davis Junior was not even allowed to enter through the front doors of a Casino, although in the last 10 years the relationship has improved. Still Nevada’s population of African Americans is only at 7% compared to 19% for Hispanics and 72% White. Now what is disparaging is the fact that about 30% of Nevada’s prisoners are African American. African Americans in Nevada are incarcerated almost 4 times more than whites in that state. Most drug offenders are white, yet African Americans as well as other minorities are much more likely to serve time for their offenses.

For Nevada, I would say that now is a time for change. Now is a time to find a new candidate with fresh ideas, one who cares about the state. I am not saying who you should vote for, that is something to decide for yourself, but examine the record and listen to all that are running, make your choice and go out and vote. Remember the person you vote for should represent you, your ideas and your state. This is only my Explosion of Thought!