The Democrats in Nevada are in a state of alarm. They should be.
The Trump administration is doing what it does best—cutting through waste and ensuring taxpayer money doesn’t rot in bureaucratic slush funds.
On Wednesday, Democratic leaders warned that the state might lose millions in unspent American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, but the truth is that the money isn’t theirs to hoard. Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro and Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager made their concerns known during a meeting of the Interim Finance Committee.
Their worry arose after Senate Minority Leader Robin Titus, a Republican, dismissed the panic as unfounded.
“There’s a lot of worry and a lot of panic out there,” said Titus, the Republican voice of reason. “I’m not sure anyone really knows for sure. But we do know that we have these (ARPA) funds in bank accounts, earning interest for the State of Nevada, and they’re there.”
Nevada received $2.7 billion from ARPA, with nearly half—about $1.3 billion—still sitting there, unspent. And yet, the Democrats act as if it has already been lost, rather than admitting sitting on it while everyday Nevadans struggle.
Trump, not one to let bloated spending slip through the cracks, issued an executive order Monday freezing federal grants and loans, throwing the usual D.C. bureaucrats and state-level spenders into a frenzy. Legal challenges followed, with a federal judge blocking the freeze. Another judge, predictably, appeared ready to do the same on Wednesday.
The money isn’t gone—it just isn’t being thrown around carelessly, and that’s what frustrates Democrats.
Cannizzaro, eager to stir fear, pushed back.
“I don’t think we have that much clarity,” she said, citing conversations with state agencies unsure what the funding freeze might affect.
Yeager, another Democrat scrambling to keep federal dollars flowing unchecked, urged state agencies to spend the money “as quickly as you can” before Trump could reclaim it. That advice speaks volumes.
If the funds are for essential projects, then what’s the sudden rush?
According to reports, the remaining funds are for housing initiatives, broadband expansion, public health infrastructure, education, and childcare. All noble causes on paper, but with billions still unspent, the question isn’t whether Trump is overreaching—it’s why hasn’t the money been put to use.
Legal experts, predictably aligned against Trump, claim the executive orders represent an overstep of presidential power. But the real issue is whether taxpayer money should sit idle in government accounts, waiting for the next spending spree, or whether a businessman-turned-president has the right to demand accountability.
The Old Blog in the Desert 
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