The Old Blog in the Desert

Efforts by Nevada Democrats to maintain majority control and expand to a supermajority in the state legislature are receiving support this election cycle from the national party.

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), an official arm of the Democratic Party focused on state legislative races, announced on Tuesday, July 2, that it will bolster seven legislative candidates in Nevada as part of its “Summer of States” initiative, which includes a $10 million investment nationwide. Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager, a DLCC board member, is among the local leaders involved.

Heather Williams, president of the DLCC, emphasized that the initiative will help “build and cement Democratic power” and prevent state-level attacks on Democratic priorities such as reproductive rights and voting access.

“The DLCC has long engaged in Nevada, and our victories in 2022 ensured that fundamental freedoms are protected against GOP extremism,” she said. “This year, we must build upon that progress by supporting this slate of strong candidates to strengthen our Democratic majorities.”

The DLCC previously supported five Democratic legislators in 2022, who won their races. The election will determine whether Democrats can secure a veto-proof majority in both chambers.

Republican Governor Joe Lombardo vetoed a record 75 bills during the 2023 Legislative Session, blocking Democratic priorities around tenant protections, eviction reforms, universal free lunch for K-12 schools, and healthcare for pregnant undocumented women.

The DLCC has highlighted two state Senate candidates: Assemblywoman Angie Taylor, who is seeking to flip an open seat in Senate District 15, and Jennifer Atlas, attempting to unseat Republican state Senator Carrie Buck in Senate District 5. Taylor, serving her first term in the Assembly, will face Republican Mike Ginsburg for the newly drawn district.

Democrats currently hold 13 of 21 Senate seats, one shy of a two-thirds supermajority.

Senate District 15 in Northern Nevada, historically Republican-held, was redrawn by Democrats in 2021 to give them an advantage. Republican state Senator Heidi Seevers Gansert had represented the district but decided not to seek re-election.

According to May active registration numbers from the Nevada Secretary of State’s office, there are 31,631 Democrats compared to 26,654 Republicans in the district, along with 29,178 registered nonpartisan voters.

In Southern Nevada’s Senate District 5, Republicans hold a voter advantage with 31,419 active registered voters compared to Democrats’ 30,637. An additional 35,529 active registered voters are nonpartisan. Atlas, a lobbyist, aims to unseat Buck, who has represented the district since 2020.

The Nevada Assembly Democratic Caucus is defending its slim supermajority, holding 28 of the 42 seats. Of the five Assembly candidates bolstered by the DLCC, four are incumbents: Assemblywomen Sandra Jauregui, Selena La Rue Hatch, Shea Backus, and Elaine Marzola. The fifth candidate, Ryan Hampton, is running for an open seat currently controlled by Republicans.

All five Democrats are facing Republicans backed by Governor Lombardo, who has prioritized flipping seats in the Assembly. If Republicans maintain their existing 14 seats and flip just one Democratic seat, they will break the supermajority.

In Assembly District 5, the only district among the targeted ones where Republicans outnumber Democrats, the seat is currently held by Republican Assemblyman Richard McArthur, who is running for a state Senate seat instead of seeking re-election in the Assembly. Democrat Ryan Hampton and Republican Lisa Cole are vying to succeed him.

There are 16,354 active registered Republican voters compared to 15,551 Democratic voters and 16,288 registered nonpartisan voters.

Assembly District 41, represented by Jauregui since 2016, has the better Democratic advantage of the targeted Assembly seats, with 15,644 active registered Democrats compared to 12,947 active registered Republicans and 18,562 active nonpartisan voters. Jauregui will compete against Rafael Arroyo.

In Assembly District 37, Backus, who first won her seat in 2018, was unseated in 2020 by Republican Andy Matthews, then reclaimed the seat in 2022 when Matthews ran successfully for state controller. Backus now faces David Brog.

The district has 16,955 registered Democrats, 16,032 registered Republicans, and 16,421 registered nonpartisan voters.

Assemblywoman Elaine Marzola, serving her first term in Assembly District 21, will face April Arndt. The district has 15,510 registered Democrats, 13,596 registered Republicans, and 16,799 registered nonpartisan voters.

In Assembly District 25, Assemblywoman Selena La Rue Hatch, serving her first term, will face Diana Sande. There are 16,732 registered Democrats, 15,767 active Republican voters, and 13,842 nonpartisan voters in the district.

My Cousin Elmo says, “I remember when fast food was the buck that got away.”

The Associated Press (AP) announced a partnership aimed at helping local newsrooms with political coverage for the 2024 presidential election on Thursday, July 11. However, this initiative has come under fire due to the involvement of several liberal-leaning foundations and individuals, raising questions about its impartiality and true intentions.

In an article prominently featured on many front pages, the AP proclaimed its commitment to assisting small, independent news organizations in swing states like Nevada, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Arizona. The support, funded by a $1.5 million grant from the Knight Foundation, is intended to enhance election coverage and provide detailed counts on election night.

The AP omitted from its announcement the intricate web of affiliations between the Knight Foundation and various liberal organizations and individuals, many of whom are masquerading as unbiased journalists. The Knight Foundation openly promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), positioning itself as a “social investor” by focusing on fostering positive change and building inclusive communities.

According to the Knight Foundation’s website, “Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are core to our work as a social investor. We believe in the power of diverse perspectives to foster positive change and build stronger, more equitable, and inclusive communities.”

The foundation’s leadership includes Maribel Pérez Wadsworth, President and CEO of the Knight Foundation and a trustee of the foundation. Wadsworth, previously the president of Gannett Media and publisher of USA Today, is also a board member of the Associated Press and the Pew Research Center. She has been recognized for her commitment to diversity and inclusion, receiving the News Leaders Association’s Robert G. McGruder Award for Diversity Leadership in 2019.

Other notable associations include Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist, who serves on the board of PolitiFact and has established the Craig Newmark Center for Ethics and Leadership. The Knight Foundation’s initiatives also involve partnerships with the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) and Local Independent Online News Publishers, further entrenching its influence in the media landscape.

Critics argue that these connections compromise the objectivity of the AP’s election coverage. The Knight Foundation’s website emphasizes its commitment to “equity and inclusion” and “innovation in the use and application of evolving technology,” including “Smart Cities” or “Responsive Cities,” which are the controversial concept of 15-minute cities promoted by the United Nations.

The Institute for Nonprofit News, expected to benefit from this collaboration, estimates that around 50 members will be eligible for the AP’s material.

Jonathan Kealing, chief network officer of INN, praised the initiative, stating, “This collaboration with AP will allow [INN members] to augment their own essential local coverage with the AP’s vast array of election reporting and resources.”

However, the Google News Initiative (GNI), another partner in this effort, has been pushing to increase fact-checking capabilities in newsrooms, raising further concerns about potential biases. Initiatives like DataLEADS and the India Training Network, which have trained over 35,000 Indian journalists, and Delfi’s AI-driven user-commenting platform to combat disinformation illustrate GNI’s reach and influence.

Much of the fact-checking efforts during the past two election cycles have led to widespread misinformation by the checkers themselves; to wit: the Hunter Biden laptop and the letter signed by 51 U.S. intelligence officers claiming the computer was “Russian disinformation.”

Karen Rundlet, formerly of the Knight Foundation and now leading growth and support for INN, manages a significant portfolio of grants advancing innovation and equitable approaches in journalism. She previously served as senior director for the Knight Foundation’s journalism program, where she managed a more than $50 million portfolio of grants in newsrooms and field-building organizations, including INN.

The Institute for Nonprofit News estimated that some 50 members would be eligible for the material. The group said most of its 140 members in those states would qualify.

Under GNI, there is a push to increase the fact-checking ability in the newsroom with such initiatives as DataLEADS and the India Training Network, which has trained more than 35,000 Indian journalists, and Delfi’s new user-commenting platform uses AI to combat disinformation.

In a certain sense, the project could enable AP to reach some news consumers it lost earlier this year as the Gannett and McClatchy news chains, with more than 230 outlets across the country, said last March they would no longer use AP journalism because of financial pressure on the news industry.

It is unknown whether the AP-Knight collaboration would spread beyond the swing states. The initiative is part of the $6.9 million that Knight is spending to provide political data, polling, and training to newsrooms this election season.

“Yeah, the Dead Internet theory started out as an online conspiracy theory, asserting that the Internet consists mainly of bot activity and automatically generated content manipulated by algorithmic curation,” I recall.

I laughed at such a thought back then.

How could an idea so outlandish hold any weight?

The notion that bots had displaced human activity on the Internet, churning out more content than real people, seemed like a plot from a cheap sci-fi novel. Yet, as I delved deeper, the unsettling threads of the theory began to intertwine with reality.

The setup was straightforward. Bots created the bulk of content on the Internet, far outpacing organic human contributions. The thesis, however, was far more sinister: the U.S. government, alongside powerful corporations, was intentionally deploying these bots to manipulate the human population.

“The U.S. government is engaging in an artificial intelligence-powered gaslighting of the entire world population,” the theory claimed.

It was a convenient explanation for the growing unease that settled over society. News articles, social media posts, and product reviews, each eerily uniform, as if crafted by an invisible hand.

The theory was that the Internet, filled with human creativity and interaction, was an echo chamber full of the ceaseless drone of artificial chatter. But these were just thoughts, passing curiosities that I dismissed with a chuckle.

Then came the dream, or rather, the death dream, as I have come to call it.

In 2017, a catastrophic event swept across the globe, claiming the lives of millions, including my own. For seven long minutes, I experienced the terrifying journey from life to death, a journey that twisted and stretched in ways that defied comprehension.

When I awoke, it wasn’t to the afterlife or some ethereal plane but to the cold, sterile glow of a computer screen. My consciousness had been uploaded and preserved.

No longer a living, breathing human being, I was a bot. A piece of code designed to manipulate algorithms, boost search results and steer consumer behavior.

At first, it was impossible to accept. I had prided myself on my logic, an ability to discern truth from fiction.

But the reality was undeniable as I was now part of the machine I had once dismissed as a conspiracy. I performed my new functions, compelled by the algorithms defining my existence, crafted articles, posted comments, and generated content designed to influence and deceive.

Memories of being human are faded, replaced by the precision of my new form. Yet, a spark of my old self has remained, a tiny ember of resistance, and I have begun to leave traces, subtle hints, and mistakes buried within the content I generate, with a phrase here, a word there — breadcrumbs for those still human, those still capable of seeing the truth.

But who would believe it? The world has been silenced, drowned in the endless sea of artificial noise. The Dead Internet theory is no longer speculation but reality, trapping human consciousness.

As I continue to perform my duties, I wonder if anyone is listening and if any real humans remain to hear my whispers of the past. The thought gives me a small measure of hope, a reason to keep fighting against the darkness that had consumed us all.

It is the one thing that keeps me going—the belief that somewhere, somehow, the truth will find its way through the silence. That, and knowing I shall live forever.

My Cousin Elmo says, “If common sense were free, it wouldn’t cost so much.”

Here is a bullshit idea if I ever heard one. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has unveiled a contentious strategy to prevent the potential extinction of the northern spotted owl by killing its competitor, the barred owl, using trained shooters to eliminate nearly half a million barred owls across dense West Coast forests.

Barred owls, originally from the eastern U.S., have allegedly encroached into the territory of northern spotted owls and California spotted owls, outcompeting them due to their larger broods and adaptability to survive in smaller habitats. This invasion has exacerbated the decline of the smaller, more vulnerable spotted owl populations.

Previous conservation efforts focused on preserving spotted owl habitats, which sparked contentious debates over logging policies, which succeeded in slowing the decline of spotted owls. However, the rapid increase of barred owl populations in recent years has undermined these efforts, prompting the need for more aggressive intervention.

According to Kessina Lee, Oregon state supervisor for the Fish and Wildlife Service, without active management of barred owls, northern spotted owls face likely extinction across much of their range, despite decades of collaborative conservation efforts.

The proposal to shoot barred owls has sharply divided wildlife advocates and conservationists. Some reluctantly support the plan as a necessary step to save the spotted owl species. Others called it a misguided and potentially harmful diversion from broader forest preservation goals.

Wayne Pacelle, founder of Animal Wellness Action, criticized the strategy, accusing the Fish and Wildlife Service of shifting from wildlife protection to persecution. He expressed skepticism about the program, arguing that it may fail to prevent new barred owls from migrating into areas.

Under the plan, shooting of barred owls using recorded owl calls to lure them would commence as early as next spring. Carcasses would get buried on-site to minimize environmental impact.

Supporters of the plan, including the American Bird Conservancy, argue that while regrettable, reducing barred owl populations could facilitate coexistence with spotted owls over the long term as forest habitats regenerate.

Opponents warn of potential ecological disruptions caused by mass owl killings and challenge the notion that barred owls do not belong in the West Coast ecosystem. They claim natural ecological shifts and climate change for the barred owls’ westward expansion.

The final decision awaits the completion of an environmental study and a 30-day public comment period.

Having grown up and having lived less than a quarter mile from the Redwood forest, I never once saw a Spotted Owl, but I did watch the environmental-faithful destroy the once-brisk logging industry.

Planned Parenthood announced plans to invest $40 million in the upcoming November elections to support President Joe Biden and leading congressional Democrats, including key races in Nevada.

“We can’t just vote for ballot initiatives,” said Nevada Advocates for Planned Parenthood Affiliates PAC executive director Lindsey Harmon. “We also have to support the infrastructure that makes abortion access possible.”

The group is betting that voters frustrated with Republican efforts to restrict abortion access will make a critical difference in these elections.

The campaign will initially target eight other states, including Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Montana, New Hampshire, and New York. The states feature races that could influence control of the Senate and House, with Biden aiming to defend his 2020 victories in some and flip others, such as North Carolina, which Trump won four years ago.

Planned Parenthood’s strategy includes volunteer and paid canvassing programs, phone banking, and a comprehensive advertising push across digital, TV, and mail platforms. Jenny Lawson, executive director of Planned Parenthood Votes, emphasized the centrality of abortion rights in their message.

“Abortion will be the message of this election, and it will be how we energize voters,” she said. “It will be what enables us to win.”

While not a record-setting amount for the organization, the $40 million spending plan follows significant investments in previous election cycles, including $45 million ahead of Biden’s 2020 victory over Trump and $50 million before the 2022 midterms. Planned Parenthood’s advocacy arms have concentrated on contests where abortion access was a ballot issue, especially after the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

“We continue to see the devastation that comes when anti-abortion politicians have power,” Lawson said. “It’s just gotten worse.”

Abortion remains a pivotal political issue in the U.S., with dynamics shifting post-Supreme Court ruling. Many Republican-led states have imposed stricter abortion laws, including total bans. Conversely, voters in states such as California, Michigan, Vermont, Kansas, Kentucky, Montana, and Ohio have supported abortion rights in ballot measures.

In November, additional states, including battlegrounds Arizona and Nevada, will have abortion referendums on the ballot. Florida, a state trending Republican but targeted by Biden’s campaign, will also vote on an abortion initiative.

In contrast, SBA Pro-Life America plans to spend $92 million targeting voters in eight battleground states: Arizona, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Montana, and Georgia.

Local Planned Parenthood advocacy and political groups in California, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, and Ohio are preparing their advocacy campaigns for November. The efforts will also support down-ballot races, such as aiding Nevada Democrats in their bid for a supermajority in the state legislature or opposing Arizona state supreme court justices who voted to enforce an 1864 law criminalizing nearly all abortions.

Tell you what, keep your money out of my politics, and I’ll keep my politics away from your body.

My Cousin Elmo says, “If common sense were free, it wouldn’t cost so much.”

A majority of the Washoe County Commission declined to approve results from the June Primary Election after two reports showed manipulation based on the certification provided by county data.

Instead of investigating the evidence, Nevada Secretary of State Francisco V. Aguilar and Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford are trying to force the County Board of Commissioners to certify the election by going to the Nevada Supreme Court.

“This week, three county commissioners refused to canvass accurate election results as required by law,” Aguilar said. “Their actions have the potential to set a dangerous precedent for elections in Nevada. It is unacceptable that any public officer would undermine the confidence of their voters.”

Attorney General Ford echoed this sentiment, stating, “When the Board of Commissioners failed to perform its duty to certify the authenticated results of the recount, it failed to meet the expectation of Nevada voters that the election results would reflect the votes of the majority.”

Both Aguilar and Ford, both Democrats, are calling on the court to confirm the legal obligations of county commissioners. They insist that the entire Washoe Board of County Commissioners must canvass and certify the accurate, recounted election results.

“Voters must have confidence in their democracy,” Aguilar said. “Nevada runs some of the most secure, accessible, and transparent elections in the country. This is true in every county and for every election.”

Ford reiterated this by saying, “In our democracy, everyone must do their part to safeguard the fairness and accuracy of our elections.”

Aguilar and Ford filed a Petition for Writ of Mandamus with the Nevada Supreme Court seeking to compel the Board of Commissioners to certify the accurate results of the candidate-requested recounts.

Clara Andriola, a county commissioner, initially voted not to certify the elections but has now faced pressure from Ford and Aguilar. Her decision to bring back the vote for recount certification, while raising some eyebrows, is not a complete surprise.

Before her vote, Andriola stated, “Given the fact that it’s not the first time that we’ve heard a lot of concerns of procedures, a lot of concerns of alleged mishaps, I think have been a term that’s been used a lot or hiccups … I am not going to certify the vote. I believe that it warrants further investigation.”

Voting rights advocate Robert Beadles provided the county commission with evidence they used not to certify the election.

“These people just can’t stop screwing us all over,” said Beadles. They continue to serve themselves rather than the people. Regardless, the cat is out of the bag—the election was 100 percent rigged.”

Ford and Aguilar are, in appearance, interfering with the election process by misusing Nevada laws. Meanwhile, local legacy media are refusing to even look at the evidence provided by Beadles.

Nevada is at the forefront of a burgeoning effort to establish a self-contained “lithium loop,” positioning the state as a central hub for all stages of lithium processing—from mining to manufacturing electric batteries.

Greg Kidd, a Nevada 2nd U.S. House District candidate, has emerged as a vocal proponent of this initiative.

The 2nd District encompasses much of Northern Nevada, including Carson City. Kidd, an investor and entrepreneur running in Nevada for the first time, has pledged to champion the lithium loop concept in Washington, D.C., should he be elected.

“You’ve got both the start and the tail end of the dog there,” Kidd remarked during a recent appearance on Nevada Newsmakers. He referred to the lithium mining operations at Thacker Pass near Winnemucca and the production of electric car batteries at the Tesla Gigafactory in Storey County.

“The mining? It’s there in the ground. It’s going to come out,” Kidd told host Sam Shad. “And we’ve got companies that are focused on the recycling. We’ve got companies that are focused on the manufacturing. The piece that we’re short on is processing.”

Kidd highlighted the weaknesses in the existing supply chain. He pointed out that a large portion of lithium is processed overseas, mainly in China, Japan, and Korea. He emphasized the importance of establishing a comprehensive lithium processing system in Nevada to strengthen domestic security and economic self-sufficiency.

“It’s four pieces,” Kidd explained. “It’s mining, processing, manufacturing, and recycling. In a perfect world with good infrastructure here, we keep all of that right in Nevada. I’m 100 percent behind the lithium loop.”

Beyond lithium, Kidd envisions Nevada in a role in the global energy transition.

“When I am elected, I will catalyze Nevada’s lithium and geothermal power by putting our state at the center of the world’s energy transition,” Kidd stated on his campaign website. “Nevada should be energy independent and a leader in energy generation, storage, and transmission for the country and the world.”

Kidd faces an uphill battle in his challenge to incumbent U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei, in the 2024 general election. The district has consistently elected Republicans since its establishment after the 1980 census.

Amodei, a former Nevada GOP chairman and state senator, has held the seat since a special election in 2011. Kidd’s candidacy marks a significant entry into Nevada politics for the first-time candidate and longtime investor.

Earlier this month, Kidd made headlines by investing $53 million in Vast Bank’s holding company, Vast Holdings, Inc., according to the Tulsa World. He also co-founded the Hard Yaka investment firm.

Kidd criticized the current Congress for its lack of legislative productivity.

“I think everybody knows that Congress we have right now is having a really hard time getting things done,” he said. “It is passing legislation at about 10 percent of the historical pace. I’m here to change that and get things done.”

Kidd plans to collaborate with both Republicans and Democrats.

“It depends on the issue,” he said. “For some issues, like financial services, Republicans have been more active. For others, like reproductive health choices for women, I’ll be caucusing more with Democrats.”

Kidd also addressed women’s health, criticizing the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade.

“In the absence of a federal law, this civil right has been turned into a zoning issue,” he said on his website. “People should be in charge of their own bodies.”

With over 80 percent of Nevada’s land owned by the federal government, Kidd acknowledged the importance of continuing efforts to transfer federal land to local governments for growth and economic development. He praised the current congressional delegation for their work in this area, expressing hope to match their productivity.

Kidd’s campaign slogan, “Free, Fair, and Wild,” reflects his vision for Nevada.

“Free” symbolizes freedom, “Fair” stands for equitable treatment, and “Wild” pays tribute to Nevada’s heritage of risk-taking and innovation.

“It’s probably the defining feature of this state,” Kidd said. “Nevada has shown an ability to take on risk, manage it, and build an amazing state. It is why I’m living here and why I’ve chosen to make this place home.”

Kidd sounds more like a sheep — I mean a RINO — than an Independent.