Helluva Heller

Dean Heller - Friend of Halliburton

2008-08-06T07:56:00.000-07:00

Dean Heller, friend of big business, friend of Dick Cheney, friend of Halliburton.

Yep, the company formerly chaired by Dick Cheney, the company getting probably the most bang for the buck out of the Iraq war, the company so infamous that there's an entire website devoted to its shameful practices, that company, Halliburton Energy Services, has contributed $1,000 to Heller for Congress on August 1. And Heller gladly excepted it.

Why? I refer you to the first sentence of this diary. Honestly, though, without the loans he gave to his campaign (his current debts are $365k) and without the big business PAC money his campaign finances wouldn't look so good. In fact, out of the $1.2 million Heller has received this cycle, more than $500k came from PACs or other committees. That's more than 40%. You can view the whole list of PAC money here.

And don't kid yourself about the individual contributions. Doesn't mean they're all ordinary folk. A lot of those are business executives, real estate, development, financial services giving in four figure sums. From casino executives alone Dean Heller received at least $75,500 thus far. That's more than 10% of all his individual contributions.

So, in case you're wondering why we're still in Iraq, why we have a big budget deficit, Heller getting contributions from companies like Halliburton is one of the reasons.

Jill Derby may not have Halliburton. But Jill Derby has ordinary supporters like you. How about giving her ten bucks?

Announcing "Nevada Bloggers for Jill Derby and Dina Titus"

2008-07-21T05:12:00.000-07:00

With only three and a half month left before election day, Nevada bloggers have joined forces and today announce the creation of the "Nevada Bloggers for Jill Derby and Dina Titus" ActBlue fundraising page.

Dean Heller and Jon Porter were almost beaten in 2006 in what were the closest races the 2nd and 3rd Nevada Congressional Districts have seen to date. Considering that Democratic voter registration has significantly increased since 2006 and that Nevada will be a battleground state in the presidential contest both Jill Derby and Dina Titus have a big chance of beating the Republican incumbents this fall.

However, both have one disadvantage: they have significantly less cash-on-hand than the incumbents. While they both reported good fundraising numbers in the last quarter it will be hard to make up the time and incumbency advantages of Heller and Porter. Therefore, Jill Derby and Dina Titus need all the help they can get. Whether you can give $5,$20 or $100 - anything helps!

The following blogs have been and will continue to cover one or both of these contests and today we are announcing that we stand together to help elect Jill Derby and Dina Titus: Blue Sage Views, Desert Beacon, Helluva Heller, My Silver State, Nevada Mojo Rising, Nor'Town, Nye - Gateway to Nevada's Rurals, Reno and Its Discontent, and Vote Gibbons Out.

We support Jill Derby and Dina Titus for Congress! Help us in our effort!

Heller's Provincialism Shines Through: Rural NV Rep. votes against public transportation

2008-06-27T16:19:00.000-07:00

Cross posted at Desert Beacon

Representative Dean Heller (R-NV2) was the only member of the Nevada congressional delegation to vote against H.R. 6052, the “Saving Energy Through Public Transportation Act, on June 26^th. [vote 467] H.R. 6052 is a straight-forward enough bill, providing funding for public transportation authorities to receive grants for expanding and improving their services, or to reduce fares for their riders.

The Los Angeles Times reported that public transit systems recorded their highest ridership levels in the last 50 years, and during the first quarter of 2008 ridership on light rail increased 10% while vehicle miles traveled decreased 2.3%. The American Public Transport Association reports that Last year 10.3 billion trips were taken on U.S. public transportation – the highest number of trips taken in fifty years. In the first quarter of 2008, public transportation continued to climb and rose by 3.4 percent. [APTA]

“Rep. Frank D. Lucas (R-Okla.) complained that his constituents not only must pay higher gas prices, "but now they have to subsidize people in big cities with the luxury of access to public transportation." [LAT] Evidently, it hasn’t occurred to Rep. Lucas that if more people in urban areas use less gasoline, the demand drops and by the free market standards he claims to uphold – if demand drops so do the prices.

Increasing the use of “the luxury” of public transportation (Perhaps Rep. Lucas hasn’t been on the Metro, MARTA, BART, or the T during rush hour?) also has the salutary effect of diminishing green house gas emissions. But, then, Rep. Lucas is from Oklahoma where global warming is a giant hoax. Unfortunately, it is with this kind of parochial provincialism that Representative Heller has chosen to associate himself. Perhaps it didn’t occur to Representative Heller, as it did to Representatives Berkley (D-NV1) and Porter (R-NV2) that a gallon of gas saved in Las Vegas or Reno (or Boston, New York, Chicago, or Atlanta) might be a gallon of gas just slightly cheaper in Winnemucca, Lovelock, and Elko?

Heller says no silver bullets, fires blanks at energy issues

2008-06-20T08:50:00.000-07:00

Cross posted at Desert Beacon

The Republican befuddlement over energy policies to address the current spike in gasoline prices and the need to devise a rational nationwide energy policy were never more evident than in Congressman Dean Heller’s (R-NV2) in a conference call with reporters. [EDFP]

Attempts to solve the overall problem included in the recently passed Energy and Job Creation Act met with Heller’s disdain: “It goes to show who controls this place now. The environmentalists that Congress has sold out to ... trial lawyers and big labor,” Heller said. “That is why you are seeing tax credits for trial lawyers in energy bills.” [EDFP] One should give Heller credit for cramming all three of the Grand Oil Party’s traditional boogey-men into the same sentence; however, the Representative provides no substantiation for their involvement in the current price spikes at the pump.

The 2^nd District Representative calls for an investigation into whether there has been market manipulation with oil futures and brags that he is asking for a hearing on this topic. How this hearing would add more information to the discussion than that already gleaned from the Senate Commerce Committee’s session on the subject early this month isn’t clear; or, for that matter, from the House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s investigation into the self-same subject. [CNN] Nor is it clear how Representative Heller missed the fact that there is already a bill (H.R. 6238) sponsored by House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman Rep. John Dingell on the subject, co-sponsored by the ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX). [ECcom]

Heller also boasts of writing to House leadership asking about an energy plan calling for more drilling and the construction or expansion of more refineries to depress prices in the long run; and, then inexplicably adds “I’m concerned if we don’t do something quickly we will see $5 or $6 gasoline.”

Congressman Heller has probably long since sold his Economics 101 text, but might be well advised to review the basics, like “equilibrium pricing,” and “economic incentives.” If the Congressman adheres to the basic free market tenet that an economic entity will act in ways to best secure its profitability, then the present lack of drilling development and refinery capacity should make perfect sense. When prices are high there is no economic incentive to increase supply.

The solutions Congressman Heller is setting forth actually aren’t in the best economic interests of the oil corporations he seeks to support. As noted in a previous post the oil giants could have increased their refinery and drilling operations at any time, but chose not to do so, thus increasing the price of their products and thereby the profitability of their companies.

This is partially evident when it is considered that the Bush Administration’s leasing of oil and gas fields has out-stripped the industry’s ability or interest in terms of drilling. Oil and gas industry corporations have leases on about 44 million acres of public land in the Rocky Mountain region, but have developed only about 10 million to date. Prices for gasoline have not dropped in spite of the fact that according to the Baker Hughes Rig Count the U.S. has 1,901 rigs operating in the U.S. compared to 1,305 on the remainder of our entire planet. Since taking office in January 2001 the Bush Administration has issued leases for over 26 million acres of on-shore public lands. [WSpress]

There also appears to be some confusion about what might be done and what can be done. Some of the oil shale operations mentioned by the President haven’t begun because the technology isn’t in place: “Government regulations do not prohibit development of this potential resource, technological feasibility does. Current federal policy supports a robust oil shale research and development program on federal lands managed by the BLM. However, despite a significant investment, industry admits they are a decade or more away from establishing the economic viability, technical efficiency, and environmental performance of the technologies. Even Shell admits its new technology remains many years away from viability.” [WS Press Release June 18, 2008]

The hard fact is that the United States has 3% of the world’s oil resources but consumes 25% of the planet’s oil production. Drilling every possible acre and refining every possible domestically produced gallon won’t alter this simple fact of life – Representative Heller’s standard “enviro-bashing” talking points notwithstanding.

Heller makes noise, other members of Congress address oil price manipulation

2008-06-06T08:16:00.000-07:00

Cross posted at Desert Beacon

Representative Dean Heller (R-NV2) would have us believe that he “can do little more than make noise about gas prices.” [RGJ] He’s managed the noise part, first writing provocative epistles to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (hardly a format designed to enhance his reputation for working across the aisle to find solutions), authoring a going-nowhere ‘demand’ for an energy “plan,” and finally asking the Financial Services Committee to hold hearings on price manipulation and speculation.

Perhaps Representative Heller didn’t get the memo: There have already been hearings concerning price manipulation and speculation, in both houses of Congress.

On the House side - Representative Bart Stupak (D-MI) said that his U.S. House Energy Oversight Committee’s investigation [CNN] hasn’t uncovered illegal practices in oil and gas trading, but that loopholes in current statutes were allowing the biggest traders to ‘game the system.’ Stupak’s committee will hold a second hearing to announce the results of the entire investigation on June 23^rd. [CNN]

On the Senate side - Senator Maria Cantwell chaired a Senate Commerce Committee hearing [McClatchy] (D-WA) on the subject, and is pressing both the FTC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to more closely regulate oil and commodity markets, and wants the FTC to issue an interim rule under the provisions of the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act while the agency completes its ‘formal regulatory rule making process.’ Cantwell is also calling for the CFTC to revoke its ‘no action’ letters issued by its staff that allow electronic exchanges outside U.S. borders to continue trading West Texas Intermediate crude and related commodities. The Washington Senator and 20 other colleagues wrote to the CFTC on May 23^rd demanding the revocation of those “no-action” letters. [OGJ] This exchange prompted the CFTC to admit that it had been ‘investigating’ the trading policies and practices in London (ICE) and Dubai since last December.

Representative Heller also voted against legislation seeking to ameliorate the current situation.

Concerning the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, (H.R. 6) cited by Senator Cantwell as offering a means to allow the FTC to address the issues immediately under its interim rule making provisions, Representative Heller voted as follows: [GovTrack]

(1) On consideration of H.R. 6, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007: NO (vote 37) January 18, 2007.
(2) On a motion to recommit the bill (to kill it) YES (vote 38) January 18, 2007.
(3) On an appeal of the ruling of the chair (‘yes would sustain the measure) NO (vote 39) January 18, 2007.
(4) On final passage of the bill NO (vote 40) January 18, 2007.
(5) On agreeing to Senate Amendments NO (vote 1140) December 6, 2007.
(6) On agreeing to Senate Amendments NO (vote 1177) December 18, 2007. Representative Heller was the only member of the Nevada delegation to vote against the final passage of the bill as amended.

Thus do we see the difference between making noise and being a ‘grown up’ member of Congress?

Heller and The Leadership PACs

2008-05-20T18:10:00.000-07:00

Cross posted at Desert Beacon
Representative Dean Heller (R-NV2) appears in the process of transforming himself into yet another PAC-man in the U.S. House of Representatives. About 38% of the funds he has raised during the 2008 campaign season thus far comes from political action committee contributions. [OS] Leadership PAC funds constituted $113,000 of those PAC contributions. [OS]

To whom is Congressman Heller beholden? Or, at least 38% beholden…

The Committee for the Preservation of Capitalism has donated $15,000 to Heller’s coffers. [OS] The CPC’s list of donors reads like a K-Street directory: The Duberstein Group; Ernst & Young; Strategic Health Solutions; Capitol Tax Partners; Securities Industry Association; Aetna Inc.; The Alpine Group; Akin Gump; Capitol Hill Consulting; Arent Fox; and the Business Roundtable among others. [CM] Akin Gump is most often associated with former RNC official Kenneth Mehlman, and the company has represented the “U.S. Embassy of the Government of Colombia” contacting congressional and executive branch officials to discuss U.S. policy – we might assume that would include trade agreements. [SW]

Every Republican Is Crucial donated $10,000. [OS] The questionable nature of this committee has been raised here in previous posts. Again, this is a PAC operated by the Cantor Joint Fundraising Committee, as in Eric Cantor (R-VA). Few members of Congress who were so closely tied to uber-lobbyist Jack Abramoff still managed to retain their seats in 2006.

The Freedom Project (John Boeher R-OH) donated $10,000. [OS] Once more the “K-Street” connections emerge from their donor list. Among the top 100 donations to the organization are checks from: The Dutko Group; Boich Companies; The Duberstein Group; Ernst & Young; Cassidy & Associates; Hecht Spencer & Associates; Podesta Mattoon; Navigators (Christopher Cox); The Hobbs Group; The Baptista Group; Holt Strategies; The Washington Group; News Corporation; the Securities Industry Association; Akin Gump; the Miller Brewing Company and, the Federal Strategies Group. [CM] Those unfamiliar with the Boich Companies should know that Boich = Coal. The Baptista Group works on behalf of Goldman Sachs, Fannie Mae, and the Optimal Group. [The Hill]

Rely On Your Beliefs donated $10,000. [OS] This PAC is operated by Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Altria). The donor list for this Heller funding source may raise at least one eyebrow – it includes the Ogilvy Group’s Wayne Berman, co-finance chair of the McCain campaign. [CM] John Green is the co-founder and managing director of Ogilvy Government Relations (formerly called the Federalist Group), and between 2005 and 2006 Green and his firm were paid $640,000 by Ameriquest “the nation’s largest subprime lender.” In 2006, as Green lobbied for the company, Ameriquest settled a 49 state investigation in a $325 million agreement “that ranked as the second largest predatory lending settlement in history.” [MS]

Battle Born PAC, run by Senator John Ensign (R-NV), gave Heller contributions totaling $10,000. [OS] Among the top contributors to this fund were Mehlman Vogel Castagenetti, Kimbell & Assoc; Cassidy & Assoc; and Barbour Griffith & Rogers. [CM] Barbour Griffith & Rogers has a contract to represent Serbia, billing $60,000 per month through January 2009 to handle its public relations in Washington. The Serbian government has recently been criticized for its “half-hearted cooperation with investigations into war crimes committee during the 1990s.” [SW] As recently as April 2008, the Hague Tribunal was urging Serbia “to locate war crime fugitives, grant access to state archives, and to introduce a witness protection program.” [BI]

Midnight Sun PAC gave Heller $6,000. [OS] Randy DeLay, Houston, TX is one of the top contributors to beleaguered Alaskan Representative Don “Coconut Road” Young. KTUU television added to Rep. Young’s woes this year weighing in with its report “Something Fishy in Seward.” The recipients list for the 2008 cycle is short by Washington standards, but both Dean Heller and Jon Porter are included. [CM] Young’s short list probably has something to do with the fact that he can’t seem to round up donors for his legal defense fund much less concentrate on filling campaign coffers. [The Hill]

The 21^st Century PAC under the direction of Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon (R-CA) kicked in $6,000 for Heller’s 2008 run. [OS] Donations from the Apollo Group figure prominently in supporting McKeon this season. [OS] While the “Apollo Group” name may not be a household term, one of its enterprises certainly is – the University of Phoenix, the private for-profit educational institution.

Congressman Heller has received contributions of $5,000 each from other leadership PACs including: the Congressional Majority Committee PAC; People for Enterprise Trade Economic Growth (Peter Sessions, R-TX); New PAC (David Nunes, R-CA); and, RED PAC (Adam Putnam, R-FL)

A complete listing of congressional leadership PACs is provided by CREW. A list of contributions to Congressman Heller from leadership PACs is available from Open Secrets.

Foster! Cazayoux! Childers! Derby?

2008-05-14T08:13:00.000-07:00

Why did the Jill Derby campaign and countless other Democratic congressional campaigns across the United States likely look to Mississippi last night?

Because of this man:

Travis Childers yesterday won a race that he never was supposed to win. He beat a Republican in a district that voted for President Bush with 62%, that his predecessor (who was appointed to Trent Lott's Senate seat) last won with 71% in 2006.

Yet, Childers not only beat his Republican opponent, he beat him by a significant margin: 54% to 46%. This after the Republicans tried to attack Childers by associating him with Barack Obama and Reverend Wright and the bad, bad liberals. The almost bankrupt NRCC spent more than a million dollars here and Nevada's own Sheldon Adelson's dollars didn't help the Republicans either. Neither did Dick Cheney's last minute appearance.

Why is this so important? Because it is the third special election in a heavily Republican district in a row that the Republicans lost. The first was fmr. Speaker Hastert's seat in Illinois, won by Democrat Bill Foster. The second was just a week ago in Louisiana (the only state John Ensign seriously thinks he can beat a Democratic incumbent Senator), where Don Cazayoux won. House Republicans are in pure panic mode now. From The Hill:

The sky is falling on House Republicans and there is no sign of it letting up.

The GOP loss in Mississippi’s special election Tuesday is the strongest sign yet that the Republican Party is in shambles. And while some Republicans see a light at the end of the tunnel, that light more likely represents the Democratic train that is primed to mow down more Republicans in November.

The third straight House special election loss in three conservative districts this year is a clear indication that the GOP brand is turning off voters and the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is in disarray.

All this is good news for Jill Derby of course. Like Foster, Cazayoux and Childers she faces the challenge of winning in a Republican district. She narrowly lost against Dean Heller in 2006. So, what is different this time around? Due to the caucus voter registration is up. In the primary, Barack Obama faired much better in this CD than Hillary Clinton, especially amongst independents. This could mean that Obama's likely to have coattails in November. Dean Heller now has a record that he has to defend. And Republicans are even more unpopular than two years ago.

You can of course help Jill Derby get elected by contributing through the My Silver State ActBlue page.

Jill Derby for Congress website

Cross posted from My Silver State.

Heller Still Promoting Giuliani Tax Cut Proposals

2008-04-24T08:27:00.001-07:00

Cross posted at Desert Beacon

Ah, the joys of living in Nevada’s 2^nd Congressional District, thereby getting a spot on Rep. Dean Heller’s mailing list! We’ve been treated yet again to one of Heller’s glossy (and franked) mailers touting his objections to taxes. The taxpayers who funded the sending of this ‘campaign piece’ are not, however, equally rewarded for mailing in the little tear-out “survey” included in the mailer – that portion says: “Place Stamp Here.”

Under the heading “Congressman Dean Heller supports Tax Relief for Hardworking Families,” we discover that:

(1) Heller “co-authored” H.R. 2734 (the bill to make the Bush Tax Cuts permanent). The bill was actually “authored” by Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), introduced on June 14, 2007, and has 118 co-sponsors among whom is Congressman Heller. What Congressman Heller doesn’t say in the glossy mailer is that by April 16, 2008, H.R. 2734 was a dead letter, as Dick Armey’s right wing “Freedom Works” duly noted.

(2) Heller “co-authored” H.R. 411, to make “tax relief for married couples permanent.” Here again Rep. Heller appears to confuse “co-author” with “co-sponsor.” The bill was introduced on January 11, 2007 by Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) with 68 co-sponsors. Representative Heller didn’t sign on as a co-sponsor until August 3, 2007. [LOC]

(3) Heller “co-authored H.R. 5105, simplifying the tax code.” H.R. 5105, was actually introduced by Rep. David Drier (R-CA) on January 23, 2008, and to date has only 12 co-sponsors. This “Fair and Simple Tax Act” is not quite as fair, nor as simple as the title implies. First, it makes the Bush Tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 permanent. Among its other provisions are (a) the establishment of a three level tax rate system of 10%, 15%, and 30%; (b) the repeal of the estate and gift tax (or, the Paris Hilton Legacy Protection Act); (c) the adjustment of the AMT to account for inflation after 2007, and makes permanent those exemptions; (d) the reduction of the maximum corporate income tax rate to 25%; (e) the reduction of the maximum tax rate on capital gains to 10%; (f) the allowance for an inflation adjustment to the basis of capital assets for the purposes of determining gain or loss; (g) the establishment of new tax-exempt accounts for retirement savings, “lifetime savings,” and “lifetime skills accounts” (privatizing Social Security, and unemployment savings accounts); the exemption of those under 65 who do not have employer paid health insurance from the adjusted gross income threshold for the medical care tax deduction; and (h) makes permanent the tax credits for increased research activities. [CRS LOC] The bill might also be titled: “The I Got Mine, You Try to Get Yours, Sucker, Act of 2008,” or the “Socialism for Corporations, Free Enterprise for Individuals Act of 2008.” Perhaps Congressman Heller just ‘forgot’ to mention the privatization of Social Security provision in this legislation?

For all intents and purposes, H.R. 5105 is former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s tax proposal from his aborted 2008 presidential campaign. [ATR-PRD]

In addition to these aborted, abortive, and otherwise legislatively moribund bills, Rep. Heller wants us all to know that, “I firmly support making the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts permanent. In addition to helping end the death tax on small businesses, which would keep $181 billion over 5 years in the hands of job-creating businesses, these important tax cuts will help spur our economy by encouraging investment.” The first problem with this statement is that tax cuts are not, and in practical terms never have been, a short-term vehicle for economic stimulus. [EPI] Secondly, its been known since 2001 that capital gains tax cuts have little, if any, impact. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the 2001 Bush Tax Cuts could produce an increase of approximately “a couple hundredths of one percent after ten years” in the Gross Domestic Product. [CBPP] Further reducing government revenues, while running up massive indebtedness to achieve “a couple hundredths of one percent after ten years,” isn’t a formula for fiscal responsibility.

Representative Heller is also pleased to tell us that he voted against H.C.R. 312, the House version of the budget, because it included “the largest tax increase in American history,” including a tax increase for “116 million taxpayers,” and “an average of nearly $3,000 for families in Nevada.” There’s nothing all that original about these claims; they come directly from a Heritage Foundation “study” that quite predictably found “evidence” to support the contentions. The points were quickly debunked:

“This claim is inaccurate, just as the same claim was inaccurate with regard to the budget resolution the Congress adopted last year. Neither of the plans recommended this week by the budget committees include a tax increase. The House plan simply assumes the same level of revenues over the 2008-2013 period as projected by the Congressional Budget Office under its current policy baseline, which essentially assumes no change in current laws governing taxes. The Senate plan actually calls for a small reduction in revenues, reflecting its assumption that Alternative Minimum Tax relief will be extended for one year without any offset of the revenues that will be lost as a result of that extension and that a second stimulus bill this year may include a small tax cut.” [CBPP]

Taking the point a step further, there was a very good reason the proponents of the original tax cuts in 2001 and 2003 inserted a sunset provision: “It should be recalled that the President’s tax cuts expire in 2010 because their supporters deliberately designed them that way, in order to fit the tax cuts within the cost constraints imposed by the Congressional budget resolutions adopted in 2001 and 2003. While acknowledging that their real goal was to make the tax cuts permanent, supporters of those measures opted to “sunset” the tax cuts before the end of the ten-year budget window, partly in order to avoid recognizing the cost of permanent tax cuts.” [CBPP] (emphasis added)

A person could wonder how much the taxpayers might have saved on postal expenses had Rep. Heller opted not to mail out a slick vanity publication boasting of his co-sponsorship of inactive legislation, his adherence to a thoroughly debunked Heritage Foundation propaganda piece, and his adoption of the Rudy Giuliani tax proposals?

Heller Ignores Calls to Upgrade G.I. Benefits

2008-04-21T11:26:00.001-07:00

What does a former Iraq War combat medic have to say about Nevada Congressman Dean Heller (R-NV2) and his lack of support for the New G.I. Bill?

Patrick Campbell: “Heller? The phone line goes silent as he consults the spreadsheet. “I sent him e-mail this very morning.” The note to Nevada Republican Rep. Dean Heller suggests that “his chance to sign on to the GI Bill was running out,” Campbell says.“I feel like I’m the conductor on the train saying, ‘All aboard! History in the making.’ This is going to be the most important piece of legislation this Congress is going to pass.” [LV Sun]

Some days it’s difficult to figure out just who Congressman Heller’s constituents might be. They certainly aren’t working and middle income families who could have been assisted by the passage of the SCHIP legislation. The Congressman refused to support that bill even when the specific issues he raised were addressed in the final version of the legislation. He continued to assert (without any evidence whatsoever) that the bill would benefit “illegal aliens.”

Those constituents definitely aren’t veterans of the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. If they were the Congressman would, like his colleague Jon Porter (R-NV3), have signed on as a co-sponsor of the New G.I. Bill. However, the 2^nd District Representative’s disinterest in this bill must owe something to his ties to the Bush Administration and its willingness to fund raise for his campaigns – why else would he not answer the e-mails from Iraq and Afghanistan vets?

Additional information and comment at Desert Beacon

Dean Heller has lowest rating by League of Conservation Voters

2008-03-03T09:21:00.000-08:00

Photo: Las Vegas Sun, CATHLEEN ALLISON / NEVADA APPEAL

Dean Heller, Republican Congressman for Nevada's Congressional District #2 (which includes Nye County) has the lowest rating of the League of Conservation Voters of Nevada's five members of Congress. [Las Vegas Sun]

Heller voted against ending the $18 billion tax incentive for big oil companies. The reason, as I understand it, is that removal of the incentives is essentially a tax hike on the oil companies that will discourage them from exploring for more oil reserves, which in turn, he thinks will lead to higher gas prices. Besides, his constituents, he surmises, drive pick-up trucks.

No Dean, the current thinking is to "end the addiction" to oil, go solar, wind, geothermal, and for alternative fuels to run vehicles. Get with it man

Heller's anti-environmentalist formula for success

2008-03-03T08:44:00.000-08:00

Cross posted at Desert Beacon

If Representative Dean Heller’s (R-NV2) explanation to the Las Vegas Sun is to be believed, then the ‘logic’ of his vote last week on the energy bill in the House goes as follows: (1) Big Oil companies need tax breaks to keep prices low; (2) Big Oil companies will raise prices if they lose their tax breaks; (3) Pickup drivers in his district want low prices; therefore (4) Big Oil companies should get tax breaks. However, one gets the distinct impression that the real reason for the vote is explained further down the article – Heller continues to play the contrarian, counting on any vote against “environmentalists” as a position that will play well in his district.

The practical effect: Unfortunately neither items one, nor two, hold up to even the most casual scrutiny. The Big Oil corporations got tax breaks, to the tune of $18 billion – and did customers see any relief at the pumps in Battle Mountain, Elko, or Winnemucca? Pull up to a pump in Elko County and the best you can hope for is $3.01 for regular, [NGP] Park the pickup next to a pump in Incline and expect to pay about $3.50. [NGP]

When the House passed legislation allowing tax breaks for Big Oil in 2005 [WaPo] the average price for a gallon of regular was $2.54. [NGP] This information hardly supports Heller’s contention that allowing Big Oil to take tax breaks equates to lower prices at the pump. During the period when Big Oil was enjoying the tax breaks, prices at the pump in Elko County increased 47 cents, or by about 18.5%.

The philosophical effect: Railing against the “Feds” does, indeed, play well in rural areas of Heller’s district. A very vocal cadre of anti-government types in favor of “wise use” (exploiters) and “no regulation” (polluters) hold sway in many local media outlets in the region. However, more well informed citizens are familiar with the local politics underpinning the Great Shovel Brigade ‘movement’ in Elko County – and the connection between the road to the ‘outhouse’ and a former Elko County commissioner. Additionally, they are also cognizant of the Fed’s efforts to assist a valley rancher by offering a way for him to keep cattle from foundering in a spring and keep the water source in better shape – which were refused. There are still individuals in the area who hold the untenable position that wildland fires can be prevented by deliberately allowing overgrazing. Heller is counting on the prevalence of these attitudes to keep him in office.

He’s “OK with a soccer mom wanting to drive an SUV;” he wants the “lights to come on when he flips a switch.” [LVSun] This is almost Presentism at its finest. By Representative Heller’s lights nothing needs to be done until the soccer mom can no longer afford to put gas in the tank, or until we’ve created enough carbon emissions to render human life on the planet all but impossible. These are short-term and ultimately really very selfish views, a perspective most often demonstrated by small children who want what they want when they want it. Further, the number supporting Heller’s position may be shrinking, not dramatically, but perceptibly.

When Representative Heller was elected in 2004 there were 9,074 registered Democrats in Clark County’s portion of CD 2, and 9,053 Republicans. In the remainder of the State in CD 2 there were 132,195 Democrats and 180,255 Republicans, a difference of 48,060 votes. [NVSoS] The number of “active voters” listed in January 2008 still indicates a tight race in Clark, 10,160 Democrats and 10,410 Republicans. The remainder of CD2 shows 118,184 Democrats and 161,226 Republicans, a difference of 43,042. [NVSoS]

In the mean time drivers in Washoe County are paying at least $3.12 per gallon, in Fallon at least $3.25, and in Lovelock $3.56 at the Chevron Station. [NVGP] Meanwhile Chevron reported a fourth quarter net income of $4.9 billion in February 2008, up 29% from $3.8 billion in the fourth quarter of 2006. [Chevron] Did any of those SUV driving soccer moms see a 29% increase in earnings over the last two years?

Heller votes against tax credits for renewable energy in Nevada

2008-02-28T09:58:00.001-08:00

Congressman Dean Heller, (R-NV 2d District) voted against a House bill to extend tax credits for renewable energy industries. [Las Vegas Review-Journal]

"The bill, which passed 236-182, would give $8 billion in tax breaks through 2011 to companies that produce new electricity from natural sources like wind, geothermal, biomass and hydropower. A 30 percent credit for investments in solar products and fuel cell technology would be in place through 2016."

Sounds like a good move to me, considering record oil company profits and Governor Jim Gibbons' anxiety to build new coal power plants in Nevada. Nye County appears to me to be a ready-made locale for producing electricity from wind, geothermal, and solar sources.

But, the Review Journal reports, "Despite the House action, the bill faces long odds. Earlier bills were killed in the Senate by Republicans, who opposed giving tax breaks for renewables because their cost to the Treasury would be offset by taking away some tax breaks now enjoyed by oil and gas companies."

I don't know about you but I'm not at all offended by "taking away some tax breaks now enjoyed by oil and gas companies."

"The vote fell along party lines. While [Shelley] Berkley voted for the bill, Nevada Republican Reps. Dean Heller and Jon Porter voted against it as did all but 17 Republicans."

I suppose I just can't understand Republicans. I do understand their obsession with corporate profits, but why punish residents of the 2nd Congressional District, which includes Nye County?

Jill Derby going negative against Dean Heller?

2008-02-28T09:35:00.000-08:00

Douglas Hill of Fallon wrote a letter to the Lahontan Valley News published today. He opens his letter with "Does Jill Derby have to open her campaign with an attack on Dean Heller? According to her, Heller just follows the Republican line." [Lahontan Valley News]

"Yet at the Republican Lincoln Day Dinner, Heller stated, 'We (Republicans) truly need to change,' adding that the Republicans mishandled the war, had undisciplined spending habits and corruption. Sounds like Heller is pretty independent to me!"

Having read Mr. Hill's letter I turned to the Derby website to see what she said in her announcement she was going to run against Heller again. [Jill Derby for Congress] Here is what she wrote:

"* Rather than be independent, he (Heller) put the profits of drug companies ahead of making prescription drugs affordable for Nevada's seniors.

"* Rather than push for new solutions to the quagmire in Iraq, he has been in lockstep with the Bush Administration.

"* Rather than be independent and put Nevada first, he has put Big Oil first, giving corporate welfare to Oil companies making record profits, while Nevadans struggle with record prices at the pump.

"* Rather than be independent and put Nevada's children first, he chose tax breaks for the wealthy and voted against check ups for kids.

"* Rather than be independent, he has voted over 90% of the time towing the line of the Bush administration and his Party."

I fail to see those remarks as being attacks, as Mr. Hill appears to think. I see Derby's remarks as pointing out deficiencies in Mr. Heller's representation of Nevada's 2nd Congressional District. They are fair criticisms which Derby should be highlighting.

Mr. Hill's letter pointed out that "Heller states he voted against the expansion of the SCHIP because "If H.R. 3162 just focused on improving children's health care, my vote probably would have been different. Yet 75 percent of this bill cut Medicare and raised taxes on the middle class ... Medicare cuts affect 30 percent of seniors in Nevada ... This legislation includes ... mandating new taxation on private health plan." This bill would have eliminated the current proof of citizenship requirement."

But read what health care professionals were saying back when SCHIP was moving through Congress (September 2007) before Bush vetoed it.

"A group of healthcare professionals gathered today to voice their support for the SCHIP bill.

"According to the professionals, Nevada has one of the worst insurance rates in the country and this legislation is critical to ensuring the healthcare of children uninsured in Nevada.

"If President Bush vetoes the bill, it might not just be these children who lose out.

"They say the healthcare of the estimated 30,000 children enrolled in the Nevada Checkup program would also be jeopardized.

"Martin Gallacher, a registered nurse, says "if it doesn't pass, it will affect the neediest of us in the state of Nevada. Again, parents who are forced to choose the emergency room as a primary source of care".

"The group says the veto of the bill will force thousands of families to continue to choose between basic needs, including food and healthcare." [KTNV Channel 13, Las Vegas]

How does Heller square his rejection of SCHIP with the children of families in the 2nd Congressional District? Even Jon Porter voted for SCHIP.

Of course George Bush vetoed SCHIP, twice I recall. Heller backed Bush's vetoes. And keep in mind that Bush flew into Heller's District in 2006 to help him raise campaign funds.

No, one of the primary problems Heller has in getting re-elected is the fact he joined himself to George Bush's hip. George Bush has been a disaster as President of the United States. I admire Heller's loyalty to Bush but I fail to see that loyalty as a benefit to the residents of Congressional District 2.

Heller Snubs Benefactor

2008-01-31T11:10:00.000-08:00

Last August President George W. Bush came to Nevada for the American Legion National convention accompanied by Rep. Dean Heller (R-NV2), and the President visited Nevada three times in 2006, twice on behalf of Heller’s campaign. So, why won’t the Congressman be appearing with Mr. Bush during his appearance in Las Vegas? “Rep. Dean Heller's Washington spokesman did not return repeated calls regarding the congressman's schedule.”

Also “Among the Republicans not sharing the stage with him: Rep. Jon Porter, who said he is committed to appointments in Washington . He didn't elaborate.” Senator Ensign begged off citing the FISA bill debates in the Senate. [LVSun]

Heller votes to sustain Bush SCHIP veto again

2008-01-23T10:52:00.000-08:00

The U.S. House of Representatives was 13 votes shy of over-riding President Bush’s veto of the SCHIP bill, H.R. 3963, and no one expected Rep. Dean Heller (R-NV2) to cast his ballot in favor of working American families who find themselves unable to afford medical care for their children. Heller, presumably basking in his role as a stalwart supporter of the Bush-Cheney administration, is still clutching those long-refuted contentions that the bill “is an unnecessary tax” (on cigarette manufacturers), [DB] would “cause families to abandon private insurance plans” (without a shred of evidence to support this), and might allow “illegal immigrants to be covered” (it never did, and has been strengthened since). [LV Sun] [DB]

The House Republicans have just defeated the measure, again, on a 260-152 vote, [roll call 22] despite the veto-proof margin of victory in the Senate. [Gavel] Expect Heller and his cohort Steve King (R-IA5) to follow the “slippery slope to socialized medicine” line into the 2008 election season. [DKos] It seems enough for the right wing Republicans to have the current 18 month extension of the current program without expanding coverage to additional families who are finding themselves in financial trouble at the moment, and to allow additional leave time for veterans’ caregivers.

Nevada Representatives Berkley (D-NV1) and Porter (R-NV3) voted in favor of the veto override. [roll call 22]

Cross posted at Desert Beacon

Heller Votes to Sustain Bush Veto of H.R. 3043

2007-11-18T00:28:00.000-08:00

Cross posted at Desert Beacon

Nevada Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV1) and Congressman Jon Porter (R-NV3) were among the 277 members of the House to vote in favor of over-riding the President’s veto of H.R. 3043, the Labor, HHS, and Education funding bill. Representative Dean Heller (R-NV2) voted to sustain the veto. [roll call 1122] The over-ride failed 277 to 141, with 15 members not voting.

The Gavel has a listing of the appropriations in the bill and compares those to the cost of the Iraq occupation, which is evidently of greater importance to Congressman Heller than:

$30 billion for National Institutes of Health medical research;

$14.8 billion for Title I education funds for disadvantaged youngsters;

$11.3 billion for Special Education state grants;

$7 billion for Head Start and Early Childhood Education;

$3.4 billion for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services for Veterans;

$2.4 billion for Heating Assistance for Low Income Families;

$2.2 billion for Community Health Centers;

$1.5 billion for Job Training and Career Placement for Dislocated Workers;

$1.2 billion for Career and Vocational Education;

$1.1 billion for 21^st Century Learning Centers: After School Programs;

$228 million for Veterans’ Employment Programs;

$23.6 million for Homeless Veterans’ Services; and

$9.5 million for programs for Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injuries.

The total expenditures listed above would equal approximately what it’s costing to occupy Iraq for 222 days, 16 hours, and 30 seconds.

So, when Representative Heller says “We Should Support the Troops” one might ask him if he means that we should support them only while they are occupying Iraq and not necessarily after they come home?

Heller to Nevada middle class families: "I Got Mine..."

2007-10-26T00:08:00.000-07:00

Cross posted at Desert Beacon:

Should Nevada District 2 Congressional Representative Dean Heller ever have anything to say about the 110^th Congress not accomplishing anything, or some comment to make about parliamentary stunts – merely saying “October 25, 2007” should quiet him immediately. The House Republicans pulled out all the parliamentary stops to prevent the passage of H.R. 3963 (Childrens Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act). The fun began on roll call 1001 and lasted through roll call vote 1009.

The first gimmick from the GOP camp was a motion to adjourn. [roll call 1001] Remember from Civics class that a motion to adjourn is always in order, so as we’ll see, the Republicans tried it twice. The second motion to adjourn failed on roll call 1002, 170-222, with Nevada Representatives Heller and Porter both voting in favor of adjourning the House without discussing the SCHIP bill.

Fresh from that failure the Republicans lost their attempt to prevent the resolution calling for consideration of the SCHIP bill from coming to a vote. [roll call 1003] Again, Representatives Heller and Porter marched along with the Republican leadership.

However, the GOP’s bag of parliamentary tricks was far from empty, so CSPAN views got to watch a vote on whether to table a motion to reconsider H.R. 3963. The motion to reconsider failed as well, 218-183 on roll call 1004. Representatives Heller and Porter continued their “March of the Republicans.” But wait, there was more.

At this point the Republicans pulled out another motion to adjourn, the second attempt to do this on one bill. This second attempt failed on a 165-224 vote. [roll call 1005] Representatives Heller and Porter continued following the party line. The Republicans tried defeating a motion ordering the “previous question,” [roll call 1006] and lost 221-188. Representatives Heller and Porter faithfully followed leadership instructions.

The resolution providing for consideration of H.R. 3963 passed 215-187 on roll call 1007. Once more Representatives Heller and Porter had an opportunity to support the reauthorization of SCHIP and once more they passed on it.

Success for the SCHIP bill was now within sight, but faced the Republican’s New Favorite Toy, the “Motion to Recommit with Instructions.” This attempt to scuttle the bill failed 164 to 242 on roll call 1008. Representatives Porter and Heller were, again, on the losing end.

On the final vote on H.R. 3963, Representative Porter did exactly as he had done during previous SCHIP legislation; voting against it during the parliamentary votes and for it on final passage. [roll call 1009] Once more Representative Heller did exactly as he had done before; voting against the reauthorization of the SCHIP program. Of the three members of the House of Representatives from Nevada only Representative Shelley Berkley (D-NV1) voted for the SCHIP reauthorization consistently.

Representative Heller was worried that illegal immigrants might “scam” the SCHIP program; language was added to H.R. 3963 to prevent that. He was disturbed that people earning $83,000 would be eligible, even though none were; language was added to address that issue. He was perturbed that the emphasis wasn’t on “poor children” although the purpose of SCHIP has never been to cover those in poverty; Medicare programs handle services for people with that level of need. In short, Representative Heller (R-NV2) has no interest in supporting state health care services for struggling middle class Nevadans who make too much money to qualify for Medicaid/Medicare programs but too little to afford family health care. He has hi federally subsidized health care program, but evidently sees no value in extending coverage to those less fortunate than himself. If I remember correctly, this attitude was once described as: “I got mine, now you try to get yours, sucker.”

New TV Ad Targeting Heller on Children's Health Care Vote

2007-10-10T05:42:00.000-07:00

Americans United for Change are targeting Dean Heller and several other Republican House members to change their mind and override Bush's veto of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The powerful ad has a simple message: does Heller stand with Bush or the children of Nevada.

Watch:

Cross posted from My Silver State.

Heller refuses to override Bush's SCHIP veto

2007-10-08T12:41:00.000-07:00

Dean Heller, Nevada's 3rd Congressional District representative in Congress, is being asked to help override the veto of SCHIP by George Bush. SCHIP is the children's health insurance legislation. [Lahontan Valley News and Fallon Eagle Standard]

The program was created to provide health insurance to the children of the country's working poor. Bush objected to the bill's expansion of that program to provide health coverage to 10 million children from the 6 million it now serves.

"In only his fourth veto ever, (Bush) blocked health-care coverage for millions of uninsured - and mostly poor - kids," organization officials said in announcing the rally. "We need just 15 more Republicans in Congress to break with Bush to override the veto."

"There are a few crumbs on the table for children and families that are struggling and I'd like to see them get the help," said Brad Merrill, of Carson City.

Lana Galyean, of Carson City, said Bush's veto was "irresponsible."

"It's extremely important we look after our children and this administration has been unwilling to do that," she said.

According to the MoveOn.org, Nevada has one of the nation's worst rates of uninsured children in the nation, with more than 100,000 not covered by any policy. About 34,000 children in Nevada are covered by SCHIP.

Heller refuses to override the Bush veto. Nevadans should refuse to return Heller to Congress in 2008. Heller has three children of his own; Harris, 17; Drew, 15; and Emmy, 10. Their daughter, Hilary, attends Arizona State University according to his website. Fortunately he isn't poor and doesn't have to face the plight of poor families when their children need medical help.

Heller: The Anti-Family Values Congressman

2007-10-05T13:38:00.000-07:00

Dean Heller has reiterated his stance against the expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). In August he said: "This Congress is seeking to create a massive and unnecessary federally funded health program."

Problem is, the American people simply don't agree with him, as an overwhelming 72% support the explansion of SCHIP. Republicans alway talk about "family values" but when push comes to shove, they always chicken out. Heller's no exception here. His stance against SCHIP is a clear stance against family values.

As for the fall out, the last part of the Las Vegas Sun article by Lisa Mascaro is really interesting:

Bloggers have targeted Heller. But that might help him among supporters back home.

Conservative activist Chuck Muth in Reno said Heller's stance will earn him favor with his conservative base. Heller's district is largely Republican and the congressman would likely face greater disapproval if he were to shift suddenly and vote to override Bush's veto.

Heller's greater threat, Muth said, would be a primary challenge from the right, as he faced last year.

"It's going to be very easy" for Heller to explain to voters in his district that he supported the program at its current levels, but not expanding it, Muth said.

"Very easy?" I don't think so. When you act against the wishes of 72% of your electorate, you're in deep trouble. And as for the bloggers (which include the Desert Beacon and Myrna who have both posted extensively on this issue) - well, we just won't stop blogging about this.

Cross posted from My Silver State.

Bush Vetoes Uninsured Children’s Healthcare

2007-10-04T08:44:00.001-07:00

Photo: George and Laura Bush join Alberto Gonzales and his wife for lunch at the Bush ranch in Texas. Notice no poor uninsured children are with them.

It is a question whether George Bush or Dick Cheney is the real Darth Vader. Perhaps both are. [Washington Post] Yesterday Bush vetoed the $35 billion expansion of a popular children's health insurance program.

Congress has scheduled October 18 for a vote to override the veto, in hopes that a grass-roots campaign by health-policy advocates and a barrage of television and radio advertisements will win over the 15 or so House Republicans they will need to overcome Bush's opposition.

A reminder that Nevada’s 2^nd District Congressman, Dean Heller, voted against the children’s health insurance program. Perhaps he qualifies as Darth Vader, Jr. Heller should be adopted by George Bush since Heller seems to be a Bush offspring.

Heller's Uncompassionate Conservativism

2007-10-02T11:33:00.000-07:00

cross posted at Desert Beacon

Nevada Representative Dean Heller (R-NV2) is a fine little Bush soldier, and his voting record proves it.

Rep. Heller voted to kill (recommit) H.R. 3567 the “Small Business Investment Expansion Act” on roll call 922, and then on roll call 923 joined 71 others to vote against the measure, on September 27, 2007. The bill, if enacted by the Senate and signed by the President, would increase small business investment company limits for companies owned by women and minorities; provide increased capital investment requirements with respect to small manufacturing companies; provide for a study of the availability of equity capital in low income urban and rural areas; and provide a streamlined application process for new market venture capital.

Why Rep. Heller would oppose a bill designed to promote entrepreneurship, and at least study the availability of equity capital in rural areas is indeed puzzling since he is supposed to be representing a mostly rural district, and sounds like he supports small business expansion and development. The bill has now been sent to the Senate subcommittee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

During roll call 920 he voted to kill (recommit) H.R. 3121, the “Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act of 2007.” He joined 145 others in opposing this bill, which passed 263-146. This bill was passed to restore the financial solvency of the national flood insurance program, and to make available “multi-peril” coverage for damage resulting from windstorms and floods. It amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 as follows: “(1) provide phase-in actuarial rates for nonresidential properties and non-primary residences; (2) provide multiperil coverage for flood and windstorm; (3) prohibit duplicative coverage; (4) revise maximum coverage limits; and (5) provide coverage for additional living expenses, basement improvements, business interruption, and replacement cost of contents.” [LOC] Considering the damages racked up in Florida, Louisiana, and the Gulf Coast, it’s hard to imagine why Rep. Heller would oppose “multi-peril” coverage, but he did.

Actually, Rep. Heller didn’t want to vote on anything on September 27^th, or at least it seems that way, because he voted to adjourn the House without taking up any business on roll call 914.

The day before, September 26^th, he voted against the “Popcorn Workers Lung Disease Prevention Act” H.R. 2693 on roll call 913. The bill passed 260-154. This vote disengages “compassionate” from conservative in an instant. The bill “…Directs the Secretary of Labor to promulgate an interim final standard regulating worker exposure to diacetyl that applies to all: (1) locations in the flavoring manufacturing industry that manufacture, use, handle, or process diacetyl; and (2) microwave popcorn production and packaging establishments that use diacetyl-containing flavors in the manufacture of microwave popcorn.” [LOC] Evidently, the Bush Administration can’t make up its mind if diacetyl is dangerous, because OSHA has yet to determine standards for handling it. However, this “regulatory paralysis” is causing an increasing number of cases of “fixed obstructive lung disease, or bronchiolitis obliterans. [WaPo] Apparently, Rep. Heller is not concerned.

Further establishing his “un-compassionate conservative” credentials, on September 25^th he voted against the “Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act” H.R. 976 on roll call 906.

But, Representative Heller soldiers on, joining the reactionary Republican ranks, evidently happy to announce his concern for the financial and physical well being of his constituents (and their cohorts across the country) while voting against just that.

Dean Heller's Vote Could Overturn Bush's Veto

2007-09-29T14:33:00.000-07:00

Oftentimes, a vote is just a vote. One of many, sure. There is often much at stake but it's unlikely that the vote of a freshman backbencher makes much of a difference. That's why hardly anyone beyond Nevada has ever heard of Dean Heller.

That was until SCHIP, the State Children's Health Insurance Program, came up for reauthorization. Democrats seized upon the opportunity to expand coverage to more children who need it. Which is a sensible thing to do. So sensible, indeed, that it received a veto proof majority in the U.S. Senate, with 18 Republican Senators voting for the expansion of SCHIP. In the House 45 Republicans voted for SCHIP, including Jon Porter.

Overall, 265 members of the House voted for SCHIP, with 290 needed to overturn a veto. If all 12 Democrats either voting no, present, or who were not present would vote in favor, another 13 votes would be needed.

What are the chances of Heller being one of the 13? Hard to tell. There's definitely no chance if he's not pressured.

So, this is where you come in. You can contact Dean Heller directly by calling one of his offices:

Washington, DC: 202-225-6155 (Office)
Reno: 775-686-5760 (Office)
Elko: 775-777-7920 (Office)
Las Vegas: 702-255-1651 (Office)

Another thing you should do is write a letter to the editor to one or more of the following newspapers:

The Desert Valley Times (Mesquite)
Elko Daily Free Press
The Ely Times
Lahontan Valley News (Fallon)
Las Vegas Review Journal
Las Vegas Sun
Nevada Appeal (Carson City)
Pahrump Valley Times
The Record Courie (Gardnerville)
Reno Gazette Journal
The Sparks Tribune
North Lake Tahoe Bonanza

Write those letters as quickly as you can. You can usually do so by submitting them online, either through an online form or an email. Bush is expected to veto early next week. So, the sooner you write the better.

Will Heller really let it come that far that it is his vote that would leave millions of children uninsured? Especially, considering how bad the situation in Nevada is:

According to the professionals, Nevada has one of the worst insurance rates in the country and this legislation is critical to ensuring the healthcare of children uninsured in Nevada.

If President Bush vetoes the bill, it might not just be these children who lose out.

They say the healthcare of the estimated 30,000 children enrolled in the Nevada Checkup program would also be jeopardized.

Martin Gallacher, a registered nurse, says "if it doesn't pass, it will affect the neediest of us in the state of Nevada. Again, parents who are forced to choose the emergency room as a primary source of care".

Act now!

Heller votes against SCHIP

2007-09-25T21:26:00.000-07:00

There was one, and only one, member of the Nevada congressional delegation to vote against the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (H.R. 976) today in the U.S. House of Representatives: Representative Dean Heller (R-NV2). [roll call 906] Representatives Berkley (D-NV1) and Porter (R-NV3) voted in favor of the bill.

Dean Heller in Pahrump, NV

2007-09-22T20:25:00.000-07:00

Photo: by Mark Waite, Pahrump Valley Times. Congressman Dean Heller, left, talks to Nye County Commission Chairman Gary Hollis at the fundraising dinner for the Nye County Republican Party Central Committee at the Pahrump Nugget Saturday night. Bob Swadell, a Pahrump lobbyist, can be seen walking by in the background.

U.S. Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., concedes he hasn't acquired much clout since taking office as the representative for Nevada's 2nd District in January. [Mark Waite, Pahrump Valley Times]

Even at the fundraising dinner for the Nye County Republican Party Central Committee at the Pahrump Nugget Events Center Saturday night, Heller arrived late and sat in the audience while his predecessor, Jim Gibbons, now governor of Nevada, was front and center as the keynote speaker.

"They're pushing me around because I'm a freshman in the minority (party), but I'll keep pushing back," Heller said of his fellow congressmen.

Heller hasn't been totally a stealth candidate in the media in the eight months since his inauguration. He has emerged as a staunch supporter of the president's Iraq policy, but the freshman lawmaker has also sponsored a few bills.

Heller said he introduced two bills that concern Northern Nevada. One would allow the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to deed property to Reno for economic development. Another involves a settlement with an Indian tribe in northern Humboldt and Elko counties.

But the bill on which Heller said he's been working the hardest involves Southern Nevada.

It deals with the Colorado River endangered species program. The bill would set up a 50-year program allocating 7,500 acre feet of water per year to protect 24 different species along the river, Heller said.

"The key is it is a 50-year program that would allocate water to Arizona, Nevada and California so that Las Vegas knows how much water they're going to have over the next 50 years," Heller said. "If you have stability in Clark County, there will be less need for water out of the eastern part of the state."

The former Nevada secretary of state also inserted amendments into a bill introduced to regulate voting machines. Heller said Nevada was the only state that established a paper trail on its electronic voting machines, avoiding the lawsuits filed against other states. But those steps could be erased by this new law, he said.

"It would make it nearly impossible to have early voting based on the way they want to do it," Heller said. The bill would audit electronic voting results by precinct instead of by the machine itself, he said. Currently people vote at precinct locations only on election day.

One of his amendments would exempt Nevada from the requirements of the bill, the other would mandate that instructions on the electronic voting machines be printed in English only, Heller said.

President Bush's speech on Iraq last week has aroused controversy, calling for a much slower withdrawal of troops than many Democrats would like. Heller continues to support Gen. David Petraeus' view of what the commander believes is needed to fight the war in Iraq. But Heller conceded the reality of Washington politics has colored the debate.

"Unfortunately, what I have found out in eight months in Congress, it's all a game of oneupmanship, and unfortunately this war in Iraq is part of that game ... Just about a month ago, (Republican Virginia Sen. John) Warner said we have to pull 1,000 troops out by the end of the year to send a message to the Iraqi people that it's time to get out. Democrats were praising that.

"Now the president gives a speech and says we want 30,000 out, and that's not good enough. A month ago 1,000 is great, but now 30,000 is not enough."

Heller added, "That's unfortunate because both sides need to come together. Now I'm thrilled we're going to have troops home. Would I love to have more? Absolutely I'd love to have more. But right now Petraeus believes this is the number he wants."

However, Heller said optimistically, Petraeus' speech to Congress and President Bush's speech to the nation following that "is the beginning of the end game" on Iraq.

Now that you've read all that, read all this about Heller:

4 Beliefs and Ideologies

Some Days Heller Should Just Stay in Bed

2007-09-04T14:07:00.000-07:00

Congressman Dean Heller had an embarrassing week last week. He was on a tour of the state, was in a hurry, and asked for a lunch "to go" at a local restaurant. As he was paying for the lunch, he was hungry and started picking at the plate ... only to discover the food belonged to the people behind him. They just laughed and took it anyway. And it didn't stop there. He then went to Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center with his daughter, Emmy, to see his niece, Maggie. He and Emmy went into the room and were peering down into her face, only to have the patient ask, "Who are you?" Turns out they were in the wrong room. Maggie was in the next one, and, as they left, the lady said, "Isn't that Dean Heller?" He was extremely tempted to say, "No, I don't think so." So much for the life of a congressman. [Nevada Appeal]

Makes one wonder if he can find his office in Washington.

AWOL Heller Talks to the Media - About Larry Craig

2007-09-01T13:09:00.000-07:00

Congressman Dean Heller, chiefly known for his disinterest in giving the media any statements on importants issues or events, was his usual hypocritically moralistic Republican self when asked to comment on Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID):

Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., said, "Individuals who are elected to a public office should hold themselves to a higher standard. Any United States senator found guilty of public lewdness should step down."

Heller thus far hasn't uttered a word about Craig's collegue Sen. Vitter (R-LA) who used the service of prostitutes. As I said, hypocritically moralistic. And, no, we don't expect Heller to pick up the phone when a reporter calls about, say health care, infrastructure problems, or the Iraq occupation. Those things are way too trivial for him.

Cross posted at My Silver State.

The Failure of Dean Heller

2007-08-31T09:27:00.000-07:00

The Reno Gazette Journal has, more or less, summarized the accomplishments, or lack thereof, of Nevada Congressman Dean Heller since his election to Congress.

Noting that Heller has joined hips with President George W. Bush, the RGJ writes:

President Bush came through for Dean Heller on the campaign trail. So far, the freshman lawmaker hasn't given Bush much reason to regret it.

Heller, a Carson City Republican, has proven a reliable vote in the House for Bush's Iraq policies while developing a strong conservative voting record. He opposed an increase to the federal minimum wage and tax increases for oil companies.

“The president also helped Heller's cash-drained campaign raise $325,000 in one night” during the 2006 election. Well, that demonstrates Heller’s concern for Nevada’s minimum wage workers. Zilch. It figures Heller would vote against increasing taxes on oil companies, who are achieving record profits. He is smart enough to recognize that you don’t bite the hand that feeds your re-election campaigns. Certainly we “little people” aren’t capable of filling his re-election campaign coffers when we earn at the minimum wage level.

Critics say Heller's votes in his first seven months in office, typically in lockstep with GOP leaders, are a far cry from his campaign pledge to be independent from party leadership in Washington.

"Dean Heller ran as an independent voice," said Kirsten Searer, a spokeswoman for the Nevada Democratic Party. "But he has become a cookie-cutter member of the Republican House caucus."

A “cookie-cutter member of the Republican House caucus” eh? Sounds like an apt description of Congressman Heller.

Heller, 47, defends his voting record, saying the GOP has been right to fight against what he called bad Democratic proposals that could lead to higher taxes.

The former Nevada secretary of state said the Democratic Congress has achieved little beyond passing a law to raise the minimum wage, which he contends could hurt small businesses.

"There isn't a lot for the majority party to talk about," he said. "What the minority party is talking about is the ability to avoid a lot of spending."

“Avoid a lot of spending?” Heller spews the Republican Party line that Democrats “tax and spend” but ignores the “borrow and spend” record of the Republican Party. Just look at the national debt since the Bush-Cheney regime has been in office. The United States is in record level debt because of the borrowing and increased spending accomplished by the Republican Party while they were in control of Congress. What’s the difference between “taxing” and “borrowing?” The end result is the same; taxpayers have to pay the debt plus interest on it. “Pay as you go” is the way to keep taxing and spending within manageable limits. No one seems interested in “pay as you go” however.

While the vast majority of his constituents want the war on Iraq ended, Heller ignores them. Sort of gives them the middle finger:

Much of the criticism against Heller centers on his support for U.S. military involvement in Iraq. Heller said he plans to wait for an assessment of the war by Army Gen. David Petraeus on the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks before he decides how to proceed.

His constituents have already “assessed” the war on Iraq. Yet Heller stalls, continuing to blindly follow Bush’s line, “stay the course.” Heller needs to realize he represents his constituents in Nevada, not George Bush in Washington, D.C. That’s the “cookie-cutter” aspect of Heller to which Ms. Searer refers. Where is the “independence” Mr. Heller? You know represent both Democrats and Republicans and Independents—you don’t represent Bush or the Republican Party. Wake up man!

Reno Protesters demand change in war policy

2007-08-30T15:42:00.000-07:00

Nevada Congressman Dean Heller

George Bush has been addressing the American Legion in Reno. As he hailed his strategy in Iraq as a necessity for the security of the United States, protesters lined the street corners outside the Reno-Sparks Convention Center Tuesday morning, calling for the end of the war and for Bush's impeachment. [Michael Moore.com]

"Support the Troops, End the War" was the dominant message from the group. Other signs read: "Get out of Iraq," "Impeach," "Support Troops -- Fund the VA," and "How many soldiers does it take to fill your tank?"

Dean Heller has steadfastly supported Bush in remaining in Iraq. “The anti-war group has focused its attention nationwide on members of Congress who have opposed ending the war, including Heller, R-Carson City, he said. Later in the day, the organization planned a "take a stand" town hall meeting to call for [Dean] Heller's support.”

One member of the VFW displayed his disdain for the protestors.

While generally peaceful, one protester was pushed to the ground by a Veterans of Foreign Wars member on his way to hear Bush speak, said Georgia Hedrick, 67, of Reno.

"He had on an American Legion hat and was in a suit and was pushing his way through the people," Hedrick said. "He pushed one woman into the gutter, and he just kept walking. He didn't stop. He just went on into the parking lot."

Hedrick said the man spoke briefly with several officers standing nearby, but soon went into the center.

"If one of us had pushed him down, we'd be in jail," she said.

The woman who fell, Gail Pratt, 72, left the protest to seek medical attention, Hedrick said.

That action by the VFW member demonstrates his immaturity.

[Cross post with Nye-Gateway to Nevada's Rurals]

"Heller Supports Bush" Featured on BBC World Last Night

2007-08-29T11:07:00.000-07:00

Cross posted from My Silver State:

Bush was in Reno, I was in Hamburg visiting a friend. Late last night before going to bed I watched the news on BBC World. They had a report on Bush's visit to Reno, his Iran threats and his Iraq policy (or lack thereof). Towards the end of the report, they also showed the anti-Bush protest. And while there were not all that many (25 according to the LVRJ, 50 according to the LV Sun - what's the true number?), your message came across. Prominently featured was a poster held up by a young man with the slogan:

Bush supports endless war, Heller supports Bush

That's one helluva way for Heller to make worldwide news, don't you think? Kudos to the protesters!

The report is on the BBC's website, there (below a photo of Bush) you can click to watch the video.

Heller's School Daze

2007-08-27T09:13:00.000-07:00

Cross posted by request from Desert Beacon:

Congressman Dean Heller's (R-NV) sending post cards again. Franked of course, one wouldn't want the Congressman to actually have to pay postage on a relatively obvious 'campaign piece' complete with a smiling (and lily white) young girl on the front, to illustrate Heller's "Back to School Message." There is, however, one little catch. There's this line: "I have also supported legislation to reduce the cost of college by lowering interest rates on student loans."

Not. So. Fast. Rep. Heller refers to the "College Cost Reduction Act." This would be H.R. 2669, to provide for reconciliation pursuant to section 601 of the concurrent resolution on the FY 2008 budget. This bill reduced lender subsidies by $19 billion, and calls for investing those funds in programs to increase student grants, improve access to student loans, and cutting interest rates. [GovTrack] What Representative Heller omits to say on his postcard is that during roll call 612 he voted to have H.R. 2669 sent back to committee, adding his "yes" to 199 others who tried to kill the bill with a motion to recommit. Heller reversed his position and voted in favor of the bill's passage in the House during roll call 613. One might suppose that Rep. Heller's general statement is better than saying, "I was against it before I was for it." However, this wasn't the first occasion on which Representative Heller could have displayed his support for decreasing student loan interest rates.

Heller does not refer directly to H.R. 5 a bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to reduce interest rates for student borrowers. His record on that piece of legislation isn't what one might classify as enthusiastic support. For example, on January 17th roll call 29 on ordering the previous question to bring H.R. 5 to a vote Congressman Heller's name is noticeably absent from the 225 "yeas." It does appear among the 191 "nays." Perhaps Rep. Heller means he supported the resolution to bring H.R. 5 up for consideration?

Well, no. During roll call 30 on agreeing to H.Res. 65 providing for the consideration of the College Student Relief Act, Rep. Heller was among the 190 "nay" votes. 223 other Representatives voted "aye." Maybe Representative Heller means that he didn't support stuffing the bill back in committee on a motion to recommit?

Not exactly. Roll call 31 finds Rep. Heller standing shoulder to shoulder with 186 other Republicans voting in favor of the motion to recommit. 241 other Representatives voted to keep the bill alive.

It is only on the very last vote, roll call 32, that Rep. Heller votes in favor of H.R. 5, along with 356 other Representatives, 71 other members of the GOP held out and voted "no." In short, out of the four opportunities Representative Heller had to support "legislation to reduce the cost of college by lowering interest rates on student loans," he voted "no" during three of them.

Perhaps it would have taken too much space on the post card to write, "I had at least two definitive opportunities to vote in favor of lowering interest rates on student loans, and I voted against both of them until it was obvious they were going to pass, so then I voted in favor of them on the last possible roll call."

Bush Republicans Swiftboating Heller and Porter

2007-08-22T15:45:00.000-07:00

If you think there's any sanity left in the Bush White House, well... Honestly, the ship is sinking, the rats (Rove, Snow, et al) are leaving, and now Bush Republicans (led by former White House spokesman Ari Fleischer and others) are going batshit crazy and are swiftboating, blackmailing, and essentially taking down with them, Republican members of Congress with a new ad campaign.

Two of the targets - Dean Heller and Jon Porter. And they're spending big:

Porter* Las Vegas, NV $63,900

Heller* Reno, NV $138,210

Yup, they're actually spending more on Heller then on Porter. Here's the ad:

Yeah, they're insinuating Iraq had something to do with 9/11 which it did not. And, yeah, they're so desperate now that they're using veterans to support a war that is killing and injuring more American soldiers every single day.

And they're almost solely targeting Republican members of Congress. They're so afraid that Heller and Porter may jump ship in September.

And, of course they're working with dirty tricks again. From Taylor Marsh:

Ari Fleischer is the front man for "Freedom's Watch," just another swiftboating type group meant to do the president's bidding. Many of you know me through my anti swiftboating work in 2006, so when I talk about these types of organizations you can bet I know what I'm talking about.

Check out the number at the end of the ad: 1-877-222-8001. Go on, call it.

As I told my radio listeners earlier today, once you get through something amazing happens. The operator asks you a question. Yes, you're expected to take part in a survey before she puts you through to Congress. But there's a catch. The question asked goes something like this: Do you believe the Iraq war is important to the war on terror? They may have changed the question by now, because we're on to them, but that's what I was asked. If you say no, the operator immediately thanks you but doesn't connect you to Congress. Instead, she asks if you have anything else to say and then basically gets rid of you. They're only allowing people who agree with them through.

Slick.

Dishonest.

Busted.

I hope this backfires on Bush. It's long past time to take a stand and stop the escalation in Iraq.

And just in case you wondered, here are the real numbers if you want to call your Congressman:

(202) 224-3121 for the Senate, and (202) 225-3121 for the House

cross posted at My Silver State

Dean Heller Declares Public Lack of Confidence in Himself

2007-08-06T08:03:00.000-07:00

I'm not quite sure whether or not Dean Heller understands that he actually won his election last year and that that building he's been sitting in since January is called the Congress of the United State of America. It seems like he needs a reminder. From the Las Vegas Sun:

The House looked like the British House of Commons, observers said, verging on a hockey game brawl. Nevada Rep. Dean Heller was among those who walked out, but Rep. Jon Porter stayed behind, even though he believes his colleagues' protest was justified, his spokesman said.
The result is that it becomes very difficult to get anything done.
"I now fully understand the public's complete lack of confidence in Congress," Heller said.

So, there you have it. Heller finally understood that the public has no confidence in him. Welcome to the club, Congressman!

Cross posted at My Silver State.

68% of Nevada Appeal Readers Don't Agree with Dean Heller on Iraq

2007-08-03T07:00:00.001-07:00

Earlier this week, the Nevada Appeal (Carson City) did an online poll on its website asking the following question:

Do you agree with Dean Heller that the U.S. is now on the right course in Iraq?

The poll has since been taken off the frontpage of the Nevada Appeal and with 646 votes, a mere 31.89% agree with Heller while an overwhelming 68.11% say Heller is wrong.

Any chance Heller will change his stance on Iraq this September?

Cross posted at My Silver State.

Nevada Appeal Poll: Is Dean Heller Right on Iraq

2007-08-01T11:43:00.000-07:00

The Nevada Appeal website currently has a poll up asking the following question:

Do you agree with Dean Heller that the U.S. is now on the right course in Iraq?

At this point 520 votes have been cast with only 31.92% answering "yes" and a whopping 68.08& saying "no".

Make your voice heard and vote here.

I'll update the results once the Nevada Appeal has taken the poll of the frontpage.

Heller On Drugs?

2007-07-27T09:38:00.000-07:00

Dean Heller recently voted against H.R. 3093. It was an appropriations bill for the Departments of Commerce and Justice. The bill, with slightly increased funding over the previous year, would have allowed for more money to be granted to local law enforcement to combat the methamphetamine drug problem. Now, if Heller was a Representative from Utah, where there is virtually no problem with the drug, I would be perfectly fine with him being against the extra spending.
However, he is the United States Representative from Northern Nevada. And as we all know, there is a huge meth problem in Reno, Elko and surrounding areas. Thanks, Dean, for watching out for your district. This is yet another example of our Representative playing as the lapdog of the Bush Administration.

"Highly addictive drugs aren't a problem in this country," -Dean Heller (not actually a quote.)

You know, if he is so against funding these laws, maybe he has something to hide. Someone want to check his basement?

Cross posted at My Silver State

Anti-Iraq Protest at Heller's Office Tomorrow

2007-07-23T17:24:00.000-07:00

Email from Americans Against Escalation in Iraq:

“ Iraq Summer” Campaign to Dean Heller: “We will not be ignored.”

Heller Continues to Ignore Invitation to ‘Iraq Summer’ Campaign’s ‘Take a Stand’ Town Hall on August 28th, Which Provides the Congressman a Golden Opportunity to Explain to Nevadans Why He Continues to Vote in Support of President’s Failed Iraq Policies

Reno, NV – Americans Against Escalation in Iraq will be joined by the Molly Ivins Pots and Pans Brigade on July 24th, 2007 at 11AM outside of Rep. Dean Heller’s constituent office to send a very, very loud message to the Congressman that they will not be ignored. On July 12th, the “Iraq Summer” Campaign delivered a formal letter to Rep. Heller’s office inviting him to attend a town hall with hundreds of fellow Nevadans to explain his position on the war in Iraq – an invitation which the Congressman has to date ignored. That same day, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a binding timeline to safely and responsibly redeploy troops out of Iraq -- but Dean Heller rejected the wishes of the people of Nevada and voted to continue enabling Bush’s failed policy of endless war. The Responsible Redeployment from Iraq Act [HR 2956] passed with bipartisan support without Heller’s support and requires a responsible redeployment of U.S. troops beginning within 120 days of enactment and ending by April 1, 2008.

“Congressman Heller’s vote for endless war was a slap in the face to the people of Nevada who overwhelmingly oppose President Bush’s costly, irresponsible and failed policy of endless war in Iraq,” said Jacki Ramirez, spokesperson for the Nevada chapter of the "Iraq Summer" campaign. “But, what’s worse is that the Congressman doesn’t even have the courage to meet with his own constituents to explain himself. He thinks that by ignoring the concerns of Nevadans, they’ll simply go away. But, he’s sorely mistaken. We’re going to continue to hold rallies; we’re going to keep calling, emailing and writing the Congressman over and over again until he does the right thing and votes to bring the war in Iraq to a safe and responsible end.”

“Iraq Summer” has dispatched nearly 100 organizers to 15 states and 40 congressional districts to turn up the heat this summer on Republican members of Congress who have opposed setting a timeline to bring a responsible end to the war in Iraq . The intense10-week program is modeled on the “Freedom Summer” civil rights project.

What: “ Iraq Summer” to send loud message to Dean Heller: “We will not be ignored”

Who: Americans Against Escalation in Iraq; Molly Ivins Pots and Pans Brigade

Where: Rep. Dean Heller’s constituent office
Bruce R. Thompson Federal Building
400 South Virginia Street
Reno , NV 89501

When: TUESDAY, JULY 24TH at 11AM

Heller: All for it until he voted against it?

2007-07-23T12:40:00.000-07:00

Cross posted at Blue Sage Views:
Nevada Representative Dean Heller (R-NV2) is pleased as punch to announce he got funding for water and energy projects in Nevada; [Heller] but perhaps not so ready to announce he voted against H.R. 2641, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations for FY 2008. [roll call 641] l Rep. Jon Porter (R-NV3) also voted against the bill, which passed 312-112. So, how does that work? The Congressman crows about securing funding for water and energy projects in a bill he voted against?

AWOL Heller Makes it to Utah

2007-07-21T14:00:00.000-07:00

We've been reporting frequently on Dean Heller being AWOL at Helluva Heller. It seems his unavailability for the press is not limited to Nevada. Utah's Deseret Morning News took a look at how Mormon members reacted to Mitt Romney's candidacy for President. A few have endorsed him, most have not done so yet. But all the members' offices managed to comment or call back.

All but one:

Calls to the office of freshman Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., were not returned.

So Heller disses Utah reporters as well. Wow.

Cross posted at My Silver State.

It All Depends on Whose Calls You Take

2007-07-21T12:48:00.000-07:00

The pressure is building on Rep. Dean Heller to change his stance on Iraq. But, what do you know, Heller continues to stand by President Bush:

Heller was unswayed. Despite the anti-war sentiment being sent his way, he said his constituents stand by his decision to continue supporting the troop surge at least until September, when the top commander in Iraq delivers a progress report to Congress.
"The phone calls I'm getting are, 'You're doing a good job, do what you think is right, don't try to be influenced by some left - wing organizations,' " Heller said.

I suppose it all depends on whose calls you take.

Cross posted at My Silver State.

Heller Wants Every Child To Be Like Him

2007-07-20T13:05:00.001-07:00

Uneducated.

As we all know, Dean Heller would do anything to limit government spending. He has constantly voted to pour billions of dollars into an unnecessary war, but stands against funding our schools. Heller recently voted against FY 2008 (H.R. 3403). This bill included state grants for improving teacher quality, invested in recruiting good science and math teachers, and set aside money for extra-curricular activities. What was wrong with this bill? Nothing.

Representative Dean Heller gets an 'F' for failing America's children.

-Jennifer Crider, Communications Director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee

Appartently 10 Billion a month in a pointless war is way more important than 5.7 Billion, one time, to improve our nation's education system.

Cross posted on My Silver State

Heller Now Employing Porter's Daughter?

2007-07-17T07:53:00.000-07:00

Essentially, there is nothing more interesting than candidates' campaign reports filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). You think you've seen it all, you think nothing will surprise you anymore and then you'll take a look at another FEC report and, whoop, there it is.

Today, I took a look at Dean Heller's 2nd quarter report. Before I get to the main point of this post, I'd like to point you to the fact that the address for the "Heller for Congress" committee is 7840 Red Leaf Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89131. That would be in Nevada's 1st congressional district, Shelley Berkley's district, and clearly outside of Heller's 2nd CD. This leads to the curious statement on the FEC website that Heller runs for office in Nevada's 1st district. Now, when you search for candidate's in Nevada's 2nd district on the FEC's searchable database, you won't even find Heller.

Interestingly enough, "Porter for Congress" uses the same address.

Now, to the fun part. In Heller's 2nd quarter report, his disbursements show that his campaign has paid $11,809.74 in expenses to a Nicole Porter of Henderson, Nevada - $10,625 for consulting, $600 for catering, $256.74 for travel, and $328 for postage.

Here's what we know: Jon Porter has a daughter named Nicole. And that Nicole Porter was reimbursed by a congressional campaign in 2006 - by her father ($747 for office supplies, postage, and travel).

Now, are these two Nicole Porters one and the same? Is Porter's daughter Nicole now making a big career in consulting? Does Dean Heller really employ Jon Porter's daughter?

cross posted at My Silver State

Heller: For the Record

2007-07-16T10:12:00.000-07:00

Perhaps someone ought to ask for a receipt? U.S. Representative Dean Heller (R-NV02) has raised a total of $501,000 for his re-election bid in 2008, gathering $233,000 during the second quarter. [RGJ]

Thus far, here's what Heller's accomplished during his tenure in Congress:

Bills introduced:

H.R. 2246 introduced on May 14, 2007, to validate conveyances from the Union Pacific RR Company to facilitate construction of transcontinental railroads. No co-sponsors. Last major action: Referred to House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands on May 14, 2007. No further action.

H.R. 2299 introduced May 14, 2007, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey Federal land located in the city to Henderson, NV. Last major action: Referred to House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forest and Public Lands on May 18, 2007. No further action.

H.R. 2326 introduced May 15, 2007, to approve the settlement of water rights claims by the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of Duck Valley. Last major action: Referred to House Subcommittee on Water and Power, May 18, 2007. No further action.

H.R. 2515, introduced on May 24, 2007, to authorize appropriations for the Bureau of Reclamation to carry out Lower Colorado River multi-species conservation program. Last major action: Referred to House Subcommittee on Water and Power May 31, 2007. Hearing scheduled for July 24, 2007.

H.Amdt 229 to H.R. 1100 to delete language in the bill which authorized the use of federal funds to acquire land for the expansion of the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site. Introduced May 23, 2007; Not agreed to by a vote of 183-243, May 23, 2007.

Five legislative measures introduced, one defeated, one scheduled for a hearing, and no action on the remaining three -- a record perhaps predictable for a Congressman with a power ranking of 435th in the Congress, and 199th in the Congressional GOP. [Cong.org]

Heller and Porter Vote Against Troop Withdrawal

2007-07-13T08:48:00.000-07:00

Dean Heller

Jon Porter

The House voted Thursday on a bill that calls for a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq to start 120 days after enactment of the law. Representative Dean Heller (R-NV) voted against the bill preferring to leave the troops where they are. Jon Porter voted against the bill as well. Shelley Berkeley didn’t vote. [Reno Gazette-Journal]

The bill that passed 223-201. Americans Against Escalation in Iraq are running a campaign in Nevada to get Heller to give up his support for the war. The group marched into Heller’s office to deliver a letter urging him to oppose the war. He refuses irrespective of the fact a large majority of his constituents want the withdrawal and the voters last fall wanted the withdrawal. But Heller ignores the wishes of his constituents.

Introducing My Silver State - A Community Blog for Nevada

2007-07-12T09:05:00.001-07:00

Nevada's blogosphere is diverse and bigger than one might assume. However, thus far there has not been a community blog for Democrats and progressives. This is about to change.

Today, My Silver State has been launched. My Silver State is a community blog for progressive Nevadans. Think Daily Kos, only in small and silver/blue.

Anyone who wishes to help elect Democrats in Nevada and anyone who would like to advance progressive causes in Nevada is welcome to register, comment and write diaries.

In the end it's up to you to make both My Silver State and Nevada your Silver State.

Dean Heller on the Iraq Troop Surge

2007-07-08T12:24:00.000-07:00

The House of Representatives debated a non-binding resolution expressing disapproval of President Bush's buildup of U.S. forces in Iraq - February 2007.

[ Footage attributed to C-SPAN, encoded and posted by ArmyOfOne.org ] (more)

"Nevada Congress members react to Libby decision" - Except for Heller

2007-07-04T07:16:00.000-07:00

We reported on Heller getting spanked by Jane Ann Morrison, recently. She was asking Nevada's congressional Republicans what they thought about a possible Libby pardon. Naturally, Dean Heller was once again AWOL.

Today, the LVRJ had another story up with the reaction of the entire congressional delegation on Bush's decision to commute Libby's 30 months in jail. Everyone could be reached for comment, even if Sen. Ensign declined to do just that. The only one who could once again not be reached was Heller:

Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., could not be reached, and his office was unable to supply his view.

Yup, that's your Congressman at work.

LTE - "Nation was never a threat to the U.S."

2007-07-03T15:06:00.001-07:00

A letter to the editor published in today's Reno Gazette-Journal:

I recently wrote to Congressman Heller urging him to support legislation calling for a withdrawal of our troops from Iraq. In his response, he wrote:
"I want to begin by stating that most Americans, regardless of their opinion of the situation in Iraq, recognize the need to defeat threats to the United States."
Now there's a statement demonstrating true verbal sleight of hand. Yes, most Americans are against threats to their country. But what does that have to do with Iraq?
Iraq never was a threat to the United States. Unlike Afghanistan, it did not harbor terrorists. It had nothing to do with 9/11.
People are finally seeing this un-American war of aggression for the disaster it was destined to be. A poll last month found that 52 percent of Nevadans opposed plans to send more troops to Iraq.
I'm not saying it's time for Congressman Heller to listen to the majority, because it was the majority that cheered on the invasion. I'm saying history will judge how long it took people to come to their senses. The congressman is way too late to be in the first wave. I hope he isn't in the last.
Ed Cohen, Reno

Heller's Response to DW Email

2007-07-03T08:48:00.000-07:00

If you take action on the Defenders of Wildlife's Heads in the Sand web site, Representative Heller will send you a letter in response. The meat of the letter is as follows:

"I share your desire to reduce harmful emissions. Obviously, steps should be taken to ensure that human progress does not have an unnecessary negative impact on the environment. For this reason, I support the investments of federal dollars in alternative energy research and the development and creation of tax credits for hybrid vehicles, solar panels, and other forms of alternative energy. The scientific community continues to debate the extent and causes of changes in climate. I am proud to say that Nevada is one of the leading states with regard to using renewable energy.

Please be assured that I will work with my colleagues to develop an energy policy that properly balances human development and progress with sound environmental protections in a scientific, evidence based manner."

Aside from the fact that the scientific community isn't really debating the existence and cause of global warming anymore, Heller seems to want us to believe he is working hard to figure out a solution to the global climate crisis. But, don't expect to see him at Live Earth this weekend. He is much more likely to be working to vote against the next Clean Energy Act that comes before him. Although he claims to support pro-environmental legislation, he lists no such legislation as either sponsored or co-sponsored.

Keep the excuses coming Congressman but until you pull your head out of the sand, you continue to endanger Nevada.

Will Presidential Caucus Aide in Defeating Heller?

2007-07-02T05:36:00.000-07:00

Republicans are afraid that a Democratic candidate could defeat their freshman Dean Heller in 2008 as we reported here. Five days after Helluva Heller reported Heller's inclusion in the Republicans' "Regaining Our Majority Program", the Las Vegas Review-Journal picked up the story today:

Heller represents the usually reliable Republican 2nd Congressional District of rural and Northern Nevada. But he beat Democrat Jill Derby last November by only a 50 percent-45 percent tally and Republicans are bracing for more tight races in 2008.

"The Democrats have put a target on Heller, and we will do whatever we can to help him," said Amos Snead, press secretary for House minority whip Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., who put the Nevadan in the help category.

An aide said Heller was traveling on Friday and could not be reached.

While Porter clearly is in their sights, Nevada Democrats do not appear to have focused on Heller. But state party spokeswoman Kirsten Searer said Democrats hope their new early presidential contest will help them in the 2nd Congressional District.

"We have been using the presidential caucus as a way to organize areas where we haven't been strong in the past in CD2," she said.

Not surprisingly, Dean Heller is once again AWOL. Quite interesting though, is the believe among the Nevada State Democratic Party that the caucus might help a Democratic candidate in NV-02. The series of mock caucuses organized around the district, the latest in Elko, might be a sign for this. Now, if they would just work on recruiting a candidate.

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Want a capable representative in Congress? Join the Helluva Heller - Defeating Dean Heller in 2008 group at the Democratic Party's PartyBuilder social networking site!

Appreciation on Paper?

2007-07-01T09:23:00.000-07:00

On Friday the 13th -- April, 2007 Nevada congressional representative Dean Heller (R-NV02) paid a visit to the Nevada Department of Public Safety's Records and Technology Division to present a certificate to the office for "tireless dedication in supporting law enforcement in service and protection of Nevada's citizens and visitors." [DPS] Apparently, this paper is to make up for the potential loss of funding from federal sources as the Bureau of Justice Statistics takes a $10 million cut in the Administration's FY 2008 budget, noted a month earlier by AFSCME?

State Justice Statistics Program for Statistical Analysis Centers and other elements of the Bureau of Justice Statistics, didn't fare very well in the Bush budget for FY 2008: "The Bureau of Justice Statistics is also slated for a funding shortfall of $10 million. The important national Crime Victimization Survey, which is the only accurate census of crime victims, and is the nation's primary source of information on criminal victimization, is not funded at a level sufficient to carry on this important work. This information provided by the survey is invaluable to the national Crime Prevention Council, community groups and law enforcement agencies." [AFSCME] [House Dem Budget Analysis pdf]

Since we've not heard anything, or seen anything in print, from Rep. Heller about the budget cuts to the Bureau of Justice Statistics -- could we assume the "certificate of appreciation" is all the paper Nevada's Records and Technology division can expect from the Administration which worked so hard to get Rep. Heller elected?

To Conservatives Dean Heller Simply Doesn't Exist

2007-07-01T08:08:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard of "Conservapedia?" Me neither. That is until this week, when Lewis Black made fun of it on The Daily Show. See, Conservapedia is supposed to be the alternative to the "liberal" bastion known as Wikipedia (btw, here's the Wikipedia entry on Dean Heller).

Conservapedia's motto: "A conservative encyclopedia you can trust. The truth shall set you free."

The truth being that to Conservapedia our very own Congressman Dean Heller doesn't exist:

click to enlarge

"Conservapedia, the trustworthy encyclopedia"

ABBA Explaining Iraq

2007-06-30T10:02:00.000-07:00

Gotta love Abba:

And don't forget: Heller owns this Waterloo, too. Since he's arrived in Congress, he continously voted for the Iraq war.

Heller's Head in the Sand - Watch it!

2007-06-27T13:24:00.000-07:00

We've reported in the past week on the Defenders of Wildlife "Head in the Sand" campaign (including a radio ad in the district) against Rep. Dean Heller here and here. We also did a Q&A with Defenders of Wildlife CEO Dr. Rodger Schlickeisen.

Now, Defenders of Wildlife are continuing their campaign with this animated ad on the internet:

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Want a capable representative in Congress? Join the Helluva Heller - Defeating Dean Heller in 2008 group at the Democratic Party's PartyBuilder social networking site!

Republicans Afraid Heller Might Lose

2007-06-27T06:43:00.000-07:00

It's official: Republicans are afraid Heller might lose his re-election next year. The Las Vegas Gleaner alerted us to the news first published by the Hotline - which is behind a subscription firewall but the National Republican Congressional Committee was nice enough to republish the report from Roll Call (also behind a firewall) including the fact that they consider Dean Heller "vulnerable":

House Republicans have added 10 Members to the Regain Our Majority Program.

House leaders select Members they think might be vulnerable and raise and steer additional funds to their re-election campaigns.

Now, parse that rather neutral reporting with the Gleaner's choice words for Heller:

Apparently not red enough, though. Hotline reported Thursday that the War Party's "Regain Our Majority Program" has tagged Heller as one of the party's most vulnerable members of Congress. The ROMP distinction means that Minority Leader John Boehner and the rest of the House War Party leadership will do their level best to a) notify corporations who want to rip you off of the existence of Dean Heller, and b) urge them to give Heller lots of money that they stole from you in the first place so he can afford the televised assassination of his opponent's character and conduct in 2008, even if the opponent is Jesus H. Christ his own self.

Heller's appearance on the ROMP list must come as a bit of a disappointment to the campaign contribution brokerage profession. As aforementioned, in Heller's district (~~CD1~~ CD2), the needle on the bumpkin meter has been absolutely and immovably lodged in the extreme red for decades, and having an "R" after your name is usually all it takes. The ass-clown shouldn't need any more than perfunctory help from the rich and corporate to maintain the district's hallowed tradition of electing an impotent and obscure go-along get-along Republican for as long as Heller needs the seat before moving along to the next step in his exciting journey as a career politician. Imagine, if you will, being the guy paid to allocate corporate campaign contributions, and having to explain to your bosses that they need to give extra money to some guy in a district where Democrats are outnumbered by cows. Thank goodness we don't have that job.

Just trying to summarize it for you: Heller's weak. It took the help of President George W. Bush and a major fundraiser in Reno to help Heller across the finish line in 2006. With Bush being ever more unpopular, I doubt Heller would bring him in next year, so, yeah, he's heavily dependent on the corporate cash cows.

Now, that the legislative session has come to an end and some of the possible candidates (like Sheila Leslie and Debbie Smith) should have more time on their hands, how about one of them coming forward as a candidate in the near future? Whoever will run will have some serious fundraising to do.

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Heller Gets Spanked by Jane Ann Morrison

2007-06-26T04:09:00.000-07:00

We've been reporting, rather infrequently, on Heller's problem of simply returning a reporter's phone call since he was sworn into office - here and here. In the latter AWOL post we wrote the following:

The Las Vegas Review Journal seems to be tired about the "Heller did not return calls" line and seems to be trying to shame him into answering by singling out his spokesman:

Heller has been singled out as a target by Americans United, which aired television ads slamming his war stance in Reno earlier this year. His spokesman, Stewart Bybee, did not return phone calls or e-mail Thursday.

What good is it to employ a spokesman (who's paid by the taxpayer) who is not speaking to the media?

One day later Jane Ann Morrison of the Las Vegas Review-Journal wrote a nice little opinion piece about Nevada's Republican delegation in Congress and their stance on a pardon for Scooter Libby. But when you read the whole piece you get a feeling that this was a set-up by Ms. Morrison to deliver a much needed spanking to Rep. Heller. After laying out how Sen. Ensign and Rep. Porter responded, she turns on Dean "Helluva" Heller:

But that was better than the silent treatment from Heller's office. My e-mail Monday morning to press aide Stewart Bybee explaining my questions was ignored. So were four calls to Bybee's voice mail and cell phone. An e-mail to Heller's chief of staff, Mac Abrams, also was not worthy of a reply.

Was this personal? After a few enquiries, I learned Heller's office just doesn't get back to the Review-Journal often. That seems foolish because Heller said in May that he will run for governor in the future. And part of his district is in Clark County.

Perhaps ignoring Southern Nevada voters is Heller's preference. Perhaps Heller doesn't know how often Bybee ignores news media questions. Perhaps Bybee is really busy. There are 16 press releases on Heller's Web site this year. That would take time.

But Congressman Heller, Nevadans would still like to know how you feel about pardoning Libby. Unless that's too tough a question.

Ouch! It'll be interesting to see how Heller's attitude towards the media will develop in the future. But one thing is for certain: if you ignore the paper many of your southern constituents in Clark County and beyond (Pahrump for example) read regularly, they may just be inclined to not only let you feel it when you run for governor (good luck with that, btw) but might also be willing to take a closer and more sympathetic look at your challenger in 2008.

One more free piece of advice: ignoring the biggest conservative paper in the state? That's just stupid.

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Heller vs. Life

2007-06-22T10:40:00.001-07:00

Dean Heller voted today to ensure that more abortions occur overseas and that more mothers will die from wire-hanger abortions. On the surface and in his view he was working to stop abortions but it must be made clear he indeed did the opposite.

I think people on all ends of the political spectrum would like to see number of abortions decrease over time. However, the two parties have very different ways to go about achieving the goal.

Democrats: Educate individuals about sex and ensure access to birth control in order to limit unwanted pregnancies. If abortions have to happen (rape, incest, etc) then they should be clean, safe, and legal.

Republicans: Make abortions illegal, don't talk about sex and restrict access to birth control. This way no abortions happen and Jesus is happy.

The only thing that the Republican plan does is increase ignorance of sexual health and responsibility and ensure that wire-hanger abortions become the norm. That is what Heller did; he voted against giving organizations the tools to fight abortions abroad.

Representative Heller, with his vote today, worked to ensure more mothers will die overseas and more abortions will occur. Don't let him tell you the vote is pro-life, it's not.

Heller Has His Head in Oil

2007-06-21T20:01:00.000-07:00

For someone that accepted over $40,000 from oil and gas industries within months of taking office, Heller sure has a suspicious voting record. This seems to be a growing trend in the Republican party, and as we know, he wouldn't be caught dead distancing himself from them. For a first time representative that will be trying to get re-elected, Heller really isn't looking for conservationist voters. Heller recently voted against and act to reduce subsidies to large oil companies and invest in clean energy. Why the government should be paying taxpayer money directly to oil companies when we already give them a large chunk of our incomes is beyond me. What is even worse is people like Dean Heller voting to keep them when the oil companies are setting record profits. He is obviously siding with the companies for a reason.
Contributions
Oil/Clean Energy Vote
I am positive that if Heller had a good explanation for why he voted this way, he would immediately come forth with it and defend his vote. The only reason why he hasn't is that he doesn't have a good reason. All that he cares about is protecting large companies and lobbyists in the short term. He doesn't care at all about the long term effects of the things he stands for...or with.

As I stated before, it is a growing trend with Republicans in the Congressional and Executive Branches of the Government to stand by lobbyists and corporate America every chance they get. They realize that these companies donate large amounts of money to their campaigns, therefore helping them get re-elected. If you look at the contribution record of most Democrats, you will find that large companies generally don't even bother with them. It seems to be some kind of unwritten agreement between corporate America and Republicans that the representatives will get money for campaigns if in exchange they get votes benefiting their growth and profits. Do we really want these kind of people representing us and continually voting for big business?

There is a standard response from these people when they are asked a question about conservation and oil use. They say that it will hurt the economy if we burden big companies with restrictions. If we continue to emit infinite quantities of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, there will be no economy, let alone life on Earth.

Despite the global warming argument, there are many other reasons to cut and eliminate carbon dioxide emissions. The same people who are voting for big companies and against reducing dependence on foreign oil are the same ones that are continuing the war in Iraq. If we really want this world to be a safer place, we can start reducing the amount of oil we import. Disruption in the Middle East sends crude oil prices spiraling upwards. This is the main reason why gas prices are so high right now. We are very unsafe with so much of our oil coming from these countries. If we keep pissing them off, they could just cut off all oil exports to the U.S. This would be far more crippling than a bomb or suicide attack. Also, our environment would be in a far better condition if we weren't polluting it as much. Another reason is that oil will eventually run out, it is bound to happen. If these corporate-loving representatives keep getting elected, they will run the oil companies until the oil companies run this country into the ground. Imagine how big of a crisis that would be.

If these representatives keep voting for big business, despite all the reasons not to, there is no reason they deserve an elected office. Our country would have a better environment, would be more safe, and would add more jobs if we would just start switching to alternative energy sources. There are so many other ways to get energy that aren't as harmful to environment and well being of our country. All other industrialized nations of the world have far more of their energy coming from nuclear power, solar, and wind power. Why aren't we on the same page? It is because there have been so many people like Dean Heller in the U.S. Government.

Intelligent Quote of the Month:

If we're going to talk about pollution let's talk about who's polluting here

- Dean Heller saying that the Defenders of Wildlife are polluting the airwaves by attacking him.

Well, Dean, to be honest with you I was hoping that the people of your district would get an intelligent and thought out explanation of a voting record.. for once. Obviously that is impossible. Now, what you said might have been my response to this situation in first or second grade. But from a United States Congressman, it is completely unacceptable.

Border Security - Heller Talks One Way, Votes the Other Way

2007-06-19T06:05:00.000-07:00

Republicans in Congress voted down a bill on Friday to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Among the Republicans: Dean Heller. In that bill: money for border security. Heller's choice: cut the budget by 5.7% and thereby having 170 less agents patrol the border. The response from the DCCC:

“Representative Heller talks tough on border security, but his vote to cut more than 170 border agents tells the real story,” said Jennifer Crider, Communications Director at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Whatever you may think about the current discussion on immigration and border security, one thing is clear: Heller talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk.

Republicans talk tough all the time using some rather ludicrous arguments at times, especially drawing the fear card whenever it suits them, but when it comes to enforcement, to actual governing they are nothing less but incapable. And Heller's no exception.

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Heller allies with big oil, corporate polluters, lobbyists against Nevadans

2007-06-15T21:23:00.000-07:00

Global warming is real. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which is made up of scientists from 113 countries, was created by the U.N. in 1988 and releases its assessments every five or six years.

"Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global mean sea level," said the IPCC report. [The Progressive Connection]

Ken Calvert

John Doolittle

Dean Heller

Steve Pearce

Rick Renzi

Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund launched a targeted radio and web campaign -- www.headsinthesand.org -- to hold accountable five Congressmen – Reps. Ken Calvert (CA), John Doolittle (CA), Dean Heller (NV), Steve Pearce (R-NM) and Rick Renzi (AZ) – who have ignored the facts on global warming because of the undue influence of corporate polluters and their lobbyists. [Democracy for New Mexico]

Heads in the Sand is Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund's expanding campaign to expose members of Congress who continue to ignore the facts on global warming. Despite the overwhelming scientific consensus and looming threat, these members support a short-sighted Heads in the Sand energy policy favored by big-money lobbyists for polluting industries – all at the expense of wildlife, future generations and our national security.

The Heads in the Sand website contains a wealth of information about global warming and its impact on life and the planet. The site features 22 videos of the effects of global warming.

The site reveals that “In his short career in Congress, Heller has already taken tens of thousands of dollars in contributions from industries that contribute to global warming. In the five short months he’s been in Congress, Heller has taken a whopping $40,950 from the oil and gas and automotive industries. He has also taken significant contributions from other industries that contribute heavily to global warming, including the mining industry, as well as $58,757 from corporate lobbyists.

Additionally Heller’s voting record is displayed showing his alliance with big oil, corporate polluters and their lobbyists.

The Defenders are running radio ads about the five Republican Congressmen.

“Congressman Dean Heller has his head stuck in the sand. He’s voted against legislation to combat global warming and help break our nation’s dependence on foreign oil. Could it be because Dean Heller has taken thousands of campaign cash from big oil?” the narrator says in the ad against Heller. [Politico]

You can listen to the full radio ad here.

On Wednesday, Reps. Pearce and Heller – both members of the House Natural Resources Committee – voted against legislation to help combat global warming and protect wildlife from its impacts.

Heller accuses Defenders of wanting to close down mining and public lands in Nevada and "take away our guns." I don’t know how Heller ties guns into all this or closing down mining and public lands. The only thing being sought is stopping the destruction of the planet we live on. No planet—no guns, mining or public lands. Heller also complains “Defenders was ‘polluting the air waves’ with their ads. ‘If we're going to talk about pollution let's talk about who's polluting here,’ he said.” [Examiner.com; AZCentral.com] That’s an immature childish reaction by Heller.

Elected people who do not act in their constituents’ best interest should be removed from office by their constituents. That’s what elections are for. Those people with their “heads in the sand” are detrimental to our well-being. [CQ Politics] Those who continue to favor big polluters and their special interests can pursue careers for those polluters and special interests if they want. We should shake them like dust from our shoes.

Heads in the Sand provides a means to e-mail Congressman Heller asking him to “get his head out of the sand” on global warming.

Heller Has His "Head in the Sand" - Q&A About New Ad Campaign

2007-06-15T15:09:00.000-07:00

Dean Heller has his "head in the sand" on global warming. So says a new ad campaign about Heller and four other Republican Congressmen from western states. Heller's only been in Congress for five months but he's already managed to have a very negative record on this issue. He's the only freshman representative on this list.

Surprisingly, Dean "AWOL" Heller has given a statement on the campaign by the Defenders of Wildlife action fund. It's as ridiculous as his voting record on environmental issues:

Heller said Defenders was "polluting the air waves" with their ads. "If we're going to talk about pollution let's talk about who's polluting here," he said.

Judge for yourself. Listen to the ad here.

The CEO of Defenders of Wildlife, Dr. Rodger Schlickeisen, was kind enough to answer a couple of questions for Helluva Heller. Here are his answers:

The Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund launched an ad campaign against five western Congressmen. What's your motivation behind this campaign?

Defenders Action Fund has a responsibility to its members and the public to hold accountable elected officials with extreme anti-conservation records – and that’s what we’re doing. With the “Heads in the Sand” campaign, we’re exposing the records of five anti-conservation House members who have their heads in the sand on global warming and have voted against our national interest and a sensible energy policy to deal with global warming. A growing majority of Americans see what national security experts, scientists, and economists have seen: global warming is a crisis that needs to be addressed now. If so many Americans understand this, why do our elected officials like these continue to bury their heads in the sand on the issue? That’s what we want to talk about.

Why did you include Dean Heller in your campaign?

Heller – like the four other members, Reps. Calvert, Doolittle, Pearce, and Renzi – has demonstrated a clearly anti-conservation record. Instead of reducing our country’s dependence on oil and dealing with the global warming crisis, he’s expressed support for extracting global warming-producing oil reserves from shale. In January, he voted against repealing billions in subsidies and tax breaks to energy companies, including billions that even industry acknowledges was granted in error, and investing that money in alternative energy sources, with his vote on HR6 , The Clean Energy Act of 2007. And just this week, Rep. Heller voted against another forward looking bill, HR 2337, The Energy Policy Reform and Revitalization Act of 2007. He's new to the House Resources Committee this year but is already following a too well-established pattern of others who've joined the committee, accepted large contributions from the extractive industries, and then voted for their special interest over the public interest.

How do the contributions to his re-election campaign influence Heller's voting behavior in Congress? Who are these contributors?

In the five short months he’s been in Congress, Rep. Heller has taken more than $40,000 from industries that contribute to global warming, as well as an additional $58,757 from corporate lobbyists. It seems like he’s already siding with lobbyists and corporate polluters instead of doing what the committee is supposed to do which is protect our natural resources for the public and future generations, which right now should mean making real progress on global warming.

How often and for how long do you plan to run the ad in Nevada?

We’re launching this campaign by running the ad on Nevada radio for the next week. We'll make the decision of next steps later. Visit our website (www.headsinthesand.org) to learn how you can help us keep these ads on the air longer to reach more people.

What can voters in Nevada do to help influence Heller's stance on global warming?

Defenders Action Fund is working to hold Rep. Heller accountable on global warming. Nevada residents should visit our website, www.headsinthesand/heller.org, to learn more about Rep. Heller’s position on global warming. We encourage them to contact us with their feedback and stories. They can tell Mr. Heller to get his head out of the sand and do the right thing to protect the southwest which is expected to suffer tremendously from global warming.

We'll be following the ad campaign and the reactions by the media in the coming week and follow up with more posts on Heller's stance on environmental issues.

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Heller - Answering Questions? Why?

2007-06-15T03:56:00.001-07:00

Dean Heller's gone AWOL again.

From the Las Vegas Sun:

Heller could not be reached for comment.

Yeah, Heller didn't want to aswer questions about his Iraq war stance or what the heck he's gonna do once the magical GOP September benchmark comes. Would be surprising should anything change.

The Las Vegas Review Journal seems to be tired about the "Heller did not return calls" line and seems to be trying to shame him into answering by singling out his spokesman:

Heller has been singled out as a target by Americans United, which aired television ads slamming his war stance in Reno earlier this year. His spokesman, Stewart Bybee, did not return phone calls or e-mail Thursday.

What good is it to employ a spokesman (who's paid by the taxpayer) who is not speaking to the media?

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Hellers Worth $2 Million

2007-06-15T03:39:00.000-07:00

According to the yearly disclosure reports by members of Congress, Dean Heller and his wife are worth about $2 million. Most of the investments are held by Lynne Heller. The Las Vegas Review Journal takes a closer look.

The only thing I really care about is this:

The congressman also listed as an asset a loan to the Heller for Congress campaign valued between $15,000 and $50,000.

I touched on this before, essentially Heller might not even be in Congress would it not have been for that loan. Now that Republicans are in the minority in Congress, fundraising efforts seem to be even more difficult, so we'll wait and see when his campaign pays Heller's loan back and if he needs to take out another loan in 2008.

You can read the full report here (large pdf!). You just need to wade past the 76 pages of Shelley Berkley's disclosure report to get to Dean Heller's 10 pages.

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Possible Heller Opponents Stand Out in Legislature

2007-06-12T07:58:00.000-07:00

The Las Vegas Sun took a look at the winners and losers of the legislative session. One big winner: Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley. One reason for this was her willingness to delegate to other competent Assembly members, among them possible Heller opponents Sheila Leslie, Debbie Smith, and Bonnie Parnell:

Buckley's leadership skills showed in her ability to effectively delegate to other Democrats in her caucus. She gave significant responsibility to lieutenants, who ran with it. By doing so, she nurtured legislative leadership while engendering loyalty, though she was still closely involved in the issues.

Majority Leader John Oceguera showed leadership on commerce and public safety issues; Sheila Leslie on fiscal, health and human services issues; Marcus Conklin helped manage the caucus; Debbie Smith and Marilyn Kirkpatrick came to dominate the issue of tax breaks for environmentally friendly building; Bonnie Parnell became a point person on education; Kelvin Atkinson pushed transportation policy; and David Parks advocated reform of prison policy.

Now that the Legislature's session is over, it's time to recruit a Democratic candidate for Nevada's 2nd Congressional District. Sheila Leslie, Debbie Smith, or Bonnie Parnell would all make great contenders.

Debbie Smith, Bonnie Parnell, and Sheila Leslie

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Heller got a break

2007-06-05T11:52:00.000-07:00

Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap, a Democrat, was sued by the Bush Administration's Justice Department for not complying with the federal requirements on developing statewide voter registration lists, but when the same company had similar problems compiling lists in Nevada the Justice Department did NOT sue Republican Secretary of State Dean Heller, "who was running for Congress at the time." [McClatchy]

States were to have met the HAVA January 1, 2006 deadline for completion of statewide voter registration database. [ELOrg pdf]

Nevada's Covansys developed database was scrapped after delays and complaints from county officials. [ELOrg pdf p.26] Then Secretary of State Heller met with county election officials in early December 2005 and admitted that the statewide registration system "just isn't going as smoothly as we had hoped." [NLTB] Nevada clerks were more blunt: The new computer system was unreliable, inaccurate, and needed to be scrapped. [LVSun] The Las Vegas Review Journal reported on March 17, 2006 that Heller had suspended the Covansys contract. Clark County registrar Larry Lomax said Heller had botched the Covansys deal and should not have awarded the contract to an out of state company. [LVRJ]

Maine, which had a $4.5 million dollar contract with Covansys experienced similar problems and was sued for non-compliance. [DoJ] Maine SoS Dunlap terminated the state's contract with Covansys in February, 2006. [VTusa] The Department of Justice announced an agreement with Maine "to protect voting rights" on July 28, 2006, but apparently couldn't resist adding that its "investigation also found that Maine's rolls contained a significant number of ineligible voters." [DoJPR] No mention of how many ineligible voters it took to reach a level of "significance" was made in the press release.

The fact that Maine recognized its problems with its Covansys contract and terminated the company's involvement with its statewide voter registration database a month before the similar contract with the same company in Nevada was scrapped might seem to imply that Maine was making more progress toward its statewide registration database than Nevada. The Department of Justice, evidently, didn't share that perspective.

New Jersey also had a contract with Covansys for $14.8 million. [BW-fa] It, too, failed to meet the DoJ deadlines, and reached an agreement with the DoJ just one month prior to the 2006 elections. [EOrg]

McClatchy sums it up: " The former department officials note that researchers have found no evidence of widespread voter fraud and that no lawsuits have targeted states whose elections were managed solely by Republican officials. At the same time, the department has done little to enforce the core provisions of a 1993 law that requires public assistance agencies to help register the mostly Democratic-leaning, poor and minority voters they serve despite complaints from a national group, Project Vote."

Status report on statewide registration for the 2006 elections.
Cross posted at Desert Beacon

Heller vs. A Balanced Budget

2007-05-29T09:43:00.000-07:00

On a recent Nevada Newsmakers the co-host told Heller she was disappointed with his flip-flop on partisanship. She noted that he had been someone who would work across party lines as Secretary of State to get things done but his move to Washington instantly turned him into a lapdog of the GOP.

The 2007 Pay-As-You-Go Bill was designed to ensure that sunlight exposed members with earmarks and that decreasing government revenues could not be passed without a decrease in government spending or an increase in government revenues somewhere else.

How did Heller vote on balancing the budget? NO

Why is this such a big deal? Well, if Heller was suppose to be the 'conservative' choice for Nevada's Second District then the word conservative has taken on a new meaning. If Heller is the poster boy, this vote against openness in government and balanced budgets means conservative now means - increase the future tax at any expense, don't let the people you elected know which pork is yours, and work hard to continue deficit spending. Heller said in the campaign that tax cuts weren't the problem it was spending. Well, Heller had a chance to reign in spending and he refused to.

Bottom line: Heller's vote against the pay-as-you-go legislation means he has no problem with deficit spending meaning he has no problem with you spending more on taxes in the future.

Nevada's other Representatives (Berkley and Porter) voted for it, making Heller NEVADA'S MOST EXPENSIVE REPRESENTATIVE.

LTE - "Harry Reid had it right"

2007-05-27T08:33:00.000-07:00

This letter to the editor was published in the Nevada Appeal today:

Harry Reid had it right

In a recent letter, John Koster labels Sen. Reid a traitor for having, in my view, accurately portrayed the war in Iraq as lost. Mr. Koster is an example of the right-wing noise machine. When they cannot justify the war or otherwise defend Bush's lies (that got us there and are keeping us there), they resort to calling critics traitors.

Mr. Koster goes on to write that Sen. Reid is "an embarrassment to Nevada and (his) constituents."

In my view, it is Congressman Heller who fits that description. Heller is, apparently, quite willing to follow Bush as he leads our nation over the cliff and into the abyss.

Shame on you Mr. Koster. Hooray for Harry Reid.

JEFFREY L. RUSSELL

Minden

Poetry

2007-05-25T15:21:00.000-07:00

Steve Sebelius of Various Things & Stuff felt inspired by Heller's recent amendment:

Why does U.S. Rep. Dean Heller hate poetry? Heller brought an amendment to try to head off the $7 million expansion of the Carl Sandburg Home Historic Site in North Carolina, saying that when we add to the federal estate, we add costs. Of course, Heller lost by a decisive margin, 245-183.
Why, the story has inspired us to verse!

And inspired he was:

We think that we shall never see,
A congressman as irrelevant as thee.
Of all the four hundred and thirty-five,
They barely know that you're alive.
At the table of failure, did you sup,
And now its time to shut the fuck up!

Don't you just love poetry?

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Heller continues flip-flopping voting pattern

2007-05-24T11:12:00.000-07:00

The Heller Pattern, "I was against it before I was for it," voting system was on full display during consideration of HR 1427, the Federal Housing Finance Reform Act to reform the regulation of government sponsored housing finance programs.

Rep. Heller and Rep. Porter both voted to recommit the bill (aka kill it) on roll call 395 before they voted in favor of it on roll call 396. The measure to regulate the housing finance industry more closely passed 313-104.

Rep. Heller was really out to show his ultra-conservative right wing radical bona fides on the Hensarling Amendment to the Finance Reform Act. [rc 392] Hensarling's language would have deleted the Affordable Housing Trust Fund budgetary placehold language in the bill. Even his sidekick Jon Porter (R-NV) couldn't stomach that one.

Heller and Porter broke their two-man rank on Rep. Kevin Brady's (R-TX) small raid on the affordable housing grant program for victims of Hurricane Katrina, securing 10% for the state of Texas by cutting the allocations for Louisiana and Mississippi by 5% each. Porter voting in favor, and Heller voting no. [rc 389]

Heller Not a Fan of Parks

2007-05-24T05:56:00.000-07:00

Dean Heller introduced his first amendment yesterday and failed. The vote tally was 183 in favor and 243 opposed. Not a single Democrat voted for Heller's amendment and 13 of his Republican colleagues opposed it as well.

Heller wanted to play fiscal conservative, which is funny considering his continued support of a multi billion dollar involvement in the civil war in Iraq, by trying to stop money for the expansion of a national historic site in Flat Rock, NC in honor of poet Carl Sandburg. From the LVRJ:

"We need to be cognizant of the fact that every time we add to the federal estate, it spreads our already limited resources even thinner," Heller said.

The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the additional land for the historic site will cost about $7 million.

"That seven million dollars is desperately needed to manage and maintain the land currently owned by the federal government," Heller said.

The vote on Heller's amendment fell generally along party lines. Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., voted for it. Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., voted against it.

Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., said Heller's amendment would shift the entire burden of expanding the historic site to the state of North Carolina, calling that "inconsistent and unfair."

"Inconsistent and unfair" - hey, that's a pretty good description of our Representative. Wonder why we hadn't thought of that before.

Anyhow, you just know that if this historic site were in Heller's district, he'd have supported it. Wanna bet?

But now to the really fun part? Remember Heller's buddy George W. Bush? The one who made sure Heller had enough money to fend of his challenger Jill Derby? Well, turns out he's for expanding the site using federal money. As are North Carolina's two Republican Senators. From the Asheville Citizens Times:

The state’s Republican Sens. Elizabeth Dole and Richard Burr have introduced a companion bill, which is pending in the Senate. The Bush administration has expressed support for the idea.

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Heller holds a Telephone Town Hall

2007-05-23T21:17:00.000-07:00

On Monday night my phone rang, and an automated message from Dean Heller invited me to immediately join a teleconference "Town Hall." Though I chose not to, a friend of mine did participate and sent me this email. Identities withheld.

Junior Congressman Dean Heller took his show on the road last night by staging a “town hall meeting” over the phone with what he felt were his constituents.

My phone rang and I chose to enter the on-line foray. Every 15 minutes, during the session, Dean would interject with EST and that he was calling from his Washington, D.C. office. The only thing out of the dialogue was that it could be along the Potomac River.

The highlight of the conversations I tuned in to including participants from Storey, Lyon and Churchill counties, as he continued to reiterate, was the one I heard from my favorite pair of U.S. Navy veterans residing in Fernley.

M & D F----- are a dedicated couple with whom I became acquainted, volunteering at the Nevada Veteran Cemetery in Fernley.

A dedication to their personal philosophies of life, and a Democratic stance rang out loud and clear during this telephonic episode. We were all told to press “#” and wait until it was our turn to ask a question.

So, when it was the F----- family turn to be put on line D mustered up all the strength that a veteran on oxygen, and a true Democrat would, proceeded to open the conversation with the Congressman: “First of all, I didn't’t vote for you”.

I thought I would fall over in my chair and D continued to calmly express his opinion ... until Dean cut him off and went to the next person queued up to speak with the illustrious Nevada leader.

If there were a Democratic ... or for that matter a voice of reason academy award ... I would give it to Don who stood steadfast to his principals [sic] and that of his wife ... when faced with the challenge.

Also, during the event, participants were given the opportunity to express their opinion about the newly proposed immigration legislation by pressing a button on their telephones. When the polled results were in, there was only one vote for the present proposal ... as sketchy as it may be at this moment.

Obviously, my vote was the only one that stood out in my mind.

In a follow up email with my friend asking permission to post this on the blog, she also informed me:

Also, one of the "callers" was speaking to boycotting gas stations. Heller was enthusiastic (maybe tired...but who contributed to his campaign?).
Then, the caller and Heller narrowed it down to Seven Eleven convenience stores served by CITGO.

Today, I learned that has all changed and the CITGO signs removed? The source of their oil....so the caller contended was Venezuela. Yeah, said Heller we don't want to deal with Communists. It sounded like we were back in the black/red lists of the 1950s...which I remember from having been raised in the backyard of Hollywood, California.

Too bad Dean Heller either didn't know, or didn't want to spoil the moment, by pointing out that 7-Eleven had dropped Citgo months ago. Hell, even Faux News reported it. But let's not let the facts get in the way of a good scapegoating!

X-posted at Blue Lyon

Want to Be "Well Represented" in Congress? Contribute to Dean Heller!

2007-05-23T07:21:00.000-07:00

You wouldn't believe it but Dean Heller is being praised by a constituent. James L. Pincock, MD, of Carson City wrote a letter to the editor of the Nevada Appeal which has been published today:

Heller's office was quick to help Nicaraguan patient

In light of recent televised attack ads aimed at Rep. Dean Heller, I thought it might be appropriate to let the public know that some of our elected officials are involved in issues other than the war in Iraq, and actively engaged in service to the citizens of Nevada. My recent experience with Mr. Heller and his office demonstrates a high level of commitment, and considerable experience in negotiating the machinery of state. I would like to briefly share my experience.

I go to Nicaragua once or twice a year on craniofacial surgical missions. On my last trip in November we saw a young man in the clinic with a huge tumor involving his face, throat and skull base. Surgery to remove this tumor could not be safely accomplished in Nicaragua, and arrangements were made to bring the patient to the United States for treatment. At the last minute, problems arose with getting him a visa in time for him to arrive in this country for surgery. Anyone who has dealt with the State Department can attest to the multiple levels of telephone menu bureaucracy that basically preclude any normal citizen from talking to a human being, let alone anyone who might actually be interested in helping to solve problems. Multiple e-mails, letters and calls were ineffective. I realized that I needed someone who could grease the wheels of State, and prompt the appropriate personnel to expedite the visa process for this unfortunate young man. One call to Dean Heller solved the problem.

I have known Dean for many years, and when I called and asked for help, he promised that Verita Prothro, his assistant, would call me the next day. Promises are easy for politicians to make, but I felt cautiously optimistic that help might be available. Verita did call, and together with her assistant, Gloria, immediately contacted the U.S. Consulate in Nicaragua and arranged for an expedited visa interview. Everything happened in an efficient process that helped restore some faith in government. Mr. Heller's staff was interested and involved throughout this process, and without their help, the visa never would have been issued in a timely fashion. They even called after the interview date to make sure that the visas had been issued, and that plans were moving forward.

Dedication, professionalism, competence, and willingness to go beyond the minimal required are traits that are becoming rare in society and especially our government. Rep. Heller and his staff went well above and beyond what others might have done, and have allowed one young man to receive life-saving help. When others might have chosen to not get involved, he and his staff chose to help, a fact for which I am very grateful. Verita and Gloria are part of Mr. Heller's staff in Nevada, and I can only surmise, but if he has surrounded himself in Washington, D.C., with assistants this capable, we will be well served and well represented.

See, we bloggers aren't that evil. We post praise of Dean Heller. We have no problem with that whatsoever.

We just like to do our homework, too. And when you read that "Rep. Heller and his staff went well above and beyond what others might have done" you're truly impressed, unless of course, you forgot what was written a few lines before:

I have known Dean for many years, and when I called and asked for help, he promised that Verita Prothro, his assistant, would call me the next day.

Now, have you ever gotten directly through to your congressman? Probably not, but then he's not your friend. So, we digged a little deeper and, oh, what did we find?

A May 7 2005 contribution of $1,000 by James Pincock of Carson City to Dean Heller for Congress.

What's the lesson of all this? If you want to be "well represented" in Congress have the Congressman as your friend and make sure you've written a check in advance.

Heller vs. The Environment

2007-05-22T09:31:00.000-07:00

As more and more Americans wake up to the emerging climate crisis, we must expect our representatives to wake up as well.

As more and more Americans realize our dependence on foreign oil is becoming a greater national security risk, we must expect our representatives to act in order to reduce that dependence.

Representative Heller managed to ignore both these issues with a single vote back in January. In fact he voted against protecting our environment and becoming energy independent with one of his earliest votes in the House of Representatives.

His vote against The Clean Energy Act of 2007 not only was a signal that he thought the U.S. Government should be subsidizing big oil but that he is against releasing the grip of countries like Iran, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela on the American economy.

I expected Dean Heller to be on the same side as big oil. After all, Exxon Mobil made sure to pump money into his campaign war chest. But having Nevada's Representative for the 2nd Congressional District side with Hugo Chavez King Abdullah, and those who want to jeopardize America's security is not something I expected.

UPDATE: A quick story on how bad Heller's friends at big oil are.

Why Does Heller Have an Office in Las Vegas?

2007-05-18T09:32:00.001-07:00

So, I just went to Heller's official House website and was surprised that it was now finally functional. The one he had still up a couple of weeks (and more than three months after taking office) was an embarrassment. His new website ain't all that bad. It looks surprisingly non-militaristic as so many other Republican websites and that's as much a compliment he'll get from me on that. Just one thing: what's up with the Nevada Capitol dome? You do realize that you now work in Congress, right? Or is that a hint at your gubernatorial ambitions?

Now, to the interesting part. Heller has four offices. One in DC, of course, another one in Reno and one in Elko for the northeastern part of the district. Amazingly, his fourth office is not even in the district. It's in Las Vegas, on 600 Las Vegas Blvd, which is part of Shelley Berkley's district. Here's a map of the 2nd district. When you zoom in on the Las Vegas part, you will see that the office is a couple of miles outside his district, the closest point in his district being Nellis Air Force Base. Meanwhile, Berkley and Jon Porter have each one office in their district, not outside of it.

Of course, it's good that Heller has an office in southern Nevada. However, color me surprised that he wasn't able to rent one inside his district, say in Pahrump or in Mesquite.

This just leaves us with one question:

Did Heller skip geography in high school?

UPDATE: Blood on Heller's Hands

2007-05-18T09:20:00.000-07:00

Update: The family hasconfirmed the soldier's death. He was no kidnapped. He was the one soldier killed in the ambush whose dog tags were taken. The blood on Heller's hands is no longer potential - it is real.

You can email your thoughts to Heller here.

KTVN news is reporting that one of the missing soldiers in Iraq is from Northern Nevada. He graduated from Douglas High School in Gardnerville. His convoy was ambushed on Saturday and he and two other soldiers remain missing. We hope and pray that he is returned safely to his unit and to the Silver State but, if he is not, Dean Heller will have blood on his hands.

Representative Heller continues to refuse to bring the troops home. There have been 28 Nevada deaths so far in Iraq; 15 of which are from his district and yet he continues to refuse to bring the troops home. The Nevada National Guard was shipped to Iraq on Mother's Day, leaving Nevada's support system weakened, and yet he continues to refuse to bring the troops home. How so? Heller voted against the Iraq Accountability Act and against overturning the President's veto.

This young man was not returned to his unit and to our state, Dean Heller has blood on his hands. It's up to us to make sure the rest of Nevada hears about it. Letters to the editor: RGJ, Nevada Appeal, Elko Daily Free Press, Ely Times, Pahrump Valley Times, Lahontan Valley News

Heller Had 12th Worst GOP Result in 2006

2007-05-17T06:20:00.000-07:00

Nationally, many pundits and bloggers didn't take Nevada's 2nd district too seriously in 2006. It was too safe a Republican district to be even slightly competitive, so the argument went.

Well, we all know that Dean Heller in the end won his election against Democrat Jill Derby. Against expectations though, his result wasn't very convincing. The man who was elected Secretary of State of Nevada three times, barely won more than 50% of the vote in a district that doesn't include Democratic Las Vegas. So today, I ventured out in search of Republicans who won their districts in 2006 and did worse than him. Turns out that there weren't that many.

Only 11 Republicans were elected with a worse result than Heller. Among them: Rep. Sali of Idaho, Rep. Cubin of Wyoming, Rep. Musgrave of Colorado and Rep. Doolittle of California. All these districts were presumed to be safely in Republican hands. There was no way they would become competitive and yet they were.

Again, there is talk of Heller being safe, of other Republican districts more important than Nevada's 2nd. This is reminder for all of these folks that Heller is among the vulnerable dozen Republicans currently serving in Congress:

50.37% Heller
50.24% Pryce (OH-15)
50.21% Wilson (NM-01)
50.14% Hayes (NC-08)
50.08% Buchanan (FL-13)
50.05% Bachmann (MN-06)
49.95% Sali (ID-01)
49.53% Ferguson (NJ-07)
49.26% Doolittle (CA-04)
48.46% Porter (NV-03)
48.33% Cubin (WY-01)
45.91% Musgrave (CO-04)

Results were taken from NPR.

Why Won't Dean Heller Participate in the Food Stamp Challenge?

2007-05-17T03:58:00.000-07:00

In February 2007, 118,613 Nevadans relied on Food Stamps to get dinner for themselves and their family on the table. Each person in Nevada received an average of $87.86 per month in 2006. That would be an average of about $2,90 a day. Have you ever tried to feed yourself or your kids on a mere $3 a day?

Well, we can be sure our Congressman has never had to deal with the Food Stamp Program. However, he doesn't seem interested in those who do. At least, Dean Heller didn't take up the challenge of his colleagues Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO), co-chairs of the House Hunger Caucus, to live on $21 for an entire week. You can read their letter to their colleagues here (pdf).

Only two of their 433 colleagues took up the challenge. They are Democratic Representatives Tim Ryan of Ohio and Jan Schakowsky of Illinois. All of them realize it's a real challenge to live on so little per day. Here's Rep. Schakowsky's meal plan for today:

Thursday

(5/19)

Puffed Wheat: $0.25

Milk: $0.20

Banana: $0.19

Ramen: $0.17

Pasta a Roni Tomato: $1.00

½ Diced Tomato: $0.46

Lettuce: $0.45

Milk: $0.25

$2.97

As you can clearly see, it's almost impossible to live healthy on $3 per day but the Food Stamp Nutrition Education in Nevada is still trying to show how. When you take a look at Schakowsky's plan (downloadable at her website) you'll see that it really lacks in variety.

Congressman Ryan is blogging about his experience on his website. Below is his receipt for his groceries for the entire week. Notice how he only managed to stay below $21 by buying items on sale only:

Click on the receipt to enlarge

There is also a Congressional Food Stamp Challenge blog where Congressman McGovern and his wife Lisa chronicle their experience and where you can also read press acounts on the challenge.

The aim of this challenge is to raise awareness and increase appropriation for the Food Stamp Program in this year's Farm Bill. We will keep an eye out on what's happening and how Dean Heller will eventually vote on this.

Click here to read more about the eligibility and payments of the Food Stamp Program in Nevada.

"If the President Won't Listen, Congress Must"

2007-05-14T08:13:00.000-07:00

Will Dean Heller listen?

Join Helluva Heller Group at PartyBuilder

2007-05-12T04:46:00.000-07:00

If you haven't checked out the Democratic Party's PartyBuilder social networiking website you should definitely do so. While you're there and getting registered (if you haven't already done so), make sure to join the new "Helluva Heller - Defeating Dean Heller in 2008" group.

Rep. Heller's not-so-shiny-new bill

2007-05-11T21:17:00.000-07:00

Wow, s'cuse me for not being more impressed: Nevada District 2 Representative Dean Heller's first bill is a rehash of legislation introduced in the 109th Congress to transfer federal land to Reno to complete the Trench Project. The bill was previously introduced by Nevada Senators Reid (D) and Ensign (R) last term, and Senator Ensign is planning to re-introduce the bill during the 110th. [RGJ] Saying, "...It's non-controversial" is much like saying rain is not dry?

For this Rep. Heller raised $1,634,942 and spent $1,609,281 to get elected? [OS]

And, when something controversial does pop up where's Rep. Heller? Read this article from the Las Vegas Sun and see if you can find Rep. Heller among the Nevada Congressional delegation members who expressed an opinion on the matter at hand.

Cross posted at Desert Beacon

The Future of Nevada Democrats is Female

2007-05-10T10:29:00.000-07:00

Cross posted from Turn Tahoe Blue. Will Heller's challenger also be a woman?

Women are clearly on the rise in Nevada politics. Especially so on the Democratic side. Consider the following: in the 2006 elections Democrats nominated women in all three congressional districts, four out of six candidates for statewide office were women, including Governor.

While Jill Derby (NV-02) and Tessa Hafen (NV-03) didn't win their respective races, they did come pretty close and it's quite possible that Dean Heller and Jon Porter will have to run against female candidates again in 2008.

Women have captured high offices in Nevada in the past, though they were mostly Republican: former Congresswoman Barbara Vucanovich (NV-02, 1983-97), former Treasurer Patty Cafferata (1983-87), former Lt. Governors Sue Wagner (1991-95) and Lorraine Hunt (1999-2007), Secretary of State Cheryl Lau (1991-95). The only Democratic women previously elected to statewide office were Superintendent of Public Instruction Mildred Bray (1937-51) and Frankie Sue Del Papa who was Secretary of State (1987-91) and Attorney General (1991-2003). There has not been a female US Senator yet, the only Democratic nominee was Mary Gojack in 1990.

Recently female Democrats were much more successful in being nominated and elected than their Republican counterparts. Currently, three out of four Democratic (six total) constitutional officers in Nevada are women: Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto, State Treasurer Kate Marshall, and State Controller Kim Wallin. Las Vegas is represented in Congress by Shelley Berkley. The Nevada State Democratic Party has recently elected a woman, Jill Derby, as its chair. Among the five-person leadership are three more women: 2nd Vice Chair Teresa Benitez-Thompson, Secretary A'shanti Gholar, and Treasurer Jan Churchill.

In the State Assembly, Barbara Buckley was recently elected Speaker, the first woman in that position in Nevada's history. Majority Whip Sheila Leslie and Assistant Majority Whip Debbie Smith are among the five person Majority Leadership in the Assembly, while the Democratic leadership team in the State Senate is entirely comprised of women: Minority Floor Leader Dina Titus, Minority Whip Valerie Wiener, and Assistant Minority Floor Leader Bernice Mathews. As far as I could find out, no other legislatative body in the country has an entirely female leadership, at least on the Democratic side.

10 out 27 Democratic Assembly members are women (37%) and 5 out of 10 Democratic State Senators are women, making up 50%.

Therefore, it comes as no surprise that in a recent poll at Helluva Heller, asking who should run against Heller on the Democratic side, out of the seven mentioned possibilities five were women: Kate Marshall, Debbie Smith, Jill Derby, Sheila Leslie, and Teresa Benitez Thompson and the female candidates were in the lead at last count.

When you consider all this, it is only a matter of time when Nevada will send another woman to the House, the first woman to the US Senate and elect its first Governor.

You can read more about the history of women in Nevada politics here.

Go to Turn Tahoe Blue to see photos of the women mentioned.

The Doublemint Twins

2007-05-06T14:59:00.000-07:00

Sven beat me to the punch!

So I guess the question has to be why the hell didn't Heller run for Governor in the first place? Great. So we now have a governor who really didn't want the job until he didn't get his House committee chairmanship and saw governing Nevada as his second choice, and a US Representative who doesn't want to represent us in D.C. but would rather be governor. Oy.

Let's Send Heller Back to Carson City

2007-05-06T14:24:00.000-07:00

Dean "Helluva" Heller has struck again:

When the question comes, Rep. Dean Heller pauses and then chuckles.

But he doesn't duck.

Yes, he says, it's fair to assume he eventually will run for governor of Nevada.
"I'm a Carson City guy," Heller said.

"I grew up in Carson City. I've been in Carson City since I was 9 months old," he said. "When I was in elementary school, middle school, I grew up with (former Gov. and Sen. Paul) Laxalt's kids. We spent a lot of time in the governor's mansion for that reason."

[...]

"I mean the governor's mansion has been part of my life for my whole life," he said. "And to some day have the ability to govern the state, yes, it would be something that I would desire to do."

You've gotta hand it to him. He's really one awesome guy. I mean, who'd have thought that Dean Heller would tell us barely 4 months into his term as a member of Congress that he really wants another job. Wow! Geez, Congressman, do you want to hand the election to us? Really?

Or as a seemingly dumbfounded Republican Erik Herzik puts it:

"I might not have said in my first term that I was looking at another job, but in his defense, he always has said serving Nevada as governor was a key goal," said Eric Herzik, a political science professor at the University of Nevada, Reno.

So, let's do Heller a favor. Let's send him back to Carson City. Can't blame him, it's a nice city. But he better look for a new job. And, hey, it ain't gonna be in the Governor's Mansion!

And let's elect someone who actually wants to represent the wonderful people of Nevada and their interests in Washington. Heller sure ain't this person. His constituency is the constituency of one: his own career.

Heller's FEC Page

2007-05-06T11:09:00.000-07:00

Dean Heller's FEC disclosure page is available here.

You can see committees who gave to Heller. Including: Safeway, Exxon Mobil, Newmont Mining, Pfizer, RichPAC (Former Congressman Richard Pombo's PAC).

The other page is individual contributions to Heller. Including: Alfredo Alonso, Mark Destefano, Billy Vassiliadis and NOT Jim Gibbons.

You can also see a page that lists the organizations that gave AGAINST Heller

Heller's Hearings?

2007-05-04T13:09:00.000-07:00

The U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources, which includes Nevada District 2 Representative Dean Heller (R-NV) on its roster, has scheduled a full committee oversight hearing on May 9th: "Endangered Species Act Implementation: Science of Politics" The hearing will be webcast live from the Committee's site. What can we expect to find out from our new Congressman? It's to be hoped we'll hear more than we did about last week's sessions in which committees to which Rep. Heller is assigned held hearings on issues of interest to Nevada citizens.

The House Small Business Committee, of which Heller is a member, conducted two sessions this past week. A May 2nd session on entrepreneurial development assistance to service men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, and another on May 3 concerning the impact of renewable energy production in rural America. The Chairwoman's statement announces, "...This hearing on renewable fuels is the first in a series on small business participation in the energy industry. In the coming weeks, the committee will examine broader renewable energy issues, as well as legislation impacting small business’ energy needs." [HSBC] And, what did we hear from Representative Heller? His "Latest News" features his testimony about funding wildfire and rangeland restoration, and touting the Douglas High School ROTC program. [Heller]

Cross posted from Desert Beacon

Heller Waits for Orders

2007-05-03T10:03:00.000-07:00

Most freshman members of Congress do, in fact, wait for leadership signals on their statements and votes. However, none seems to be more blatant about it than Nevada's Rep. Dean Heller (R-NV2). Speaking of his position on the emergency supplemental funding bill (HR 1591) he tells the Las Vegas Review Journal: "Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., said his only "show stopper" in any compromise bill are troop withdrawal timelines that he said he strongly opposes. "My goal at this point is just to wait to see what leadership on both sides brings back," Heller said. "I don't want to set specific benchmarks and tie myself to those."

We are informed he is opposed to timelines -- that's been clear, but now he's "waiting to see what the leadership on both sides brings back..."

The implication is reasonably clear: Rep. Heller will do the bidding of the Congressional Republican leadership.

Dean Heller’s Votes

2007-05-03T08:19:00.001-07:00

Last January 10, 2007 House Bill HR 2 was up for vote. HR2 would have increased the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour. [Washington Post]

The bill passed the House 315-116, with 4 not voting.

Democrat Shelley Berkley voted for the raise. [Washington Post]

Republicans Dean Heller and Jon Porter voted against the raise. [Washington Post]

Wouldn't you want the minimum wage raised? Both Republicans Heller and Porter voted against you.

Two days later, January 12, 2007, House Bill HR 4 was up for vote. This bill would allow the government to negotiate directly with drug makers for lower prescription drug prices for individuals using Medicare. [Washington Post]

The bill passed the House 255-170 with 10 not voting.

Democrat Shelley Berkley voted to pass the bill.

Nevada Republicans Dean Heller and Jon Porter voted to reject it. [Washington Post]

Wouldn't you like your prescription drug prices lower? Both Heller and Porter voted against you if you would like your drug costs reduced.

On January 18, 2007 HR 6 was up for vote in the House.

This bill would repeal tax cuts to oil companies and mandate that they pay a fee to remove oil from the Gulf of Mexico. It would also fund renewable energy programs. The act would repeal a tax break that oil and gas firms received in 2004. That break effectively lowered their corporate tax rates. It would also bar oil companies from bidding on new federal leases unless they pay a fee or renegotiate improperly drafted leases from the late '90s. Those leases did not require royalty payments on Gulf of Mexico oil production. Oil firms would pay a "conservation fee" for oil taken from the gulf.

Additionally, the bill would set aside an estimated $13 billion to $15 billion in revenues over a five-year period for tax breaks relating to renewable energy sources, according to The Washington Post.

The bill was designed to reduce the United States' dependency on foreign oil by investing in alternative energy sources. However, critics say it actually would decrease domestic oil production so the country would rely more heavily on imported oil.

The House passed the bill on Jan. 18, 2007, with a vote of 264-163. All House Democrats except one favored the bill. They were joined by 36 Republicans. The Senate must debate the bill.

The Washington Post reported that the Bush Administration opposed repealing the tax break for oil companies when other manufacturing industries benefited from the 2004 reductions. It also frowned on forcing companies to renegotiate their Gulf of Mexico leases.

Democrat Shelley Berkley voted to pass the bill.

Republicans Dean Heller and Jon Porter voted against the bill wanting to retain the oil company tax cuts. [Washington Post]

So, if you wanted to help the oil companies retain their tax breaks then Heller and Porter were your men. If, on the other hand, you prefer the oil companies pay their fair share of taxes Heller and Porter are not your representatives. They voted against you in favor of the oil companies.

February 16, 2007 House Congressional Resolution 63 came up for vote.

This measure expressed the House's disagreement with President Bush's planned troop buildup in Iraq. The nonbinding resolution pledges support for U.S. personnel serving "bravely and honorably in Iraq" but says Congress "disapproves" of the president's plan to add more than 20,000 combat troops. The resolution was approved 246 to 182. Seventeen Republicans joined 229 Democrats in support of the resolution. Two Democrats opposed the measure. While the 95-word resolution has no legal weight to force the president to change his course in Iraq, it marks a first key showdown between the White House and the new Congress controlled by Democrats.

Democrat Shelley Berkley voted in favor of the resolution.

Republicans Dean Heller and Jon Porter voted against the resolution and in favor of the troop buildup (i.e., the "surge").

So, if you wanted to wind down the war on Iraq Heller and Porter voted against you. [Washington Post]

On March 23, 2007 H R 1591 was up for vote in the House.

The bill offered supplemental appropriations to help the United States fight the global war on terror, among other things. However, President Bush vowed to veto the bill because it included a timeline for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. The measure prohibited the use of funds offered under the act to deploy any troops to Iraq unless the military has certified to congressional appropriators in advance that the military unit is fully mission-capable. The measure authorized the president to waive the prohibition and deployment limits on a unit-by-unit basis for reasons of national security.

It also set requirements for Department of Homeland Security contracts, subcontracts and task orders. And it required that each federal agency that has awarded at least $1 billion in the preceding fiscal year to develop and implement a plan to minimize the use of no-bid and cost-reimbursement contracts.

The bill also offered funds for disaster relief and recovery related to hurricanes Katrina and Rita, funds influenza pandemic response programs, offers livestock disaster assistance, and makes appropriations to bolster Medicare and Medicaid.

It amended fair labor laws to phase-in an increase to the federal minimum wage to $7.25 per hour. It applied these wage requirements to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and to American Samoa.

It addressed several tax issues by including tax breaks for small businesses, made certain dependents ineligible for the lowest capital gains rate and lengthened the period of failure to notify a taxpayer of liability before interest and certain penalties must be suspended. The measure increased the amount of any required installment of estimated tax otherwise due in 2012 from a corporation with assets of $1 billion or more.

The bill passed the House on a vote of 218-212, with 1 voting present and 3 not voting at all.

Democrat Shelley Berkley voted to pass the bill. Democrat Dennis Kucinich just noted he was present but did not vote at all.

Republicans Dean Heller and Jon Porter voted against the bill.

Thus, if you wanted an orderly ending to the war on Iraq Heller and Porter voted against you, and in favor of "staying the course" in Iraq. [Washington Post]

House Failed to Override Bush’s Veto

2007-05-02T14:29:00.001-07:00

The House failed to override the President's veto of the Iraq Supplemental Bill, which would have fully funded our troops while bringing a responsible end to the war in Iraq. [Nevada State Democratic Party]

Both Dean Heller and Jon Porter voted against the bill to fund our troops. [Dean Heller: It's Time to End the War] Last month the Las Vegas Sun reported that Heller returned to Washington "believing that two of every three Nevadans oppose the war...." It is clear from last year's election that the American people, including Nevada, want the troops out of Iraq and the war on Iraq by the United States ended. Yet Heller and Porter thumb their noses at their constituents and continue to support the war by not voting to override Bush's veto. Meanwhile American lives continue to be lost in Iraq, not to mention thousands of innocent Iraqis. Nevada voters, unless they have lost their minds, will thumb their noses at Heller and Porter in 2008.

"Democratic Members of the House of Representatives failed in their attempt to override President George W. Bush's veto of the recently passed Iraq War supplemental budget. With 220 members voting to override, the 2/3 majority was not attained, as 203 members voted to sustain the veto." [Raw Story]

"One Democratic Member of Congress, Rep. Dennis Kucinich (OH) voted 'Present.' Two Republican Members, Rep. Walter Jones (NC) and Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (MD) voted to override the veto, and 7 Democrats voted against the override. They were Reps. John Barrow (GA), Dan Boren (OK), Lincoln Davis (TN), Jim Marshall (GA), Jim Matheson (UT), Mike McNulty (NY), and Gene Taylor (MS). House Democrats appear to have picked up four votes from the 218 that voted for the bill that was sent to the President yesterday," according to Raw Story.

Repeating what I posted earlier on this blog: [Any Progress in Iraq Yet?]

Since Escalation Began, Baghdad is "More Violent and Chaotic Than Ever." Less than two weeks ago, one reporter in Baghdad said, "Sectarian attacks in Baghdad have also increased back to pre- surge levels," with hundreds of Iraqis killed in insurgent and sectarian attacks in the Capital alone each week. After nearly 200 people were killed in a single day last month, another columnist wrote, "Nine weeks into the ' surge, ' Baghdad is more violent and chaotic than ever." [NPR, "Morning Edition," 4/19/07; UPI, 4/19/07]

Iraqi Government Hasn't Passed Legislation on Benchmarks (But Is Planning a Two-Month Vacation.) More than two months after the new plan went into effect, "there has been little or no progress in achieving three key political benchmarks set by the Bush administration: new laws governing the sharing of Iraq's oil resources and allowing many former members of the banned Baath Party to return to their jobs, and amendments to Iraq's constitution." Although the Iraqi government has yet to adopt bills aimed at easing sectarian violence and these other benchmarks, they are planning on taking their summer recess as scheduled in July and August. [Los Angeles Times, 4/21/07; Washington Post, 4/26/07]

CD2 2008 Democratic Candidate Poll

2007-05-02T10:41:00.000-07:00

Although we may unite against Congressman Heller, we need to be looking toward someone we can be for. This is not a complete list of potential candidates, but it's a start. If you notice a name missing, mention it in the comment thread and we'll put it on the next poll.

Take the poll

Free Poll by Blog Flux

Democrats Can Win in the Rurals

2007-05-01T06:06:00.000-07:00

When talking about trying to win the 2nd congressional district in Nevada, which encompasses almost all of Nevada except for the heavily populated parts of Clark County, you almost always encounter one argument: Democrats cannot win in the rurals.

Now, at first look that might be true, statewide Democratic candidates often lose the rural counties and often by a large margin. One reason for that might be that statewide Democratic candidates most often hail from Clark County and might not campaign too much in the rurals.

However, when you take a closer look you might come away shocked. Why? Because Democrats actually get elected in the rurals on a regular basis. Just take a look at this list of current office holders who identified themselves as Democrats on the ballot:

Churchill County:

Vicky Tripp, County Recorder
John Serpa, County Public Administrator

Elko County:

Mike Nannini, County Commissioner

Esmeralda County:

Nancy Boland, County Commissioner
R.J. Gillum, County Commissioner
Karen Scott, County Auditor/Recorder

Eureka County:

Michael Rebaleati, County Recorder/Auditor

Lander County:

Gladys Burris, County Clerk

Lincoln County:

Bill Lloyd, County Commissioner
Leslie Boucher, County Recorder/Auditor
Kathy Hiatt, County Treasurer
Tommy Rowe, County Commissioner

Mineral County:

Ed Fowler, County Commissioner
Richard Bryant, County Commissioner
Cheri Emm-Smith, District Attorney

Nye County:

Gary Budahl, County Treasurer
Sandra Musselman, County Assessor

Pershing County:

Roger Mancebo, County Commissioner
Celeste Hamilton, County Assessor
Donna Giles, County Clerk/Treasurer
Darlene Moura, Recorder/Auditor
Dave Ayoob, County Commissioner

Storey County:

Harold Swafford, District Attorney

White Pine County:

Robert Bishop, County Assessor
RaLeene Makley, County Commissioner
Martha Rivera Sindelar, County Recorder

Now, that's one impressive list. You know how I got this information? By skimming through the Secretary of State's website and writing down each person who won an election in the last four years and was marked as a Democrat. By doing that I may have missed someone, and there may also be persons included who are registered as Democrats but might just be so called DINOs (Democrats in name only). But I have no way of knowing. Why? Because the Nevada State Democratic Party hasn't actually advertised the fact that Democrats get routinely (and sometimes without even having an opponent) elected in the rurals. Just take a look at their page listing county commissioners. They list the five Clark County commissioners and Pete Sferrazza from Washoe County. That's it. No mention of the county commissioners from Elko, Esmeralda, Lincoln, Mineral, Pershing, and White Pine counties.

What conclusions can be drawn from that list? Democrats can win in the rurals, so much is for sure. How do they win? My guess is by meeting the voters and proving that they're more qualified for the job than their Republican opponent.

Ahead of her election as Chair of the Nevada State Democratic Party, I asked Jill Derby about her experiences on the campaign trail. Here's what she had to say:

I was able to connect with many people in all 17 of Nevada’s counties during my campaign for Congress. That experience provides me with a network of positive relationships with which to build the unity, focus, and cohesion which will be important to the Party in the year ahead. Democrats often talk about being the party of inclusion and I intend to make that happen by involving everyone – rural and urban, north and south. I also learned that many Nevadans are independent and not locked into strict party vote. I learned that reaching out and framing our message in ways that resonate beyond our traditional Democratic audience can bring support across party lines, and is particularly attractive to independent voters, of which there are many in Nevada.

In order for a Democratic candidate to beat Dean Heller next year, one can only encourage Jill Derby and hope she'll focus more heavily on the rurals, highlight achievements in counties like Lincoln and Pershing, and set up a party structure in the rural counties.

Nevada Bloggers Unite to Take on Heller

2007-05-01T04:44:00.000-07:00

A total of eight bloggers will contribute to Helluva Heller for the next one and a half years. Our aim: monitor freshman Rep. Dean Heller (R), find a suitable opponent to Heller and help defeat Heller in 2008. We want to make sure that Dean Heller will only be remembered as one thing: an ineffectual one-term Congressman.

The contributors come from all walks of life and represent different parts of Nevada. They are (in alphabetical order):

cls resides in Lyon County. She regularly writes on her blog Blue Lyon.

Desert Beacon is in her 60s, retired, and lives in Humboldt County. She writes two other blogs: Desert Beacon and Blue Sage Views.

featheriver is a 73 year-old retired lawyer from Pahrump, Nye County. His main blog is Nye-Gateway to Nevada's Rurals.

Jed B. is 17 years old, a progressive activist and High School Student in Elko County.

Jesse Riehm is a 17 year old High School Student and lives in Fallon, Churchill County.

Nevada Blogger: JWH is 32 years old and works in sales. He lives in Fernley, Lyon County and mainly writes at The blog formerly known as "No Gibbons"...

Sven is a 28 year-old student at the University of Mannheim, Germany. He currently works on his Master in modern history. He was an exchange student at Battle Mountain High School, Lander County and George Whittell High School, Douglas County in the 1990s. His other blogs are Turn Tahoe Blue and Nevada Caucus 2008.

UpNorth is in his 20s, a student at UNR and resides in Reno. He also blogs at Nevada Up North.

Surprise, Heller Picked up the Phone

2007-04-27T10:53:00.000-07:00

When Molly Ball and Lisa Mascaro wrote articles on calls for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' resignation almost a week ago, they could only write the following about Heller. Lisa Mascaro (Sun):

Nevada's other Republican congressman, Dean Heller, could not be reached for comment.

And Molly Ball (LRVJ):

Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., did not respond to multiple requests for comment Friday.

We almost feared the Congressman from Nevada had gone AWOL again. We're still not quite sure what happened there but Heller has mysteriously reappeared and is even talking to journalists:

Republican Rep. Dean Heller on Thursday joined other Nevada lawmakers who are calling for the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.
"I think he's become a distraction," Heller said. "I think he's a distraction to the Department of Justice."

Heller said he agreed with Rep. Jon Porter, also R-Nev., who said last week that the American people have lost confidence in the attorney general and his management of the Department of Justice after the dismissal of eight U.S. attorneys.

"I don't think (it's) my job, as a congressman, to tell the (Bush) administration what to do with their nominees, and frankly I think it's much more of a Senate issue than it is a congressional issue," Heller said.
"But I do think it's become a distraction, and I think it would be in his (Gonzales') best interest to step down," he said.

Heller should really start working on his quotes. All those parentheses are highly irritating. But I digress. The only comment worthy on this comes from the Las Vegas Gleaner:

Alberto "Al" Gonzales has managed to withstand the withering criticism of his incompetent yet corrupt performance as attorney general, and the accompanying calls for his resignation even from influential senators of his own party, for much longer than many expected. But the day of reckoning is clearly at hand. Rep. Dean Heller, the powerful 19th ranking minority party member of the mostly negligible House Natural Resources Committee and the the 435th most influential person in the 435 member House of Representatives, has called on Gonzales to resign (LVRJ). Heller joins fellow War Party Rep. Jon Porter, the powerful 355th most influential person in the House, in calling for the head of Alberto Gonzales. The dean of Nevada's War Party congressional delegation, John Ensign, R-VO5, continues to withhold judgment while waiting to see if Alberto still has enough pull to get Ensign free memberships at exclusive golf clubs which Alberto himself would never be allowed to join.

Helluva Hypocrisy

2007-04-25T21:30:00.000-07:00

Heller on the Democrat’s handling of the war funding bill and withdrawal dates.

On April 3^rd 2007, Heller made the following comment to the Congress:

“What Congress should not do is try to manage this war by setting arbitrary timelines and reckless dates for withdrawal that accomplish nothing but enhance and empower the enemy. What our soldiers do not need are 535 generals who were boldly for the war before they were boldly against it."

To correct Mr. Heller’s assumptions, it is, according to the U.S. Constitution, the job of the U.S. Congress to declare and fund war. They can also end wars they wage, usually by cutting funding. Therefore, it is a fair compromise for the Democrats to set a possible deadline. I am sure President Bush and his colleagues would be even less satisfied with zero funding. It seems as if Heller would rather have all of the power concentrated in the executive branch of the U.S. Government. But of course that does not make any sense, seeing as he would be out of a job. The funny thing in all of this is that Dean Heller agrees with me that it is perfectly fine for Democrats to manage the war and have an alternate plan.

"If the Democrats would give a plan instead of not being there — that's not a plan. That's not in the best interest of the safety and the security of the American people. Give us a plan. Give us an option. There is no option on the table today."

KNPR Interview 1/24/07

The Democrats have a plan, and they included it in the current war funding bill. The plan includes ‘being there’ for an allotted amount of time. It also gives us plenty of time to decide whether or not the war in Iraq is working. If Iraq suddenly makes a turn for the better, we can change the date. Heller and President Bush obviously believe that if we stay there forever, Iraq will eventually fix itself. That is clearly not the case.

Heller’s Intelligent Quote of the Month:

KNPR Interview 1/24/07

(About the State of the Union 2007)

“I told my 16 year old son, this is probably the most dangerous place on Earth to be right now, at the same time it’s probably the most safe place to be right now”

Does that quote even deserve an intelligent reaction?

Desert Beacon: "Heller Tags Along"

2007-04-25T12:54:00.000-07:00

The Desert Beacon is one of Nevada's finest bloggers and will be among several future contributors to Helluva Heller. Here's an example of the Desert Beacon's great work, a take on Heller's position on the Iraq war supplemental bill:

No Surprise Department: The compromise version of the Iraq occupation supplemental funding bill will be supported by Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) and Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV1). Rep. Jon Porter (R-NV3), Rep. Dean Heller (R-NV2), and Senator John Ensign (R-NV) will oppose the bill. [LVRJ]

Senator Ensign repeats the standard Bush Administration line that the call for troop redeployment is "based on the judgment of politicians in Washington with no regard for our commanders on the ground." Rep. Heller says, "I think the language restricts our soldiers, and there is still pork." Rep. Porter stated, "I encourage them to maintain their confidence and permit him (General Petraeus) to finish the job he was sent to execute."

[...]

Representative Heller's comment is perhaps more ideology than thoughtful reflection, and may illustrate his lack of experience in the Congress. He tags along holding the President's line that the decisions in regard to the occupation of Iraq should be left to Generals (soldiers?) who agree with the President's policy, and offers the "No Pork" argument as if supplemental funding bills don't usually carry a variety of funding requests. The 2006 supplemental funding bill included $20 billion for Gulf Coast recovery, $2.3 billion for bird flu preparations, and $2 billion to send National Guard units to the Mexican border. Senate Republicans tried, and ultimately failed, to put another $4 billion in the bill for agricultural subsidies, $1.1 billion for Gulf Coast fishing industries, and $700 million for rerouting a rail line in Mississippi. The 2003 and 2005 supplemental appropriations acts also carried their fair share of items unrelated to the occupation of Iraq: $70 million in aid for the Ukraine and former Soviet states, $12.3 million for the Architect of the Capitol, $24 million for the Forest Service, and $104 million for watershed protection, $500 million for California fire relief, $245 million for peacekeeping operations in Liberia, and $100 million for international famine and disaster assistance. [dem.gov]

It's perfectly acceptable to rail against "pork" in general, but what Representative Heller is objecting to in H.R. 1591 includes appropriations to the Department of Agriculture related to anti-terrorism activities, emergency appropriations to the Department of Justice, anti-drug operation in Afghanistan, funding for the Commander's Emergency Response program in Iraq and Afghanistan, support for Iraqi provincial reconstruction teams, funding for soldiers' physical evaluation boards, appropriations to the Department of Energy, the National Nuclear Security Administration, and the Defense Department's Nuclear non-proliferation program. [LOC]

If these occupation and anti-terrorism provisions aren't what Representative Heller found objectionable, perhaps he's disturbed by the appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security incorporated in the bill in Chapter 5? Supplemental appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Chapter 7 for medical facilities, prosthetic research, and general operating expenses? Or, is the newly minted Representative objecting to the provisions in Chapter 8 calling for funding the United States Agency for International Development? For non-proliferation, anti-terrorism, de-mining, and peacekeeping operations?

If the "pork" isn't in Title I of the bill, perhaps Rep. Heller is looking to Title II? It's hard to imagine that the Representative of a district in which agriculture plays a significant role in local economies would object to the resumption of the Livestock Indemnity Program first enacted to compensate livestock producers in the Gulf Coast region for their losses. Could it be that the 2nd District congressman doesn't believe that this program might ultimately benefit ranchers after a severe fire season?

Representative Heller has been loath to support funding relief programs for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, therefore he may find appropriations for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, for Small Business Administration disaster loan programs, housing, education, and FEMA operations (Chapters 2-7) objectionable? If so, then Mr. Heller joins an administration has shown itself to be long on promises of aid to the Gulf Coast, and relatively short on performance. [NYT] [WaPo]

If the first two titles (Iraq and Hurricane relief assistance) don't form the crux of Rep. Heller's objections, then one might assume he has problems with Title III for agricultural assistance? Surely, the representative of an agrarian district isn't objecting to crop loss assistance programs (sec 3101) or livestock disaster loss compensation (section 3102)? In the wake of the FDA's admission that food safety inspection of our produce and meat products is woefully inadequate, [MSNBC] does the 2nd District Representative object to assisting spinach farmers in California and other western states who were devastated by the recent recall? Does he really object to funding (section 3109) programs to prohibit the importation of some fish because of outbreaks of viral hemorrhagic septicemia? [USGS]

Does Heller object to funding the Office of Women's Health (section 4104)? Extending the deadline for states to ensure punch card voting systems be replaced? Improving the contracting systems for the Coast Guard? Funding Department of the Interior programs to detect Avian Flu? Or funding Avian Flu vaccine research? Federal contracting reform? Or eliminating the SCHIP shortfall? [AAFP] Applying the Federal minimum wage laws to the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas and American Samoa? Extending the work opportunity tax credit through 2008, and other provisions of the Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2007? [LOC]

It's inconceivable that a Representative who speaks often and forcefully about ending waste, fraud and abuse in Federal spending would have objections to the Supplemental bill's inclusions requiring federal agencies to develop and implement plans to minimize the use of wasteful sole-source and cost-reimbursement contracts, or requiring agencies to provide Congress with documentation justifying the award of non-competitive contracts. [AppHouse] However, in opposing H.R. 1591 that is exactly what Representative Heller is doing.

The bottom line seems to be that the Republican members of the Nevada Congressional delegations are telling us that we have to support the Bush Administration's policy in regard to the occupation of Iraq, no matter if that is a direct reversal of GOP positions during the operations in Bosnia, no matter that the current policy calls for an extended and expensive occupation with no end in sight, and no matter if the supplemental appropriations bill incorporates matters of national interest and benefit.

So, why would the Democratic party leadership send such a bill to the President knowing he will veto it? The question can just as easily be reversed: Why would the president threaten to veto a bill he knew he was going to get?

LTE - "Democrats are right: End this blunder now"

2007-04-25T12:49:00.000-07:00

Helluva Heller isn't the only critical voice on Congresman Dean Heller. There are many others out there and some make themselves heard by writing letters to the editor. The following letter was published in the Reno Gazette-Journal, April 18:

This letter addresses the following remark made by Congressman Dean Heller to the Nevada Legislature on April 3:
"I truly believe if we're not fighting it in Iraq, we're going to be fighting it on the shores of America."
It may be that the congressman did not notice it was the U.S. that invaded Iraq; Iraq did not invade the U.S. There is no evidence that Iraq ever intended to invade the U.S. Further, most everyone who has been paying attention now knows that the present administration committed a fraud upon the people to justify the invasion of a sovereign nation, without a declaration of war as is the prerogative of the U.S. Congress. I sincerely hope that this remark made by the congressman is not indicative of his intelligence or ignorance.
To continue this insane, colossal, disastrous blunder is criminal, to say the least. I have very seldom agreed with U.S. Sen. Reid, and Democrats in general, but they are right this time.
It remains to be seen whether or not they will follow through as they are promising. It matters not what your party affiliation is, what is right is what matters. Thanks, Harry, for standing up for what is right.
Merritt K. Yochum
Carson City

Heller "Could not be Reached for Comment" - Again

2007-04-21T09:16:00.000-07:00

Everytime there is a sticky subject and reporters are trying to get in touch with Heller you can be sure to read one line in the paper: "Heller could not be reached for comment." The latest example is today's Las Vegas Sun article on Jon Porter's (R - Henderson) assertion that it's time for Attorney General Gonzales to resign:

Nevada's other Republican congressman, Dean Heller, could not be reached for comment.

This is not an isolated incident. The Desert Beacon has noticed this in early February:

"Rep. Dean Heller could not be reached for comment." [LVSun] This is getting to be a pattern? When the President announced his Surge for Iraq, Mr. Heller could not be found for comment. [DB] Now, there's another hot-button issue and Rep. Heller is yet again AWOL.

Soon, we'll need to start a count. And this is not just an issue with the Las Vegas Sun. Another example from the Las Vegas Review Journal:

Calls to Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., were not returned.

UPDATE:

It ain't just the Las Vegas Sun. This tidbit from today's Las Vegas Review Journal article on the same subject is better and and clearly portrays Molly Ball's frustration:

Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., did not respond to multiple requests for comment Friday.

Heller must have been AWOL again. Who'd have thought it.

When You Worry About a Blogger from Germany, You're Really in Trouble

2007-04-19T08:16:00.000-07:00

After being hit on his Iraq stance by the ad of Americans United for Change, Dean Heller went on Bill Manders radio talk-show last night. That in itself is to be expected. However what is not to be expected is that a conservative talk show host and a sitting Congressman care about some little blogger from Germany. But apparently they do.

Listen to this clip (this is the second part of their talk).

Here's the transcript:

Bill Manders: "What do you know about this guy named Sven Stromann?"

Dean Heller: "Uh... Some guy from Germany."

Bill Manders: "Well, actually he's an exchange student in Nevada."

Dean Heller: "Yea, I think he was at one time..."

Bill Manders: "And he's got a, I guess they've got a website. They're attacking you, they want to defeat you in 2008.."

Dean Heller: "Yes they do..."

Funny, ain't it, how Mr. Manders and Congressman Heller have not only noticed a blog barely three days old but are worried enough about Heller's re-election to give it credence by mentioning me. Also, Mr. Manders, this is a one person effort. No need for invoking the "they've got a website" notion there.

Further highlights from the two parts of this interview: Heller claims that Lisa Mascaro misquoted him in the Las Vegas Sun article. Manders very worried that Heller might change his stance on Iraq, especially his support for the surge. Most hilarious thing, though, is that Heller clearly used information from this blog concerning the automated phone calls made by VoteVets. I'm not surprised, though, as Helluva Heller receives most of its hits from the server of the House of Representatives according to my site statistics (click on "Visitor Paths" on the sidebar and then scroll down).

All in all, you can only come away from this talk show segment with the feeling that Heller's not all that certain about his re-election prospects. Funny thing, that.

Here are the links to listen to this segment in full:

Clip 1
Clip 2

Thanks to JWH over at No Gibbons for the tip and the clips.

VoteVets Targeting Dean Heller

2007-04-18T10:46:00.000-07:00

VoteVets are currently targeting 32 House members who voted against a deadline for redeploying the troops from Iraq using automated phone messages, reports the Politico. Among them: Nevada's Dean Heller.

Here's the message, narrated by Brandon Friedman, a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan:

"Hello, my name is Brandon Friedman. I served America in Iraq, and I'm calling to tell you how angered I am that on March 28th, your Congressman,______________, stood against America's troops, by voting against legislation that would finally set a course to responsibly redeploy them from Iraq's civil war.

"Congressman_________ talks a lot about supporting the troops, but when the chips were down, he voted with President Bush and against the troops. He voted in favor of sending more and more of my fellow troops to Iraq- with no end in sight. If you're as disappointed as I am in Congressman________ let him know. Call him at ____________. Thank you."

VoteVets is an extraordinary and very credible organization caring about the needs of America's veterans. On its advisory board sit (among others):

Retired Gen. Wesley Clark
Former Sen. Bob Kerrey
Retired Major General Paul Eaton
Retired Major General John Batiste

Clark was in Nevada last year campaigning for Jill Derby.

VoteVets also aired this very powerful commercial against then Sen. George Allen last year:

Of course, these calls come at the same time as the ad by Americans United for Change. Here it is again:

What the Blogs are Saying About Heller

2007-04-18T06:51:00.000-07:00

Both yesterday's article in the Las Vegas Sun as well as the launch of "Helluva Heller" itself have provoced reaction in the Nevada blogosphere:

Desert Beacon:

Heller Talks: Rep. Dean Heller (R-NV02) announces he spends "most of his time thinking about Iraq." [LVSun] "Heller has struggled during his three months in office to become an Iraq expert. He keeps a copy of the Iraq Study Group report in his briefcase." (Note to Rep. Heller: Removing the report from the brief case and reading it in its entirety might prevent future misinterpretations similar to "It supports the Surge.") Those who don't have a copy of the report for their briefcases can download one here. (PDF 519 KB) Sven's new blog gets a mention. "Blogging the 435th Most Powerful Member of the House of Representatives."

Las Vegas Gleaner:

In other go-along, get-along War Party rubber stamp news, Dean Heller has met the enemy, and he is Sven (Sun). Somebody needs to tell Heller that Germany is not on the east coast.

Nye - Gateway to Nevada's Rurals:

The threat of the ads on Heller may already begin bearing some fruit. Heller indicated to the Sun he'll be reassessing his stand with Bush on Iraq. Now, when Democrats "reassess" Republicans call it "flip-flopping." The question is whether Heller will "flip-flop" or continue to adhere to the Bush talking points and "stay the course" in Iraq and oppose withdrawal of the troops, or will Heller reflect the wishes of his Nevada constituency and seek withdrawal of the troops from Iraq. He can't have it both ways--he has to choose.
Is he going to represent Bush or his constiuents?

Las Vegas Sun on Anti-Heller Ad and the Launch of Helluva Heller

2007-04-17T07:49:00.000-07:00

The Las Vegas Sun's Lisa Mascaro published an article today headlined "Heller hears it from every side and now in ads, too" regarding the ad campaign by Americans United for Change which will start to air on Reno stations today:

Today a national progressive group, Americans United for Change, will begin running television ads in Heller's Reno district , targeting six lawmakers whose war votes it hopes to change. Congress is preparing to vote on final passage of the Democratic timetable for troop withdrawal, which Bush has promised to veto. Heller voted against the plan last month.

[...]

The organization's spokesman Jeremy Funk said, "These particular folks, we felt holding them accountable in public, they could be convinced to change their own course and do the right thing." Even in Nevada's relatively conservative 2nd Congressional District, Heller "made the wrong decision to support the president and the war in Iraq." Americans United hopes that as a freshman, Heller is not too beholden to his party's leadership to change his vote.

Heller's already hearing about it from his constituents. Nevadans don't like the war any more than people in the rest of the country:

Heller returns to Washington this week after hearing deep opposition to the war from constituents in Nevada during spring recess. He said he heard similar sentiments in private conversations, in grocery stores and in homes from "some of my friends, neighbors, colleagues."

Heller came away believing that two of every three Nevadans oppose the war - on par with national polls.

Well, at least Heller isn't deaf. With enough pressure put upon him he might just be forced to change his attitude towards the war and vote accordingly, or as Heller calls it "reassess my positon."

There's much more in the article. Read it here.

BTW, "Helluva Heller" got its first mention in this report:

The Americans United campaign has encouraged the early launch of a Web site by a blogger in Germany, Sven Stromann. A former exchange student in Nevada, Stromann hopes to contribute to Heller's defeat in 2008 through the site: helluvaheller.blogspot.com.

And what do Republicans say when the topic of a possible Heller defeat in 2008 is brought up?

[Republican political strategist Ryan]Erwin noted that Heller is in a relatively safe district where he can, as a freshman, massage his views on the war in either direction and still find support.

"As long as he's explaining to his constituents, he can support what he wants to support," Erwin said.

Well, you might want to watch that ad again: