In case you missed it…
Labor unions
For decades labor unions have largely supported Democrat politicians — regardless of whether or not rank-and-file workers agreed with the party’s platform. At least in Pennsylvania, however, that may soon be changing. “We may have gotten too close to one party,” said Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President Rick Bloomingdale. Following the presidential election, Bloomingdale went on a “listening tour,” speaking with union members about their political priorities. Apparently, workers have a very different take on politics than the traditional partisan leanings of labor bosses. “I think we were speaking too much at them, rather than having conversations with them,” said Bloomingdale. (Read more)
Separation of powers
Ignoring a 2004 AG advisory opinion, a 1967 binding Nevada Supreme Court precedent and the plain language of the state constitution, District Judge James Russell dismissed NPRI’s lawsuit against State Senator Heidi Gansert for violating the state constitution’s separation of powers clause. NPRI’s Center for Justice and Constitutional Litigation Director Joseph Becker explained that “Judge Russell seemed determined to protect a member of the political class, irrespective of what the law says.” As an editorial in the Las Vegas Review-Journal remarked, “Never let it be said that the state’s political establishment doesn’t protect its own.” (Read more)
Cronyism
Remember when an unknown electric car start-up named Faraday Future promised to create thousands of jobs if Nevada would just extend a few hundred million dollars’ worth of tax abatements and credits? Well, Nevada lawmakers agreed, and 18 short months later the company has announced it is backing out of the deal. In a commentary for the Daily Signal, Nevada Treasurer Dan Schwartz points out that the failure of the incentive package shouldn’t come as a surprise. According to Schwartz, the Faraday saga is primarily “a story about a Legislature that was so eager to create jobs that it failed in its responsibilities to the citizens of Nevada.” (Read more)
Healthcare
Repealing President Obama’s Affordable Care Act is apparently easier said than done. Earlier this week in the Senate, a “repeal and replace” attempt — blasted by free-market advocates as merely a watered-down version of Obamacare — was rejected. Then an attempt to fully repeal Obamacare, without a replacement, failed 45-55. Finally, a last-ditch effort to repeal the bare bones of Obamacare — known as a “skinny” repeal — also failed when three Republican senators decided to vote with Democrats against the measure. (Read more)
Government waste and abuse
Apparently, getting fired for serious wrong-doing in governing jobs doesn’t have the same repercussions as it does in the private sector. According to an Inspector General report, of the 2,000 former IRS employees who were hired in 2015 and 2016, about 200 of them had previously been fired for serious offenses, including faking resumes, abusing taxpayer data and cheating on personal tax returns. (Read more)