In Nevada, it's can't live with Harry Reid and can't live without him

Washington Post ^ | Oct. 25, 2010 | Shailagh Murray

[Second Amendment First]

IN SEARCHLIGHT, NEV. The empty field on the edge of town tells the story of Harry Reid's life and the political troubles that could spell the end of his career.

Across the way from Harry Reid Elementary - where the laptops were bought with federal money - and next to Harry Reid Road sits a giant plot of rocks and scrub that was supposed to be a development called Cottonwood Lake Homes. Instead of the trailers favored by most town residents, Cottonwood Lake was planned as a gated community of suburban dreamhouses, with "different floorplans to accommodate all homebuyers."

Reid attended the subdivision's groundbreaking in 2005. He even helped developer Gary Wells resolve permit problems that delayed construction. But he couldn't prevent the 2008 collapse of Silver State Bank, which dried up credit for Cottonwood Lake Homes and helped drive Wells into bankruptcy.

"I just felt these guys were supposed to be watching our backs," Wells said of Reid and every other public official in Nevada and Washington. "Did he even know that Silver State Bank was in trouble? My God, why didn't he know?"

Gritty and stoic, Reid embodies Nevada's paradoxical relationship with the federal government, a can't-live-with-him, can't-live without-him dilemma that has turned his quest for a fifth Senate term into the fight of his long career.

Win or lose, most of Reid's elections have been decided by whisker-thin margins and his battle against tea party star Sharron Angle figures to be another. But the dynamics of this one are different. Never before has Nevada been so tired of Reid - and yet so dependent on him.

[Second Amendment First]

When enough of the population depends on government teats for nourishment, they can't afford not to elect democrats.

[Second Amendment First]

Never before has Nevada been so tired of Reid - and yet so dependent on him.

[Second Amendment First]

Reid responded by becoming Nevada's federal sugar daddy. The stimulus bill brought $1.5 billion to Nevada in Medicaid, education and transportation funding, and included a provision aimed at thwarting thousands of layoffs at Harrah's Entertainment, the state's largest private employer. Reid secured $83 million to save 1,400 teacher jobs, $35 million to bail out Las Vegas homeowners who can't pay their mortgages, and $13 million in lending assistance for small businesses.

The pace of announcements is quickening as Election Day draws closer. Last week, Reid joined representatives of a Chinese American consortium to announce a new wind-turbine plant in Henderson that promises to employ 1,000 people. And the 70-year-old senator attended the groundbreaking for a 515-mile electricity transmission line, financed by the Energy Department through the stimulus bill.

[Jvette]

Tired yes. Dependent, No! Hell NO! and OH HELL NO!

The best thing for Nevada will be the end of Dingy Harry’s reign of terror.

[Ronin]

That’s the way I read this. “We’ve got to vote Harry back so he can keep stealing from the rest of America to feed Nevada.”

[ArmstedFragg]

It seems unlikely a 515 mile power line could have been built since the stimulus was passed.

[Second Amendment First]

Diane Kendall, a local real estate agent, doesn't care about any of it. "I don't see one thing that Harry's done for us," Kendall said.

Feisty and blunt, Kendall has known Reid her whole life. Her parents were close friends of his parents and hosted the wake for Reid's father after his suicide. But the two families had a falling out, for reasons Kendall won't disclose, and she became an early Angle backer. A tea party rally she helped organize in Searchlight a few months ago featured Sarah Palin as a guest speaker, and drew thousands.

[Rocky]

To hell with America. Let’s take care of me first.

[GregoryFul]

"But when a long trains of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their DUTY, to throw off such Government and to provide new Guards for their future security."

Reid, a long time thieving despot - enough.

[ladyvet]

That’s the way I read this. “We’ve got to vote Harry back so he can keep stealing from the rest of America to feed Nevada.”

Yeah but many of us here in Nevada are putting America first this time.

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

“Yeah but many of us here in Nevada are putting America first this time.”

Thank-you!

[Nevadan]

re: That’s the way I read this. “We’ve got to vote Harry back so he can keep stealing from the rest of America to feed Nevada.”

Actually, the only reason Nevada is getting money now is that Reid is trying to buy votes. Nevada has been last on the receiving end of federal dollars for some time now. Since it is reelection time, Reid has been scrambling to appear as if he has our state's interests at heart after ignoring us since his last reelection, but that pretense is all within the past 6-8 months with most of it within the last couple of months.

[Jvette]

Harry is a nasty little man, doesn’t surprise me at all.

[ladyvet]

Pray that we prevail!

[Newtoidaho]

Come on Nevada, do the right thing and flush this disgusting turd!

[Ronin]

That meshes with what I have been reading, but I wasn’t sure.

I guess that’s how it works. If you can’t run on your achievements, bring home as much loot as you can and hope you can buy your way to victory.