By Stanley GershbeinMy roommate and I are two of the few people who travel to Nevada to visit cities other than Las Vegas. On our annual visit to our friends who reside there, we take time to drive around the state. We’ve toured the cities of Reno, Laughlin, Henderson, Carson, Paradise and many more.
For the past four years, we patiently listened to our friends moan about Nevada’s problems. Since that expensive stimulus was passed, unemployment has gone up in 47 of the 50 states. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Nevada, with the decline in tourism, has the highest rate of joblessness. It is also rankedNo. 50 in public education. The value of occupied homes has fallen 34 percent, the worst dip in America. With violent crime rates climbing dramatically, it is now the second-most dangerous state in the union.
According to a recent article in the Reno Journal-Gazette, even with the second lowest tax rate in the country, Nevada is rated as the worst place to retire. On and on it goes, and my friends who reside in the Silver State don’t stop complaining.
They’ve recently bellyached to me about the loads of illegal immigrants and the unpopular things they do. I won’t say this to their faces, but I think some residents of Nevada are insane — meaning, as Albert Einstein famously said, they keep doing the same thing over and over again and expect different results.
For example, Nevadans elect Harry Reid, one of the three most important Democrats in the United States, over and over again, and expect different results when they question education, unemployment, and the economy in their state.
Yup.
My friends are among the insane, but please don’t tell them I said that.
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As of this writing, 56 percent of Americans are in favor of repealing the new health care law. Forty percent are opposed. Sixty-seven percent of U.S. voters are opposed to creating new laws about illegal immigration. They are in favor of enforcing the laws that are currently on the books. Hey Mr. President— you might wanna’ start listening to the people because, according to Mr. Gallop, your approval rating is at 47 percent, with the Independents’ number down to 43 percent.
Scott Rasmusen, whose polls are taken of likely voters, has it even worse. His latest survey tells us that 40 percent rate your performance as poor. It is interesting to note that both Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter had approval ratings in the third year of their presidencies also at only 40 percent.
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There are times when people don’t tell pollsters the truth. When telephoned, 96 percent of America said they always wash their hands before leaving a public restroom. By actual count, that number is closer to 85 percent. Yes. They really hired people to stand near the sinks in the restrooms of public attractions in four cities. And yes! There were loads of unemployed men and women who were happy to take those jobs.
I am StanGershbein@Bellsouth.net asking you to please scrub thoroughly. The next hand you shake could may be mine.
