Nevada

Seeking small-dollar support, Marianne Williamson campaigns in Vegas, aims for presidency – The Nevada Independent

Published

1 year ago

August 12, 2023

Seeking small-dollar support, Marianne Williamson campaigns in Vegas, aims for presidency – The Nevada Independent

Best-selling author, political activist and spiritual thought leader Marianne Williamson, who is seeking the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination, delivered a fiery speech to Nevadans in Las Vegas on Thursday night, voicing skepticism about the direction of the country and calling for Americans to come out of their “siloed” political parties to collectively “evolve.”

Roughly 100 people at the Las Vegas Center for Spiritual Living listened, many with expressions of admiration on their faces, as Williamson challenged the actions of modern-day politicians, questioning the moral conviction of the Republican apparatus and the Democratic “establishment.”

A colorful crowd of predominantly women, who the host, spiritual minister Staci Hilton, said were mostly hippies from prior eras, appeared to hang onto Williamson’s every word as she criticized the state of politics and called for an end to “worker exploitation” and the beginning of universal health care, food free of carcinogens, a wealth tax and reparations for the descendants of U.S. slaves.

“It’s a machine,” she said of the Democratic Party. “It’s a chess game … And I’m not trying to impugn anybody’s intentions — I just don’t think that’s working.”

Willamson made an unsuccessful bid for president in 2020 and dropped out of the race during the primaries to later endorse Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

When asked if she would receive Sanders’ endorsement in return, Williamson pointed out that not only did Sanders endorse President Joe Biden right away, but so did progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, or AOC, (D-NY). She cautioned against progressives endorsing Biden.

“I don’t know how you push them left by endorsing him,” she said.

She said for the past 50 years, the political landscape of the U.S. has dug itself into a “matrix of corporate tyranny” that she believes has forced many youth and young adults into a financial underclass.

If elected, she said she would establish a national Department of Children and Youth, as well as a Department of Peace and a Reparations Council made up of Black leaders who would distribute funds, at least $1 trillion, over the course of 20 years. She also said she would enact free tuition to trade schools and public colleges, including community and four-year colleges, and eliminate interest on college loans and forgive federal and privately held student debt.

Williamson told the crowd that $50 trillion has been transferred from the bottom 90 percent of Americans to the top 10 percent of Americans through “trickle-down economics,” a theory that giving tax cuts and benefits to the wealthy class, including corporations, business owners and investors, would later benefit society through job creation.

She said the policy “makes it easier for those with capital to get more capital, and harder for almost everybody else to even get pie.”

A study by the nonpartisan research group RAND Corp. reported that from 1975 to 2018, Americans lost $47 trillion in potential wages because “middle-class and working-class” incomes did not keep up with the “pace of overall per capita economic growth.”

Their data, which is based on income tax filings, revealed that workers at the 25th percentile of the income distribution in 1975 earned $28,000 a year, which rose 18 percent to $33,000 by 2018, “instead of rising at the economic growth rate of around 120 percent” to $61,000. By contrast, those at the 99th percentile who had an “income of $257,000 would have [earned] $560,000 by 2018 at the economic growth rate, but it actually rose to $761,000.”

A picture of Marianne Williamson inside Las Vegas Center for Spiritual Living on Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023. (Naoka Foreman/The Nevada Independent)

Williamson said she is focused on raising $500,000 to get on the ballot, stating that $5 monthly donations would go a long way. This comes after Politico reported last month that leaked audio from her “longshot” campaign implied she was struggling to raise funds.

“We are headed for the iceberg,” she said about democracy. “Republican policies as they exist now, take us straight into the iceberg. The corporate Democratic policies hit the iceberg at a different angle.”

Political activist and consultant Leisa Moseley, 52, told The Nevada Independent that she was at the gathering because Williamson will stand up to “behemoth investment corporations,” a phrase that Harper Collins dictionary defines as businesses that are extremely large and often unpleasant and hard to manage.

Moseley said she believes Biden is doing “what he knows to do and what he believes is the best thing for our country” but thinks that it leaves many people out, especially young adults. She said her four adult children, who work full-time jobs and go to college, are on her health insurance and cannot afford to live on their own, something she attributed to unchecked corporate influence in the housing market, health care and the workforce.

Moseley said Biden leaves her wanting more. She said she wants a “bold” leader who will “put policies in place that are going to help everyday working class American people just be able to live.”

“We need someone who’s gonna say … it’s a free market society and people should be able to make as much money as [they] want, but not at the expense of everybody else,” she said. “I think what has happened is, we say this person can beat [former President Donald] Trump and then they beat him and we sit back and say we dodged that bullet. But we haven’t.”

Not quite sold

Although those attending gave Williamson a standing ovation following her speech, some of those who said they were inspired by her talk said they are unsure if they will vote for her during the primary, where she takes on an incumbent with more than 50 years of political experience and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is believed to have $10 million in campaign funds as of July.

Marsha Slater, 77, said she was excited to see Williamson but that she hasn’t decided if she will vote for her.

“I came just to honor her strengths,” she said. “And it doesn’t make any difference if you’re here for her as a presidential candidate or not. That strength, and caring, and doing the right things because it’s the right thing to do, is completely awesome.”

Slater was there with two friends and one, Debbie Britt, 72, said she would vote for Williamson if she wins the Democratic nomination.

Britt said she believes in Williamson and will wait until she is at the ballot box to decide who earns her vote during the primaries. She said she also fears that if Williamson wins the presidency, she would not get much done because of the opposition she might face at the White House.

“I was thinking that I don’t want my vote to be taken from somebody who would win,” she said. “But if it’s her against a Republican, especially Trump, I will vote for her.”

Source link

Nevada

Nevada gets past Air Force, 68-62, for second straight conference win; San Jose State is up next

Published

6 hours ago

January 15, 2025

Press Room

Nevada gets past Air Force, 68-62, for second straight conference win; San Jose State is up next

None of the Mountain West Conference games are going to be easy and Air Force proved that to Nevada on Tuesday night.

The Falcons took Nevada to the wire before the Pack recovered and came away with a 68-62 win in front of 7,430 fans at Lawlor Events Center on Tuesday.

Tre Coleman led Nevada with 18 points and nine rebounds and Kobe Sanders had 11 points as the Wolf Pack improved to 2-0 in the Mountain West, 10-7 overall. Coleman also had four assists and Sanders had five.

The six-point margin at the end was Nevada’s largest lead of the game.

Next, Nevada hosts San Jose State, at 3 p.m. Saturday. The Spartans upset New Mexico, 71-70, on Tuesday.

There were 10 lead changes and seven ties. Air Force led, 60-59, with 3 minutes, 21 seconds left.

Kobe Sanders hit a bucket to give Nevada a 61-60 lead with 2:36 remaining, then Daniel Foster hit a 3-pointer to give the Pack some breathing room.

Ethan Taylor led the Falcons (3-14, 0-6) with 22 points and Kyle Marshall added 12.

Nevada coach Steve Alford said he liked his team’s fight. saying they won the last four minutes of the first half, 12-4 and the last four minutes of the second half, 12-2.

Key Stats

Nevada was dismal from the free throw line, connecting on 10-of-23. including four straight in the final minute.

The Pack missed the front end of four free throws, which Alford said actually made them 10-of-27 from the stripe.

“If we make our foul shots, then this game is a different look,” Alford said. “It’s really an odd deal because we started out the year so well (on free throws) and now we’ve got to be one of the worst fouls shooting teams in the league. It was an ugly game because of our foul shooting.”

Nevada had 30 points in the paint, to 18 for the Falcons.

Nick Davidson was 0-for-5 from the free throw line and he stayed well after the game Tuesday night shooting free throw after free throw. He had nine points and four assists in the game.

Air Force hit 10-of-27 from 3-point rahge and Nevad awas 6-of-014 from the arc.

Daniel Foster

Foster started and played 29 minutes, scoring five points on 2-of-4 from the field.

Alford said Foster does what the coaches want him to do.

“Daniel has a incredibly competitive mind. He wants to win and he knows he can influence wins without scoring. He guards like crazy. He rebounds. He gets loose balls,” Alford said. “And now we’re asking him to play some point (guard) to help Kobe out.”

First Half

Air Force led 35-33 at the break after the Wolf Pack tied it at 33 . The Pack trailed by 11 (31-20) with 5:06 left in the half.

Nevada made just 2-of-8 free throws in the first half, including three misses on front ends of one-and-ones. The Pack was 3-of-9 from the arc. Air Force made 5-of-6 free throws and 6-of-12 from 3-pont range.

The Series

Nevada leads the overall series with Air Force 18-3 and has won five straight in the series.

Up Next

San Jose State plays Nevada at Lawlor Events Center at 3 p.m. Saturday.

The Spartans (9-10, 2-5) beat New Mexico 71-70 on Tuesday night.

Nevada’s Remaining Schedule

Jan. 18, San José State at Nevada, 3 p.m. (TV: KNSN, Radio: 95.5 FM)
Jan. 22, Nevada at Utah State, 6 p.m. (TV: FS1, Radio: 95.5 FM)
Jan. 25, Nevada at San Diego State, 7 p.m. (TV: CBS SN, Radio: 95.5 FM)
Jan. 29, Nevada at Boise State, 7 p.m.
Feb. 1, UNLV at Nevada, 8 p.m.
Feb. 4, Nevada at Air Force, 6 p.m.
Feb. 10, Fresno State at Nevada, 8 p.m.
Feb. 14, Nevada at San Jose State, 7 p.m.
Feb. 18, Nevada at Colorado State, 6 p.m.
Feb. 22, Boise State at Nevada, 3 p.m.
Feb. 25, Wyoming at Nevada, 7 p.m.
Feb. 28, Nevada at UNLV, 8 p.m.
March 4, New Mexico at Nevada, 6 p.m.
March 8, Nevada at San Diego State, 7:30 p.m.

Source link

Nevada

Las Vegas man reported missing in Nevada County found safe

Published

14 hours ago

January 14, 2025

Press Room

Las Vegas man reported missing in Nevada County found safe

CBS News Sacramento

Live

NEVADA COUNTY – Search crews were out in the Hoyt’s Crossing area of Nevada County, looking for a missing Las Vegas man who was reportedly last seen in that area over the weekend.

The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said 29-year-old Michael McIntosh was last seen at Hoyt’s Crossing on Sunday.

As of Tuesday, search crews with the sheriff’s office along with California Highway Patrol were looking for him. A helicopter and crews on foot were involved in the search effort.

𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐨𝐲𝐭’𝐬 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠
Nevada City, CA – The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office, in…
Posted by Nevada County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday, January 14, 2025

McIntosh was last seen wearing a blue flannel shirt, tan, pants, and no shoes. He was voluntarily missing, the sheriff’s office noted.

Late Tuesday morning, the sheriff’s office announced that McIntosh had been found safe. No other details have been released.

Hoyt’s Crossing is along the South Yuba River, about a half mile upstream of the South Yuba River Bridge.

Cecilio Padilla

Cecilio Padilla is a digital producer for CBS Sacramento and a Sacramento-area native who has been covering Northern California for more than a decade.

Source link

Nevada

5 bills Secretary of State Aguilar will push in Nevada Legislature

Published

21 hours ago

January 14, 2025

Press Room

5 bills Secretary of State Aguilar will push in Nevada Legislature

Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar and his office are proposing a wide range of legislation in the upcoming legislative session addressing Nevada’s elections and business systems, from regulating the use of artificial intelligence to modernizing commercial recordings.

“Everything we’re trying to do is really focused on ‘how does it impact the Nevadan?’” Aguilar said. “How do we take the politics out of the conversation? How do we work in a collaborative way to get people to come to the table to drive a solution forward?”

Here are five bills that could make their way through the legislative process and be signed into law.

1. Artificial intelligence in elections

Assembly Bill 73 would require campaign-related communications, such as an advertisement or a request for donation, to disclose whether it has been manipulated with artificial intelligence. It also would create a public database for communications that have disclosed the use of AI for both the public and the secretary of state to review.

“It is making sure that voters have accurate information, that they’re getting correct information, or if they’re being given synthetic media that they are made aware that it’s synthetic media,” Aguilar said.

2. Voting changes

A sweeping election bill, Senate Bill 74, proposes several changes to the state’s election systems, including allowing for people with disabilities or physical barriers to vote online using the state’s EASE program and requiring the secretary of state to adopt a cyber-incident response plan for elections.

It also proposes changing the voter registration party affiliation process. If someone registers to vote without an affiliated party, it would list affiliation as “no political party” rather than “nonpartisan.”

Through another election-related bill yet to be numbered, Aguilar would also like to expand the use of EASE to include people in local jails.

He will also address issues Aguilar and clerks observed through the 2024 election, such as ensuring that the counties have the resources to process ballots in a timely manner.

Clark County had 98 percent of the ballots on hand election night, and 90 percent of the results were released that night, Aguilar said. That remaining 8 to 10 percent needs to become more efficient, he said.

“The clerks have done a phenomenal job; our elections went well,” Aguilar said. “It’s the processing that we really have to focus on, and we know that’s our issue.”

3. Campaign finances

Assembly Bill 79 makes changes to campaign finances in the state in order to align with the Federal Election Commission and clarifies the roles of political action committees, according to Aguilar.

It includes authorizing an elected public officer to use unspent campaign contributions to pay for child care costs, caring for an elderly parent or for health insurance premiums if they wouldn’t be able to afford it due to serving in office.

4. Fund for investment fraud victims

Aguilar will also re-introduce Senate Bill 76 to create a fund that would compensate victims of securities fraud. The goal of the fund is not only to compensate victims of fraud so they are not completely set back, but also to encourage people to come forward and hold bad actors accountable, he said.

Investment fraud impacts the retirement community heavily, Aguilar said, and “when you’ve worked really hard your whole life to build up a savings to be able to live the life you want to live, and you’ve been a victim of fraud, it sets you back,” he said.

5. Commercial licensing

Senate Bill 75 concerns commercial recordings and seeks to expand language access for Nevadans by allowing forms to be filed in different languages other than English. It also would allow the secretary of state to better respond to the market by adjusting the price of the state business license, according to Aguilar.

Aguilar said his goal is for Nevada to compete with states like Delaware, which is considered to be the “king of the business file” and great at attracting businesses. If the secretary of state has flexibility to respond to market conditions, the state can be more competitive, Aguilar said.

“We want to be the Delaware of the West,” he said. “We need to be aggressive in making sure business owners understand why Nevada is the place to do business.”

Contact Jessica Hill at jehill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jess_hillyeah on X.

Source link