The Republican Governor’s Association (RGA) met in Las Vegas this week. One of the only Republican governors who did not attend was the host-state governor, our own Gov. Brian Sandoval. He was in Washington, DC accepting an award for, in part, breaking his word and raising taxes last year.
As such, the following excerpt from a Las Vegas Review-Journal story on the RGA meeting in Friday’s paper probably explains why Sandoval would have felt very out-of-place with his colleagues at this annual get-together:
“Republican governors meeting in Las Vegas on Thursday renewed criticism of President Barack Obama for pushing to raise taxes on the wealthy as a way to solve the nation’s economic problems. Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad was among the most vocal, telling a Republican Governors Association conference that GOP governors like himself and those in Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin also inherited collapsing economies yet have been able to lead state recoveries without raising taxes.”
In addition, Sandoval is the only Republican governor who has moved forward with implementing an ObamaCare “exchange” in our state and the odds of him agreeing to put Nevada on a path over the proverbial fiscal cliff by expanding Medicaid have been set by Caesar’s Palace at approximately 100%.
This stark contrast is what was so outrageous about Sandoval speaking at the Republican National Convention in Tampa and claiming he made the same kinds of “tough” choice his fellow GOP governors made to deal with budget problems.
No he didn’t. He took the easy way out. He raised taxes.
Sandoval may be popular in Nevada; but it’s easy to win a popularity contest when you not only don’t stand for anything and aren’t willing to take unpopular stands even when it’s the right thing to do.
By the way, while waiting for the 12 Days of Christmas to arrive, click here to read Michael Cannon’s excellent column on the 12 reasons states shouldn’t create ObamaCare exchanges. Would someone please forward this along to the Governor.
