On morning of State of the State, Democratic Governors Association blames Sandoval for recession in Nevada, ties him to Sharron Angle

I wonder how Democrats here feel about the party's national governors' association sending out a "Real State of Sandoval's State" missive this morning that begins:

"Despite Governor Sandoval’s rhetoric today, Nevada has suffered under his lack of leadership. On every metric, he’s failed to turn the state around – Nevada’s unemployment rate is the highest in the nation and ranks at the bottom of national rankings in foreclosures, education, and business climate. And while he’ll attempt to tack to the political center in his speech today, Sandoval remains the same extreme candidate who was proud to run on a ticket with Sharron Angle and supported the Arizona immigration law."

Wow. Really?

And there's more -- this shows just how DC politics have come to Carson City, with these kinds of pre-emtpive strikes and political operatives in the leadership offices, always looking for an attack (the Dems are "better" at this than the Republicans here):

Nevada’s Economy Has Suffered Under Sandoval

 

·         Nevada’s Unemployment Rate As Of November 2012 Was 10.8%, Highest In The Nation And Well Above National Average Of 7.7. Percent.  [Bureau of Labor Statistics]

 

·         NV Initial Unemployment Claims Rose To 21,260 In November 2012, 15.21% Increase From October. [Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation]

 

·         CNBC Ranked Nevada 45^th Best State For Business; Dead Last In “Economy” And “Education” Categories. [“America’s Top States for Business 2012,” CNBC]

 

·        Forbes 2012 “Best States For Business” Ranked Nevada’s “Economic Climate” Worst In Nation. [“Best States For Business And Careers,” Forbes]

 

NV Leads Nation In Unemployment, Job Creation “Sluggish.” “If Sandoval’s history holds, the address will be optimistic, emphasizing the progress Nevada has made since he was inaugurated in January 2011. But in reality, job creation rates are sluggish. The state still leads the nation in unemployment. More Nevadans than ever are seeking food stamps from a strained government. More than a thousand people — children with autism or Down syndrome, adults with brain injuries, single mothers looking for child care — are on waiting lists for state services. And the state’s education system, marred by contentious labor disputes in Clark and Washoe county, is not performing.” [Las Vegas Sun, 1/11/13]

 

Nevada Has Had Double-Digit Unemployment Rate For 23 Straight Months. “Nevada’s 10.8 percent rate is still above the national rate of 7.7 percent, and November is the 23rd straight month the jobless rate has been in double digits. In addition, the number of people filing for first-time unemployment benefits rose to 21,260 in November, up from the 18,454 in October.” [Las Vegas Sun, 12/21/12]

 

Nevada Reported Nation’s Largest Drop In Median Household Income Between 2010 And 2011.  “Median household income declined in 18 states between 2010 and 2011, with Nevada registering the largest drop of 6%. In the remaining states, it stayed statistically the same.” [CNNMoney, 9/20/12]

 

Libertarian Think Tank Called Sandoval’s Economy Recovery Plan A “Roadmap For Crony Capitalism.” “On Tuesday, the libertarian think tank Nevada Policy Research Institute criticized [Sandoval’s] new plan for interfering with the free market. The plan calls for seven state ‘industry specialists’ in different economic sectors. ‘It’s a statement of abandoning a belief in free market enterprise,’ said Geoffrey Lawrence, deputy policy director for NPRI… ‘This is a big disappointment,’ he said. ‘I think it’s a crony capitalist scheme.’” [Las Vegas Sun,2/7/12]

 

Ralston: Sandoval Economic Plan “Replete With Clichés And Promises” But Lacking Education Investment Plan. Columnist Jon Ralston wrote in February 2012, “Somewhere between Gov. Sunny’s radiating optimism and the Nevada Policy Research Institute’s scathing indictment lies the reality of the state’s new economic development plan, which is replete with clichés and promises yet leavened with kernels of wisdom that could grow into something substantive. Alas, the plan, released last week, is most noteworthy for what it does not contain — a plan to invest in higher and lower education — than for anything it does… It is a fool’s errand to talk about changing the fundamental nature of Nevada from a gaming and mining state that is rich in many variegated businesses without talking about making the education system a magnet to pull in new people and new enterprises.” [Jon Ralston, Las Vegas Sun, 2/12/12]

 

·         “Kids Count” Study Ranked Nevada Last In Education. “Nevada's ranking for public education has hit rock bottom, according to a new national study on children's well-being. The Silver State was ranked 50th in the nation despite improvements in key areas, such as the percentage of fourth-graders reading at grade level and eighth-graders who are proficient in math. Education was one of four indicators used to determine children's overall well-being in the Kids Count national report to be released today . Nevada ranked 49th among the states for children's economic well-being and 46th in health. It ranked 41st in family and community issues such as teen births and children living in poverty.” [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 7/25/12]

 

·         EdWeek “Quality Counts” Study Ranked Nevada Next-To-Last In Education. “In an annual study that examines state education policies and student achievement across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Nevada received a grade of 69.7, just edging out South Dakota's D+ (69.3). The report, "Quality Counts 2013," is done by the nonprofit Editoral Projects in Education. The group used more than 100 indicators, graduation rates, achievement gaps, funding and teacher supports with survey and data from the U.S. Department of Education and the Census Bureau to rank every state. This is the 17th year for the study.” [Reno Gazette-Journal, 1/10/13]

 

Sandoval Budget Proposed “Big Spending Cuts” To Education. “Nevadans would pay no new taxes under the $5.8 billion 2011-13 budget proposed by Gov. Brian Sandoval on Monday, but a lot of key programs, including public schools and higher education, would suffer big spending cuts… State support for public schools would fall by 5.2 percent to $4,918 per pupil if his budget is approved.” [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 1/25/11]

 

Sandoval Proposed “By Far The Largest” Education Cuts In Modern Nevada History. “A new report from the economics research firm Applied Analysis says Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval's proposed cuts to k-12 education are "by far the largest in modern history" of Nevada and could cause labor unrest to "spill into the legislative process." [The Political Eye, Las Vegas Review-Journal, 2/3/11]

 

Sandoval “Broke His Word” On Taxes. “When then-candidate Brian Sandoval was asked for the umpteenth time about raising taxes during a Republican gubernatorial debate in April 2010, he was prepared with his answer. He told the conservative Reno crowd: ‘I’ve said very specifically, I’ll not be raising any taxes. I’ll be vetoing any tax.’ […] After striking a budget deal with Democrats that includes extending some of those tax increases, the decision to break those campaign promises is a blemish on the governor’s record. Many will see his policy as a reasonable response to difficult circumstances. Yet he broke his word to get there.” [Las Vegas Sun, 6/5/11]

 

Americans For Prosperity Attacked Sandoval For Supporting New Taxes, “Leading the Charge For More Spending.” “As Sandoval announced the budget deal, Americans for Prosperity unleashed a robocall slamming him: “He promised us he would balance the budget without new taxes, and not only is he going back on his word, now he is leading the charge for more spending.” [Las Vegas Sun, 6/5/11]

 

Don’t Believe Sandoval’s Moderate Makeover

 

Schumacher: Sandoval “Abandoned His Moderate Reputation” During 2010 Campaign. During the 2010 Nevada gubernatorial campaign, Review-Journal columnist Geoff Schumacher wrote, “When Brian Sandoval gave up his federal judgeship to seek the Republican nomination, the ideal candidate seemed to be in place. Sandoval was a moderate, someone who, unlike Gibbons, at least would try to work across party lines to tackle the pressing matters plaguing the state… But things have changed. Sandoval has abandoned his moderate reputation in favor of the furious rhetoric of the far right.” [Geoff Schumacher, Las Vegas Review-Journal, 5/7/10]

 

Sandoval “Politely Ruthless.” “Politically, Sandoval proved a tough negotiator who for most of the session kept Republicans firmly in his camp, said Erik Herzik, a political science professor at the University of Nevada, Reno. ‘Governor Sandoval is clearly the leader of the Republican Party,’ Herzik said. ‘He’s politely ruthless. He gets what he wants, and people still like him.’” [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 6/7/11]

 

During 2012 Republican Presidential Primary, Sandoval Endorsed Rick Perry. “Rick Perry has picked up a second endorsement from a governor in just two days with Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, whose state will play a crucial role in the Republican primary, voicing his support for the Texas governor. ‘Today I am proud to endorse my friend @GovernorPerry campaign for President,’ Sandoval tweeted.” [ABC News, 9/13/11]

 

·         Perry Attacked Social Security As A “Ponzi Scheme,” Criticized Medicare And Direct Election Of Senators. “Small chunks of ‘Fed Up!’ have already entered the political bloodstream, such as Perry’s description of Social Security as a ‘Ponzi scheme’ and his talk of repealing the 16th Amendment, which permits a national income tax… He takes a prominent shot at the Medicare Part D drug benefit, a popular entitlement among senior citizens that was implemented by President George W. Bush and a Republican Congress, saying it ‘just expanded a broken program.’ …Perry takes aim at the 17th Amendment, which allows the direct election of senators, as a measure that promoted fiscal irresponsibility… Beyond Perry’s criticism of specific government programs, there are also broad-stroke attacks on government involvement in everything ‘from housing to public television, from environment to art, from education to medical care, from public transportation to food.’ [Politico, 9/2/11]

 

Sandoval On Sharon Angle: “I Support Her Candidacy.” Asked whether he supported Angle’s campaign, Sandoval told Jon Ralston in July 2010: “I support her candidacy, but I’m focused on my race. I don’t know all her positions.” [Sandoval Interview, Face to Face, 7/28/10]

 

Sandoval Was Proud To Run With Joe Heck And Sharon Angle. “Sandoval, who is considered a moderate but who adopted more conservative positions during the GOP primary, said he was proud to run alongside [Joe] Heck and [Sharon] Angle.” [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 7/11/10]

 

·         Angle Supported Phasing Out Medicare And Social Security “In Favor Of Something Privatized.” “During a debate in May on the public affairs show ‘Face to Face With Jon Ralston,’ Angle said, ‘We need to phase Medicare and Social Security out in favor of something privatized.’ She later added, ‘Going forward we need to phase it out, give people an opportunity to either opt into the old system or go for a new system where they have their own health care savings account or they have their own retirement savings account, which is portable and goes with them from job to job, and for those who are entering the workforce right now they come on to the new system so it’s a phased-in system.’” [Las Vegas Sun, 6/15/10]

 

Sandoval Supported Arizona's Controversial SB1070 Immigration Measure. "Although his position on Arizona’s tough new immigration law has drawn applause from conservatives, former federal Judge Brian Sandoval is facing a backlash that may have minimal effect in June’s Republican primary, but could weaken his support from a significant voting bloc in November’s election... During the gubernatorial debate, Sandoval told the audience that he had anticipated a question about the Arizona law. 'I would support Arizona’s law. I do not support amnesty. I do not support driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants.'" [Las Vegas Sun, 5/3/10]