STATESIDE
Stateside I
t would be an understatement to say that Summer 2015 was interesting in America. The sour, dour national mood has created a political uproar across the land. So far, 17 Republican and five Democratic 2016
presidential hopefuls, excluding Vice-President Joe Biden, have declared their candidacies. After multiple unsuccessful attempts, some say Biden could try again. Incorrectly predicting almost everything, the “expert“ pollsters and pundits have been turned on their collective heads. Enter billionaire Donald Trump, aka “The Donald,” for the Republicans and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders for the Democrats. For different reasons, these two guys have skyrocketed on the campaign trail, drawing tens of thousands at rallies. No one can figure them out. The brash and blunt
Trump has an ego the size of the U.S. itself. At 72, the offbeat Sanders casts himself as a Socialist “man of the people.” Both have attracted an interesting fan base, including friends and family members of mine. However, neither truly represents the description
With gaming in almost every state, Nevada is no longer a “mockable curiosity.”
of a 21st century American. Their crowds attract minimal ethnic diversity, so professional election watchers question their viability to the general election voter. For now, they are making a splash. At the first Republican debate last month – Democrats begin in October – Trump defended his business acumen. The moderator questioned his final 2009 Atlantic City bankruptcy that cost lenders over $1bn and laid off more than 1,000 casino employees. Trump responded, “…lenders aren’t babies. These are
total killers.” Trump then claimed he was smart enough to leave Atlantic City before it “cratered.” New Jersey residents know a different truth about his tenure. The Trump name reflects memories of huge highs
and crashing lows in Atlantic City. His initial commitment – via private land acquisitions – helped him open the Trump Plaza in 1984. The Trump Marina and Trump Taj Mahal followed, only to later confront multiple bankruptcies, loss of ownership control, Trump Marina‘s sale to Landry’s Golden Nugget and the 2014 Trump Plaza closure. Trump is accused of developing his casino empire
as others lost. A final name rights court battle against billionaire Carl Icahn, the new Taj Mahal owner, resulted in Trump‘s name remaining, but little else in Atlantic City. It won’t matter because early next winter the early
Iowa and New Hampshire contests will divide the contenders and losers. But, these states also represent
12 SEPTEMBER 2015
Sharon Harris, the fifth horseman of the apocalypse, runs the rule over U.S. presidential candidates
the old guard of voters. Jon Ralston, my journalistic friend from Las Vegas
sees it differently. He recently touted Nevada’s importance for the POLITICO news site. Ralston theorized why Nevada should assume the political calendar’s top spot, claiming that 20-year growth in Las Vegas has made Nevada a “player.“ Ralston reasons that American conditions and demographics have changed since those traditional early days. No longer should Iowa, where candidates eat corn dogs and cook at the State Fair, and New Hampshire, where politicos meet voters in town halls and diners, maintain their electoral clout. Why is Nevada key? These are some reasons
Ralston cites: With gaming in almost every state, Nevada is no longer a “mockable curiosity.” Its spectacular casinos, fine dining, entertainment and retail hold real economic influence. The huge array of excellent casino accommodations would overwhelm the other states. The political trio of Nevada bigwigs starts with
Republican Governor Brian Sandoval, long involved with gaming since his 1999-early 2003 days as the youngest Chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission. Next is outgoing Democratic Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, who holds great sway among all things political. The third is billionaire businessman and international casino operator Sheldon Adelson, the Republican stalwart whose financial backing can help make or break candidates. Nevada’s struggles would force candidates to actually
address the issues of financial recovery and economic diversity. Iowa and New Hampshire both have an unemployment rate under four percent. Nevada’s 6.9 percent jobless rate is only bested by Washington D.C. and West Virginia. Nevada’s actual underemployment rate rises to 15.2 percent, the nation’s highest. Nevada represents the growing Latino population within the U.S. Iowa and New Hampshire have a 90- plus percent white population, while Latinos comprise 27.5 percent of Nevada. Illegal immigration has become a critical issue, so candidates could address casinos and other businesses with their proposed solutions. Jon makes good points, but I kind of enjoy the visual of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, plus the others, trudging through the Iowa and New Hampshire snow next winter. Somehow, neither of these guys fit the description of the “down home” folksy candidate. It will be a wild ride.
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