Balancing Nevada, National Interests

[NVMojo]

Tuesday, February 1, 2005; Page A15


Last August, Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kerry pledged to boost funding for the national park system by $600 million a year by raising fees on mining companies. The National Mining Association immediately denounced the proposal, saying it would cost Nevada, a key battleground state, 44,000 jobs.

But that was before Sen. Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) went to work. Two months later, Kerry pledged to steer clear of any program that would threaten mining jobs: "Let me just say clearly to Nevada while I'm here: that is wrong. . . . As president I'm going to work with Harry Reid and with your miners to keep mining jobs, to keep people working."

The episode shows a side to Reid, the new Senate Democratic leader, that is not that well known outside Nevada. Like former Democratic leader Thomas A. Daschle (S.D.), Reid at times has had to balance his party's national political agenda against his state's more parochial economic interests.

Mining and the gaming industry are of paramount importance to Nevada, and Reid has repeatedly fended off legislative and regulatory threats to those two mega interests. At the same time, those industries have provided Reid with crucial political and financial support.

more....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A52469-2005Jan31?language=printer

[medeak]

1. Interesting

particularly the Ensign connection.

Reid has a tough battle indeed but am thinking he will get support after Bush's cuts re federal land!