LETTER: Nevada judge’s ruling on ballot questions an Orwellian perversion

We really do live in interesting times. First we have a judge in Carson City ruling with a straight face that the Nevada Constitution must conform to a legislative statute passed in 2021 (“Judge rules union can withdraw petitions,” March 10 Review-Journal). A brilliant example of Orwellian perversion of our political system to conveniently serve a powerful political faction.

Further into the article is where things start getting seriously negative for the people of Nevada. John Vellardita, the head of the Clark County Teachers Association, is quoted as saying it was the “threat of those initiative petitions that provided the value (the mining tax) we’re seeing today.” This corporate raider, basking in the success of his godfather tactic of making the Legislature an offer it couldn’t refuse, goes on to say, “Do we see it being used in the future? Absolutely.”

Do you get it? They’ll be back. Again, again, again and again.

Then, at the end of the article, the president of the Nevada Resort Association said the trade group was happy with the court ruling, “as it puts this economically damaging issue behind us” by taking a gaming tax hike off the ballot. Sorry, NRA. To paraphrase Martin Neimoller’s famous quote: In Nevada they came first for the miners, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a miner. Then they came for …