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¡Viva Chávez!
César Chávez Celebration XVI / Celebración de César Chávez XVI
Saturday 31 March 2018 / Sabado 31 de Marzo 2018
Highlights from the record-breaking 2017 event at Circus Circus Reno

Drafting the Donkeyite Dream Team
Barbwire by Andrew Barbáno / Expanded from the 5-23-2017 Sparks Tribune / Updated 5-25 and 5-26-2017 / Expansions in blue.

Nevada Democrats need to issue draft cards. It's wartime for democracy.

The party should print draft cards (at union shops, of course), which their members can send to HQ or post at a new website.

Those patriots can volunteer to be drafted in support of Clark County Commissioner Christine Giunchigliani for governor, Rep. Ruben Kihuen (D-CD4: LV, part of Clark County & south central Nevada), for U.S. Senate, and Assemblymember Teresa Benitez-Thompson, D-Reno, for Congress.

Congressman Kihuen spoke at last Wednesday's DC press conference alongside Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee. Being groomed to run against U.S. Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., next year, perhaps? As I noted to Barbwire Confidential subscribers (subscribe at BallotBoxing.US/), at a lunch for die-hards last month before his address to a joint session of the legislature, Kihuen said he's keeping all 2018 options open.

He's not even a member of the Intelligence Committee but was nonetheless given facetime at a national press conference.

"Look, enough is enough," he said on the May 17 PBS Newshour, adding that "President Trump's unchecked and reckless behavior is impacting the national security of the United States of America."

CHRIS G. STANDS FOR GUV. If Chris Giunchigliani becomes the Democratic nominee for governor next year, those two at the top of the ticket will super-charge the most highly motivated liberal constituencies in the age of Tsar Donaldov Vladimirovitch Trumpsky.

MOTHER TERESA FOR CONGRESS. Current Nevada Assembly Majority Leader Teresa Benitez-Thompson's profession is counseling the sick and dying. Wow. As third runnerup in 2003, she did better than any Nevadan ever in the Miss America pageant. (Wonder if she met El Presidénte?)

The northwest Reno Democrat has four gorgeous little kids and is married to popular KOLO TV-8 Chief Meteorologist Jeff Thompson.

The Congressionial District 2 seat has been gerrymandered Republican since fabrication by the 1981 legislature. The Donkeyites had three good chances, actually trending toward big wins twice. Late, great State Sen. Mary Gojack, D-Reno, and Reno Mayor Pete Sferrazza had Republican Rep. Barbara Vucanovich soundly beaten in 1982 and 1992, respectively. Last-minute campaign management mistakes reversed their trends.

Former University of Nevada Regent Jill Derby had a shot in 2006 when Rep. Jim the Dim ran for governor. Alas, she campaigned like a conservative Republican and was trounced by now-Sen. Dean Heller.

Nine in 10 CD2 voters live in the Reno-Sparks-Washoe-Carson strip, which went super-blue last year. Since I move to these parts in 1971, Washoe has always been Nevada's hotbed of liberalism. Look at who we elect to the ledge vs. some of the hardcore Democratic religious conservatives from LV.

Those elements combined with the Trump backlash pre-dispose a Donkeyite sweep next year. Alas, the old cliché still applies: Democrats don't win elections, Republicans lose them. Next year is D for the taking if the Dems don't again commit suicide.

PRONUNCIATION KEY: "June-chill-yawn-ee" and "Key-when." When? Now, dammit!

DOWN AMNESIA LANE. Eminent Nevada author David Toll hearkens back to the history of his legendary Gold Hill News this Thursday (5-25-2017) evening at Carson City's Nevada State Museum. Details with the expanded Internet edition of this column.

TRAVUS T. HIPP, 1937-2012. Toll's event comes a day before the fifth anniversary of the 5-26-2012 Comstock wingding following the burial of Tribune columnist, Gold Hill News charter icon and legendary west coast talk radio host Chandler Atchison Laughlin, Jr., aka Travus T. Hipp. He is a member of the Nevada Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the Barbwire Molly Ivins Memorial Columniator Hall of Flames. The latter is extremely exclusive with only seven members. His impact on this region when he ruled local airwaves in the early 1980s has never been equaled. He was my friend.

Travus died 18 May 2012, 84 years to the day after legendary Industrial Workers of the World (aka The Wobblies) leader Big Bill Haywood. Travus was a proud card-carrying IWW member for many years.

Be well. Raise hell. / Esté bien. Haga infierno. (Pardon my Spanglish.)
______________
Andrew Barbano is a 48-year Nevadan, editor of NevadaLabor.com and first vice-president of the Reno-Sparks NAACP. As always, his comments are his own. E-mail <barbano@frontpage.reno.nv.us> Barbwire by Barbano has originated in the Sparks Tribune since 1988.

ONLINE EXTRAS —>

END OF TIMES SURVIVAL KIT. Defend yourself with humorous or humorless but always-peerless predictions for 2017 by subscribing to the Barbwire Confidential News Service.

Last year's dark foreshadowings unfortunately became reality. I thus suggest inoculation by signing onto the HushHush! list at BallotBoxing.US/ It's cheap as well as enlightening entertainment

Subscribe today to get the exclusive End of Times Retrogression, a Procession for Progression, an Obsession to relieve Depression, Proselytizing Prayer for Divine Intercession at the Legislative Session. Don't wait— procrastination is the devil's dislocation. Hie thee hence to BallotBoxing.US/

THE GOOD DON. Nominations are afoot for the Nevada Press Association Hall of Fame. Time to ramp up for world-famous Tribune photographer Don Dondero. Here's the compelling case for his induction.