Clark County jobless rate hits 14 percent

Las Vegas Sun ^ | Updated Friday, Aug. 19, 2011 | 9 | By Cy Ryan

[redreno]

CARSON CITY – The jobless rate in Clark County has climbed for the fourth consecutive month, hitting 14 percent in July, the state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation reported today.

“It’s clear that unemployment figures are moving in the wrong direction and that is especially troubling for the thousands of Nevadans seeking employment,” Gov. Brian Sandoval said.

Statewide unemployment rose from 12.4 percent in June to 12.9 percent in July with 169,400 out of work.

[CARTOUCHE]

Nevada is an anomaly. Don’t look to other state’s ‘models’ as to whether Nevada will come back or flatline. It’s economy is mainly driven by gaming. When I stay at Harrah’s Las Vegas I don’t ask, nor do I care whether the hotel maid is SEIU. The casinos decided they were going union when the Mafia told them so back in the 1940’s.

As long as greed is operative, there’ll be money to feed Carson City’s coffers. And some of it will be mine.

Now, Harry Reid. Harry is obviously in over his head with the Las Vegas casino operators and the SEIU leading him around by the nose. How else could he operate in such a low population state with such major influences as the gaming industry and it’s cohort the SEIU? Were Harry a conservative in Nevada who would step forward to back him when so much of the state’s employed are tied to the gaming dollar? So, over the years Harry the Mormon (no malevolence intended on my part) became less conservative and really became a ‘jack’ Mormon, forsaking his principles for shady land deals and large political contributions from shady and not so shady sources. The state turned bluer as the population bounded; fueled by immigrants to vacuum the floors, make the beds, handle the trash and wash the dishes.

Were it my call, I’d say it was the tourists that turned this state from reliable red back in the day to it’s current blue and they didn’t even realize that they were doing it. That’s not to discount the influx of Californians and others escaping but that is the Nevada anomaly.