THE INFORMATION: City Journal

What do you make of a week that doesn't know its topsy from its turvy? From one minute to the next, I couldn't tell if I should be dismayed (by the Supreme Court's decision that cities can eminent-domain your home on behalf of private companies), amazed (that two modest plants managed to do what local government haven't: control growth), really dismayed (that all our congressional peeps favor a ban on flag-burning), relieved (that UNLV President Carol Harter will get a 2 percent cost-of-living increase this week, since the Regents only boosted her salary by $10,000 last week, to $230,000) or really relieved (work will recommence on the widening of U.S. 95 to make room for all the drivers who will flock to it once they hear it's wider). Mostly, I was all of those at once, plus thirsty.

"While I vigorously defend the right of free speech and expression," Sen. John Ensign said in a statement, "burning the American flag sends precisely the wrong message and should not be allowed." I'm mostly surprised that he bothered to articulate the first half of his statement—that business about free speech—instead of simply saying the "blah blah blah" that he so obviously heard in his head. In any case, what's important here is that America send the right message, specifically, You won't be allowed to send the wrong message. Remember, people, a time when the president's poll numbers are slipping is no time for the sending of wrong messages! What's more vital is that we finally protect a symbolic representation of our freedoms from the possibility that someone will actually use it to exert those freedoms. "It's the right thing to do," a spokesman for Sen. Harry Reid told the R-J, explaining his support for the ban. I'm surprised he didn't finish the sentence with the "to secure the support of veterans" that Reid so obviously heard in his head.

Frankly, I don't care either way, as long as we can still shoot bald eagles.

Since plants are merely real objects without much symbolic value to large voting blocs, it was surprising to see them score a small victory against development last week. But they did; the feds will preserve 300 acres in North Las Vegas—part of a 2,300-acre plot the government plans to auction to homebuilders—for the Las Vegas bearpoppy and the Las Vegas buckwheat. Three hundred acres? That's what, 10,000 houses? That's a substantial amount of money denied developers by a pair of desert plants. You have to wonder if officials thought this deal through: By suggesting that there are priorities higher than unchecked development, aren't they sending precisely the wrong message? The foundations of our economy tremble!

Me, I look at it this way: That's just 300 acres of houses the Supreme Court can't make the city tear down for Wal-Mart. That's a victory, of sorts.

-2 Wildfires scorch many acres nearby, fill air with acrid smoke. Just bad.

+1 State Assemblyman Mark Menendo quits cushy Community College job. Seems like the kind of thing that should be plus one, doesn't it?

0 U.S. 95 lawsuit-caused delay
will only cost estimated $30 million extra! This is how we use italics to convince ourselves we're seeing the bright side.

-1 Las Vegas Sun A.) assigns "What happens here stays here" its own acronym (WHHSH); and b.) ties it to the phrase "intellectual property." Intellectual property. Heh.

Final Score
-2

"Whenever people disagree vehemently, you have to thread the needle and find ways to create mutual interest."

Excerpts from Jon Ralston's Annual Survey of Legislative Winners and Losers

BEST OF THE BEST

Assembly Majority Leader Barbara Buckley

Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio

Buckley:

• "Nothing happened in the building without her say-so—that's power."

Raggio:

• "Still controls even though all reason says he should not."

WASTING SPACE

Assemblywoman Sharron Angle

The would-be-congresswoman was the only one who came close to double digits, named on about 16 percent of ballots. She was first here in 2003, too.

• "She wins the lifetime award in this category ... even her caucus wants her gone, gone, gone. A disgrace to the body, interested only in promoting herself and her extremist, right-wing ideas."

FALLING STAR

Speaker Richard Perkins

Mr. Speaker was the clear winner (?) in this category, with twice as many votes as anyone else. His run for governor clearly affected the way he was perceived.

• "Could not deliver in the clutch; tried to be all things to all people."

LEAST TRUSTWORTHY

Sen. Sandra Tiffany

Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani

Sen. Bob Beers

Tiffany, who has been here before, was the clear winner. Strange to see Giunchigliani here because she usually appears in the favorable categories.

Tiffany:

• "She is the snake!"

Giunchigliani:

• "She speaks with forked tongue."

Beers:

• "Poster boy for lack of trustworthiness."

Scott Dickensheets is a Weekly writer at large. Give him crap (or cake) at
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