Call me cynical, but does anyone with half a brain think Harry would have exerted the amount of political muscle it took to get the USO to suddenly decide to reverse course without something being in it for him? Don’t get me wrong, I am as pleased as a flea in a dogpound for the young men and women who will no longer have to sack out on a hard airport floor in front of strangers while they wait for that bus. What irks me is the political chicanery behind the whole thing.
Let’s take Harry’s quote from above, “I think it is not fair to these people in uniform that they have no place to go while they have a layover in Las Vegas,” It wasn’t fair 3 years ago when you were first made aware of the problem Harry, so what changed? Oh, yes. You weren’t coming up for what looks to be your last electoral campaign, and your boy wasn’t running for Nevada Governor.
During the years I spent trying to get the USO to even consider coming here a considerable large collection of support letters from Nevada’s Washington contingent were collected. Harry Reid’s support is among them, but not one of these people felt it was important enough to actually do something tangible. Suddenly the electorate is in an uproar and they are tossing out Democrats as fast as they come up for reelection. So now leaders who only felt the country club set were worthy of attention are interestingly attentive to what they think are the wishes of the voters. It should also be noted that Harry’s little boy, Rory, did everything he could to stall the process until daddy was ready for his announcement. 3 years and counting folks. That’s a lot of tired Marines, Army, Navy, Airforce and National and Coast Guard with nowhere to eat or sleep.
Some, especially those who wanted this facility to happen simply for their own political glory, will consider this column to be sour grapes at the very least. Hey, at least I’m not dropping any Dina Titus F-bombs here. That is the trouble with so many in the political world, honesty is considered to somehow be a sin and political honesty a deadly sin. So, in all honesty folks, this is a blatant grab for political cred where none belongs. If you will notice, not one of the people who really did the work is mentioned in the RJ article.
It is a wonderful thing that military personnel coming through McCarran International Airport will finally have a very nice place to put up their feet, call home, check email, sleep, eat, wash up and enjoy every other assorted little pleasure that you and I take for granted. It is something to be celebrated and be very happy about. Just don’t give the credit where it isn’t due, all right?
Harry Reid said it, so it must be true, right?
McCarran to get USO club
By SCOTT WYLAND, LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
McCarran International Airport will get a USO lounge and rest stop for military personnel after years of failed attempts.
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Bio and Archives
Bob L. Beers was a member of the Nevada Assembly representing District 21 in Clark County, Nevada. Prior to his election in 2006, he was an author involved in graphic arts and illustration.
Originally from Eureka, California, Beers attended Arcata High School and Humboldt State College. He currently resides in Henderson, Nevada with his wife and son.
