Thursday, Sept. 15, 2016 | 2 a.m.
View more of the Sun's opinion section
View more of the Sun's opinion section
When Nevadans vote for a new senator, we will help determine the balance of power in the Senate, the character of our government and the nature of our representation.
There is one feature of Congressman Joe Heck’s record that should disqualify him from office. Like most of his Republican colleagues, Heck has signed Grover Norquist’s pledge to “oppose any and all tax increases.” Instead of being elected in the tradition of representative democracy as an intelligent individual capable of weighing circumstances against the needs of constituents, Heck has taken pledges and sworn oaths that make him an automated stamp for powerful interests that don’t believe they share the same civic responsibilities as average citizens.
The pledge means Heck cannot listen to arguments or engage in good-faith debate. It means he can’t negotiate, can’t win concessions and can’t exercise influence on behalf of his constituents.
Whether you share Heck’s philosophy, you should be troubled by the idea that he has abdicated the use of his critical-reasoning skills by signing pledges that commit him to sit on the sideline during debates about public services, public revenue and the future of our nation.
Electing Heck to the Senate would make Nevada irrelevant because his pledge politics ensure that he will join his Republican colleagues in trying to gum up the wheels of government and pursuing policies that benefit the few at the expense of the many. Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto, for this reason alone, is a far better choice for Nevadans.
