Nevada GOP and Dennis Hof

[brewer]

In case you don't know his name, Dennis runs several brothels in Nevada. He won a recent primary for state government. Wonder what the christian right in Nevada think of this development? He's been called the Trump of Pahrump.

https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/polit...s-unhappy/

[henryp]

Here's my guess at what's happening:

Christians are circling the wagons. They read the news, and see where things are heading. So they've shifted from authoritarianism in regards to elected officials to libertarianism. They obviously still want to force their views on others, but on some level, they recognize they are now playing defense, so are accepting people who will help them protect what they have rather than less viable people who will try to expand their power.

I think the best example of how things progress in the US will always be the "Gay Agenda." They started out as libertarians. Kurt Loder telling the kids in the '90s "Hey, it's an alternative lifestyle! They just want to do their own thing!" And as they grew in strength, their message changed. Now, if you don't bake them a cake, or use XE for their pronoun, or pause to think about it before deciding on Trans-athletes, you're a bad person who should lose their job/company, and I guess be homeless and die?

The point being, as a groups power grows and wanes in their ability to dictate social norms, they shift from authoritarian to libertarian. You go from voting for people who just accept your existence, to voting for people who will enforce your views.

In the position of Authoritarians, Christians pick Bush. George loves Jesus, and Jesus loves George. Things start getting hairy, and Christians pick Trump. Trump is hardly christian, but they don't need him to be. They just need someone who will let them do their thing. It's a defensive choice meant to stop the bleeding.

[Crossless2.0]

Full disclosure: Hof was my boss between 2004 and 2011; I worked at the Bunnyranch the last four years of that period.

Dennis is as close to a full-on Trumpian character as I've ever met, and I actually often thought so during the years I worked there (well before Trump actually entered politics but while he was lurking around the edges of political celebrity). Like Trump, Hof is a pure sort of creature, driven by greed and a need to Be Someone. There is no such thing as bad press, and he's selling (his business, himself) 24/7.

I haven't really followed this race but have it on some authority that Hof's running was supposedly motivated by a desire to push back against some Christian social conservatives who hope to close down the brothels. These same people have been banging their heads against that particular wall for many years now, and it's a non-starter. Nevada brothels are only allowed in relatively unpopulous counties (that's why they aren't allowed in the counties containing Las Vegas, Reno, Carson City, or South Lake Tahoe). The counties that have chosen to allow brothels to operate are NEVER going to give up that revenue without a fight. So I also suspect that Hof's feud with the Christers is largely bullshit, as well. I'm sure what happened is he watched the 2016 campaigns closely, probably voted for Trump, and became convinced that a country that can handle the Donald as president can surely also handle a pimp in congress. Everything with this guy is about ego and self-aggrandizement. He'll fit right in.

[vorlon13]

Congress is already a seething hive of divorce and remarriage as it is. A pimp should feel comfy there.

[Crossless2.0]

Congress is already a seething hive of divorce and remarriage as it is.  A pimp should feel comfy there.

To be clear, he's running for the state Assembly -- not the U.S. Congress.

It's a pity, in a way. Having Hof in DC would be nothing if not entertaining.

I forgot to mention that Hof is one of those people you've all read about: a guy who voted twice for Obama and then jumped the fence and became a Trump supporter. Basically, he's all about sticking his thumb in the eyes of those "respectable types" he disdains. That, more than anything resembling a political principle, is likely what defines his politics. 

And he's rich, so the Nevada (and national) GOP's love of regressive taxation probably appeals to him and overrides some of the more progressive attitudes I've heard him occasionally express. At bottom, he's a hedonist so social libertarianism comes naturally to him, and that can cause people to mistake him for a liberal at first glance.

[Edited to add]: Nevada has more than its fair share of closet -- and not so closet -- racists. One thing I will say in Hof's defense is that I've never had any reason to think he is one of those people. He's not exactly colorblind. It's just that the only color he sees and cares about is green.

[vorlon13]

Point taken, thanx !

[Minimalist]

Xtians are full of shit.  That is not news.  They have been since the beginning.

[vorlon13]

Xtians are full of shit.  That is not news.  They have been since the beginning.

Kinda fun watching them hammer Jesus into conforming to whatever political trend is hot at the moment.

Unchanging God my ass !!!

[Crossless2.0]

Xtians are full of shit.  That is not news.  They have been since the beginning.

Kinda fun watching them hammer Jesus into conforming to whatever political trend is hot at the moment.

Unchanging God my ass !!!

They really needn't worry about the working girls. This side of professional baseball players, you'd be hard-pressed to find a group more superstitious than hookers, in my experience.

They have superstitions about slumps, good streaks, and the efficacy of wandering around the place with burning sage to drive off evil spirits. A surprising number of them are closet Jesus freaks. A less surprising number of them think Mary Magdalene was a prostitute.

[GODZILLA]

Thanks a lot! Because of this I googled Bunny ranch and now my pants are super short now