Early voting started yesterday so I'll offer a few candidate endorsements today for what they're worth, if anything. I don't think endorsements are worth much, but I'm not willing to sit on the sidelines while ideologues lead you astray. And if you disagree with me, go to the polls on Nov. 2 and express yourself.
First off, full disclosure: I'm one of those disillusioned independent voters who supported President Obama two years ago. But, like Time magazine's Mark Halperin, I think "the White House is in over its head, insulated, insular (and) arrogant." I also think Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) miscalculated by joining with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) to champion Obama's free-spending, Big Government agenda, which is why Reid is struggling to defeat his slightly kooky Tea Party opponent, Sharron Angle.
That said, I simply can't vote for Angle, who has espoused a series of extreme right-wing measures such as the privatization of Medicare, Social Security and the Veterans Administration, and she went way over the line by accusing Reid of voting to provide Viagra to child molesters. Please! So I'll be casting a reluctant vote for Reid, who delivers the pork (good pork, of course), and continues to block the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump, which most Nevadans oppose.
I don't like political dynasties so I won't be voting for Reid's son Rory for governor. This race is between a Las Vegas lawyer (Rory) and a Northern Nevada lawyer, moderate Republican Brian Sandoval, who has more experience and a better resume. I prefer Sandoval, who will restore a measure of dignity to the Governor's Office.
I'm voting "No" on Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto because of her blatantly political prosecution of Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki, and by the way, I urge Krolicki to challenge scandal-plagued Sen. John Ensign, a fellow Republican, in 2012.
I'm voting for Pete Livermore in Assembly District 40 because he'll continue to oppose money-losing "feel good" projects like the downtown ice rink and the Nugget Bailout Project. In the race for Ward One supervisor, I'm supporting certified city planner Rob Joiner, who understands the danger of putting nearly $40 million taxpayer dollars at risk during a recession to save a failing casino. So do Ward Three candidates John McKenna and Day Williams, who will also protect local taxpayers against tax-and-spend liberals.
Sheriff is a tough call but I'm backing incumbent Sheriff Ken Furlong because his opponent, Bob Guimont, is a no-nonsense street cop who should remain on patrol to combat gang-bangers and drug traffickers. And there you have it; see you at the polls.
• Guy W. Farmer has been a Carson City voter since 1962.