Ex-Senate candidate Angle works to shut down insurance exchanges

Sharron Angle, a former Republican U.S. Senate candidate and tea party darling, might not be running for political office in 2014 but she has found a new way to keep busy.

Her new challenge?

A campaign to get states, including Nevada, to abolish their health care exchanges created as part of the federal health care law. The exchange programs were set up to help people find insurance coverage.

Angle, who lost to U.S. Sen. Harry Reid in 2010, has created a website dedicated to getting those states that created their own health exchanges to eliminate them. Called undobamacare.com, the website asks Nevadans to contact Gov. Brian Sandoval and their legislative representatives asking for a special session to repeal the Silver State Health Insurance Exchange.

Angle said she wants to start the repeal in Nevada, “Harry Reid’s home state.”

“Obamacare will be a train wreck for Nevadans,” Angle said on the site.

Of the more than 500 people voting on the site, 54 percent were in favor of repealing the state-run health care exchanges, and 46 percent were opposed.

Her chances of getting a repeal in Nevada, where the exchange began operating Oct. 1, are virtually nonexistent, however.

Sandoval, who challenged the constitutionality of the health care law in federal court, nevertheless pushed for the creation of the exchange arguing that it would be better for Nevadans if the state ran its own program.

The Legislature approved the creation of the exchange in 2011 with unanimous votes in both the state Senate and Assembly.

GRAMMARIAN AT HEART

If Gov. Brian Sandoval ever loses his political ambitions, there’s another career awaiting him: high school English teacher.

During a meeting of the state Board of Prison Commissioners on Tuesday, he flatly refused to sign a letter prepared for him until “grammar issues” were corrected.

Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto, Secretary of State Ross Miller and Sandoval were asked to sign the letter giving their support to a request that the closed Nevada State Prison in the capital city be added to the National Register of Historic Places.

If it wins that listing, then Rebecca Lyn Palmer, state historic preservation officer, said funds could be forwarded for improvement to the prison that dates back to 1862. She will prepare the actual application, but said she did not prepare the letter with grammar problems.

Later she said she is angry because the letter was submitted under her name and she never saw it before the meeting. It was not included with the materials discussed during the meeting.

A nonprofit group wants to restore the old prison as a museum. Former Corrections Director Glen Whorton chairs the group that wants a prison museum.

“I would like a different form of letter,” said Sandoval, expressing support for the listing but repeating that the letter must be corrected before he signs.

Eventually Masto suggested that a new letter be prepared and she and Miller would sign it after Sandoval agreed that the grammar changes had been fixed.

“I just can’t sign this one,” Sandoval said.

GET A QUOTE: GO BLUE

Ever wonder how reporters, especially shy reporters, approach complete strangers and get them to express their opinions on political issues?

Be a University of Michigan graduate. In a large gathering of people, such as a parade or political rally, there are always a few people wearing Michigan T-shirts or sweaters. Just say “Go Blue, ” the revered Michigan phrase, and they instantly want to talk to you about their happy days in Ann Arbor or the latest loss by the football team. Then ask your political questions.

Another foolproof way to get people to talk is by visiting any dog park. People in these parks, such as Fuji Park in Carson City, instantly want to share thoughts about their pets. One learns a lot of interesting facts about the hundreds of breeds of dogs while visiting these parks.

Then once they are aware you are a fellow dog lover, they usually are willing to talk about politics.

Other reporters favor standing in the parking lots of post offices, or visiting the local bars, particularly in small towns.

Post offices offer fair to middling prospects of getting comments, as long as you talk fast and ask questions after they pick up their mail. But few people want to stand there long enough for you to get a correct spelling of their names.

Bars are awful. Much of the crowd is tipsy and few are women. Too often they won’t give you an intelligent answer. Stick to people with Michigan shirts or dogs.

Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com, or at 775-687-3901. Contact Capital Bureau reporter Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900. Follow him on Twitter @seanw801.