What’s in it for Harry Reid?

Once again Sen. Harry Reid says something that leaves Nevadans scratching their heads.

This time he's in Reno and he tells folks there that he'll make sure the city of Yerington gets a tiny piece of BLM land to facilitate a copper mine. It will employ about 500 people in the area.

You'd think a Nevada senator would be more than happy to facilitate that small request. It's in the public good.

Then Reid tells the Reno newspaper, the RGJ, that the mining company and Yerington will get its little piece of land all right, but in return some 80,000 acres of land somewhere else in Nevada will have to be converted into a wilderness area.

"They cannot think they (mining and the people of Yerington) are going to get this thing and do nothing for the environment," says Harry.

Honestly, what kind of attitude is that? Nevadans ask their U.S. senator for help and he turns it in to some kind of horse-trading event? News flash, Sen. Reid: Nevada is not the enemy. Why do you treat us so? Mining is not some kind of necessary evil for which penance must be made?

One can only wonder what the legitimate connection between Yerington's request and the wilderness conversion. Do we need more wilderness in Nevada? Exactly what land does Sen. Reid want to convert? And why?

Most Nevadan's don't (and rightly so, I think) trust Harry Reid to do anything for Nevada that's not in his self interest. Before Yerington signs off on this "deal," it would be best to cut the cards.

Chances are there is something in it for Sen. Reid.