State treating voting like an infomercial

SILVER DOLLAR: To U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, for pushing his inquiry into the Justice Department's "Fast and Furious" gun program and for holding Attorney General Eric Holder's feet to the fire on accountability for the program. For Holder and President Barack Obama to hide behind executive privilege in refusing to disclose documents to Issa's committee is hypocritical at best, given the administration's talk about transparency and accountability.

WOODEN NICKEL: To the state Interim Finance Committee, for voting last week to spend $800,000 to increase voter registration in Nevada. For any citizen who wants to register and vote, it's easier than ever to do so. Democracy needn't be peddled like a ShamWow.

SILVER DOLLAR: To Nevada Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, for objecting to state agency requests to use money earmarked for personnel funds to buy furniture, equipment and computer upgrades. If there's extra money, restore staffing, and if more staffers aren't needed, then save the money. As noted by state Sen. Barbara Cegavske, a Las Vegas Republican, the state personnel budget "is not a slush fund."

SILVER DOLLAR: To the Greater Nevada Credit Union for its Money Matters workshops for youth at the Carson City Library. "We think it's really good to get off on the right foot in money matters," said community outreach assistant Giovanis Montero.

We say any program that helps parents teach their kids even the basics of financial planning, e.g., budgeting and income vs. expenses, is like money in the bank for community and country.