John Ensign: “It seems as though reason and common sense are once again being tossed aside. I am referring to the recent remarks by…”

“It seems as though reason and common sense are once again being tossed aside. I am referring to the recent remarks by President Obama when he singled out one of the most premiere cities in the world, Las Vegas. When it comes to convenience and affordability, very few, if any, places in the world can compare to Las Vegas. It is home to more than 140,000 hotel rooms, millions of feet of meeting space, and a central geographic location that makes it easy for employees from around the country to come to meet. It is no wonder so many businesses decide to have their conventions in Las Vegas. It is more than convenience, though. Las Vegas offers a value that is unique. For instance, the average hotel room today in Las Vegas is $119 a night. That is why I find it disturbing that Las Vegas is being singled out. It is more than that. Take Goldman Sachs as one example. First, it goes without saying that all companies that are receiving TARP funds must be responsible and not waste precious taxpayer dollars. Because of recent criticism, Goldman Sachs announced that it was moving a 3-day conference from Las Vegas to San Francisco. To do this though, they had to pay a $600,000 cancellation fee, re-route flights, and re-book the same trip in another city, which is even more expensive than Las Vegas. I ask, is that common sense?”