• About Us
  • Activity
  • Advertising
  • Books
  • Business
  • Contact
  • EB5
  • Entertainment
  • feedback
  • Government
  • Home
  • Interviews
  • Members
  • National
  • Nevada
  • Nevada News and Views
  • Newsmax
  • NN&V Ads
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Polls
  • Privacy Policy
  • Subscribe
  • Subscription Confirmation
  • Survey
  • Survey
  • Terms of Service
  • Today’s Top 10
  • Travel
  • Travel
  • Travel
  • Welcome!
  • Yop Poll Archive
Nevada News and Views
  • Home
  • Muth’s Truths
  • Politics
  • Government
  • Entertainment
  • More
    • Nevada
    • Opinion
    • Business
    • Travel
    • News
    • Sports
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Pinterest

  • RSS

Nevada

Thankful to Be Controller and for Many Other Things

Thankful to Be Controller and for Many Other Things
Ron Knecht
November 21, 2018

It’s time again for my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is a purely American celebration, not observed elsewhere.  A few other societies hold similar observances other times, but we alone will stop this Thursday, gather with our families and friends; savor the beauty, bounty and freedom; the hope, growth and opportunity we enjoy; and simply give thanks for it.  It’s rightly somewhat religious, but also an important expression simply of our joy in life and of our humility.

One thing I recommend to everyone is the Wall Street Journal’s annual pair of pre-Thanksgiving editorials, “The Desolate Wilderness” plus “And the Fair Land.”  The desolate wilderness quotes from the 1620 account of the Pilgrims leaving the old world and coming to the new one, “as recorded by Nathaniel Morton, keeper of the records of Plymouth Colony, based on the account of William Bradford, sometime governor thereof.”  ‘Twas a sad and mournful parting, and a grim and bleak prospect they found here.

The fair land is a magnificent poetic counterpoint penned by former WSJ editorial page editor Vermont Royster in 1961.  He begins, “Any one whose labors take him into the far reaches of the country, as ours lately have done, is bound to mark how the years have made the land grow fruitful.

“This is indeed a big country, a rich country, in a way no array of figures can measure and so in a way past belief of those who have not seen it. Even those who journey through its Northeastern complex, into the Southern lands, across the central plains and to its Western slopes can only glimpse a measure of the bounty of America.”

He ends, “We can remind ourselves that for all our social discord we yet remain the longest enduring society of free men governing themselves without benefit of kings or dictators.  Being so, we are the marvel and the mystery of the world, for that enduring liberty is no less a blessing than the abundance of the earth.”

“And we might remind ourselves also, that if those men setting out from Delftshaven had been daunted by the troubles they saw around them, then we could not this autumn be thankful for a fair land.”

For four years, these two pieces, framed, have adorned the entrance to my office.  The office I leave January 7, 2019.  I hope they have communicated to all who enter a profound sense of wonder, purpose and great joy.  For that is what I have felt about the opportunity to serve the people of Nevada as state controller.

On election night, I called my re-election opponent Catherine Byrne to congratulate her on running a clean campaign and on her victory, and to convey my best wishes to her.  I told her we would effect a smooth transition.

The controller’s staff has done a great job these four years, and I salute and thank them for it.  A curmudgeonly reporter often told me the only way we’d ever make news is if we messed up something.  We haven’t made any such news.  The team has done a fine job, and so we are leaving the office better than we found it, as is our duty.  It has been an honor to lead and work with them.

I particularly thank deputy controller James Smack and former assistant controller Geoffrey Lawrence for their great work and leadership.

In 13 political races I’ve run clean and substantive campaigns.  I’m proud of that.  Also of the job we’ve done taking care of the daily ministerial duties of the office and running it efficiently, cutting the budget, etc.  And especially for pioneering new frontiers in openness, transparency and accountability, all as promised.

If she wants them, I will bequeath the framed pieces to Catherine.

Serving as controller has been a great honor and joy for which I will be eternally thankful to the people of Nevada and which our family will celebrate this Thanksgiving.

Finally, I’ll celebrate, as always, the two greatest joys in my life, my wife Kathy and our daughter Karyn.  I am thankful too for Kathy’s mom, who recently departed for Heaven, and for all in our families.

And for you, my readers.  Happy Thanksgiving.

Prev postNext post

Related ItemsRon KnechtThanksgivingday
Nevada
November 21, 2018
Ron Knecht

Ron Knecht is a former Nevada State Controller. Please visit: www.RonKnecht.net

Related ItemsRon KnechtThanksgivingday

More in Nevada

Election Integrity in Washoe County

N&V StaffAugust 1, 2022
Read More

The Race for Governor is Heating Up!

N&V StaffJuly 25, 2022
Read More

McMahill Announces Major Police Endorsements

N&V StaffApril 6, 2022
Read More

Rosen, Masto Should Oppose Sohn Nomination to FCC

N&V StaffMarch 23, 2022
Read More

Game On! Chattah Files for Attorney General, Blasts Ford and Black

N&V StaffMarch 17, 2022
Read More

Lexit Nevada President Endorses Nevada Governor Candidate Joey Gilbert

N&V StaffMarch 4, 2022
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Subscribe Free By Email

Looking for the best in breaking news and conservative views? Let Chuck do all the work for you! Subscribe to his FREE "Muth's Truths" e-newsletter.

* indicates required
Nevada News and Views
Nevada News & Views is an educational project of Citizen Outreach Foundation, a non-partisan IRS-approved 501(c)(3) organization. It is not associated or affiliated with any political party or group. Nevada News & Views is accessible by the public at no cost. It funds its operations through tax-deductible contributions from donors and supporters and does not accept government money or grants.

TAGS

Featured Article Nevada Politics business Muth's Truths government Government Opinion Muth’s Truths Obama Ron Knecht News Donald Trump GOP Republicans

Copyright © 2022 Citizen Outreach | Maintained by VirtualAlly

Some Post-2018 Election Drive-by Muthings
PROFILE: “Air Force Amy” will Take You to Heights Even an F-22 Raptor Can’t Reach!