Assemblyman Chad Christensen, come on down! You are today’s lucky winner! In a story in today’s Review-Journal, Christensen uttered the Oldest Cliche in Nevada for the one billionth time, thus earning him a lifetime of free slot play, anywhere in the Silver State! Let’s look at the tape:

“I have a big, big concern about taxing the industry that is the goose that laid the golden egg,” he said. “Gaming and tourism are what we are all about. We have to do everything we can for them to succeed.”

That’s right, “the goose that laid the golden egg,” the favorite phrase of those who are against taxing the gambling industry more! Since gambling was re-legalized in 1931, the phrase has been uttered over and over again, but today, we reached a special milestone: 1,000,000,000 times!

Of course, we call it the oldest cliche since the people who say it don’t really mean it. For example, the gambling industry is in deep trouble. If Christensen really wanted to “…do everything we can for them to succeed,” wouldn’t he be arguing to eliminate the current room tax, and probably the gambling tax as well? Sure, if we really want to “do everything.” But all Christensen did was stick his thumb in the eyes of voters in his home county, which passed a non-binding initiative seeking to raise hotel room tax. (Christensen voted no.)

But that’s beside the point. Everybody congratulate Christensen when you see him! He’s the big winner!