Not just campaign committees this time around, possible ballot questions too!
...Ginger Rough of the Arizona Republic has coverage of the filing of paperwork for eight possible initiative questions by a heretofore undheard-of organization called Fox Petitions.
The initiative proposals include -
I-05-2012, Smart Prison Population Act, mandating the expansion of the practice of home detention for non-violent prisoners
I-06-2012, Supporting Adoptable Cats and Dogs Act, prohibiting the euthanization of healthy and adoptable cats and dogs in Arizona
I-07-2012, Workers' Rights Act, barring employers from firing employees for behavior outside of the employment relationship, except under specific conditions
I-08-2012, Honest Officials Act, it's too difficult to sum up in one sentence, but I call it the "public officials can't lie to the public" act
I-09-2012, No Criminal Exemptions Act, barring the enforcement of a criminal law against any person if that law exempts a person or class of persons. The explanation says it specifically targets laws that exempt elected officials and government employees, but it is crafted very broadly
I-10-2012, Victimless Crime Act, barring the prosecution or incarceration of a person for behavior that doesn't harm another person, another person's property, or an animal
I-11-2012, Fair Crime Act, mandating that in the event that one criminal act that may violate multiple sections of law can only be prosecuted under one of those sections, the one with the least severe punishment
I-12-2012. Wrongful Conviction Compensation Act, compensating the victims of wrongful convictions and incarceration at $1000 per day of wrongful incarceration
Some of the proposals are intriguing, and I may sign one or more of the petitions if the opportunity presents itself (I especially like the one that would force public officials to stop lying to the public).
One other initiative was recently submitted.
I-04-2012, Go Solar In Arizona Economic Development Act, creating a $2.25 per watt personal solar tax credit. I support the sentiment, but this proposal is problematical. I don't like tax credits in general, and I don't like the idea of a specific number being protected by the Voter Protection Act (if this makes it to the ballot and actually passes, we're stuck with it, even if it turns out to bust the state's budget). This one reeks of an attempt to create by ballot initiative another Alt-Fuels scam.
In Maricopa County news, restaurant industry lobbyist Steve Chucri has opened a candidate committee for a run at Don Stapley's seat on the county board of supervisors. Chucri is challenging Stapley in the R primary in Stapley's heavily Republican district. Congressman David Schweikert, whose district overlaps Stapley's in Scottsdale, is honorary chair of Chucri's campaign.
In Scottsdale news, Guy Phillips, a 2010 candidate for City Council, is now listed as a 2012 candidate. However, the link for his 2012 committee statement of organization opens up a copy of the same form for his 2010 campaign. Scottsdale's election information page is here. In 2010, he ran as a tea party type with no answers for Scottsdale's problems other than stock tea party dogma. He lost. If he actually is running, it will be interesting to see if learned anything from the experience.
In Tempe news, Linda Spears has announced that she is running for mayor, though no campaign paperwork is yet posted on the City of Tempe's website (when I wrote the last one of these posts, she had taken out a candidate packet, but hadn't yet announced what office she had her sights on)
Friday, September 30, 2011
Let the AIRC know *now* that you support competitive districts
The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (AIRC) and its redistricting process is entering the "nitty-gritty" part of the redistricting process.
They're sparring over individual districts as they prepare draft map proposals for public comment hearings, starting October 10.
While I refer to them as "draft" maps, they are actually the baseline maps of the next legislative and Congressional districts. While tweaks will be made based on public input, the basic outlines and character of the districts won't change much.
Once the "draft" maps are published, it will be almost impossible to make uncompetitive districts more competitive. Individual precincts and neighborhoods might be moved between districts, but wholesale changes are unlikely.
As such, now is the last chance for people who are interested in helping Arizona as a whole move forward to add their voices in support of more competitive districts.
The AIRC's online input page is here; the agenda for Monday's meeting is here (relevant info: the meeting will start at 9 a.m. at the Fiesta Inn Resort at the SW corner of Priest and Broadway in Tempe).
Earlier today, I submitted a comment in support of increasing the number of competitive Congressional districts.
Here it is -
Note2: Once the schedule of the second round of public hearings is posted, I'll post it here as will Steve at Arizona Eagletarian (he's been doing a great job of covering the AIRC; I heartily recommend bookmarking his site).
They're sparring over individual districts as they prepare draft map proposals for public comment hearings, starting October 10.
While I refer to them as "draft" maps, they are actually the baseline maps of the next legislative and Congressional districts. While tweaks will be made based on public input, the basic outlines and character of the districts won't change much.
Once the "draft" maps are published, it will be almost impossible to make uncompetitive districts more competitive. Individual precincts and neighborhoods might be moved between districts, but wholesale changes are unlikely.
As such, now is the last chance for people who are interested in helping Arizona as a whole move forward to add their voices in support of more competitive districts.
The AIRC's online input page is here; the agenda for Monday's meeting is here (relevant info: the meeting will start at 9 a.m. at the Fiesta Inn Resort at the SW corner of Priest and Broadway in Tempe).
Earlier today, I submitted a comment in support of increasing the number of competitive Congressional districts.
Here it is -
Chair Mathis and Commissioners Freeman, Herrera, McNulty, and Stertz,
Thank you for volunteering your time and energy to helping Arizona prepare its legislative and Congressional district maps for the next decade. It may be hard to see because of the pressures brought to bear on you, but we truly appreciate the sacrifice you are making for the state.
Today, I am writing to you to urge you to create four competitive Congressional districts.
During the past few months, you have heard from dozens of people suggesting that the AIRC's highest priority should be the protection of communities of interest.
Some of those people support genuine communities of interest (i.e. - Native American reservations), some support communities that are less well-defined (i.e. - a particular neighborhood in a particular city or county), and still others support "communities of interest" that are utterly irrelevant to the factors considered in the redistricting process (i.e. - partisan elected officials looking to keep their jobs while expending the least amount of effort necessary to accomplish that goal).
What none of them mention is that Arizona as a whole is a community of interest, and it and all of the sub-communities within it benefit from having the maximum number of elected officials who consider the needs and desires of the general electorate, not just the people who vote in primary elections.
Under the most recent proposed map of Congressional districts that I've seen before the Commission, only two districts would actually be competitive. The other seven would guarantee that the winner of a partisan primary would not have to worry about the general election.
That's not a situation that benefits Arizona.
It isn't the job of the AIRC to protect incumbent officeholders.
If that is what the voters wanted, "AIRC" would stand for "Arizona Incumbent Reassurance Commission" and the members would have to spend their days holding the hands of various elected officials while saying "There, there. It's only redistricting. It will only sting for a moment, then you're home free for another ten years."
Instead, "AIRC" stands for "Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission" and the members spend their days and evenings listening to people from all over the state express their concerns, desires, and hopes for the state.
Four competitive districts is an achievable goal, and one that can be achieved while complying with the Voting Rights Act and the other factors that the Commission must consider.
Satisfied elected officials is *not* one of those factors.Note: It's probably OK to be less wordy than me. It might even be a good idea. :)
Again, thank you for your time and sacrifice.
Note2: Once the schedule of the second round of public hearings is posted, I'll post it here as will Steve at Arizona Eagletarian (he's been doing a great job of covering the AIRC; I heartily recommend bookmarking his site).
Thursday, September 29, 2011
The GOP presidential debate road show is coming to Arizona; let the betting begin
...No, I'm not talking about betting on which candidate will "win" the debate. Nope, I'm talking about what AZ tea party types will do to top previous debate audiences.
They've got approximately two months to come up with something really out there - the debate is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, December 1st.
So far this year they've...
...Cheered the idea of legalizing heroin. Perhaps not so bad an idea, in a "the so-called War on Drugs is a miserable failure" sort of way, however, that was the high point for R audiences this year (no pun intended). Since then, they've...
...Cheered the massive number of executions in Texas during candidate Rick Perry's governorship there
...Cheered the idea of letting uninsured patients die for the "crime" of being uninsured
...Booed an openly gay deployed soldier for being, well, *gay.*
So what will the Arizona GOPers/tea party types do to surpass the other audiences?
...Cheer the mere thought of undocumented immigrants dying is the deserts of Arizona?
...Hang the President in effigy outside the venue?
...Burn a cross before the event?
...Bringassault rifles "modern sporting rifles" to the debate and start firing them into the ceiling whenever someone says something they like (and maybe aiming a little lower whenever they hear something they don't like?)?
This being Arizona, and with Arizona GOPers being what they are, I predict that whatever they do to bring shame on the state will be nativism-related...though something along the lines of cheering for Jared Loughner's mass shooting in Tucson remains a possibility.
Anybody else have predictions? Comments are open...
They've got approximately two months to come up with something really out there - the debate is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, December 1st.
So far this year they've...
...Cheered the idea of legalizing heroin. Perhaps not so bad an idea, in a "the so-called War on Drugs is a miserable failure" sort of way, however, that was the high point for R audiences this year (no pun intended). Since then, they've...
...Cheered the massive number of executions in Texas during candidate Rick Perry's governorship there
...Cheered the idea of letting uninsured patients die for the "crime" of being uninsured
...Booed an openly gay deployed soldier for being, well, *gay.*
So what will the Arizona GOPers/tea party types do to surpass the other audiences?
...Cheer the mere thought of undocumented immigrants dying is the deserts of Arizona?
...Hang the President in effigy outside the venue?
...Burn a cross before the event?
...Bring
This being Arizona, and with Arizona GOPers being what they are, I predict that whatever they do to bring shame on the state will be nativism-related...though something along the lines of cheering for Jared Loughner's mass shooting in Tucson remains a possibility.
Anybody else have predictions? Comments are open...
The NRA leadership reaches for the crazy: true crazy or just another money grab?
...Of course, since those are hardly mutually exclusive conditions, it could easily be both...
Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the National Rifle Association (NRA) has recently ratcheted up the paranoia-speak.
He's been telling people (not just the NRA's "true believers") that President Obama is coming after their guns. His evidence for coming to this conclusion?
Obama has NOT put forth any kind of policy to exercise more control over guns.
Seriously. That's it.
From Jay Bookman at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution -
a lobbyist for the gun industry the conspiracy theory spouting head of the non-profit NRA, it's nearly a million dollars per year, according to the American Institute of Philanthropy.
That compensation, plus that of the other high-ranking officials of the NRA (here, starting on page 13 of the linked .pdf - the numbers are a couple of years old, but still eye-opening), requires a constant flow of contributions from members.
While some may think that LaPierre is crazy, maybe he's crazy like a fox - the best way to keep his followers' wallets open is to keep those followers utterly frightened.
And crazy or not, he is working overtime in that regard.
PS - Some days, I find Chris Matthews of MSNBC's Hardball to be a little grating. Other days, he is spot on. The LaPierre story was one of his good days.
Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the National Rifle Association (NRA) has recently ratcheted up the paranoia-speak.
He's been telling people (not just the NRA's "true believers") that President Obama is coming after their guns. His evidence for coming to this conclusion?
Obama has NOT put forth any kind of policy to exercise more control over guns.
Seriously. That's it.
From Jay Bookman at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution -
Wayne LaPierre, the executive vice president of the National Rifle Association, gave me a call at home the other day. In the taped message, my friend Wayne warned me that unless I and other patriotic Americans stepped forward to stop it, the dastardly United Nations, with Iran, China, North Korea and other evil countries behind it, would soon come into our country and into our very homes, strip the Second Amendment out of the Constitution and “take away every pistol, and rifle and shotgun” that we owned.
{snip}
...[W]hy is Wayne LaPierre calling me and others to pretend otherwise?
Money is part of the reason. The United States accounts for 40 percent of the world’s exports of conventional arms, and the U.S. arms industry is nervous about legislation that might curtail their right to sell arms to whomever they wish. Those manufacturers, not coincidentally, are also heavy donors to the NRA, which is trying to whip up hysteria on their behalf.
In addition, such hysteria is part of the NRA’s own strategy for raising money for its coffers. Once the LaPierre robo-rant about the UN finished, for example, an operator quickly came on line to ask me to donate money to the NRA. I politely declined.In case someone is wondering how much LaPierre earns as
That compensation, plus that of the other high-ranking officials of the NRA (here, starting on page 13 of the linked .pdf - the numbers are a couple of years old, but still eye-opening), requires a constant flow of contributions from members.
While some may think that LaPierre is crazy, maybe he's crazy like a fox - the best way to keep his followers' wallets open is to keep those followers utterly frightened.
And crazy or not, he is working overtime in that regard.
PS - Some days, I find Chris Matthews of MSNBC's Hardball to be a little grating. Other days, he is spot on. The LaPierre story was one of his good days.
This post is written as part of the Media Matters Gun Facts fellowship. The purpose of the fellowship is to further Media Matters' mission to comprehensively monitor, analyze, and correct conservative misinformation in the U.S. media. Some of the worst misinformation occurs around the issue of guns, gun violence, and extremism, the fellowship program is designed to fight this misinformation with facts.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Question for the GOP: How does mounting an Inquisition against Planned Parenthood help Americans find jobs?
The American economy is still in the tank - millions of Americans are un- or under-employed, most of those who still own their own homes owe far more on those homes than they are worth, even assuming they could find a buyer, and the economy as a whole is teetering on the precipice of a second dip into a recession (personally, I don't think we ever left the first one), but Congressional Republicans are spending their time working on keeping their base distracted with dog whistles.
The latest tune:
A renewed attack on Planned Parenthood.
From AP, via Yahoo! News -
That doesn't seem like a committee that has a lot to do with health issues or health care, but one that should have a LOT to do with trying to improve the economy.
Of course, if the GOPers in charge of that committee were to actually start doing their jobs, their base (and the rest of America) might notice that they haven't been doing their actual jobs.
BTW - I had a thought (yes, that happens occasionally. Don't laugh. Or get used to it. :) ). Planned Parenthood is so far declining to hand over their records, Maybe they should make a deal with the GOPers.
How about this: PP will give over their records (excluding patient medical records and anything that could identify patients) if the GOP, in the forms of the RNC, RSCC, RNCC, FreedomWorks, Club for Growth, and a couple of the others, hands over the real books (not the BS reports that they give to the FEC and IRS)
Think the GOPers would go for it? Anybody?
The latest tune:
A renewed attack on Planned Parenthood.
From AP, via Yahoo! News -
A Republican-led House panel has asked the Planned Parenthood Federation of America to hand over more than a decade's worth of documents in a probe of whether the organization improperly spends public money on abortions.The committee that is going after Planned Parenthood now is the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Democrats and Planned Parenthood supporters say the 90-year-old group is audited regularly and publicly and that the probe is the latest Republican run at shutting it down.
That doesn't seem like a committee that has a lot to do with health issues or health care, but one that should have a LOT to do with trying to improve the economy.
Of course, if the GOPers in charge of that committee were to actually start doing their jobs, their base (and the rest of America) might notice that they haven't been doing their actual jobs.
BTW - I had a thought (yes, that happens occasionally. Don't laugh. Or get used to it. :) ). Planned Parenthood is so far declining to hand over their records, Maybe they should make a deal with the GOPers.
How about this: PP will give over their records (excluding patient medical records and anything that could identify patients) if the GOP, in the forms of the RNC, RSCC, RNCC, FreedomWorks, Club for Growth, and a couple of the others, hands over the real books (not the BS reports that they give to the FEC and IRS)
Think the GOPers would go for it? Anybody?
Monday, September 26, 2011
Don Bivens, first official Democratic candidate for US Senate
There are a few Democrats who are "exploring" a run, or are talking about one, or are being talked about, but the first to officially get into the race is attorney Don Bivens, the former chair of the Arizona Democratic Party.
From the announcement that was sent out today -
More updates as more candidates enter the race...
From the announcement that was sent out today -
I wanted you to be the first to know that today I'm officially announcing my campaign to represent the people of Arizona in the United States Senate.
Like middle-class families throughout America, our families here in Arizona are struggling.
But back in Washington there are leaders that have let extreme ideology stand in the way of solving the complex problems we face.
Instead of ideas about how to get our country back to work, or to strengthen vital programs like Social Security and Medicare, we hear dangerous rhetoric about ending Medicare as we know it and privatizing Social Security.
Arizona has been one of the hardest hit states during these difficult economic times. We’ve faced one of the highest foreclosure rates and continue to rank at the bottom for job creation.
Enough is enough.
The needs of hard working families can't continue to be ignored and overlooked.
That's why I'm running for the United States Senate. I grew up in a middle class family and have spent my career in the private sector working with some of America's most successful businesses, helping solve complex problems.
Like you, I know if we're going to get America back on track and restore and strengthen the opportunity that has made our country great, we need leaders who will focus on tackling complex problems, not extremist policies that weaken our future.
With your help this campaign will be about how we keep the needs of Arizona's middle class families front and center.
Please Click Here to view my short announcement video and 'Like' my Facebook page for updates.
We have a lot of work to do, but families across Arizona are counting on us.
Onward,
Don Bivens
More updates as more candidates enter the race...
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Rep. Jack Harper: not one to let personal animosity to get in the way of the basest partisanship
It was just a matter of time, since even the least-qualified Republican legislator can do basic math.
It takes a 2/3 vote of a chamber of the Arizona legislature to expel a member of the chamber, and the Republicans control 2/3 of the seats in each chamber (can you see where this is going? )
LD4 legislators Sen. Scott Bundgaard and Rep. Jack Harper may both be Republicans but they aren't exactly friends (for example, Bundgaard was "rumored" to be behind the the website Crazy Jack Harper.)
However, Harper isn't one to let their dislike for each other get in the way of partisan attacks in support of Bundgaard as he schemes to keep his seat in the senate. Bundgaard is facing an ethics inquiry into his violent assault on his girlfriend (something about "bring discredit to the Senate" or something like that)..
Nope, not at all.
From Harper's Twitter feed (emphasis mine)-
Interesting.
Harper doesn't think that reprehensible, violent and illegal behavior is grounds for expulsion from the legislature, especially if the bad behavior is from a fellow Republican.
However, Harper advocates removing Democrats from the legislature simply because they are Democrats, and some of them have dared to criticize Bundgaard.
Now, I don't think that Harper's wish will get far, for at least a few reasons.
1. While the other members of the R caucus on West Washington is just as partisan as him, there are at least a few that haven't quite stepped over the line into becoming "bay at the full moon" crazy.
2. Even if all of his fellow Rs drink the same Kool-Aid as Harper, he's a state *representative*, not a state *senator*. He has no say in the internal operations of the state senate. He can lobby/beg the members of the senate to come around to his way of thinking, but that's about it.
3. Even if all of the other Rs went along and expelled all of the Democrats, under Arizona law, those Democratic members would have to be replaced by other Democrats. Harper may not like sharing the Capitol with Democrats or even non-Republicans in general, but the voters decide that, not him.
Still, I have to thank Harper for one thing -
He can always be counted on to supply blog post subject material.
It takes a 2/3 vote of a chamber of the Arizona legislature to expel a member of the chamber, and the Republicans control 2/3 of the seats in each chamber (can you see where this is going? )
LD4 legislators Sen. Scott Bundgaard and Rep. Jack Harper may both be Republicans but they aren't exactly friends (for example, Bundgaard was "rumored" to be behind the the website Crazy Jack Harper.)
However, Harper isn't one to let their dislike for each other get in the way of partisan attacks in support of Bundgaard as he schemes to keep his seat in the senate. Bundgaard is facing an ethics inquiry into his violent assault on his girlfriend (something about "bring discredit to the Senate" or something like that)..
Nope, not at all.
From Harper's Twitter feed (emphasis mine)-
@HarperForAZA snapshot of the entry in case Harper gets clever and removes his Tweet -
JackWHarper St Sen David Schapira wanted "lawsuit-style" burden of evidence against a Republican. I say let's have an up or down two-thirds on DEMs.
20 Sep via web
So Bundgaard, his political enemy, assaults his girlfriend by the side of a Phoenix freeway and Harper supports him in his attempt to stay in the Senate. Interesting.
Harper doesn't think that reprehensible, violent and illegal behavior is grounds for expulsion from the legislature, especially if the bad behavior is from a fellow Republican.
However, Harper advocates removing Democrats from the legislature simply because they are Democrats, and some of them have dared to criticize Bundgaard.
Now, I don't think that Harper's wish will get far, for at least a few reasons.
1. While the other members of the R caucus on West Washington is just as partisan as him, there are at least a few that haven't quite stepped over the line into becoming "bay at the full moon" crazy.
2. Even if all of his fellow Rs drink the same Kool-Aid as Harper, he's a state *representative*, not a state *senator*. He has no say in the internal operations of the state senate. He can lobby/beg the members of the senate to come around to his way of thinking, but that's about it.
3. Even if all of the other Rs went along and expelled all of the Democrats, under Arizona law, those Democratic members would have to be replaced by other Democrats. Harper may not like sharing the Capitol with Democrats or even non-Republicans in general, but the voters decide that, not him.
Still, I have to thank Harper for one thing -
He can always be counted on to supply blog post subject material.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
The COINS Act and David Schweikert: Funnelling taxpayer money to mining industry interests under the guise of reducing federal spending
To great fanfare (and ridicule) earlier this week, Rep. David Schweikert introduced H.R. 2977, the COINS Act. If enacted into law, it would end the printing of $1 bills, instead replacing them with $1 coins.
He claims that the measure will save the taxpayers billions of dollars over the next 30 years.
What he doesn't mention is that his measure will give billions of taxpayer dollars to mining industry interests over the same period.
The composition of dollar coins, courtesy the US Mint's website (Cu = Copper, Zn =Zinc, Mn = Manganese, and Ni = Nickel) -
Current production level of dollar coins - 258 million
Projected production of dollar coins over 30 years, at current annual production level (258 million times 30 years) - 7.74 billion
The 30 year projected dollar coin production needed to replace paper bills, according to a study from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) - 41 billion
Difference: 33.26 billion (4.3X as much as would be needed under the current system of paper bills and metal coins)
Additional pounds of copper (Cu) needed over the next 30 years, based on Schweikert's plan and GAO estimates (assuming no wastage or change in the composition of dollar coins): 525,635,627
Current price per pound of copper, courtesy CNN - $3.28
Net increased revenue for the copper industry over 30 years (basic math): $1.724 billion
Likelihood that the increased demand for copper will result in higher prices for copper over the next 30 years, meaning the above figure is a conservative one (my estimate): nearly 100%
Oh, and by the way, there are provisions in Schweikert's bill that would require the Federal Reserve to take the dollar coins issued since 1979 (Susan B. Anthony, Native American, and Presidential) out of circulation, likely increasing the production needed to meet the currency needs and making the above numbers conservative estimates.
Interesting campaign contributions to Schweikert this year (and I haven't yet thoroughly examined individual contributions as yet), courtesy the FEC:
Schweikert's bill has been assigned to the House Financial Services Committee (note: Schweikert is a member of that committee).
Number of Republicans on the committee: 34
Number of Republicans on the committee who have received campaign contributions from either (or both, as in the case of Schweikert) of the above PACs: 25
Generally, Financial Services Committee members receivebribes "campaign contributions" from insurance, banking, investment, and real estate industry PACs. It's more than a little unusual for them to receive mining PAC money directly (their normal benefactors may benefit from investments in mineral resources, but investments are their business, not mining).
However, when a bill like this comes along, apparently, so does the money.
Green PS -
While the exact composition of the paper used for federal reserve notes (dollar bills) is confidential, it is still basically *paper* and paper is made from trees, a renewable resource. If done properly, trees and other plants can be harvested, replanted, and reharvested several times during a typical human lifespan.
They only way that metals could be considered "renewable" is if human lifespans were measured not in years, decades, or even centuries, but instead in *epochs.* It takes millions of years for geological forces to create more ore once ore is removed from the ground.
Schweikert's bill is short-sighted - it generates relatively immediate profits for his campaign contributors, but at the cost to Americans of the permanent use of limited natural resources.
Notes and caveats:
The above estimates and calculations are based on current prices, which are subject to change (I expect them to change, but have no idea how much, so there is no way for me to include those changes in calculations), on an assumption that the composition of dollar coins remains unchanged for the next 30 years (again, I expect changes, but cannot even begin to guess what they will be, or when they will occur), and that there is no waste in the coin-making process that would necessitate the purchase of a greater quantity of metal than would theoretically be needed to manufacture the coins in a perfect production process (all manufacturing processes have waste, but again, I have no knowledge of the wastage rate in the Mint's processes, so that number cannot be included in calculations here).
Also, there would be a benefit to the mining companies of Zinc (Zn), Nickel (Ni), and Manganese (Mn) (the other elements in a dollar coin), but because those metals currently make up such a small percentage of the composition of dollar coins, I didn't include them in the calculations.
Later...
He claims that the measure will save the taxpayers billions of dollars over the next 30 years.
What he doesn't mention is that his measure will give billions of taxpayer dollars to mining industry interests over the same period.
The composition of dollar coins, courtesy the US Mint's website (Cu = Copper, Zn =Zinc, Mn = Manganese, and Ni = Nickel) -
88.5% CuWeight of each coin: 8.1 grams, meaning that each coin contains 7.1685g of Cu.
6% Zn
3.5% Mn
2% Ni
Current production level of dollar coins - 258 million
Projected production of dollar coins over 30 years, at current annual production level (258 million times 30 years) - 7.74 billion
The 30 year projected dollar coin production needed to replace paper bills, according to a study from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) - 41 billion
Difference: 33.26 billion (4.3X as much as would be needed under the current system of paper bills and metal coins)
Additional pounds of copper (Cu) needed over the next 30 years, based on Schweikert's plan and GAO estimates (assuming no wastage or change in the composition of dollar coins): 525,635,627
Current price per pound of copper, courtesy CNN - $3.28
Net increased revenue for the copper industry over 30 years (basic math): $1.724 billion
Likelihood that the increased demand for copper will result in higher prices for copper over the next 30 years, meaning the above figure is a conservative one (my estimate): nearly 100%
Oh, and by the way, there are provisions in Schweikert's bill that would require the Federal Reserve to take the dollar coins issued since 1979 (Susan B. Anthony, Native American, and Presidential) out of circulation, likely increasing the production needed to meet the currency needs and making the above numbers conservative estimates.
Interesting campaign contributions to Schweikert this year (and I haven't yet thoroughly examined individual contributions as yet), courtesy the FEC:
FREEPORT-MCMORAN COPPER & GOLD INC. CITIZENSHIP COMMITTEE 1/28/2011 $5000FYI - Freeport-McMoran is one of the largest copper mining companies in the world, and Koch Industries is a huge conglomerate with its fingers in many areas, including mining and minerals.
KOCH INDUSTRIES INC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (KOCHPAC) 6/10/2011 $1000
KOCH INDUSTRIES INC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (KOCHPAC) 6/10/2011 $2000
Schweikert's bill has been assigned to the House Financial Services Committee (note: Schweikert is a member of that committee).
Number of Republicans on the committee: 34
Number of Republicans on the committee who have received campaign contributions from either (or both, as in the case of Schweikert) of the above PACs: 25
Generally, Financial Services Committee members receive
However, when a bill like this comes along, apparently, so does the money.
Green PS -
While the exact composition of the paper used for federal reserve notes (dollar bills) is confidential, it is still basically *paper* and paper is made from trees, a renewable resource. If done properly, trees and other plants can be harvested, replanted, and reharvested several times during a typical human lifespan.
They only way that metals could be considered "renewable" is if human lifespans were measured not in years, decades, or even centuries, but instead in *epochs.* It takes millions of years for geological forces to create more ore once ore is removed from the ground.
Schweikert's bill is short-sighted - it generates relatively immediate profits for his campaign contributors, but at the cost to Americans of the permanent use of limited natural resources.
Notes and caveats:
The above estimates and calculations are based on current prices, which are subject to change (I expect them to change, but have no idea how much, so there is no way for me to include those changes in calculations), on an assumption that the composition of dollar coins remains unchanged for the next 30 years (again, I expect changes, but cannot even begin to guess what they will be, or when they will occur), and that there is no waste in the coin-making process that would necessitate the purchase of a greater quantity of metal than would theoretically be needed to manufacture the coins in a perfect production process (all manufacturing processes have waste, but again, I have no knowledge of the wastage rate in the Mint's processes, so that number cannot be included in calculations here).
Also, there would be a benefit to the mining companies of Zinc (Zn), Nickel (Ni), and Manganese (Mn) (the other elements in a dollar coin), but because those metals currently make up such a small percentage of the composition of dollar coins, I didn't include them in the calculations.
Later...
The Pearce/Cortes scam in graphic form
I can't take credit for putting this together (but wish I could! :) ), but here is a great graphical summary of some of the ties between recalled state senator Russell Pearce and his supporters and the "campaign" of Olivia Cortes, one of the other two candidates on the ballot in November's recall election (the other being Jerry Lewis).
Note: for those who prefer words to pictures, Stephen Lemons of the Phoenix New Times has been doing a great job of covering the Pearce camp's dirty tactics. His latest: Lester Pearce, Russell's brother, has been campaigning for Russell. Which wouldn't be a problem, except for the fact that Lester is a sitting Justice of the Peace and is barred from engaging in such activities by the Arizona Code of Judicial Conduct.
Note: for those who prefer words to pictures, Stephen Lemons of the Phoenix New Times has been doing a great job of covering the Pearce camp's dirty tactics. His latest: Lester Pearce, Russell's brother, has been campaigning for Russell. Which wouldn't be a problem, except for the fact that Lester is a sitting Justice of the Peace and is barred from engaging in such activities by the Arizona Code of Judicial Conduct.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Quick Fists, Tin Ear: Bundgaard files ethics complaint against Ethics Committee
From the Phoenix New Times, written by Stephen Lemons -
A letter that Bundgaard sent to Sen. Ron Gould, the chair of the Ethics Committee, one of the three senators targeted by Bundgaard, and one of Bundgaard's fellow Republicans. detailing Bundgaard's allegations against the three senators is here, courtesy the Arizona Republic.
It's a rather curious tactic for Bundgaard - he's attacking his colleagues, colleagues whose support he needs to keep his job.
What's even more curious is that his fellow Republicans were/are predisposed to giving him a free pass on this. Attacking one of them, even one who can be a thorn in the side of the rest of the R caucus (Gould thinks most of them are too liberal. Go figure) may be ill-advised.
Gould may be known as a major pain in the {pick your favorite body part to complete this particular metaphor}, but he is also viewed as a "what you see is what you get" kind of guy. You may see a raging Confederate apologist, nativist and worse, but he's honest and open about it. I may never again write anything remotely complimentary about him (his politics are profoundly appalling), but he's straight up about certain things.
And one of those things is that it is wrong to assault women.
With every move that Bundgaard or his PR advisor (Jason Rose?) come up with, it becomes easier for his fellow senators from both sides of the political aisle to oust him.
State Senator Scott Bundgaard, facing an ethics complaint and possible expulsion from the Senate for his roadside fracas with his now former girlfriend and his invocation of legislative immunity, has filed an ethics complaint against three members of the state Senate Ethics Committee, which is currently set to hold hearings on Bundgaard in October.
A letter that Bundgaard sent to Sen. Ron Gould, the chair of the Ethics Committee, one of the three senators targeted by Bundgaard, and one of Bundgaard's fellow Republicans. detailing Bundgaard's allegations against the three senators is here, courtesy the Arizona Republic.
It's a rather curious tactic for Bundgaard - he's attacking his colleagues, colleagues whose support he needs to keep his job.
What's even more curious is that his fellow Republicans were/are predisposed to giving him a free pass on this. Attacking one of them, even one who can be a thorn in the side of the rest of the R caucus (Gould thinks most of them are too liberal. Go figure) may be ill-advised.
Gould may be known as a major pain in the {pick your favorite body part to complete this particular metaphor}, but he is also viewed as a "what you see is what you get" kind of guy. You may see a raging Confederate apologist, nativist and worse, but he's honest and open about it. I may never again write anything remotely complimentary about him (his politics are profoundly appalling), but he's straight up about certain things.
And one of those things is that it is wrong to assault women.
With every move that Bundgaard or his PR advisor (Jason Rose?) come up with, it becomes easier for his fellow senators from both sides of the political aisle to oust him.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Meet the "Mr. Flexible" of Arizona politics, Wes Gullett
..."Mr. Flexible", as in "flexible enough to speak out of both sides of his mouth"...
Wes Gullett, the long-time lobbyist who now looking to become mayor of Phoenix has a problem.
During the initial part of the campaign, there were six candidates. Five of them, including Gullett, were Republicans trying to pull votes from the same base. One of them, Gullett, decided to troll for votes in anyway that he could.
Including telling different audiences completely opposite things in order to curry favor with them.
From the May 26th African American Democratic Caucus at the Greater Bethel AME Church -
Relevent quote: “We need to go to Washington and get that Head Start money and we need to make sure that we get the money that we need for our schools from the federal government as well,”
From the August 15 Phoenix Chamber of Commerce debate -
Relevent quote: “We don’t have to go to Washington to get money for early childhood education.” He argued that instead, the money from First Things First should be taken and given to the state government so that the state doesn't have to spend so much money on education.
Gullett now has to try to explain his conflicting statements to the various groups he has pandered to.
By contrast, Greg Stanton's position on education has been consistent, and is here.
Wes Gullett, the long-time lobbyist who now looking to become mayor of Phoenix has a problem.
During the initial part of the campaign, there were six candidates. Five of them, including Gullett, were Republicans trying to pull votes from the same base. One of them, Gullett, decided to troll for votes in anyway that he could.
Including telling different audiences completely opposite things in order to curry favor with them.
From the May 26th African American Democratic Caucus at the Greater Bethel AME Church -
Relevent quote: “We need to go to Washington and get that Head Start money and we need to make sure that we get the money that we need for our schools from the federal government as well,”
From the August 15 Phoenix Chamber of Commerce debate -
Relevent quote: “We don’t have to go to Washington to get money for early childhood education.” He argued that instead, the money from First Things First should be taken and given to the state government so that the state doesn't have to spend so much money on education.
Gullett now has to try to explain his conflicting statements to the various groups he has pandered to.
By contrast, Greg Stanton's position on education has been consistent, and is here.
Time to get social with your favorite Democrats
The Democrats in LD18 (West Mesa), LD17 (Tempe and South Scottsdale) and LD8 (North Scottsdale and Fountain Hills) have event coming up, including two this week. Each event will offer good food, better refreshments, and great conversation...as well as the chance to help local Democrats get ready for next year's elections.
- In west Mesa, the LD18 Democrats are holding Dinner at Dusk on Thursday from 6 - 9 p.m.
- In Tempe and south Scottsdale, the LD17 Democrats are holding their 2nd Annual Beer Summit on Saturday from 4 - 7 p.m.
- In north Scottsdale and Fountain Hills, the LD8 Democrats will be holding a 2010 Candidate Reunion on October 15 at 5:30 p.m.
From the event's flyer:
...Hmmm...looking at these three events, can you guess which of the three districts is home to ASU? LOL
- In west Mesa, the LD18 Democrats are holding Dinner at Dusk on Thursday from 6 - 9 p.m.
Info and guests:
Beer & Wine, Silent Auction, Dinner catered by Oregano's and Live Music by Jay Taylor. Scheduled speakers include State Sen. David Schapira and former State Sen. David Lujan. Other invited guests include Arizona House Democratic Leader Chad Campbell, former Congressman Harry Mitchell, and Police Chief Dan Saban.
Location:
The Wright House
636 W. University Drive
Mesa, Arizona
Tickets:
Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door. To purchase ticket contact
Andrew Sherwood
sherwood.andrew@gmail.com
or Sarah Moorhead
sarahemoorhead@yahoo.com
- In Tempe and south Scottsdale, the LD17 Democrats are holding their 2nd Annual Beer Summit on Saturday from 4 - 7 p.m.
Info: Beer Tastings, Bratwurst, & Good Times! Beer-Tasting competition with prizes. Celebrating our local brews: Beer from Papago Brewing, Dave's Electric Brewpub and Four Peaks. Prizes from Tops Liquors and Casey Moore's Oyster House.
Location:
Barnes House
1104 S Ash (11th and Ash)
Tempe
Tickets:
Tickets are $20; $10 for Young Democrats.
RSVP: RandyKeating@gmail.com
- In north Scottsdale and Fountain Hills, the LD8 Democrats will be holding a 2010 Candidate Reunion on October 15 at 5:30 p.m.
From the event's flyer:
Candidate Reunion
Join the District 8 Democrats on Saturday, October 15, 2011 at 5:30pm
Enjoy a relaxing evening with our 2010 candidates, friends, food and fun at the Scottsdale home of Andy & Bryn
Suggested Contribution: $25.00
RSVP at http://tinyurl.com/D8Reunion
Address and Directions will be emailed to you
...Hmmm...looking at these three events, can you guess which of the three districts is home to ASU? LOL
Sunday, September 18, 2011
The NRA Board of Directors: time for a little sunlight
A new website, Who is on the NRA Board?, from the the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence, highlights backgrounds of the members of the Board of Directors.
Some of the names on the board are very familiar to the nation -
Grover Norquist, the anti-tax zealot/corporate lobbyist
Oliver North, one of the primary players in the Iran/Contra scandal
Ted Nugent, the "gonzo" 70s rock star and current "gonzo" radio talk show host
Tom Selleck, the famous actor
There are also a number of former and current politicians as well as former professional athletes, most of whom have fame of a more regional nature (though NBA Hall-of-Famer Karl Malone's fame is somewhat greater than "regional").
However, the majority of NRA board members have public profiles that a low or nonexistent outside of the gun culture. Still, they have an outsized influence on politics and legislation, especially in comparison to average citizens.
In many cases, they have more political influence than most of their more well-known colleagues - with the notable exception of Grover Norquist.
Here in Arizona, we have seen prime examples of that phenomenon in action.
- For instance, last year, wealthy businessman and NRA board member Owen "Buz" Mills is well-known as the owner of Gunsite Academy, a financially lucrative weapons training school near Prescott.
- Former NRA president and current board member Sandy Froman has been very active in certain circles, and, even after her term as NRA president, has frequently served as the face of the NRA when it needs to project a “softer” image.
In other words, while both Mills and Froman are low-profile, they do have some notoriety outside of the NRA.
The "big gun" for the NRA in Arizona, however, has received almost no public notice.
Board member Todd Rathner's low name recognition in Arizona belies his influence, particularly with the Arizona Legislature. He has helped turn the state's legislature into an ideological petri dish, promoting the passage of extreme gun "rights" laws and blocking the passage of common sense safety regulations.
Like Mills above, he has profited from promoting the NRA's ideology.
In addition owning and operating a company that sells safari hunting trips to Africa, Rathner is the owner and primary employee of a lobbying firm, Rathner and Associates. The name says "Associates," but according to the Arizona Secretary of State, Rathner is the only active employee of his company, in terms of lobbying activities.
His lobbying activities have included working for the NRA in pushing for the passage of 2009's SB1113, the infamous "guns in bars" bill (passed just in time to commemorate a 2009 NRA meeting in Phoenix).
This past session, he worked for Colt's Manufacturing to help pass SB1610, naming the Colt Single Action Army Revolver as the state firearm.
Rathner has such a low profile that the website doesn't include any "colorful" (read: "contoversial") quotes or activities for him the way that it does for most of the other board members, but that doesn't mean his views and actions aren't as extreme as the other members of the NRA board.
Witness his Twitter feed. Not something he uses frequently (19 tweets total), but what it lacks in volume, it more than makes up in "interesting."
He has used it to bring attention to an Arizona Republic article that covered how much influence that the gun lobby has in Arizona. Being a gun lobbyist, he seems rather pleased with that.
He has used it to criticize Tucson Unified School District over its ethnic studies program.
He has used it to spout other opinions that are, well, "interesting" -
Some of the names on the board are very familiar to the nation -
Grover Norquist, the anti-tax zealot/corporate lobbyist
Oliver North, one of the primary players in the Iran/Contra scandal
Ted Nugent, the "gonzo" 70s rock star and current "gonzo" radio talk show host
Tom Selleck, the famous actor
There are also a number of former and current politicians as well as former professional athletes, most of whom have fame of a more regional nature (though NBA Hall-of-Famer Karl Malone's fame is somewhat greater than "regional").
However, the majority of NRA board members have public profiles that a low or nonexistent outside of the gun culture. Still, they have an outsized influence on politics and legislation, especially in comparison to average citizens.
In many cases, they have more political influence than most of their more well-known colleagues - with the notable exception of Grover Norquist.
Here in Arizona, we have seen prime examples of that phenomenon in action.
- For instance, last year, wealthy businessman and NRA board member Owen "Buz" Mills is well-known as the owner of Gunsite Academy, a financially lucrative weapons training school near Prescott.
- Former NRA president and current board member Sandy Froman has been very active in certain circles, and, even after her term as NRA president, has frequently served as the face of the NRA when it needs to project a “softer” image.
In other words, while both Mills and Froman are low-profile, they do have some notoriety outside of the NRA.
The "big gun" for the NRA in Arizona, however, has received almost no public notice.
Board member Todd Rathner's low name recognition in Arizona belies his influence, particularly with the Arizona Legislature. He has helped turn the state's legislature into an ideological petri dish, promoting the passage of extreme gun "rights" laws and blocking the passage of common sense safety regulations.
Like Mills above, he has profited from promoting the NRA's ideology.
In addition owning and operating a company that sells safari hunting trips to Africa, Rathner is the owner and primary employee of a lobbying firm, Rathner and Associates. The name says "Associates," but according to the Arizona Secretary of State, Rathner is the only active employee of his company, in terms of lobbying activities.
His lobbying activities have included working for the NRA in pushing for the passage of 2009's SB1113, the infamous "guns in bars" bill (passed just in time to commemorate a 2009 NRA meeting in Phoenix).
This past session, he worked for Colt's Manufacturing to help pass SB1610, naming the Colt Single Action Army Revolver as the state firearm.
Rathner has such a low profile that the website doesn't include any "colorful" (read: "contoversial") quotes or activities for him the way that it does for most of the other board members, but that doesn't mean his views and actions aren't as extreme as the other members of the NRA board.
Witness his Twitter feed. Not something he uses frequently (19 tweets total), but what it lacks in volume, it more than makes up in "interesting."
He has used it to bring attention to an Arizona Republic article that covered how much influence that the gun lobby has in Arizona. Being a gun lobbyist, he seems rather pleased with that.
He has used it to criticize Tucson Unified School District over its ethnic studies program.
He has used it to spout other opinions that are, well, "interesting" -
This post is written as part of the Media Matters Gun Facts fellowship. The purpose of the fellowship is to further Media Matters' mission to comprehensively monitor, analyze, and correct conservative misinformation in the U.S. media. Some of the worst misinformation occurs around the issue of guns, gun violence, and extremism, the fellowship program is designed to fight this misinformation with facts.
Brewer turns the revolving door between lobbying firms and her staff into an open door
The Washington Post published a story this past week detailing a study that documents the revolving door between Capitol Hill staff rosters and lobbying firm staff rosters. According to the study, nearly 5400 Congressional staffers have moved to lobbying firms in the last decade.
I thought about commenting about the study, and perhaps I'm getting a little too jaded after doing this for more than five years, but I figured this was basically just adding numbers to something most observers already knew.
D.C.'s political subculture can be somewhat insular, even incestuous, with the denizens of that subculture often not leaving the city when political winds change (as they did in 2006 and 2010). They just change job titles.
Turns out that the same thing is true in Arizona, as a couple of press releases from Jan Brewer this week illustrate.
First, she appointed one Jay Heiler to the Arizona Board of Regents.
From the press release (emphasis mine) -
Nope. It's about Heiler being an active lobbyist.
From the AZ Secretary of State's website -
Brewer followed up the appointment of one lobbyist with an announcement of changes in her senior staff.
From that press release -
Public Policy Partners is one of the most active lobbying firms in Arizona.
BTW, I may be getting more cynical than ever, but...
...Last month, Jan Brewer took a closed-door meeting with a mining company that is looking to mine copper in the Florence area by pumping acid into the groundwater there. The company, Curis Resources, is relatively small by industry standards, and is ripe for a takeover, according to some industry analysts.
...This month, one of her senior staffers moves to a copper mining conglomerate.
Hmmm...
And none of this even begins to cover the influence of uber-lobbyist Chuck Coughlin on the Brewer Administration.
I thought about commenting about the study, and perhaps I'm getting a little too jaded after doing this for more than five years, but I figured this was basically just adding numbers to something most observers already knew.
D.C.'s political subculture can be somewhat insular, even incestuous, with the denizens of that subculture often not leaving the city when political winds change (as they did in 2006 and 2010). They just change job titles.
Turns out that the same thing is true in Arizona, as a couple of press releases from Jan Brewer this week illustrate.
First, she appointed one Jay Heiler to the Arizona Board of Regents.
From the press release (emphasis mine) -
Mr. Heiler has been a high-profile leader in Arizona public policy for more than two decades. He served in a series of leadership roles, including Chief of Staff, under former Governor Fife Symington. Earlier, Mr.Heiler was Assistant Attorney General under Arizona Attorney General Bob Corbin. Since leaving public service in 1997, Mr. Heiler has worked as a political consultant in public affairs and strategic communications. His clients have included corporate, government and non-profit interests.Heiler is known for his radical homophobia and bigoted spoutings, but this post isn't about that (I'll leave that to folks who can write more eloquently on those topics than me).
Nope. It's about Heiler being an active lobbyist.
From the AZ Secretary of State's website -
Brewer followed up the appointment of one lobbyist with an announcement of changes in her senior staff.
From that press release -
Scott Smith, Director of the Arizona Department of Administration, has been named Deputy Chief of Staff. The announcement marks a return to the Governor‟s Office for Mr. Smith, who previously served Governor Brewer as Director of Legislative Affairs and Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative Affairs. In his new role, Mr. Smith – along with Chief of Staff Eileen Klein – will oversee day-to-day operations of the Governor‟s Office and executive agencies. He will maintain his current duties managing ADOA.For those who aren't political geeks, a job title like "Director of Government Relations" is actually a euphemism for "Chief Lobbyist."
Page Gonzales has been named Director of Policy for the Governor‟s Office. Ms. Gonzales, who currently serves as Deputy Policy Director, will take the place of Richard Bark. Mr. Bark, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, has announced his resignation after nearly three years of loyal service to Governor Brewer. Mr. Bark will be joining Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold as Director of Government Relations and Environmental Counsel. His resignation is effective October 3, 2011.
Also departing the Governor‟s Office is Brian McNeil, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations. Mr. McNeil has been a trusted advisor to Governor Brewer since she took office, and played a critical role in building the administration. He will be joining Public Policy Partners. Mr. McNeil‟s resignation is effective September 27, 2011.
Public Policy Partners is one of the most active lobbying firms in Arizona.
BTW, I may be getting more cynical than ever, but...
...Last month, Jan Brewer took a closed-door meeting with a mining company that is looking to mine copper in the Florence area by pumping acid into the groundwater there. The company, Curis Resources, is relatively small by industry standards, and is ripe for a takeover, according to some industry analysts.
...This month, one of her senior staffers moves to a copper mining conglomerate.
Hmmm...
And none of this even begins to cover the influence of uber-lobbyist Chuck Coughlin on the Brewer Administration.
Upcoming meetings...
For what is normally a relatively quiet time of the year in AZ politics, there sure are some interesting meetings coming up...OK, two or three interesting meetings, and interesting mostly if you're a political geek. :)
...The Ethics Committee of the Arizona Senate will meet Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. in SHR1 to discuss Sen. Scott Bundgaard's situation.
...The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (AIRC) hasn't officially announced any meetings this week as yet, but they have tentatively scheduled meetings in Casa Grande for Thursday and Friday.
Edit to add: According to a message from Steve at Arizona Eagletarian, it looks as if the meetings will actually be held at the Wild Horse Pass Resort just south of Chandler. If you plan on attending one or both meetings, check with the AIRC to confirm the location (though Steve is pretty dialed in on redistricting - if he says "Wild Horse Pass", it's almost certainly going to be Wild Horse Pass).
End edit.
...The Joint Legislative Study Committee on Outcome-Based Education Funding will meet on Friday at 10 a.m. in HHR3. The co-chairs of the committee are Sen. Sylvia Allen and Rep. Chester Crandell. Neither is known as a staunch advocate for (or even *of*) education. This seems like an exercise in legislative Republicans looking for ever more creative ways to justify defunding public education, but perhaps I'm just being cynical.
...The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) has two special open meeting scheduled for this week. On Monday, they'll be meeting at 2 p.m. to solicit and accept public comment on proposed amendments to some pipeline safety rules; on Friday, Commissioner Paul Newman will be holding a workshop/information session on trends and developments in solar power.
Both meetings will be held at the ACC's offices in Phoenix.
...The Scottsdale City Council will meet Tuesday at 5 p.m. in the City Hall Kiva. Scottsdale's Community Meeting notice is here.
...The Tempe City Council will meet Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers. Tempe's Council Calendar is here.
...The Ethics Committee of the Arizona Senate will meet Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. in SHR1 to discuss Sen. Scott Bundgaard's situation.
...The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (AIRC) hasn't officially announced any meetings this week as yet, but they have tentatively scheduled meetings in Casa Grande for Thursday and Friday.
Edit to add: According to a message from Steve at Arizona Eagletarian, it looks as if the meetings will actually be held at the Wild Horse Pass Resort just south of Chandler. If you plan on attending one or both meetings, check with the AIRC to confirm the location (though Steve is pretty dialed in on redistricting - if he says "Wild Horse Pass", it's almost certainly going to be Wild Horse Pass).
End edit.
...The Joint Legislative Study Committee on Outcome-Based Education Funding will meet on Friday at 10 a.m. in HHR3. The co-chairs of the committee are Sen. Sylvia Allen and Rep. Chester Crandell. Neither is known as a staunch advocate for (or even *of*) education. This seems like an exercise in legislative Republicans looking for ever more creative ways to justify defunding public education, but perhaps I'm just being cynical.
...The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) has two special open meeting scheduled for this week. On Monday, they'll be meeting at 2 p.m. to solicit and accept public comment on proposed amendments to some pipeline safety rules; on Friday, Commissioner Paul Newman will be holding a workshop/information session on trends and developments in solar power.
Both meetings will be held at the ACC's offices in Phoenix.
...The Scottsdale City Council will meet Tuesday at 5 p.m. in the City Hall Kiva. Scottsdale's Community Meeting notice is here.
...The Tempe City Council will meet Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers. Tempe's Council Calendar is here.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Committees update - local edition
As there haven't been any significant entries into legislative, Congressional, Maricopa County, or statewide races, this post will be limited to developments in Scottsdale and Tempe. OK, mostly in Tempe. :)
...In Scottsdale, so far only Mayor Jim Lane has formed a 2012 committee, something he did at the beginning of the year. However, that should change soon - as reported in the Arizona Republic, interested Scottsdale residents can pick up candidate packets for a run at a spot on the city council (three seats up for election) or for the mayor's job.
Details are available from the Scottsdale City Clerk's office and/or on the City's elections homepage.
...Some movement on the candidate front has taken place in Tempe.
Restaurateur Michael Monti has jumped into the race for mayor, joining City Councilman Mark Mitchell in pursuit of the job. More may yet enter, but those two are expected to be the headliners in the race.
Unless a bigger name gets into the race :) .
In city council candidate news, Dick Foreman, a lobbyist for Southwest Gas, has entered the race for a council spot.
A relatively new, but apparently well-connected, blog named Tempe Thoughts is reporting that Anglia Thornton, Steve May, Linda Spears, and AJ Lafaro have pulled candidate packets for potential runs next year. They haven't officially formed election committees yet, but the report is accurate, they've taken the first step.
A very brief run down -
I'm not familiar with all the personalities on the Tempe political scene, but "Anglia Thornton" may actually be "Angela Thornton", currently president of East Valley Women's League. If I'm wrong about that, I'll update this post.
Steve May is a former state legislator and was briefly a candidate for state rep in LD17 last year, until details of his involvement in the scheme to recruit homeless people to run as fake Green Party candidates emerged.
Linda Spears in a former member of the city council and long-time community activist in Tempe. It remains to be seen if she is looking for another term on the council or is running for mayor this time around. There is enough respect for her in Tempe that she will be a factor in whichever race she goes for.
AJ Lafaro is the current chair of the LD17 Republican Party and has been active in Tempe politics for a while. In 2001, he headed the effort to recall then-Tempe Mayor Neil Giuliano (expect that name to pop up in a "committees update" post sometime this cycle), apparently mostly because Giuliano is openly gay.
As both Lafaro and May are active Republicans, they'll probably work together for a while.
As May, like Giuliano, is openly gay, I don't expect that "a while" will encompass the entire election cycle.
Note: Tempe is on a March/May* election schedule; Scottsdale is on an August/November* schedule.
* = if necessary
More updates as they become available...
...In Scottsdale, so far only Mayor Jim Lane has formed a 2012 committee, something he did at the beginning of the year. However, that should change soon - as reported in the Arizona Republic, interested Scottsdale residents can pick up candidate packets for a run at a spot on the city council (three seats up for election) or for the mayor's job.
Details are available from the Scottsdale City Clerk's office and/or on the City's elections homepage.
...Some movement on the candidate front has taken place in Tempe.
Restaurateur Michael Monti has jumped into the race for mayor, joining City Councilman Mark Mitchell in pursuit of the job. More may yet enter, but those two are expected to be the headliners in the race.
Unless a bigger name gets into the race :) .
In city council candidate news, Dick Foreman, a lobbyist for Southwest Gas, has entered the race for a council spot.
A relatively new, but apparently well-connected, blog named Tempe Thoughts is reporting that Anglia Thornton, Steve May, Linda Spears, and AJ Lafaro have pulled candidate packets for potential runs next year. They haven't officially formed election committees yet, but the report is accurate, they've taken the first step.
A very brief run down -
I'm not familiar with all the personalities on the Tempe political scene, but "Anglia Thornton" may actually be "Angela Thornton", currently president of East Valley Women's League. If I'm wrong about that, I'll update this post.
Steve May is a former state legislator and was briefly a candidate for state rep in LD17 last year, until details of his involvement in the scheme to recruit homeless people to run as fake Green Party candidates emerged.
Linda Spears in a former member of the city council and long-time community activist in Tempe. It remains to be seen if she is looking for another term on the council or is running for mayor this time around. There is enough respect for her in Tempe that she will be a factor in whichever race she goes for.
AJ Lafaro is the current chair of the LD17 Republican Party and has been active in Tempe politics for a while. In 2001, he headed the effort to recall then-Tempe Mayor Neil Giuliano (expect that name to pop up in a "committees update" post sometime this cycle), apparently mostly because Giuliano is openly gay.
As both Lafaro and May are active Republicans, they'll probably work together for a while.
As May, like Giuliano, is openly gay, I don't expect that "a while" will encompass the entire election cycle.
Note: Tempe is on a March/May* election schedule; Scottsdale is on an August/November* schedule.
* = if necessary
More updates as they become available...
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Schapira honored by education advocacy group
State Sen. David Schapira (D-LD17) and State Rep. Steve Court (R-LD18) have been honored by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) for their work with WICHE's Legislative Advisory Committee.
From their announcement -
Find out more about Sen. Schapira here.
From their announcement -
As the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) convenes its annual meeting of the Legislative Advisory Committee today in Seattle, we are proud to recognize Arizona Senate Minority Leader David Schapira and House Majority Leader Steve Court for their service to this organization and the thousands of students at institutions of higher learning in Arizona.
The important work of WICHE is leveraged by the participation of legislative leaders from throughout the Western United States. Working together, legislators advance the policy goals of increasing student access to higher education and improving student success.
“The participation of key legislative leaders, like Senator Schapira, Representative Court, and others from 11 of the WICHE states, is integral to our work in serving students of the West,” said David Longanecker, WICHE’s president. “The policy discussions at this meeting inform the critical decisions that policymakers must make as they address challenges facing students, institutions, and states in the coming years."In addition to his legislative duties and his work with WICHE, Schapira is an adjunct faculty member at ASU, a small business owner, a husband, and a father (and due to be a father again in a couple of months! Congrats to Rosemary and David!)
WICHE works to foster access to higher education and ensure student success through its student exchange programs, regional initiatives, and extensive research and policy work, and the contributions of Senator Schapira and Representative Court have greatly enhanced these efforts. This kind of regional cooperation and policy dialogue serves as a model for the entire country as, together, we move to increase our students’ college and career readiness and our nation’s ability to compete in the global economy.
Find out more about Sen. Schapira here.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Since when is bloodlust a legitimate political platform in a civil society?
I didn't think that Tea-publicans could top themselves/sink lower after the moment when they when they cheered the idea of executing people last week, but they found a way.
Video from Monday night's Tea Party debate, courtesy CNN -
Cheering the idea of letting the uninsured die?
Apparently, tea party types check their souls at the door when they get together.
Video from Monday night's Tea Party debate, courtesy CNN -
Cheering the idea of letting the uninsured die?
Apparently, tea party types check their souls at the door when they get together.
Monday, September 12, 2011
The AZ Senate Ethics Committee To Consider Bundgaard Matter Tuesday*
* = if they achieve a quorum, and enough "yes" votes show up. More on that in a moment.
The Senate Ethics Committee is scheduled to meet Tuesday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. in Senate Hearing Room 1 (SHR1). They'll be considering action against Sen. Scott Bundgaard. In February, Bundgaard was involved in a "domestic violence incident" (he assaulted his then-girlfriend by the side of a Phoenix freeway, used his status as a sitting legislator to avoid arrest at the time, and was sentenced to little more than a slap on the wrist last month. He hit his girlfriend harder than the court hit him (metaphorically).
After the disposition of the criminal case, Sen. Steve Gallardo filed an ethics complaint against Bundgaard, and that is what the committee will consider tomorrow...if the meeting happens at all...and if enough committee members who support an ethics investigation show up...
...however, the Arizona Capitol Times is reporting (subscription required) that Senate Democratic leader David Schapira (LD17) will be out of town and cannot attend the meeting.
The committee has five members, three Republicans and two Democrats. The committee chair, Republican Ron Gould, has been openly critical of Bundgaard and was expected to vote with the two Democrats to continue an ethics investigation. Now it looks like that it will be a 2 - 2 split, at best.
Stay tuned...
...In other legislative news, Daniel Scarpinato, the press secretary/spokesman for the House Republican caucus, is taking a leave of absence from that position in order to take a similar position with the campaign of Phoenix mayor hopeful Wes Gullett. (h/t to Mary Jo Pitzl of the Arizona Republic)
This isn't Scarpinato's first foray into electoral politics - before taking the communications job with the House Republicans, he was the communications person for the Congressional campaign of former state senator Jonathan Paton. Before that, he wrotelove letters to the Republicans masquerading as news stories for the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson.
Speculation on my part: Look for Scarpinato to move on, whether to Phoenix City Hall (if Gullett wins his race) or to another campaign after this one. He was hired at the House by former speaker Kirk Adams, and new House speaker Andy Tobin may want his own guy in the job.
Plus, Adams is running for Congress.
Caveat: I'm not exactly on the speed dials of either Tobin or Scarpinato (I know, their loss :) ), so I could have a completely incorrect reading on the dynamic involved.
Later...
The Senate Ethics Committee is scheduled to meet Tuesday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. in Senate Hearing Room 1 (SHR1). They'll be considering action against Sen. Scott Bundgaard. In February, Bundgaard was involved in a "domestic violence incident" (he assaulted his then-girlfriend by the side of a Phoenix freeway, used his status as a sitting legislator to avoid arrest at the time, and was sentenced to little more than a slap on the wrist last month. He hit his girlfriend harder than the court hit him (metaphorically).
After the disposition of the criminal case, Sen. Steve Gallardo filed an ethics complaint against Bundgaard, and that is what the committee will consider tomorrow...if the meeting happens at all...and if enough committee members who support an ethics investigation show up...
...however, the Arizona Capitol Times is reporting (subscription required) that Senate Democratic leader David Schapira (LD17) will be out of town and cannot attend the meeting.
The committee has five members, three Republicans and two Democrats. The committee chair, Republican Ron Gould, has been openly critical of Bundgaard and was expected to vote with the two Democrats to continue an ethics investigation. Now it looks like that it will be a 2 - 2 split, at best.
Stay tuned...
...In other legislative news, Daniel Scarpinato, the press secretary/spokesman for the House Republican caucus, is taking a leave of absence from that position in order to take a similar position with the campaign of Phoenix mayor hopeful Wes Gullett. (h/t to Mary Jo Pitzl of the Arizona Republic)
This isn't Scarpinato's first foray into electoral politics - before taking the communications job with the House Republicans, he was the communications person for the Congressional campaign of former state senator Jonathan Paton. Before that, he wrote
Speculation on my part: Look for Scarpinato to move on, whether to Phoenix City Hall (if Gullett wins his race) or to another campaign after this one. He was hired at the House by former speaker Kirk Adams, and new House speaker Andy Tobin may want his own guy in the job.
Plus, Adams is running for Congress.
Caveat: I'm not exactly on the speed dials of either Tobin or Scarpinato (I know, their loss :) ), so I could have a completely incorrect reading on the dynamic involved.
Later...
Sunday, September 11, 2011
This certainly explains why Sen. Lori Klein isn't facing charges...
From the Arizona Republic's Political Insider on Sunday -
Gunning for the GOP . . . Sen. Lori Klein can add a new line to her resume. No, it's not gun-safety instructor, but party-fundraiser extraordinaire.For those with short memories, or who just don't follow such things, two months ago, Klein aimed a gun at a reporter in the members lounge of the state senate building. Even though possession of a weapon in a public building is a misdemeanor and aiming it at someone is a whole lot more than a misdemeanor, she has yet to stand up in court to defend her actions. It doesn't look like she will have to, either.
"Extraordinaire" as in it's not often you see a lawmaker getting paid to help raise money for herself and her political brethren.
But Klein, who runs a fundraising-consulting firm, said she is offering her services to the Arizona GOP at a discounted rate, which she wouldn't disclose.
Tenth Anniversary: Tempe Healing Field
Just a few pics...
Dawn over the Healing Field in Tempe, AZ
The Healing Field
Corey Woods, Tempe City Councilman, speaking
Mark Mitchell, Tempe City Councilman, speaking
A volunteer reading the names of some of the fallen
Random cloud shot. I just liked it.
A couple walking among the flags
As heartbreaking as this all is, some are a little more heartbreaking - flags marked by yellow ribbons are memorials for fallen first responders; flags marked by military boots are memorials for fallen active duty servicemen and women - these are the toughest. Flags marked by teddy bears memorialize children who died in the event of September 11, 2001.
Dawn over the Healing Field in Tempe, AZ
The Healing Field
Corey Woods, Tempe City Councilman, speaking
Mark Mitchell, Tempe City Councilman, speaking
A volunteer reading the names of some of the fallen
Random cloud shot. I just liked it.
A couple walking among the flags
As heartbreaking as this all is, some are a little more heartbreaking - flags marked by yellow ribbons are memorials for fallen first responders; flags marked by military boots are memorials for fallen active duty servicemen and women - these are the toughest. Flags marked by teddy bears memorialize children who died in the event of September 11, 2001.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Republican strategy for controlling the redistricting process: misinformation, lies, and outright intimidation
Once it became clear that the current edition of the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (AIRC) was actually *independent*, unlike the first version set up after the 2000 census, Arizona Republicans have pulled out all the stops in a desperate attempt to gain control the independent redistricting process.
A good summary of recent events from the NY Times' Marc Lacey is here.
Over the summer, they tried to flood AIRC meetings with "grassroots" tea party types who blustered and shouted and whined and threatened and more in an effort to bully the AIRC into submission. Just about all that the effort accomplished was to inspire an increased law enforcement presence at the AIRC's meetings and hearings.
As summer turns into fall (though fall in AZ is hotter than the hottest part of summer pretty much anywhere else in the US), the Republicans are turning to less subtle schemes (not that mobs of tea party types are exactly "subtle" ).
This past week, AZ Attorney General, Republican Tom Horne filed a motion in Maricopa County Superior Court to compel the Independent chair and the two Democratic members of the AIRC to cooperate with his "investigation" of the commission.
Horne has touted the testimony of the two Republican members of the commission as the basis of his investigation.
This past week, he made an appearance on PBS' Horizon program and began to make the rounds of Republican clubs and organizations to publicize his part in the attacks on the AIRC. His move to publicly assail the AIRC seem calculated to both intimidate the AIRC and to bolster his 2014 bid for governor.
Thursday night, Horne "briefed" the LD8 Republicans at their monthly meeting in the auditorium of the Civic Center branch of the Scottsdale Public Library.
Not having met my BS quota for the week even after watching the R presidential debate Wednesday, I decided to attend the meeting.
State Sen. Michele Reagan at the LD8 Republican meeting, September 8, 2011
Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne at the meeting of the LD8 Republicans, September 8, 2011
Quota met, and not just from Horne.
When Horne wasn't dog whistling for his base (trashing the Tucson school district's ethnic studies program or repeatedly justifying non-enforcement of civil rights laws with "it's not a crime to not speak Spanish!"), he was puffing up himself on the basis of his use of his office to distract and undermine the AIRC.
His talk was basically a rehash of the talking points he spouted on Horizon ("Terry Goddard is trying to intimidate me!"), but state Sen. Michelle Reagan (R-LD8) was a revelation.
She looked her constituents straight in the eye and lied to them about the redistricting process.
She stated that the recently released grid maps were crafted to create competitive districts, when in fact, they were designed solely based on population.
She stated that the AIRC "was out to destroy" LD8 because it is so overwhelmingly Republican, when in fact, I've never heard the AIRC say anything about any current individual district.
She stated that the Democrats were "giddy" and "in cahoots" with the AIRC, when in fact...oh wait - she used the word "cahoots"? Is Reagan a 21st century elected official, or an extra from a 1940s B Western?
She then used the lies as the foundation of her appeal to the audience. She wanted them to submit comments to the AIRC in support of protecting "communities of interest."
For some reason, I don't think she is interested in protecting south Phoenix or Guadalupe. :)
Then on Friday, Republican blogger/custom press release writer Greg Patterson put up a post at his blog, Espresso Pundit. While the post is one that, on the surface, appears to criticize
There aren't many lies of commission in it, but it's loaded with misinformation and lies of omission.
Among the things that he states is that the current districts were drawn by the first incarnation of the AIRC, which is true.
As far as it goes.
What he doesn't say (the "lie of omission" part) is that the first AIRC wasn't truly independent. The "independent" chair was widely known to be a Republican in everything but registration and one of the Democratic members was there solely to protect then-state senator Jack Brown in the northeastern part of the state. Once that goal was met, that particular member went along with pretty much anything the Republicans wanted.
There it is - the grand Republican scheme for gaining control of the redistricting process.
The most dangerous part of the scheme is Horne's use of his office for partisan gain.
The thing is, it doesn't just endanger the AIRC or the state.
Tom Horne is basing his "investigation" on the testimony of one of the Republican members of the AIRC who has some serious problems when it comes to telling "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth."
Between things like that and his blatant misuse of the office, he could be setting himself up to be the first AG in Arizona history to be disbarred while in office.
One other observation from Thursday's meeting:
Horne boasted about how he promised to "strictly enforce all laws" during his campaign for Attorney General last year and that he has done so.
However, he made no mention of an investigation into the AIRC application of Rick Stertz, the truth-averse appointee of Senate President Russell Pearce.
In Horne's defense, perhaps what he really meant to promise was to strictly enforce all laws against non-whites, non-rich, and/or non-politically connected Arizonans.
A good summary of recent events from the NY Times' Marc Lacey is here.
Over the summer, they tried to flood AIRC meetings with "grassroots" tea party types who blustered and shouted and whined and threatened and more in an effort to bully the AIRC into submission. Just about all that the effort accomplished was to inspire an increased law enforcement presence at the AIRC's meetings and hearings.
As summer turns into fall (though fall in AZ is hotter than the hottest part of summer pretty much anywhere else in the US), the Republicans are turning to less subtle schemes (not that mobs of tea party types are exactly "subtle" ).
This past week, AZ Attorney General, Republican Tom Horne filed a motion in Maricopa County Superior Court to compel the Independent chair and the two Democratic members of the AIRC to cooperate with his "investigation" of the commission.
Horne has touted the testimony of the two Republican members of the commission as the basis of his investigation.
This past week, he made an appearance on PBS' Horizon program and began to make the rounds of Republican clubs and organizations to publicize his part in the attacks on the AIRC. His move to publicly assail the AIRC seem calculated to both intimidate the AIRC and to bolster his 2014 bid for governor.
Thursday night, Horne "briefed" the LD8 Republicans at their monthly meeting in the auditorium of the Civic Center branch of the Scottsdale Public Library.
Not having met my BS quota for the week even after watching the R presidential debate Wednesday, I decided to attend the meeting.
State Sen. Michele Reagan at the LD8 Republican meeting, September 8, 2011
Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne at the meeting of the LD8 Republicans, September 8, 2011
Quota met, and not just from Horne.
When Horne wasn't dog whistling for his base (trashing the Tucson school district's ethnic studies program or repeatedly justifying non-enforcement of civil rights laws with "it's not a crime to not speak Spanish!"), he was puffing up himself on the basis of his use of his office to distract and undermine the AIRC.
His talk was basically a rehash of the talking points he spouted on Horizon ("Terry Goddard is trying to intimidate me!"), but state Sen. Michelle Reagan (R-LD8) was a revelation.
She looked her constituents straight in the eye and lied to them about the redistricting process.
She stated that the recently released grid maps were crafted to create competitive districts, when in fact, they were designed solely based on population.
She stated that the AIRC "was out to destroy" LD8 because it is so overwhelmingly Republican, when in fact, I've never heard the AIRC say anything about any current individual district.
She stated that the Democrats were "giddy" and "in cahoots" with the AIRC, when in fact...oh wait - she used the word "cahoots"? Is Reagan a 21st century elected official, or an extra from a 1940s B Western?
She then used the lies as the foundation of her appeal to the audience. She wanted them to submit comments to the AIRC in support of protecting "communities of interest."
For some reason, I don't think she is interested in protecting south Phoenix or Guadalupe. :)
Then on Friday, Republican blogger/custom press release writer Greg Patterson put up a post at his blog, Espresso Pundit. While the post is one that, on the surface, appears to criticize
There aren't many lies of commission in it, but it's loaded with misinformation and lies of omission.
Among the things that he states is that the current districts were drawn by the first incarnation of the AIRC, which is true.
As far as it goes.
What he doesn't say (the "lie of omission" part) is that the first AIRC wasn't truly independent. The "independent" chair was widely known to be a Republican in everything but registration and one of the Democratic members was there solely to protect then-state senator Jack Brown in the northeastern part of the state. Once that goal was met, that particular member went along with pretty much anything the Republicans wanted.
There it is - the grand Republican scheme for gaining control of the redistricting process.
The most dangerous part of the scheme is Horne's use of his office for partisan gain.
The thing is, it doesn't just endanger the AIRC or the state.
Tom Horne is basing his "investigation" on the testimony of one of the Republican members of the AIRC who has some serious problems when it comes to telling "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth."
Between things like that and his blatant misuse of the office, he could be setting himself up to be the first AG in Arizona history to be disbarred while in office.
One other observation from Thursday's meeting:
Horne boasted about how he promised to "strictly enforce all laws" during his campaign for Attorney General last year and that he has done so.
However, he made no mention of an investigation into the AIRC application of Rick Stertz, the truth-averse appointee of Senate President Russell Pearce.
In Horne's defense, perhaps what he really meant to promise was to strictly enforce all laws against non-whites, non-rich, and/or non-politically connected Arizonans.
Wednesday, September 07, 2011
First declared candidate for mayor in Tempe: Mark Mitchell
In a development that really wasn't very surprising, Tempe City Councilman Mark Mitchell has entered the race for mayor of Tempe.
From the Arizona Republic, written by Dianna Nanez -
Mark is a lifelong Tempean, growing up in Tempe, attending Tempe schools and ASU, and is an executive with a Tempe business.
Mitchell's campaign website is here.
Stayed tuned for more updates as they become available.
From the Arizona Republic, written by Dianna Nanez -
Longtime councilman Mark Mitchell told The Arizona Republic today that he will run for mayor next year.Mark Mitchell is nearing the end of his third term as a member of Tempe's city council. While many considered him to be a possible candidate for mayor next year, his candidacy was made all-but-inevitable when the incumbment mayor, Hugh Hallman, decided not to run for reelection next year (rumors are that Hallman will run for Congress next year, or for statewide office in 2014).
Mitchell's father, Democratic political icon Harry Mitchell, will stand by his side when he makes a formal announcement Wednesday night at a Tempe gathering.
Rather than shy away from the shadow that his father's extensive political career will cast on his run, Mitchell said he is embracing the values, worth ethic and love of Tempe he shares with his dad.
Mark is a lifelong Tempean, growing up in Tempe, attending Tempe schools and ASU, and is an executive with a Tempe business.
Mitchell's campaign website is here.
Stayed tuned for more updates as they become available.
Sunday, September 04, 2011
I'm beginning to believe that Arizona's Republican lawmakers really *don't* understand the rule of law...
For the longest time, I thought that the lies and disinformation spouted by the Rs concerning AIRC were just that, lies and disinformation, and calculated to both rouse their base and to inoculate themselves from blame for not properly preparing for the redistricting process.
I thought that while many members of their base were ignorant of the provisions in the AZ Constitution (and that's not a partisan shot - most people are unfamiliar with most of the specifics in the state's constitution), the electeds spouting off actually knew the truth, they just chose to ignore it for political purposes.
Turns out I may have been in error.
From the Facebook page of Rep. Terri Proud (R-LD26) -
Check out the comment from Rep. Brenda Barton (R-LD5) regarding the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (highlighted in yellow above) -
Ummm....yeah.
From the Article Four, Part Two, Section One of the Arizona *Constitution* -
I realize that Arizona prides itself on having "citizen legislators" and you and your colleagues certainly qualify as that.
However, that doesn't serve as an excuse for being "ignorant legislators."
There is more to being elected officials than pronouncing that anything you aren't pleased with as "illegal" or "unconstitutional."
The voters spoke clearly and spoke loudly in 2000 when they created the independent redistricting process.
They want a political process that is less about elected officials serving themselves and more about elected officials serving the public.
You may not agree with the will of the voters, but you freely chose to work for the voters and their will is the law of the land, and more specifically, that will and that law covers the way you and your colleagues obtain, perform, and retain your jobs.
And if you think that the independent redistricting process takes away too much of your fun, just wait until we take on ethics and corruption provisions.
I thought that while many members of their base were ignorant of the provisions in the AZ Constitution (and that's not a partisan shot - most people are unfamiliar with most of the specifics in the state's constitution), the electeds spouting off actually knew the truth, they just chose to ignore it for political purposes.
Turns out I may have been in error.
From the Facebook page of Rep. Terri Proud (R-LD26) -
Check out the comment from Rep. Brenda Barton (R-LD5) regarding the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (highlighted in yellow above) -
Commissioner Herrera is not qualified to sit on this Board. This IRC is a violation of the Arizona Constitution in which we are guaranteed a '..republican form of government'
Ummm....yeah.
From the Article Four, Part Two, Section One of the Arizona *Constitution* -
(3) By February 28 of each year that ends in one, an independent redistricting commission shall be established to provide for the redistricting of congressional and state legislative districts. The independent redistricting commission shall consist of five members. No more than two members of the independent redistricting commission shall be members of the same political party. Of the first four members appointed, no more than two shall reside in the same county. Each member shall be a registered Arizona voter who has been continuously registered with the same political party or registered as unaffiliated with a political party for three or more years immediately preceding appointment, who is committed to applying the provisions of this section in an honest, independent and impartial fashion and to upholding public confidence in the integrity of the redistricting process. Within the three years previous to appointment, members shall not have been appointed to, elected to, or a candidate for any other public office, including precinct committeeman or committeewoman but not including school board member or officer, and shall not have served as an officer of a political party, or served as a registered paid lobbyist or as an officer of a candidate's campaign committee.
(4) The commission on appellate court appointments shall nominate candidates for appointment to the independent redistricting commission, except that, if a politically balanced commission exists whose members are nominated by the commission on appellate court appointments and whose regular duties relate to the elective process, the commission on appellate court appointments may delegate to such existing commission (hereinafter called the commission on appellate court appointments' designee) the duty of nominating members for the independent redistricting commission, and all other duties assigned to the commission on appellate court appointments in this section.
(5) By January 8 of years ending in one, the commission on appellate court appointments or its designee shall establish a pool of persons who are willing to serve on and are qualified for appointment to the independent redistricting commission. The pool of candidates shall consist of twenty-five nominees, with ten nominees from each of the two largest political parties in Arizona based on party registration, and five who are not registered with either of the two largest political parties in Arizona.
(6) Appointments to the independent redistricting commission shall be made in the order set forth below. No later than January 31 of years ending in one, the highest ranking officer elected by the Arizona house of representatives shall make one appointment to the independent redistricting commission from the pool of nominees, followed by one appointment from the pool made in turn by each of the following: the minority party leader of the Arizona house of representatives, the highest ranking officer elected by the Arizona senate, and the minority party leader of the Arizona senate. Each such official shall have a seven-day period in which to make an appointment. Any official who fails to make an appointment within the specified time period will forfeit the appointment privilege. In the event that there are two or more minority parties within the house or the senate, the leader of the largest minority party by statewide party registration shall make the appointment.
(7) Any vacancy in the above four independent redistricting commission positions remaining as of March 1 of a year ending in one shall be filled from the pool of nominees by the commission on appellate court appointments or its designee. The appointing body shall strive for political balance and fairness.
(8) At a meeting called by the secretary of state, the four independent redistricting commission members shall select by majority vote from the nomination pool a fifth member who shall not be registered with any party already represented on the independent redistricting commission and who shall serve as chair. If the four commissioners fail to appoint a fifth member within fifteen days, the commission on appellate court appointments or its designee, striving for political balance and fairness, shall appoint a fifth member from the nomination pool, who shall serve as chair.
(9) The five commissioners shall then select by majority vote one of their members to serve as vice-chair.
(10) After having been served written notice and provided with an opportunity for a response, a member of the independent redistricting commission may be removed by the governor, with the concurrence of two-thirds of the senate, for substantial neglect of duty, gross misconduct in office, or inability to discharge the duties of office.
(11) If a commissioner or chair does not complete the term of office for any reason, the commission on appellate court appointments or its designee shall nominate a pool of three candidates within the first thirty days after the vacancy occurs. The nominees shall be of the same political party or status as was the member who vacated the office at the time of his or her appointment, and the appointment other than the chair shall be made by the current holder of the office designated to make the original appointment. The appointment of a new chair shall be made by the remaining commissioners. If the appointment of a replacement commissioner or chair is not made within fourteen days following the presentation of the nominees, the commission on appellate court appointments or its designee shall make the appointment, striving for political balance and fairness. The newly appointed commissioner shall serve out the remainder of the original term.
(12) Three commissioners, including the chair or vice-chair, constitute a quorum. Three or more affirmative votes are required for any official action. Where a quorum is present, the independent redistricting commission shall conduct business in meetings open to the public, with 48 or more hours public notice provided.
(13) A commissioner, during the commissioner's term of office and for three years thereafter, shall be ineligible for Arizona public office or for registration as a paid lobbyist.
(14) The independent redistricting commission shall establish congressional and legislative districts. The commencement of the mapping process for both the congressional and legislative districts shall be the creation of districts of equal population in a grid-like pattern across the state. Adjustments to the grid shall then be made as necessary to accommodate the goals as set forth below:
A. Districts shall comply with the United States Constitution and the United States voting rights act;
B. Congressional districts shall have equal population to the extent practicable, and state legislative districts shall have equal population to the extent practicable;
C. Districts shall be geographically compact and contiguous to the extent practicable;
D. District boundaries shall respect communities of interest to the extent practicable;
E. To the extent practicable, district lines shall use visible geographic features, city, town and county boundaries, and undivided census tracts.
F. To the extent practicable, competitive districts should be favored where to do so would create no significant detriment to the other goals.
(15) Party registration and voting history data shall be excluded from the initial phase of the mapping process but may be used to test maps for compliance with the above goals. The places of residence of incumbents or candidates shall not be identified or considered.
(16) The independent redistricting commission shall advertise a draft map of congressional districts and a draft map of legislative districts to the public for comment, which comment shall be taken for at least thirty days. Either or both bodies of the legislature may act within this period to make recommendations to the independent redistricting commission by memorial or by minority report, which recommendations shall be considered by the independent redistricting commission. The independent redistricting commission shall then establish final district boundaries.
(17) The provisions regarding this section are self-executing. The independent redistricting commission shall certify to the secretary of state the establishment of congressional and legislative districts.
(18) Upon approval of this amendment, the department of administration or its successor shall make adequate office space available for the independent redistricting commission. The treasurer of the state shall make $6,000,000 available for the work of the independent redistricting commission pursuant to the year 2000 census. Unused monies shall be returned to the state's general fund. In years ending in eight or nine after the year 2001, the department of administration or its successor shall submit to the legislature a recommendation for an appropriation for adequate redistricting expenses and shall make available adequate office space for the operation of the independent redistricting commission. The legislature shall make the necessary appropriations by a majority vote.
(19) The independent redistricting commission, with fiscal oversight from the department of administration or its successor, shall have procurement and contracting authority and may hire staff and consultants for the purposes of this section, including legal representation.
(20) The independent redistricting commission shall have standing in legal actions regarding the redistricting plan and the adequacy of resources provided for the operation of the independent redistricting commission. The independent redistricting commission shall have sole authority to determine whether the Arizona attorney general or counsel hired or selected by the independent redistricting commission shall represent the people of Arizona in the legal defense of a redistricting plan.To Reps. Barton and Proud, and Sen. Antenori and the rest of the Republican legislators who have been attacking the AIRC:
I realize that Arizona prides itself on having "citizen legislators" and you and your colleagues certainly qualify as that.
However, that doesn't serve as an excuse for being "ignorant legislators."
There is more to being elected officials than pronouncing that anything you aren't pleased with as "illegal" or "unconstitutional."
The voters spoke clearly and spoke loudly in 2000 when they created the independent redistricting process.
They want a political process that is less about elected officials serving themselves and more about elected officials serving the public.
You may not agree with the will of the voters, but you freely chose to work for the voters and their will is the law of the land, and more specifically, that will and that law covers the way you and your colleagues obtain, perform, and retain your jobs.
And if you think that the independent redistricting process takes away too much of your fun, just wait until we take on ethics and corruption provisions.
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