Note - this post was edited to correct spelling, punctuation, poor grammar, and a couple of forgotten sentences. I really should know better than to post late at night after working all weekend. :))
...Bush makes it official - he cares more about killing Iraqis than he does about protecting Americans.
From Bloomberg.com -
Bush Says Funding Iraq, Afghan Wars Is Congress's Top Priority
Dec. 1 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush said that funding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan should be Congress's top priority when it returns to Washington next week, and he lashed out at Democrats for not acting on his spending request.
From MSNBC.com -
Bush Proposes Dramatic Cuts In Homeland Security Funding
WASHINGTON - The Bush administration intends to slash counter terrorism funding for police, firefighters and rescue departments nation-wide by more than half next year, according to budget documents obtained by The Associated Press. New York would be hard hit by deep cuts, according to lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
The plan would eliminate programs for port security, transit security and local emergency management operations in the next budget year.
Even the right-wing blogosphere takes issue with cuts to HS funding.
Wonder how soon-to-be Senate minority whip Jon Kyl will spin his blind support of Bush's plans?
...In the candidates and rumored candidates department -
Caveat: all rumors are just that and nothing more. In addition, any Republican-related rumors should be read with the understanding that I am *not* a Republican insider, nor do I know any. It's all just stuff that I've heard.
- - - Long-heard talk has that LD8 State Senator Carolyn Allen won't be running for reelection and that current LD8 State Rep. Michelle Reagan will be running for the seat. What is new to me is the rumor that John Kavanagh, also a current rep in LD8, will challenge Reagan in the Republican primary, setting up the equivalent of Allen-Rosati II, with the pro-business Reagan taking on the role of Carolyn Allen and wing-nut Kavanagh stepping in for Colette Rosati.
If true, this would create a dilemma for Democrats in the overwhelmingly Republican LD8 - lend support (if not votes) for the relatively moderate (and more importantly, sane) Reagan in the primary, even though she would be all but invincible in the general election, or risk the possible elevation to the Senate of Kavanagh, who, while nothing but Russell Pearce with a New York accent, is marginally more vulnerable in a general election.
Note: According to a search of the AZ Secretary of State's website, Reagan's active 2008 committee is for state rep, and Allen still has an active state senate campaign committee.
- - - It's not official yet, but apparently Democrat Stephanie Rimmer may be running for LD8 State Rep next year. She ran in 2006 and mounted a credible campaign against Reagan and Kavanagh; if both incumbents are running for state senate in 2008, she'll have a fighting chance against two Republican rookies in the state rep race.
That 2-to-1 Republican registration advantage will be tough to overcome, though. Maybe the Republicans will help her by nominating Rosati for a run at a state rep seat.
Rosati's burned enough bridges in her own party that some LD8 Republicans would vote for Hillary Clinton before they'd vote for Rosati; that dynamic will help Rimmer.
Rimmer is a long-time community activist and small business owner and lives with her family in Scottsdale.
No word yet on any other possible Democratic contenders in LD8.
...In LD18, Republican PC (Mesa 32) Ron Middlebrook is running for state rep; the current reps are erstwhile congressional candidates Russell Pearce ('exploring' in CD6) and Mark Anderson ('exploring' in CD5). No rumor this - his Clean Elections paperwork is already filed.
Don't know anything else about him.
Note - if the 'explorations' don't become full-fledged candidacies and they start looking at other offices, Pearce is termed out in the state House, while Anderson can run for another term there.
...and finally, in the "Let's help Jan Brewer puff up her resume before she runs for governor in 2010" department, Republican State Senator Chuck Gray has introduced an amendment to the state constitution, that if it passed the lege next spring and the voters next fall, would change the Secretary of State's job title to "Lieutenant Governor."
It wouldn't change the job description, just the title.
My question - why bother?
Later!
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