Sunday's Arizona Republic(-an Party press release outlet) contains an op-ed published under the Governor's name wherein she assesses the reasons for the inability of the state's elected leaders to balance Arizona's budgets.
She looks at previously enacted cuts to...
...the state's work force...
...K-12 education funding...
...University-level education funding...
...prison spending...
...child care enrollees (I think that she is talking about her drastic cuts to KidsCare here)
...and the fact that she, Russell Pearce, and the rest of the Republicans on West Washington will be looking to further decimate education and social safety net programs in the coming year...
And blames the devastating cuts, past and pending, on [drum roll please]...
...the federal health care reform package that was signed into law earlier this year, describing it with the Republican epithet "ObamaCare".
In the op-ed, she blithely ignored...
...the state's increased population over the last decade, requiring an increased, or at least a status-quo, level of services...
...the state's decreased revenues due to both the cratered economy and generations of ideologically-driven but reality-blind tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest Arizonans...
...years of papering over the state's structural deficits (caused by the blind revenue-cutting) with accounting tricks like pushing back mandated payments (aka - "kicking the can down the road").
This op-ed, probably written by a puppeteer/staffer but published under Brewer's name, clearly signals that she and her R colleagues have no intention of addressing the state's fiscal crisis in a professional and responsible manner, instead choosing to put their efforts into misdirecting attention away from their continued willful ineptitude.
The Arizona GOP: the party that keeps on giving...the finger to the next generation.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) named to House Intelligence Committee: write your own punch line
From Politico -
Things like...
Older Bachmann quotes can be found here and here.
The Last Comic Standing "reality" t.v. show could have a season of shows dedicated to mocking Bachmann and still not exhaust all of the punch-line material that she has provided over the last few years.
And now, she will have access to classified intelligence material.
God help us all...
Rep. Michele Bachmann, one of the most outspoken conservatives in the House, has won an appointment to the secretive House Intelligence Committee.Michele Bachmann, who was noted for her ability to "open mouth, insert foot" long before she hit the D.C. scene, but has elevated her wingnut game since her arrival there.
The move by incoming Speaker John Boehner to put Bachmann on the panel surprised Republican insiders, who see her as a fiery grass-roots leader of the tea party movement but not necessarily a leader on national security among House Republicans.
Things like...
"I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out: Are they pro-America or anti-America?" -Rep. Michelle Bachmann, calling for a new McCarthyism, Oct. 2008
"Carbon dioxide is portrayed as harmful. But there isn't even one study that can be produced that shows that carbon dioxide is a harmful gas." -Rep. Michelle Bachmann, April, 2009
"I don't know where they're going to get all this money because we're running out of rich people in this country." -Rep. Michele Bachmann, accusing the Obama administration of plotting to divert money from Republican to Democratic districts and planning to tax the wealthy to fund the windfalls, Feb. 2009
"I believe that there is a very strong chance that we will see that young people will be put into mandatory service. And the real concerns is that there are provisions for what I would call re-education camps for young people..." Referring to the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, Apr. 2009
Older Bachmann quotes can be found here and here.
The Last Comic Standing "reality" t.v. show could have a season of shows dedicated to mocking Bachmann and still not exhaust all of the punch-line material that she has provided over the last few years.
And now, she will have access to classified intelligence material.
God help us all...
DADT repeal and the DREAM Act: .500 batting average is great in baseball...
...but it sucks in real life...
John McCain and Jon Kyl, Arizona's Senators, joined the Three Amigos (Congresscritters Flake, Franks, and Shadegg) on the "Lump of coal in their Christmas stockings" list today...not that they weren't already charter members of that not-so-distinguished group. :)
First, the good news: the Senate passed cloture on repeal of the military "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy toward gay and lesbian members of the U.S. armed forces. The vote there was 63 in favor, 33 opposed. The move basically sets an end to Senate debate on the measure and allows it to be brought up for a final vote (likely later today). Passing cloture makes it seem likely that the measure will gain full approval because that will only require a simple majority (51 votes) not the 3/5 support (60 votes) that cloture requires.
Now, the bad news: by a vote of 55- 41 (60 votes needed to pass), the Senate failed to invoke cloture on the DREAM Act, effectively killing the measure. If passed, it would have created a path to "legal" immigrant status and possible citizenship for children brought to the U.S. by undocumented immigrants. That path wouldn't have been an easy one, requiring many things, including attending college here or serving in the U.S. armed forces. The nativist Rs, aided and abetted by five Democrats (Nelson of NE, Pryor of AR, Tester and Baucus of MT, and Hagan of NC) held sway today, however, turning their backs on the many hard-working and high-achieving residents of the U.S. who were brought to the United States through no choice of their own.
Three Rs did show some character, voting for decency over demagoguery. Deepest thanks go out to Bennett of UT, Murkowski of AK, and Lugar of IN for their support.
Kyl and McCain showed a remarkable consistency - they were against both measures, voting to undercut members of the military who are honorably serving their country *and* to snub many of their own constituents who have done nothing but help make Arizona's (and America's) society more robust.
In baseball, consistency is good. A batter who hits .290 every season has the same lifetime average as one who hits .240 and .340 in alternate years, yet the consistent player it considered the better player, one desired by almost every team.
In real life however, as written by Emerson in his essay Self Reliance, "consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines."
Emerson may have been writing nearly a century before McCain or Kyl was born, but it's almost as if he was watching them in action when he wrote his essay.
John McCain and Jon Kyl, Arizona's Senators, joined the Three Amigos (Congresscritters Flake, Franks, and Shadegg) on the "Lump of coal in their Christmas stockings" list today...not that they weren't already charter members of that not-so-distinguished group. :)
First, the good news: the Senate passed cloture on repeal of the military "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy toward gay and lesbian members of the U.S. armed forces. The vote there was 63 in favor, 33 opposed. The move basically sets an end to Senate debate on the measure and allows it to be brought up for a final vote (likely later today). Passing cloture makes it seem likely that the measure will gain full approval because that will only require a simple majority (51 votes) not the 3/5 support (60 votes) that cloture requires.
Now, the bad news: by a vote of 55- 41 (60 votes needed to pass), the Senate failed to invoke cloture on the DREAM Act, effectively killing the measure. If passed, it would have created a path to "legal" immigrant status and possible citizenship for children brought to the U.S. by undocumented immigrants. That path wouldn't have been an easy one, requiring many things, including attending college here or serving in the U.S. armed forces. The nativist Rs, aided and abetted by five Democrats (Nelson of NE, Pryor of AR, Tester and Baucus of MT, and Hagan of NC) held sway today, however, turning their backs on the many hard-working and high-achieving residents of the U.S. who were brought to the United States through no choice of their own.
Three Rs did show some character, voting for decency over demagoguery. Deepest thanks go out to Bennett of UT, Murkowski of AK, and Lugar of IN for their support.
Kyl and McCain showed a remarkable consistency - they were against both measures, voting to undercut members of the military who are honorably serving their country *and* to snub many of their own constituents who have done nothing but help make Arizona's (and America's) society more robust.
In baseball, consistency is good. A batter who hits .290 every season has the same lifetime average as one who hits .240 and .340 in alternate years, yet the consistent player it considered the better player, one desired by almost every team.
In real life however, as written by Emerson in his essay Self Reliance, "consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines."
Emerson may have been writing nearly a century before McCain or Kyl was born, but it's almost as if he was watching them in action when he wrote his essay.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Flake, Franks, and Shadegg: Protectors of child marriage, not protectors of children
Lost in the hubbub surrounding the culmination of the 2nd Session of the 111th Congress (DREAM Act, DADT, tax cut "compromise", omnibus spending bill, etc.) is the realization that a certain group in D.C. (hereafter referred to by the Randomly chosen mathematical variable "Rs" :) ) is still doing everything that they can to block even the least controversial legislation.
On Thursday, the party of "No" donned its costume for the D.C. Christmas pageant, going with the "Ebenezer" look. (Call it a "truth in advertising moment").
They spent most of the week voting against nearly *everything.*
In itself, that isn't noteworthy anymore - they've spent the last two years voting against every piece of significant legislation. The measures that they haven't killed outright, they've blocked as much as possible (except for the infamous tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% of Americans).
However, as the calendar has turned toward the Christmas holiday, and toward the end of the 111th Congress, their partisan obstructionism has turned into petty meanness.
This trend was highlighted Thursday, when the House Republicans killed S. 987, the International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act of 2010.
This bill would have made the ending of child marriage in developing countries a goal of U.S. foreign policy.
The bill should have passed easily, and would have, if House leadership had been able to bring it to the floor under normal procedures. However, due to the backlog caused by Republican obstruction of everything and the impending end of the 111th Congress, S. 987 was brought up for consideration under "suspension of the rules," meaning that a 2/3 majority vote was required for passage.
The bill was sponsored in the Senate by Dick Durbin and had a bipartisan list of 42 cosponsors, and was approved by the Senate unanimously. The related House versions of the bill, H.R. 2103 and H.R. 6521 boast more than 120 cosponsors drawn from both sides of the aisle.
With that kind of broad bipartisan support, it should have passed easily (not even Rs have the chutzpah/arrogance to publicly support the practice of forcing young girls to marry men who are two, three, or more times their own age).
Then certain "pro-life" groups started whispering that this bill would cause an increase in abortions, even though abortion, "family planning" or even "reproductive rights" are never even mentioned in it.
The final House vote on the bill was 241 in favor, 166 against. A clear majority, but not the requisite 2/3 needed for passage.
157 Republicans, including Arizona's Three Amigos, Jeff Flake, Trent Franks, and John Shadegg, expressed their support of child marriage by voting against the bill, but only one of the 157, Dan Burton of Indiana was honest enough to stand and speak to his vote. And even he only professed financial reservations about the bill (estimated: $87 million over 10 years, *if* money was appropriated in a later bill).
In an interesting non-development, none of the Three Amigos seems to have put out a press release touting their victorious defense of the institution of child marriage.
Why is that?
On Thursday, the party of "No" donned its costume for the D.C. Christmas pageant, going with the "Ebenezer" look. (Call it a "truth in advertising moment").
They spent most of the week voting against nearly *everything.*
In itself, that isn't noteworthy anymore - they've spent the last two years voting against every piece of significant legislation. The measures that they haven't killed outright, they've blocked as much as possible (except for the infamous tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% of Americans).
However, as the calendar has turned toward the Christmas holiday, and toward the end of the 111th Congress, their partisan obstructionism has turned into petty meanness.
This trend was highlighted Thursday, when the House Republicans killed S. 987, the International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act of 2010.
This bill would have made the ending of child marriage in developing countries a goal of U.S. foreign policy.
The bill should have passed easily, and would have, if House leadership had been able to bring it to the floor under normal procedures. However, due to the backlog caused by Republican obstruction of everything and the impending end of the 111th Congress, S. 987 was brought up for consideration under "suspension of the rules," meaning that a 2/3 majority vote was required for passage.
The bill was sponsored in the Senate by Dick Durbin and had a bipartisan list of 42 cosponsors, and was approved by the Senate unanimously. The related House versions of the bill, H.R. 2103 and H.R. 6521 boast more than 120 cosponsors drawn from both sides of the aisle.
With that kind of broad bipartisan support, it should have passed easily (not even Rs have the chutzpah/arrogance to publicly support the practice of forcing young girls to marry men who are two, three, or more times their own age).
Then certain "pro-life" groups started whispering that this bill would cause an increase in abortions, even though abortion, "family planning" or even "reproductive rights" are never even mentioned in it.
The final House vote on the bill was 241 in favor, 166 against. A clear majority, but not the requisite 2/3 needed for passage.
157 Republicans, including Arizona's Three Amigos, Jeff Flake, Trent Franks, and John Shadegg, expressed their support of child marriage by voting against the bill, but only one of the 157, Dan Burton of Indiana was honest enough to stand and speak to his vote. And even he only professed financial reservations about the bill (estimated: $87 million over 10 years, *if* money was appropriated in a later bill).
In an interesting non-development, none of the Three Amigos seems to have put out a press release touting their victorious defense of the institution of child marriage.
Why is that?
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Message to Jon Kyl: If you want a Christmas break, get some work done now
The Republicans in D.C., led by Arizona's own Jon Kyl, are now trying to derail any efforts to pass significant legislation late in the year by claiming that doing so would somehow disrespect one of the "holiest" of Christian holidays.
From TPMDC -
There are millions of Americans right now who would love to be in a position where they could complain about having to work between Christmas and New Year's. Yet Kyl doesn't think that is disrespectful of Christians, though many of the people affected are Christians.
There are millions more who will be working between Christmas and New Year's, and wishing that they could afford to take the week off. Yet Kyl doesn't think that is disrespectful of Christians, though many of the people affected are Christians.
There are thousands of American servicemen and women who will be away from their families and in harm's way on one of Christianity''s "holiest" days and have no choice about that, yet Kyl doesn't think that disrespects the Christian members of the armed forces.
Senator Kyl, all I have to say is this:
If anybody is "disrespecting" Christmas, it is you with your brazenly cynical attempt to use the holiday as a political tool.
Quit whining and finish the year's work before Christmas, or plan to drag your ass back to D.C. immediately after the holiday.
Note: most of the above was sent to Sen. Kyl as a letter through his website's contact form. There were a few minor modifications (I'm not going to use the word "ass" in a letter to a senator, even one I can't stand :) ).
Later...
From TPMDC -
To Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's suggestion that the Senate come back the week after Christmas isn't just a way to complete a busy lame duck agenda -- but an attack on people of the Christian faith.Let me keep this brief -
"It is impossible to do all of the things that the majority leader laid out," Kyl said today, "frankly, without disrespecting the institution and without disrespecting one of the two holiest of holidays for Christians and the families of all of the Senate, not just the senators themselves but all of the staff."
There are millions of Americans right now who would love to be in a position where they could complain about having to work between Christmas and New Year's. Yet Kyl doesn't think that is disrespectful of Christians, though many of the people affected are Christians.
There are millions more who will be working between Christmas and New Year's, and wishing that they could afford to take the week off. Yet Kyl doesn't think that is disrespectful of Christians, though many of the people affected are Christians.
There are thousands of American servicemen and women who will be away from their families and in harm's way on one of Christianity''s "holiest" days and have no choice about that, yet Kyl doesn't think that disrespects the Christian members of the armed forces.
Senator Kyl, all I have to say is this:
If anybody is "disrespecting" Christmas, it is you with your brazenly cynical attempt to use the holiday as a political tool.
Quit whining and finish the year's work before Christmas, or plan to drag your ass back to D.C. immediately after the holiday.
Note: most of the above was sent to Sen. Kyl as a letter through his website's contact form. There were a few minor modifications (I'm not going to use the word "ass" in a letter to a senator, even one I can't stand :) ).
Later...
If the Arizona legislature has its way, the safest college campus in Arizona won't be in Arizona...
...not legally, anyway.
The ever-reliable (for providing blog subject material, anyway) Jack Harper is getting an early start on his term in the House. The soon-to-be-former state senator is the lead sponsor of the first House bill of the next session of the legislature, HB2001.
If enacted into law, the measure would allow faculty members of the state's community colleges, provisional community colleges, and state universities to carry concealed weapons on campus.
This bill, in one form or another, has been proposed in the last few sessions of the legislature. It's usually opposed by the police departments and staff of the various colleges and campuses.
It's an indicator of how certain (OK, "most") Rs place a premium on ideology over reality.
Nearly everybody who has worked, taught, learned, or just visited on one of Arizona's college campuses doesn't see the need for this bill, yet the ideologues in the legislature continue to push this measure to turn our colleges and universities into armed encampments.
Of course, this being the legislature, when one comes across a measure that seems to be inherently dumb, one should also look for legislator who'd personally benefit from it.
State Rep. John Kavanagh (R-Russell Pearce with a 'Noo Yawk' accent) is the Director of Scottsdale Community College's Administration of Justice Studies program.
This bill, if passed, would seem to benefit him, presuming that as an FOR (Friend of Russell's) he's as much in the pocket of the NRA as his friend and cannot function in society without immediate access to his gun.
Except...
The campus of the community college that employs him is situated entirely within the boundaries of the Salt River Pima/Maricopa Indian Community (SRP/MIC).
While the college is "within the jurisdiction" of a community college district (Maricopa County Community College District), the laws that apply to the persons on it are those of the SRP/MIC.
People are barred from possessing weapons on the campus (and the rest of the Community) under *tribal* law, not state law.
HB2001, if enacted, wouldn't actually go into effect there.
Ooopsie.
I'm not sure if the prospects for this bill are any better this time around than they were in the past, but given the lege's rightward lurch and its utter disregard for the opinions of people who have anything to do with education, anything is possible.
Stay tuned. The coming session of the lege is going to provide fodder for writers all over the state.
Unfortunately.
The ever-reliable (for providing blog subject material, anyway) Jack Harper is getting an early start on his term in the House. The soon-to-be-former state senator is the lead sponsor of the first House bill of the next session of the legislature, HB2001.
If enacted into law, the measure would allow faculty members of the state's community colleges, provisional community colleges, and state universities to carry concealed weapons on campus.
This bill, in one form or another, has been proposed in the last few sessions of the legislature. It's usually opposed by the police departments and staff of the various colleges and campuses.
It's an indicator of how certain (OK, "most") Rs place a premium on ideology over reality.
Nearly everybody who has worked, taught, learned, or just visited on one of Arizona's college campuses doesn't see the need for this bill, yet the ideologues in the legislature continue to push this measure to turn our colleges and universities into armed encampments.
Of course, this being the legislature, when one comes across a measure that seems to be inherently dumb, one should also look for legislator who'd personally benefit from it.
State Rep. John Kavanagh (R-Russell Pearce with a 'Noo Yawk' accent) is the Director of Scottsdale Community College's Administration of Justice Studies program.
This bill, if passed, would seem to benefit him, presuming that as an FOR (Friend of Russell's) he's as much in the pocket of the NRA as his friend and cannot function in society without immediate access to his gun.
Except...
The campus of the community college that employs him is situated entirely within the boundaries of the Salt River Pima/Maricopa Indian Community (SRP/MIC).
While the college is "within the jurisdiction" of a community college district (Maricopa County Community College District), the laws that apply to the persons on it are those of the SRP/MIC.
People are barred from possessing weapons on the campus (and the rest of the Community) under *tribal* law, not state law.
HB2001, if enacted, wouldn't actually go into effect there.
Ooopsie.
I'm not sure if the prospects for this bill are any better this time around than they were in the past, but given the lege's rightward lurch and its utter disregard for the opinions of people who have anything to do with education, anything is possible.
Stay tuned. The coming session of the lege is going to provide fodder for writers all over the state.
Unfortunately.
Christmas gift to Arizona's needy from Jan Brewer: the cold shoulder
To be fair, calling it a "Christmas gift" may be a misstatement - she's doing this to Arizona's poor since she took office...
The Arizona Republic's Political Insider blog has a post up laying out Governor Jan Brewer's use of discretionary federal stimulus money. There's an interesting pattern.
From the post (the stuff in parentheses is the Rep's explanation of the purposes of the funding ) -
Something that definitely fits in with her demand of critics of her cutting funding for transplants for AHCCCS patients, saying that people who are so concerned over poor people dying for a lack of funds "should ask the federal government in Washington to send us more money."
Apparently, she thoroughly believes that taking care of the people of Arizona falls outside of the responsibilities/obligations of the governor of Arizona.
She's all in favor of funnelling public money into the pockets of those who can afford to hire professional lobbyists (like those who are her advisers).
But the people who she was elected/hired to advocate for? They exist only to provide the money that she is funnelling through those lobbyists.
The Arizona Republic's Political Insider blog has a post up laying out Governor Jan Brewer's use of discretionary federal stimulus money. There's an interesting pattern.
From the post (the stuff in parentheses is the Rep's explanation of the purposes of the funding ) -
STATE FISCAL STABILIZATION FUND--USES OF THE GOVERNMENT SERVICES FUNDInteresting. She allocated $55,014,097 for healthcare and children's programs, but the vast majority of that ($54,897,824, or 99.7%) was to backfill budget cuts to social safety net programs that she had enacted in the first place.
EXPENDITURE CATEGORIES
Education Reform
Teach for America $2,000,000
Education Information Systems $3,000,000 (computers, to meet requirements of federal program.)
Education Innovation Project $1,636,374 (Race to the Top funding.)
Health Care and Children’s Programs
DHS Community Health $11,600,000 (Restores a budget cut to community-health centers.)
DHS ASH $116,273 (Arizona State Hospital. Money used to repair the security system.)
DES Autism $2,297,824 (Restores a budget cut to this research program.)
DES DD $15,000,000 (Restores a budget cut to developmentally disabled services.)
DES Children’s Services $18,000,000 (Restores a budget cut to this item.)
DES Adoption Services $2,500,000 (Restores a budget cut to this item.)
DES CPS $5,500,000 (Restores a budget cut to Child Protective Services.)
Public Safety
Corrections $50,000,000 (Restores a budget cut to the prisons budget.)
Border Security Enhancement $10,000,000 (grant money to border cities and counties.)
Public Safety Stabilization $10,000,000 (Grants to 140 local governments for public safety.)
Supplemental P.S. Projects $6,545,494 (money to Corrections, Dept. of Public Safety.)
ADOA Public Safety Project $1,700,000 (Coliseum roof repair.)
Innovation, Technology and Economic Development
Commerce Economic Dev. $15,000,000 (Various grants, including $2 million for algae research.)
Commerce Job Training $12,000,000 (Restored funding that had been cut.)
Commerce Jobs Agenda $12,000,000 (Money for a deal-closing fund for business.)
AZ Technology Enhancement (ADOA) $182,079 (Money to help Dept. of Administration track stimulus dollars and other federal funds.)
Arizona County Projects
$4,007,797 (To restore budget cuts to small, rural counties.)
Office of Economic Recovery
$2 million (To administer the stimulus program from the Governor's Office.)
Total: $185,085,841
Something that definitely fits in with her demand of critics of her cutting funding for transplants for AHCCCS patients, saying that people who are so concerned over poor people dying for a lack of funds "should ask the federal government in Washington to send us more money."
Apparently, she thoroughly believes that taking care of the people of Arizona falls outside of the responsibilities/obligations of the governor of Arizona.
She's all in favor of funnelling public money into the pockets of those who can afford to hire professional lobbyists (like those who are her advisers).
But the people who she was elected/hired to advocate for? They exist only to provide the money that she is funnelling through those lobbyists.
Congressman Harry Mitchell's farewell to Congress
From page H8247 of the Congressional Record -
I'd say something along the lines of "you will be missed" but I don't believe your lifetime of service is over. You aren't ready to ride off into the Arizona sunset and we aren't ready to let you.
Thank you.
Mr. MITCHELL. Mr. Speaker, Mo Udall once said that those elected to positions of leadership have a moral obligation to exercise leadership. Since coming to Congress, and throughout my whole career, I have always done what I believed was in the best interests for this district, for our State, and for our country. This is what I was elected to do, to make tough decisions, knowing that some were not always as popular as others; and I would not have changed one thing, not one vote, not one decision.Thank you Harry, for your work for the people of CD5 and for America's veterans. And thank you for reminding us why we voted for you in the first place and why you were the best representative that any Congressional district could ask for.
When I think about what we have accomplished together in Congress over the last 4 years, I know that there are many reasons to be proud. We were able to make college more affordable for millions of young Americans. We were able to invest in clean energy technology that will clean our environment and set our Nation on a path to energy independence.
We raised the minimum wage for working families across this country. We were able to ensure equal pay for an equal day's work for women. We passed historic health care reform that will benefit millions of Americans, making health care insurance more accessible and affordable for thousands of individuals, families, and small businesses.
But I am most proud of the work we've done to take care of our Nation's veterans. Together, we made it possible for our veterans, active duty, National Guard, and reserve to empower themselves by furthering their education. I was honored to be part of an effort to pass the 21st century GI Bill into law.
We also know that many of our returning veterans and those who served in past generations bear wounds that can't be seen. Too many continue to struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder and are at risk for suicide. Together, we've pushed the VA to provide more mental health assistance to those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan because our veterans deserve the highest attention and respect they have earned when they come home, and we have work to do to bring them all home.
But as much as we've accomplished, there is still more to do. I have always said that you can't be successful unless a lot of other people want you to be. And I have been blessed to have so many people who have been supportive of me. For the better part of close to 40 years, I've held the titles of teacher, councilman, mayor, senator, and Congressman.
And there are a lot of people I want to thank for being with me every step of the way. A special thanks goes to my family: My wife, Marianne; my son, Mark; my daughter, Amy; and my five grandchildren. I also want to thank my staff. They were the most hardworking, talented, and loyal bunch that you would ever find, and I am very grateful for them. Lastly, I want to thank the people of Arizona's Fifth Congressional District for allowing me to represent them in the United States Congress for the past 4 years. It's been an overwhelming honor to have had the opportunity to serve my district.
I'd say something along the lines of "you will be missed" but I don't believe your lifetime of service is over. You aren't ready to ride off into the Arizona sunset and we aren't ready to let you.
Thank you.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Redistricting update: Lots of eyes on Arizona
The meeting of the Arizona Commission on Appellate Court Appointments on December 29 should be an interesting one. Get there early, because it may be standing room only.
Over the last few days, there have been many hits on the posts here concerning the the applicant pool for the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission and the ginned-up controversy from the Kirk Adams, Russell Pearce and the rest of the Arizona-based part of the right-wing echo chamber.
Note: those earlier posts are here, here, here, here, here, and here.
Perhaps feeling left out of the coverage, they started stamping their feet and screaming, looking for some attention.
Well, they may be getting it.
Some of the folks looking in on the uproar found this blog via the following ISPs -
State Of Arizona Supreme Court
American Enterprise Institute
Solano County (CA)
Phoenix Newspapers
Gannett Supply Corporation - Kpnx-tv
Arizona State Government (multiple times)
Us Dept Of Justice (multiple times)
Maricopa County
Admin Ofc Us Courts
Dnc Services Corporation
Some of those, I don't really understand (Solano County and the American Enterprise Institute), some aren't surprising (the DNC [duh, it's redistricting], Arizona State Government, which usually means somebody checking in from the legislature, State of Arizona Supreme Court [since most of the posts mention Chief Justice Berch, their interest is expected]), some that should be surprising but aren't (Phoenix Newspapers and Gannett Supply Corporation, which are ISPs for the AZ Republic and Channel 12, both of which are owned by Gannett, publsher of USA Today. Those folks should have been on the entire process from the beginning but weren't. They have catching up to do).
But the USDOJ and the federal court system?
Somebody's expecting the brown stinky stuff to hit the fan and may be getting prepped for the inevitable.
Those who plan to attend the meeting on the 29th should plan to show up early, for a few reasons:
1. Chief Justice Berch starts her meetings on time. If the agenda says "9 a.m.," she starts the meeting at 9 a.m.
2. Just a guess here, but there are going to be a number of audience members with credentials from the alphabet soup of agencies - FBI, DOJ, etc. Seats could be at a premium.
3. There almost certainly will be more media at the meeting on the 29th than were at the earlier meetings. At the first couple of meetings, the media contingent usually consisted of someone from the Arizona Capitol Times and a couple of bloggers (Steve from Eagle-tarian and yours truly).
Later...
Over the last few days, there have been many hits on the posts here concerning the the applicant pool for the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission and the ginned-up controversy from the Kirk Adams, Russell Pearce and the rest of the Arizona-based part of the right-wing echo chamber.
Note: those earlier posts are here, here, here, here, here, and here.
Perhaps feeling left out of the coverage, they started stamping their feet and screaming, looking for some attention.
Well, they may be getting it.
Some of the folks looking in on the uproar found this blog via the following ISPs -
State Of Arizona Supreme Court
American Enterprise Institute
Solano County (CA)
Phoenix Newspapers
Gannett Supply Corporation - Kpnx-tv
Arizona State Government (multiple times)
Us Dept Of Justice (multiple times)
Maricopa County
Admin Ofc Us Courts
Dnc Services Corporation
Some of those, I don't really understand (Solano County and the American Enterprise Institute), some aren't surprising (the DNC [duh, it's redistricting], Arizona State Government, which usually means somebody checking in from the legislature, State of Arizona Supreme Court [since most of the posts mention Chief Justice Berch, their interest is expected]), some that should be surprising but aren't (Phoenix Newspapers and Gannett Supply Corporation, which are ISPs for the AZ Republic and Channel 12, both of which are owned by Gannett, publsher of USA Today. Those folks should have been on the entire process from the beginning but weren't. They have catching up to do).
But the USDOJ and the federal court system?
Somebody's expecting the brown stinky stuff to hit the fan and may be getting prepped for the inevitable.
Those who plan to attend the meeting on the 29th should plan to show up early, for a few reasons:
1. Chief Justice Berch starts her meetings on time. If the agenda says "9 a.m.," she starts the meeting at 9 a.m.
2. Just a guess here, but there are going to be a number of audience members with credentials from the alphabet soup of agencies - FBI, DOJ, etc. Seats could be at a premium.
3. There almost certainly will be more media at the meeting on the 29th than were at the earlier meetings. At the first couple of meetings, the media contingent usually consisted of someone from the Arizona Capitol Times and a couple of bloggers (Steve from Eagle-tarian and yours truly).
Later...
Redistricting update: New meeting scheduled
I promised an update when more info was available. Here's some...
From Steve Muratore at the newest blog on the Arizona political scene, Eagle-tarian (quoting a letter from Chief Justice Rebecca White Berch to Kirk Adams and Russell Pearce:
Steve has been at the interview and screening meetings, too, and he has some great insights into the Pearce/Adams demagoguery over this matter. His blog is new but definitely worthy of a read, and is listed on the blogroll at the right of this page.
Later...
From Steve Muratore at the newest blog on the Arizona political scene, Eagle-tarian (quoting a letter from Chief Justice Rebecca White Berch to Kirk Adams and Russell Pearce:
I have directed staff to schedule a Commission meeting as soon as possible to address the contents of your letter.Later in his post, Steve reports:
As is the case with all Commission meetings, this will be a public meeting. I encourage all those interested in the process to attend and consider providing comment for the benefit of the Commission, as it considers the issues you have raised.
Annette Corallo, program specialist at the AZ Supreme Court told me the meeting has been scheduled for December 29 at 9 am at the state court building, 1500 W. Washington, Phoenix.Mark your calendars folks.
Steve has been at the interview and screening meetings, too, and he has some great insights into the Pearce/Adams demagoguery over this matter. His blog is new but definitely worthy of a read, and is listed on the blogroll at the right of this page.
Later...
Redistricting update: They're already going to the mattresses
"Going to the mattresses" is a quote from the movie "The Godfather", meaning that a Mob organization was preparing for a war with a rival organization by looking for apartments for their soldiers to conduct operations from. They would buy a number of mattresses for their people to sleep on while there, hence the phrase.
In the political context, it means "bring in the lawyers." Where "process" doesn't generate desired outcomes, litigation is the alternative.
We're seeing that phenomenon happen with Arizona's redistricting process.
That's not entirely unexpected as redistricting *anywhere* usually brings lawsuits.
Usually however, they wait until maps are drawn before litigating or threatening to litigate.
Here in Arizona though, we are fortunate to have political prodigies like Russell Pearce and Kirk Adams.
They're not waiting for new legislative and Congressional district maps to be drawn.
They're not even waiting for the panel that will draw the maps to be formed.
From Mary Reinhart at the Arizona Guardian (subscription required) -
To be fair, the Democratic leadership is responding with its own "going to the mattresses" pledge.
From an Arizona Republic piece by Mary Jo Pitzl -
Updates as more info becomes available.
BTW - this may be the first time in history where a written piece has both the word "kerfluffle" and the phrase "going to the mattresses" in it. They generally aren't known for their juxtaposition. :)
In the political context, it means "bring in the lawyers." Where "process" doesn't generate desired outcomes, litigation is the alternative.
We're seeing that phenomenon happen with Arizona's redistricting process.
That's not entirely unexpected as redistricting *anywhere* usually brings lawsuits.
Usually however, they wait until maps are drawn before litigating or threatening to litigate.
Here in Arizona though, we are fortunate to have political prodigies like Russell Pearce and Kirk Adams.
They're not waiting for new legislative and Congressional district maps to be drawn.
They're not even waiting for the panel that will draw the maps to be formed.
From Mary Reinhart at the Arizona Guardian (subscription required) -
GOP threatens lawsuit over redistricting panelA lawsuit, also known as the "Goldwater Institute attorney full employment initiative."
GOP legislative leaders Tuesday called on a state commission to reconsider its nominations to a new redistricting panel or face a lawsuit.
To be fair, the Democratic leadership is responding with its own "going to the mattresses" pledge.
From an Arizona Republic piece by Mary Jo Pitzl -
Democrats, meanwhile, said their Republican counterparts were wrong to meddle with the process.I've got call calls out to the Arizona Attorney General's Office (regarding a question about who would handle a lawsuit from Adams and Pearce - lawyers working for the AG's office, the legislature, the Party (s), or someone else) and to the Appellate Court Appointments Commission (regarding a question about any future meetings to address this current GOP-generated kerfluffle).
"The whole intent of this process was to keep lawmakers out of it," said Rep. Chad Campbell, D-Phoenix.
If the nominating commission reconfigures its list of 25 candidates, Campbell predicted a lawsuit.
"Once that list has been released and certified, I don't think you can go back and do it over again," he said.
Updates as more info becomes available.
BTW - this may be the first time in history where a written piece has both the word "kerfluffle" and the phrase "going to the mattresses" in it. They generally aren't known for their juxtaposition. :)
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Redistricting update: GOPTaliban claims a victim
From the Arizona Daily Star -
No word as yet on whether the Center for ArizonaTheocracy Policy is cutting a notch on Kirk Adams' leash...
A member of a state nominating panel is resigning amid controversy over his remarks during voting last week on an applicant for appointment to the state redistricting commission.That didn't take long.
Tempe attorney Louis Araneta had voiced concern about blurring the separation of church and state while discussing Tucson businessman Christopher Gleason's application, which included references to Gleason's involvement with a Christian community service organization.
No word as yet on whether the Center for Arizona
AZGOPer using the legislature to advertise for one of his contributors
From a press release from the Arizona Senate Republican caucus -
This may be a pretty good indication of how Crandall is going operate the Senate Education Committee -
Safran publishes curricula materials for the homeschool market (and the software pimped in the press release, EGUMPP, is targeted for that market), and on 8/4/2010, he gave a max contribution ($410) to Crandall's Senate campaign committee (page 11 of the linked .pdf).
Heretofore, Crandall had been known as someone who wasn't a full-blown winger. He would *occasionally* do something that could be interpreted as being in the best interests of his constituents and the state. It didn't happen often, but it happened enough that the far right GOPers hate him. Of course, if it happened even once, they'd have gone after him.
Now however, it looks like he is trying to out-Huppenthal former Senate Education chair and soon-to-be Superintendent of Public Instruction John Huppenthal.
Little old ladies standing near signs that are critical of him better be on alert...
New Bowl Comes to Arizona
(STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX) – Arizona has hosted Super Bowls and National Championships. It hosts the Fiesta Bowl every year, and now a new bowl is coming to the state: the EGUMPP Grammar Bowl. Instead of football, this bowl focuses on grammar concepts and terminology.
The Grammar Bowl is open to all 9th grade students in Arizona.
Incoming Senate Education Chair Rich Crandall is a key force behind this Inaugural Grammar Bowl.
{snip}
The Grammar Bowl is sponsored by Grand Canyon University and EGUMPP (Electronic Grammar Usage Mechanics Proficiency Program), a web-based solution for learning grammar, usage, punctuation, and writing mechanics. EGUMPP was developed by Bob Safran, a publisher and business school owner who realized his incoming students had poor grammar skills.
This may be a pretty good indication of how Crandall is going operate the Senate Education Committee -
Safran publishes curricula materials for the homeschool market (and the software pimped in the press release, EGUMPP, is targeted for that market), and on 8/4/2010, he gave a max contribution ($410) to Crandall's Senate campaign committee (page 11 of the linked .pdf).
Heretofore, Crandall had been known as someone who wasn't a full-blown winger. He would *occasionally* do something that could be interpreted as being in the best interests of his constituents and the state. It didn't happen often, but it happened enough that the far right GOPers hate him. Of course, if it happened even once, they'd have gone after him.
Now however, it looks like he is trying to out-Huppenthal former Senate Education chair and soon-to-be Superintendent of Public Instruction John Huppenthal.
Little old ladies standing near signs that are critical of him better be on alert...
Kyrsten Sinema looking for ways to reinstate funding for lifesaving transplants
From KSAZ (Fox 10 in Phoenix) -
For this story, the phrase, "cutting the fat" slices both ways.Safe to say, Sinema won't be running for Congress in a district that covers any part of Scottsdale, the elective surgery capital of Arizona, any time soon.
Start with State Representative Kyrsten Sinema, who says liposuction is among billions of dollars in yearly tax exemptions in Arizona.
{snip}
Sinema argues taxing lipo could raise a couple million dollars a year, enough to pay for transplants.
"But I think liposuction is probably not one of those. If we had to close a loophole in order to pay for people like Mr. Felix to get his liver transplant, I think it's a fair thing to do," she said.
32-year-old Francisco Felix lost a chance at a liver transplant due to cuts in AHCCCS, Arizona's Medicaid agency .
Best way to rig a game: buy off the referee
From TPM Livewire:
Henry E. Hudson, the federal judge in Virginia who just ruled health care reform unconstitutional, owns between $15,000 and $50,000 in a GOP political consulting firm that worked against health care reform. You don't say!So...which class in Hudson's law school alma mater (American University) teaches the maxim "If At First You Don't Succeed, Cheat"?
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