Authoritarian Tea-Publicans reject the constitutional right of Arizona citizens to enact a minimum wage law

Authoritarian Tea-Publicans in the Arizona legislature reject the constitutional right of Arizona citizens to make their own laws by citizens initiative. Like Louis XIV of France, they believe “I am the state,” and that you are the unwashed rabble who are mere subjects who should bow down before them.

They are also the tools of corporate plutocrats, i.e., the Arizona chambers of commerce organizations, and in particular, the Arizona Restaurant Association, the most vocal opponent of the minimum wage and paid time off leave. The ARA would bring back indentured servitude if not for the Thirteenth Amendment.

In 2016, Arizona voters overwhelmingly approved a Minimum Wage Initiative that also allowed local governments to enact paid time off leave policies. The chamber of commerce organizations and their lickspittle Tea-Publican servants in the Arizona legislature will not stand for this. They want to stomp out this citizens-created law, despite the Voter Protection Act.

Two Tea-Publican members of the Arizona Legislature think voters should reconsider parts of the minimum-wage ballot measure they passed overwhelmingly less than two years ago. Proposals to roll back Arizona’s minimum-wage ballot measure protested at Capitol:

A pair of resolutions are moving through the Legislature that together would make major changes, including: freezing the minimum wage and stopping further scheduled increases to it; eliminating mandatory sick leave; repealing provisions regarding employer retaliation; and prohibiting cities from having a higher minimum wage than is set by the state.

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Democratic Candidates for LD10 House Shine in Drive to Oust Clodfelter

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Left to right, candidates Kirsten Engel, Domingo DeGrazia, Nikki Lee and Catherine Ripley

Democrats have four impressive candidates for the Arizona House in Legislative District 10 in eastern Tucson, united in their effort to oust Republican incumbent, Todd “Confederate” Clodfelter.

  • UofA Law Professor Kirsten H. Engel is running for a second term in the AZ House, after serving on the Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee, and Judiciary and Public Safety committee.
  • Newcomer Domingo DeGrazia, son of famous Tucson artist Ted DeGrazia, is a licensed pilot and a trial attorney in juvenile court. “I have a constant drive to better myself, creativity and tenacity to see a fight through to the end,” he says.
  • Catherine Ripley is a retired 26-year Navy officer and current political science teacher at Pima College (and earlier at Harvard, Boston University, and M.I.T.). In her first run for office, she says, “I’m a former diplomat, Mom, and business executive. I’ve seen famine and war. I’m here to bring my skills and experiences, and have the tools to hand Todd Clodfelter a defeat he’ll never forget.”
  • Running as a Clean Elections Candidate, newcomer Nikki Lee has a young campaign team of Millennials, including herself at age 36. “We have so much excitement on our campaign, doing innovating things, understanding the life of young people.”  She has  launched the “A to Z podcast” for young people.

LD10 has two AZ House members and one Senator, David Bradley, who was on hand and running without opposition. Clodfelter is notorious for his Confederate Flag screen saver, which he claimed wasn’t racist. His signature legislation throws a meager $150 tax credit at teachers to cover school supplies rather than help them in any meaningful way.

If you could pass one bill…

Asked if they could pass only one bill in the Republican-majority House, the candidates said it would be to:

Engel: End the hundreds of corporate sales tax loopholes and use the money to fund public schools.

DeGrazia: Stop gun violence.

Lee: Help veterans recover from PTSD and brain injuries.

Ripley: Enact common-sense gun policy, including a ban on bump stocks.

If you could reverse one law…

Asked what law or bill they would want to stop, the candidates said:

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Political Calendar: Week of March 11, 2018

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Political Calendar for the Week of March 11, 2018:

DCSRA Dinner with John Nichols of The Nation

Sunday, March 11, 6:00 p.m.: Democratic Club of the Santa Rita Area host John Nichols of The Nation, at the Desert Diamond Casino, 1100 W. Pima Mine Road at I-19, Sahuarita. Tickets: Individual $60, Sponsor $100, Patron $200. You may purchase tickets at DCSRA Headquarters between 10:00-2:00 Monday through Friday. If it’s not convenient for you to come to Headquarters, please email Terry Lang at lang_terry@yahoo.com and he will email you a reservation form that you can complete and return to Headquarters in person or US mail. Space is limited. Make your reservation by Monday, March 5th. All proceeds go toward DCSRA and Democratic HQ Green Valley.

AFL-CIO Day of Action at the Arizona Legislature

Monday, March 12, 9:00 a.m.: AFL-CIO Day of Action at the State Capitol. Registration Begins at 9:00 a.m. Join us to tell lawmakers to focus on creating jobs not taking away workers’ rights. RSVP’s are MANDATORY as we will be providing lunch and materials: Phoenix: fyamashita@azaflcio.org or (602) 631-4488; Tucson: pimaalf@yahoo.com (520) 347-3336. Must be received by February 23, 2018. Bus Transportation from Tucson’s PALF office 877 S. Alvernon Way, Suite 100 south parking lot, the bus will also be stopping at the McDonald’s on Contaro Road. RSVP’s are MANDATORY Contact: Phoenix: fyamashita@azaflcio.org or (602) 631-4488; Tucson: pimaalf@yahoo.com (520) 347-3336. Must be received by February 16, 2018.

Monday, March 12, Noon: Democrats of Greater Tucson luncheon, Dragon’s View Restaurant (400 N. Bonita, South of St. Mary’s Road between the Freeway and Grande Avenue, turn South at Furr’s Cafeteria). New price: buffet lunch is $10.00 cash, $12 credit; just a drink is $3.50. Featured speakers are Bill Mundell and Sandra Kennedy, candidates for the Arizona Corporation Commission. Next Week: Kelly Fyer, candidate for goveronor.

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