Month: September 2012

The latest Carmona ad

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by David Safier

I really don't envy Jeff Flake. He's going head to head with one of the most difficult candidates to run against in the country. How can anyone top Carmona's story? And Flake, with all kinds of congressional votes to pick through and no private sector experience outside of his stint as a lobbyist, is easy pickings for the Carmona campaign. Carmona's latest ad, which you can see below the fold, is a perfect example of what Flake's up against.

And what does Flake have against Carmona? He has the claim that Bush's Surgeon General and one of the most independent-minded people you'll find anywhere is going to be carrying water for Obama. I just clicked through an anti-Carmona ad link on Talking Points Menu. The web page was created by Freedom Works. Not only does it look amateurish and have weak copy, but when you click on the video titled "Richard Carmona: Handpicked by Obama," it comes up with a black screen saying "The video has been removed by the user." Flakey, flakey, flakey.

Watch Carmona's new ad below the fold.

Arizona will never enact genuine tax reform so long as Prop. 108 (1992) remains law

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Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I have posted about Prop. 108 (1992), Arizona's "mini-Prop. 13" initiative, many times over the years. Prop. 108 amended the Arizona constitution to require a two-thirds vote by each chamber of the State Legislature when passing any legislation to increase state revenues through a change in tax allocation, such as an increase in taxation levels, or a reduction in tax credits and tax exemptions. Voters passed this proposition by a margin of 3-1 in 1992, the single most irresponsible and ignorant thing the voters of this state have ever done to themselves.

Since the passage of Prop. 108 in 1992, the Arizona legislature has not enacted a tax increase. The only tax increases enacted since 1992 have been the result of citizens initiatives to increase taxes on ourselves — over the objections of our state legislature — for education and health care initiatives.

The Arizona legislature has, however, enacted a series of income tax rate cuts, property tax rate cuts, and adopted a myriad of tax exemptions and tax credits since 1992 that have had the effect of reducing state revenues. When the state's population was growing rapidly and the economy was growing along with it, the Arizona legislature could use the resulting increase in tax revenue as an excuse for giving away annual tax cuts as a gimmick for their reelection.

[Note: The increased tax revenue was due to rapid population growth. It was not a validation of supply-siders' "tax cuts lead to greater tax revenue and pay for themselves." Rapid population growth masked the long-term effects of these tax cuts.]

The problem with Prop. 108 is that these tax cuts, tax exemptions and tax credits became "permanent," because the two-thirds super-majority rule empowers a minority of Grover Norquist worshipping anti-tax zealots who can engage in an undemocratic tyranny of the minority to block any reforms to tax laws (much the way the U.S. Senate abuses the cloture rule to filibuster bills).

Republicans for Carmona

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Postedby AzBlueMeanie: Press release form the Dr. Richard Carmona for U.S. Senate campaign: Carmona campaign announces Republicans for CarmonaCampaign launches dedicated microsite RepublicansforCarmona.com  Today Carmona for Arizona unveiled Republicans for Carmona, a group of Republicans tired of the direction Arizona is heading in and want an independent U.S. Senator who will work with both parties … Read more

Register to Fucking Vote!

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Got your attention? Good. If you haven't done it, fucking do it. If you love someone who hasn't done it, make them fucking do it. Just fucking do it!

Barry Goldwater’s granddaughter endorses Nancy Young Wright

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by David Safier CC Goldwater, Sen. Barry Goldwater's granddaughter who produced an HBO documentary, "Mr. Conservative: Goldwater on Goldwater," has endorsed Nancy Young Wright for Pima County Supervisor, District 1. Tucson, AZ:  CC Goldwater, granddaughter of five-term United States Senator Barry Goldwater, has endorsed Nancy Young Wright for Pima County Supervisor in District One. Barry … Read more