Month: September 2012

GOP embraces Todd ‘legitimate rape’ Akin: ‘We are all Todd Akin now’

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Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Let's take a trip in the hot tub time machine back to, oh I don't know, just a few weeks ago when Christian Reconstructionist/Dominionist Rep. Todd Akin scored an upset win in the GOP primary for the U.S. senate in Missouri. Akin gave an interview in which he said these now infamous words:

"First of all, from what I understand from doctors [pregnancy from rape] is really rare. If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."

You may think this is crazy talk (it is) but this is an article of faith among the Pro Life Forced Birth movement.

Mr. Akin's comments started a firestorm of criticism for which nearly every Republican politician and organization immediately sought to distance themselves from his ignorant comments and to try and force him out of the race so that they could appoint someone in his stead. Karl Rove even joked about murdering him. Karl Rove Jokes About Murdering 'Legitimate Rape' Lawmaker Todd Akin ("If he's found mysteriously murdered, don't look for my whereabouts!").

Mr. Akin was not abandoned by his own Missouri Republican Party and other Christian Reconstructionists/Dominionists, most notably FAUX News host Mike Huckabee. Wednesday was the last day to replace Mr. Akin on the ballot, and surprise, he's officially on the ballot. Republicans are stuck with him as their candidate.

All of those Republican politicians and organizations who did not want to touch Todd "legitimate rape" Akin with a ten foot pole just a few weeks ago have had a sudden case of amnesia. Akin is now being embraced again, some Republicans sounding as if there had never been any doubt about him. Republicans Support Todd Akin Again Despite 'Legitimate Rape' Comment in Missouri Senate Race – ABC News:

The biggest flip-flop of the 2012 election season may not come from a candidate, but from Republicans who once bashed Todd Akin.

After calling on Akin to withdraw from his Senate race against Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill in Missouri, in the wake of his now-infamous "legitimate rape" comment, the National Republican Senatorial Committee now supports his candidacy and has reopened the door to spending on his behalf.

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The Missouri Republican Party issued a statement of support. "Just like all of our GOP candidates elected in the August primary, the Missouri Republican Party stands behind Congressman Todd Akin in his race for United State Senate," state party chairman David Cole said.

Turn Congress Street into a pedestrian space!

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by David Safier It's such a great idea, it's almost a no-brainer. Keep a stretch of Congress Stret closed to traffic that's already closed to traffic due to streetcar construction. Don't open it when the tracks are laid. Instead, gussy it up a bit and turn it into a pedestrian space. Congratulations to Mayor Jonathan … Read more

Observations and recommendations from last night’s TUSD candidate forum

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by David Safier

Wednesday night I moderated a forum with seven of the twelve candidates for the TUSD board — in alphabetical order, Don Cotton, Miguel Cuevas, Ralph Ellinwood, Kristel Foster, Cam Juarez, “Betts” Putnam-Hidalgo and Mark Stegeman. I did my best to ask substantive questions without any "gotchas" attached and to give every candidate equal time and opportunity. Now that it's over, I'm putting back on my blogger's cap and stating my opinions about the candidates. The five who weren't present aren't people I would consider supporting, so these seven candidates are the ones I needed to see and hear to decide who I think should fill the three slots up for grabs.

In my opinion, two candidates definitely deserve your vote: Cam Juarez and Kristel Foster.

  • Cam Juarez: Cam is a unique individual in the best sense of the term. He combines a Hispanic upbringing in the Yuma farming community, a physical disability, an education which led to a recent Masters Degree in Urban Planning, a Pima County job where he works with the Supervisors and makes financial decisons, a sharp intellect, strong analytical skills and an emotional understanding of what makes people tick. If he were only as good as the other candidates, I think I would support him just because of his ability to be a role model for TUSD students due to his story and his accomplishments. But for my money, he's simply the best candidate running. [Note: Cam is a strong supporter of the Mexican American Studies program, but his opinions are nuanced enough that some of MAS's most ardent supporters are often upset with him. He's staked out a position on the issue that's uniquely his own.]
  • Kristel Foster: Kristel is a public school teacher, which is worth a whole lot in my book. Everything I write about education is filtered through my 30 years of classroom experience, which give me a much needed reality check. Kristel will bring that kind of rubber-meets-the-road perspective to the Board that none of the other members share. She will add a much needed dimension to the Board's discussions and decisions. It's also important that I agree with her basic stands on educational issues, which means I trust her to make good decisions based on the situations and the facts at hand.

Among the five remaining, I would like to see the two incumbents, Miguel Cuevas and Mark Stegeman, voted off the Board, and I don't think Don Cotton has the intellectual or personal qualifications to become a good Board member.