Posted by Carolyn Sugiyama Classen From Community Foundation of Southern Arizona: “Tucson’s poverty rates remained among the nation’s highest last year, with one in five living below the poverty threshold. Although Pima County’s poverty rate held steady in 2012 at 20 percent, the poverty rate among children was 29 percent. Many elderly, veterans, and single … Read more
Posted by azBlueMeanie:
Arizona Attorney General Tom "banned for life by the SEC" Horne and Secretary of State Ken "Birther" Bennett are in U.S. District Court in Kansas, Kris W. Kobach et al. v. United States Election Assistance Commission (13-4095-EFM-DJW) suing the federal Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and threatening to impose a two-tier system for voting in Arizona and Kansas based upon whether you registered to vote with the Arizona voter registration form or the federal motor-voter form (NVRA).
Dion Lefler of the Wichita Eagle reports on the latest breaking news in this case, Judge questions feds’ role in Kansas, Arizona voting laws:
A judge strongly questioned Tuesday whether a federal commission has the authority to prevent Kansas and Arizona from demanding proof-of-citizenship documents from people trying to register to vote using federal forms.
Judge Eric Melgren repeatedly pressed Department of Justice lawyer Bradley Heard to explain how a Supreme Court decision last year on Arizona's proof-of-citizenship law allows the federal Election Assistance Commission to reject requests from Arizona and Kansas to add state-law requirements to the instructions for filling out the voting form.
"The single pivotal question in this case is who gets to decide … what's necessary" to establish citizenship for voting, Melgren said.
Heard said that decision lies with the EAC under the federal National Voter Registration Act, also known as the motor-voter law. He said the law empowers the commission to decide what questions and proofs are necessary to include in the federal registration form.
While the law doesn't explicitly state the EAC can overrule states on proof of citizenship, Heard said the legislative history shows that requiring document proof was considered and rejected by Congress.
"I've read the legislative history, and I'm not very impressed by it," Melgren responded.
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
I warned you that it was going to be a manic Monday for the GOP batshit crazy base in the Arizona legislature — the "meth lab of democracy" as Jon Stewart of The Daily Show calls it.
The Senate Rules Committee approved by a party-line vote:
SR 1003 (.pdf) is a resolution which "Pronounces the Senate’s support for the nullification of all rules implemented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency." Because these teabaggers want Arizona to be the new West Virginia! "Nullification" is unconstitutional no matter how many times teabaggers tell themselves it is not.
SCR 1006 (.pdf) calls for shifting management of Mexican gray wolves, a protected endangered species, from federal to state control and focusing reintroduction efforts on the other side of the border in Mexico. Because teabaggers believe they can dictate to the federal governments of two nations.
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
More than 140,000 Arizona citizens signed petitions for a "citizens veto" of the GOP Voter Suppression Act, HB 2305, exercising their constitutional right under the Arizona Constitution to refer the legislature's anti-democratic measure to the voters in a referendum.
Tea-Publicans, fearing retaliation from the voters in November, are moving to deny Arizona citizens their constitutional right to vote on this citizens-referred referendum — making it a two-fer for voter suppression, and demonstrating their utter disdain for your constitutional rights.
Rep. "Fast Eddie" Farnsworth's (R-Gilbert) bill to repeal the GOP Voter Suppression Act, HB 2305 subject to a citizens referendum ("citizens veto"), HB 2196 (.pdf), cleared the House Rules Committee on Monday on a party-line 5-2 vote.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted for SB 1270 (.pdf), the Senate version of Rep. "Fast Eddie" Farnsworth's (R-Gilbert) bill to repeal the GOP Voter Suppression Act, on a party-line 6-3 vote. It now goes to the Rules Committee.
Remember in November — kick 'em all out!
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday advanced SB 1294 (.pdf), the gun worshipers' wet dream, sponsored by the Neo-Confederate "interposition, nullification and secession" caucus (Ward, Burgess, Crandell, D. Farnsworth, Borelli, Gowan, Mitchell, Seel, Thorpe, Barton, Kwasman. Livingston, and Petersen).
This gun worshiper's wet dream "Declares federal law that violates the Second Amendment invalid and void in Arizona and prohibits state and local enforcement of federal firearm laws within the state."Howard Fischer reports, Senate panel moves forward on broad gun legislation:
State lawmakers sent a warning Monday to local officials: Do anything to help the federal government enforce its guns laws and find yourself out on the street.
The legislation approved on a 6-3 vote by the Senate Judiciary Committee declares that all federal acts, laws, orders, rules and regulations that violate the “true meaning and intent of the Second Amendment are invalid and void in this state.” SB 1294 also forbids the use of state personnel or resources to enforce those rules.