Month: September 2018

Donkey Feed, Sept. 2nd, 2018

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By Michael Bryan

Welcome back to your Feed for the Weekend! Slip off your shoes and strap on the feedbag! It’s time for some Feed…

First, a cool tool: From the New York Times interactive this cool tool shows you the effect of climate change in your lifetime by plotting the increase in the number of days above 90 Fahrenheit per year over your lifespan. Here’s mine:

Now, a bit of video: almost 3000 people died as a result of the Puerto Rican hurricane disaster, but few seem to care, and certainly no one in the Federal government has done much about it to the shame of the Trump Administration.

Next, a bit more video about the propaganda technique of “firehosing” and why it can be effective despite obviously consisting of lies (this reminding you of anyone?):

Next, some graphical grimness: A surprising proportion of worldwide gun deaths happen here in the United States, and a rather surprising portion are suicides.

And some graphical sadness that is nonetheless beautiful: a fantastic drone photo of Senator McCain’s coffin lying in state in the U.S. Capitol building:

Now, just click on Continue Reading and enjoy the rest of the feed…

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Political Calendar: Week of September 2, 2018

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The Political Calendar is posted on Sundays. Please send us notice of your political events prior to the Sunday before your event (7 days would be most helpful). See the calendar icon in the right-hand column of the blog page for easy access to the calendar.

Send notices of your events to blogforarizona@gmail.com.

Note: For Event Notices and Fliers, click on the “Calendar” button in the menu options above.

Progressive_values

Political Calendar for the Week of September 2, 2018:

Monday, September 3 – Sunday, September 9: 72nd Annual Navajo Nation Fair & Rodeo, at Navajo parks and recreation, Hwy. 264, Window Rock. The Navajo Nation Fair has become a world-renowned event that showcases Navajo Agriculture, Fine Arts and Crafts, with the promotion and preservation of the Navajo heritage by providing cultural entertainment. The Navajo Nation Fair is the largest American Indian Fair and Rodeo within the Southwest United States.

PALF Annual Labor Day Picnic

Monday, September 3, 10:00 a.m.: Pima Area Labor Federation’s 22nd Annual Labor Day Picnic at the Reid Park Bandshell. Join us for free food, drinks, games and our 8th annual union olympics. This year’s event theme “Resist for today-Build for Tomorrow” reflects the changing dynamics of the workforce and will feature a classic car and motorcycle show with vehicles provided by Door Slammers Car club and union members.”

Monday, September 3, 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. No meeting in observance of Labor Day. Next Week: Marion Chubon on Represent Me AZ & Local Activism.

DCSRA Annual Labor Day Party

Monday, September 3, 4:00 p.m.: DCSRA Labor Day Party, at the American Legion Hall, 1560 Duval Mine Road, Green Valley. We will be serving a southwest style buffet. “Spur of the Moment” band will entertain with country-western and classic rock music. Tickets go on sale Monday, July 23. Basic $25, Sponsor $30, Patron $35. Reservations and payment can be made in person at DCSRA headquarters, or by mail: P.O.Box 131, Green Valley, 85614.  For more information or a registration form, please email Terry Lang at lang_terry@yahoo.com.

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Rep. Victoria Steele and Pamela Powers Hannley

Victoria Steele Gets a Write-in Challenger for LD9 Senate Race

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Rep. Victoria Steele and Pamela Powers Hannley
LD9 state Senate candidate Victoria Steele with Pamela Powers Hannley, LD9 House representative.

Update: this was previously titled “Democrats Get to Pick their State Senator in Tucson’s LD9.”

After getting 22,590 votes in the Democratic primary for the LD9 state Senate race in Tucson, Victoria Steele has picked up a Republican write-in opponent.

Steele, a former member of the Arizona House of Representatives from 2012 to 2016, collected 82.2% of the votes in the primary.

Now a political nobody called Randy Fleenor has gotten 698 write-in votes (363 were needed) to be the Republican candidate the November ballot. Fleenor is an electrical engineer who works at IBM. He spouts the usual GOP tripe about not raising teacher salaries, expanding school vouchers and not raising taxes.

Even though Fleenor has never been elected to public office, he was put up for the job by Republican national committeeman Bruce Ash. There will be an official hand count audit & write-in ballot tally on Sept. 1.

Steele vows to take action

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Surprising ruling for DACA in Texas

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When Republicans in red states wanted to reverse President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program so they could deport innocent children of undocumented immigrants, they let the state of Texas take the lead in a case of forum shopping for a conservative activist judge who lets his political views color his judicial decisions.  Texas had  judge Andrew S. Hanen of the Federal District Court in Houston, the perfect fit.

This is the same Texas judge that Texas and other red states used in 2015 to block a similar executive order by President Obama that would have added protections for the undocumented parents of citizens and other lawful residents (DAPA).

So the State of Texas and eight other states filed a separate lawsuit seeking to declare the DACA program illegal and seeking an injunction to stop it. Judge Hanen gave the GOP plaintiffs what they asked for with the DAPA program, so surely he would give them what they wanted with the DACA program, right?

Well surprise, surprise, surprise. Judge Hanen, his judgment no doubt colored by the recent spectacle of the Trump administration’s family separation policy and images of innocent children being abused and caged like animals,  said no – as have all the other federal courts that have ruled on the DACA program. (Since there is now not a split among the circuits, as anticipated, this case is not ripe for review by the Supreme Court).

The New York Times reports, Federal Judge in Texas Delivers Unexpected Victory for DACA Program:

A federal judge in Texas declined on Friday to halt an Obama-era program that protects young undocumented immigrants from deportation, handing a temporary victory to activists who are waging a legal fight against the Trump administration to save it.

The judge, Andrew S. Hanen of the Federal District Court in Houston, said the program, known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, had been relied upon by hundreds of thousands of immigrants since it was established almost six years ago, and should not be abruptly ended.

The ruling means that young immigrants who were brought illegally to the United States as small children can continue to apply for the program, which shields them from immediate deportation and provides a permit to work legally in the United States.

“It’s a huge sigh of relief,” said Marielena Hincapié, the executive director of the National Immigration Law Center. “This is a huge loss for Trump and the Department of Justice, who clearly want to end the program.”

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