Featured Stories
Offshore Mitt profits from tax avoidance schemes
October 3, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Willard "Mittens" Romney has been claiming for months that his offshore holdings in tax havens like Bermuda and the Cayman Islands have brought him "not one dollar of reduction in taxes."
As any tax attorney will tell you, that is pure unadulterated bullshit. Tax avoidance is the very reason why Mittens' holdings are in Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.
Romney believes the American people are stupid and he insults your intelligence when he says such utter nonsense.
The New York Times in a front page article on Tuesday reported the obvious, Offshore Tactics Helped Increase Romneys’ Wealth:
Buried deep in the tax returns released by Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign are references to dozens of offshore holdings with names like Ursa Funding (Luxembourg) S.à.r.l. and Sankaty Credit Opportunities Investors (Offshore) IV, based in the Cayman Islands.
Mr. Romney, responding to opponents’ barbs about his use of overseas tax havens, has offered a narrow defense, saying only that the investments, many made through the private equity firm he founded, Bain Capital, have yielded him “not one dollar of reduction in taxes.”
A review of thousands of pages of financial documents and interviews with tax lawyers found that in some cases, the offshore arrangements enabled his individual retirement account to avoid taxes on its investments and may well have reduced Mr. Romney’s personal income tax bills.
But perhaps a more significant impact of Mr. Romney’s offshore investments has been on the profit side of the ledger — in the way Bain’s tax-avoidance strategies have enhanced his income.
PCDP African-American Caucus Presents: New Voter Education 101
October 3, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Announcement from the Pima County Democratic Party: VOTER EDUCATION CLASS Presented to you by: African American Caucus of the Pima County Democratic Party "NEW VOTER EDUCATION 101" THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4th, 2012 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Martha Cooper Library 1377 N. Catalina Ave., Tucson, AZ 85712 EVERYONE IS WELCOME! Next week's topic is … Read more
Obama V. Romney Debate at Drinking Liberally
October 2, 2012
Drinking Liberally Tucson will be screening the big debate tomorrow night on a the big screen on the patio of the Shanty. The debate starts promptly at 6pm, so to ensure you can get a drink, get a good seat, and settle in prior to launch, you should plan to arrive before 6! See you … Read more
In one word, Craig Barrett reveals his education agenda
October 2, 2012
by
by David Safier "Throw." As in "throw money at education." It's a word and a phrase the anti-public education crowd love to throw around with abandon. And ex-Intel-CEO Craig Barrett, by using word and the phrase, revealed himself as clearly as if he wore a sign around his neck saying "I'm part of the conservative … Read more
TUSD candidate forum: What about standardized testing? (video)
October 2, 2012
by Pamela Powers Hannley
Standardized testing to evaluate students, teachers, and schools is a nationwide hot button issue. Educator and author Diane Ravitch— once a supporter of No Child Left Behind, testing, and charter schools– now tours the country speaking out against high-stakes testing (like the AIMS test). From her Wikipedia page…
High-stakes testing, "utopian" goals, "draconian" penalties, school closings, privatization, and charter schools didn't work, she concluded. "The best predictor of low academic performance is poverty—not bad teachers."[7]
Ravitch said that the charter school and testing reform movement was started by "right wing think tanks like the Heritage Foundation," for the purpose of destroying public education and teachers' unions.[8] … Of Education Secretary Arne Duncan's Race to the Top program, Ravitch said in a 2011 interview it "is an extension of No Child Left Behind …[,] all bad ideas." She concluded "We are destroying our education system, blowing it up by these stupid policies. And handing the schools in low-income neighborhoods over to private entrepreneurs does not, in itself, improve them. There's plenty of evidence by now that the kids in those schools do no better, and it's simply a way of avoiding their – the public responsibility to provide good education." [Emphasis added.]
How much testing is enough? How much is too much? Here the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) board candidates' opinions on standardized testing in the video after the jump. This is the sixth video from the Drinking Liberally TUSD candidate forum on September 26. To view all of the videos in this series, go to my YouTube channel.
Flake bows to public pressure and agrees to debate Carmona for more than 30 minutes
October 2, 2012
by Pamela Powers Hannley
Congressman and US Senate candidate Jeff Flake has finally agreed to go toe-to-toe and actually debate his Democratic opponent in the US Senate race Dr. Richard Carmona. Woot!
Initially, Flake had agreed to only a 30-minute "debate" in the Phoenix PBS studio, with no audience. What a coward…
Now, after much bad press (including here on Blog for Arizona), Flake has agreed to man up and participate in debates in Phoenix, Tucson, and Yuma. Since so many blogs are quoted in the Carmona press release below, how about having at least one blogger asking questions on each debate panel? You'd get some interesting questions, that's for sure.
Here's the Carmona press release about Flake's change of heart.
Flake caves, will debate
Under pressure, Congressman Flake finally agrees to debates
After backing out on news organizations throughout the state, Congressman Jeff Flake's campaign has finally agreed to debate Rich Carmona for more than half an hour. Flake, a 12-year incumbent and former lobbyist, had previously declined every invitation except for one 30-minute debate. But bowing to pressure, Congressman Flake has now agreed to debates in Phoenix, Tucson and Yuma.
"From the beginning of this race, Dr. Carmona said he would debate Congressman Flake whenever and wherever. Until today, Congressman Flake had been dodging any possible public appearance with Dr. Carmona with the exception of one 30-minute debate," said Carmona for Arizona Communications Director Andy Barr. "Congressman Flake's campaign must finally know it's in trouble if they are abandoning their previous strategy."
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
Arizona Daily Star: Flake declines invitation for debate with Carmona in Southern Arizona
"Republican U.S. Senate candidate Jeff Flake has turned down the Star's invitation to debate Democrat Richard Carmona. The Star proposed any of six dates in early October, with the debate to be co-sponsored by the Tohono O'odham Gaming Enterprise and held at its Desert Diamond Casino just off I-19 between Tucson and Green Valley."
Letter to the Arizona Republic
"After Jeff Flake's Republican primary victory, he proclaimed, 'I can't wait to debate the issues.' I'm not sure what he's waiting for. His wimpy behavior in ducking debate challenges from his Democratic opponent, Dr. Richard Carmona, is insulting."
Letter to the White Mountain Independent
"Why is it that Representative Jeff Flake, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, refuses to debate Dr. Richard Carmona, Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate?Dr. Carmona is willing to debate on any topic for as many debates as can be arranged, but so far Representative Flake is unwilling. Why?"
Fitz Blog: Flake flaking out on us
"Flake has been invited to debate Rich Carmona more often than Mitt Romney has flip flopped."More Flake-bashing news coverage after the jump.
The real debate
October 2, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: I will be happy to debate Mr.Romney when he has finished his debate with himself. – President Barack Obama Oh, zinger! Alert the media. Eugene Robinson: Which Romney will show up to the debate?: Wednesday’s presidential debate promises sharp contrasts. One candidate wants to repeal Obamacare, one candidate invented it. One opposed the … Read more
TUSD candidate forum: What about recess and PE? (video)
October 2, 2012
by Pamela Powers Hannley
OK, I know. The elimination of recess and physical education from our schools didn't get as much media attention as removal of some other programs, but in a country of fatties, they're just as important.
As obesity rates among US children and adults climb, it's only common sense to find funding and time in the school day for recess breaks and physical education.
Hear the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) candidates' opinions after the jump. This is the fifth video from the Drinking Liberally TUSD candidate forum on September 26. To view all of the videos in this series, go to my YouTube channel.
