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TUSD candidate forum: Hear their words (video)
September 27, 2012
by Pamela Powers Hannley
Blog for Arizona was well-represented at the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) candidate forum, sponsored by Drinking Liberally, last night. As Dave said is his post earlier today, he was the moderator. Sitting next to him, I filmed the entire forum, and, of course, nearby was the "Father of Drinking Liberally Tucson," Mike.
The evening was cordial. There were no outbursts from the candidates or the audience of about 35, which included current TUSD board member Adelita Grijalva.
Unlike Dave, I'm not going to offer candidate critiques, except to say that we disagree. What I am going to provide is the candidates' unedited voices in a series of videos. The first one is attached to this post below.
Dave (and audience members) asked several great questions on a wide range of topics including Mexican American Studies, TUSD's budget, teachers' unions, school closing, administrative downsizing, and many more. Each candidate got one minute to answer each question, plus a 1.5 minute opening and closing statement. If one candidate directly critized another one, the defendant got a 30-second rebuttal. As a result, Kristel Foster and Betts Putnam-Hidalgo gave Dr. Mark Stegeman and Miguel Cuevas a few extra minutes over the course of the evening.
After the jump, watch the candidates' closing remarks.
Carl Bernstein: This election is a referendum on the radical Republican Party
September 27, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
While waiting for someone, I happened to catch the Chris Jansing & Co. show on MSNBC this morning, and was pleasantly surprised to catch Watergate legend Carl Bernstein provide his election analysis (rush transcript):
CARL BERNSTEIN: I think there is a fundamental problem and that is the Republican Party.
The polls reflect the fact that the real issue in this campaign has become the Republican Party in Washington. That it's a radical party such as we have never seen in a presidential race before; that Mitt Romney has become a captive of it; and we've seen in the seante races that are shifting more and more towards Democrats who were expected to lose or be competitive. It's about who the Republicans are in Washington and the really radical message that Romney is saddled with and he can't get out of it.
And the 47% remark is devastating because it really reflects what so many people in the Republican majority in Washington, in the house particularly, believe. That these are freeloaders, that these are people who aren't worthy of our consideration really a human beings in our soclal contract. Romney said out loud what many in his party believe and what an ideology in his party has come to embrace. It was no accident he said it, and he stuck with it.
* * *
[Romney's] really trapped. He's trapped by himself, and he's trapped by the people who have captured hin on the Republican right.
You know, in Washington there has been by Republicans in Washington, since the McCarthy era, a hunt for so-called radicals on the other side. There has never been a really radical Democratic Party. But now we have in Washington a truly radical Republican Party way outside the mainstream of even the Ronald Reagan party. So there is a huge problem Romney has to position himself. He was in a position to make it at one point about Obama and his presidency the issue. He's lost that chance by what's happened since the convention.
Bernstein agreed with Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Tribune that Romney lost that chance when he picked the radical Paul Ryan as his running mate. They are joined by former Florida governor Charlie Crist.
Video below the fold.
LD 11 Republicans out of touch with Arizona
September 27, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Press release from the Arizona Democratic Party: LD-11 Republicans Out of Touch With Arizona Al Melvin and Steve Smith support outrageous bills at the expense of Arizona families PHOENIX, AZ–Arizonans can expect a continued outpouring of outlandish bills as long as the Tea Party is allowed to retain its death-like grip at … Read more
LD 11 Citizens Clean Elections Debate
September 27, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
The LD 11 Citizens Clean Elections Debate was held on September 24. Video replay below the fold.
LD 2 Citizens Clean Elections Debate
September 27, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
The LD 2 Citizens Clean Elections Debate was held on September 20. Video replay below the fold.
GOP embraces Todd ‘legitimate rape’ Akin: ‘We are all Todd Akin now’
September 27, 2012
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.
* * *
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!
September 27, 2012
by
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
September 27, 2012
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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.
