Featured Stories
Arizona will never enact genuine tax reform so long as Prop. 108 (1992) remains law
September 25, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
I have posted about Prop. 108 (1992), Arizona's "mini-Prop. 13" initiative, many times over the years. Prop. 108 amended the Arizona constitution to require a two-thirds vote by each chamber of the State Legislature when passing any legislation to increase state revenues through a change in tax allocation, such as an increase in taxation levels, or a reduction in tax credits and tax exemptions. Voters passed this proposition by a margin of 3-1 in 1992, the single most irresponsible and ignorant thing the voters of this state have ever done to themselves.
Since the passage of Prop. 108 in 1992, the Arizona legislature has not enacted a tax increase. The only tax increases enacted since 1992 have been the result of citizens initiatives to increase taxes on ourselves — over the objections of our state legislature — for education and health care initiatives.
The Arizona legislature has, however, enacted a series of income tax rate cuts, property tax rate cuts, and adopted a myriad of tax exemptions and tax credits since 1992 that have had the effect of reducing state revenues. When the state's population was growing rapidly and the economy was growing along with it, the Arizona legislature could use the resulting increase in tax revenue as an excuse for giving away annual tax cuts as a gimmick for their reelection.
[Note: The increased tax revenue was due to rapid population growth. It was not a validation of supply-siders' "tax cuts lead to greater tax revenue and pay for themselves." Rapid population growth masked the long-term effects of these tax cuts.]
The problem with Prop. 108 is that these tax cuts, tax exemptions and tax credits became "permanent," because the two-thirds super-majority rule empowers a minority of Grover Norquist worshipping anti-tax zealots who can engage in an undemocratic tyranny of the minority to block any reforms to tax laws (much the way the U.S. Senate abuses the cloture rule to filibuster bills).
Republicans for Carmona
September 25, 2012
Postedby AzBlueMeanie: Press release form the Dr. Richard Carmona for U.S. Senate campaign: Carmona campaign announces Republicans for CarmonaCampaign launches dedicated microsite RepublicansforCarmona.com Today Carmona for Arizona unveiled Republicans for Carmona, a group of Republicans tired of the direction Arizona is heading in and want an independent U.S. Senator who will work with both parties … Read more
Register to Fucking Vote!
September 25, 2012
Got your attention? Good. If you haven't done it, fucking do it. If you love someone who hasn't done it, make them fucking do it. Just fucking do it!
Barry Goldwater’s granddaughter endorses Nancy Young Wright
September 24, 2012
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by David Safier CC Goldwater, Sen. Barry Goldwater's granddaughter who produced an HBO documentary, "Mr. Conservative: Goldwater on Goldwater," has endorsed Nancy Young Wright for Pima County Supervisor, District 1. Tucson, AZ: CC Goldwater, granddaughter of five-term United States Senator Barry Goldwater, has endorsed Nancy Young Wright for Pima County Supervisor in District One. Barry … Read more
Romney: Teachers should be talked down to, not heard
September 24, 2012
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By David Safier
The Obama campaign has a video of a teacher describing an experience at a round table discussion with Romney. Romney said, "…I understand there’s a teacher here today, which one of you is the teacher?" She raised her hand, and he began lecturing her about what's wrong with public schools and unions and how important vouchers and private schools are.
According to the teacher:
“At one point, I said to him, ‘I have an answer for that.’ And he said, ‘I didn’t ask you a question.’
Romney's disdain for every sector of society beyond his own tiny niche is breathtaking. Teachers, parents and everyone who understands the value of caring, hard working teachers, get out and vote.
Video below the fold.
Fact Check: Rove’s ‘pants on fire!’ lie about presidential daily briefings
September 24, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
I have posted on this topic previously, but today the Washington Post's fact checker Glenn Kessler calls bullshit on The bogus claim that Obama ‘skips’ half of his intelligence briefings:
The notion that Obama has skipped his intelligence briefings was promoted by a right-leaning research group called the Government Accountability Institute, which published a report detailing that the president’s daily calendar shows Obama receiving an in-person briefing on the Presidential Daily Brief (PDB) 43.8 percent of his time in office. (The percentage dropped from a high of 48.8 percent in 2010 to 38.2 percent through May of 2012.)
Marc Thiessen, a former Bush speechwriter who writes an opinion column for The Washington Post, then drew attention to what he called the “startling new statistics” in the report. His column on the subject is cited as the source in the American Crossroads ad.
That column also includes the White House’s response — that Obama reads his PDB every day, but he does not always require an in-person briefing every day. The White House argument is that this is how Obama structured his White House operation, so it is specious to say he has “skipped” a meeting that was not actually scheduled.
Romney’s ‘Rolling Calamity’ bus tour rolls into Ohio
September 24, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Thank you Peggy Noonan for "rolling calamity." This week the "Galt – Gekko 2012" campaign seeks to salvage its sinking campaign with a "Rolling Calamity" bus tour that rolls into Ohio. Romney, Ryan return to Ohio for bus tour | cleveland.com: Romney's presidential campaign says Ryan is kicking off a "Romney Plan For a … Read more
Doh! Homer Simpson votes for president
September 24, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
The makers of The Simpsons are back with an election year video about Homer voting in this year's election. It's a promotion for The Simpsons new season, but still funny.
Video below the fold.
