Featured Stories
Social Security and the Arizona Daily Star
August 9, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
On Monday the Arizona Daily Star published an AP (All Propaganda) report, For many, Social Security is no longer a good deal. The premise of the article: Social Security is no longer a "good investment" for the average worker, based upon an analysis of an Urban Institute study:
People retiring today are part of the first generation of workers who have paid more in Social Security taxes during their careers than they will receive in benefits after they retire. It's a historic shift that will only get worse for future retirees, according to an analysis by The Associated Press.
Another look at the Urban Institute numbers suggests that the average working family still enjoys a positive return when factoring in Medicare benefits. And plenty of workers will continue to enjoy a positive return on their lifetime Social Security tax payments — women more than men because they live longer, among other factors. And because benefits are progressive, low-income workers will continue to receive a positive return. For high-income workers the return went negative two decades ago.
So all this angst about "return on investment" is really about high wage earners, not average wage earners.
The saga of South Bisbee continues
August 8, 2012
by Pamela Powers Hannley
South Bisbee is under seige by Freeport-McMoRan. The international mining giant is evacuating South Bisbee in order to do land reclamation.
Renters are being ousted. Home owners are being offered $50/square foot for their homes. Everyone who settles with the company must agree that neither they nor their relatives will seek any future damages against the company.
Last week, I posted a story and two videos about the goings on in this tiny border enclave, but the story continues to evolve.
Only one woman– featured in the video entitled "A Hero in South Bisbee"— has refused to settle with the company. In this video– available after the jump– you can hear Our Hero's reasons why she doesn't want to settle, but you can see a bird's eye view of tiny, green South Bisbee, surrounded by industrial mining waste. (Southern Arizona residents who may be living near the proposed Rosemont Mine, take note.) Outside of Our Hero's back window, there used to be a view of the desert; now she sees a mountain of tailings. No wonder the mining company wants South Bisbee residents to sign off on all future litigation. Living in houses surrounded by mining waste can't be good for your health.
Last night, the Bisbee City Council voted to support South Bisbee in their request for more time before they have to leave their houses.
Today, KGUN 9 on Your Side ventured to South Bisbee to do a story. Ironically, Freeport-McMoRan security showed up at the same time.
Check out two new LoneProtestor videos from South Bisbee after the jump.
Romney Campaign Stumps for Obamacare
August 8, 2012
By Michael Bryan
OK. So the Obama campaign runs an ad that crushes Romney on a Bain plant closure that caused a fellow to lose his healthcare, which cost his wife her life. Brutal, right?
So. Romney's campaign counters with a spokesperson, Andrea Saul, on Fox. She says this:
“To that point, if people had been in Massachusetts, under Governor Romney’s health care plan, they would have had health care. There are a lot of people losing their jobs and losing their health care in President Obama’s economy.”
Really? Your counter is that if only that poor bastard has been lucky enough to have lived in Massachusetts in order to benefit from Romneycare, his wife would have been fine. Except that Romney wants to repeal Obama's version of national Romneycare if he's elected.
It boogles the mind. It's as if these people live in a video game of a campaign which has no connection to real people or real consequences. Scoring the next point is the only goal. "Well, Romneycare would have saved that guy's wife, so there!" Cue pleased look on face of Romneybot as she mentally tots up another point for her team…
See the video of Romneybot Ms. Saul basically admitting that Obamacare saves lives after the click…
Washington state’s Top Two primary results (federal)
August 8, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Washington state has a top two primary system. On Tuesday, Washington state held its primary. Visit the Washington Secretary of State for complete results on state races.
There are 3,731,345 registered voters for the primary eelctions. Preliminary election results show 824,539 ballots counted and an estimated 204,191 ballots to be processed. Presently voter turnout is a dismal 22.1%.
In the U.S. Senate race, Maria Cantwell (D) received 55.77% of the vote, and Michael Baumgartner (R) received 30.24% of the vote out of a field of 4 Republicans. "Some guy" running on the Reform Party finished last.
In the closely watched CD 1 race, John Koster (R) received 43.72% of the vote. Suzan DelBene (D) received 23.33% of the vote to Darcy Burner's (D) 14.6% of the vote out of a field of 5 Democrats. "Some guy" running on the Independent Party finished last.
In the CD 2 race, Rick Larsen (D) received 59.54% of the vote to Dan Matthew's (R) 26.98% of the vote out of a field of 3 Republicans. "Some guy" running as no party preference edged out "some guy" from The 99% Party to finish last.
The CD 3 race was less crowded. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R) received 54.91% of the vote, and Jon Haugen (D) received 38.92% of the vote. "Some gal" running as no party preference finished last.
The CD 4 race resembled a "traditional" primary. Mary Baechler (D) defeated one other Democrat with 28.44% of the vote. Doc Hastings (R) defeated one other Republican with 57.4 % of the vote.
In the CD 5 race, Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R) defeated one other Republican with 53.99% of the vote, and Rich Cowan (D) secured a win with 34.91% of the vote. "Some guy" running as no party preference finished last.
Brad De Long eviscerates Romney’s supply-side fraudsters
August 8, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Romney economic advisers Kevin Hassett, Glenn Hubbard, Greg Mankiw and John Taylor put out a white paper last week purporting to support the campaign’s specious claim that Romney’s plans would create “12 million jobs.” Brad DeLong eviscerates these supply-side fraudsters claims in Things Wrong with Hassett, Hubbard, Mankiw, and Taylor, "The Romney … Read more
The ‘Big Dog’ rebuts Romney’s welfare ad lie
August 8, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: The "Big Lie" propaganda campaign being waged by the Willard "Mittens" Romney campaign rolled out its most audacious lie yesterday with a claim that President Obama has "gutted" the work requirement of president Clinton's welfare reform. Every credible news organization has labled Romney's claim false, a flat-out devoid of facts lie. The … Read more
CD 3 Democratic Primary
August 8, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
The Arizona Daily Star published its candidate profile piece today for the CD 3 congressional candidates; nothing like a biased headline. Grijalva still taking heat for boycott remark in CD3:
Rep. Raúl Grijalva's comments two years ago about boycotting Arizona continue to attract new challengers at election time, but the five-term congressman says this election isn't about those comments.
The three candidates in the heavily Hispanic, heavily Democratic District 3 are more alike than different.
They all list job creation as a top priority. Each supports the Affordable Care Act and says there's more to be done on a health-care overhaul. Each is opposed to SB 1070.
Where they differ is mainly in their experience levels and their geographical voter bases.
Still, Tucson physician Manny Arreguin and Yuma businesswoman Amanda Aguirre will try to put Grijalva on defense for the boycott comments.
"Sometimes he's more concerned about his congressional job than providing jobs for the people who helped get him into office," Arreguin said.
"My vision is to be more representative of Arizona, and I would never call for a boycott when businesses are hurting," Aguirre said.
Grijalva defended himself, saying: "I think I have an obligation to raise my voice, and I did, and there was consequences to it. But I think they're running on a one-trick pony."
He said his opponents are running "an anti-Raúl race" instead of providing a public policy choice.
CD 2 Democratic Primary
August 8, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
The Arizona Daily Star published its candidate profile piece the other day for the CD 2 congressional candidates, Newly in office, Barber faces 1st Dem challenger:
This time around, [Ron Barber] doesn't have the luxury of running unopposed in the primary. He is being challenged by state Rep. Matt Heinz in the newly drawn Congressional District 2.
The 35-year-old Tucson doctor supported Barber in the June 12 Congressional District 8 special election to complete former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' term, while opting to run for the full term.
"The primary Democratic voters want a discussion," Heinz said. "This is the real deal. We are not just substituting for a few months. This is potentially a person that could be there for a while."
* * *
Barber, 66, says neither he nor Heinz should be thinking beyond the two-year term that lies ahead.
"It would be presumptuous for me to say I'm going to be in here year after year and election after election," Barber said. "I hope that if I do a good job, and decide to run again, the voters will hire me to run again. And if I don't do a good job, they won't."
Heinz says his ability to get bills through while working the past four years in Arizona's Republican-dominated Legislature shows he's ready for the U.S. Congress. Heinz resigned as House minority whip in 2011 to focus on legislation.
"I've been able to be an effective lawmaker in very difficult circumstances," said Heinz, who moved to Tucson in 2003 and is a doctor at Tucson Medical Center. "What the voters of Southern Arizona need is someone who is ready to go and can get results."
His main platform issues are improving jobs and the economy, making the health-care system work for all Americans and properly funding education. Heinz says he brings the same approach he uses as a doctor to the Legislature.
"We treat you, we find the problem, diagnose it and we fix it," Heinz said. "That's the kind of drive that I have brought to the Legislature."
In his second campaign of the year, Barber's pitch to the voters remains largely the same: highlighting his deep roots in the community and knowledge of the district and its people.
