Featured Stories
Deadline for submitting ballot measure arguments is Wednesday, July 11, 2012
July 7, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Last week the Arizona Legislative Council met to approve ballot measure analyses. You can find the language approved by the Legislative Council for each ballot measure here. http://azleg.gov/BallotMeasureAnalyses.asp. The deadline to submit ballot measure arguments is Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. Gusielines for submitting arguments for or against ballot measures … Read more
You mean vouchers can be used at Muslim schools?????
July 6, 2012
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by David Safier h/t to The Range for furnishing me with a follow-up to yesterday's post about Louisiana's school voucher law. Lousiana's Republican Rep. Valarie Hodges is upset about the new private school voucher law. At first, she was all for it because: “I liked the idea of giving parents the option of sending their … Read more
Special Session on Monday to counter the ‘Open Elections/Open Government Act’ initiative (Updated)
July 6, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Hat tip to Carolyn Classen for sending me a copy of this Yellow Sheet Report (subscription required) story: CLEAR YOUR CALENDAR: MONDAY SPECIAL ‘HIGHLY PROBABLE’ Lawmakers have been told to show up at the Capitol on Monday for a special session to send a proposal to the ballot to counter the top-two … Read more
Jim Hightower stumps for Grijalva in Tucson (video)
July 6, 2012
by Pamela Powers Hannley
Progressive activist and humorist Jim Hightower was in Tucson recently to stump for Congressman Raul Grijalva.
Hightower and Grijalva spoke and mingled at an intimate gathering at former City Councilwoman Nina Trasoff's house before heading to The Loft for a more formal event. (See the video below, after the jump.)
Grijalva is one of the most liberal members in the US House of Representatives, a co-chair of the Progressive Caucus, and one of the Congressional candidates being backed by Progressive Democrats of America (PDA). Grijalva– who has been an outspoken proponent of the People's Budget (as opposed to the corporatists' budget), immigration reform, universal healthcare, and protecting the environment– is facing two primary opponents, both backed by Rosemont Mine. (This is reminiscent of the recent Tucson mayoral race. Republican Mayoral Candidate for the 1% Rick Grinnell was bankrolled by Rosemont Mine also. Luckily, Mayor Jonathan Rothschild– pro-water and anti-mine candidate– beat him handily.) Hightower, who is known for his newsletter The Hightower Lowdown and witty commentary on KXCI, is a member of the PDA board and a strong supporter of the new progressive movement in the US.
As always, Hightower was a delight. Here are a few gems from his presentation at The Loft.
Hightower on Congress: The water won't clear up until we get the hogs out of the creek.
Hightower on Democrats: Some dems are weaker than Canadian hot sauce.
Hightower (who hails from Austin, Texas) on Rick Perry: Rick Perry put the "guber" in gubernatorial.
Hightower on the 99%: It's not charity we want. It's economic and social justice.
Hightower on corporate money and PACs: It's not Raul Grijalva they're after — it's you.
Video footage and more photos after the jump.
Why we need to keep an eye on the Gates Foundation
July 6, 2012
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by David Safier Lots of progressive educators are wary of the dominance of foundations in pushing the "educational choice" agenda. The foundations often, though not always, have a conservative political agenda. But equally problematic, the corporate minds heading the foundations have the profit motive in the backs of their heads, which skews their decisions toward … Read more
(Update) The Confederate State of Arizona to vote on secession from the U.S. in November
July 6, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
The "Birthers-Birchers-Secessionists" Tea-Publican insurrectionists put secession from the United States on the November ballot.
The House passed HCR 2004 on a 38-20 vote, sending the resolution to the Secretary of State. The resolution refers to the ballot a constitutional amendment declaring state sovereignty over lands, air, water, minerals, wildlife and the state's other natural resources based on the argument of "equal footing." It will appear on the ballot as Proposition 120.
So this November Arizonans will suffer the national embarrassment of having to vote on whether to secede from the United States. Of course, it is unconstitutional and entirely unenforceable.
Governor Jan Brewer vetoed a companion statutory measure, SB 1332. See, Ariz. gov. vetoes bill that demanded federal lands.
Now comes along another Neoconfederate ballot proposal, the so-called "Checks and Balances in Government" citizens initiative, backed by a nutty Scottsdale millionaire businessman, Jack Biltis.
This initiative is nothing less than a revival of John C. Calhoun's Theory of Nullification. You know, the concept that led to the secession of the Confederate states, Civil War and the death of over 620,000+ American citizens, and was rejected in the post-war 14th Amendment.
No-teeth regulation led to Fukushima nuclear disaster
July 6, 2012
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by David Safier A report by the Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission concluded that the earthquake preceding the tsunami might have been the initial cause of the disaster, bursting the pipes that carried coolant to the reactors. It's become more difficult for nuclear power supporters to maintain the reactor meltdowns were caused by an … Read more
Mixed economics news, disappointing jobs report for June
July 6, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Economics news has been mixed this month. The U.S. is a consumer demand driven economy, and the two best measures of consumer demand are autos and houses. On that front, the economics news is good.
U.S. auto sales are on pace for the best showing since 2007 and a third straight year of at least 10 percent gains, only the fourth such streak since the Great Depression, as more-confident buyers return to showrooms. Auto Sales Rise Puts U.S. on Pace to Best Year Since 2007 – Businessweek.
On the other hand, leading indicators for manufacturing overall declined in June, in response to a slowing global economy and the "austerity" crisis in the European Union. Banks in Europe, China act to stave off recession. "Central banks around the world took major steps Thursday to stave off fears of a global recession, with the European Central Bank slashing interest rates, China unexpectedly cutting bank lending rates and the Bank of England pumping billions of pounds into Britain's stimulus program."
Still, in the U.S. new home construction, housing prices and new home sales have all been on the rise. Suzy Khimm at Ezra Klein's WonkBlog reports Is housing or manufacturing a better weathervane for the recovery?:
Calculated Risk’s Bill McBride makes the case that housing is a better weather vane for the overall direction of the economy:
Historically, housing leads the economy both into and out of recessions (not out of the recession this time because of the excess supply in 2009). Manufacturing is more coincident. So the [Institute for Supply Management manufacturing] index suggests some weakness now – mostly abroad – whereas housing suggests an ongoing sluggish recovery. Who ya gonna call? Housing.
Signs of a pickup in housing are particularly encouraging, as once it begins, it could keep on for quite some time.
Job creation is a lagging economic indicator. Employers only add additional employees as a last resort. On that front, the June jobs report is disappointing.
