David Crowe to primary Congressman Raúl Grijalva
January 31, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: David Crowe, the Republican-turned-Democrat who was running for the U.S. Senate, has now decided to primary Congressman Raúl Grijalva for the new CD 3 congressional seat. I have had a chance to speak with Mr. Crowe a few times. He is personable and well-spoken, but he has more ambition than common sense.
Crandall continues to confound with his free/reduced meals optional arguments
January 31, 2012
by David Safier Rich Crandall's latest argument for his bill making it optional for school districts to participate in the federal free/reduced lunch program: Everyone will continue to participate, so it won't make any difference. Crandall, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, said he hasn't heard from a single district in the state that would
Rep. Matt Heinz first Democrat to announce for the Giffords seat
January 31, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Doctor Matt Heinz, Democratic Representative for LD 29, is the first Democrat to announce for the Giffords seat. Petitions must be filed 28 days from today. Arizona Rep. Heinz to run for Giffords' seat: State representative Matt Heinz of Tucson has become the first Democrat to officially announce his candidacy for the Congressional seat
Conservationists for Nancy Young Wright
January 31, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Former Rep. Nancy Young Wright (D-LD 26) is running for Pima County Board of Supervisors (District 1) this year. Below is an Announcement (.pdf) for a campaign event from her campaign.
The First Rule of Holes Revisited
January 31, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Oh, geezuz… I have previously explained how 20 years of GOP tax cuts have created a structural revenue deficit hole in Arizona that cannot be filled by "magical" belief in faith based supply-side "trickle down" GOP economics. This entirely disproved and discredited economic theory does not work and has never worked. The First Rule of Holes: "The first rule of holes: when you're in one, stop digging." – Molly Ivins.
Yet last year our Tea-Publican legislature passed in a Special Session what was laughingly labeled a "jobs bill" — it was, in fact a corporate welfare tax-giveaway plan. The GOP's double dose of poison to kill Arizona:
Senate Bill 1001 is filled with tax breaks and incentives for businesses large and small. The legislative budget office estimated its cost at $538 million by 2018 [worsening Arizona's structural revenue deficit], when all the tax cuts are phased in.
* * *
Brewer's advisors acknowledged that there is no guarantee the changes would yield enough new investment and jobs to offset the anticipated revenue loss.
These corporate welfare tax cuts are delayed until May 2013 when the temporary sales tax will expire. These prospective tax cuts have not created one job, making the "jobs bill" label a sick joke. When the corporate welfare tax cuts do take effect, it will dig the structural revenue deficit hole even deeper.
But wait, it gets worse. Yesterday our Tea-Publican legislature debated three bills designed to give the so-called "job creators" of the investor class a huge tax break — reducing or even eliminating the capital gains tax — again based upon the "magical" belief in faith based supply-side "trickle down" GOP economics.
And once again it was the "geniuses" (the man's T-shirt in the photo reads "I have nothing to declare except my genius") of the Goldwater Institute promoting this entirely disproved and discredited economic theory that does not work and has never worked.
Mitt’s Dream Act is a Nightmare
January 30, 2012
Posted by Bob Lord If I could wave a magic wand over all immigrant kids and confer legal status with a clear path to citizenship on them, I would. In a heartbeat. But I’m really not comfortable with the DREAM Act. There are some positions I took during my campaign that I’m less than proud
Resignations, plants, and rumors: Candidates update
January 30, 2012
By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings …Confirming rumors of long standing, Andrei Cherny has resigned as chair of the Arizona Democratic Party to run for Congress in the new CD9. He joins State Senator David Schapira and Kyrsten Sinema in the field pursuing the Democratic nomination. No paperwork is up on the FECs
‘Survivor – GOP Presidential Primary’ : Post-Florida
January 30, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Willard "Mittens" Romney has used his substantial financial resources to try to score a knock-out punch in the Florida primary on Tuesday. He has outspent Newt Gingrich by some estimates 5-1 in Florida. If polling coming out of Florida can be believed, Mittens should score an easy win in Florida on Tuesday.
The corporate media villagers and Beltway bloviators will all sing from the GOP establishment hymnal Tuesday night that this is a "knock-out punch" for Mittens. But is it really?
Florida is a diverse state with several expensive media markets. Advantage Romney. But upcoming GOP primary/caucus states are less diverse than Florida (more solidly conservative), and have far less expensive media markets. The Not-the-Romney candidate(s) may be able to afford a competitive "air war" with Romney.
Moreover, despite a win in Florida by Romney he still trails Gingrich in national polling. Real Clear Politics polling average. (click for larger image).
Rick "man on dog" Santorum is out of money and out of momentum. His daughter's recent illness may give him a convenient excuse to vote himself off the island after Tuesday. That would clear the field and make it a two man race. Santorum supporters are far more likely to jump to Gingrich than to Romney.
In the NBC/WSJ poll last week Romney’s unfavorability rating among independents spiked 20 points in the last two months. The poll found that among all Americans, Romney is rated very or somewhat positively by only 31 percent, while he’s rated very or somewhat negatively by 36 percent. He's upside down in negative numbers and spiking. The more the public sees Mittens the more they dislike him — and its only January.
