Featured Stories
GOP fails to learn from mistake of Bush tax cuts
June 12, 2011
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Last week marked the 10th anniversary of the Goerge W. Bush tax cuts (2001). The tax cut champions made bold predictions about what the tax cuts would do — massive job growth, vast new wealth, higher incomes, smaller government, and balanced budgets. So how'd that work out? Steve Benen has a good
Stephen Colbert gives the business end to ‘Mittens’ Romney
June 12, 2011
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: What Jed Lewison said at Daily Kos: Colbert calls B.S. on claim that Romney is a job creator: Mitt Romney's campaign spin is that he was a businessman, so he knows how to create jobs, and that's why he should be president. Except, as Stephen Colbert points out, Mitt Romney's business career
Gaming high stakes tests
June 11, 2011
by David Safier Those of you who haven't taught may not have thought about the most rational way for a teacher to maximize the number of students who pass high stakes tests. Here's the thinking teacher's guide to getting the highest passing rate on AIMS (or any other state test): 1. Don't waste time working
High stakes, low value tests
June 11, 2011
by David Safier The nation bought into high stakes testing for accountability and incentives with no evidence they do any good because, well, because the idea sounds like it makes so much sense. Test the students, then improve their performance, then reward teachers and administrators whose students make the most progress. What could be simpler?
You would think . . .
June 11, 2011
by David Safier You would think a report stating 70% of the firearms picked up by authorities in Mexico originate in the U.S. would make the no-gun-laws crowd think maybe there should be a few restrictions on who can buy guns in the U.S. (That 70% figure, by the way, is from an article in
Howard Fischer goes after David Schapira, and blurs the line between professionalism and partisanship
June 11, 2011
Posted by Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings Last night, I put up a post that quoted from a story written by Howard Fischer of Capital Media Services. Actually, I should just say "written by Howard Fischer" because he *is* Capitol Media Services. It's a one-man operation where he is reporter, photographer, editor, business manager,
Arizona Democratic Party: How to help victims of AZ wildfires
June 11, 2011
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Announcement from the Arizona Democratic Party. There is still another week to make donations: How to help victims of AZ wildfires Dear Friends, The Wallow Fire is now the second largest wildfire in state history. Residents in eastern Arizona communities are being evacuated and displaced into shelters and other areas of the
Tucson City Council Election Update: Marshall Home™ has some explaining to do
June 11, 2011
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: The Arizona Daily Star today reports Both Democratic hopefuls for Tucson mayor are challenged: Tucson resident and Democratic activist Luke Knipe filed a challenge alleging Marshall Home shouldn't be able to run on two fronts – that he doesn't meet residency requirements and that he never had his civil rights restored after
