Mobs and mob psychology
September 3, 2009
by David SafierAt Giffords' Tuesday town hall Tuesday night, one of the questioners said he was angry that people like him were being referred to as a mob. His words were greeting by loud cheers from the mob. Maybe he was confused. "The Mob," meaning an organized crime group, is a carefully structured organization of
The right wing scream machine
September 3, 2009
by David SafierIf it wasn't clear before, there's no doubt now that the right wing scream machine has turned its volume up to a continual roar. I felt it on a visceral level as I sat through Giffords' town hall on Tuesday, and I hear it on every media outlet, about every possible issue having
Tuition tax credit/STO updates
September 3, 2009
by David SafierThe problems with tuition tax credits and the Student Tuition Organizations that administer them is a subject not likely to go away soon. The blogger, Matthew Yglesias, discussed the East Valley Trib's investigative series, Rigged Privilege, on his blog yesterday. Yglesias is a blogger's blogger, someone who covers a wide range of national
Grijalva on the public option
September 2, 2009
by David SafierLast night I cited some statements from Giffords' Tucson town hall that made me hopeful about her movement toward supporting a strong public option. If you've been reading national blogs today, you've seen there are some noises that Obama is about to give up the public option. All rumors, mind you. Maybe trial
The Farley Report 9-1-09
September 2, 2009
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Rep. Steve Farley (D-Tucson) is back after a hiatus with the Farley Report: It's been a month since I last wrote you. On the budget front–despite a whole lot of talk and drama–nothing has happened. It really is like living in that great movie Groundhog Day, where Bill Murray keeps waking up
Giffords on the public option
September 1, 2009
by David SafierI'm gonna get hopeful once again, about Giffords' stand of the public option. Hopeful is good, especially when it has some justification. I just returned from her town hall at Sahuaro High. If I heard what I think I heard, Giffords gave a pretty strong endorsement of the idea of a public option.
Epic Media Failure (Again!) in reporting on Health Care Reform
September 1, 2009
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: The media villagers and Beltway bloviators issued a series of mea culpas to the public in recent years for their unquestioning, and often enabling (in some cases propaganda) reporting on the build up to the war in Iraq and cheerleading the housing bubble economy. They told us, "we're sorry we failed you,
Noted without comment
September 1, 2009
by David SafierHeadline: National Tea Party tour rolls into Flagstaff. Over a thousand people showed up on Monday night to hear two bus-loads of conservative activists speak. The activists were part of the National Tea Party Express tour. [snip] There were several Arizona politicians that also addressed the crowd. Senator Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, echoed the
