by David Safier [NOTE: I created The Gatewood in honor of Henry Gatewood, the banker in John Ford's 1939 "Stagecoach" who ran off with $50,000 in payroll money and said, while clutching the satchel full of stolen money, "'America for Americans! The government must not interfere with business! Reduce taxes! Our national debt is something … Read more

Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Mesa Republican Jerry Lewis on Thursday submitted 1,187 signatures to the Secretary of State's Office. Jerry Lewis files signatures to run against Russell Pearce If at least 621 of those signatures are from valid registered voters in east Mesa's Legislative District 18, Lewis qualifies to run against Senate President Russell Pearce in … Read more

Posted by AzBlueMeanie: At its public hearing on Thursday, the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission selected the grid map that will serve as the starting point for further public discussion. Arizona redistricting commission picks a starting map: The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission has chosen the grid map it will use as a starting point for determining … Read more

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I spoke with Peter Wagner from Prisoners of The Census (prisonersofthecensus.org) who recommended that those of you concerned about this issue use the tools his organization provides at its web site. http://www.prisonersofthecensus.org/data/

2010 data and tools

• Correctional Facility Locator (2010) Annotations and correctional facility counts by block, searchable by county.
• Our database of annotations of each block that contains a correctional facility and the demographic breakdown of each will be accessible at the URL http://www.prisonersofthecensus.org/data/2010blocks/$geoid/ where $geoid is the 15 digit state-county-tract-code of a block with a correctional facility, ie http://www.prisonersofthecensus.org/data/2010blocks/361219702001024/
• Point shapefile with the group quarters (including correctional facilities) populations

For those of you who have the technical knowledge to know how to use the census data bases, I am told this "point shapefile" tool is most useful (particularly for the AIRC if you are reading this).

For the nontechnical, like me, you can use the "correctional facility locator" tool, select "state name," type in Arizona and hit search, which will bring up a list of census tract/blocks/correctional population.

The key to your testimony at Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (AIRC) public hearings is to request that the AIRC flag these census tract/blocks for prisons in their reports and identify incarcerated populations on the draft district maps under discussion so that they are readily identifiable to the public. This will facilitate knowledgeable public discussion, and will build a public record for Department of Justice Voting Rights Section preclearance of district maps, and a public record for any potential litigation.

For our state legislators who have been remiss in correcting this serious flaw in federal and state law, Prisoners of the Census has Model state legislation "with some guidance on how to customize it for your state."

To help you understand this issue better, here is a video that Prisoners of the Census did for the state of Massachusetts.

Script for the video is below the fold. Many thanks to Prisoners of the Census.

by David Safier Senator Tom Coburn might consider what he says before he says it. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) ripped his colleagues during a tour of northeast Oklahoma, calling them “career elitists,” “cowards” and said, “It’s just a good thing I can’t pack a gun on the Senate floor.” Tom Coburn, U.S. Senate, meet Lori … Read more

Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Announcement from the Pima County Democratic Party: Pima County Democratic PartyandRed Cross of Southern Arizona Blood Drive Friday, August 19, 201110:00 am – 3:00 pm Call Headquarters TODAY to Make Your Appointment! 520-326-3716 The Red Cross is also offering some great incentives this time around including: All donors will receive a coupon … Read more