Pay cut good for the goose, not for the legislator
by David Safier They've cut 5% from state workers' pay. And Republicans don't want to hear any whining about it either. You're damn lucky to have a job, you sniveling, union loving state workers! Cut legislators' pay 5%? "No! I'm too . . . too me to have my pay cut! The horror! The horror!" … Read more
Sen. Russell Pearce to come to the aid of predatory payday lenders
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Every time you think you have finally killed them, they rise again like a vampire in a B-movie horror flick. Payday lenders now seek legislative help, would add $1.5M-per-year incentive: Rejected by voters and stymied in the House, lobbyists for payday lenders are now trying to get a Senate panel to approve … Read more
Enough of Republican obstruction of banking regulations: Democrats to go it alone to protect consumers
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: The government's top securities regulator called on Congress Thursday to impose new oversight on financial derivatives, warning that allowing risky instruments such as credit default swaps to continue unfettered could bring further economic damage. SEC head urges Congress to act on risky derivatives: The chairwoman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Mary … Read more
G.I. Guarantee Watch: Please, Mr. Postman . . .
by David Safier For most of my life, my mail took 2 or 3 days to make it into someone else's mailbox. And if that other person was moved to reply, it usually took a few days for pen to meet paper, and another few days for a reply to find its way into my … Read more
The Al Melvin Principle in action
by David Safier What's the Al Melvin Principle, you ask? It's the idea that nothing is better than a moment when everyone is "on their knees," because that's when you can really move that old rightwing agenda forward. Melvin's exact words: "When everyone is on their knees, so to speak, from the adverse economic situation, … Read more
Why I haven’t covered the state budget debacle much
by David Safier I feel a little guilty for not doing a day-by-day narrative about the proposed budget cuts, especially cuts to education. My only excuse is, I feel like I'm watching a multi-car highway accident unfolding in extreme slow motion. I know the crash is coming. The only questions left are, what will be … Read more
Liz “Sprinkles” Sidoti and the All Propaganda (AP)
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Regular readers will recall that I occasionally refer to the AP as "all propaganda" (rather than the Associated Press). This is not without justification. Let's take today's "analysis" piece by the AP in national newspapers originally captioned by The Associated Press: Analysis: Note to Washington: Voters say talk jobs. In The Arizona Republic … Read more
