Sen. Lindsey Graham: a Sister Souljah moment for the right-wing?
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Sen. John McCain's BFF, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) speaking before The Atlantic's First Draft of History conference, offered unusually blunt assessments of the fringe elements of his party and conservative media on Thursday, calling the popular and bombastic Fox News host Glenn Beck a "cynic" whose show was antithetical to American values. … Read more
Who is funding the Public Safety First initiative (Prop. 200)?
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Once again, Jim Nintzel of the Tucson Weekly is the only political reporter in Tucson doing his job. Hey, Big Spender: Public Safety First Campaign Raises More Than A Quarter-Million Dollars: The latest campaign finance report shows that the Public Safety First Campaign had raised $268,988 through Sept. 21. The Tucson Association … Read more
Update: Opposition to Prop. 200 Continues to Grow
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Another entry in the category of news you will not read in the Arizona Daily Star. The Tucson Weekly reports More Opposition to Public Safety First Initiative: Prop 200 "Is Fiscally Irrresponsible": The Arizona Multihousing Association is the latest organization to come out against the Public Safety First Inititative on the city's … Read more
More on the Jeb Bush visit
by David Safier An article by Amanda Soares in the AZ Guardian, which you need a subscription to read, discusses the Jeb Bush talk with legislators in more detail. The bottom line: if we want to do some of the things Florida did in education, it will take more money. Chuck Essigs, a veteran education … Read more
Aurora, Colorado’s experience with police staffing mandates
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Several people have sent me this story, and they assure me that they have sent it to local newspaper editors and reporters where, of course, it went to die. So I'll write about it as a favor. Aurora Police staffing mandate causes inefficiency (Opinion by Bob LeGare 9/17/2008): Following the historic "Summer … Read more
Double dipping in charter and tuition tax credit funds
by David Safier A complex new story in the Republic about a too-close-for-comfort relationship between Sequoia Choice Arizona Distance Learning, a charter school, and Joy Christian, a private religious school whose students get tuition tax credit money, deserves a careful read. The word "scam" springs to mind. I'm going to be gone today, so instead … Read more
More substance-free reporting from the Arizona Daily Star
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: The Arizona Daily Star today demonstrates once again it's complete inability to cover local politics. It assigned education reporter Rhonda Bodfield to write a "he said – she said" story from dueling press releases from the Pima County Democratic and Republican Parties, and the Tucson Tea Party group. Campaign heats up; Tea … Read more
