The Arizona Legislature: Tackling the really important issues
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Every year our Arizona legislature wastes an ungodly amount of time on trivial bills that matter only to a lobbyist, or a small number of people, or an individual who has the ear of a legislator. Committee chairmen have the ability to make these bills disappear, but sometimes they are the sponsors, or they owe a legislator a favor, or they owe a lobbyist for those sweet campaign contributions.
Just this week the legislature has wasted time on this Arizona bill takes aim at airbrushed women in ads:
House Bill 2793, proposed by Rep. Katie Hobbs, D-Phoenix, would require advertisers who alter or enhance a photo to put a disclaimer on that ad alerting customers that "Postproduction techniques were made to alter the appearance in this advertisement. When using this product, similar results may not be achieved."
The bill has little to no chance of success. But Hobbs said that's OK.
"We just wanted to bring it to the table and start a discussion," she said. "We need to bring attention to these body-image issues, especially with young girls. Girls need to know that they don't have to look perfect."
Arizona appears to be the first state in the nation to consider such a bill.
I'll bet it is. I have just one question: Will this bill apply to the heavily retouched air-brushed photo that Jan Brewer has been using since 2010 to make her look 30 years younger? Because that photo is seriously misleading. Embrace your age, Jan.
And there is this bill sponsored by "Fast Eddy" Farnsworth on behalf of a teabagger whiner who wants to engage in electioneering inside her polling location. Arizona bill would allow political apparel at polls:
A state House committee has approved a bill overturning a ban on political apparel and other materials such as buttons and signs within 75 feet of polling places.
State law considers any display of support or opposition for a candidate, ballot proposal or political party to be electioneering, which is prohibited. Civil liberties organizations have complained it violates First Amendment Rights.
And they are what I like to call "wrong."
In Case You Missed It: Martha McSally To Attend Drinking Liberally Tucson This Sunday
Posted by Michael Bryan
At Drinking Liberally we love a good argument. Not the shouting, ranting non-sense that often passes for political dialogue these days, but respectful, challenging, and meaningful discussion of political and philosophical differences.
Republican politicos have joined the liberals at Drinking Liberally for such discussions in the past: Frank Antenori, Vic Williams, Jon Paton, Ray Carroll, and several others have been guests at Tucson's Drinking Liberally.
Martha McSally will be joining that list of conservatives this Sunday at the Shanty starting at 6pm. Martha has recently thrown her hat in the ring for both the CD8 specials and CD8 regular elections. Whether you're a D, a R, or an I, come on down, meet the candidate, discuss the issues, and share a drink.
Click through for more about Martha McSally…
Anti-Union dues deduction bill would cost local governments more money
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
The "geniuses" (sic) at the Goldwater Institute in their blind hatred for working people and unions are attacking automatic voluntary union dues deductions for union members.
Typically an employee has to request this only once, like filling out your W-4 tax withholding form, unless and until you change your status. GI wants employees to have to to request this automatic voluntary union dues deduction annually, which of course means more paperwork and processing and — you guessed it — more expense. And we're supposed to take business advice from these guys?
The Arizona Guardian (subscription required) reports Anti-union bill would cost taxpayers more money :
A proposed law that Republican lawmakers said would save taxpayers money by making it tougher for state employee unions to collect membership dues will end up costing local governments more if it passes.
The measure, which would bar government workers from automatically having their dues deducted from their paychecks, would cost municipalities hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to the findings of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee.
In a report released late Wednesday, the non-partisan organization said, “Local governments estimated the impact to range from minimal to $300,000 in one-time spending and $85,000 per year in on-going expenditures.”
Despite this, our Tea-Publican state Senate in their blind hatred for working people and unions approved the bill on Thursday. Because they always do what the Goldwater Institute/ALEC tells them to do. Bill passes to weaken employee unions; Mesa GOP senators vote against:
SB 1484 scraps current law which allows state or local workers or teachers to have to sign up only once to have union dues deducted from their paychecks. Instead, the measure requires those employees to sign up annually for such deductions.
Several other measures crafted by the Goldwater Institute, which has been engaged in perennial fights with public employee unions, still await action. That includes a broad proposal to preclude collective state and local governments and school districts from engaging in any form of collective bargaining with employee groups.
The 19-11 vote occurred with two Republicans, Rich Crandall and Jerry Lewis, both of Mesa, siding with Democrats against the measure. The bill now goes to the House.
Howard Fischer, in his role as water-carrier for Tea-Publicans, is unintentionally funny with this quote from Sen. "Don't make me angry" Frank Antenori:
Sen. Frank Antenori, R-Tucson, said there is a cost to the government to operate a system that allows deductions, a cost borne by the government and, by extension, the taxpayers.
What an idiot! The JLBC said this bill will cost government more: “Local governments estimated the impact to range from minimal to $300,000 in one-time spending and $85,000 per year in on-going expenditures.”
Will the GOP Establishment Steal the Arizona Primary for Romney?
Idiocy sqared
Neoconfederate Tea-Publican secessionists are back with ‘nullification’ bill
Boss Tweed’s bill to do away with the civil service merit selection system in committee today
