Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Arizona is such a "Bizzaro World" of political extremism that nothing surprises me anymore. Advertisement It turns out that recalled Sen. Russell Pearce's Neo-Nazi pal J.T. Ready is running for Pinal County Sheriff — as a Democrat. Stephen Lemons has the full story at the Phoenix New Times. Neo-Nazi J.T. Ready Runs … Read more

by David Safier I've heard Randy Parraz speak before, but never as well as he spoke at Democrats of Greater Tucson today. The man was on fire: eloquent and funny, connecting on an emotional level, pumping up the audience. He talked about the successful Russell Pearce recall and his redoubled commitment to vote Joe Arpaio … Read more

by David Safier Hat tip to Lisa Hoffman for uncovering yet another bill the Arizona Republicans copied from ALEC model legislation. The bill is HB2386, "asbestos related liability; successor corporations," sponsored by 10 Republicans, including S. AZ's Terri Proud, David Gowan, David Stevens and Frank Antenori. It's almost word for word from ALEC's 2004 Model … Read more

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

ICYMI, Linda Ray posted at the Tucson Weekly, Adventurers in Buying Elections With the Koch Brothers | The Range:

David and Charles Koch love Arizona congressional representatives the best. In 2011, they gave our our representatives more money than those of any other state, and they gave money to more Arizona congressional representatives than those from any other state. Ben Quayle ($6,000), Trent Franks ($7,500), Dave Schweikert ($10,000) and Jeff Flake ($12,300) racked up a total of, to save you the math, $35,800 for their campaign coffers from the Kochs, and wouldn't you know, their constituents apparently wanted them to vote in ways that seemed to favor the brothers. Americans For Prosperity gave them all a 100 percent rating for the first half of the 112th Congress.

Here are details from Think Progress.

A press release from the Arizona Democratic Party last week makes the same point:

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I have been telling you for some time that the State pension 'crisis' was manufactured – never mind. It was manufactured by the virulently anti-union Arizona Republic in the fall of 2010 when it ran a multi-part series on the "crisis" in public employee pension funds in Arizona. Public employee pension reforms – a manufactured 'crisis'.

The Arizona Republic encouraged the state legislature to pursue unconstitutional and unlawful legislation which had the Goldwater Institute's fingerprints all over it (ALEC and the Koch brothers' Americans for Prosperity no doubt in the shadows). And our Tea-Publican legislature dutifully complied.

Several state pensioner groups filed suit to challenge the legislation, including Arizona Court of Appeals judges who filed a notice of claim to challenge two provisions in the new law regarding the Elected Officials Retirement Program. Appellate judges threaten suit over pension reforms – Arizona Capitol Times.

Back on January 14, Republic columnist Laurie Roberts whined mightily Ariz. judges will rule on own entitlements:

It is, they say, unfair, unconstitutional and absolutely unimaginable.

To think that the Legislature expects judges to kick in more for their pensions. To think that our leaders would change the law so that retired judges no longer collect the annual 4 percent cost-of-living boost to which they are oh-so- entitled.

Yes, to hell with the Arizona Constitution and the rule of law. Laurie Roberts has public employee unions to bash on behalf of an ALEC agenda that began in Wisconsin and Ohio — how's that working out for you? The Arizona Republic has a long and sordid history of anti-unionism dating back to the 1950s that continues to this day. The Republic has never supported workers, especially union workers. You don't buy advertising in the newspaper.

By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings   Well, it's time to watch your civil rights and hide the children and small animals – the lege is back in town. Actually, they've been back for a couple of weeks now, but I've been busy and the first couple of weeks are mostly dedicated to getting … Read more