Charter Reform: First step, realize you have a problem
by David SafierIn Philadelphia, six charters are being scrutinized by the U.S. Attorney's Office, which is considering criminal action. Most of it has to do with misuse of funds. Houston Philadelphia, we have a problem. Advertisement Aiming to end abuses recently uncovered in Philadelphia-area charter schools, a bipartisan legislative committee yesterday unveiled a sweeping overhaul … Read more
Shaun McClusky pulls a Dunbar, campaign circles the drain
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Shaun McClusky is a political neophyte. Hell, he admits that he wasn't politically active and didn't even bother to vote in city elections before he was recruited by the GOP to run for city council. So I know the latest actions are being directed by the GOP "brain trust" of Bill Arnold, … Read more
Economic slide into the abyss halted, sustained recovery to take longer
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Christina Romer, Chairwoman of the President's Council of Economic Advisors, writes On Today's GDP Numbers: Data released [Thursday] by the Commerce Department show that real GDP grew at an annual rate of 3.5 percent in the third quarter of the year. This is in stark contrast to the decline of 6.4 percent … Read more
President Obama signs the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Act
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: From the White House Blog "This Is About Whether We Value One Another": [On Wednesday] the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act became law, and the President hosted a reception to celebrate a victory decades in the making and steeped in blood and pain. Amongst those attending were the … Read more
Judge smacks down Cap’n Al’s unconstitutional abuse of power
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Earlier this year, our comic "hero" (sic) Cap'n Al Melvin (R-LD 26) sponsored legislation to expand the Pinal County Board of Supervisors from three members to five members, years before this will happen anyway in 2012 after the 2010 census, because "Republicans shouldn't have to wait that long to get a board" … Read more
Tea Party Temper-Tantrum
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Rhonda Bodfield of the Arizona Daily Star has a report today about the faux outrage coming from the Tucson Tea Party over being "slandered" by the use of the term "teabagger." Potential sexual slur in release raises Tea Partiers' ire; Uhlich apologizes This is known as manufacturing a story from nothing. Let me help … Read more
STOs can’t find enough low income scholarship recipients
by David Safier I have to admit I'm a bit amazed by this. The Republic's Ronald Hansen and Pat Kossan have picked up the story of School Tuition Organizations (STOs) handling corporate tuition tax credit money not giving out the required 90% of the contributions they receive as scholarships. The reason the STOs give is … Read more
