Mr. President, America does not negotiate with hostage takers and extortionists
December 8, 2010
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: I have come to the conclusion that all the news reporting and commentary on the Obama-McConnell tax compromise is ignoring the (GOP) elephant in the room. It is all sound and fury to obscure the central issue of our time with which this country has yet to come to grips: a major … Read more
Education: the economic downturn scapegoat
December 8, 2010
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by David Safier If you haven't worked in education for decades like I have, you may not have noticed, but it's as predictable as the sunrise. Whenever there's an economic downturn, bad schools are blamed as the culprit and education reform becomes a huge issue. It's no coincidence that the problems with education are making … Read more
The lure of charters and other educational “reforms”
December 8, 2010
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by David Safier Imagine you're a parent in Compton, CA, with your children attending a public school rife with all the inner city problems like poor test scores, low high school graduation and major discipline problems. If the principal, district superintendent and teachers' union tell you to be patient, that they're working on the problem, … Read more
One little letter
December 7, 2010
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by David Safier So I went to renew my car registration online. I typed in www.servicearizona.com (or so I thought). Up comes this page. Not paying much attention, I clicked on Vehicle Registration Renewal. I got to a page with a lot more links. Fine. I clicked on Vehicle Registration and went to another page … Read more
The comic stylings of G.I.’s Matthew Ladner
December 7, 2010
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by David Safier The good news is, Goldwater Institute's Matthew Ladner is turning into a pitiable study in self parody and should no longer be taken seriously by anyone. The bad news is, you have to learn to appreciate the man's subtle comic stylings to realize what a buffoon he is, and since most people … Read more
Progressive Pushback
December 7, 2010
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Reps. Raul Grijalva and Keith Ellison, the incoming co-chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus for the next Congress, released this statement in response to the Obama-McConnell tax-cut deal: “We call on our Congressional leaders in the House and Senate to hold firm on passing a middle class tax cut with no strings … Read more
ALEC Conference: Newt Gingrich, Big Business and Arizona legislators
December 7, 2010
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by David Safier The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) met a few days ago in D.C., buoyed by Republican victories. Here's a description of ALEC from a recent NPR expose: It's a membership organization of state legislators and powerful corporations and associations, such as the tobacco company Reynolds American Inc., ExxonMobil and the National Rifle Association. … Read more
In Memoriam: Elizabeth Edwards
December 7, 2010
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Elizabeth Edwards said goodbye to her family, friends and well wishers on Monday. Today she died. Elizabeth Edwards dies :: WRAL.com: Elizabeth Edwards, the political wife whose public battle with breast cancer, coping with marital infidelity and continued advocacy for the downtrodden raised her profile above that of her husband, died Tuesday. … Read more
