Legislative Republicans, like scorpions, are what they are…
March 15, 2012
By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings …and expecting them to be any different is a waste of time and a waste of energy… Among the things that the Rs in the Arizona lege have done just this week… …Passed out of committee HB2664, a bill to allow debt collection agencies to scam consumers … Read more
Is bullying a Christian value?
March 15, 2012
by
by David Safier Here's a scathing East Valley Trib headline on a Howie Fischer article: Christian values lobbyist blamed for killing anti-bullying legislation It seems Center for Arizona Policy President Cathi Herrod thinks anti-bullying legislation is part of the gay agenda, so she worked to kill the bill. These are the same people who howl … Read more
Texas moves to directly challenge Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act
March 15, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Last week the U.S. Department of Justice filed a Voting Rights Act objection to the new voter I.D. law of the state of Texas (DOJ had previously objected to the new voter I.D. law of South Carolina.)
Redistricting in Texas is curretly before a three judge panel of the D.C. Circuit Court, because Texas opted for judicial review of redistricting rather than DOJ pre-clearance (as Arizona has done).
Texas did not waste any time. Michael Li, an election law attorney who writes the Texas Redistricting blog, reports on Texas filing a direct challenge to the constitutionality of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act (which SCOTUS has always upheld an enforced since it was enacted in 1965). Texas goes big on section 5: Makes the constitutionality argument | TEXAS REDISTRICTING:
The State of Texas is seeking permission from the three-judge panel in the voter ID case to file an amended complaint that would directly challenge the constitutionality of section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.
(The amended complaint can be found here.)
The amended complaint explained in the introduction that – as an alternative grounds for relief – “the State of Texas seeks a declaration that section 5, as most recently amended and reauthorized by the Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006, exceeds the enumerated powers of Congress and conflicts with Article IV of the Constitution and the Tenth Amendment.”
With the filing, Texas now moves to the forefront, along with the Shelby County case out of Alabama, in re-raising the constitutional issue after the high court’s 2009 decision to punt the issue. [Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District Number One v. Holder (2009)]. However, because Texas’ case, unlike the Shelby County case, involves a three-judge panel, appeals from the case would go directly to the Supreme Court. That means Texas’ case has the potential for getting to the Supreme Court first, depending on how the timing works out. (Shelby County was argued in late January at the D.C. Circuit and is pending decision.)
Tea-Publican House committee votes to give the governor an ‘Arizona Special Missions Unit’ border militia
March 15, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
This ludicrous idea from Sen. Sylvia "6,000 years" Allen (R-Snowflake) has already cleared our Tea-Publican Senate. Tea-Publican Senate votes to give the governor an 'Arizona Special Missions Unit' border militia.
The bill, SB 1083, is backed by "states’ rights" advocates and anti-immigration zealots. What could possibly go wrong? (Jan Brewer and her teabaggers are recklessly irresponsible enough to create an international incident or start a war).
The House Military Affairs and Public Safety Committee approved SB 1083 on a party-line 6-3 vote after lengthy debate on Wednesday. Bill to establish armed, state militia passes hurdle:
[The Arizona Special Missions Unit] would [purportedly] help secure the border and help local law enforcement pursue, detain and arrest those involved in "cross-border criminal activity." The unit also could respond to natural disasters and search-and-recovery efforts.
It would be funded with $1.4 million a year in gang task-force funds.
When called into duty, unit members could detain and arrest suspects until a law-enforcement agency took over and would have immunity for acts that occur while on duty — similar to immunity granted to police and other law enforcers that prevents prosecution while doing their jobs.
The legislation also would allow the state militia to seize assets in instances where it cooperates with state or local law enforcement agencies.
The governor would oversee the unit, and local police or county sheriffs could request the activation of the unit to supplement their law-efforts.
Border experts have told The Arizona Republic it would be the first such volunteer border-enforcement force in the nation.
That's because nowhere else in America is a legislature stupid enough to take a bunch of volunteer redneck border vigilanties, arm them with guns and legal immunity, and set them loose on the public to violate the public's civil rights and seize its property, acting as the personal militia of a governor who clearly has issues with "brown people." This has "disaster" written all over it.
Free screening Saturday: “The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman”
March 15, 2012
by
by David Safier Whether on not you saw "Waiting for Superman," the deeply cynical documentary bashing traditional district schools and singing the praises of charters, you may find this answer worthwhile: "The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman" March 17, 10am at the Loft. It's a free screening.
Librotraficante stops in El Paso
March 15, 2012
by
by David Safier The Librotraficante caravan, scheduled to arrive in Tucson Friday, got a warm reception and good sized crowds in El Paso yesterday. El Paso played host Wednesday evening to a group of so-called "book traffickers" hoping to raise awareness about a controversial Arizona education law that led to the dismantling of a Mexican-American … Read more
Goldwater Institute has its way on anti-union bills
March 15, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Speaking of the evil bastards at the Goldwater Institute/ALEC who have sponsored four anti-union bills this session, they apparently have found a way to get two of their bills stalled in the House to move forward again in the Senate. "The original anti-union Senate bills – SB1484 and SB1486 – were both … Read more
Tea-Publican House approves Boss Tweed’s plot to destroy the civil service merit selection system
March 15, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Arizona is about to be transported back in time in Mr. Peabody's WABAC time machine to an era when women had no rights, minorities had no rights – and labor had no rights.
Gov. Jan Brewer aka Boss Tweed got approval from the Arizona Tea-Publican House on Wednesday for her plot to destroy the civil service merit selection system and to return to the halceon days of the spoils system of political patronage.
That's right, Boss Tweed wants to be able to fire you from your government job for no reason other than the slacker son or daughter of a major GOP contributor needs a job to get him or her off of mom and dad's couch. Arizona House OKs personnel reform:
State lawmakers advanced sweeping legislation Wednesday that would overhaul the state's personnel system to make it easier to terminate and discipline certain state employees.
The effort is a cornerstone of Gov. Jan Brewer's legislative priorities this session[.]
Brewer, a Republican, has said the changes are necessary to make it easier to get rid of poor-performing employees to make government more efficient and productive.
