Court strikes down the Arizona Republic’s pension reforms as unconstitutional
February 4, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
This week our Tea-Publican Arizona legislature launched an assault to destroy public sector unions in Arizona, led by the Goldwater Institute.
But before this assault on working people and the American middle-class came the "softening up" phase, the assault on state employee pensions.
The assault began with a series of "investigative" reports in the Arizona Republic in the fall of 2010 that relied heavily on the biased research of the Goldwater Institute and quoted liberally from Goldwater spokesmen. The Republic has a long and sordid history of anti-unionism. The editorial staff of the Arizona Republic pressed the legislature for state pension reforms.
The Tea-Publican legislature, citing the Arizona Republic's "Investigative" (sic) report, which was really nothing more than restated Goldwater Insititute research, took up state pension reforms in 2011.
Both our Tea-Publican legislators and editors of the Arizona Republic continued to press for pension reforms even in the face of well-reasoned legal arguments that it violated an express provision of the Arizona Constitution and contract law (impairment of contracts), and I would argue violated the fiduciary obligations of the pension fund manager (Arizona) to the fund beneficiaries. Our Tea-Publican legislature adopted the state pension reforms argued for by the Arizona Republic as proxy for the Goldwater Institute.
Multiple lawsuits were filed and immediately things did not go as planned for our Tea-Publican legislature.
AFSCME creates “RAZING (workers’ rights in) ARIZONA” website
February 3, 2012
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by David Safier AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) created a website, RAZING (workers' rights in) ARIZONA. On the site, you can sign the open letter below. To the lawmakers, governors, policy-wonks, and corporate backers who are dead set on destroying unions in America: Your latest attempt to dismantle workers' rights in … Read more
The Koch Brothers Billionaires Meeting was (almost) in our backyard
February 3, 2012
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by David Safier OK, Indian Wells is more like Palm Springs than Tucson, but I drove there a few years ago to attend the tennis tourney, so it's not that far away. Here's a semi-first hand report about the four day conference held last weekend, organized by the Koch Brothers for their point-one percent buddies. … Read more
Dr. Word notices: Gingrich loves the adverb
February 3, 2012
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by David Safier Dr. Word is unquestionably aware Gingrich is the original Dr. Political Word. Back in his House days, Gingrich sent countless memos to fellow Republicans telling them exactly the words and phrases to use when attacking Democrats. It seems, Dr. W. noticed, the adverb is one of Gringrich's favorite tools to punch up … Read more
Mayors Against Illegal Guns Ad to air during Super Bowl
February 3, 2012
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by David Safier Here's the link to a 30 second ad to be aired during the Super Bowl featuring Boston Mayor Tom Menino and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, titled, "Putting Football Rivalries Aside, Mayors Unite Against Illegal Guns." Watch the ad. If you like it, pass it along to friends via email, Facebook and/or … Read more
LD 30 Boot Stompin’ Red Hot Chili Lovers Cook-Off!
February 3, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: You are cordially invited to the AZ LD 30 "Boot Stompin' Red Hot Chili Lovers Cook-off!" Saturday, February 25th 12:00 – 2:00 PM Unitarian Universalist Church of Tucson 4831 E. 22nd St. Tucson, AZ 85711 Master of Ceremonies: Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild Celebrity judging panel: Cheryl Cage, … Read more
Best monthly jobs report since the Great Recession began four years ago
February 3, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Steve Benen has left the Political Animal blog at the Washington Monthly for a gig as a producer of the Rachel Maddow Show. He is still blogging at the Rachel Maddow Blog. And that's a good thing because I rely on him for the monthly jobs charts. Despite ominous signs of recession in … Read more
AZ Democratic Party on Republican anti-worker legislation
February 3, 2012
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by David Safier I usually don't post entire Arizona Democratic Party emails, but I'm making an exception in this case. This past Wednesday, the Tea Party Republicans in the state Senate fast-tracked an all out assault on the middle class and working families. A series of bills were introduced that completely ban collective bargaining and … Read more
