MAS News: Don’t mess with librarians!
February 24, 2012
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by David Safier When I was a young teacher, I was surprised more than once when a sweet, gray haired, conservatively dressed librarian would talk, voice quivering with passion, about the right to have books in the high school library some community members found objectionable. Occasionally, I'd ask, "Really? That's in our library?" Librarians are … Read more
Reminder: Day of Action to Protect Workers Rights – RSVP today!
February 24, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Your RSVP must be received by today – call now! Announcement from the Arizona AFL-CIO:
Arizona Democratic Party Special State Committee Meeting
February 24, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Special State Committee Meeting to Elect New ADP Chair Saturday, March 17, 2012 Church of the Beatitudes555 W. Glendale Ave.Phoenix, AZ 85021Registration: 10:00 am Call to Order: 11:30 am Packet downloads available at Arizona Democratic Party: State Committee.
Signing candidate petitions, giving $5 clean elections contributions online
February 23, 2012
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by David Safier Knocking on doors to get signatures for nominating petitions and collecting $5 clean elections contributions may begin to fade in importance. Arizona now has a state website, E-Qual, where you can do both. Enter your driver's license number, date of birth and name, and you'll see the names of all the candidates … Read more
Is It Anti-Democratic to Address Former Elected Officials by Their Former Titles?
February 23, 2012
By Michael Bryan "Speaker" Gingrich. "Governor" Romney. "Senator" Santorum. None of these are accurate descriptions. Excuse me while I crank on about this topic for a bit. Gingrich was bounced by a palace coup and wound up paying huge fines for ethical violations. Romney hasn't governed a state since 2007. Santorum lost his Senate seat … Read more
An Unhealthy State of Affairs
February 23, 2012
By Karl Reiner In 2010, Americans spent $2.6 trillion on health care, a distressing 18% of GDP. The cost in the U.S. was higher per capita than in any other industrialized nation. Although it leads the world in money spent, a lower percentage of America’s population had medical coverage. The need for health care … Read more
How many TUSD students get to Skype with Yale profs and students?
February 23, 2012
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by David Safier What does it mean to TUSD middle school students who get to participate in a UA class and be accepted, listened to, applauded? You think it might make the dream of attending college seem a little more real? How about if some TUSD students have the opportunity to Skype with profs and … Read more
Where did Boss Tweed get her plan to destroy the civil service merit selection system?
February 23, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
During last night's episode of "Survivor – GOP Presidential Primary" from Mesa, Newt Gingrich was blowing kisses to Gov. Jan Brewer aka Boss Tweed and her plan to destroy the civil service merit selection system in Arizona. From the Transcript:
GINGRICH: Finally, I agree generally with the need to reform government. I think that, if we were prepared to repeal the 130-year-old civil service laws, go to a modern management system, we could save a minimum of $500 billion a year with a better system. And if we then applied the tenth amendment, as Governor Rick Perry has agreed to head up a project on, I think we can return to the states an enormous share of the power that's currently in Washington, D.C.
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GINGRICH: — this is — it is — the reason I started with the idea that came out of Strong America Now to repeal the 130-year-old civil service laws and go to a modern management system, is you change everything.
And the fact is, if we're serious — and, in a funny kind of way, Ron and I are closer on the scale of change. We'd approach it slightly different, but I think you've got to start and say what would a modern system be like?
The Strong America Now (strongamericanow.org) web site contains these tidbits:
