Call the Governor to Veto These Bills

April 21, 2011

Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Occassionally the Arizona Republic has a good editorial opinion (when Doug McEachern or Robert Robb is not the author). Today I can agree with its recommendations for legislation deserving of a veto by the governor. My list would be much longer. Call Gov. Brewer at 1-(800) 253-0883. (It's toll-free!) Or visit her Web … Read more

About that ‘Tea Party’ license plate

April 20, 2011

Posted by AzBlueMeanie: The House Summary of the House Engrossed Bill for SB 1402 dated April 15, 2011 at first blush strikes me as something for which there could be grounds for a legal challenge. This is not your typical nonprofit organization receiving funds from a specialty license plate arrangement. This arrangement involves elected officials … Read more

The Farley Report – April 20, 2011

April 20, 2011

Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Time once again for the Farley Report from Rep. Steve Farley (D-LD 28), sine die edition: I apologize for any syntactical errors — I got 90 minutes of sleep last night. Tuesday morning, Representative Albert Hale–former president of the Navajo Nation–offered a blessing on the floor that served to comfort many of … Read more

Pima Democrats press release on ‘Paton’s Law’

April 20, 2011

Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Press release from the Pima County Democratic Party on the City of Tucson's legal victory over "Paton's Law": Court Ruling a Victory for Tucson, Repudiation of the Radical Right. Tucson voters won a major court victory today when the state Appeals Court ruled that city residents and not lawmakers in Phoenix, get … Read more

Victory for the City of Tucson over ‘Paton’s Law’

April 20, 2011

Posted by AzBlueMeanie: They would deny it of course, but it looks as if the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division Two, was waiting for the Tea-Publican legislature to declare sine die before issuing its opinion in City of Tucson v. Southern Arizona Leadership Council and Jonathan Paton today, a case determining the constitutionality of "Paton's … Read more

Quick summary of bills passed before sine die

April 20, 2011

Posted by AzBlueMeanie: It has been a very bad week in Arizona. The radical extremist Tea-Publican legislature went batshit crazy in the waning hours of the session. I will try to recap from news sources as best I can. This is not a complete list of bills passed before sine die. The Tea-Publican legislature refused … Read more

The latest Scarp: BIGGER! BOLDER! RECORD BREAKING!!!

April 20, 2011

by David Safier

The Media Releases Daniel Scarpinato writes for House Republicans are fascinating and fun in so many ways. And this one, I have to say, is simply Scarp-ilicious.

First, there's the headline type size. It's 44 point. Most media release heads are 18 point. And it's all caps (most are caps and lower case). TWO-AND-A-HALF-TIMES BIGGER AND BETTER. RECORD BREAKING!!!

And then there's the headline itself:

ARIZONA TOOK BOLD ACTION IN RECORD TIME:
Lawmakers met historically difficult
challenges in just 100 days

Look how proud Daniel is of their accomplishment:

Lawmakers adjourned in 100 days – the shortest session in more than a decade. Only five times in the last 30 years have lawmakers finished so swiftly.

Yes, that's really what Arizona cares about: how fast Republicans can pass bills. You craft them behind closed doors (or have them pre-crafted by national conservative organizations), allow little discussion and hold quick votes with predetermined outcomes. Voila! Terrible legislation in record time! Democracy in action.

You can read the whole release after the jump, but first, let me pull out all the political cliches. It gets a bit repetitive, but every cliche deserves to be  heard, no matter how many times it's used. Prepare for the onslaught.

• the biggest challenges in the state’s history
• tackled some of the most complex challenges in the state’s history
• Closing a $1 billion budget shortfall
• reforming entitlements
• streamlining government
• creating jobs
• the centennial Legislature rose to the great challenges before us in a way that the legendary Arizona leaders who came before us would be proud of
• Rather than kick the can down the road
• balance the budget
• create jobs
• reform government and entitlements
• tough decisions that required bold action
• we rose to the challenge
• coming together and getting down to business
• fix our economy
• create jobs
• reign-in spending
• bold decisions
• brighter days for Arizona
• The voters sent us here to make tough decisions
• historic and comprehensive Jobs Bill. The largest permanent tax cut in Arizona history
• turn Arizona’s economy around
• diversify our economic base
• high-paying, high-quality jobs
• hard-working Arizonans
• passed a balanced budget
• instituted long-term spending reforms
• no new gimmicks, debt or borrowing
• major pension reform package
• protects the commitment we’ve made to our hard-working teachers, firemen and police officers
• ensuring our state pension system is solvent and sustainable
• stop the abuses we’ve seen in the system

I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted!

CLEVERNESS POINTS: You know how Republicans have been crowing about their gimmick-free budget, when it's actually riddled with gimmicks? The Scarp-ilicious turn of phrase is "no new gimmicks." I guess using the same old gimmicks everyone else used is making tough decisions and taking bold action and getting down to business and . . . you get the picture.

And I admire the Scarp-ic chutzpah: admitting the corporate tax cuts are "The largest permanent tax cut in Arizona history." Excuse me, did I say corporate tax cuts? I meant "historic and comprehensive Jobs Bill."

DR. WORD UPDATE: Dr. Word just noticed a "Scarp calling Dr. Freud" moment. He used the phrase "reign-in spending." The term is "reining in spending," as is, pulling back the reins to slow a horse down. Yes, Daniel, if it makes you feel bigger somehow, it's the Republican reign in Arizona right now, and you're the court jester  court reporter town crier.