Yes, Montini says, we need Bible classes, for . . .

February 5, 2012

by David Safier E. J. Montini begins with satire, then leaves it to simply tell the truth. Here's how his column begins. An Arizona legislative committee last week approved a bill to create an elective high-school class called "The Bible and its Influence on Western Culture," a divinely inspired proposal that needs only two minor … Read more

The coming week…

February 5, 2012

By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings   First: an apology to readers for not finishing last week's legislative schedule post. My personal schedule got tight, and these posts take 6 – 8 hours to put together when the lege's committees are going full speed. Hence, the early start on this is meant to ensure … Read more

The latest on the Giffords seat special election

February 4, 2012

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

First the Democratic side of the ledger, because really folks, that's what matters.

Friend of Blog for Arizona Carolyn Classen was kind enough to forward a copy of a Yellow Sheet Report (ungodly expensive subscription gossip rag), captioned: Giffords Set to Endorse Barber:

Multiple sources say that Giffords’ advisors held a conference call this afternoon to discuss what role she would play in the special election to replace her, and one source with knowledge of the conversation said Giffords is prepared to throw her support behind longtime aide Ron Barber to fill out her term.

However, her endorsement hinges on Barber entering the race, a decision the source said he will make by Monday. “If he decides to run, [Giffords and her team] will endorse him,” the source said.

If Barber, who reportedly is still unable to work full days because of his recovery from being shot in the same attack that wounded Giffords, opts not to run, the source said there is “no backup plan” and the congresswoman would not issue an endorsement.

I just came from a meeting of Legislative District 30 Democrats at which Rep. Steve Farley (D-LD 28) was the featured speaker. Rep. Farley informed Democrats that the report above is the current status for Democrats — Ron Barber is considering whether to run as a caretaker for the Giffords seat in the CD 8 special election.

MAS News Shorts

February 4, 2012

by David Safier

My (virtual) desktop is piled high with MAS news I planned to post about as separate items. Instead, here's a brief rundown with links so you can read more if you wish.

• The latest news is the lawsuit filed by MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund) to reinstate MAS courses. The argument is, MAS was part of desegregation plan TUSD was required to fulfill, and cutting the program violates the post-unitary plan. You can read the court filing here. (h/t to Abie Morales at Three Sonorans for the link)
• The nationwide response to the MAS controversy is spreading. Students are holding teach-ins. The Network of Teacher Activist Groups has joined together with Rethinking Schools to create a No History is Illegal website: "A Campaign to Save Our Stories. They say shut it down. We say spread it around!" You can read stories and download curriculum (h/t Jeff Biggers on HuffPo).
• Las Adelitas protests TUSD retaliation against Dr. Sean Arce, Director of the MAS program, because he "brought his concerns to the Department of Education at the White House summit this week" and because he is participating in the lawsuit to reinstate MAS courses.
• Jeff Biggers has a series of four interviews with former MAS students who say the program has made a huge difference in their lives. Excerpts from the interviews after the jump.

Saguaro Eastside Democrats 8th Annual ‘I Love Liberty’ Party

February 4, 2012

Posted by AzBlueMeanie: This is the first "must attend" event of the campaign season for candidates running for office in Pima County. This meet & greet is your chance to introduce yourself to Democratic Party activists and donors.

Time for unions to stand united against this assault on working people

February 4, 2012

Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Police and fire unions have, for various reasons, supported and endorsed Republican candidates and causes over the years. This often put them at odds with other public sector unions and trade unions. Some of the teachers unions have endorsed Republican candidates on the specious grounds that it is a Republican dominated district and they wanted … Read more

SCOTUS to hear SB 1070 appeal on April 25

February 4, 2012

Posted by AzBlueMeanie: From SCOTUSblog.com April arguments: The Supreme Court will conclude its oral arguments for the current Term with the major case on a state’s power to pass laws to control undocumented immigrants living in the state — Arizona v. United States (docket 11-182) — on April 25.   11-182 — Arizona v. United States  … Read more

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.