Democrats Focus in on Arizona’s Extreme ‘Tell Your Boss Why You’re On the Pill’ Bill
March 20, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Last week, the Tea-Publican Arizona legislature took up the "Baby Blunt Amendment" that doubled-down on crazy, permitting employers to terminate contraception users on "religious or moral objections" to their private life Arizona Senate Committee Endorses 'Tell Your Boss Why You're On The Pill' Bill.
Former U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona wrote this opinion in response. Richard H. Carmona, M.D.: Arizona Effort to Block Contraception Simply Bad Health Policy:
A recent push to block women from getting access to contraception shows the Arizona legislature is not operating from an evidence-based or reality-based point of view.
The legislature's recent actions actively create problems rather than trying to solve them. And, at best, they are wasting our time.
Whenever I've had to make a major decision as a doctor, cop or for a company I've worked for, I ask myself: What is the value proposition here? Will my decision bring added value to the population I have the privilege to serve?
These questions are clearly not being considered by the folks I like to call the "chronic politicians" at our state capitol and in Washington.
We have real problems here in Arizona, and there are reasonable and politically possible solutions to them. But it's pretty clear that solving problems isn't what these politicians hope to do. Instead, they seem intent on scoring political points rather than solving the problem.
Trying to block women from getting access to contraception or defunding Planned Parenthood is completely nonsensical from a policy standpoint. As the 17th Surgeon General of the United States, I can say without hesitation that these bills would be bad for public health and deleterious to the health of women.
Action Alert from the Arizona AFL-CIO
March 20, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Action alert from the Arizona AFL-CIO: Two bills being debated this week spell trouble for AZ working families and we need you to take action. Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee will be debating Gov. Brewer’s personnel bill at 10AM, which would open the door to cronyism and hurt the services that keep … Read more
Antenori’s Amateurish Election Pitch Spreadsheet
March 19, 2012
By Michael Bryan An interesting little info-graphic from Frank Antenori's CD8/2 campaign: What pops out for me is the absolutey amateurish way this was put together. It's clearly just a spreadsheet. And just as clearly the person who threw it together has no concept of style or design, or even basic typographical competence. The font … Read more
Ron Barber to run for CD 2 congressional seat
March 19, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
I'll put in my two cents to what David Safier posted.
I had more than one Democratic candidate tell me that Ron Barber would not run for the CD 2 congressional seat this November. Their plans to run for Congress were premised, at least in part, on the belief that Ron Barber would not be a candidate for CD 2.
I can't say that promises were made and broken. I think there were a lot of assumptions made that turned out to be wrong.
The Arizona Daily Star reports Barber to seek permanent seat in Congress:
In somewhat of a surprise announcement, Democrat Ron Barber said Monday he will run for office in the newly drawn Congressional District 2 later this year.
Barber, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ long time district director, is already running to complete his former boss’ term in the Congressional District 8 special election. He is running unopposed in the Democratic primary and will face one of four Republicans vying for that party’s spot in the June 12 special election.
When Barber, 66, announced on Feb. 9 he would run in the special election, he didn’t close the door on competing in the CD2 election. But it was widely speculated that Barber, who has never run for public office, would choose only to complete Giffords’ term and then return to his career behind the scenes.
After five weeks on the campaign trail, however, Barber came to the conclusion he wanted to become a full time U.S. congressman.
The question now becomes if the four other Democrats who have already committed to running in CD2 will stay in the race: state Rep. Steve Farley; state Sen. Paula Aboud; state Rep. Matt Heinz; and Nomiki Konst, a former University of Arizona student.
The candidate announcement from Nan Stockholm Walden expected last week also did not occur.
Matt de la Péna comments about TUSD visit, NY Times story
March 19, 2012
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by David Safier (h/t to Debbie Reese. I think she should consider herself an honorary, esteemed citizen of Tucson — if she would take that as a compliment.) I wrote this morning about the NY Times article on author Matt de la Peña's visit to TUSD. I just learned he wrote about it himself. He … Read more
Barber running for CD-2 seat in November
March 19, 2012
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by David Safier I just heard it from a political friend and had it confirmed on The Range: Ron Barber is planning to run for U.S. Rep in the newly formed Congressional District 2 after, hopefully, winning the CD-8 seat to finish out Gabby's term. Dominos are going to be falling all over the place. … Read more
Tea-Publicans to renege on budget deal, take America hostage again
March 19, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Remember back to last August when a budget deal was agreed to after Tea-Publicans threatened to default on the federal debt ceiling? The parties agreed to a bipartisan "supercommittee" that had until November to come up with a budget deal, or there would be automatic "triggers," cuts to domestic and defense spending. … Read more
Any AZ journalists out there wanting to investigate K12 Inc.’s Arizona Virtual Academy?
March 19, 2012
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by David Safier K12 Inc., the for profit, publicly traded online education corporation — the biggest in the nation — has been subject to all kinds of bad press. Here's the latest: Overworked and Underpaid? Teacher Staffing at Colorado Virtual Academy Student/teacher ratios are as high as 250-to-one. Almost 80% of the $30 million in … Read more
