AZ BlueMeanie

The Blue Meanie is an Arizona citizen who wishes, for professional reasons, to remain anonymous when blogging about politics. Armed with a deep knowledge of the law, politics and public policy, as well as pen filled with all the colors stolen from Pepperland, the Blue Meanie’s mission is to pursue and prosecute the hypocrites, liars, and fools of politics and the media – which, in practical terms, is nearly all of them. Don’t even try to unmask him or he’ll seal you in a music-proof bubble and rendition you to Pepperland for a good face-stomping.

The coming week…part two…

by

By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings   Yesterday, the Arizona House; tonight, the Senate and other stuff… …Tuesday at 9 a.m., Veterans, Military, and Government Affairs will meet in SHR3. Fairly quiet. …Tuesday at 2 p.m., Banking and Finance will meet in SHR3. Fairly quiet. (caveat: There are bills on this short agenda that … Read more

Arizona’s congessional GOP delegation owned by the Koch brothers

by

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

ICYMI, Linda Ray posted at the Tucson Weekly, Adventurers in Buying Elections With the Koch Brothers | The Range:

David and Charles Koch love Arizona congressional representatives the best. In 2011, they gave our our representatives more money than those of any other state, and they gave money to more Arizona congressional representatives than those from any other state. Ben Quayle ($6,000), Trent Franks ($7,500), Dave Schweikert ($10,000) and Jeff Flake ($12,300) racked up a total of, to save you the math, $35,800 for their campaign coffers from the Kochs, and wouldn't you know, their constituents apparently wanted them to vote in ways that seemed to favor the brothers. Americans For Prosperity gave them all a 100 percent rating for the first half of the 112th Congress.

Here are details from Think Progress.

A press release from the Arizona Democratic Party last week makes the same point:

Legislature to repeal the Arizona Republic’s unconstitutional pension reform legislation

by

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

PublicPensionsI have been telling you for some time that the State pension 'crisis' was manufactured – never mind. It was manufactured by the virulently anti-union Arizona Republic in the fall of 2010 when it ran a multi-part series on the "crisis" in public employee pension funds in Arizona. Public employee pension reforms – a manufactured 'crisis'.

The Arizona Republic encouraged the state legislature to pursue unconstitutional and unlawful legislation which had the Goldwater Institute's fingerprints all over it (ALEC and the Koch brothers' Americans for Prosperity no doubt in the shadows). And our Tea-Publican legislature dutifully complied.

Several state pensioner groups filed suit to challenge the legislation, including Arizona Court of Appeals judges who filed a notice of claim to challenge two provisions in the new law regarding the Elected Officials Retirement Program. Appellate judges threaten suit over pension reforms – Arizona Capitol Times.

Back on January 14, Republic columnist Laurie Roberts whined mightily Ariz. judges will rule on own entitlements:

It is, they say, unfair, unconstitutional and absolutely unimaginable.

To think that the Legislature expects judges to kick in more for their pensions. To think that our leaders would change the law so that retired judges no longer collect the annual 4 percent cost-of-living boost to which they are oh-so- entitled.

Yes, to hell with the Arizona Constitution and the rule of law. Laurie Roberts has public employee unions to bash on behalf of an ALEC agenda that began in Wisconsin and Ohio — how's that working out for you? The Arizona Republic has a long and sordid history of anti-unionism dating back to the 1950s that continues to this day. The Republic has never supported workers, especially union workers. You don't buy advertising in the newspaper.

The coming week…

by

By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings   Well, it's time to watch your civil rights and hide the children and small animals – the lege is back in town. Actually, they've been back for a couple of weeks now, but I've been busy and the first couple of weeks are mostly dedicated to getting … Read more