Author Archives: Bob Lord

David Safier, Former BfAZ blogger: Bodine Depiction of Garcia Book “Wrong”

Posted on August 12, 2018 | 15 comments

If there were a hall of fame for Blog for Arizona writers, David Safier certainly would occupy a premier space. David wrote over 3,000 posts here before moving on to his current gig at Tucson Weekly’s The Range. His posts here covered many topics, but mainly on his passion, education policy. His posts always were thoughtful.

After reading Larry Bodine’s hit piece on David Garcia’s book, “School Choice,” David reviewed the book himself and wrote his own piece at The Range, A Review of David Garcia’s Book, “School Choice”.

Here’s Safier’s take:

Bodine’s depiction of the book is, in a word, wrong.

In other words, David agreed with Brahm Resnik’s characterization of Bodine’s piece as a “gross distortion.”

Safier went a bit further than Resnik: Continue reading →

15 Comments

Posted in Bob Lord, Campaigns, Commentary, Elections, Governor, Larry Bodine

Brahm Resnik: Blog for Arizona Post “Grossly Distorts” Garcia Book

Posted on August 9, 2018 | 20 comments

Disclosure: I voted for David Garcia.

Further disclosure: I know Brahm Resnik better than I know my co-blogger, Larry Bodine. I put Brahm at the top of Arizona’s political media. When it was time to go public with the John Huppenthal’s racist comments on this site, it was a huge plus having him be the one to break the story.

Here’s what Brahm Resnik said when he learned of Bodine’s hit piece from Tim Steller on Twitter:

I read the book. The blogger and the professor grossly distort the content. It’s not even a close call. 

So, one of the most respected reporters in Arizona just said this blog grossly distorted the facts. If Brahm Resnik’s tweet is correct, we committed a fraud on our readers. Ugh.

The Farley campaign reportedly is broadcasting the Bodine post, which Brahm characterized as a gross distortion, far and wide. That’s how politics works. It’s a dirty business.

David Garcia’s own statement regarding his book follows after the jump. If you think we owe David an apology, say so in the comment section. Continue reading →

20 Comments

Posted in Bob Lord, Campaigns, Governor, Larry Bodine, Primaries, Uncategorized

Another Thing About Those Devin Nunes Comments

Posted on August 9, 2018 | 4 comments

Rachel Maddow last night played audio from Devin Nunes’ appearance at a fundraiser for Kathy McMorris Rodgers. Rodgers, the fourth ranking member in the Republican House caucus, is in a tough battle to retain her seat.

Nunes, with Rodgers seemingly on board, explained how the Rosenstein impeachment isn’t dead, it’s just on hold until the Senate confirms Kavanaugh. If the House impeached Rosenstein, you see, the Senate would have to table all other business during the Rosenstein’s trial.

Yes, that’s disturbing. Good on Rachel for reporting it.

But the other disturbing part of the story is the role Nunes was playing at the event.

Many readers here think of Nunes as nothing but a corrupt stooge for Trump.

Yet there he was, playing the headliner role at a fundraiser for the fourth ranking Republican in the House.

Were it an event to rally the folks like those we’ve seen at recent Trump rallies (my fave is the woman in the sleeveless flannel shirt flipping the bird at the camera), this would not be surprising. You’d expect Nunes to be popular with that crowd. Continue reading →

4 Comments

Posted in Bob Lord, Corruption

Fiddling While Rome Burns? Yeah, Kind Of

Posted on July 29, 2018 | 7 comments

Democratic Senate candidate Deedra Abboud was asked what legislation she’d introduce if elected. Her response (I’m going by memory, so this may not be exact): “Children shall not be placed in cages in America.”

Campaigns are about messaging. Abboud’s message in her short response was loud and clear: The madness needs to stop, and her priority number one was stopping the madness.

Contrast that to Abboud’s primary opponent, Kyrsten Sinema. Sinema is running ads about her priorities. Priority number one for her is working across the aisle to improve veterans’ health care.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with improving veterans ‘ health care, right? Of course not. Just the opposite. We owe a debt of gratitude to our veterans, even if many of the wars in which our political leaders induced them to serve were for causes less than noble. Regardless, they made huge sacrifices for the good of all of us. We owe them.

The thing is, though, there’s also nothing inherently wrong with fiddling, either.

Continue reading →

7 Comments

Posted in Bob Lord, Campaigns, Elections

No, Trump Did NOT Misspeak in Helsinki

Posted on July 19, 2018 | 1 comment

This isn’t hard.

Trump categorically was lying when he said he misspoke in Helsinki.

According to Trump, he meant to say “wouldn’t” when he actually said “would” in the following passage.

I have President Putin. He just said it’s not Russia. I will say this. I don’t see any reason why it would be, but I really do want to see the server.

If you believe Trump, that simple change would convert the statement from expressing skepticism of Russian interference in the 2016 election, to not seeing any other possible culprits (you know, like China, or the 400 pound guy on his bed to whom Trump has referred, or whoever he had in his mind when he wrapped up his “clarification” Tuesday by saying “Could be other people also. There’s a lot of people out there.”).

The trouble with Trump’s reconciliation is that it’s flat-out irreconcilable with the remainder of his remarks.  Continue reading →

1 Comment

Posted in Bob Lord, Corruption, President

How to Level the Playing Field for Workers — Even with Unions Hurting

Posted on July 12, 2018 | Comments Off on How to Level the Playing Field for Workers — Even with Unions Hurting

A federal jobs and income guarantee could protect workers the way unions once did.

The Supreme Court’s decision in Janus vs. AFSCME dealt organized labor, already on its heels, a crushing blow. Public employees who choose not to join unions now cannot be required to pay so-called “fair share” fees to compensate unions for the cost of representing them in wage and benefit negotiations.

With only 6.5 percent of private sector workers unionized, teachers, firefighters, and other public employee unions have been the bulwark of organized labor in recent years. Over a third of government workers are unionized, but that will likely head south in the wake of Janus.

Absent a union, an individual employee negotiating against a large employer is powerless. If the employer and worker don’t agree to terms, the employer loses one worker out of many, while the employee’s children go hungry. Guess who wins? Continue reading →

Comments Off on How to Level the Playing Field for Workers — Even with Unions Hurting

Posted in Bob Lord, Economics, Labor