Michael Bryan

Michael founded BlogForArizona.net as the Howard Dean presidential campaign blog for Arizona in 2003, and has been blogging ever since. The Blog is now coming up on 20 years of continuous publication, a major achievement for any political blog, which usually have the life-spans of mayflies. Michael is an attorney living in Tucson with his wife Lauren. In 2008, Michael remade BlogForArizona into a collaborative project. Michael is now but one of the contributors to the blog and provides editorial and publishing direction in consultation with the Board of Directors and the other authors. If you want to keep up with the latest Arizona and National political news in an entertaining quick hit of news and opinion, check out the BlogForArizona twitter feed, which Mike largely curates and writes. Michael is also an AAPC member who occassionally consults on political campaigns, strategy and communications.

Donkey Feed, August 22nd, 2018

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By Michael Bryan

Welcome back to the Donkey Feed. Strap on your feedbag and slip your traces, time to relax and feed your mind.

First a cool tool for you: StampsLicked.org will take your personal message to your House or Senate critter and hand deliver it to your member on the Hill. This sort of communication is the most effective at actually influencing a congressperson, especially if it shares something personal from a constituent. Start putting a human face on policy issues today: FOR FREE! Donations are welcome on their website, but not mandatory.

Now for some graphical goodness. Why does America care so little about reproduction that we won’t give women (let alone men) paid time off work to do it (WaPo) when every other advanced nation (and many not-so-advanced ones) does so? I think this really would be a bigger issue if both political parties weren’t captured and captivated by the money of big corporate employers who will fight a new employee entitlement tooth and nail. To be fair, some Democrats have raised the issue, but none will run on it, and proposed legislation would only put us on par with Pakistan, South Africa, and Mexico. So much for valuing family…

How about reading a couple of books recommended by Barrack Obama?

“Educated: A Memoir“ by Tara Westover, is about a woman who leaves her survivalist, home-schooled, Idaho roots behind to become college educated; “An American Marriage: A Novel” (Oprah’s Book Club 2018 Selection) by Tayari Jones, is about a newlywed black attorney wrongly convicted of rape and the effect of the wrongful incarceration on his family.

Next up, a standard fundraising pitch, for just small, itty-bitty, teeny-tiny donation:





Support volunteer citizen journalism at the Blog for Arizona with a donation today. Your PayPal contribution keeps the Blog online and sustains a free press in Arizona.

Now, just click on “Continue reading” to enjoy the rest of your feed…

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LD 11 Incumbents Support for Public Ed

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Note: In the interest of full disclosure, I should note that I am a campaign manager for a candidate challenging Mark Finchem for the AZ House in LD 11.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock this year, you probably know that this is an election year where K-12 education has been on center stage, at least here in Arizona. Here in LD 11, where I live, both Representatives Mark Finchem (running for reelection to the AZ House) and Vince Leach (running this year for the AZ Senate), have intimated they are supporters of education and have worked to restore funding back to 2008 levels.





Support volunteer citizen journalism at the Blog for Arizona with a donation today. Your PayPal contribution keeps the Blog online and sustains a free press in Arizona.

First of all, I believe that if a politician doesn’t specify they are a supporter of PUBLIC education, they probably aren’t. Secondly, funding for Arizona public education is still almost $800 million short per year from 2008 levels, even with the plus-up in budget approved this year. And oh by the way, bringing our funding back up to 2008 levels isn’t exactly something to brag about, and the 5 percent raises promised teachers in 2019 and 2020 don’t count until they actually happen. For now, they are just promises that future legislators will need to make good on.

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Arizona Voter Registration Groups Sue Secretary Reagan For People Who Change Addresses With MVD; “Stamping Their Feet” Or “Protecting Qualified Voters”?

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The League of Women Voters has filed a federal lawsuit against Arizona Secretary of State Michele Reagan on Saturday, as a result of a disagreement over when and how to change people’s addresses for voting purposes after they  filed a change of address with the Motor Vehicle Division. Is it an example of “stamping their feet in front of a judge” – as claimed by Reagan’s office – or “protect(ing) thousands of Arizonans from the irreparable loss of their right to vote this November.” That will be among the questions for the judge to decide.

Joining LWV in bringing the suit are voter registration groups Promise Arizona and Mi Familia Vota Education Fund, with legal assistance by the ACLU (national and Arizona chapter) and others. They are asking that the Court order the Secretary to instruct County Recorders to count provisional ballots that may be voted at the voters’ old address (because that still shows as their voter registration address despite filing a change with MVD).

The Court is also being asked to order the Secretary of State to notify – before mid-September – all voters who filed change of addresses with MVD. The letter would instruct them as to their voting options and would include a voter registration form. (Click here to read the Complaint and related filings.)

After the voter registration groups reached an understanding last week with MVD, AHCCCS and DES about future cure to the agreed violations of the federal Motor Voter Act, Secretary Reagan announced that she had rejected the demands because changes are already scheduled for 2019 and trying it now “would only produce voter confusion.” Secretary of State Communications Director Matt Roberts told Arizona’s Politics that:

“It’s disappointing that organizations like the ACLU, Mi Familia Vota and the League of Women Voters are seemingly more interested in stamping their feet in front of a judge rather than accepting the fact that the changes they want are already scheduled. We’re confident the court will agree that sending a letter to five hundred thousand people saying the state changed their voter registration address right before an election isn’t the greatest idea.”

 

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Donkey Feed, August 19, 2018

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By Michael Bryan

Strap on your feedbag and kick the traces, it’s time for your Donkey Feed.

First, a cool tool: Google has created a database of all the political candidate ads that run on its platform. This is potentially a great tool for researchers, informed citizens, and bloggers like me, turning up recent gems like this ad depicting Kelli Ward as soft on abortion, of all things! And this one claiming she’s soft on terrorism and national defense. Such fun!

Next, some graphical goodness: The odds that control of the House will flip to Democrats. Happy days! But take it with a grain of salt, 538 also gave similar odds to Clinton’s election to the Presidency…

Next, a bad-ass book I think you might like: Hans Rosling, the demographer, physician, co-founder of Medecins Sans Frontiers, and TEDTalk super-stud, has written a book making the case that the world is becoming a better, healthier, and wealthier place, despite your intuitions.

Next, viddy this my droogs: one of the Fox News valkyries thought it would be fun to poke some fun at socialist Denmark. Well, she drew a response from a Danish politician, and it’s a beautiful takedown:

Finally, my standard fundraising pitch for a bit of your filthy lucre:





Support volunteer citizen journalism at the Blog for Arizona with a donation today. Your PayPal contribution keeps the Blog online and sustains a free press in Arizona.

Now, just click on the “Continue Reading” and enjoy the rest of the Feed…

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