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.

Ben Buehler-Garcia: The Valiant Little Taylor

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By Tom Prezelski

Cross-Posted From Rum, Romanism and Rebellion

Brave_Little_TailorIt probably tells you everything that is wrong with the Republican
Party in Pima County that the hopeless candidacy of the clueless Mike
Polack has generated more excitement among their activist base than the
candidacy of a guy who nearly won 4 years ago.

Like Steve Kozachik, Ben Buehler-García distinguishes himself from most Republicans by not having complete
contempt for Tucson and Tucsonans. This was the reason for Kozachik’s
success, Bueller-Garcia’s near-success, and, on the opposite end of the
spectrum, the failed candidacy of Shaun McClusky. Of course, as we all
know, Kozachik was eventually run out of his party for such radical
notions, while McClusky inexplicably holds a position of high respect
among what passes for the Republican intelligentsia in the Old Pueblo.

Of course, none of this should be regarded as an endorsement of
Buehler-García. He is still wrong about nearly everything, but at least
he does not seem to hate the people he wants to represent, which counts
for something, not much, but something.

Because of his adequacy as a candidate, Buehler-García has largely
failed to arouse the enthusiasm of Republican activists who demand
someone more in the Frank Antenori mold of a guy willing to insult his
own constituents in the name of standing up for whatever passes for
conservative principles this week. Thus, as he did the last time he ran, he has resorted to trumpeting some non-achievements.

A Climate of Deception

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Once upon a time, a man was arrested for a string of brutal bank
robberies. He said

"You know that bank on Elm Street? I never robbed that.
I swear! I've never been anywhere near that place!!
What's your problem???"

That was beside the point, because he wasn't charged with robbing
that particular bank. In fact, that was the only bank for miles
around that he hadn't robbed.

I mention this because on Monday May 20th Congressman Lamar Smith
(R-Texas) published an opinion piece in the Washington Post:  "Overheated Rhetoric on Climate Change Hurts the Economy"  It uses the same bank-robber logic.

Some Amazing Flakery on Background Checks

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Yesterday I called the Tucson office of Senator Jeff Flake. I told the staffer, I wanted to let y’all know that even though it’s been almost four weeks, people still remember that Senator Flake filibustered the most basic gun reform bill. She immediately interrupted me, saying: "I’d just like to clarify one point: He did … Read more

Beware of Democrats Cutting Unproductive Deals

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By Tom Prezelski

Re-Blogged From Rum, Romanism and Rebellion

Note: Between writing this and posting this, my colleague here at Blog For Arizona, David Safier, posted his own take on this issue. My arguments are only a little different from his, but it seems that this is sufficiently urgent that there is no reason why this point should not be made twice.

Rumor has it that Senate President Andy Biggs (R-Atlas Shrugged) will be unveiling a "Tea Party" budget later today. Among other things, it reportedly includes a petulant $15 million cut to the Universities, and does not include the Governor's proposed Medicaid expansion, despite the fact that it has bipartisan support.

The proposed budget was apparently drafted largely without the participation of his own Republican caucus. Even Majority Leader John McComish (R-Ahwatukee) was apparently kept in the dark, and reportedly members of the Governor's staff were calling Democrats to find out what was up. Given all this, it should come as some surprise that a handful of Senate Democrats are rumored to be supporting this thing.