Pamela Powers

Long-time blogger and political activist, Pamela Powers holds a masters’ degree in public health from the University of Arizona and a bachelors’ degree in journalism from the Ohio State University. She has worked for many years in communications and public relations. Powers stepped down from her position as the managing editor of the American Journal of Medicine to serve Legislative District 9 in the Arizona House. Powers won her seat in November 2016 and won her re-election bid in 2018. She continues to work part-time social media editor for the journal. In addition to Blog for Arizona, she writes her own blog, The The Tucson Progressive and has contributed political stories to the Huffington Post. Powers Hannley is co-director of Arizonans for a New Economy, Arizona’s public banking initiative. Political website: PowersForThePeople.net Facebook Page: Pamela Powers Hannley for House Tucson Progressive on Facebook: Tucson Progressive Twitter handle: @p2hannley Instagram: p2hannley

‘CCA, go away’: Florida residents say ‘no’ to nation’s largest deportation center (video)

by

No ccaby Pamela Powers Hannley

Private prisons are a "infecting our nation like a virus," according to Florida activists who are fighting against the construction of one of the nation's largest immigrant deportation centers. 

From their website…

We do not agree with the federal government privatizing our immigration detention centers throughout the nation when there is clear evidence that privatizing our prisons creates a clear public safety threat. For ICE to continue to privatize these institutions and bring this safety threat through their "secure communities Initiative" to our community is unacceptable. Depriving someone of their liberty is a non-delegable governmental function and privatizing of such a function is infecting our nation like a virus.

What about Arizona? Governor Jan Brewer and many in the Arizona Legislature are loyal private prison boosters— to the detriment of our residents. Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) runs six private prisons in Arizona. In addition to the well-know immigrant detention centers, CCA also runs DUI prisons. CCA likes to have all of their beds full. Is it any wonder, then, that Arizona has some of the toughest immigration laws and toughest drunk driving laws? Watch anti-CCA protesters in Florida after the jump.

Bradley Manning and Julian Assange: Free speech warriors or terrorists?

by

by Pamela Powers Hannley Yesterday and today, Private Bradley Manning testified in his own defense in a military court. Manning has been imprisoned for 921 days without a trial because he allegedly sent secret US documents to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who published thousands of pages of previously classified material. Are Assange and Manning free speech warriors who wanted … Read more

Is the ‘fiscal cliff’ a manufactured crisis or a real one? (video)

by

Cliff diveby Pamela Powers Hannley

The mainstream media is abuzz with "news" of the fiscal cliff– a end-of-year deadline when the Bush Era tax cuts expire and other financial maneuvers by the federal government either end or take effect. (It's a really long list– read more about the fiscal cliff here and here.)

The fiscal cliff is a crisis manufactured by Congress because on multiple occasions they put off making decisions. Seriously, makeshift, stop-gap deals is their forte. 

Grassroots activists from Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) have hand-delivered 70 letters to members of Congress, urging them to vote against austerity measures which will hit average Americans and the poor the hardest and vote for measures– like the Robin Hood Tax— which will raise revenues by increasing taxes on the rich. 

Here in Tucson, PDA Tucson members delivered such a letter to newly elected Congressman Ron Barber.

For detailed background on the fiscal cliff, check out the video from The Real News, after the jump. 

Democratic Party reorganization: Anti-Grijalva shake-up in LD3

by

Grijalvaby Pamela Powers Hannley

Reorganization of state and county political parties is one of the more arcane processes of our political system. 

Every two years, new and incumbent precinct committee (PCs) people are elected in August, during the primary. New and incumbent politicians are elected in November. Between the November election and February 1, legislative districts (LDs), then the county political parties, and lastly the state political parties reorganize and elect new officers. (Both the Democrats and Republicans do this.)  

Many of the same people volunteer to be PCs, officers, and State Committee representatives. Sometimes there is a bit of drama – like when the Three Sonorans tried to get me to run for county part chair against Jeff Rogers or when the state party bent the rules to elect Andrei Cherny– but generally, there are few real surprises– until now.   

On Monday, while the eyes of Tucson were on the TUSD desegregation public forum, a coup took place on the west side. As a representative of Congressman Raul Grijalva read the Congressman's statement in favor of the restoration of Mexican American Studies, anti-Grijalva forces took the chair of LD3 and key positions on the county Executive Committee. Details after the jump.