AZ Congressional Delegation

Gov. Jerry Brown signs bill to regulate the ‘Kochtopus’ dark money laundering operations of Sean Noble

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KochYou will recall the Pro Publica investigative report from earlier this year into The Dark Money Man: How Sean Noble Moved the Kochs Cash into Politics and Made Millions. I have posted frequently about the bag man for the “Kochtopus” money laundering operations in the state of Maricopa, who was at the center of California’s Biggest “Campaign Money Laundering” Scheme.

Governor Jerry Brown has now signed legislation strengthening California’s campaign finance laws. The Sacramento Bee reports, Jerry Brown signs law requiring political nonprofits identify donors:

Nonprofit organizations that make political contributions in California will have to disclose more information about the source of their money under a law Gov. Jerry Brown signed Wednesday.

Senate Bill 27 was inspired by the 2012 ballot measure wars in California, when two out-of-state nonprofit groups poured $15 million into fighting Proposition 30 and supporting Proposition 32. Because of the groups’ nonprofit status, they were not required to report where their donations originally came from, leading some to describe the contributions as “dark money.”

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Do progressives even sit out elections? The numbers say no.

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Bob Lord and AZ Blue Meanie are having an interesting dialog on whether progressives should or shouldn’t withhold their votes to punish DINOs who regularly vote or embrace positions that go against progressive values. Bob argues that progressives have not done themselves favors by rewarding the DINOs with electoral victories and that reorienting the country from the massive rightward shift of the past three decades may require be willing to lose some elections to Republicans. Meanie counters that it’s about basic math and caucuses. In other words, the party that wins the majority of seats controls what even goes up for a vote.

For my part I’ll just say my heart is with Bob but my head is with Meanie on this. I’m a pro-choice activist and I cannot in good conscience withhold my vote from a pro-choice Democrat even if I am furious at her about several other things. Not with this relentless barrage of attacks on women’s reproductive rights going on. See, when Republicans lose a few elections to push the party to the right actual people don’t get hurt. If progressive Democrats did that then a lot of people, mostly poor and vulnerable, would be substantially harmed. I say “if” because the empirical evidence that we have on voting patterns demonstrates that progressives do not sit out elections.

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CD2 Candidates: Where Do Barber & McSally Stand on the Issues?

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Ron Barber vs Martha McSally
Venn diagram showing where CD2 Congressional Candidates Ron Barber and Martha McSally agree or disagree. (TPP = Trans-Pacific Partnership)

Progressives have their hair on fire regarding Congressman Ron Barber’s (and Kyrsten Sinema’s) recent votes to help Teapublicans in the House of Representatives create a Congressional  witch hunt committee to re-investigate the the terrorist attack in Benghazi in 2012, when Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State. (Seriously, boys, if Benghazi and Monica Lewinsky’s article in Vanity Fair are all you have on Hillary, you’re in trouble. But I digress.)

On Facebook, Democrats and Progressives are vowing never to work or donate to Barber because of his Republican-lite voting record. Some say they may reluctantly vote for him but nothing more! I have often said that women’s issues (healthcare, choice, access to contraception, and equal pay) may save Barber, and that otherwise, he and challenger Martha McSally are pretty close in their views– particularly on the A-10.

Inspired by BfAZ blogger Donna Gratehouse’s Venn diagram earlier today, I offer the above Venn diagram to illustrate what issues Barber and McSally agree and disagree on. [Click on graphic to enlarge.] The information has been gleaned from statements, votes, news stories, and the candidates’ campaign websites. [NOTE: The Venn diagram includes an incomplete list of the “silent” issues. They also both void discussing: the environment; marijuana legalization; private prisons; undocumented workers; unemployment, food stamps, and other social safety net programs; and probably others I haven’t thought of.]

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The GOP is ‘the party of maximum deportations’

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The Arizona Republic today once again editorializes that Congress needs to pass an immigration reform bill this year. Fan the glimmers of immigration hope — Our View: Reform could emerge from Congress in late summer. Let’s press to ensure it does:

Image: Latinos protest in favor of comprehensive immigration reform while on West side of Capitol Hill in WashingtonAs the Senate-passed reform bill creeps toward its first birthday in June, the House continues to insist the omnibus approach won’t work. OK. So break it up.

Utah’s Rep. Mike Lee, a staunch tea party Republican, said recently that “most” House Republicans favor some sort of reform — as long as it is done piecemeal and “step-by-step.”

A piecemeal approach can work. Step-by-step is problematic if it means cherry picking the popular stuff.

Legalizing the current undocumented population remains the most contentious issue. It can’t be left out. A solution could coalesce around legalization that falls short of creating a special path to citizenship.

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Most of all, Congress needs to pass reform. House Republicans should build on the glimmers of hope and produce a bill that moves the nation — and their party — forward.

Did you catch that? The Arizona Republic wants legalization without a pathway to citizenship. What really matters to them is moving the Republican Party forward.

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