AZ Congressional Delegation

Evil twins ALEC & the NRA: Working to keep America safe for capitalism

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AZ-pl-2-nolayers-sm72by Pamela Powers Hannley

While many Americans are clamoring for gun control legislation on multiple levels, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and the National Rifle Association (NRA) are working hard to maintain the status quo– which ensures the safety of gun manufactures and sellers– to the detriment of the American public. Tea Party minions– like former Legislator Frank Antenori [So, doesn't Raytheon find this employee's antics a bit embarrassing?] and the nuts behind this event— are marching in lockstep behind their corporate masters. 

For another look at the evil twins– ALEC and the NRA– check out this story from ColorOfChange.org…

Pressed hard for a response to the tragic shooting deaths of 20 young children and 7 adults in Newtown, the National Rifle Association (NRA) finally broke its silence to announce that the solution to gun violence is more guns. It just doesn't make any sense — unless you're in the gun business.

As a long-time funder of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) — and co-chair of its Public Safety and Elections Task Force — the NRA has directly authored dozens of "model" gun access laws that fly in the face of commonsense efforts to reduce gun violence.1

And now, despite the wave of bad publicity ALEC's received for pushing Florida's NRA-drafted "Shoot First" law out to 25 other states, it's clear the NRA isn't prepared to clean up its act. 

More commentary and lots of links after the jump.

New US immigration report reveals ‘formidable’ & expensive machinery to secure border

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Brownskin-201x300by Pamela Powers Hannley

A detailed new report release by the Migration Policy Institute reveals the sophistication and cost– both human and monetary– of the United States' immigration policy in recent years.

According to the nearly 200-page report, the US system is based upon 6 pillars: border enforcement; visa controls and travel screening; information and interoperability of data systems; workplace enforcement; intersection between criminal justice system and immigration enforcement; and detention and removal of noncitizens. Each area is described in detail. 

The report includes a wealth of information about the intricacies of the Department of Homeland Security and how immigration enforcement intersects with the criminal justice system, the FBI, and the CIA. Probably the most dramatic finding is:

The US government spends more on its immigration enforcement agencies than on all its other principal criminal federal law enforcement agencies combined. In FY 2012, spending for CBP [Customs and Border Protection], ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement], and US-VISIT reached nearly $18 billion. This amount exceeds by approximately 24 percent total spending for the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Secret Service, US Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), which stood at $14.4 billion in FY 2012.

Judging by resource levels, case volumes, and enforcement actions…immigration enforcement can thus be seen to rank as the federal government's highest criminal law enforcement priority.

Whoa. More key findings after the jump.

Pima Dems elect Jorgensen, party slate by acclamation at reorg meeting

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Jogenson007-sm72by Pamela Powers Hannley

The Pima County Democratic Party elected a slate of new officers— including Don Jorgensen as chair– by acclamation at Saturday's reorganization meeting. The whole election took about 30 minutes.

Although there were rumors about wild card candidates (from the business friendly Latinos who took over Legislative District 3) running against the suggested slate and although the Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) met with progressive precinct committee (PsC) people to encourage them to run for statewide or county offices, there were no surprises on Saturday. (The progressive faction and the business friendly Latino faction are represented on the Executive Committee and on the State Committee, making both groups more diverse in multiple ways.)  

Nearly 150 voting PCs attended the reorganization meeting at Amphi High School; 51 were needed for quorum.

Chair Jeff Rogers– who led the local party with a strong hand through two, often-contentious terms– called the meeting to order and ran it. He started by congratulating the Dem foot soldiers for helping to elect President Barack Obama and a Democratic majority of Congressional seats– Ron Barber, Raul Grijalva, Ann Kirkpatrick, Kyrsten Sinema, and Ed Pastor.

Arizona State Senator Steve Farley nominated Jorgensen (pictured at left), a candidate who he said "has blue blood, in a good way".

In a short speech after his speedy, uncontested election, Jorgensen– dressed in the Dem Party Chair "uniform" of blue jeans, cowboy boots, and a blue blazer– came across as smart, friendly, inclusive, and spot-on with the issues that reflect Democratic values.

"I know that it is wrong to have more laws to regulate a woman's vagina, than assault weapons; more laws that support prisons more than public education; and laws that allow you to be pulled over because of the color of your skin," Jorgensen said, alluding to multiple right-wing bills passed in recent years by the Arizona Legislature.

"We need to work smarter and speak louder," Jorgensen continued. "We are not going to be complacent as we were in 2010. The work starts tomorrow." More about the elections after the jump.

Rep. Matt Salmon advocates for a government shutdown

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Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

We got rid of this fool back in 2002 when Janet Napolitano defeated him for governor. Now former and newly-elected Rep. Matt Salmon is back in Washington, making a fool of himself and embarrassing Arizona once again. Will we never learn? GOP Rep: ‘It’s About Time’ We Had Another Government Shut Down:

Appearing on CBS’ Face the Nation this morning, Rep. Matt Salmon (R-AZ) enthusiastically called for a government shut down:

Screenshot from 2013-01-06 13:58:12SALMON: I was here during the government shutdown in
1995. It was a divided government. we had a Democrat [sic] President of
the United States. We had a Republican Congress. And I believe
that that government shutdown actually gave us the impetus, as we went
forward, to push toward some real serious compromise. I think
it drove Bill Clinton in a different direction, a very bipartisan
direction. In fact, we passed welfare reform for the first time ever,
and we cut the welfare ranks in the last decade and a half by over 50%.
These are good things. We also balanced the budget for the first time in
40 years in 1997, 1998, 1999. And when I left we had an over $230
billion surplus. This was with a Democrat [sic] president, A Republican —

HOST: You think that’s a good idea?

SALMON: Yes, I do. I really do. I think it’s about time!

WaPo story on Rep. Kyrsten Sinema

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Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The Washington Post today has a profile of Arizona Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema in the style section of the newspaper, Kyrsten Sinema: A success story like nobody else’s (excerpt):

Sinema likes to crack herself her up. She likes to crack everyone
else up, too, even though this last tendency — the aspirationally
comedic — is forever getting her in trouble.

“I think there’s this
pressure to get rid of the fun that makes us human,” Sinema says a few
minutes later. “It hasn’t worked on me.”

Sinema is a bracingly
unfiltered talker, a precocious achiever, a high-energy persuader, an
adjunct professor, a lawyer, a marathon runner, a lover of designer
clothes. She is a holder of many, many degrees — this she’s happy to
tell you in a humble-braggy sort of way. And she can be a lot of fun to
hang out with, a rambling, kind of kooky monologist who can pivot from
whimsical and wacky to substantive and earnest without a pause.