AZ Congressional Delegation

Barber sides with haze & coal in Cochise County– not EPA

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Aepco-fd5by Pamela Powers Hannley

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is charged with keeping our air and water clean. Clean air and water are tied directly to public health and long-term well-being of our citiznes, so you'd think everyone would be on board with these goals. 

Not so much.

Keeping air and water clean costs money. Capitalist polluters prefer low costs and high profits, and consequently, they fight EPA regulations at every level (particularly in the halls of Congress) or try to get someone else (like taxpayers) to clean up their subsequent messes.

Arizona has multiple coal-fired power plants. The EPA recently reviewed the Apache Generating Station operated by Arizona Electric Power Cooperative (AEPCO) in Cochise, Arizona and recommended extensive upgrades– like $160-200 million worth– to reduce emissions and minimize haze in Southern Arizona. AEPCO wants to make less extensive upgrades– like $21 million worth– and threatens to raise rates on consumers 20% if the EPA insists on continuing their quest for reduced emissions and haze in the valley near the Cochise Stronghold. 

In a raucus public hearing, the people of Cochise County, said, "Hell, no!" to the EPA back in August. Environmental activists at this meeting were woefully outnumbered, and some were even booed when they spoke in favor of the EPA recommendation to the crowd of 250-300 people. Is it surprising that Bensonites prefer haze over the Chiricahuas? NO. What is Congressman Ron Barber's position? Keep reading after the jump.

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

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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

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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.

McCain’s Slide into Irrelevance

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By Michael Bryan Senator McCain has embarrassed himself, and the state of Arizona, over his baseless attacks on Susan Rice and the Obama Administration regarding the Benghazi attack. It is now clear, and has been since Petraeus' testimony, that Ambassador Rice's comments on the attack were vetted by the intellegence community and reference to terrorist … Read more

Arizona Sides with Mexico in Tomato Dispute

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By Karl Reiner

On November 8, the Tucson City Council voted 6-0 to ask the U.S. Department of Commerce to reverse its decision to terminate the Mexican tomato suspension agreement. The council fears damage to the region's economic relationship with Mexico and wants to avert the possibility of a trade war.  Senators Kyl and McCain, Representatives Grijalva, Barber, and others have expressed similar positions.

 Tomato thCA1IE4MM

When the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) took effect in 1994, it eliminated U.S. tariffs on imported Mexican tomatoes.  The American producers of fresh winter tomatoes then charged the Mexican producers with low price dumping that injured the industry.  In November 1996, the resulting U.S. anti-dumping investigation was suspended when agreement was reached between the U.S. Department of Commerce and Mexican growers.  In 2008, a review established a revised floor price for Mexican tomatoes at $.0172 per pound in summer and $0.216 in winter.