AZ Congressional Delegation

Our Dysfunctional Political System and Gun Violence

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By Michael Bryan


Ron-Barber-Gabby-Giffords-jpgAsk Ron Barber to lead on sensible gun policies.

Let me preface this post by stating a few facts: I am a gun owner, I am a sportsman (though much more so when I was younger, than now), I had a concealed carry permit (when such a thing was still required in AZ), and I am a prosecutor who has seen first-hand the tragic results of guns in the wrong hands.

The growing epidemic of mass shootings in this country now stands at 62 incidents since 1982, according to a Mother Jones magazine investigation. The nexus between gun laws becoming ever-more lax and poor mental health care and invervention has been and remains a major public safety issue in this country.

Yet Congress has done almost nothing to address the very real and present danger to public safety posed by the combination of madness and easily available weapons designed to kill many people very quickly.

Our political system has become so dysfunctional that even a problem that is murdering innocents on a regular basis cannot seem to be addressed. Our policy-making systems are so captured by special interests, so riven by ideological extremism, and so paralyzed by an unconstitutional and anti-democratic super-majority requirement in the Senate, that it seems naive to even hope that our leaders can propose and pass reasonable policies to slow the carnage.

Ron Barber: “we must take action to deal with the easy availability of assault weapons and extended magazines.”

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by David Safier


CCkwyfcwCUMiZXL-556x313-noPadNOTE: Please sign the petition urging Ron Barber to "Take the lead in Congress to address the epidemic of mass shootings."

I'm taking Congressman Ron Barber's op ed in today's AZ Republic as a hopeful signal that he plans to stand up.

I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms — but we must take action to deal with the easy availability of assault weapons and extended magazines.

We must take action to prevent people who are a danger to themselves and others from getting access to these weapons.

We must not wait any longer to address this crisis. But we must also recognize that these issues are not the only pieces in a complex problem to which there is no single answer.

Barber goes on to discuss the links between mental illness, gun availability and mass shootings:

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.