Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Press release from the Brennan Center for Justice: Federal Court in KS to Hear Arguments on KS, AZ Voter Reg Restrictions The U.S. District Court in Wichita will hear arguments tomorrow, December 13, in Kris W. Kobach et al. v. United States Election Assistance Commission, which seeks to undermine federal voter protections … Read more
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
The Neo-Confederate Birthers-Birchers-Secessionists of the Tea Party are gearing up for the next session of the Arizona Legislature with yet another state sovereignty and nullification of federal law measure.
These Neo-Confederate dead-enders just never give up their long discredited theories of interposition, nullification and secesssion in their never-ending insurrection against the federal government.
Sen. Kelli Ward (R-Lake Havasu City), who last session sponsored model legislation for the Firearms Freedom Act and Federal Gun Laws Nullification, this session plans to introduce model legislation to nullify the capabilities of the National Security Agency (NSA) in Arizona — you know, the spy agency that keeps Americans safe from the Hezbollah Muslim terrorists and Chicoms these same paranoid teabaggers believe are invading the U.S. across the Mexican border.
The Arizona Capital Times (subscription required) reports Senator hopes to curtail NSA activities in Arizona:
Arizona may be the first state to consider legislation designed to hinder the National Security Agency’s ability to spy within its borders.
Sen. Kelli Ward, R-Lake Havasu City, announced Monday she’ll introduce legislation next session that would “nullify” the NSA’s capabilities in Arizona by encouraging state agencies, counties, municipalities and local law enforcement to refuse to cooperate with NSA operations.
Information collected by the NSA in Arizona without a warrant would be banned from use by law enforcement and deemed inadmissible in court, Ward said.
Agencies and companies would face penalties if they aid the NSA and state funding would be cut off in the case of agencies and municipalities. Companies that, for example, provide water or electricity to NSA facilities in Arizona would be banned from contracting with the state at any level of government.
Ward said the 4th Amendment Protection Act, model legislation pushed by constitutional-rights organization the Tenth Amendment Center, isn’t meant to punish local governments and state agencies, but is more of a disincentive to the NSA if it wants to conduct surveillance in Arizona.
I would dispute the "constitutional-rights organization" characterization of what this "Tenther" organization is about. It promotes state sovereignty ("states' rights"), interposition and nullifcation of federal laws, theories long discredited since the end of the Civil War and the adoption of the 14th Amendment. Not to mention the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution.
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
In this new series, "Questions for Martha McSally," we pose questions to the McSally campaign about her positions on current hot topics — I am not going to give her a free pass until after the GOP primary like our local media did in 2012.
Jim Nintzel of the Tucson Weekly and host of the Arizona Illustrated political roundtable tried to get Martha McSally to take a position on the current hot topic of gay marriage and "ObamaCare" and – suprise! – McSally is still hiding in the bunker with no ready answer to substantive questions. This is one incredibly ill-informed and ill-prepared candidate for someone who has been running for office since 2010. In Sickness and in Health:
What about gay marriage? Are you evolving on that at all?
Am I evolving on that?
A lot of people seem to be evolving on that. You said last time out that you supported a constitutional amendment to limit marriage to one man and one woman. Now we have it in all these states.
I believe it's primarily a state issue. When you're answering these surveys, sometimes it's a "yes/no" question when really it should be an essay answer that's appropriate.
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Announcement from Why Marriage Matters Arizona: Why Marriage Matters Arizona, Open Community MeetingThursday, December 12, 6pm – 8pmHimmel Park Library1035 N. Treat Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85716(520) 594-5305 Why Marriage Matters Arizona (WMMAz) will host an open community meeting to discuss the campaign's progress in Arizona. WMMAz is a grassroots public education campaign to build support … Read more