Saying BOO! to a Conservative

by David Safier Ever wonder why fear is such a great motivator for conservatives and why they run to Daddy candidates who make them feel safe? This study may provide a clue. Conservatives tend to have a more highly developed startle reflex than others. To measure that sensitivity, researchers conducted two tests. In one, they … Read more

Vic Williams’ Anger Management Problem

by David Safier It seems Vic Williams, running for State House from LD-26, lost it before a recent Candidate Forum on Education held at Catalina Foothills High. He got in the face of Lisa Hawkins, who organized the event, demanding to participate even though he never responded to Hawkins’ repeated invitations. His demeanor was so … Read more

Branding Yourself a Maverick

After listening to the VP debates where Palin tossed around the word “maverick” like she was a Coca Cola exec throwing “Coke” into every other sentence, I figured it was time to revisit the meaning and implications of the term. The basic definition of “maverick” is an unbranded range animal. So when you wear it … Read more

Auditing TUSD

by David Safier (TASL) I’ve never been one to go after school districts for misspending funds. It tends to be a red herring used by people who are looking for an excuse not to give schools any more money. It seems to me, any multi-million dollar organization is going to have a certain amount of … Read more

Is Thackery Following the 2008 Race?

by David Safier Last night, as I was reading William Makepeace Thackery’s Vanity Fair (Give me a break! I’m a retired English teacher, OK? And the last time I read it was as a high school junior. Good book, by the way), I came across a passage that’s as true of today’s political scene as … Read more