Goddard v Brewer, the Message Strategy

By Michael Bryan The race for Arizona Governor between incumbent Jan Brewer and Attorney General Terry Goddard comes down to who will frame the issues of the race. If Jan Brewer succeeds in making the campaign a referendum on illegal immigration, she wins. If Goddard is able to make the race about, well… reality, then … Read more

Michael Steele un-Hearts SB1070?

by David Safier RNC Chair Michael Steele didn't exactly say he doesn't like SB1070, but he sure put the law at a few arms' lengths. He made his statement on the Spanish-language Univision network, so there's a little ethnic pandering going on, but still . . . Steele said basically, Hey, SB1070 is only about … Read more

Points to Ponder in This Election Year

By Karl Reiner The government’s latest economic figures show the current recession as being a record setter.  The precipitous economic decline in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis was much steeper than analysts previously believed.  The newly released data confirms the recession as being the worst of the post-war years.  Economic activity declined by … Read more

Second private prisons segment on the Maddow Show

by David Safier Here is the second part of Rachel Maddow's coverage of the Arizona private prison story, including the close relationship between the private prison industry and Arizona Republicans. This time, Russell Pearce is on the hot seat, along with all that good campaign money he rakes in from the private prison crowd. (And … Read more

I’m not a tattoo kind of a guy, but if you are . . .

by David Safier My body is currently unadorned, and I plan to keep it that way. Even temp tattoos are out, except, I guess, under extraordinary circumstances. But if (a) you're against SB1070, and (b) you're a Lady Gaga fan, and (c) you like what she did and said at her Phoenix concert . . … Read more