The AZ Republic’s Sunday oped was exultant over the business community possibly “getting its mojo back” due to things like the SB1062 veto and the large contributions that Republicans who went with the Medicaid expansion are getting.
Needless to say, they’d have you believe none of what is wrong with Arizona can ever be laid at the feet of business leaders even when the ed board has to admit (grudgingly) that it really is their fault, as in here:
Nine candidates are running for governor of Arizona in the 2014 election. How do voters feel about them?
Eh.
According to a recent survey (pdf) of 870 Arizona voters by Public Policy Polling, Arizonans are underwhelmed by our choices for governor. The above graphic shows Governor Jan Brewer’s approval rating compared to the nine declared candidates: Secretary of State Ken Bennett, State Treasurer Doug Ducey, Former Board of Regents Member and sole Democrat Fred DuVal, Businesswoman Christine Jones, State Senator Al Melvin, Physician John Molina, Former California Congressman Frank Riggs, Mesa Mayor Scott Smith, and Former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas.
Overall, the only clear winner is “Not Sure”– despite months of campaigning by some of the candidates, most notably DuVal and Bennett. In the GOP primary, “undecided” scored 34% — 14 points above Bennett, the GOP leader. Ouch. Individual GOP match-ups with DuVal show no clear winners because such a high percentage of voters are “not sure.”
Except for Smith and DuVal, whose approval/disapproval ratings are almost equal, all of the other candidates have much higher disapproval ratings. Disbarred county attorney Thomas has the highest disapproval rating at 29% (vs 13% approval rating). Secretary of State “Birther” Bennett (who has distinguished himself by demanding that Hawaii produce President Barack Obama’s birth certificate and by backing voter suppression legislation passed by the Arizona Legislature) has a 24% disapproval rating (vs 12% approval). Melvin (who wants to turn Arizona into the country’s nuclear waste dump and recently showed his stupidity on CNN) and California carpetbagger Riggs have the lowest approval ratings (4% vs 5%, respectively).
With eight months before the election, where does this leave us?
So Brewer vetoed the very bad no good Center for Arizona Policy bill, with the attention of the world on her, and of course we must all contact her and thank her, for Republicans must be praised effusively like good doggies who haven’t soiled the rug on those rare occasions they do the right thing. … Read more
Words like “onslaught,” “unprecedented,” “extremist,” “dangerous,” “unconstitutional,” “medically unnecessary,” “unscientific,” and “draconian” have been used to describe the Republican Party’s nationwide push to limit women’s healthcare, stop women from choosing to have safe, legal abortions, and close abortion clinics through over-regulation. In the first six months of this year, states have passed 106 provisions related to reproductive health, including 43 that specifically restrict abortion access.
In recent weeks, high-profile, anti-choice legislation in Texas, Ohio, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and North Dakota has made the news. Thanks to a one-woman filibuster by Texas State Senator Wendy Davis and hundreds of pro-choice protesters watching in the Legislative chambers, Texas is the only Republican-controlled state government in that list that didn’t pass and sign into law anti-choice legislation this spring. (Of course, Texas Governor Rick Perry– vowing to end abortion in Texas altogether– has called for another special session of the Republican-dominated State Legislature to fix that, and Democrats have little hope they will be able to stop the legislation a second time.)
These Republican-led states join others like Arizona and Virginia who passed anti-choice legislation in recent years. Nationwide, 13 states now have highly restrictive laws limiting women’s reproductive healthcare and access to legal abortions, resulting in half of American women of reproductive age living in states that are outwardly hostile to their health. Nationwide, 300 anti-choice bills are being debated. In addition, US Senator Marco Rubio and Arizona Congressman Trent Franks have introduced anti-choice bills in the Senate and House of Representatives; a ban on abortions after 20 weeks has already passed the Republican-controlled House. More details about the extent of this battle after the jump.
In recent months, a handful of Republican governors have softened their stances on Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. Showing a bit of financial savvy and (dare I say) compassion for the millions of poor Americans who would be covered by this, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and others have decided to take the feds' funds and allow expanded healthcare coverage for their citizens who can't afford insurance.
Unfotrunately for the people who would benefit from Medicaid expansion, Big Brother Brothers don't like it when their puppets… er… politicians brake ranks with the 1%. Americans for Prosperity– the Koch Brothers' astroturf group– is organizing the citizenry to fight against their own self interests to defeat Medicaid expansion.
This battle is coming to Tucson on Thursday, March 7, 2013. Americans for Prosperity has organized a public forum on Medicaid expansion at The Loft Cinema, 6:30-8:30 p.m. After a showing of "Sick and Sicker", an anti-Obamacare propaganda film, there will be a panel, which is heavily packed with Tea Party types– like former State Senator and perpetual blow hard Frank Antenori, State Representative Ethan Orr, and Tom Jenney, Arizona Director for Americans for Prosperity. The sole Democrat on the panel is State Senator Steve Farley. (Go, Steve!)
If you believe that healthcare is a human right and if you believe that "We the People" should take care of each other (and not fight over crumbs left by the 1%), come testify at this forum. This is your chance to tell your story. If you support Medicaid expansion in Arizona, you can also go to this link on the AHCCCS website add your name as a supporter. Comments and healthcare stories can be sent to Share@azahcccs.gov.
Flyer and details about Americans for Prosperity's efforts in Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Florida after the jump.