Kyl andthe Budget Deficit

In an op-ed published in the Arizona Republic, Senator Kyl gave us his ideas about the budget deficit, repeating the same Republican chant, "It's not a revenue problem, it's a spending problem." Oh, really? Analysis of the deficit shows that Kyl is wrong. The largest share of the deficit (28%) is the revenue lost in the economic downturn. The next largest share of the deficit is attributed to the tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 (13%) with an additional 8% revenue drop caused by other tax cuts. Just those three items add up to 49% of the current deficit. Revenue! Kyl, who was appointed to the Joint Select Congressional Committee on Deficit Reduction, cannot help solve our budget problems unless he is willing to look at it objectively, and accept that it is not a one-sided issue.

Earthquake Hits East Coast, GOP Blames Obama!

Tuesday, August 23, 2011 2:42 MST

An earthquake hit the East Coast today, and Republicans immediately blamed President Obama.

"It's Obamaquake!" declared Boehner.

John McCain was quick to point out that had Obama brought to bear the full strength of our military, the quake could have been avoided.

Jon Kyl blamed the quake on liberals, the unemployed, undocumented immigrants, and everyone under the age of 25.

David Schweikert could not be found.

In Arizona, Jan Brewer railed against the federal government for allowing an earthquake to rattle Virginia and nearby states, saying "This is yet another example of that oppressive federal government interfering with states' rights."

Russell Pearce is said to be drafting legislation that will allow Arizona to deny that earthquakes exist.

(The preceding is fiction, but the resemblance to real life is unavoidable.)

A Chandler Resident Campaigns for Greg Stanton

For the past few months I have been making phone calls and knocking on doors in support of Greg Stanton's campaign for mayor of Phoenix. I live in Chandler, not Phoenix, and I have been asked many times, "Why are you interested in the Phoenix mayoral race?" I have several reasons, but the most important is this. Phoenix is the largest city in Arizona, the sixth largest city in the country, and the positive changes that the mayor can make in Phoenix will also impact the rest of Arizona. Greg Stanton is the best candidate by far to make those positive changes. So it is not just Phoenix residents that should be interested in this election. Concerned voters in Tempe, Chandler, Mesa, and other towns and cities should get involved. This might be an "off year" for most of us, but it is definitely "on" in Phoenix, and it is up to all of us to get involved in this important political event in Arizona.

Contributed by Craig Falasco, Chandler

LD20 Chair Responds to DiCiccio’s Union Bashing!

Sal DiCiccio (Phoenix Council member for District 6) just couldn’t resist jumping on the union-bashing bandwagon in his May 25 newsletter. CJ Briggle, Chairwoman of the LD20 Dems had this response to his latest rant.

Councilman DiCiccio:

Unions provide the ONLY workplace recourse from bullies like you. Your silver-toothed outlook on life leaves very little compassion for the working class. Thankfully, unions exist today to protect the worker and working families. When we eliminate the world of workforce abuse, that’s when we can discuss eliminating unions. Until then, THANKS, AFL-CIO, for being there for us. Thanks, BIG TIME.

Proud union member,
CJ Briggle

Not a Single Vote in Support of Public Education by LD20 Legislators

Arizona Education Network published its 2011 Legislative Session: Education Funding Voting Record by Legislator. The report shows McComish, Dial, and Robson voted EVERY TIME to take budget dollars away from public education in Arizona. Read the full report including the methodology and links to legislative summaries. Contact McComish, Dial, and Robson, and let them know that they will be held accountable for their attacks on education in Arizona!

Be a part of history! Help recall Russell Pearce!

Let's get out this weekend and next week to get PLENTY of signatures before the May 31 deadline. We know that Pearce and his cohorts will stop at nothing to invalidate every signature possible. Here's the schedule for Saturday, May 21 and Sunday, May 22. Meet at the Citizens for a Better Arizona office, 628 Center St., Mesa, Saturday at 10 am or 3 pm, Sunday at 1 pm or 4 pm. Don't wait to read about Pearce's demise in the news. Be a part of it!!

Schweikert’s statement on bin Laden fails to mention President Obama

David Schweikert released a statement today commending our armed forces in their effort to track down bin Laden, but he failed to mention President Obama! Maybe Schweikert does not know that President Obama is the Commander in Chief of those same armed forces. Maybe he’s not familiar with that section of our constitution, or he didn’t want to upset his tea party supporters, or maybe he just chose to be spiteful. In contrast, Senator McCain showed some class in his statement by commending the President and his team, as well as the military and intelligence professionals. From the beginning, President Obama said he would focus on al-Qaeda and finding bin Laden, and now we see the positive results of that focus. Schweikert’s pettiness cannot diminish the role that President Obama played in bringing the ten-year search for bin Laden to a successful conclusion.

McComish, Dial, and Robson all voted to approve the Arizona “birther” bill!

Our LD 20 legislators, McComish, Dial, and Robson, chose to NOT listen to mainstream Arizonans, and instead followed their Republican extremists in the House and Senate by approving H.B. 2177, the Arizona “birther” bill! Instead of focusing on jobs, education, and other important and REAL issues, our legislators are wasting taxpayer money on conspiracy theory nonsense.

Follow these links to read the complete Senate vote and House vote, and a summary of H.B 2177. For a thorough review of the conspiracy theories that prompted this unfortunate Arizona bill, read this article.

Hate groups proliferate in USA

Excerpted from the Southern Poverty Law Center e-newsletter, author Morris Dees

On February 23 the Southern Poverty Law Center released their annual investigative report exposing the hate and extremist groups operating in the United States—and the news is not good. For the first time ever, hate groups number more than 1,000. Plus, armed, anti government militias surged for the second year in a row.

Frankly, given the political climate in our country, I'm not that surprised at this explosive growth of radical-right forces. Far-right politicians and media figures continue to pour fuel on the fire with outrageous conspiracy theories and demonizing propaganda about those who disagree with them, including our first African-American president.

What's more troubling is the recent spate of hate-inspired violence: a bomb planted along the MLK Day parade route in Spokane; a man arrested with explosives outside a mosque in Michigan; a neo-Nazi caught heading for the Mexican border with a dozen homemade grenades. And, of course, a mentally ill man who appears to have absorbed radical-right ideas killed six people and wounded 13 when he tried to assassinate U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona.

Union-busing - main goal of KOCH BROTHERS

Koch Industries Front Group
This post comes to us by way of ThinkProgressive.org. An interesting accounting of the money behind the politics in Wisconsin.

Americans for Prosperity Launches Ad -Supports Walker's Union Busting
Lee Fang, ThinkProgress: "As ThinkProgress has reported, the global conglomerate Koch Industries not only helped elect Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI), but is the leading force orchestrating his union-busting campaign. Koch gave Walker over $43,000 in direct donations and its allies aired millions of dollars worth of attack ads against his Democratic opponent. Then, Koch political operatives pressured Walker to crush labor unions as one of his first priorities."
Read the Article

Women's reproductive health care - aggressive attack in Arizona

The threat to women's reproductive health care is under aggressive attack. It is not just about denying access to a safe and legal abortion; rather this legislation will restrict women from receiving wellness exams, cancer screenings, and birth control. Cutting off health services aimed at helping women is unacceptable.

The Arizona Capitol, this week, has seen one of the most anti-women agenda's in history. The bills below are very likely to reach the Governor's desk in the next week:

HB2416/SB1246

• Rural women will lose access to abortion entirely, as early abortion-by-pill is the only form of abortion available outside Phoenix and Tucson.
• The bill expands required components of informed consent to include mandatory ultrasound and "auscultation" (listening to fetal organs including the heart) no sooner than one hour before the procedure.

HB2443

• Requires that both the patient and the abortion provider sign an affidavit stating that the abortion is not to select for race or gender and prohibits abortion if used for race or gender selection, either based on the race of the fetus or the race of the parent.

HB2384 & SB1265

• Will prohibit ANY organization that receives state funding or contracts with the state from providing, funding, referring for or offering insurance coverage, for abortion.
• Hospitals that accept Medicaid won't be able to provide abortion to critically ill women.
• Women's shelters that receive state grants won't be able to make abortion referrals to women in abusive and violent relationships.

SB 1390

• Requires doctors that provide any type of abortion, including abortion by pill; to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the abortion clinic.
• A physician is guilty of a class 3 misdemeanor if the physician performs an abortion without hospital privileges.

Call your legislator to voice your concerns regarding this legislation. Do your part, stay informed about bills in the Arizona Senate and House.

We Stand In Solidarity

This post comes to us from our friends at Emerge Arizona!

We Stand in Solidarity As you have undoubtedly heard, workers in Wisconsin are under siege. Under the banner of addressing his state's budget crisis, Governor Walker is pushing through one of the worst anti union bills in modern history. Emerge Arizona stands in solidarity with the women and men in organized labor who are facing an unprecedented attack on their rights and incomes. Emerge Arizona and Emerge America are proud partners with labor and the work we do to train women who support the needs of working families, devoted to ensuring that our middle class remains strong. An attack on organized labor is an attack on the fabric of our communities and affects us all. We can not let this behavior continue to spread and must act now. What can I do? The Wisconsin Democratic Party has a virtual phone bank to let people know what is going on in their state. If you are interested and can assist, please email saveourstate@wisdems.org for log-in information or you can visit the Wisconsin Democratic Party Website. There will be a Rally at the Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix at Noon Saturday February 26th to show support for the hundreds of thousands of regular Wisconsinites - teachers, firefighters, police officers, students and constituents who have taken to the streets of Madison. Additional information regarding up to date labor news Support increasing the number of Democratic women in public office! www.emergeaz.org Emerge Arizona is the essential step for Democratic women who want to run for public office. It is the only in-depth, sixth-month training program that inspires candidates to run and gives them the tools to win. By providing women across America with a top-notch training and a powerful political network, we are getting more Democrats into office and changing the leadership - and politics - of America. Our mission is to identify, educate and inspire Democratic women who want to pursue elective office at the local and state level in Arizona. Emerge makes a long-term investment in these future leaders by honing their political skills; expanding their knowledge of local issues; and connecting them with mentors. Emerge Arizona is a non-profit 501(c)4 organization. Donations are not tax deductible yet always welcome. Donations online are secure. To make a contribution by check, please mail to: Emerge Arizona P.O. Box 7638 Phoenix, AZ 85011 Our Full Disclosure

Emerge Arizona is the premier training program for Democratic women. We inspire women to run, we hone their skills to win. Our goal is clear: to increase the number of Democratic women in public office.

Emerge Arizona 501(c)4
P.O Box 7638
Phoenix, AZ 85011

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Senator Gallardo Blasts Deceptive SCR 1025

This post comes to us via the Arizona Advocacy Network. We are excited to begin passing along information to our LD20 activists that will help keep you informed!

Phoenix, Ariz—Sen. Steve Gallardo responded to the effort by Senators Steve Pierce and Scott Bundgaard to pass SCR 1025, a deceptive ballot referendum that could result in voters unwittingly repealing Clean Elections. The measure does not mention Clean Elections.

“SCR 1025 is completely dishonest,” said Sen. Steve Gallardo. “Backers of this measure are afraid to debate Clean Elections on its merits because they know voters overwhelmingly support the popular program. Instead they are hoping to deceive voters into killing the Clean Elections by defunding it and that’s shameful.”

“If they want to repeal Clean Elections, why not be honest about it? Voters have made it clear they are sick and tired of sneaky and deceptive ballot measures. These
legislators keep proving they are out-of-touch with voters.”

SCR 1025 would effectively end Clean Elections in Arizona by constitutionally barring the use of “public funds” for candidate campaigns. In order to achieve this, the amendment slated for the 2012 ballot redefines “public funds” to include the ten percent surcharge on lawbreakers that comprises the Citizens Clean Elections Fund. When voters passed Clean Elections they provided a funding mechanism separate from the general fund. The Clean Elections Fund regularly contributes excess money to the general fund, so passage would result in more cuts to the general fund.


Linda Brown
Executive Director
Arizona Advocacy Network
602-297-2500 (office)
602-297-3600 (fax)
1616 E Indian School Road, Suite 340
Phoenix, AZ 85016
www.azadvocacy.org

A Return to Civility?

In the wake of the tragic shooting of Congressional Representative Gabrielle Giffords (D-Tucson, AZ), many of us find ourselves searching for answers to some very tough questions. The speculation is already rampant about what the implications will be should the motives of the shooter turn out to be political. During her interview on Fox News this afternoon, Cindy McCain stated on several occasions that the political climate in the United States has changed drastically in the last ten years, she felt that it had devolved to a place of uncivilized discourse. She recalled the days of Reagan and "Tipp," when a disagreement could still end with a handshake. Former Arizona Congressman JD Hayworth was quoted as saying "If it turns out that the motives were political, perhaps it is time to ratchet down the rhetoric." Truer words were never spoken.

Have we come to a place in our society where First Amendment rights only apply when the speech is hate filled and incendiary? The fact of the matter is that words have the power to galvanize people to action. There is a reason why you do not yell "fire" in a crowded room or incite people to hatred. The political climate at present is one that amounts to hate speech. Amidst the editorialized "news coverage" on both ends of the spectrum, we are left searching for a place where a fact can be found without opinion, a discussion can be had without a yelling match ensuing, a debate can take place where thoughts are presented rationally and with respect for the other party involved, but where?

Leaders in our country claim to represent "the American people," so is their behaviour a reflection of our own inability to get along, or the example that we follow? Either way, it is time to return to a kinder and more civilized society. A place where holding a political view different that than of your neighbor is not cause for violence. The founders of our country and many civil rights leaders who fought, bled and died to obtain our freedom, did not do so in order for us to devolve.

In a new year, with newly elected officials, it is time to usher in a new era. If our leaders will not do so, we can demand change from the bottom up. It is time for Americans to "take back our society," by working together to find common ground where we can grow from our differences instead of tear ourselves apart because of them.

"Such a senseless act of terrible violence has no place in a free society."
-- President Barrack Obama

Weigh in and let us know your thoughts. Has politics gotten too polarized? Is it time for a change?