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[Blog for Arizona] Links for 2009-11-19 [del.icio.us]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:00:00 -0500

Poll: 52 Percent of Republicans Say ACORN Stole the 2008 Election « The Washington Independent

[Blog for Arizona] Maricopa Community College District Board goes rogue

David Safier — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:17:00 -0500

by David Safier

This is about Maricopa and it's about community colleges -- a bit out of my usual physical and educational geography -- but really, it's about a rogue members of a Board trying to use the colleges for personal and political ends, educational mission be damned. And that kind of abuse of education is always in my blogging neighborhood.

A 55 page report (h/t to Dawn Teo for bring it to my attention) that came out recently raked the board over the coals. Among the charges, taken verbatim from the report:

Attempting to control and censor student newspaper content.
Asserting the right to control content in courses based on appropriateness according to the standards of individual board members.

[Arizona Republic] Have you seen this man?

David Safier — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:01:00 -0500

State Sen. Thayer Verschoor is a wanted man.
Senate President Bob Burns issued an all-points-bulletin for the maverick senator.
His legislative colleagues are wondering where the Gilbert Republican is.
And the press is curious to find out why the senator went AWOL just as the Senate got down to voting on budget bills in what was expected to be the final day of the special session.
With Verschoor's absence, the session didn't end, but will resume on Monday.
Legislative sources said that Verschoor was in the 'hood during Thursday's voting drama -- reportedly just east of the Capitol in downtown Phoenix. Although his whereabouts couldn't be pinned ...

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[Blog for Arizona] And I thought Dems were good at shooting themselves in the foot

David Safier — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:42:00 -0500

by David Safier

You know that special session called by the Accidental Guv to do some budget cutting? It didn't quite work out that way.

A fragile budget deal collapsed in the Senate Thursday when Sen. Thayer Verschoor skipped the floor session and tied his support to a last-minute amendment to prevent cash-strapped agencies from hiking fees.

The House and Senate adjourned the special budget-balancing session until Monday in hopes that another deal can be worked out on the bills.

If at first at second at third at fourth you don't succeed . . . If you don't know what the hell you're doing, try, try, try again. It's bound to work out one of these times.

[Blog for Arizona] And I thought Dems were good at shooting themselves in the foot

David Safier — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:42:00 -0500

by David Safier You know that special session called by the Accidental Guv to do some budget cutting? It didn't quite work out that way. A fragile budget deal collapsed in the Senate Thursday when Sen. Thayer Verschoor skipped the...

[Blog for Arizona] Dr. Eric Novack, right-wing shill

AZ BlueMeanie — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:04:00 -0500

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

When one of the Neocon Washington Post's deans of conservative apologists, George Will, sings someone's praises you know something dark and evil is afoot. It merits a closer examination of the object of his praise. (Will's columns should come with a disclosure statement).

Both of Arizona's two major newspapers The Arizona Republic and the Arizona Daily Star published the Washington Post opinion from George Will today. George F. Will - Unlawful Heath Reform?

In 2006, long before there was an Obama administration determined to impose a command-and-control federal health-care system, a young orthopedic surgeon walked into the Goldwater Institute here with an idea.

[Blog for Arizona] Dr. Eric Novack, right-wing shill

AZ BlueMeanie — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:04:00 -0500

Posted by AzBlueMeanie: When one of the Neocon Washington Post's deans of conservative apologists, George Will, sings someone's praises you know something dark and evil is afoot. It merits a closer examination of the object of his praise. (Will's columns...

[Arizona Republic] Sheriff asks for hiring records of county auditor and other employees

AZ BlueMeanie — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:44:00 -0500

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office is asking for "personnel records and any and all hiring" records of seven county employees, including the personnel file of Internal Auditor Ross Tate.
The Nov. 12 information request came shortly after media reports that Tate’s office had determined that the Sheriff’s Office violated procurement procedures when sheriff's administrators earlier this year bought a $465,000 bus to transport inmates.
The request also comes as the auditor’s office is performing a review of a contract between a software company and the Sheriff’s Office; Tate declined to detail how that contract was selected for review, other than to say ...

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[Blog for Arizona] Dem press conference recommends comprehensive budget approach

David Safier — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:12:00 -0500

by David Safier

I happened to be at the Capitol Wednesday, camera and notepad in hand, so I took in the Dem press conference.

The thrust of the conference was to criticize the Rs for their piecemeal approach to budgeting: cut some stuff today and worry everything else some time in the future.

Lujan and Sinema, who spoke and took questions, criticized Brewer for going back on her pledge to protect education from, in the Gov's words, "devastating cuts" by joining with Republican legislators to make, well, devastating cuts to education. They called for Brewer to include Dems in crafting comprehensive budget solutions.

Two D revenue suggestions struck me as more than reasonable, even to moderate and somewhat-conservative Rs.

[Blog for Arizona] Dem press conference recommends comprehensive budget approach

David Safier — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:12:00 -0500

by David Safier I happened to be at the Capitol Wednesday, camera and notepad in hand, so I took in the Dem press conference. The thrust of the conference was to criticize the Rs for their piecemeal approach to budgeting:...