Blog For Arizona

Man up McCain, and apologize to Susan Rice

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

This morning I posted:

The worst purveyors of this "Benghazi! Benghazi!! Benghazi!!!" faux scandal have been the new Three Stooges, Sens. John McCain, his puppet boy Little Lindsey Graham, and Kelly Ayotte as "Shemp." They have perpetrated a fraud for purely partisan political retaliation. They besmirched the reputation of U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice, who has been vindicated by the emails released this week.

The new Three Stooges owe Susan Rice and the American people an apology. They have demonstrated their utter lack of character and judgment to serve in the U.S. Senate. If they had any honor, they would submit their resignations from the U.S. Senate for their indefensible actions.

Others are making the same point. Steve Benen writes today in Rice's rehabilitated reputation:

When Time's Michael Crowley reported this week on what we learned from the disclosure of internal administration emails on Benghazi, it noted three larger takeaways, one of which was "Susan Rice got hosed."

'Benghazi!' faux scandal: Stick a fork in it, it's done

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Major Garrett, who used to work for FAUX News Fraudcasting for years, left the GOPropaganda machine to go to work for CBS News. Last night on CBS Evening News, Major Garrett put a definitive end to the conservative media entertainment complex cult's "Benghazi! Benghazi!! Benghazi!!!" faux scandal, with this report (transcript by) Josh Marshall: CBS Calls Out GOP For Doctoring Benghazi Emails:

MAJOR GARRETT: Scott, Republicans have claimed that the State Department under Hillary Clinton was trying to protect itself from criticism. The White House released the real e-mails late yesterday and here’s what we found when we compared them to the quotes that had been provided by Republicans. One e-mail was written by Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes. On Friday, Republicans leaked what they said was a quote from Rhodes. “We must make sure that the talking points reflect all agency equities, including those of the State Department, and we don’t want to undermine the FBI investigation.” But it turns out, in the actual e-mail Rhodes did not mention the State Department. It read “We need to resolve this in a way that respects all the relevant equities, particularly the investigation.” Republicans also provided what they said was a quote from an e-mail written by State Department Spokesman Victoria Nuland. The Republican version notes Nuland discussing: “The penultimate point is a paragraph talking about all the previous warnings provided by the Agency (CIA) about al-Qaeda’s presence and activities of al-Qaeda.” The actual e-mail from Nuland says: the “…penultimate point could be abused by Members to beat the State Department for not paying attention to Agency warnings…” The C.I.A. agreed with the concerns raised by the State Department and revised the talking points to make them less specific than the C.I.A.’s original version, eliminating references to al-Qaeda and affiliates and earlier security warnings. There is no evidence, Scott, the White House orchestrated these changes.

Video below the fold.

Funny story: the IRS 'scandal' was self-inflicted

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

It turns out that the conservative Tea Party and Patriot organizations who applied for 501(c)(4) tax exempt status did so because they were concerned that their activities violated the tax exempt status. They knew that their political activities skirted the legalities for a tax exempt status, so they sought the IRS "seal of approval" (the real IRS scandal).

You see, you do not have to apply for a 501(c)(4) tax exempt status. Steven Benen explains, How to apply (or not) for tax-exempt status:

Noam Scheiber raised an interesting point I hadn't seen elsewhere.

It turns out that the applications the conservative groups submitted to the IRS -- the ones the agency subsequently combed over, provoking nonstop howling -- were unnecessary. The IRS doesn't require so-called 501c4 organizations to apply for tax-exempt status. If anyone wants to start a social welfare group, they can just do it, then submit the corresponding tax return (form 990) at the end of the year. To be sure, the IRS certainly allows groups to apply for tax-exempt status if they want to make their status official. But the application is completely voluntary, making it a strange basis for an alleged witch hunt.

So why would so many Tea Party groups subject themselves to a lengthy and needless application process? Mostly it had to do with anxiety -- the fear that they could run afoul of the law once they started raising and spending money. "Our business experience was that we had to pay taxes once there was money coming through here," says Tom Zawistowski, the recent president of the Ohio Liberty Coalition, which tangled with the IRS over its tax status. "We felt we were under a microscope. ... We were on pins and needles at all times." In other words, the groups submitted their applications because they perceived themselves to be persecuted, not because they actually were. 

The real IRS scandal: David Cay Johnston explains

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Former New York Times reporter and Pulitzer Prize winner David Cay Johnston, a columnist for Tax Analysts, and who teaches tax and regulatory law at Syracuse University Law School, explains The other IRS scandal : Columbia Journalism Review:

The burgeoning “scandal” over how the IRS chose for review 75 applicants for tax-exempt status puts on full display an unfortunate tendency in journalism—to quote people accurately without explaining the underlying context. Yes, it is as wrong for IRS employees to select groups to scrutinize based on their names as it is for police to stop and frisk young people based on the color of their skin. Still, the facts here are not so black-and-white as with racial profiling.

There is a scandal in all of this—several, actually, and some are more significant than the one that is getting all the attention. As the story unfolds, here are some important points to keep in mind:

• Missing from much coverage is the relevant recent history—the role of the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision and how it prompted a deluge of requests from new organizations seeking tax-exempt status under tax code Section 501(c)(4) as “social welfare” organizations—despite the fact that many of these are blatantly political operations.

The real IRS scandal: not the one the conservative media entertainment complex is obsessing about

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I explained the other day "The real scandal with the IRS review of applications for 501(c)(4) tax exempt status from political organizations is that political organizations do not qualify -- and should not recieve 501(c)(4) tax exempt status. Period." The real IRS scandal: the ease with which political organizations have been abusing the 501(c)(4) tax exempt status.

There has actually been some very good reporting on the real scandal (just Google "the real IRS scandal"), but you would never know this if you rely on the Arizona political media or the cable tee-vee.

The New York Times op-ed page has two good pieces today. Sheila Krumholz and Robert Weinberger from the Center for Responsive Politics write, The Real I.R.S. Scandal:

Yes, the I.R.S. may have been worse than clumsy in considering an avalanche of applications for nonprofit status under the tax code, and that deserves scrutiny whether or not the agency’s employees were spurred by partisan motives. After all, some of these “tea party” groups are most likely not innocent nonprofit organizations devoted to the cultural significance of hot beverages — or to other, more civic, virtues. Rather, they and others are groups that may be illegally spending a majority of their resources on political activity while manipulating the tax code to hide their donors and evade taxes (the unwritten rule being that no more than 49 percent of a group’s resources can be used for political purposes).

The near vertical ascent in political spending by these “dark money” groups was prompted by the Supreme Court’s 2010 decision in the Citizens United case, among others, freeing them to be more active in this realm.

So how's that GOP rebranding working out?

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

On Sunday, the Arizona Republic for some reason felt compelled to publish a guest opinion (and video) by the disgraced and recalled former Senate President, Russell Pearce, writing on behalf of his anti-immigrant nativist hate group, BanAmnestyNow.com.

Pearce discloses a continuing working relationship with the anti-immigrant nativist hate group,  Federation of American Immigration Reform (FAIR), whose lawyer Kris Kobach wrote SB 1070 for Pearce.

Pearce also cites the widely discredited Heritage Foundation report (.pdf) released last week, which was drafted, in part, by Jason Richwine, who subscribes to the controversial "science" of hereditarianism and eugenics. Richwine was forced to resign from the Heritage Foundation on Friday, presumably after Russell Pearce submitted his guest opinion to the Republic.

Ol' Russel writes, Immigration tug-of-war: Reform effort is a sham:

The 3-year-old Senate Bill 1070, America’s toughest anti-illegal immigration law, has had a dramatic impact on Arizona. We are a better place.

* * *

According to information from the Federation of American Immigration Reform, Arizonans pay $2.6 billion per year to educate, medicate and incarcerate illegal aliens. According to the Heritage Foundation, the billions we pay today are but one-third of our eventual tab a decade from now if the “Gang of Eight” immigration bill becomes law.

* * *

However, despite the many advances we have made, the burdens of illegal immigration still are too high. This is why I call upon my fellow citizens to join me in opposing the latest amnesty/citizenship bill. The group of eight U.S. senators’ legislation (including Arizona Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake) risks America’s financial and national security. This bill is the epitome of everything that is wrong, backward and corrupt in Washington.

The real IRS scandal: the ease with which political organizations have been abusing the 501(c)(4) tax exempt status

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The latest "scandal" is that the IRS applied extra scrutiny to applications for 501(c)(4) tax exempt status from so-called Tea Party organizations.

Geez, an anti-government, anti-tax organization (the "Tea" is an acronym for Taxed Enough Already) applies for tax exempt status from the IRS -- the agency responsible for the collection of taxes -- I can't imagine why that would attract any extra scrutiny (sarcasm). By the way, the tax exempt status in effect is a tax subsidy from taxpayers, so not only are these Tea Party organizations anti-tax, but they want you to pay for their political activities. Deadbeats!

I have yet to see any reporting that this 501(c)(4) status was denied to any organization, only that they had to provide additional information about their organizations' political activities.

Of course, the conservative media entertainment complex cult has portrayed this as a case of conservatives being persecuted for their beliefs, playing the victimhood card that is the stock and trade of the conservative movement. They all see themselves as martyrs who are being persecuted by the "librul" media and the big, bad "guvmint." The corporate "lamestream" media is taking its cue from the conservative media entertainment complex cult and playing along with this persecution/victimhood meme.

Again, I have yet to see any reporting that this 501(c)(4) status was denied to any organization, only that they had to provide additional information about their organizations' political activities.

The real "scandal" here, the scandal the media has largely ignored for several years and is still not reporting, is the ease with which political organizations have been abusing the 501(c)(4) tax exempt status, and the lack of any IRS legal enforcement to prevent such abuses.

Ken 'Birther' Bennett supplements his state salary with cool 'Kochtopus' cash

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Arizona Secretary of State Ken "Birther" Bennett supplements his state salary with cool "Kochtopus" cash. He is on the payroll of the major bankrollers of the national Tea Party movement and FreedomWorks. Talking Points Memo reports:

Ken Bennett, the Secretary of State of Arizona, receives a $70,000 annual salary. But he also, it turns out, receives $2,000 a month for his work as a board member of the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, a for-profit company founded by a one of the key people behind the tea party group FreedomWorks.

According to a report by KTVK reporter Dennis Welch, Bennett has received tens of thousands of dollars from the Cancer Treatment Centers of America since taking office in 2009. The company was founded by the conservative millionaire Richard Stephenson. There are no state laws or rules that would keep Bennett from serving on the company’s board, and Bennett has disclosed the money in financial disclosure statements. So Bennett sees nothing wrong with the arrangement.

“I don’t think there’s anything inappropriate, in fact it’s an honor for me to serve on a board that’s helping treat people for cancer,” Bennett told KTVK. “I’m on other boards, my whole life isn’t about being secretary of state.”

Well no, it's about running for governor and trying to attract high-roller donors to your campaign. Bennett hasn't done much of a job as Secretary of State, anyway.

Obama Derangement Syndrome and unprecedented GOP obstruction

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Last week, Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) confirmed President Obama's analysis of GOP obstructionsm. Pat Toomey confirms it: Obama is right about GOP:

President Obama is getting widely mocked by commentators and Republicans for using the phrase “permission structure” at his presser yesterday in the course of claiming that Republican officials are constrained from cooperating with him because their base would see it as a “betrayal.”

* * *

Here’s the bit that has all of the Green Lanternites out there slapping their knees and laughing uproariously:

“I cannot force Republicans to embrace those common-sense solutions…It’s tough. Their base thinks that compromise with me is somehow a betrayal. They’re worried about primaries. And I understand all that. And we’re going to try to do everything we can to create a permission structure for them to be able to do what’s going to be best for the country. But it’s going to take some time.”

So it’s good to have a Republican Senator on record confirming that Obama is right about this.

I’m talking about Pat Toomey. The Senator from Pennsylvania didn’t directly address Obama’s remarks, but something he said in another context perfectly confirms the President’s diagnosis of the GOP.

Via Amanda Terkel, Toomey admitted in an interview that expanded background checks went down to defeat because Republicans opposed the bill out of a desire to deny the president a victory. Here’s what Toomey said, according to a write-up in the Times Herald:

“In the end it didn’t pass because we’re so politicized. There were some on my side who did not want to be seen helping the president do something he wanted to get done, just because the president wanted to do it,” Toomey said.

Tom Horne Drops the Ball. The Star Stupidly Blames the City Council.

By Tom Prezelski

Cross-Posted from Rum, Romanism and Rebellion

This week, there was a settlement in the State of Arizona's case against two Tucson Transportation Department supervisors who misappropriated at least $83,000 in public resources for personal gain. They will each have to pay just $5000 to the city.

This result is a failing by state, rather than city, officials. This fact cannot be allowed to get in the way of The Arizona Daily Star's usual narrative about the city, so the once-great morning daily chose to write about something else entirely.

New York Times on the 'Kochtopus' meeting in Palm Springs

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Things you never see reported in the Arizona political media. I can't imagine why (sarcasm).

The New York Times reported earlier this week, Koch Brothers Plan More Political Involvement for Their Conservative Network:

As the country’s leading conservative donors finished off plates of roast lamb and spaetzle in a Palm Springs, Calif., hotel ballroom on Monday, Charles G. Koch delivered a pep talk.

The November elections had been a major setback for the cause of liberty, Mr. Koch told the more than 200 guests, many of whom had pumped millions of dollars into the political operation founded by Mr. Koch and his brother David. But there would be no backing down, Mr. Koch said, according to some of those attending. They would learn from their mistakes, test new strategies in the coming months and prepare for the 2014 elections, with control of Congress once again at stake.

* * *

Nowhere is the self-examination more unrelenting than within the constellation of advocacy groups, foundations and research organizations nurtured by the Kochs.

States try to tackle 'dark money' groups

Posted by AzblueMeanie:

The Los Angeles Times reports, States try to tackle 'secret money' in politics:

Early last month, state lawyers and election officials around the country dialed into a conference call to talk about how to deal with the flood of secret money that played an unprecedented role in the 2012 election.

The discussion, which included officials from California, New York, Alaska and Maine, was a first step toward a collaborative effort to force tax-exempt advocacy organizations and trade associations out of the shadows.

* * *

"There is no question that one of the reasons to have states working together is because the federal government, in numerous arenas, has failed to take action," said Ann Ravel, chairwoman of California's Fair Political Practices Commission, who organized the call with officials from about 10 states. [The reporting does not disclose whether Arizona was one of the 10 states.]

Arizona's 'resign to run' law effectively nullified

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Constitutional provisions enacted by the voters through initiative or referendum can only be repealed by the voters through another initiative or referendum. At least, that is how it is supposed to work.

The ballot referendum proposed by the Arizona Legislature in 1979 to amend the Arizona Constitution to impose a "resign to run" law was approved by the voters at the 1980 general election. Article 22, Sec. 18 of the Arizona Constitution provides "Except during the final year of the term being served, no incumbent of a salaried elective office, whether holding by election or appointment, may offer himself for nomination or election to any salaried local, state or federal office."

The "resign to run" law was undermined a few years ago by an incorrectly decided court decision in the case of John Huppenthal, which has become known as the "Huppenthal rule": candidates can file an exploratory committee and collect money and signatures before "officially" declaring their candidacy.

A bill sponsored by Rep. John Kavanagh (R-Fountain Hills), HB 2157, has effectively nullified what little remained of the "resign to run" law through legislative legerdemain, without referral of the measure to the voters.

(Update) 'Kochtopus' spring retreat April 28-29 in Palm Springs

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I posted last week about the fabulous "Kochtopus" Confab in Coachella (Palm Springs) going on right now. 'Kochtopus' spring retreat April 28-29 in Palm Springs. Mother Jones intercepted an email invite to the "billionaires caucus" retreat and wrote about it.

I am hoping that Mother Jones will score another insider audio-visual exclusive story like they did with Willard "Mittens" Romney. These cockroaches like to operate in the dark. The double super-secret "no media" retreat for the "billionaires caucus" will receive no media attention otherwise. (The Local Desert Sun newspaper doesn't even mention the presence of all the high rollers in town).

The best that I can find (so far) is this report by Peter Stone at the Huffington Post. Maybe the local Arizona political media could, you know, maybe follow-up with some investigative reporting on Phoenix-based "Kochtopus" political operative Sean Noble, who is under investigation in California for money laundering? Hello? New Koch Brothers Group Revamps Billionaires' Dark Money Operation:

The sprawling conservative network backed by the billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch is being overhauled, with some key Koch operatives moving to a fledgling "dark money" group that is poised to become a chief financing vehicle for the mega donors' political and ideological projects, The Huffington Post has learned.

The new organization, called the Association for American Innovation, is expected to ultimately funnel millions of dollars to other dark money groups nationwide. It's being staffed with Koch stalwarts, including Marc Short, who currently oversees other Koch-funded projects, according to a few GOP operatives familiar with the overhaul.

The Wyden-Murkowski campaign finance bill

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Last Tuesday, Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) unveiled the first bipartisan campaign disclosure bill in the Senate since the Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United ruling opened the door to unlimited electoral spending by groups that were not covered by any prior campaign disclosure regime. The Huffington Post reports:

The bill, known as the Follow the Money Act, would require any and all groups spending at least $10,000 on electoral activity to register and disclose contributions above $1,000. The bill would also raise the threshold for contributor disclosure from $200 to $1,000 for all political committees, including those of candidates and political parties.

* * *

In addition to expanding disclosure of independent group spending and reducing the contribution disclosure threshold, the Follow the Money Act would create a system of real-time disclosure, require independent groups to abide by "Stand By Your Ad" provisions (including the identification of their top three donors), require senators to file campaign reports electronically, require tax-exempt 527 groups to file disclosure reports with the FEC (instead of the Internal Revenue Service), and direct the FEC and IRS to work together to craft and enforce regulations.

Is campaign finance disclosure coming from the SEC?

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

This is an under-reported story in the political media, although you can bet that corporate players in campaign finance are all over this like white on rice. Christine Hurt at The Conglomerate legal blog writes, “Is Mandatory Political Activities Disclosure Coming from the SEC?”:

Two summers ago, a group of well-known law professors submitted a proposal to the SEC to require disclosure of political contributions by Exchange Act filers.  The arguments for new rulemaking were valid and persuasive:  investors are increasingly interested in the political contributions corporations make; even a diligent investor would have a difficult time finding this information independently; many corporations voluntarily disclose such information; and disclosure rules have historically evolved to require disclosure in various areas.

Wednesday, the NYT ominously declared that "S.E.C. officials have indicated that they could propose a new disclosure rule by the end of April, setting up a major battle with business groups that oppose the proposal and are preparing for a fierce counterattack if the agency’s staff moves ahead."  That sounds very dramatic.  The article reports that half a million comments have been submitted to the proposal; I did not count, but you can try here.  The NYT also reports that the majority of the comments are in favor of the proposal; again, feel free to count yourself!

West, Texas disaster a regulatory failure

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The West Fertilizer Co. explosion in West, Texas last week put an exclamation point on the need for government safety regulations and enforcement. The "free market" philosophy of no regulations and the mythical honor system imposed by the market place gets people killed.

This company appears to have pushed the envelope to see how much it could get away with -- and due to lax regulations and enforcement by "business friendly" Texas regulatory agencies, it got away with quite a lot.

There is plenty of blame to go around here, from the company, to state regulators, to the local planning & zoning board of West, Texas (assuming it had one).

The Dallas Morning News reports today, West Fertilizer Co.'s environmental compliance problems go back decades:

West Fertilizer Co.’s problems complying with Texas environmental rules go back decades, state records show.

In 1984, the company moved two large pressurized tanks of liquid anyhydrous ammonia, a potentially lethal poison, from a site in nearby Hill County to its current location in West without notifying state authorities.

Seven years passed before Texas regulators took notice and told the company to fix its paperwork. The tanks had sat at their new location, near homes, schools and a nursing home, with little or no state oversight for all that time.

The company’s regulatory history going back to 1976 comes to light as investigators seek the cause of last week’s fertilizer explosion that killed at least 14 people.

'All in all, this was a pretty shameful day for Washington'

Posted  by AzBlueMeanie:

President Barack Obama arrives to participate in a news conference in the Rose Garden of the White House, Wednesday, April 17, 2013, in Washington, about measures to reduce gun violence. With Obama is former Rep. Gabby Giffords, left, and Mark Barden, the father of Newtown shooting victim Daniel. Photo by Associated Press/Chattanooga Times Free Press.

Speaking in the Rose Garden after today's Senate vote, President Obama used the "bully pulpit" and expressed righteous indignation about the defeat of the Manchin-Toomey background checks amendment as parents of victims of last year's Newtown school shootings and former congresswoman Gabby Giffords looked on. Obama: Senate background check failure 'shameful':

"I see this as just Round One," Obama said in his Rose Garden remarks.

"All in all, this was a pretty shameful day for Washington," he said sternly, urging backers of gun control to continue the fight. 

Slamming critics who said that victims were used as "props," Obama said that their voices and experiences should have been welcomed, adding that gun lobbyists "willfully lied" about the consequences of the background check measure.

Craven Cowardice: GOP filibusters bipartisan Manchin-Toomey background checks bill

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

In a supreme act of craven cowardice, Republican senators led a filibuster to prevent even advancing to debate of the Manchin-Toomey background checks amendment, and a simple up or down vote on the merits. The final vote was 54 to 46.

Sen. Harry Reid changed his vote from yes to no to preserve his right to bring a motion for reconsideration.

Sen. John McCain voted to end the filibuster. Sen. Jeff Flake demonstrated his craven cowardice by voting for the filibuster to deny his friend Gabby Giffords a simple up or down vote on the merits.

This is a 55 54-vote majority of senators in favor of this amendment, all that should ever be required to pass legislation in a democracy. The recent GOP abuse of the Senate filibuster rules to obstruct any and all legislation required a 60 vote super-majority to break the GOP filibuster and to move to debate of the amendment.

Update to 'Offshore Leaks' investigation: WaPo investigative report

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The Washington Post today has a lengthy investigative report into the "Offshore Leaks" investigation by a consortium of media outlets from 46 countries around the world. See previously, Offshore world: 2.5 million leaked files reveal stunning extent of global tax havens. You can read the full ICIJ report here.

The Washington Post reports today, Piercing the secrecy of offshore tax havens:

A New York hedge fund manager allegedly swindles $12 million from a prominent Baltimore family. An Indiana couple is accused of bilking hundreds of customers by charging for free trials of cosmetic products. A financial manager in Texas promises 23-percent returns but absconds with $33.5 million of his investors’ money in a classic Ponzi scheme.

All three cases have one thing in common: money that ended up in offshore accounts and trusts set up in tax havens around the world.

The existence of the trusts surfaced during a joint examination of the offshore world by The Washington Post and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, a D.C-based nonprofit news organization. ICIJ obtained 2.5 million records of more than 120,000 companies and trusts created by two offshore companies, Commonwealth Trust Ltd. (CTL) in the British Virgin Islands and Portcullis TrustNet, which operates mostly in Asia and the Cook Islands, a South Pacific nation. The records were obtained by Gerard Ryle, ICIJ’s director, as a result of an investigation he conducted in Australia.

ALEC Exposed via Arizona Eagletarian blog

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Kudos to Steve Muratore of the Arizona Eagletarian blog for his coverage of ALEC Exposed this week. ALEC is a member of the "Kochtopus" network of far-right organizations funded by the billionaire bastard Koch brothers and their like-minded corporate friends.

Steve Muratore attended the showing of "ALEC Exposed" at the Playhouse on the Park Theater in Phoenix on Wednesdsay, you can read about it here. ALEC (was) Exposed this evening. Steve attached a video from the September 28, 2012 Moyers & Company report, "United States of ALEC," that you can watch below the fold.

'Offshore Leaks' of tax haven accounts of the world's über rich tax dodgers

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I saw this report on Deutche Welle (German Journal) on PBS worldchannel.org, but it has yet to be reported widely in the U.S. corporate mainstream media. 'Offshore Leaks' list puts focus on prominent figures worldwide 04.04.2013:

Government reactions have been cautious after international media published a list of alleged tax evaders. Though the world gets a glimpse of the finances of the wealthiest, it remains unclear who broke the law.

The last note on the list of alleged tax dodgers published by the British daily The Guardian on Thursday reiterated that having an offshore account was not a crime. [Leaks reveal secrets of the rich who hide cash offshore - The Guardian]

"It is not suggested that any of those listed here have behaved unlawfully," the newspaper wrote, referring to the international figures it had named in its "profiles of leading secret account holders."

"Offshore entities can be held legitimately: The only aspect those listed below have in common is that they have used a jurisdiction which provides them with secrecy."

The people listed included politicians, businessmen and their spouses.

'Kochtopus' astroturf campaign against Gov. Jan Brewer's Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration plan

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I have said it before, and I will say it again: how long are Arizonans going to tolerate the billionaire bastard Koch brothers dictating public policy in Arizona? It's time to tear up the "Kochtopus" network of astroturf far-right organizations in this state by the roots and salt the ground to make sure that they never grow back again.

The opposition to Gov. Jan Brewer's Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration plan does not come from rank and file voters in this state, but rather an astroturf campaign by the "Kochtopus" far-right organizations, incuding the Tea Party groups. The Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required) calls them out. AFP, anti-Obamacare docs denounce Medicaid expansion:

A small group of conservative doctors gathered at the Capitol in opposition to Gov. Jan Brewer’s Medicaid expansion proposal, arguing that it will damage health care in Arizona and cause a host of problems at the federal level.

At a Tuesday afternoon press conference organized by the Arizona chapter of the conservative group Americans for Prosperity, three doctors urged the state to reject Brewer’s plan, which would expand Medicaid to cover anyone earning up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level. The doctors have been vocal opponents of the Affordable Care Act.

Law enforcement veterans join the recall of crazy Uncle Joe Arpaio

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

"The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated." - Mark Twain

Not long ago the manic-depressives in the Arizona political media were all but declaring the recall of crazy Uncle Joe Arpaio "dead." It seems they were a bit premature in pronouncing the time of death.

The Arizona Republic reports today, Law-enforcement veterans join Arpaio recall:

Several retired Valley law-enforcement officials have joined the recall effort against Sheriff Joe Arpaio, criticizing him for using what they consider scare tactics to raise money to fight the recall.

Respect Arizona is in the process of gathering signature petitions seeking to hold a recall election to oust Arpaio.

The group obtained a letter — signed by Arpaio and paid for by the Elect Sheriff Joe Arpaio campaign — that was e-mailed to conservative supporters urging financial donations to help fight the recall.

Corrupt Kavanagh gets a recall effort

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

First, a qualification. I am not saying that he does not deserve it, but people should be smart enough to know that you do not recall a politician in his last term who is term limited, especially when the timeline for any recall election puts you smack dab in the middle of the politician qualifying for the ballot to run for another office. Resource management people -- focus on making sure that this corrupt politician is not elected again.

With that said, the antics of Russell Pearce and Joe Arpaio acolyte Rep. John Kavanagh (R-Fountain Hills) has earned him a recall effort by a group calling itself Raise The Bar Arizona. It's committee page on the Arizona Secretary of State web site is Here.

The Arizona Republic reports Recall effort launched against Rep. John Kavanagh:

A committee called Raise the Bar Arizona filed paperwork on Monday for a recall election, citing what it called Kavanagh’s hypocrisy on pledging to reduce the size of government while introducing legislation that would extend government’s reach. Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, dismissed it as misguided political harassment.

“He’s not limiting government; he’s extending it into bathrooms,” said Ray Ceo Jr., co-chairman of the newly formed committee.

California election watchdog does what Arizona legislature refuses to do to protect its own GOP operatives

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Earlier this month, Cronkite News reported No state law on 'dark money' coming this legislative session:

For all of the controversy during the last election over the influence of so-called dark money in politics, the Arizona State Legislature is unlikely to produce any laws on the subject this session.

Sen. Steve Farley, D-Tucson, introduced the only bill addressing dark money, one that would have increased disclosure requirements for groups making such donations, but it didn’t receive a hearing.

Farley said that the “future of our democracy” depends on citizens knowing who is funding campaigns, something that certain corporations can keep secret because of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United ruling.

“I just think that we owe it to our voters to do everything we can to reveal as much as we can about where it comes from,” he said during a recent Senate Elections Committee session on Citizens United.

The NRA undermines enforcement of gun-safety regulation

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

A new Center for American Progress report details how the NRA has quietly made enforcing existing gun laws nearly impossible by sneaking so-called “riders” into annual appropriations bills funding various government functions in order to avoid scrutiny in the regular legislative process. How The NRA Secretly Protects People Who Commit Crimes With Guns:

The CAP report outlines several key riders the NRA has used to cripple gun regulation, mainly by weakening the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives:

Banned the ATF from managing its own data. Through riders, the NRA has stripped the ATF of its independence and limited the agency’s ability to manage its own data. Since 1979, the ATF has been banned from consolidating its gun sales records into a centralized database, making it extremely difficult for the agency and law enforcement to track guns in crimes. As the CAP report notes, “ATF receives an average of 1.3 million records from out-of-business dealers each month, and it is forced to keep these records in boxes in warehouses or on microfiche.” In 2004, the ATF was further restricted from disclosing any data on guns found at crime scenes to the public. Research indicates that real ATF prosecution can deter gun dealers from selling to criminals; currently, one percent of gun dealers sell half the guns used in crimes. Obama’s gun prevention plan, smeared as “tyranny” by gun advocates, would finally appoint a director to the ATF for the first time in six years and give the agency better resources to create a gun trafficking database.

Tea Party temper tantrum: Arpaio 'Birthers' sue to stop Arpaio recall

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Earlier this week, Respect Arizona, the organization behind the recall of crazy uncle Joe Arpaio, announced that it is suspending its paid signature gathering campaign due to a shortage of funds (you can help alleviate this cash flow problem by using the link to contribute and to volunteer to circulate petitions).

This announcement from Respect Arizona caused The Arizona Republic(an), which first opposed the recall effort and then supported it, to have another manic depressive episode. Laurie Roberts clutched her pearls and reached for her smelling salts with a post assigned two doom and gloom captions. Joe Arpaio recall doomed by political miscalculation and Joe Arpaio recall in trouble:

Just 12 days after anti-Joe Arpaio forces announced that they had collected an impressive 120,000 signatures in the campaign to recall Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the campaign has taken a nosedive.

Lilia Alvarez, campaign manager of the Arpaio recall, confirmed the campaign is out of money and can no longer pay petition circulators. Instead, Respect Arizona will rely on volunteers to get to the promised land of 335,317 valid signatures by May 30.

Alvarez remains optimistic that it can be done.

Update: Hearing on the 'show me your papers to pee' bill rescheduled to next Wednesday

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I posted yesterday about what Brahm Resnik of Channel 12 News in Phoenix has labeled the "show me your papers to pee" bill, Corrupt Kavanagh's disdain for democracy, abuse of power:

Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, wants to create Arizona’s first law governing restroom privileges. Under Senate Bill 1432, someone would be guilty of disorderly conduct if he or she uses a bathroom, locker room or dressing room that’s not designated for the sex listed on his or her birth certificate.

* * *

SB 1432 would make it illegal to enter a bathroom if signage indicates it is exclusively for the opposite sex. Authorities could charge violators with a Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by a $2,500 fine and up to six months in jail.

* * *

The corrupt Kavanagh has an ulterior motive for submitting his "striker" and putting this discriminatory bill on his committee's agenda today -- he is stacking his committee hearing agenda to screw with public testimony on Governor Jan Brewer's Medicaid (AHCCCS) Restoration Plan also scheduled for an informational hearing today.

It turns out that the corrupt Kavanagh screwed up, and testimony was not heard yesterday.

Corrupt Kavanagh's disdain for democracy, abuse of power

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Rep. John Kavanagh (R-Fountain Hills) is a corrupt politician who uses his position to advance his own personal, often bizarre agenda, rather than to represent the best interests of his constitutuents and Arizonans.

There was this tidbit in the Arizona Republic this morning, Brewer wants Legislature to take up her priorities:

TPT is the state transaction privilege tax. A bill to streamline the tax, which effectively is the sales tax, is set for a hearing before the Senate Finance Committee this afternoon.

The bill had stalled in the House, where Speaker Andy Tobin, R-Paulden, had worried that the bill’s overhaul of the construction sales tax could hurt local governments and where Appropriations Chairman John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, had not scheduled it for a hearing. Kavanagh’s wife, Linda, is Fountain Hills’ mayor.

The House Approriations Committee is not his personal fiefdom to keep his wifey happy. This tax reform bill is important to the state of Arizona and for future economic development. This is an abuse of power.

The Iraq War: 10 years later no one has been held accountable

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the start of the Iraq War -- an unnecessary "war of choice" built upon a mountain of lies and deception, fabricated intelligence, and media propaganda -- that was illegal under international law and treaties because Iraq did not pose an "imminent threat of harm" to the United States.

To this day, not one of the architects of this unnecessary and illegal war, whether the Neocons in the conservative think tanks, members of the Bush-Cheney administration or Congress, members of the Tony Blair government in Britain, military contractors and military leaders of the Pentagon, the spectacularly failed intelligence agencies, or members of the propagandist media have been held to account for their crimes under the law. Not one.

'Fast Eddie' Farnsworth applies nullification theory to education

Posted  by AzBlueMeanie:

I warned you about this at the start of the legislative session. Neo-Confederate dead-enders revive  discredited 'nullification theory' again.

Now Rep. "Fast Eddie" Farnsworth, R-Gilbert, wants to extend nullification theory to education. The Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required) reports Arizona House passes anti-federal education bill:

Dozens of public schools would be able to throw out federal education policy regulating academic standards, teacher evaluation requirements and student tracking systems under a measure approved by the Arizona House on Thursday.

The Republican-led House voted 36-23 along party lines to advance the measure to the Senate after heated debate over the value of federal education dollars.

The proposed law would allow roughly 130 district and charter schools that don’t receive federal money to ignore federal and state mandates. The exempted schools would still need to follow any health, safety, civil rights and insurance mandates.

So whatever happened with that Nathan Sproul voter registration fraud case in Florida?

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Funny you should ask. Steve Benen has the latest developments. GOP election fraud reported in Florida:

By every possible measure, [ claims of voter fraud] have been wildly and laughably exaggerated, but when evidence of fraud does appear, more often than not, it seems to involve Republican wrongdoing (thanks to my colleague Will Femia for the tip).

Two employees of a company once aligned with the Republican Party of Florida admitted to law-enforcement authorities that they forged voter registration forms.

It's the first result in a far-reaching voter fraud investigation that was launched last fall -- and initiated at the urging of the party after election supervisors started flagging questionable applications.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement reported Tuesday that the two ex-employees were charged with a third degree felony. But prosecutors back in January decided to place both of them on probation because neither has a criminal history.

Tea-Publicans in the Arizona Lege are trying to limit voters' rights

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Think back to November 2012 and what were the problems with the election: voter lists from the county recorders were inaccurate, voters did not know where to go due to precinct consolidation into new "voting areas," and many voters were listed as an early voter but wanted to vote in person, all of which contributed to a large number of provisional ballots being cast. This slowed the counting of the vote.

A large number of voters dropped off their "early" ballots on election day -- as is their lawful right to do so -- which also contributed to the slow counting of the vote.

And then there was the scandal of "dark money" independent expenditure committees corrupting the political process with attack ads funded by contributors who do not have to disclose their identity or the amount of their political contributions.

Sheldon Adelson's Sands Corp. admits to violation of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

In 2012, billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson contributed more than $60 million close to $150 million to elect Republicans up and down the ticket, including Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney, through their Super-PACs.

I posted last July about a ProPublica investigative report co-published with PBS' "Frontline" into an investigation by the Department of Justice, FBI and SEC for violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by Sheldon Adelson through his Macau casino. Exhibit 'A' in the case to overturn Citizens United - Sheldon Adelson trying to buy the American presidency with foreign money:

Internal email and company documents, disclosed here for the first time, show that Adelson instructed a top executive to pay about $700,000 in legal fees to Leonel Alves, a Macau legislator whose firm was serving as an outside counsel to Las Vegas Sands.

The company's general counsel and an outside law firm warned that the arrangement could violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. It is unknown whether Adelson was aware of these warnings. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act bars American companies from paying foreign officials to "affect or influence any act or decision" for business gain.

 

Welcome to Day 1 of the Tea Party Sequester

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Welcome to Day 1 of the Tea Party Sequester. The Tea Party economic terrorists took credit for the sequester earlier in the week. Tea party claims credit as deep cuts loom:

Since the day they were swept to power more than two years ago, the tea party’s legions in Washington have made dramatic federal spending cuts the centerpiece of an economic message that has dominated the national debate.

Now they’re about to get what they wanted.

Deep reductions in domestic and defense spending begin Friday, a process known as sequestration, which will make progress toward the tea party’s goal of shrinking government. What unfolds over the following months will be a high-stakes test of whether significant cuts in spending will help or hurt the economy — and the Republican Party’s brand.

The cuts, worth $1.2 trillion over 10 years, are to become reality after several years during which the tea party — a group of Republicans elected in 2010 with the goal of radically shrinking government — has struggled to have a lasting impact on Washington.

* * *

[M]any Republicans say the sequester is the moment when the tea party can claim it has made its mark. Although both Democratic and Republican leaders are pointing fingers, the tea party and its allies are happily accepting credit for the cuts.

Campaign finance 'reforms' (sic) approved in Arizona Lege

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Going in exactly the opposite direction that the public demands in polling, campaign finance "reforms"' (sic) were approved in the Arizona Legislature on Thursday. Arizona bills deal with campaign reform:

Senators gave preliminary approval to two bills prompted by a recall election in Fountain Hills, as well as the 2011 recall campaign that ousted then-Senate President Russell Pearce.

SB 1262 defines the date someone begins circulating recall petitions as the start of the recall election. Lack of clarity on the start of a recall campaign led to confusion on when campaign-contribution limits would kick in. It also imposes the same contribution limits for recall elections as for regular candidate elections.

SB 1263 tightens controls on paid petition-circulators. It requires companies that circulate petitions for candidates and campaigns to register with the secretary of state and run background checks on its employees. It also requires the paid circulators be trained in the laws and rules that govern petition circulation.

The Senate also approved, on a voice vote, SB 1454, which expands the definition of “in-kind” contributions. Sen. Steve Farley, D-Tucson, tried to tack on an amendment that would require any candidate or campaign that accepts money from another campaign to disclose the original donor.

Immigration Prisoners Released-- Thanks to Republican Filibuster of Sequestration Vote

by Pamela Powers Hannley

Even though the majority of US Senators voted to end sequestration and stop automatic budget cuts on Thursday, February 28, there were enough Repulbican Senators to filibuster this action and trigger the accross-the-board cuts that no one said they wanted. 

One unintended consequence of allowing sequestration to go forward is the nationwide release of hundreds of immigration prisoners from federal prison.

ICE claims it is releasing prisoners around the country-- including Arizona-- in order to live within its budget constraints. According to the New York Times, before the budget-cutting sequestration release,  ICE had a $2.05 billion incarceration budget and was holding 30,773 immigration prisoners. By releasing them (but not dismissing their cases), ICE reduced its per-prisoner cost from $122-164/day to hold them in a federal prison to $0.30-$14/day to allow them to live at home with their families while their cases are processed. (Why weren't we doing this already? Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. The Corrections Corporation of America and the American Legislative Exchange Council want to make big bucks on immigratants.) 

Check out the full story in the New York Times: Mass Release of Immigrants Is Tied to Impending Cut.

Whatever comes from sequestration, I lay the consequences at the feet of those two dysfunctional Senate twins-- Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell. Reid because he didn't have the balls to change the filibuster rules a fee weeks ago when he had the chance-- even though the majority of Senators and US citizens wanted him to. (Didn't he see this fight on the horizon?) And McConnell because yet again, he put ideology and ego before the good of the people. Don't be foooled, these bastards knew what level of havoc they would wreak on the American populace with this non-step.

Why does Arizona tolerate the Koch brothers dictating public policy?

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

For years, the billionaire bastard Koch brothers have treated the Arizona legislature as a wholly owned subsidiary of the "Kochtopus" network of think tanks and political action committees that they and their wealthy friends fund. Several of these Kochtopus entities operate out of the state of Maricopa.

Tea-Publican members of the Arizona legislature are members of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), and they openly carry bills for other Kochtopus entities like the Goldwater Institute and Americans For Prosperity. The Koch brothers are also major financial backers of the Tea Party.

The Kochtopus is an an invidious malignant cancer in the body politic that has made Arizona a regressive backwater and the laughingstock of the nation, a spot previously reserved for states such as Mississippi and Alabama. As I have said before, we need to tear out the Kochtopus network in the state of Maricopa by their roots and salt the ground to make certain that it never grows back again. We need to treat this cancer on the body politic.

No sympathy for the devil

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Joseph Ratzinger aka "Joey Rats," better known today as Pope Benedict XVI, announced that he is resigning from the Papacy on Monday. I didn't even know that was a possibility, I had to look it up. The last pope to resign was Gregory XII in 1415 as part of a political settlement to end the Western Schism when there were three claimants to the throne: the Roman Pope Gregory XII, Avignon Antipope Benedict XIII, and Pisan Antipope John XXIII.

Canon law does not specify any particular individual or body or people to whom the pope must manifest his resignation (Judy Blume's book title immediately popped to mind: "Are you there God? It's me, Margaret" -- I quit), but Pope Celestine V in 1294 issued a solemn decree declaring it permissible for a pope to resign, and then he immediately resigned -- "I'm outta here!"  Since Celestine's decree was never revoked, he set a precedent for a valid papal resignation. Who knew? They didn't teach us Vatican palace intrigue in my Catholic catechism classes.

"Joey Rats" was the Vatican enforcer for Pope John Paul II -- who is no saint -- before ascending to the throne himself. He was Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, formerly known as  the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition (yes, that Inquisition). It was his job to cover-up the numerous pedophile priest sex crimes and to reassign these priests to enable them to avoid criminal prosecution. "Joey Rats" had compassion for the sinner priests, but apparently not so much for their innocent victims. (I went to Catholic school with some of these victims).

Crazy Uncle Joe Arpaio's questionable posse to do a school-shooting simulation this weekend - supervised by actor Steven Seagal

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

What could possibly go wrong? As reported earlier this year, Crazy Uncle Joe Arpaio endangers your children:

Phoenix CBS affiliate KPHO (CBS 5) decided to investigate who these volunteer posse members are. After a six month investigation it discovered that some of Arpaio's posse members have criminal records. Criminal pasts don't disqualify members of Arpaio posse.

Now comes this, Joe Arpaio's Posse Doing a School-Shooting Simulation, and Steven Seagal's Supervising. No, seriously:

Folks, Sheriff Joe Arpaio's school-patrol posse is so serious about school safety that posse members will be setting up a school-shooting simulation this weekend as a test.

Have we mentioned yet that actor Steven Seagal will be supervising the festivities?

"On Saturday, February 9, 2013, qualified armed volunteers from Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's posse will undergo their first ever training event which simulates an actual school shooting," an Arpaio press release says. "Sheriff Arpaio, who ordered the training, says six instructors will lead 40 armed posse volunteers through four different scenarios where a shooter or shooters come onto a school campus with the intent to kill."

A GOP Tyranny of the Minority: The 'New Nullification Crisis'

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

A little more than a week after Senate Democrats decided not to weaken the filibuster, Republicans are vowing to filibuster President Barack Obama's nominee to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau unless its powers are substantially reduced. So how's that filibuster deal working out for you, Harry Reid? GOP to Filibuster Obama's Consumer Watchdog Pick:

The CFPB was created as part of the 2010 financial regulation bill specifically to prevent financial institutions from engaging in the kind of exploitative practices that helped lead the country to the brink of economic collapse in 2008. Since January 2012, when Obama appointed former Ohio attorney general Richard Cordray to head the bureau, it has done exactly that—reigning in unscrupulous mortgage lenders, credit card companies, and debt servicers.

But the CFPB has only been able to do those things because Obama, using what's called a recess appointment, installed Cordray in his post while most of Congress was on vacation—an attempt to bypass Senate Republicans' efforts to block the nomination. Before Cordray was picked and blocked, Republicans had vowed to filibuster Elizabeth Warren, who came up with the idea for the bureau and helped found it, too. That didn't go as well as they had hoped: Warren recently returned to the chamber as the new Democratic Senator from Massachusetts.

The Arizona Republic: 'Leave Joe Arpaio alone!'

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The media arm of the GOP establishment in Arizona, The Arizona Republic(an), has issued its decree that there shall not be a recall of Crazy Uncle Joe Arpaio. No need for new vote on Arpaio.

Columnist Laurie Roberts is so incensed that she has written two opinions just since last Friday. Arpaio recall already?, and Joe Arpaio recall a slap to voters. What does this remind me of?

Oh yeah -- "Joe Arpaio is just misunderstood. Leave Joe Arpaio alone!"

Corruption ± Citizens United ± Corporate Personhood

1. Corruption is the #1 key issue. A great many of our other problems can be seen as consequences of the fundamental corruption issue. For details, see section 1. There is a proverb that says: Pay attention to the thing you care about. That means we need to keep the corruption issue front-and-center. We need to avoid distractions.
2. This is a fixable problem. The simplest and most direct way to fix it is to demand that the Department of Justice enforce the existing bribery laws. See section 2.
3. The Citizens United decision is ridiculous, but it is only a small part of the problem. See section 3. There is no way of overturning the decision anytime soon, but that’s not fatal, because there are other ways of attacking the corruption problem.
4. Corporate personhood is not the issue, not even a little bit. It is at least two jumps removed from being the real issue. See section 4. If you focus attention on corporate personhood, you just make yourself look foolish.

Contents

1  Corruption

2  Demand Enforcement of the Existing Laws

3  Citizens United

4  Corporations Exist

5  Digression: Terminology

6  Some Examples of Corruption

7  Obstacles to Enforcement

8  References

The 'Kochtopus' and Arizona GOP declare war on public employees

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The Goldwater Institute, a charter member of the billionaire bastard Koch brother's web of corporate funded far-right think tanks and political action committees known as the "Kochtopus," has its Tea-Publican stooges in the Arizona legislature pursuing its anti-union, anti-public employee bills in committee this week.

The Goldwater Institute authored HB2330, a proposal to open up collective bargaining between a representative of a public body and a representative of an employee organization about salaries and benefits subject to the open meeting laws. It would also prevent local government bodies from going into executive session to discuss these issues and would require all discussions to be recorded.

In other words, the Goldwater Institute and other secretly funded corporate lobbyists of the "Kochtopus" want to insert themselves into contract negotiations between public bodies and employee organizations through open meeting laws (employee contracts are done in executive session and are exempt from open meeting laws).

And why should these self-styled government watchdogs secretly funded corporate lobbyists have a seat at the negotiation table you ask? Good question. They shouldn't. This is over-reaching by anti-union, anti-public employee corporate lobbyists.

I have to agree with Roman Ulman from AFSCME. “If you’re going to have open meeting laws, then I want open meeting laws for any time the Goldwater Institute even has a discussion with any of our representatives. I want that to be pre-posted.”

GOP war on voting is an ALEC policy

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

But of course it is...

The Center for Media and Democracy's PR Watch reports ALEC Has Opposed "Popular Vote" Efforts Which Would Protect Against Partisan Rigging of Electoral College:

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has actively lobbied against state plans to implement a national popular vote for president, urging state legislators to preserve the Electoral College -- which GOP legislators are now trying to rig to ensure the the next president is a Republican. In late 2011, ALEC officially changed its policy on the Electoral College to implicitly support allocating electoral votes by congressional district.

In December 2011, ALEC reconfirmed its support for the Electoral College, but with one tweak -- official ALEC policy no longer supports allocating electoral votes based on the winner of a state's popular vote for president.

Republican leaders, including Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus, have been criticized for recent proposals to allocate electoral votes according to the victor in each Congressional district, rather than according to the winner-take-all system. This change would significantly benefit the GOP's presidential chances, in part because Republicans were able to re-draw Congressional districts to favor their party after the 2010 elections.

Conservative activist judges chicanery to nullify executive authority

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The Friday news dump headline was that a panel of conservative activist judges of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that President Obama's recess appointments to the National Labor Relations Board last year exceeded his constitutional authority. Court Rejects Obama Move to Fill Posts.

Per usual, the lazy "lamestream media" followed the lead of the conservative media entertainment complex asserting that "President Obama violated the Constitution," a bright shiny object to distract from the real scandal of what these conservative activist judges had done -- nullify a provision of the Constitution.

Brian Beutler at Talking Points Memo does an excellent job of explaining what really has occurred here. Will Conservative Judges Help Republicans Nullify The Recess Appointment Power?:

An expansive Friday decision by a three-judge D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals panel threatens to cripple two government agencies and significantly limit the president’s power to bypass the Senate confirmation process by making recess appointments.

If ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court, the opinion in a case involving the National Labor Relations Board will also strengthen the Senate minority’s incentive to block top-level presidential appointments — and empower a controversial GOP strategy of nullifying certain executive branch agencies by refusing to allow their designated leaders to be confirmed.

Arizona's media villagers are failing to report on this scandal

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I previously posted about Crazy Uncle Joe Arpaio's anti-government extremism:

Crazy Uncle Joe Arpaio is a favorite of far-right extremist groups like former Graham County Sheriff Richard Mack's conspiratorial Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association and the Oath Keepers, made up of former and current law enforcement officers and military personnel who believe it is their duty to defy what they deem to be unconstitutional orders. These anti-government extremists are a law unto themselves.

Hence this bit of anti-government extremism from Crazy Uncle Joe Arpaio on Wednesday. Joe Arpaio Says He May Not Enforce New Gun Laws (AUDIO).

Not to be outdone for media attention, "Joe, Jr.," Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu, penned a letter to President Obama last week saying that he too would not enforce any federal laws that he deems to be unconstitutional orders. Has anyone investigated his connections to far-right extremist groups like Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association and the Oath Keepers?

Talking Points Memo reports Arizona Sheriff Tells Obama He Won’t Enforce Federal Gun Laws:

Arizona Sheriff Paul Babeu penned a letter to President Barack Obama last week criticizing the administration's gun control proposals and asserting that he won't enforce any law or executive order "contrary to what the Constitution of the United States of America says."

(Update) GOP war on voting: Rigging elections to thwart the popular vote

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Alan Abramowitz, Alben W. Barkley Professor of Political Science at Emory University, and senior columnist for Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball, writes today Republican Electoral College Plan Would Undermine Democracy:

After losing the popular vote in five of the last six presidential elections and seeing Barack Obama sweep to a surprisingly easy reelection victory in 2012, Republican leaders and strategists are understandably worried about their party’s prospects in future presidential contests. There is no doubt that the GOP faces major challenges as a result of the nation’s shifting demographics and a growing Democratic advantage in the Electoral College.

Democratic presidential candidates have carried 18 states and the District of Columbia with a total of 242 electoral votes in all four elections since 2000, and another three states with 15 electoral votes in three of those elections. In addition, three of the five states that have voted twice for each party since 2000 — Colorado, Nevada and Virginia, with a total of 28 electoral votes — clearly appear to be trending Democratic. That gives Democrats a base of 24 states plus the District of Columbia in which they have the advantage going into the next presidential election. Those states have 285 electoral votes — 15 votes more than needed to win the presidency.

* * *

Several Republican governors and state legislative leaders in key battleground states have recently expressed support for a plan to change the method of awarding their state’s electoral votes from the current winner-take-all system to one in which one vote would be awarded to the winner of each congressional district in the state and two votes would be awarded to the statewide winner. In the aftermath of the GOP’s 2012 defeat, this plan appears to be gaining momentum and was recently endorsed by the chairman of the Republican National Committee, Reince Priebus. On Wednesday, a bill to apportion electors by congressional district advanced through a subcommittee in the Virginia Senate.

This guy, again

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Last week Rep. Stevie "Secession" Smith (R-Maricopa) was promoting his House Bill 2291, a resolution of "interposition and nullification" to oppose any new federal firearms regulations. They're baaack! Arizona's Neo-Confederate dead-enders are back. This long-discredited theory is entirely unconstitutional.

This week, little Stevie is demonstrating that he still has a man-crush on nativist and racist disgraced former Senate President Russell Pearce, who was recalled by the voters of his old district last year and rejected by the voters of his new district.

Little Stevie is back with his bill rejected by the legislature last year to compensate Ol' Russell for his recall election, even though Ol' Russell was not out-of-pocket one thin dime of his own money in his unsuccessful recall bid. In other words, Rep. Stevie "Secession" Smith wants to give disgraced former Senate President Russell Pearce a taxpayer-funded windfall as a parting gift. New bill to reimburse Russell Pearce is filed:

Rep. Steve Smith, R-Maricopa, filed House Bill 2290, which proposes to pay the "reasonable special election campaign expenses" of any elected official who faces a recall out of the relevant state, county or local government's general fund. It requires the individual to submit an itemized account of campaign expenses to the appropriate governing body. The Legislature or appropriate governing body then must approve the amount.