Blog For Arizona

9th Circuit Court of Appeals strikes down Arizona's 20-week abortion ban

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

It looks like the "Mayor" of Washington, D.C., Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ), has a bit of a problem with his plan to take his anti-abortion crusade nationwide. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down Arizona's 20-week abortion ban law today. Doh! Court Strikes Down Arizona 20-Week Abortion Ban:

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the law violated a woman's constitutionally protected right to terminate a pregnancy before a fetus is able to survive outside the womb. "Viability" of a fetus is generally considered to start at 24 weeks. Normal pregnancies run about 40 weeks.

Nine other states have enacted similar bans starting at 20 weeks or even earlier. Several of those bans had previously been placed on hold or struck down by other courts.

Judge Marsha Berzon, writing for the unanimous three-judge panel on the San Francisco-based court, said such bans before viability violate a long string of U.S. Supreme Court rulings starting with the seminal Roe v. Wade decision in 1973.

The judge wrote that "a woman has a constitutional right to choose to terminate her pregnancy before the fetus is viable."

Gov. Jan Brewer signed the ban into law in April 2012 after it was approved by the Republican-led Legislature. Supporters said the law was meant to protect the mother's health and prevent fetuses from feeling pain. U.S. District Judge James Teilborg ruled it was constitutional, partly because of those concerns, but the 9th Circuit blocked the ban from going into effect until it ruled.

Lawyers representing Arizona argued that the ban wasn't technically a law but rather a medical regulation because it allowed for doctors to perform abortions in medical emergencies. Berzon rejected that reasoning and deemed the legislation a law banning abortions before a fetus is viable.

"The challenged Arizona statute's medical emergency exception does not transform the law from a prohibition on abortion into a regulation of abortion procedure," Berzon wrote. "Allowing a physician to decide if abortion is medically necessary is not the same as allowing a woman to decide whether to carry her own pregnancy to term."

Berzon was joined by judges Mary Schroeder and Andrew Kleinfeld.

Robert Robb is right: refer a clean Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration bill to the voters

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I hate it when I have to agree with the Arizona Republic's über-conservative columnist Robert Robb, but even a broken clock is right twice a day, am I right?

Keep in mind that this latest column from Robert Robb is actually the strategy for a legal challenge to Governor Jan Brewer's Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration plan, likely from his old employer, the Goldwater Institute, which is actively opposing the Governor's plan. If the Governor's plan is enacted by the legislature, the Goldwater Institute will file a lawsuit. (To his credit, Robb has written several columns arguing in favor of Governor Brewer's plan as a practical matter, much to Goldwater's chagrin I imagine).

I have had several Democratic legislators tell me that they agree with the Governor's legal analysis that the hospital bed tax is just a provider assessment that can be imposed by an agency head. I suspect this is wishful thinking. I have little confidence in the Governor's lawyers. I have previously posted that I disagree with this analysis. I believe this is rightly characterized as a tax, and any new tax requires a two-thirds super-majority vote of both chambers of the legislature to be approved under Prop. 108 (1992). This is why I have long argued for the repeal of the undemocratic Prop. 108.

Budget Update: Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration plan passes the Senate

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

In 2004, a handful of Republican senators joined with Democratic senators to wrest control of the Arizona Senate chamber from an obstructionist Senate President. It hasn't happened since -- until today.

A bipartisan Senate coalition, led by the Republican majority leader John McComish no less, gave tentative approval Thursday to Gov. Jan Brewer’s proposal to restore and expand Medicaid (AHCCCS). Ariz. moves closer to Medicaid expansion:

[The coalition beat back more than a dozen hostile GOP amendments sponsored by Senate President Andy Biggs and Sen. Kelli Ward, in a failed attempt to weaken the measure.]

The measure awaits a formal vote of the full Senate, which is expected to come later today. If it passes, as expected, it’s likely to run up against a buzzsaw in the House, where the fate of Medicaid expansion, and the budget it’s attached to, remain uncertain.

Senate President Andy Biggs, R-Gilbert, a steadfast opponent of the governor’s proposal, fought unsuccessfully to kill it with a slew of amendments, including requiring a two-thirds vote for approval, eliminating a hospital tax that will help pay for expansion, converting all state employee health insurance to Medicaid and repealing expansion if even one Medicaid patient is found to be an undocumented citizen.

* * *

But again and again, two members of Biggs’ leadership team and three other GOP senators stood with the chamber’s 13 Democrats to defeat Biggs’ amendment. Majority Leader John McComish, Majority Whip Adam Driggs and Sens. Rich Crandall, Steve Pierce and Bob Worsley joined Democrats to approve the Medicaid amendment on an 18-12 vote.

More B.S. from the Goldwater Institute and Tea-Publicans on Gov. Brewer's Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration plan

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

You can file this one under stupid shit the Goldwater Institute says and that reporters unquestionly repeat as mere stenographers. You can cross-file it under stupid shit that Tea-Publicans believe but which has no basis in the reality based world (they believe in confidence fairies and unicorns, i.e., the entirely disproved and discredited faith based supply-side "trickle down" GOP economic theory).

The Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required) reports Medicaid expansion critics question viability of hospital tax:

Opponents of Gov. Jan Brewer’s Medicaid expansion plan are concerned the proposed hospital tax that would pay for Arizona’s share of the new AHCCCS coverage may not last long, leaving the state on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars a year.

Christina Corieri, a health care policy analyst at the conservative Goldwater Institute, said the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, often referred to as the Simpson-Bowles commission, has proposed eliminating states’ ability to use hospital taxes to pay for their share of Medicaid costs. Even President Obama and leading congressional Democrats have floated the idea of scaling back provider taxes, she said, which are currently capped at 5.5 percent of a hospital’s revenue.

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.

Governor Brewer signs junk science bill affecting foster kids

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Governor Jan Brewer has signed Senate Bill 1108, a bill that would eliminate the requirement that foster families fully immunize their own children. See, When ideology endangers public health - call your state representatives. Even the the Arizona Republic editorialized against this bill. Junk science can harm foster kids.

Howard Fischer reports in Legislative briefs:

Brewer removes some foster care restrictions

Gov. Jan Brewer signed legislation Thursday to allow foster children to be placed in homes with youngsters who are not immunized.

But how often that will actually occur remains in doubt.

The measure by Sen. Nancy Barto, R-Phoenix, prohibits the Department of Economic Security from requiring foster parents to immunize their biological or adoptive children as a condition of being licensed as a foster home.

It is designed to overturn what has been the policy of the Department of Economic Security to avoid placements in homes where other children have not been vaccinated against common childhood diseases. Supporters said that is a luxury DES cannot afford, as there are about 1,350 children in group homes because of the shortage of qualified home placements.

Governor Brewer vetoes legal tender bill

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The Birthers-Birchers-Secessionists of our Tea-Publican controled legislature have a sad today. Apparently some things are just too crazy even for Governor Jan Brewer to sign off on. The Governor vetoed the paranoid end-times apocalyptic fantasies of Glenn Beck conspiracy theorists. Brewer vetoes bill making gold legal tender:

Those gold and silver coins will have to stay hidden in the closet and locked in safety-deposit boxes for a bit longer. 

Gov. Jan Brewer on Thursday vetoed a bill that would have made gold and silver coins legal tender in Arizona.

“While I believe the concern over a devalued dollar as a result of an unsustainable federal deficit is justified, I am unable to support this legislation,” Brewer wrote in her veto letter. “The provisions in this legislation need to be more carefully examined.” 

Specifically, she wrote, it is unclear whether the legislation would provide income-tax exemptions to transactions involving gold and silver coins, giving certain businesses “an unfair tax advantage.” 

Senate Bill 1439 would have authorized the use of coins or bullion containing gold or silver to pay a debt. The coins must have been issued by the U.S. government or approved by a court, such as the American eagle gold-bullion coin. But no person would have been required to use or accept gold or silver as legal tender.

The bill mirrors legislation Utah passed in 2011 and was part of a conservative movement arising out of a lack of confidence in the Federal Reserve and a fear that paper money could become virtually worthless as U.S. debt deflates the value of the dollar.

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.

Tea-Publican controled Arizona legislature adopts wingnut end-timers apocalyptic fantasy

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

So how's that "De-Kook the Capitol" thing working out for ya, Laurie Roberts? The Glenn Beck conspiracy theorists, who apparently got burned in his Goldline fraud -- "The company’s business model was built on systemically swindling and scaring its mostly elderly clientele into purchasing overpriced gold coins, prosecutors in California alleged, leading the company to settle for $4.5 million in refunds to its customers," Beck-backed gold fraud? - Salon.com -- have found a way to unload their gold coins while living out their paranoid end-times apocalyptic fantasies. And just in time, too, because The Price of Gold Is Crashing. Here's Why - Bloomberg Businessweek.

The Tea-Publican controled Senate gave final approval Tuesday to Senate Bill 1439 which would make Arizona only the second state in the nation to recognize gold and silver as legal tender. The Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required) reports, Arizona bill making gold legal tender sent to Gov. Brewer:

If signed into law by Gov. Jan Brewer, the measure would take effect in 2014.

The state Department of Revenue opposed the measure. It passed in the House only after an amendment was added to exempt the department from having to accept gold or silver as tax payments.

Gov. Jan Brewer appeases her GOP crazy base

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

So how's that "De-Kook the Capitol" thing working out for ya, Laurie Roberts? Gov. Jan Brewer, engaged in a civil war in the Tea-Publican Party over her Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration plan, appeased her GOP crazy base by signing several bills on Monday.

HB 2455 clarifies that local law-enforcement agencies must sell guns they acquire in situations such as gun-buyback programs -- even when the gun owner desires that their weapon be destroyed, in violation of their private property rights.

House Bill 2326 would prohibit local governments from keeping a list of gun owners (there is no evidence that any city is keeping such a list). This is prophylactic paranoia.

It is now official. Idolatrous gun worship is the official state religion in Arizona. Guns are sacred objects and holy relics that are protected from destruction.  Bill signed preventing Tucson from destroying 'buyback' guns:

Gov. Jan Brewer signed legislation aimed specifically at halting Tucson's practice of allowing police to destroy guns that people voluntarily surrender through buyback programs.

Instead, the state law, which takes effect later this year, will require that any weapons that come into a city or county's possession must be sold off, with the profits used to bolster the local treasury.

Ask Governor Brewer to veto SB 1108

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Earlier this week I posted about Senate Bill 1108, a bill that would eliminate the requirement that foster families fully immunize their own children. When ideology endangers public health - call your state representatives. The bill passed on a 33-24 party-line vote in the Tea-Publican-controlled House, but it wasn’t enough of a margin to tack an emergency clause onto the bill that would have it take effect immediately if the governor signs it.

Today the Arizona Republic editorializes that Governor Jan Brewer should veto SB 1108. I agree. Junk science can harm foster kids:

Lawmakers were wrong to ease vaccination rules for potential foster parents.

Plain wrong.

They caved to people who believe junk science.

Arizona has a duty to protect the children who come into foster care.

Yet lawmakers passed a bill that forbids the Department of Economic Security from requiring people to immunize their own children before they become licensed as foster parents.

This reverses a smart rule that existed to protect foster children.

The GOP insane clown posse rallies against Gov. Brewer's Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration plan

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The Birthers-Birchers-Secessionists of the Tea Party, i.e., the GOP insane clown posse, held a rally yesterday in opposition to Governor Jan Brewer's Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration plan. "Fringe" describes the unhinged from reality circus clowns who came up with this "genius" (sic) plan. AHCCCS might drop coverage for childless adults:

Thousands of Arizonans receiving health care through Medicaid could be thrown out of that program under one alternative offered by opponents of the governor's plan to expand coverage.

Senate President Andy Biggs, who joined a rally of Medicaid-expansion critics, vowed to do all he can to prevent a vote on Gov. Jan Brewer's proposal to expand coverage to those making up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, with the state share of the increased cost coming from a special assessment on hospitals.

* * *

Other speakers outlined their objections.

"We have a choice: More socialism and bigger government or more freedom and fiscal stability," said Rep. Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, one of the leaders of an ant-expansion rally on the Capitol lawn.

Sen. Kelli Ward, R-Lake Havasu City, called the care provided under Medicaid "substandard," and said entitlement programs like this "disincentivize the poor from improving themselves."

Rep. Justin Olson, R-Mesa, said an expanded Medicaid program means more tax dollars for family-planning services would be paid to Planned Parenthood, which has "this mission of terminating life before it's even born."

"I'm not going to allow late introduction of a bill," Biggs said, pointing out the deadline for that was months ago. And even if what the governor wants does end up at the Senate, whether from a House bill or an amendment to something else, "I never made a commitment I'd put it on the floor" for a vote.

Q. What's a lawyer to do when he isn't allowed to be a lawyer? A. Run for governor, of course.

By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings

Nearly six months ago, disgraced and disbarred former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas threatened to do just this, and now he is carrying out the threat.

From the Arizona Republic, written by Alia Beard Rau -

Disbarred former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas has announced he will run for governor in 2014.

In an e-mail to members of the media, the Republican said he file paperwork today with the Secretary of State’s Office.

“I’ll be focusing on the need to protect public safety, ensure border security and fight corruption, among other issues,” Thomas said in the e-mail. “Voters will be urged to watch the video of my State Bar hearing and see for themselves how honest prosecutors are railroaded for fighting corruption in this state.”

 

Fred DuVal formally announces for governor

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

This morning, Democrat Fred DuVal formally announced his candidacy for governor to supporters at the Squash Blossom in Phoenix. Fred will be in Tucson this afternoon to announce his candidacy to supporters at Bentley's, 1730 E. Speedway Blvd. Please arrive by 1:45 PM sharp.

Email announcement today:

Today, I am announcing that I'm running for Governor of Arizona.

Our state is at a turning point, and if we continue down the path we're on, our next generation won't have the jobs, opportunities and education that they should. But I know that together, we can restore Arizona's promise.

Please watch our video (below the fold) to learn more.

An Open Letter to Representative Chad Campbell

By Tom Prezelski

Cross-posted from Rum, Romanism and Rebellion.

Chad,

We have known each other for nearly ten years. In that time you have been my friend, ally, and occasional opponent. Through it all, I have known you to be one of the keenest and most articulate public policy minds in the state. We also share similar taste in music, which just further proves that you must be a genius.

However, I am writing this to ask you not to pursue a run for Governor in 2014.

In Fred DuVal, we have not only a universally respected and exceptionally well-qualified candidate, but also someone who has thoroughly thought through what a successful campaign will entail and has already done the work that he needs to have done by now. He has secured the endorsements of elected officials and leaders all over the state, including every living former Democratic Governor.

On the Republican side, there are perhaps half a dozen candidates who are making noises about running at this point. Even if some of them fail to follow through, you know as well as anybody that this promises to be a messy and ugly Republican primary which may well yield an extremist or otherwise damaged nominee. This bodes well for a well-positioned candidate, particularly one with a thoughtful reputation and a potential for bipartisan appeal like DuVal.

More than this, DuVal is already well on his way to building a statewide organization. With all due respect to the awesome work you have done not only in the legislature, but as an activist before you were elected, your reach does not extend much beyond central Phoenix. It will be impossible for you or any Democrat to win the nomination, much less the general election, without a substantial presence across the state. DuVal has left you little room to build such machinery, and there is insufficient time to work around him.

There are those that argue that contested primaries are inherently good for the party. I happen to disagree, and their best arguments do not apply here. There are few if any substantial differences in policy between you and DuVal, so there is no case to be made that this will give voters a choice, allow for debate, or give voice to some forgotten constituency. A primary here will be pointless at best and divisive at worst. All it can really accomplish is to delay DuVal's general election campaign and make victory more difficult.

Every four years, we tell folks (some would argue that we tell ourselves) that this is a critical, if not the most critical election ever. This time, however, there is some real basis to say this. Despite your heroic efforts, much of what was accomplished to move Arizona forward under Governor Napolitano has been reversed, and most of the good things that have happened in this state during our lifetime are in peril under the current regime. With DuVal, we have a real, viable chance to restore sanity to the ninth floor. Though this is certainly not our last chance to elect a Democrat as Governor, it may well be our last chance to stop our current slide into backwardness. A contested primary can only jeopardize this.

I realize that you are term limited and want desperately to stay in the game, having been in exile myself I can sympathize with the sentiment, but this particular election is far too important. You know that I would support you under slightly different circumstances, but for the time being, for the sake of your party and your state, please do not run for Governor this time around.

Sincerely, your friend, fellow Concrete Blonde fan, and former colleague,

Tom Prezelski

Tucson, Arizona

Gov. Brewer signs back-door assault on Citizens Clean Eelctions - let the lawsuits commence

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Governor Jan Brewer signed off on the Tea-Publican back-door asault on Citizens Clean Elections, House Bill 2593, Brewer signs bill ending limits on campaign giving, a bill which is unconstitutional and will result in promised lawsuits.

The bill is unconstitutional because the Clean Elections Act of 1998 was a citizens initiative, and any changes to voter-passed initiatives need a vote of three-fourths of each chamber of the Legislature under the Voter Protection Act (also a citizens initiatve). HB 2593 did not meet this three-fourths vote standard. This is a middle-finger salute from Tea-Publicans to the voters of Arizona who support Citizens Clean Elections.

While eliminating contribution caps for traditionally funded candidates, the Tea-Publican controled legislature did not increase the contribution and spending caps for Citizens Clean Elections candidates, eviscerating the purpose and intent of the Clean Elections Act of 1998. It is a transparent attempt to put Clean Elections candidates at a severe disadvantage and to kill Citizens Clean Elections by discouraging candidates from its use.

Let the lawsuits commence! Be sure to thank our lawless legislature and Gov. Brewer for pissing away your tax dollars on unnecessary litigation in pursuit of legislation they know is blatantly unconstitutional.

Back-door assault on Citizens Clean Elections goes to the Governor - tell her to veto the bill

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Our lawless legislature is disregarding sound legal advice and passing unconstitutional legislation again, pissing away your tax dollars on the litigation which is certain to follow.

This time it is the Tea-Publican back-door assault on Citizens Clean Elections. Arizona Legislature OKs higher election-donor caps:

The Senate approved higher contribution limits Tuesday, as a grass-roots group lobbied state lawmakers to reject the measure and critics warned the bill is unconstitutional. Even before House Bill 2593 gets to the governor’s desk, critics are asking Brewer to veto it.

Supporters said the increase in how much individuals and political-action committees can give to campaigns is needed to combat the rising influence of independent-expenditure committees, effectively fighting the committees’ financial firepower with beefed-up finances from candidates themselves. It would apply to all elections under state control, from the gubernatorial race to school-board seats.

[Bullshit Alert: No candidate can hope to outspend an independent-expenditure committee with unlimited resources from undisclosed donors. All this does is make elections so expensive that it freezes out qualified candidates from running for office who are not independently wealthy or have a lot of rich friends and relatives. This is another step towards a wealthy elite plutocracy.]

Contact Governor Brewer, tell her to veto HB 2147

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I previously explained Arizona's Unemployment Insurance (UI) program in The GOP war on the unemployed in the Arizona Lege. The key point:

Under Arizona law, the burden of proof has always been on the employer to establish disqualification from unemployment insurance benefits. The public policy reason for this is that the employer enjoys control over employment records (proprietary information). Employees are not entitled to records in their employee file (several bills to give employees a right to documents in their employee file have failed in the Arizona legislature).

This is the way it has always been. Now comes along  Rep. Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, who wants to change this burden of proof by shifting the burden to the unemployed worker, adding insult to the injury of being unemployed. Petersen wants the worker to prove that he or she is eligible to receive benefits, rather than the employer prove that the worker is ineligible.

This is a major change in the long-standing public policy behind unemployment insurance, and gives unscrupulous employers an unfair advantage to deny workers unemployment benefits to which they are presumptively entitled.

UI benefits are insurance for workers who have lost their job through no fault of their own, not "welfare" to lazy couch potatoes who watch TV all day and do not want to work as so many Tea-Publican members of the Arizona legislature have demonized the unemployed. (In order to receive benefits, workers must submit records each week of actively seeking employment in order to continue to receive UI benefits).

Poor little rich kids' schools

by David Safier

Districts serving rich kids are upset that those lucky districts with all the poor kids -- and the even luckier districts with lots of kids who don't speak English -- are getting too much money. The rich want their fair share, damn it!

If this sounds like something Mitt "47 percent" Romney said to a bunch of rich donors, well, he might have, but he didn't. No, this message is from Brewer, her conservative cronies and -- shame on him! -- Vail Superintendent Calvin Baker.

The Star has an interesting article about Brewer's Performance Funding scheme to reward the winners and punish the losers. Superintendents in "loser" districts, represented by TUSD's John Pedicone, hate Performance Funding, while superintendents in "winner" districts, represented by Vail's Calvin Baker, love it. Pedicone is on the side of the angels on this one. Baker, on the other hand -- a capable superintendent who is understandably looking for a few more bucks for his schools -- is sounding like a greedy, spoiled, entitled son of a bitch. He wrote an email that's summarized in the article.

Vail doesn't receive as much funding because it has fewer disadvantaged students than other districts, he wrote. Just 30 percent of its students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

Since poorer school districts get extra money for disadvantaged students, districts with higher-achieving students should receive more money for succeeding, he said.

Craig Barrett's stealth campaign to cut urban/lower income school funding

by David Safier

Ex-Intel CEO Craig Barrett is the brains and very possibly the muscle behind Arizona's version of the conservative "education reform" movement. The current president and chairman of for-profit BASIS Charter Schools and a national Board member of the for-profit online charter school corporation K12 Inc. is also the head of Brewer's Arizona Ready Education Council (AREC). He's one of the prime movers behind the Performance Funding plan which, if implemented, will reward the "winner" schools with high income students and punish the "loser" schools with low income students.

Barrett is barnstorming the state leading discussions about Arizona education. In a recent stop in Yuma where, according to a Yuma Sun article, he spoke mainly about the Common Core standards, Barrett slipped in a hint of funding trends to come.

“In my mind, there ought to be a very simple formula which doesn't depend on the tax base in your school district but the state basically equalizes the funding across school districts on a statewide basis not a local basis... I'm suggesting that we get to the point where the state assures that there is an adequate amount of funding to provide each kid with an equal opportunity and that has to be a statewide issue and not a county by county or district by district issue. So we're going to look at how you might modify the funding mechanism... We have not made any formal proposals yet but it's something we're starting to work on."

This is a deceptively simple, common-sense statement that is full of red flags about ways to cut funding to poor and urban districts.

Gov. Jan Brewer rolls out her Medicaid (AHCCCS) Restoration Plan

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

On Tuesday, Governor Jan Brewer rolled out her long anticipated Medicaid (AHCCCS) Restoration Plan. Brewer unveils legislation to broaden Medicaid eligibility:

Gov. Jan Brewer unveiled draft legislation Tuesday detailing her plans for expanding Medicaid, while putting a human face on the contentious issue in hopes of convincing skeptical GOP lawmakers whose votes she needs to get it approved.

During a rally at the state Capitol designed to kick-start legislative debate over the governor’s proposal to broaden eligibility under federal health-care reform, Brewer said expansion would bring in billions of federal dollars and save the lives of people who would otherwise be without health coverage.

“I’ve always been proud to be a member of a pro-life party. With this legislation, we’re talking about people’s lives,” the governor said. “I refuse to stand by and let this many people needlessly suffer, especially when we have a solution.”

Video below the fold.

Wil the Common Core doom Brewer's Performance Funding scheme?

by David Safier

Brewer's Performance Funding scheme, now SB1444, is basically a way to reward the winners -- high income students in the "right" neighborhoods -- and punish the losers -- lower income students in the "wrong" neighborhoods. It sounds like a perfect fit for our Republican majority legislature. It should pass easily and make it to Brewer's desk. Except . . .

The state's A-F school grading system will soon be tied to assessments based on the national Common Core, so those test scores will determine which schools get the extra funding. The leaders of the conservative "education reform" movement love common core, but the far right hates and fears it, like it's the federal government spraying propaganda on our children from black helicopters. They're saying, so long as Performance Funding is tied to the Common Core assessments, they want nothing to do with it.

The bill's fate is waiting to be decided. If it's folded into the state budget package and survives the budget battles, it will become law. But it's very possible it will end up on the scrap heap of this legislative session.

Progressives Shut Out of Koch Brothers Medicaid Forum

by Pamela Powers Hannley

Thanks to publicity on this blog, social media, and e-mail blasts, progressives and other Democrats came to the Americans for Prosperity "public forum" on Medicaid expansion last night at The Loft Cinema. Too bad we couldn't get in.

Approximately 20 pro-healthcare reform advocates, plus six journalism students, and two bloggers were shut out of the tightly controlled forum. In addition, City Councilman Steve Kozachik was "uninvited" to participate in the panel. Although public announcements of the event in the Tucson Weekly, the Arizona Daily Star, and the Pima County GOP website didn't say that reservations were required, the only people who were admitted were those who RSVP'd to the Koch Brothers' Americans for Prosperity e-mail blast, linked to this article.

The only two members of Progressive Democrats of American (PDA) Tucson who were admitted are both doctors. (Of course, they were not wearing PDA Healthcare Not Warfare stickers. None of us holding the banner in front of The Loft or trying to distribute Healthcare Not Warfare stickers got in.)

After the jump, read a first hand account by Dr. Eve Shapiro, head of PDA Tucson's healthcare reform issue organizing team, and more about Koz and job creation with Medicaid expansion.

Academics agree: Performance Funding favors rich schools

by David Safier

I wrote a series of posts about Brewer's Performance Funding model (now SB1444), using a crude numerical analysis to show that the model favors schools with high income students and punishes schools with low income students. (Here's my third post. You can work back from there if you wish.) Now there's a far more thorough study out that arrives at substantially the same conclusion, written by David R. Garcia, an Associate Professor at the ASU Teachers College, and Anabel Aportela, a former Director of Research & Policy at the AZ Dept of Ed who is now with the Consortium for Policy Research in Education at University of Wisconsin/Madison.

The study gives the lie to Brewer's assertion that "Performance Funding does not favor districts in wealthier areas." Subjecting a large sampling of schools to statistical analysis, the data indicated a strong to very strong correlation: Performance Funding favors schools in wealthier areas. The wonks among you can sort through the data in this short, lucid presentation and see how they arrived at their conclusions.

Going on the State of Education show Saturday

by David Safier

I've been invited onto the radio show, The State of Education, hosted by Robin Hiller, Saturday, KVOI, (1030AM), from 11 to 11:30am.

We'll be talking about Al Melvin's SB1239 I've written about lately, the bill that esssentially gives Utah's Imagine Learning a $30 million no-bid contract to supply Arizona elementary schools with a K-3 reading program for children who are below grade level. We'll also be talking about Brewer's Performance Funding scheme that amounts to educational class warfare, rewarding schools with high income students and punishing schools with low income students. (By the way, I just learned the plan is now on the floor as SB1444, but I haven't had a chance to look it over yet.)

(Update) The flaw in Jan's Plan to expand AHCCCS

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I posted a few weeks ago about The flaw in Jan's Plan to expand AHCCCS. ICYMI, The Arizona Republic's Robert Robb reached the same conclusion last week, i.e., that Governor Brewer is going to need a two-thirds super-majority vote in both chambers of the legislature to pass the hospital bed tax provision in her plan for expanded Medicaid (AHCCCS in Arizona) because of Prop. 108 (1992). See, there are things on which liberals and conservatives can agree. How many GOP votes does Medicaid expansion need?

A lot of attention has been paid to the substance of Gov. Jan Brewer’s Medicaid expansion proposal. Less attention has been paid to a political and legal question that may be more important in determining its fate: How many Republican votes does it need in the Legislature to be enacted?

The assumption is that all the Democrats in the Legislature will vote for it. They may be tempted to attempt to bargain for something else in exchange for their support. If they are serious about the priority they claim to put on the expansion, they will forgo that temptation. Republican votes for expansion will be tricky to come by. If Brewer has to sell not only the expansion but what Democrats want in exchange for their votes in favor, it might become a bridge too far.

My "Performance Funding" posts make Diane Ravitch's blog

by David Safier

Diane Ravitch is one of the loudest voices in progressive education, and one of the loudest and most effective voices against the conservative "education reform" movement. Her 2010 book, The Death and Life of the Great American School System (How Testing and Choice are Undermining Education), helped promote a national discussion about the current mis-direction of American education.

Diane Ravitch's blog follows what's happening with education, both good and bad, around the country. So I'm very pleased she featured my 3 posts about Brewer's Performance Funding plan on her blog today. After Ravitch linked to my posts and summarized them, she concluded with some wise advice which, unfortunately, I doubt Brewer, her staff, Craig Barrett, the Goldwater Institute or conservative legislators will pay much attention to.

Really, someone on the governor’s staff should explain to her that there is quite a lot of research showing that bonuses tied to test scores do not produce higher test scores, although they often produce cheating and narrowing of the curriculum.

Brewer's "Performance Funding" plan: Who created it?

by David Safier

[I've written three posts about Brewer's Performance Funding plan: An explanation of how it rewards schools in wealthy neighborhoods and punishes schools in poor neighborhoods; an example of how three schools would fare under the inherently inequitable plan; and a way to make the plan more equitable.]

The question is, were the people who put together Brewer's Performance Funding plan too stupid to know it favors wealth and punishes poverty, or was that part of the plan? The answer is clearly the latter. Brewer's Performance Funding plan is classic "education reform" conservative-style, where No Child (except poor children) Is Left Behind.

Most likely, the brains behind the plan is Craig Barrett, the head of Brewer's Arizona Ready Education Council (AREC). In the section of Brewer's proposed budget on Performance Funding, it says she tasked AREC with improving education in Arizona, and "after nine months of collaborative deliberations, research and input from a broad selection of education stakeholders," they came up with this plan.

Who is Craig Barrett? He's the ex-CEO of Intel, a smart guy who knows how to get things done. These days, he's focused on education with a conservative, privatization bias.

Brewer's "Performance Funding" plan: How to make it more equitable

by David Safier

The Performance Funding plan proposed in Brewer's budget is inherently inequitable, rewarding every school with high income students with significant extra funding while making it far more difficult for schools with low income students to receive a similar cash award. I described the inequities in two earlier posts -- the first going over the theory and the second using three different schools as examples demonstrating the basic inequity of Brewer's Performance Funding system.

Personally, I don't like the concept of Performance Funding. It punishes schools with low achievement scores by lowering their funding instead of helping them to be more successful by offering expert help coupled with extra funding. (In most industrialized nations, lower performing schools are given extra resources to help them improve.) But if Arizona decides to go with some form of Performance Funding, Brewer's model needs to be changed to eliminate its inherent bias against schools with low income students.

Here's one possible Performance Funding model that would minimize or eliminate the inequities:

1. Set an equalized base funding for all schools that will meet the educational needs of their students. Performance Funding should not be a "rob Peter to pay Paul" system where necessary funding is taken away from one school and given to another.
2. Give extra funding to schools that exceed the reasonable expectations for student achievement, factoring in the family income of the students.
3. Give extra funding to schools that show improvement over their previous years' student achievement.

Part 1 -- giving all schools a reasonable base funding -- makes sense to anyone who isn't a punish-the-poor, end-public-schooling-as-we-know-it conservative, so it needs no further explanation. Part 3 is essentially a continuation of the improvement component of Brewer's proposed formula, so it's not really a change. Part 2, however, is significantly different from Brewer's proposed formula and needs to be defined and explained.

Brewer's "Performance Funding" plan: Educational class warfare

by David Safier

Part of Brewer's State of the State address dealt with her proposal to create a Performance Funding system for schools. Basically, she wants all schools to receive the same base funding -- probably lower than the current amount -- then get more money if they are either A or B rated schools or if they improve their test scores over previous years. The inevitable result: Schools with lots of high income students will get extra funding year after year even if they're mediocre. Everyone else will have to continually improve or overachieve to get something extra. And the schools that need the most help raising their students' achievement will occupy a permanent spot at the bottom of the funding ladder.

Without question, the most accurate predictor of student achievement is family income: higher income levels generally lead to higher achievement levels. And since half of a school's A-F state grade is based on student performance on the AIMS test, schools with higher income students are far more likely to get an A or B grade that will give them those extra state funds than schools with lower income students.

How much more likely? Here's the percent of schools with an A or B grade based on the number of students who get free or reduced lunch:

• Less than 55% of students on free/reduced lunch: 90% chance of an A or B grade
• 56-85% of students on free/reduced lunch: 40% chance of an A or B grade
• More than 85% of students on free/reduced lunch: 25% chance of an A or B grade.

[Note: I based my results on a random sample of 100 Arizona elementary schools. While the figures aren't precise, they're reasonably accurate.]

A school gets anywhere from $100 extra per student if it's at the bottom end of the B range to $500 per student if it's at the top of the A range. That's easy money for schools with higher income students. Even mediocre schools that have less than half their students on free/reduced lunch have a virtual guarantee that extra money will pour in every year. Meanwhile, only the highest performing schools with more than half their students on free/reduced lunch will get some of the funds going to A and B schools.

But the funding inequity is actually worse than that.

ACLU/Feds smack down Brewer's drivers license stance for Dreamers

by Pamela Powers Hannley

The ACLU is claiming that, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), young people eligible for deferred deportation are  "authorized to stay and lawfully present in the country" -- not "illegal people."

Within the last year, Governor Jan Brewer had issued an executive order stating that Dreamers were not eligible to apply for Arizona drivers licenses or any state benefits because they are here "ilegally". 

According to the New Times, the DHS says:

 "An individual who has received deferred action is authorized by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to be present in the United States, and is therefore considered by DHS to be lawfully present during the period deferred action is in effect," the website says. "However, deferred action does not confer lawful status upon an individual, nor does it excuse any previous or subsequent periods of unlawful presence."

Tough luck, Jan, the Feds say Dreamers can drive... even in Arizona.

For the whole story check out this article in the New Times.

Let DREAMERS drive: Protesters arrested at AZ State Capitol (video)

by Pamela Powers Hannley

Citizens for a Better Arizona (CBA) leader Randy Parraz and others protested Governor Jan Brewer's denial of Arizona drivers' licenses to undocumented people who are eligibile for deferred deportation under President Barack Obama's executive order regarding the DREAM Act.

"These people [DREAMERS] already have clearance to work in this state. What does she [Brewer] gain by denying them a drivers' license?" Parraz asked on Monday, January 14, the first day of the new legislative session.

"We want a new level of respect and civility in this state... I'm tired of second class citizenship [for DREAMERS]," he added. "They're good enough to graduate from ASU but not good enough to apply for a drivers' license? That type of mentality has to stop in Arizona."

For more comments and footage of DREAM Act protesters being arrested at the Arizona State Capitol, check out the video by Dennis Gilman after the jump.

Dr. Richard Carmona eyeing a run for governor in 2014

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

According to the Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required), Dr. Richard Carmona is eyeing a run for governor in 2014. Carmona considering 2014 run for governor:

Former U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona said he’s considering a run for governor in 2014.

Carmona, the independent-turned-Democrat who lost by just three percentage points to Jeff Flake in the 2012 U.S. Senate race, said supporters from Arizona, Washington, D.C. and elsewhere are urging him to make a run for the Ninth Floor.

“I’m being inundated by offers of support, of money, of organization, both from Washington and here in the state,” Carmona told the Arizona Capitol Times. “I’ve still got an open mind on everything. I never intended to run for Senate, but people all over suggested I give it a try. I don’t want to rule anything out right now, but I’ll just keep considering all my options.”

Carmona said he’ll need at least a few months to think about the race and isn’t sure when he’ll make a decision. Sources familiar with his plans said he will likely make a decision during the second quarter of 2013.

* * *

With Carmona eying the race, Democrats might be looking at a three-person field for their 2014 gubernatorial primary. House Minority Leader Chad Campbell, D-Phoenix, and Fred DuVal, a former Arizona Board of Regents chairman, Clinton White House aide and longtime Democratic operative, are both considering runs as well.

I've had people tell me that former Attorney General Terry Goddard may run for governor for a fourth time, but I find that difficult to imagine.

UA students & activists ask DeConcini: 'Why did you sell your soul to CCA?' (video)

by Pamela Powers Hannley

Today, the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) is meeting on the University of Arizona campus. One of ABOR's most infamous members is former Senator Dennis DeConcini.

Why is DeConcini being villified through social media and the blogs? Because he's also a stockholder and member of the Board of Directors of the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), which builds, owns, and manages private prisons across the country.

Arizona has multiple CCA prisons-- thanks to close ties between CCA and Governor Jan Brewer, former State Senate President Russell Pearce, American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) boosters in the Arizona Legislature, and DeConcini. More background and a video shot on the UA campus, after the jump.

Lord help us! Is Jan Brewer exploring running for president?

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Legal experts agree that the Red Queen, Governor Jan Brewer, cannot run for a third term despite what her court jester Joe Kanefield says, nor her publicist Howard Fischer, who constantly reassures the queen that she is the fairest queen of all whenever she consults her magic media mirror.

The man who would be king, Ken "Birther" Bennett, agrees that the Red Queen cannot serve a third term (quite self-serving). Can Jan run for governor again? Bennett, Brewer disagree - East Valley Tribune.

So what's a lame duck queen to do? Road trip! The Red Queen departed on Sunday for a double super-secret road trip for which her press flak Matthew Benson declined to discuss any details. Brewer out of state; aide won't provide details.

The Arizona Republic(an) reported that Brewer met with a wounded Arizona soldier at a hospital in Washington, D.C., yesterday.

But today we learn the real reason for all this double super-secrecy. Bloomberg News reports Jan Brewer: Where in the World?:

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, who left her state for an undisclosed destination on Dec. 2, is visiting Arizona soldiers in Afghanistan, according to a person familiar with the governor’s schedule.

'CCA, go away': Florida residents say 'no' to nation's largest deportation center (video)

by Pamela Powers Hannley

Private prisons are a "infecting our nation like a virus," according to Florida activists who are fighting against the construction of one of the nation's largest immigrant deportation centers. 

From their website...

We do not agree with the federal government privatizing our immigration detention centers throughout the nation when there is clear evidence that privatizing our prisons creates a clear public safety threat. For ICE to continue to privatize these institutions and bring this safety threat through their "secure communities Initiative" to our community is unacceptable. Depriving someone of their liberty is a non-delegable governmental function and privatizing of such a function is infecting our nation like a virus.

What about Arizona? Governor Jan Brewer and many in the Arizona Legislature are loyal private prison boosters-- to the detriment of our residents. Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) runs six private prisons in Arizona. In addition to the well-know immigrant detention centers, CCA also runs DUI prisons. CCA likes to have all of their beds full. Is it any wonder, then, that Arizona has some of the toughest immigration laws and toughest drunk driving laws? Watch anti-CCA protesters in Florida after the jump.

Legal experts agree: no third term for the Red Queen

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The Red Queen, Governor Jan Brewer, once again has decided that the Arizona Constitution simply does not apply to her, because her court jester tells her so.

In fact, the Arizona Republic gave the Red Queen's court jester, Joe Kanefield, a "My Turn" guest opinion on Friday to make his convoluted case for why the Red Queen is allowed to run for another term. Kanefield: Constitution clears Brewer to pursue another term.

Without any factual or legal basis for his claim, Kanefield claims that the constitutional term limitations provision enacted by Arizona voters was never intendend to apply to a Secretary of State who has succeeded to the office of governor upon the death or resignation of the governor, an all too frequent occurrence in Arizona.

Fortunately, legal experts who actually know what they are talking about disagree and refute this convoluted theory without any factual or legal support. The Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required) reports Experts say Brewer can’t seek third term:

The Constitution limits executive officers, including the governor, to two consecutive four-year terms, including “any part of a term served.” The governor, who was elected to full term in 2010, said she may challenge that provision in court.

But election and constitutional experts say there’s likely no chance she would prevail. And privately, many denizens of the Capitol say they don’t expect Brewer to actually try to run again, with some viewing the idea as a way to avoid being viewed as a lame-duck governor.

Governor Brewer Signals Support of Comprehensive Immigration... and Then Walks it Back

By Michael Bryan

hat tip to Crooks & Liars:

Perhaps Governor Dingbat's staff should just stop allowing her to do live interviews.

Brahm Resnick interviewed Brewer post-election and prodded her regarding the softening in her party nationally on comprehensive immigration reform after the drubbing her ticket got among Latinos (a 44% gap on the Presidential line). He asked Brewer if she would now be open to a comprehensive immigration deal now that her enforcement first position has so thoroughly alienated Latino voters.

"But here's the thing," Resnik pointed out. "With John Boehner and Sean Hannity, Grover Norquist and [Maricopa County Attorney] Bill Montgomery -- what he said in particular was, 'You know what? We can do both at once. We can secure the border and do comprehensive immigration reform.' Is that something you're on with? Because it sounds like you are just a secure-the-border-first person."

"What ever works," Brewer replied. "If we can do both at the same time, I'm fine and dandy with that. But we cannot resolve these kinds of issues today and then have the problems still existing."

Well, that's certainly a new tune for Brewer.

Of course, she didn't really mean it. On Sunday, KPNX reported that Brewer's office had contacted Resnick after the interview was recorded on Friday to walk back her support for comprehensive immigration reform in concert with securing the border.

Spokesman Matt Benson said, "the governor still believes in securing the border first," Resnik wrote. "He added that she was willing to 'come to the table' to deal with all immigration issues. Later Friday, the governor's office issued a statement reaffirming her 'secure the border first' stance."

It should not come as a surprise that Brewer's head remains buried in the sand. Toward the end of the interview she clearly implied that the Obama Administration intentionally leaves the Tucson sector "unsecured" in order to whip up racial animus to secure the Latino vote.

When asked if the GOP, and the AZGOP especially, deserved any blame for alienating Latinos, she replied, "No, President Obama, in the last four years, they've had four years to get our borders secured and they refused to do it, but yet we know they can. We know that they can secure the borders. Why won't they secure the border? Because they wanted that out there because they knew that they could turn it into an issue of all about racism."

Say what? So Obama has purposely left the border insecure (despite cleverly covering his tracks by plowing more billions into enforcement, deporting at a record clip, and radically expanding manpower on the border) in order to alarm white folks so much that they'll go batshit, pass a bunch or racist legislation and piss off Latinos, so that in turn Latinos will feel so disrespected by the GOP that they'll vote for him in droves? Now we're deep in the crazy...

Reality adjustment just isn't in the cards for politicians like Brewer and Arpaio. They are incapable of acknowledging that their belief that the Obama Administration and Dems are exploiting racism is nothing more than projection of their own racist motives onto the opposition. The AZGOP has been successfully exploiting racial animus and the fears of white America to win elections for several cycles now. Expecting them to stop now and support a reasonable resolution is like expecting a Coatimundi to ditch its own tail rings.

If the GOP wants a fresh start with Latino voters, they can only do so with fresh GOP politicians who didn't cut their teeth on denigrating Latinos and scaring the shit out of white voters (with headless corpses in the desert, for example...) to get elected. Of course, that disqualifies nearly every currently elected AZ GOP pol... 

See the video after the click...

Brewer is selling Arizona waterfront property again -- this time for schools

by David Safier

Trust me! Brewer says. If you don't pass that silly Prop. 204, she'll definitely help you get more funds for education. Or at least she'll be willing to talk about it.

[I]f Proposition 204 were defeated, [Brewer] would be willing to talk about more funding.

"I will work with everybody," Brewer said. "And I believe that those people that are behind 204, we need to come together, all of us, to come back to the table, sit down and get another proposition or another plan put together that is accountable."

Not surprisingly, Ann-Eve Pederson who is leading the drive for Prop. 204, is not impressed. Somewhat surprisingly, neither is Howie Fischer who wrote the article. He lays out the facts that make Brewer look like a liar a less-than-trustworthy source of facts -- or funding for our children's educations.

For instance, Brewer says she objects to the Prop. 204 because it doesn't guarantee where the money for education will go. But Brewer had the option of signing on to another initiative that would have put more stipulations on the money. She didn't. The people working in league with Brewer to craft what they called "a thoughtful education plan that could build on the real reforms" quit trying because their fellow Republicans wouldn't back it.

Brewer says we shouldn't pass another tax hike until the current one expires. She knows, of course, the renewed tax will only kick in when the current one ends. And Gubernatorial press aide Matthew Benson said even after the current tax expires, she probably wouldn't back another tax.

But even then, Benson said, the governor will not commit to discussing future taxes.

"Governor Brewer is focused on making the best possible use of the education dollars we already have at the state's disposal," he said.

No more money, says Brewer. We've just got to do more with what we have. Of course, what we have is less per student than any other state, even before we cut a larger percentage of our ed funding over the past five years than anyone else.

Fischer gives details of the legislature's educational stinginess, which I won't go into here. Suffice it to say, Brewer made a fool of herself again, and Fischer gave enough supporting details to make it abundantly clear.

EAST VALLEY TRIB HEADLINE UPDATE: The East Valley Trib captures the jist of the Howie Fischer article perfectly with its headline: Brewer: Kill tax initiative first, then work on education funding. Makes it sound like Brewer is playing a General during the Vietnam War saying, "We had to destroy Arizona education in order to save it."

 

Brewer, Huppenthal, money, training and the Common Core Standards

by David Safier

I guess Brewer is an expert on the issues of education and fun, though she's never taught and I've never seen the faintest glimmer of joy on her face. She's sure our budget-starved teachers think implementing the new Common Core Standards without any money to pay for textbooks, training or extra computers and bandwidth (needed to fulfill the mandate to give standardized tests online) will be fun, fun, fun.

“Arizona Common Core Standards not only improve what students learn, but how they learn, bringing teachers back to the fun and rewarding aspects of the profession they love,” Gov. Jan Brewer said.

I'm sure teachers all across Arizona are comforted.

Huppenthal, who recently compared budget-starved schools with his experience as a kid "where the food ran out on Sunday and shopping day was Wednesday" -- it was a favorable comparison, like it's a good thing -- said he's sure we can put the Common Core Standards in place without extra funds -- a condition he euphemistically refers to as "the current resource restraint."

“Can we roll out the common core within the current resource restraint? Absolutely we can,” Huppenthal said. “Would we like to have more resources? Oh, you better believe it. But we’re prepared to operate under multiple environments and get the mission accomplished.”

Maybe there's someone out there who's happy knowing our children's educations and future are in the hands of the likes of Brewer and Huppenthal. Not me.

Have I mentioned recently, we have to support Prop. 204 so we can preserve the minimal education funding we have from further legislative cuts and add $500-$600 per student on top of our lowest-in-the-nation base? If I haven't, consider it mentioned.

Without Prop. 204, here are the people you're trusting to fund our children's education

by David Safier

We found out yesterday that Arizona, which was already rock bottom in the country in what we spend per student in 2008, made the largest cuts to per student spending in the country from then until now -- a whopping 21.8% cut. Already the bottom in the nation, we dug our children into an even deeper education deficit instead of trying to make up some ground.

Today we learn our schools have to put new English and math standards into place this year without a dollar of funding from the state. That means schools will have to dig into their already depleted funds to buy textbooks, pay for teacher training and, for many schools and districts, buy more computers and create greater bandwidth since the new standardized tests will be online, not on paper.

If Prop. 204 passes, it will guarantee an extra $500-$600 per student, which some people, even some progressives, object to. Sadly, some progressives I respect refuse to stoop down into the land of compromise even if that's the only way to lend a helping hand to our children who deserve the best education we can give them. Putting that extra $500-$600 in perspective, it's less than half what has been cut over the past 5 years. With those extra funds we will still be last in the nation in per student spending.

If we don't pass Prop. 204, here are the people who will be controlling our education funding.

• "Trust me" Jan Brewer. When asked about how schools will come up with the extra money to pay for the new English and math standards, Brewer said, "My record will stand. . . . I have fought hard and long for education, and I will continue to do so." Brewer opposes Prop. 204. "I think there's a better way of doing it," she said. She didn't feel the need to lay out any details about her "better way."
• "You can't trust us" John Kavanagh. Rep. Kavanagh likes to reply to BfA posts that refer to him, and he left a comment on my post about Arizona's 21.8% spending cuts because I quoted him explaining his opposition to Prop. 204 by saying, “It removes budgeting flexibility from the Legislature and it does budgeting in a vacuum, not taking into account other needs and wants." Kavanagh is usually very careful when he comments, but this time he let the truth slip out when he replied to my statment, " We simply cannot trust Republican legislators when it comes to education." Kavanagh began his reply by stating, "You cannot trust liberals either," a statement which accepts my comment about not trusting Republicans. Paging Dr. Freud! [The rest of Kavanagh's comment is about First Things First selfishly holding onto its money instead of giving it back to the state. Feel free to reply.]
• "Suffer, little children" John Huppenthal. State Ed Supe Huppenthal refused to commit himself to fighting for more money for education. The reason he gave is, "I grew up in a household where the food ran out on Sunday and shopping day was Wednesday," he said. "To me, operating in a scarce resource environment is second nature." That may explain why he thinks Ben Franklin helped free the slaves. The lesson on Ben was probably on a Tuesday, and Hupp was hallucinating from lack of food.

If you want to trust these three to hold our children's educational future in their hands, that's your privilege. As more me, I'm voting for Prop. 204 to assure at least a few more dollars go to education regardless of what the likes of Brewer, Kavanagh and Huppenthal have in mind for our schools.

Gov. George Wallace in a dress says President Obama is pandering, race-baiting for Latino vote

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Our Gov. George Wallace in a dress, Jan Brewer, can barely contain her contempt for that Black man in the White House, President Obama. Today, Brewer: Obama Pandering, Race-Baiting For Latino Vote:

As Republicans continue their struggle to win over Latino voters, few party members have embodied the party’s image problem with the burgeoning voting bloc more than Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer. Her state’s controversial law, SB 1070, was criticized by many as a facilitator of racial profiling. During her 2010 campaign, Brewer sought to link crime with illegal immigration by alleging that law enforcement had found decapitated bodies in the Arizona desert, despite no such evidence for the claim.

But on Tuesday, Brewer chalked up the GOP’s low standing among Latino voters to pandering on the part of President Barack Obama. Appearing on “POLITICO LIVE” at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., Brewer said Obama has ignored border security in favor of winning more Latino votes.

“He panders to them,” Brewer said. “Look what he’s done: he hasn’t secured the borders.”

* * *

“I think President [sic] Romney believes in the rule of law, and he knows and understands” Brewer said. “When he becomes president, I think we’re going to be able to solve a lot of these issues.”

She also contended that Democratic charges of racism directed at border hawks within the Republican Party are unfair.

“It’s all the time, that we’re race-baiting; it’s all the time, you know, that we’re bigots,” Brewer, who added that Obama is also guilty of race-baiting on the issue.

Uh-huh. Have you got an example, George? "I'm rubber, you're glue" is not an answer, you embarrassment.

Will the Open Primaries initiative be on the Nov 2012 ballot or not? (video)

by Pamela Powers Hannley

Backers of the Open Primaries initiative knew from the beginning that changing Arizona's two-party primary system to an open, "top two" primary system wouldn't be easy. They expected challenges from Democrats and Republicans, and that's what they got.

Earlier in the summer, Governor Jan Brewer and the Arizona Legislature tinkered around with ideas to change or stop it. Secretary of State Ken Bennett tried to stop it by saying that it was unconsitutionally broad, but the courts squashed his attack. 

As of mid-August, Open Primaries was back on the ballot, until this week, when Maricopa County said that there were an extraordinary number of bad signatures.

The latest news is that the Open Primaries/Open Government folks have filed a suit to get the initiative back on the ballot. Supporters claim that Maricopa County erroneously rejected.

Stay tuned for the next volley in this ping pong game.

For more background on the Open Primaries initiative-- just in case you actually get to vote on it-- check out the video debate between former State Rep. Dr. Ted Downing (pro) and former Mayor Tom Volgy (con). The event was sponsored by Progressive Democrats of American Tucson Chapter.

Videos after the jump.

Mary Steenburgen IS Jan Brewer

by David Safier

Dead-on satire of Jan Brewer by Mary Steenburgen on Funny Or Die. You can view it below the fold or on the Funny or Die site.

Is Jan "George Wallace in a Dress" Brewer really afraid of the Dreamers? (video)

by Pamela Powers Hannley

Last week-- thanks to an executive memo by President Obama-- millions of "Dreamers" were able to apply for deferred deportation, which will allow them to legally live in the US for two years. Dreamers are young, undocumented adults who, as young children, were brought to the US illegally by their parents. Deferred deportation would allow Dreamers to come out of the shadows to live and work without fear of being sent to a country they have never known.

In true heartless form, once the Dreamers were given hope, Arizona Goveror Jan Brewer set up roadblocks by issuing her own memo. Soon after young Arizonans started lining up to apply for deferred deportation, Brewer announced that in Arizona Dreamers would not be issued drivers' licences or state-issued ID card. One of the stipulations for being able to stay in the US is a clean legal record. Her denial of drivers' licenses sets up these young people. Not being able to a car is a serious burden in Arizona because cycling in the summer is grueling and public transportation is sketchy in the big cities and non-existent in the rural areas. 

Brewer's actions quickly earned her the label of "George Wallace in a dress" because her memo clearly focused on pandering to the racists in her base and, furthermore, disregards what's best for our state-- allowing Dreamers to integrate fully into American society and the workforce without fear of deportation. 

After the jump is a short video by Dennis Gillman: Gov. Brewer's Executive Order vs. Students and Teachers.

Brewer to "deferred action" immigrants: I've got my eye on you.

by David Safier

Jan Brewer has once again put Arizona in the forefront of immigrant haters. Young immigrants in Arizona who want to take advantage of Obama's "deferred-action" program have been put on notice that Brewer wants to make sure they get as little as possible from the program.

How much effect will her executive order have? The jury is out. Talking Points Memo quotes David Schapira as saying this is more about grandstanding than actual substantive policy. But if the order blocks people from getting driver's licenses and makes them pay out-of-state tuition at community colleges and universities, that's a very big deal.

Obama's program is an important but tentative first step, probably the best he can do in the face of Republican opposition to the Dream Act. But Brewer's reaction, which is sure to trigger similar action from other reactionary Republican governors, shows how important it is to put the Dream Act and other immigrant reform laws on the books.

I certainly hope, by the way, the adjective "illegal" is dropped from the description of people who are accepted into the deferred action program. I can't see how there will be anything illegal about the status of people who have had their undocumented status deferred. They will have documentation saying they are not currently in the country illegally. Back in the days of the draft, someone who got a student or a medical deferment wasn't a draft dodger. It sounds like the same thing to me.

Dr. Richard Carmona: Governor Brewer and Arizona's Legislature Got It Wrong

BlogForArizona Exclusive:

By Dr. Richard Carmona

The Arizona legislature pushed bad health policy throughout its session, and Governor Brewer just compounded those mistakes by signing a bill blocking access to contraception.

This new law doesn't make any sense -- and the harm it will cause the women of our state is startling.

There is absolutely no reason to make it harder for anyone to have access to contraception. We should be focused on expanding access to health care, not slashing it. And for our government to be doing this is unconscionable.

Governor Brewer had expressed concerns about this poorly thought-out health policy pushed by our state legislature. Unfortunately, she seems to have caved to the same partisan pressures that are paralyzing our politics -- signing the bill late on a Friday while few were watching.

This is a symptom of a bigger problem. The career politicians in Arizona and Washington are making decision after decision that benefit only their own personal politics and party. It's shameful.

This week started with Governor Brewer signing a bill banning funds for Planned Parenthood, and it sadly ends with her signing a bill blocking access to contraception. Let this be the low point for how we legislate health care in Arizona.

We deserve better leadership than this and we can get it. We can bring back rationale leadership to our state capitol and to Washington. We can take partisan politics our of health policy.

I called on Governor Brewer to veto this bill. I wish she had.

Does that include shutting down Arizona Virtual Academy, Mr. Barrett?

by David Safier

Craig Barrett, ex-Intel CEO and Brewer's point man on "education reform," is a regular speaker on the national "school choice" circuit. Here's what he said at the American Federation For Children’s Annual Summit Thursday.

“We have to be willing,” Barrett said, “to shut down schools that aren’t working. We have to be ruthless, and I’m hopeful we’ll have enough pragmatism to do that.”

Case in point: Barrett sits on the Board of Directors of the for profit, publicly traded K12 Inc. The corporation's online schools have been the subject of any number of investigative reports, most of which show they are low performing when it comes to academic achievement and have a yearly student turnover (churn) rate of 33% or more. The schools' student-to-teacher ratio, which is advertised at 50-to-1 (already more double the usual ratio), is often more like 100-to-1 or 200-to-1. The corporation is being sued for falsely inflating student achievement scores in reports to stockholders. And the schools are notorious for questionable recruiting practices designed to enroll students even if they are unsuited to the online education environment.

Oh, and the K12 Inc. school in Barrett's home state, Arizona Virtual Academy, which has an enrollment in the 4,000 student range, is on academic probation with the state Charter School Board.

Mr. Barrett, should Arizona Virtual Academy and other failing online schools run by K12 Inc. be ruthlessly, pragmatically shut down? If not, what are you, as an "expert" on education with a national reputation, doing to make sure the problems with your corporation are being exposed, and what are you doing as a Board member to make sure the problems are being corrected?

Brewer: Obama is playing politics with SB 1070. Me play politics? Never!

by David Safier

This is just fun: a Daily Sun article: Brewer blames challenge on 'politics'.

According to Brewer, the Obama administration filed the SB1070 challenge to coincide with the 2012 elections.

"They are playing to the Latino community," Brewer said. "They're trying to use that scare card, if you will, to generate support."

Then Brewer was asked whether she signed SB1070 in 2010 for political reasons, to help her get elected for a full term. Of course not, she replied.

"I signed the bill after reading it and amending it as it went through the Legislature to make sure that it absolutely did what we wanted it to do, which is to address the terrible situation that Arizona was facing ... [and so on, and so on]

The silly season is upon us.

Brewer vetoes voucher expansion -- for now

by David Safier

To my surprise, Brewer vetoed the bill that would have expanded the "empowerment scholarship accounts" to include students at D or F schools, gifted students and children of people in the armed forces. Right now, they only apply to students with learning disabilities and, I believe, children in foster homes.

My surprise lessened when I read this:

Brewer said she is willing to reconsider those fixes and possible expansion of the empowerment accounts once there is a budget deal.

At this point, it's impossible to know when Brewer is opposing a bill because she's against it and when she's sticking her veto pen to Republican legislators to bend them to her will on the budget.

These vouchers on steroids, the latest voucher spawn of the Goldwater Institute (yes, G.I. drafted the legislation), are the SB1070 of education. Arizona is the launch pad for a new and even more insidious version of private school vouchers the privatizers hope they can replicate elsewhere.