It’s been a long time since I’ve updated my blog, though my absence wasn’t because of a lack of political interest. I spent more than a year working full-time on David Garcia’s campaign for Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction. Working on a statewide campaign gave me a whole new insight into the political process and …
Read MoreOn this week’s Sunday Square Off, I discuss the Protect Your Right to Vote coalition’s efforts to put HB2305 on the ballot, pension spiking in the city of Phoenix and the possibility of U.S. intervention in Syria.
Read MoreI’ve long railed that citizens need to be more than merely spectators in American politics. We must be active and informed participants if we want our country to thrive. And so I’ve decided to heed my own advice and join a coalition that has banded together to overturn legislation that will negatively impact the vast …
Read MoreIn the last presidential race, a handful of billionaires handed over millions to their favored candidate to try and sway the outcome of the race. One such billionaire, Sheldon Adelson, gave $95 million to political committees supporting Mitt Romney and other Republican candidates. Imagine how many lives could have been improved, even saved with a …
Read MoreOn this week’s Sunday Square Off, host Brahm Resnik asks, “Who’s school safety plan is better? Mayor Stanton’s or Sheriff Arpaio’s?” In the race for Arizona’s Attorney General, will Terry Goddard challenge Felecia Rotellini in the Democratic primary? Will anyone in the Republican party challenge Tom Horne? LGBT Ordinance… good or bad for …
Read MoreArizona State Senator Michele Reagan, rumored to be eyeing a run for Secretary of State, has proposed legislation not to bolster voter turnout but rather to make voting more complicated and cumbersome. This seems counter to what a Secretary of State, the overseer of elections, would desire and counter to the Republican Party’s mantra of …
Read MoreIn the wake of last week’s election, Arizona’s Republicans and Democrats are left with a mixed bag of emotions. On the one hand, Democrats are thrilled with the reelection of President Barack Obama but dismayed with the loss of Senate candidate Rich Carmona and Sheriff’s candidate Paul Penzone. They are overjoyed they picked up seats …
Read MoreLast week I wrote about an email blast sent to the parents of students at Veritas’ Archway Classical Academy by Headmaster Erik Twist, encouraging them to vote No on Prop 204. Arizona law prohibits public schools, which includes charter schools, from using public resources to try and influence an election. The email was a last …
Read MoreRumors are flying about all kinds of voter suppression tactics being used in this election cycle, particularly here in Arizona. From the Tea Party poll watchers, Verify the Vote, who Dems believe are working to intimidate first-time and Latino voters, to incorrect election dates on Spanish language voting materials, we have more than our share …
Read MoreWe keep hearing about Congress’ lowest ever approval ratings. We keep hearing about Americans sick and tired of a government that refuses to compromise and get things done. If that’s really the case and if Arizonans feel the same way, then they need to elect individuals who aren’t afraid of bucking their party and working …
Read MoreIt’s a combination many Republicans in this state fear, especially GOPers like Joe Arpaio who made a career out of profiling and debasing brown people. But whether or not Arpaio wins reelection tomorrow, this group of individuals will change Arizona politics for decades to come. These young Latinos have tasted the power of political activism, …
Read MoreIn the races for Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, most believe the winners have already been decided. But don’t tell that to Democrat Lilia Alvarez who has raised impressive funds in a heavily tilted Republican district. Alvarez may be young, but she’s also incredibly savvy. She was one of the main forces in the successful …
Read MoreErik Twist, Headmaster of Veritas Archway Classical Academy in Phoenix, recently sent an email blast to the school’s parents explaining his opposition to Proposition 204. Prop 204 seeks to permanently extend the one-cent sales tax to fund public education, which includes charter schools like Veritas. In the email Mr. Twist rattled off a number of …
Read MoreIf you’re old enough, you may remember this infamous Willie Horton ad from the 1988 presidential election between George H.W. Bush and Michael Dukakis. Many people credited this ad for helping Bush turn the conversation in the campaign and win the presidency. And as attack ads go, this one was definitely one of the best. …
Read MoreIf Attorney General Tom Horne were an Arizona police officer, he’d lose his job. Actually, he never would have had the AG job in the first place. As pointed out by Bill Richardson, a retired Mesa cop and columnist for the East Valley Tribune, Horne’s past legal problems, which include a lifetime sanction from the …
Read MorePardon my French, but it takes balls to take on Joe Arpaio without an army of supporters behind you. So when a virtual unknown, a local artist, decides to self-fund a commercial attacking Sheriff Arpaio, you gotta wonder, “what was he thinking?” He wasn’t thinking about himself, that’s for sure. Instead, he was more concerned …
Read MoreShe was walking home from a friend’s house that night with another teenager, a boy who lived in her neighborhood. She was 14; he was 16. The two were acquaintances and had been at the friend’s house with several other teens. No doubt, this girl assumed she was safe. But without warning and in the …
Read MoreJoe Arpaio is not an island. His ability to waste more than $150 million in taxpayer monies didn’t happen in a vacuum. We know that the now disbarred and disgraced former County Attorney Andy Thomas helped Arpaio abuse his power by charging and prosecuting numerous cases without any legal merit. We know he looked the …
Read MoreThat’s the message we’re hearing from the Open Government initiative supporters. These folks believe Independents will have greater opportunities to win elections while extremists, those leading by ideology instead of policy, will be forced to moderate in order to appeal to the general population versus their party’s base. In a ‘top two’ primary, everyone, regardless …
Read MoreMany of us have concluded that our state Capitol is filled with extremist legislators who value craziness instead of intelligence. And now it seems some of our local reporters agree. This past weekend, Arizona Republic columnist Laurie Roberts published an article requesting help for “an election-year search for a Legislature that actually lines up with …
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