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Gun violence: It’s a health crisis. Treat it that way.

Sunday, June 16th, 2013

By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings

 

This has been a tough post to write.  Not because there is nothing to say, but because there is so much to say, it's been difficult to keep it down to a readable length.  However, since there have been more than 5000 gun deaths since the mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, and nothing has been done...

In the wake of December's mass shooting in Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, there were a number of ideas floated t...

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Gun violence: It’s a health crisis. Treat it that way.

Sunday, June 16th, 2013
This has been a tough post to write.  Not because there is nothing to say, but because there is so much to say, it's been difficult to keep it down to a readable length.  However, since there have been more than 5000 gun deaths since the mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, and nothing has been done...

In the wake of December's mass shooting in Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, there were a number of ideas floated to stem the epidemic of gun violence sweeping the ...

(more...)

2013 Legislative round up: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Sunday, June 16th, 2013

By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings

 

In normal years, the three categories above are enough to cover the activities of the lege.  There hasn't been "good" coming out of West Washington for years, so everything that could be labeled as "Well, it coulda been worse" (surprise vetos, watered-down bad ideas, bad bills that actually failed, etc.) were lumped into the "good" category.

This year, some actual "good" happened at the Capitol.

Which is good, of course, but it creates a d...

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2013 Legislative round up: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Sunday, June 16th, 2013
surprise vetos, watered-down bad ideas, bad bills that actually failed, etc.) were lumped into the "good" category.

This year, some actual "good" happened at the Capitol.

Which is good, of course, but it creates a dilemma -

Is it better to put the "coulda been worse" items into the "good" category, and possibly diminish the perception of the actual good items, or put the "coulda been worse" items into the "bad" category, and risk raising the perception of the truly bad items?

This was a vexing matte...

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AZ legislature and the budget: Hope somebody brought cheese, because there is plenty of whine at the Capitol tonight…

Wednesday, June 12th, 2013

By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings

 

This week at the legislature started quietly - everybody knew stuff was happening, but it was all out of public view.  No one knew when the stalemate over the state's budget was going to break, just that it was going to happen soon.

Turns out "soon" meant "Tuesday".

Some of Tuesday's events - 

...The Republicans scheduled a House Appropriations Committee meeting for early Thursday (8 a.m., HHR1) to consider the House's version of a budg...

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AZ legislature and the budget: Hope somebody brought cheese, because there is plenty of whine at the Capitol tonight…

Wednesday, June 12th, 2013


Turns out "soon" meant "Tuesday".

Some of Tuesday's events - 

...The Republicans scheduled a House Appropriations Committee meeting for early Thursday (8 a.m., HHR1) to consider the House's version of a budget in the form of strike-everything amendments to the package of budget bills passed by the Senate.

...House Speaker Andy Tobin (R-Paulden) then adjourned the session of the House until Thursday, in an apparent attempt to gain an edge in the fight over the budget and Medicaid restoration....

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Texas jury OKs murdering women who say "No"…or maybe it’s just prostitutes

Sunday, June 9th, 2013
While AZ may hold the lead in "crazy per capita", TX has the lead in sheer volume of "crazy"...and "depraved"...and "violent"...and a lot of other bad things...

From MySanAntonio.com, written by Michele Mondo and Sam Peshek -
A Bexar County jury on Wednesday acquitted Ezekiel Gilbert of murder in the death of a 23-year-old Craigslist escort.

Gilbert, 30, embraced defense attorneys Bobby Barrera and Roy Barrera Sr. with tears in his eyes after the not guilty verdict was read aloud by state District...

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The House’s price for Medicaid restoration coming into focus

Friday, June 7th, 2013

By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings

After much posturing on the part of most of the Republicans in the AZ House of Representatives (which is a continuous activity there), the state budget/Medicaid restoration package of bills passed by the Senate three weeks ago is finally moving.

Well, one of the bills, anyway...

An agenda has been posted for a meeting of the House Appropriations Committee for Monday morning at 10 a.m. in HHR1.

The agenda has two bills, and only one of them is ...

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The House’s price for Medicaid restoration coming into focus

Friday, June 7th, 2013
which is a continuous activity there), the state budget/Medicaid restoration package of bills passed by the Senate three weeks ago is finally moving.

Well, one of the bills, anyway...

An agenda has been posted for a meeting of the House Appropriations Committee for Monday morning at 10 a.m. in HHR1.

The agenda has two bills, and only one of them is related to the budget.  Related directly, anyway -

SB1492, the budget bill with the Medicaid restoration language; and part of the price -

A striker ...

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President Obama appoints Susan Rice as National Security Advisor; Republican Congressional candidate shows ignorance of recent political history

Wednesday, June 5th, 2013
metaphorically) flipped them the bird.

From The Hill, written by Justin Sink and Julian Pecquet -
President Obama on Wednesday named Susan Rice — the public face of the Benghazi controversy — as his national security adviser.

The decision elevates the U.N. ambassador to the most powerful foreign relations role in the White House, ensuring Rice will have the president’s ear on top issues.

 “I am absolutely thrilled she’ll be back at my side, leading my national security team in my sec...

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AZ budget and Medicaid restoration moving…sort of

Tuesday, June 4th, 2013

By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings

The end of the legislative session is apparently nearing, though you still need to squint to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

From the Arizona Republic, written by Mary Jo Pitzl and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez -

House Speaker Andy Tobin ended a nearly three-week lull at the Capitol today by announcing work will begin on the state budget, including the controversial Medicaid expansion plan supported by Gov. Jan Brewer.

But plans to start...

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AZ budget and Medicaid restoration moving…sort of

Tuesday, June 4th, 2013
The end of the legislative session is apparently nearing, though you still need to squint to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

From the Arizona Republic, written by Mary Jo Pitzl and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez -
House Speaker Andy Tobin ended a nearly three-week lull at the Capitol today by announcing work will begin on the state budget, including the controversial Medicaid expansion plan supported by Gov. Jan Brewer.

But plans to start the process with a Thursday meeting of the House Appropriat...

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2014 Updates…

Tuesday, June 4th, 2013

By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings

 

Nothing new, just a compilation of stories that have hit the news over the last couple of days...

...It's early, but Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne has already given up on the idea of running on his record.  Being the subject of a multistate investigation for campaign finance violations and committing an FBI-witnessed hit-and-run accident while leaving his girl friend's home during the work day will do that.

From the Arizona Republic, ...

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2014 Updates…

Tuesday, June 4th, 2013


From the Arizona Republic, written by Yvonne Wingett Sanchez -
Republican Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne’s campaign is attacking the media and President Barack Obama as it tries to raise money for Horne’s re-election.

In an e-mail to supporters late last week, Horne accused the “liberal media” of comparing him to murderer Jodi Arias, calling it “a new low and a disgusting attack” that cannot be allowed to stand.

Horne is upset that the media (and others) observed the interesting tim...

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Report: House to start moving budget/Medicaid bills today

Tuesday, June 4th, 2013

By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings

 

According to Hank Stephenson of the Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required), House Speaker Andy Tobin has announced that he will be assigning the budget bills, including Medicaid restoration, to committee.  According to other reports (OK, tweets from other MSM types at the Capitol), the bills will be assigned to House Appropriations, which is chaired by Rep. John Kavanagh (R-hates Medicaid). 

 

More updates as further news breaks.....

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Report: House to start moving budget/Medicaid bills today

Tuesday, June 4th, 2013
Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required), House Speaker Andy Tobin has announced that he will be assigning the budget bills, including Medicaid restoration, to committee.  According to other reports (OK, tweets from other MSM types at the Capitol), the bills will be assigned to House Appropriations, which is chaired by Rep. John Kavanagh (R-hates Medicaid).

More updates as further news breaks...

Arizona Legislature: The coming week

Sunday, June 2nd, 2013

By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings

 

New high temp records in Phoenix may be matched by new thumb twiddling records at the Capitol this week...

...Still hung up on the state's budget and Medicaid restoration... 

New high temp records in Phoenix may be matched by new thumb twiddling records at the Capitol this week...

Another week where all hell could break loose at a moment's notice (or with no notice), or where the entire week could be summed up thusly -

 

Courtes...

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Arizona Legislature: The coming week

Sunday, June 2nd, 2013
Still hung up on the state's budget and Medicaid restoration...

New high temp records in Phoenix may be matched by new thumb twiddling records at the Capitol this week...

Another week where all hell could break loose at a moment's notice (or with no notice), or where the entire week could be summed up thusly -

Courtesy http://sophlylaughing.blogspot.com/2011/11/fine-art-of-thumb-twiddling.html

As of this writing, the only legislative activity that is currently posted is a House Committee of the Who...

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Fun with social media

Saturday, June 1st, 2013


Of course, after the first post in the series, I also found that I was *mysteriously* following fewer people on Twitter.  Hmmm... :)

Still, a few electeds served up some updates that are ripe for mocking.

...State Sen. "Atomic" Al Melvin spewed forth some of his usual brain pan drippings -

Posted May 31, 2013
Arpaio's body count is in the hundreds and his dollar count is in the millions.  He's destroyed thousands of families and sacrificed hundreds of sex crime victims upon the altar of hi...

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Cheerios ad with interracial couple: reactions range from "ho hum" to "the sky is falling!"

Saturday, June 1st, 2013
New York Times, written by Stuart Elliot -
The Cheerios spot shows a young girl asking her mother if the cereal is “good for your heart.” Her mother assures her that is so. The girl runs away with a cereal box, and in the next scene, the girl’s sleeping father awakes with a pile of Cheerios atop the side of his chest where his heart is.

The commercial ends with the word “Love” on screen. 

The spot, heartwarming to many, began on national television on Monday and was uploaded to You...

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