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 opponent...

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The matriarch of the "Bush dynasty" bluntly tells the truth on NBC's Today show. Barbara Bush on Jeb run: 'We've had enough Bushes':

Amid the celebration surrounding the opening of son George W. Bush's presidential library Thursday, former first lady Barbara Bush brushed aside talk of a Jeb Bush run for the White House in 2016.

Appearing in an interview from Dallas on NBC's "Today" show, Mrs. Bush was asked if she thought that Jeb, the former governor of Florida, should ...

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The Tucson Weekly's Jim Nintzel mentioned in passing in The Skinny that "[Martha] McSally hasn't signaled her 2014 intentions yet. We hear some folks say she'll run; others say she's laying the groundwork for a run for McCain's Senate seat, should he not seek reelection in 2016."

Hey Jim, did you hear about this? The Arizona Republic's Dan Nowicki and Rebekah Sanders report, McSally says she’s being recruited for Ariz. governor, senate runs | Insiders:

Martha McSally...

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

No one conservadem senator has caused Democrats, liberals and progressives in particular, more consternation and heartburn than Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Max Baucus (conservadem-MT). The opportunity to do something about it has now presented itself.

The Washington Post reports today that Baucus to retire rather than seek re-election in 2014. It's time to elect a "Prarie Populist" progressive.

Kos writes at Daily Kos, Baucus out, it's Schweitzer time:

Today's...

by David Safier

Republicans love their moral fig leaf, Honest Abe. "We freed the slaves. In your face, Democrats!" Rand Paul couldn't resist making the point in the embarassing black history lesson he delivered at Howard University. But conservatives have a problem: they can't find anything Lincoln said that echoes their ideology. Their solution? Make shit up.

Here's the Lincoln "quote" at the bottom of the Pima County Republican Party's eTRACKS newsletter -- the quote Lincoln never said.

The...

By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings

...and anyone else looking at entering the 2014 race for governor...and anyone looking to convince one or another candidate to drop out of the race to avoid a messy primary.

Earlier today, Tom Prezelski and Bob Lord, two of the contributors to Blog for Arizona, wrote "open letters" to State Rep. Chad Campbell.  Tom urged Campbell to drop out of the race, while Bob didn't go that far, instead suggesting that Campbell examine his motives fo...

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The high priests of Beltway "centrism," political scientists Thomas Mann and Norm Ornstein, wrote an op-ed in April 2012 titled Let’s just say it: The Republicans are the problem.

We have been studying Washington politics and Congress for more than 40 years, and never have we seen them this dysfunctional. In our past writings, we have criticized both parties when we believed it was warranted. Today, however, we have no choice but to acknowledge that the core of the pro...

by David Safier

Dr. David Garcia is exploring a run for Arizona's Superintendent of Education. I had the pleasure of sharing a radio studio with him last Saturday on Robin Hiller's State of Education program, and I was impressed. Dr. Garcia is very knowledgeable about education, as you would expect of someone who is an Associate Professor in the Teachers College at Arizona State University. But he also knows how to communicate without "talking like a professor," stating his ideas in clear, commo...

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The Beltway media villager meme for months now has been that the GOP will agree to comprehensive immigration reform after losing three-fourths of the Hispanic vote in 2012. The GOP allegedly has learned its lesson and now realizes that its ability to win national elections in the future depends upon appealing to Hispanic voters and understands the changing demographics of America.

Silly reporters, you don't understand how deep nativism and racism runs in America. it is A...

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

After the 2012 election "autopsy," the GOP decided that it would rebrand itself with fancy "new and improved!" packaging and soft-sell messaging, all the while retaining its poisonous product inside the box that it is selling to an unsuspecting public. So how's that working out?

Just last week RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, the guy who told Republicans that they need to stop being stupid and to "tone down the language" about things like "legitimate rape," returned to the G...

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Gov. Jan Brewer held the latest in a series of rallies at the Capitol on Thursday to show she has broad support for her Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration/expansion plan. Gov. Brewer rallies Medicaid allies:

A growing number of lawmakers in both parties believe the Legislature will pass Brewer’s expansion.

That’s a change from earlier this year, when the main voices heard in the debate were those of conservative Republicans opposed to the expansion, a signature part of Pre...

by David Safier

Intentionally or not, Obama and the Democrats are putting the squeeze on Republicans in Congress, breaking down the GOP's united wall of resistance to everything a Democrat might support. Some not-too-crazy Republicans who are sick of being bullied by their batshit-crazy right wing are being peeled off with gun and immigration legislation. The next assault on the GOP's united front will likely be the confirmation fight over Sri Srinivasan who the Obama administration hopes will f...

April3 Update: New events have been added for April 6 and 9.

It’s only April 1, but already there is an impressive line-up of progressive events taking shape this month. In addition to these educational events, there are multiple fund-raisers for candidates, parties, and causes in April.  The list below is not meant to be all-inclusive. (Check out Facebook and the Pima County Democratic Party calendar or the calendar on Blog for Arizona for other events-- including multiple opportunities...

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The L.A. Times' Noam Levey reports today, "As Republican leaders try to woo Latino voters with a new openness to legal status for the nation's illegal immigrants, the party remains at odds with America's fastest-growing ethnic community on another key issue: healthcare."

It turns out that Latinos support "ObamaCare" (this is where the GOP's titular leader, Rush Limbaugh, claims it is because Latinos "depend on government for their prosperity.” ) Healthcare an obstacle ...

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The gated country club communities of old white people occurs on a larger scale as well, the gerrymandered "GOP ghettos" of old white people in congressional districts. The New York Times' Charles Blow has an interesting commentary on this demographic problem. The G.O.P.’s Diversity Deserts:

Just a week ago, the Republicans issued their much-ballyhooed “autopsy” on why they lost the presidential election last year and how they might remedy their problems.

They c...

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Rep. Victoria Steele (D-LD 9) has a "My Turn" opinion in the Arizona Republic today reflecting on her mental health services bill recently killed in a Senate Health Committee by teabaggers opposed to "Gabby's bill." Tragedy speaks to need for more mental health first aid:

There are moments throughout the day when I am at the Arizona Capitol when my mind takes me home. I think of the people I’ve met since I began this public service. I think about our neighborhoods in Tu...

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

While our Tea-Publican controled Arizona legislature is busy making idolatrous gun worship the official state religion of Arizona, it has refused to do anything to address mental health issues that are often at the heart of gun violence. The Tucson Weekly reported, Tucson Lawmakers' Bill to Boost Mental Health Services Dies:

A bill that aimed to give Tucson a sense of closure after the January 2011 shooting died last week . . .

HB 2570, by Rep. Ethan Orr (R-Tucson) and R...