Something To Believe In

It seems this presidential election year has been going on forever and its only January 22, 2012!  It doesn’t help that myriad candidates for the Republican nomination have been running since the election of 2008 ended with the victory of then Senator Barak Obama.  It also doesn’t help that there have been 17 (I know, the number seems like it should be much, much higher) Republican debates since May 5, 2011 with the 18^th scheduled for tomorrow night.

Even as someone who has politics running through their veins, I am getting worn out.  Politics is a blood sport, no matter how “civil” we profess we want it to be and in 2011 the blood flowed in many parts of the nation.  The upper Midwest was a key battleground for politics as Republican governors and their very supportive Republican controlled legislatures sought to eliminate the ability of public employees to collectively bargain.  In Wisconsin and Ohio the citizenry fought back and at least in Ohio have won and in Wisconsin Governor Walker is facing a recall election.

In an effort to diminish the ability of voters to participate in elections, many Republican controlled legislatures are attempting to enact draconian “voter identification” laws.  Hell, even federal probationer James O’Keefe looks like he headed a conspiracy to violate both Federal and New Hampshire election law to “prove” the need for voter identification laws.  Of course we all know that the Republicans’ love for voter identification laws is bullshit considering that no one had to provide photo identification to participate in the Iowa Republican Presidential Caucuses.

In Florida anyone receiving government assistance became required to be drug tested until a Federal judge halted the law.  Now it seems Congressional Republicans would like to have even those receiving unemployment insurance benefits to be drug tested.  I wonder if maybe we should require those in Congress and their staff to submit to drug tests.

In Arizona, author of the infamous “papers, please” SB1070 and State Senate President, Russell Pearce, was successfully “recalled” in historic election.  The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission was attacked from the very start by the shadow group FAIR Trust and state “tea party” movement members, not to mention Governor Brewer and Republicans in the legislature.  AIRC Chairwoman Colleen Mathis was removed by Governor Brewer and Senate Republicans only to be reinstated by the Arizona Supreme Court.  The attacks against the AIRC and Chairwoman Mathis were about preserving the Republican super majority in the Arizona Legislature and the seats of incumbent Congressional Republicans.

In September, the U.S. military formally said goodbye to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” as gays and lesbians were finally allowed to serve openly for the first time in our nation’s history.  This, of course, caused undue stress for Republican Presidential Nominee Candidates as they promised to reinstate DADT while debate audience members booed a gay Army officer.

But now it is 2012 and President Obama is ramping up his reelection campaign, presenting “gifts” to all the liberals he cheated on when bowing Republican demands in 2011.  First he recessed appointed Richard Cordray to head up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau as well as Sharon Block, Terence Flynn and Richard Griffin to the National Labor Relations Board.  Then he tabled approval of the Keystone XL permit application until 2013.  Of course, these actions by the President are supposed to make liberals forget the last three years when we were chastised repeatedly for not supporting his milquetoast presidency.

As Senator Jon Kyl is retiring this year, Democrats will nominate someone who is Republican-lite to run against Congressman Jeff Flake and they will do the same in my new Congressional district.  I won’t be alone as a liberal Democrat since even after redistricting there are four “safe” Republican Congressional districts, two “safe” Democratic Congressional districts and three “competitive” districts.  That means that Arizona Democrats will be running Republican-lite candidates in at least seven of Arizona’s nine districts.

I just wish there was at least one candidate I could vote for instead of against their opponent.  I wish there was one candidate come Election Day who truly believed in and acted for the enactment of liberal ideals.  Is it too much to ask for a candidate to give me something to believe in?

Arizona Bully of 2011 Nominee: The AIRC Attempted Coup Co-Conspirators

Politics is a blood sport and not for the faint of heart.  In Arizona, this is especially true.  Even though Republicans make up only 35% of registered voters, they hold a super majority in the legislature, all elected state offices and 6 of 8 congressional seats.  Though a majority of those registered as independents or “no party affiliation” are conservative, the Republicans have managed their impressive feat through their stranglehold on congressional and legislative districts.

In 2000, the voters of Arizona sought to change all that by taking the process of redistricting out of the hands of the legislature and putting into the hands of an “independent” redistricting commission.  Arizona Republicans have made no secret their hatred for the voter mandated process as they appear to convey it is their “god given” right to rule Arizona.  In 2011, Republicans and their “tea party” movement members basically declared war on the AIRC, culminating with the attempted removal of Chairwoman Colleen Mathis.  Luckily the Supreme Court halted the attempted coup and the AIRC has been able to go about their voter mandated business.

But it is not the entire Republican Party I am nominating as an Arizona Bully of 2011.  No, I am naming the co-conspirators in the attempted coup of the AIRC: Governor Jan Brewer, Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne and the Arizona State Senate Republicans.  Congrats everyone!

Arizona Bully of 2011 Nominee: The FAIR Trust

As we all know, one doesn’t have to be loud, brash or even physical to be a bully.  Some of the most effective bullies are quiet and subdued.  They use the power of the soft spoken carefully chosen word to manipulate others into doing what they desire.  In Arizona no other organization exemplified the quiet bully better in 2011 than The FAIR Trust.  With its donors hiding behind the legal protections of a legal trust, The FAIR Trust’s sole purpose is to protect the incumbency of Arizona’s Congressmen.

Session after session The FAIR Trust’s representatives stood before the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (AIRC) in an attempt to manipulate the yet to be formed new congressional districts into very safe congressional districts.  As Steve Muratore over at the Arizona Eagletarian has pointed out time and time again their argument is that competitiveness of a district and that districts protection of minority voting rights were diametrically opposed.  This is their way of quietly bullying the AIRC into creating even more safe congressional districts for the Republican Party.

So, the first Arizona Bully of 2011 nominee is: The FAIR Trust!

Debunking the "Forced" Primary Myth

The biggest common myth being thrown around during the AIRC (Arizona INDEPENDENT Redistricting Commission) drama is that the AIRC has (willfully) forced first term Congressman Ben Quayle (R-AZ 3^rd) and Congressman David Schweikert (R-AZ 5^th) into a primary battle in 2012.  This is the meme that the Arizona Republican Party, their “tea party” movement adherents and the Arizona Republic would like you to believe.  This dovetails nicely with the meme that the AIRC is being unfair to Republicans by (in the draft redistricting maps) only creating 4 “safe” districts for Republicans, the exact same number of “safe” districts they currently hold.

The problem with this myth that the AIRC is forcing two Republican congressmen to face off in a primary is twofold:

1.            In the eyes of the AIRC, by mandate of the voters, the Arizona 3^rd and 5^th Congressional districts ceased to exist as they are currently mapped the day the volunteer members of the AIRC took their positions.  In point of fact, the members are specifically forbidden to consider where a potential candidate lives.

2.            The United States Constitution provides no requirement that a person running for a particular congressional district has to reside in that district.  This means that a candidate for congress chooses which congressional district they want to run in, even they don’t live in that district.

Neither Congressman Quayle nor Congressman Scweikert is required to run against the other in a primary in any reformulated district.  They just both (at least publicly) desire to run in a district that includes north Scottsdale, a very affluent area.  Currently, only Congressman Schweikert currently represents all of Scottsdale as part of the Arizona 5^th Congressional District, including all of north Scottsdale.  Both candidates (as all incumbents, I would presume) want a “safe” district to run in.  Under the draft district map approved by the AIRC, all of the 3^rd CD and parts of the 5^th CD, including Scottsdale, would become the new 6^th CD.

The “new” 6^th CD would become a fortress for Republicans and that is why both Congressman Quayle and Congressman Schweikert want to run in that district, as formulated under the AIRC draft map.  To give you an idea of how “safe” this proposed new district will be, just look at the current 3^rd CD.  Even though Congressman Quayle’s Democratic opponent, John Hullburd, ran to the right of Mr. Quayle, Mr. Hullburd still lost.  Add in the very Republican northern areas of the current 5^th CD and no Democrat will be able to win the district, which is a shame, because I live in the current 3^rd CD and what is drafted to be the new 6^th CD.

Neither Congressman Quayle nor Congressman Schweikert wants to run on substance.  In fact, neither of them actually want to “run” an election campaign as they would both rather be assured a victory, preferably an easy one.  They just want to run in separate “safe” districts and are more than happy to demonize the AIRC for not “giving” them what they want.  Too bad only bloggers, such as myself, are pointing out the myth that the AIRC is somehow “forcing” Congressman Quayle and Congressman Schweikert to run against each other in a primary.

Beating Back the Coup: No Time For Rejoicing

On Thursday, the Arizona Supreme Court beat back an attempted coup of the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission by Governor Janice Brewer, the Arizona Senate Republicans as well as Republican Congressmen Ben Quayle and David Schweikert.  As much as we who want competitive legislative and congressional districts wish to rejoice in this victory, we can’t.  The forces against us are well and secretly funded (FAIR Trust comes to mind) not to mention very motivated to preserve the status quo.  They have also gained an important ally: The Arizona Republic.

Those who want a permanent conservative Republican majority (and preferably a super-majority) in the Arizona Legislature and only conservative Republicans in Congress will go to any length to subvert the will of the voters.  As we saw before the Supreme Court reinstated AIRC Chairwoman Colleen Mathis, the conservative forces in this state were trying to pervert the process of choosing her possible replacement.  We also have statements by Republican legislators calling for a referendum to be put on the ballot in time for the Republican primary, where only registered Republicans can vote, that would put the redistricting process back into the grimy hands of the Republican dominated legislature.  Plus, we have the rumblings coming from Governor Brewer’s office that she may attempt to remove Chairwoman Mathis again this week.

The biggest threat to the conservative Republican stranglehold on Arizona is competitive districts.  That is why they are being subversive, devious and totally willing to fuck over the Arizona voters.  They will meet behind closed doors and plot their strategies all the while publicly condemning closed door meetings.  They will post photos of two people walking into a building in Tucson and falsely claim it is the Chairwoman of the AIRC and her “Democratic activist” husband (who by the way is a registered Republican) going to meet Democratic Congressman RaúlGrijalva.  And yes, they will try to use the political process once more to remove Chairwoman Mathis and possibly even the two Democratic commissioners.

We cannot sit back and allow them to stage another coup.  We cannot sit back and allow them to continue to pervert and corrupt the redistricting process approved by the voters.  We must marshal our words and our actions to protect the AIRC.  I for one am working on a voter initiative to strengthen the AIRC by removing the Governor and the Arizona Senate completely from the redistricting equation.  Each body has been given the opportunity to work with the will of the voters and have failed miserably.  They have shown the voters were right in creating the AIRC but were misguided in allowing the legislature even a small part of the process.

No, we must stand strong.   We must ignore the false pleadings of the conservative Arizona Republic Editorial Board for a “cooling off period”.  We must make sure that “tea party” conservatives are not the only ones seen or heard at the upcoming meetings of the AIRC.  We must make sure that Governor Brewer, the Arizona Senate Republicans and both Congressman Quayle and Congressman Schweikert are held accountable for their conspiracy to subvert the will of the voters.  We must remain vigilant.  We must remain steadfast.  And we must remain ready to do what we legally can to preserve the AIRC and its mission.

For if we do not, the past few years will have seemed paradise compared to what will come under permanent conservative Republican rule in Arizona.

The Republican Conspiracy Against the AIRC and the Voters of Arizona

After all that has gone on in the last eleven months, especially the last week, does anyone doubt that there is has been a conspiracy (of possibly criminal magnitude) by the Republican Party in Arizona in general and Republican elected officials specifically thwart the will of the voters?  Does anyone doubt that in their zeal to protect the Republican super-majority in the Arizona Legislature that these Republicans conspired to destroy the Arizona INDEPENDENT Redistricting Commission (AIRC) by lodging false claims against the AIRC’s non-Republican members?

Of course, with Attorney General Tom Horne having already launched a witch hunt investigation into the AIRC, don’t look for him to hold his fellow Republicans accountable.  Don’t look to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate this conspiracy either.  With A.G. Holder under fire from Congressional Republicans on many different fronts, he will wimp out of doing what is right to protect himself.

So, that leaves the Arizona voters to fix the mistakes they made in 2000 when they voted to create the AIRC.  In order to take the Legislature completely out of the redistricting process, I propose the following changes to the law constitutional amendment that created the AIRC:

1.  Expand the AIRC from five to nine with three registered Democrats, three registered Republicans and three registered independents to better reflect the party registration percentages of the state.

2.  All members are chosen randomly from a pool of eligible registered voters whom have voluntarily placed themselves into the pool.  The members will be chosen during a live broadcast.

3.  No person may be considered eligible for the pool if they have changed their registered party affiliation within the last three general election cycles.

4.  No person may be considered eligible for the pool if they have held a post in any political party within the last three general election cycles.

5.  The creation of an independent AIRC Inspector General to field and investigate all complaints made against the AIRC and its members.  The Inspector General shall upon finding clear evidence of a law or laws being broken by the AIRC and/or its members bring the matter before the State Supreme Court for prompt adjudication.

I truly feel that if the voters were to approve all five of these recommendations, the AIRC can truly be independent of the Legislature and the political establishment.  Without these recommendations being approved, the voters will forever be powerless against the manipulations and conspiracies of the party in power.  In this case, it is the Republican Party.

Hypocrisy of the Arizona Republic

The Arizona Republic is miffed.  Well, more to the point, the in the shadows “Editorial Board” is miffed.  They are miffed that there endorsed golden boy (and lobbyist) in the Phoenix mayoral elections, Wes Gullett is being targeted by “anonymous groups” that “hide behind vague, meaningless names”.  The E.B. is clutching its collective pearls in disgust at the large amounts of money being poured into these “independent expenditure” groups without any disclosure as to who the group’s funders are.

Sigh.  I would have no qualms with the E.B.’s stance if it wasn’t so hypocritical.  Not once have they called out for the disclosure of those funding a group that is attempting to make sure that Republicans continue their super-majority in the Arizona Legislature and advantage in Congressional seats.  Instead of calling for a disclosure of this group’s donors (which is fronted by local attorney David Cantelme), the E.B. attempts to protect its golden boy.

It is beyond time for the Editorial Board of the Arizona Republic to call for full disclosure of the principles and financiers behind the FAIR Trust.  It is beyond time for the E.B. to call out this organization for attempting to circumvent the will of the Arizona voters by trying to suppress competiveness and to preserve the Republican legislative super-majority.

But the E.B. won’t.  It doesn’t have a golden boy to protect when it comes to redistricting.  Therefore, the Editorial Board of the Arizona Republic will continue to be hypocrites when it comes to “shadow organization” that use the Supreme Court’s Citizen’s United decision to pollute our nation’s elections.

The Quest To Protect The Republican Super Majority

The Republicans have a stranglehold on Arizona politics.  This is an undeniable fact.  Republicans control all state wide elected offices including Governor, Attorney General and Secretary of State.  They have a super-majority in the Arizona Legislature.  They also hold six of eight seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and both seats in the U.S. Senate.  A pretty good feat considering Republicans make up only 36% of registered voters in Arizona.  Democrats make up 33% and independents (those with no party affiliation) make up 30%.

In a state where even most Democrats are moderate to conservative, party affiliation does mean a lot.  To be a Republican means you are almost guaranteed a seat at the table of power.  To be an ultra-conservative Republican improves those odds even more.  Independents are deemed to be the deciding factor in close races and even they tend to vote Republican when push comes to shove.

In a state with a registered political make up that is split almost evenly between Republicans, Democrats and independents, you would think that the Republicans couldn’t enjoy such success.  In steps the affect of redistricting:  The process of creating congressional and legislative districts that is mandated by the U.S. Constitution.  Before 2000, the Arizona legislature was tasked with creating the various districts and it did everything possible to secure a permanent Republican majority in the state legislature as well as congressional representation.

In 2000, voters were so fed up with the protection of incumbents that they stripped the legislature of its authority to redistrict and put that authority into the newly created Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (AIRC).  The AIRC isn’t tasked with simply redrawing existing districts to meet its charge.  It must start from scratch, thus ensuring that the state’s congressional and legislative district maps change dramatically decade from decade.  To give a quick example of the dramatic change: I currently reside in what is Congressional District 3, but under the draft map, I would be in Congressional District 6.

Now, the AIRC is composed of 5 members.  Two are Democrats, each of who were nominated by the respective Democratic leaders in both houses of the legislature.  Two are Republicans, each of who were nominated by the respective Republican leaders in both houses of the legislature.  The registered independent is picked by the other 4 members of the AIRC.  In my opinion, there should be 3 Democrats, 3 Republicans and 3 registered independents, but that will require a voter modification that could turn very messy.

Throw into the redistricting mix the fact that Arizona is one of the states required to receive “pre-clearance” of their efforts by the U.S. Justice Department before the new districts can go into effect.  The 2001 AIRC was actually rebuffed by the Bush Justice Department for not protecting minority voters and had to reconfigure their maps to meet the requirements of the Voting Rights Act.  We are all hoping that the 2011 AIRC doesn’t repeat the same mistake.

Now that I have some of the background laid out, let’s fast forward to 2011.  The AIRC members were chosen in great controversy, some with court challenges, all due to the machinations of state Senate Majority Leader Russell Pearce and Speaker of the House Andy Tobin.  After the members of the AIRC were formally seated, the “tea party” movement tried to call into dispute the AIRC’s legitimacy, even getting Attorney General Horne to open an “investigation” into accusations of the AIRC violating Arizona’s open meetings law.

Through all of this, the five members of the AIRC have done their job and have approved draft maps of congressional and legislative districts.  Now that the draft maps have been adopted, the public has 30 days to comment and recommend changes.  In steps the Republican elected officials and their bold claim that the draft maps represent too much competiveness and threaten their respective incumbencies.  They are hell bent on protecting the Republican super majority in the legislature and the Republican majority of held seats in the House of Representatives.  Of course, they are bitching about draft maps, not the final product.  And like it or not, they will probably bitch more after it the final maps go through pre-clearance.

 I myself am not happy with the draft maps because they allow for safe districts for both Republicans and Democrats while only proposing three competitive districts.  I think every district should be competitive, giving anyone running a real chance to win.  No district should be “safe” for one party or for an incumbent.  No one party or incumbent should feel they are entitled to their elected seat.

I think the goals of meeting the requirements of the full mandate of the AIRC can be done with full competitiveness and without gerrymandering.  The AIRC just has to have the will do so and I don’t think they do.  I think, they will bend to Republican political pressure and adopt final maps that won’t be pre-cleared by the DOJ.  I am hoping the AIRC does the right thing.  I just don’t think it will, which will be a huge disservice to the voters of Arizona.

For more information about meetings of the AIRC, please take a look at The Arizona Eagletarian and his great work.

Preserving the Super Majority, Arizona Style

Is it me or do the Republicans in Arizona care more about staying in a super majority in the state legislature than they do about governing for all?  I know, it is kind of silly question, but one still needs to ask it.

My friend over at The Arizona Eagletarian has been reporting on the Arizona Independent Redistricting Committee and their attempts to fulfill the mandate of the Arizona voters.  The voters of Arizona approved a constitutional amendment that took redistricting out of the hands of the legislature and placed in the hands of an “independent” commission.  The voters’ goal was that this commission would create competitive legislative and congressional districts that protected neither Democrats nor Republicans.

But the UC/TF and “tea party” movement members of the Republican Party appear to see the AIRC as a threat to the newly won Republican super majority, if not the majority they have enjoyed for over 40 years.  They have focused their attacks onto the chairwoman who is the only independent on the commission.  They claim that because her husband worked as a consultant for Democrats (forgetting that he had also worked for Republicans), that she was really a secret Democrat.

They have also raised issue with the fact that the commission chose a mapping consultant that has worked with Democratic and liberal groups, most notably the Obama 2008 campaign.  Never mind that the Republicans on the commission rated the chosen consultant the highest, even if they didn’t vote for it.

The UC/TF and “tea party” is also making efforts to call a special session of the legislature to remove the chairperson for being a secret Democrat and also to place on the 2012 ballot an effort to return redistricting to the legislature.  Add to this that UC/TF Republican state Attorney General Tom Horne has launched an “investigation” into the actions of the AIRC.  All of this of course is to discredit the AIRC in the eyes of public.

All of this is bullshit of course.  Their true intention is not to make the AIRC “fair” and “transparent”.  No, their true intention is to eliminate the AIRC and turn redistricting back over to the legislature in order to preserve the Republican majority and super majority.  Their greatest fear is that if the AIRC creates truly competitive districts that meet the standards of the Voting Rights Act that Democrats will gain control of the legislature and reverse the damage done to the state by decades of UC/TF Republican rule.

Their fear is not without basis and that’s why they are working so hard to preserve their super majority against the will of the voters.