10 Comments
Mar 4Liked by Hank Stephenson

I for one feel safer when the Legislature is not passing laws. Bring on those spring breaks!

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Mar 4Liked by Hank Stephenson

I wish you guys would quit fawning over the corporate zionist Alma Hernandez who regularly uses her platform to put forth red-meat legislation (for Republicans) that tries to ban pro-palestinian thought or action of any kind. Really, who needs the first Amendment anyway? Her latest action was an Instagram post, liked by AZdems ( i thought i was one but this “like” sure doesnt reflect MY thoughts) where she claims to have been so afraid of protesters outside a talk by Jill Biden that she needed a police escort out the back door. As one of those protesters, i cannot imagine how her fear allowed her to be seen in the front, right by us, schmoozing with others who were leaving the venue. Not the first time her “ facts and fears” need to be checked as she regularly posts nasty garbage about anyone who dares to challenge her uber Zionism. The junket is an obvious attempt to get more lawmakers to help her outlaw the first amendment for those of us who think that genocide is a bad thing. It invites foreign intervention into our politics as can be seen by numerous international and national laws that we regularly break in order to pleasure Israel in its relentless brutality. In our state it results in loyalty oaths to Israel and other assaults on freedom of speech or association. Her own LD passed a ceasefire resolution back in November, so don’t be thinking that she is representing US with all of her work on this score, no matter what her title is.

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I don't think writing about the fact that she's effective because she has relationships with Republicans and cuts deals is fawning -- it's the truth. Also, we broke the story of her spring break junket and have been pretty harsh on the whole thing, so I'd be surprised if she thinks we're fawning.

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Perhaps a poor choice of words on my part…Yep i do sincerely thank you for breaking that story! Trying to shut down the work of the legislature during budget work is certainly effective legislating on her part—

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Mar 4Liked by Hank Stephenson

Priya, with this legislature, it is a badge of honor to NOT be supported by your so called colleagues! It means your bills were thoughtful, factual, good faith efforts to resolve problems. And they didnt even include swipes at vulnerable kids, voter suppression or other attempts to abridge the rights of the people of Arizona that the republicans so love.

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I had not realized, until you reported it in this week’s newsletter, that the ESA voucher fraud was committed by state employees, relying on voucher authority for kids with disabilities that has been in place for a long time. On the one hand, no one (including the governor) is calling for that part of the program to be rescinded - and, on the other, the moral of the story, to me, is every government benefits program is an invitation to fraud from within. In which regard, it would seem that the right result is stricter oversight of those entrusted with taxpayer money - and you could provide a useful service by informing your readers as to whether that is included in the governors suggested list of reforms (I doubt it). And I think it is unfair to criticize Tom Horn - he is right, this fraud occurred under Kathy Hoffman’s administration, using voucher authority, that everyone still supports. How is that his fault? Do better.

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Argh! My bad! It was PIMAdems that liked Almas post. They have a very lax policy on representation pf dems when they post on social media….sorry AZ dems ( they too passed a ceasefire resolution, by 80%, same amt of dems on the cpuntry who support one.)

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Just want to be sure I am current in my vocabulary-I know the acronym, but is every Republican a MAGA Republican? If not, what makes them a MAGA Republican instead of just a Republican?

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Drinking the Kool-Aid.

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Do the Arizona Agenda thing and dig a little deeper. What are the political party registrations of the five Department of Education employees who were indicted for fraud? What were the circumstances of their hiring? Were they political hires? Did they work on a political campaign?

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