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Buying Indulgences

I've had a lot of comments on the post about Al Gore's outrageous energy usage.  One thread has been about the fact that Gore buys carbon credits.  Here's an article that originally appeared in the New York Times and points out some of the weaknesses Gore's strategy of living large while paying someone else to live small.  (BTW, I've never been a Ralph Nader fan, but the man urges folks to live like a hermit...while he lives like a hermit.)  Gotta respect that. 

Yet if these operations reflect a new consciousness about climate change, scientists and environmentalists warn that many may be producing little of real value for the environment.

"These companies may be operating with the best will in the world, but they are doing so in settings where it's not really clear you can monitor and enforce their projects over time," said Steve Rayner, a senior professor at Oxford and a member of a working group on reducing greenhouse gases for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

"What these companies are allowing people to do is carry on with their current behavior with a clear conscience," Rayner said.

Show me your Ballot Comrade

Commissar What's the first sign of a corrupt electoral system?  Public ballots.  You may not like Castro or Lenin, but when you vote in front of the Commissar you mark your X where you are supposed to and make a big smiley face next to it.  The ability to vote privately eliminates the political pressure.

That's why you should be concerned when someone wants to take away your ability to vote privately.  Sure they can frame the issue in terms of "fairness," or an "open process."  After all what do you have to hide?  If you don't like the Ayatollah, Castro, Bush, Clinton, or the Union Representative, then you should make your opinion known. 

Well, Congress is considering taking away the right of workers to vote privately when they seek to organize.  The business community is reacting.  Here's a response from the Phoenix Chamber.

Here's George Will's take on it

Repealing a right -- to secret ballots -- long considered fundamental to democratic culture would be a radical act. But labor is desperate. The card check shortcut to unionization comes before Congress after last month's announcement that union membership declined, yet again, in 2006, by 326,000.

Now the Chamber is running radio commercials in key districts.  Hmm, one of those districts is Arizona CD 5.  Click the link bellow and listen to the Chamber's commercial about Harry Mitchell.

“Congress is currently considering legislation that would stop the use of secret ballots in union organizing elections. By forcing workers to choose through a public "card check" process, this legislation will take privacy, power and voice away from America's working people. It is that simple.”  (http://www.uschamber.com/press/ads/card_check)

Romney Picks his AZ Team

Boston, MA – Today, Governor Mitt Romney announced that Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio will serve as Honorary Chair for the Romney for President campaign in Arizona.  In addition to his Honorary Chair, Governor Romney named Jason Rose as State Director.

Governor Romney also announced several new members to the State Finance Steering Committee.   

"I am gratified to have the support of these men and women.  Each has many years of experience in Arizona politics and will help us mobilize our already robust network of grassroots support.  They will be strong surrogates for our optimistic message of a stronger and safer America," said Governor Romney.

With today's announcement, Sheriff Arpaio said, "Governor Romney has put together a strong team in Arizona.  His efforts to reach out to the state's Republicans and grassroots activists are clearly paying off.  Governor Romney is the only candidate with the executive leadership and experience needed to lead our country forward."

Background On Governor Romney's Arizona Leadership Team:


Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio – Honorary Chair:  Known around the country as "America's Toughest Sheriff", he has been one of Arizona's most popular officials since being elected in 1992.  Maricopa County is home to approximately three million people including the Phoenix Metropolitan area. 

Jason Rose – State Director:  Recognized by the Arizona Business Magazine in 2006 as "Arizona's PR Heavyweight," Rose is one of Arizona's most well-known political consultants.  Rose founded Rose & Allyn Public Relations in 1996.  The firm's client list includes prominent members of the Arizona business and political community. 

Corinne Lovas – State Finance Director:  Lovas is considered the top political fundraiser in Arizona and the Southwest.  She has enjoyed countless successes on behalf of U.S. Senator Jon Kyl, President Bush's 2004 re-election campaign, the Republican National Committee and numerous other Republican candidates and causes.

Additions To Governor Romney's Arizona Finance Steering Committee:

Ernie Baird:  Founding partner of Baird Williams & Greer, LLP.  From 1991 to 1997, he served in the Arizona House of Representatives.  During his time in the House, he was the House Majority Leader and also served as Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

Scott Bundgaard:  An executive with J.P. Morgan, Bundgaard served six years in the Arizona Senate both as Chairman of the Finance Committee and Vice Chairman of the Banking Committee.  He is a veteran of commercial real estate and finance.

Paul Walsh:  Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of eFunds Corporation, a leading provider of risk management, electronic payments and global outsourcing solutions.  Walsh has 30 years of experience in financial services.  He has been the Chairman and CEO of Clareon Corporation, iDeal Partners and Wright Express Corporation.  He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Staples, Inc.

Don Cogman:  Cogman is the Chairman of CC Investments, a private investment firm in Scottsdale, Arizona. In 2002, he was appointed by President Bush to serve on a panel tasked with overhauling the United States Postal Service.  Cogman currently serves as Chairman of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Education Foundation.  Formerly, he served as President and Chief Operating Officer World-wide of Burson-Marsteller.

Inconvenient but True

SwaggartIf you are going to become a televangelist, you probably shouldn't have a girlfriend.  If you are a close-the-border advocate, you had better not have an undocumented nanny.  If you win an Academy Award for a documentary about global warming, you probably shouldn't live in a mansion and use more electricity in a month than the average family uses in a year. 

Gore’s home uses more than 20 times the national average
Last night, Al Gore’s global-warming documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, collected an Oscar for best documentary feature, but the Tennessee Center for Policy Research has found that Gore deserves a gold statue for hypocrisy.
 
Gore’s mansion, located in the posh Belle Meade area of Nashville, consumes more electricity every month than the average American household uses in an entire year, according to the Nashville Electric Service (NES).
In his documentary, the former Vice President calls on Americans to conserve energy by reducing electricity consumption at home.
The average household in America consumes 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, according to the Department of Energy. In 2006, Gore devoured nearly 221,000 kWh—more than 20 times the national average.
Last August alone, Gore burned through 22,619 kWh—guzzling more than twice the electricity in one month than an average American family uses in an entire year. As a result of his energy consumption, Gore’s average monthly electric bill topped $1,359.
Since the release of An Inconvenient Truth, Gore’s energy consumption has increased from an average of 16,200 kWh per month in 2005, to 18,400 kWh per month in 2006.
Gore’s extravagant energy use does not stop at his electric bill. Natural gas bills for Gore’s mansion and guest house averaged $1,080 per month last year.
“As the spokesman of choice for the global warming movement, Al Gore has to be willing to walk the walk, not just talk the talk, when it comes to home energy use,” said Tennessee Center for Policy Research President Drew Johnson.
In total, Gore paid nearly $30,000 in combined electricity and natural gas bills for his Nashville estate in 2006.

Never Mind

Emily_litella788000 There was a funny juxtaposition in Sunday's Republic.  The cover of the Viewpoints section featured two views on the need for renovations to the State Capitol grounds. 

Jon Talton, who is famous for using his position as the Republic's Business columnist as a platform to bash Phoenix and its leaders for their inadequacies, used his column to proclaim that the Capitol wouldn't be renovated. 

Ask conservatives about a new state Capitol building to commemorate the state's centennial in 2012, and you'll hear, "That's crazy. If government has that kind of money sitting around, return it to the people as a tax cut."

Ask moderates and liberals, and they may say, "That's crazy. Why would we build a new Capitol when we need schools, roads and health care?"

This is my crude, unscientific survey, but I suspect it represents a broad swath of opinion.

The other Op-Ed column was by conservative über lobbyist Kevin DeMenna.  Did DeMenna claim that the proposal was crazy and that the money should be returned as a tax cut? Not hardly.

So, let's get started. The sooner the full Legislature becomes actively engaged, along with community and business leaders, the closer we will be to swapping the architectural wasteland at 1700 W. Washington St. for the dignified buildings worthy to be called the Arizona Capitol.

Well, Talton was half right, his survey was crude and unscientific. 

Like Emily Litella used to say...never mind. 

More Mainstream Media Meltdown

From the Motley Fool.

Back in the summer of 2000, Fortune, a highly respected publication and home to many fine pieces of journalism over the years, published an article titled "10 Stocks to Last the Decade."

Broadcom (Nasdaq: BRCM)

(78%)

Charles Schwab (Nasdaq: SCHW)

(51%)

Enron

Oops

Genentech (Nasdaq: DNA)

121%

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS)

0%

Nokia (NYSE: NOK)

(45%)

Nortel Networks (Nasdaq: NT)

(96%)

Oracle (Nasdaq: ORCL)

(53%)

Univision

(42%)

Viacom

Kind of hard to explain

Light Posting

I had some free time, so I'm speaking at a Seminar on Utility Regulation in Las Vegas on Friday.    Here's a copy of the brochure.  I'm on a panel with the Chairman of the Nevada Public Utility Commission.  It should be an interesting meeting.

The new X Ray security systeme debuts at Sky Harbor today.  Maybe they could take a still shot and email it to my dentist. 

Leave the Child Behind

Folks occasionally ask me why I spend so much time covering the newspaper industry.  Frankly, I cover it because it isn't willing to cover itself. 

Did you read that the Palo Verde Nuclear plant's safety rating was downgraded on Thursday?  Of course you did.  That little fact was covered in all of the Arizona newspapers and dozens of out-of-state newspapers.  That's because newspapers believe it is their job to expose developments in industries that are of interest to Arizonans.  Fair enough. 

But like cops who refuse to give tickets to other cops, the newspaper industry refuses to cover itself.  When the Republic really botches a story are you going to read about it in the Tribune?  Of course not.  When a Legislator says something silly, a CEO makes a mistake or an industry falters, you read it in the Republic.  But when an editorial writer, columnist or reporter makes a monumental error in judgment, you won't hear about it.

Until the bloggers, who would expose the hypocrisy of the news media?

Child_labor_imageWhat would happen if Arizona Public Service hired children to read its meters?  Do you think that would be a story?  Are you kidding me?  It would be a series and then it would be a Pulitzer. 

How about the fact that the Republic uses children to go door to door selling papers?  Is that a story.  Of course not.  Just ask the Republic's spokesman.  Oh, that's right, the Republic doesn't have a spokesman because they never get phone calls from reporters. 

Last May, I pointed out that a kid named Benji came to my door with his "adult sponsor" selling Republic subscriptions.  I talked to the Publisher about this and he didn't consider it a big deal.  The paper hires third party vendors and the vendors use children to sell subscriptions.  The practice continues.  I received this letter yesterday. 

Greg:

Earlier tonight I was enjoying listening to the rain outside while watching a movie on the couch.  I then hear someone knocking on my door.  No one I know knocks, they just come in.  I’m single so I guess that’s acceptable.  So I look through the peep hole before answering since it has to be a stranger.  I see a shifty-looking guy with and a young elementary school kid.  I open the door and I notice the guy has an Arizona Republic badge clipped to his shirt.  He asks if I have a few minutes for them to share something with me.  I ask what it is about and the guy tells the kid to tell me.  The kid gives a mini rehearsed speech about how he’s in school, making good grades, staying off drugs and studying hard or something.  He then asks me if I’m interested in subscribing to “The Big Sunday Paper” from the Arizona Republic to support something in the schools that keeps him off of drugs.  The kid’s act was nice, but the guy with him looked like a shady salesman who hated his job.  I told them I wasn’t interested in it because I read it online.  Which I have been doing for years. 

You aren't going to read about it in the Republic or the Tribune.  So I'll say it here.  The door to door subscription trade is a dirty business.  Children shouldn't be used as bait to sell papers.  I don't care how fast circulation is falling or how many third party vendors the management wants to hide behind.  Children shouldn't be used as bait to sell papers. 

Here's an interesting New York Times story about young people being recruited to sell magazine subscriptions door to door and then becoming trapped in a life of abuse. 

More than two decades after a Senate investigation revealed widespread problems with these itinerant sellers, and despite several highly publicized fatal accidents and violent crimes involving the sales crews in recent years, the industry remains almost entirely unregulated. And while the industry says it has changed, advocates and law enforcement officials say the abuses persist.

I'm not saying that the kids who sell the Republic are living in the same deplorable conditions of fear and abuse that the kids selling Time, Newsweek and Rolling Stone are living in.   At least I don't think they are. 

No. I think the kids selling the Republic are being dragged around for hours each day by their "adult sponsors."  They give their 30 second pitch about staying off drugs and out of gangs over and over so that folks who have no interest in buying a newspaper will subscribe in order not to hurt the kid's feelings.  No one is even claiming that the child actually gets paid.  The kids earn "points" so they can go to "camp" or have a party at Chuckie Cheese. 

Sure, the editorial writers will get all worked up about a power line that might inconvenience a tortoise.  They will tell you that the medical care needs to be free for families that make triple the poverty level.  They will complain that the schools are inadequate.  But ask them about the kids who sell their papers and they will look at their shoes. 

That's why I cover the newspaper industry.  Maybe someday it will cover itself. 

Paton is Back

Paton Jonathan Paton is back from Iraq.  Stan Barnes is throwing a huge party.  I'm sure that you are all invited.  Here's the invitation .

Here's the coverage in the Star.

The state legislator who made international news last summer for voluntarily enlisting to go to Iraq was greeted by his father after a grueling six months in Baghdad, where he worked as operations officer at a major intelligence operation for the U.S. Army.

Sold

Sold_1Folks have been asking if we have sold our house.  As you can see, the answer is yes. 

I have a lot on my plate, so when Debbie and I discussed moving, I said that I would be happy to move, but I really couldn't contribute much to the process. 

So she found the new house, handled both transactions, contracted with the movers and changed the utilites.  She has also packed every box.  On March 2nd, she's handing me a slip of paper with an address and a note that says "After work today, go to this address.  That's where you live now."

Proverbs 31 describes the perfect wife.

Who can find a virtuous wife?
      For her worth is far above rubies.
         The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
      So he will have no lack of gain...She considers a field and buys it;

I hope she gave me the right address.

No Comment

Change_sharkThe Republic's new "Community Conversation" format has dealt a significant blow to the Editorial Board.  The Valley and State section has been reduced so the stories from B1 now jump to the Op ED page.  This limits the number of syndicated columnists and My Turn columns that can run on the two opinion pages. 

This morning something extraordinary happend; the Republic didn't run an editorial.  In its place was a My Turn column from the Founding Dean of the Journalism school. 

Daily newspaper readership and network evening newscast viewership are in a steady downward spiral. New forms of media are emerging, but much of the multimedia world is dominated by non-news companies that have few journalistic traditions. And believability of news outlets continues its two-decade decline unabated.

Ironically, he made is comments on the occasion of the groundbreaking of the Journalism school's downtown campus. 

Yet despite the disturbing trends, this also is a time of unprecedented possibilities. Emerging technologies, new methods of storytelling, interactivity with news consumers and innovative ways of thinking about the news all give promise for a better news media future, a future that can engage news consumers, build communities and increase participation in the democracy.

New methods of story telling indeed.  It looks like Republic readers are in for more "Conversations" and less opinion. 

Definition of a Conundrum

co·nun·drum (kə-nŭn'drəm) A paradoxical, insoluble, or difficult problem; a dilemma:

PrincessA friend of mine wants to buy exclusively organic products.  He went to the store to get eggs, but the only organic eggs were made by Land 0'Lakes and they have a politically incorrect Indian Princess logo.  He went home without eggs.   

School Choice on Trial

This just in from the Alliance for School Choice. 

"Three groups will announce today that foster children and kids with special needs across the state still have to hold out hope for a better education. As reported in newspapers over the weekend, opponents will renew their legal challenge – the first ever to scholarship programs for special needs children – to the “Arizona Displaced Pupil Choice Grants” and the “Arizona Scholarships for Pupils with Disabilities.”

The programs’ opponents, including the ACLU Foundation of Arizona and People for the American Way, originally filed to bypass the trial courts. Their case was denied by the Arizona Supreme Court in January, but the opponents seem undeterred in ruining the opportunity for a better education for some of Arizona’s most disadvantaged children. Five Arizona families, represented by the Institute for Justice, had intervened in the original legal challenge. The Institute for Justice will continue to represent the needs of foster and special needs children across the state. The Arizona Education Association has joined the lawsuit the second time around.

""How pathetic: groups that purport to care about children, trying to wrench precious educational opportunities from foster and disabled children. The plaintiffs care nothing about education, and only about preserving the status quo from which they benefit,” said Alliance for School Choice president and general counsel Clint Bolick. “We’re confident that ultimately the kids and the programs that offer them greater opportunities will prevail.”

Bolick led the legal team that successfully defended school choice programs nationally, and argued the Arizona Supreme Court case that upheld individual scholarship tax credits.

The legal challenge comes on the heels of a recent poll showing a significant amount of support among Arizonans for the challenged programs. The poll found that 76 percent of Arizonans surveyed like the idea of Arizona’s disabled students being allowed to attend the school of their choice, and 64 percent support the concept of foster children getting the education of their choosing, whether that is at a public or private school.

The survey also found considerable voter support for the concept of school choice beyond the targeted programs for foster and disabled children.

When asked if they liked the idea of “Parents having the ability to take their tax dollars and put their child in the school of their choosing” respondents favored the idea by a 2:1 margin.

A full copy of the poll is available at www.azschoolchoice.com. The survey was conducted by The Polling Company, Inc. in December of more than 500 Arizona residents and has a margin of error of +/- 4.4 percent.

The contested programs were passed by the Republican-led Arizona State Legislature and signed into law by Democratic Governor Janet Napolitano last year. Foster children transferring from a public to a private school qualify for the Arizona Displaced Pupil Choice Grants. Almost 20,000 foster students are eligible for the program, which will provide $5,000 scholarships for up to 500 applicants. An additional 124,000 special needs students qualify for the Arizona Scholarships for Pupils with Disabilities. Scholarship recipients may choose to attend the private or public school of their choice. The amount of the scholarship will be determined by the state allocation for the child’s diagnosed disability."

Haney Suffers Heart Attack

District 11 Chairman Rob Haney has suffered a heart attack and is in the hospital in Paradise Valley.  There is no word on his condition. 

In Harm's Way

Kyl_and_giffordsJon Kyl and Gabby Giffords are in Iraq.  I doubt that they are on the front line, but Iraq ain't the Hamptons.  Be sure to say a prayer for their safe return.

Double Dipping, Aromatherapy and a Slow Boat to China

I've always been a fan of the Community Colleges.  I taught Accounting at Paradise Valley Community College and I've taken advantage of the outstanding Spanish and Math programs at Phoenix College. 

But the Community Colleges have some serious problems.  You might think that this is one of the problems, but this is actually small potatoes. 

The district came under intense scrutiny when it was revealed in the fall that Mesa Community College leaders had led all-expenses-paid trips to other countries over five years costing more than $324,000. A ban on administrative foreign travel remains in place until June.

Two college presidents lost their jobs earlier this month after seeking payment for foreign trips that often included generous amounts of sightseeing and side trips.

HongkongharbourThese are great stories and the Republic and Tribune should be commended for their work uncovering these junkets.  But, I'd let the Community College Presidents fly to China every week if they would stop ripping off the state in other areas. 

Take dual enrollment.  Some kids to really well in high school, so the Community Colleges and high schools offer courses that count for college credit.  That sounds fine.  But both schools charge the state for the full cost of the student.  That's right.  The Community College and the high school each seek full reimbursement from the state, and the state reimburses the schools as if there were two students. 

The Arizona Tax Research Association has been on top of the scam from the beginning.  Here's ATRA's newsletter from January 2001. 

Napolitano's office is wise to the trick.  Here's a Republic article from 2004.

Last year, dual enrollment was one of the programs Gov. Janet Napolitano suggested eliminating in the early rounds of budget talks. Despite an estimated savings for the state of $4 million, the program survived.

Four million dollars a year.  Wow.  But what's worse than the financial double dip is the fact that the classes leave kids ill prepared for real college courses.  Here's what one Community College faculty member wrote in 2001.

But, as a full-time faculty member in the Maricopa Community College District, I know that quality is frequently lacking in dual enrollment courses. All too often, the students are academically underprepared for college level mastery or lack the facilities and scheduling to do true college work.

Dual enrollment courses may rip off the taxpayer and leave the students unprepared, but at least they are, like you know, real courses...English and math and stuff. 

The Community Colleges have another great scam going as well.  They create a bunch of recreational courses and get the state to pay for them.  Here are some examples of where your tax dollars are going. 

•Stress Management (Maricopa; 2 credits)
•Sculpture for Personal Development (Pima; 2 credits)
•Men in Transition (Maricopa; 2 credits)
•Rich Dad Poor Dad: Secrets to Personal Financial Wealth (Pima; 2 credits)
•Quilting – eight sections (EAC; 2 credits)
•Flower Essences (Maricopa; 1 credit)
•Mystery Dinner Theater (CAC; 0.5 credit)
•Aromatherapy (Maricopa; 1 credit)
•Phoenix Zoo Lights (CAC; 0.5 credit)
•Raft the Grand Canyon (CAC; 2 credits)
•Personal Spiritual Development (Maricopa; 2 credits)
•Developing Self Esteem (Pima; 2 credits)

Men in Transition?  I should take that.  I've been in a mid-life crisis since high school. 

These courses seem harmless, after all, they only chew up a few million dollars of the state's education budget each year.  But these course offerings act as a distraction.  Students often use  the Community College as a springboard to the Universities.  Community College students who have taken two years of class work often discover that they only have a few classes that will transfer to a four-year program.  Sure, they are experts in Flower Essences, Quilting and Sculpture, but that doesn't get you into ASU's Business Program. 

Give me Community College Presidents who are willing to stop double charging the state for dual enrollment classes and will stop forcing taxpayers to pay for Quilting and Aromatherapy classes and I would be happy to send them to Europe every couple weeks.  The students would be better off and the state would save money. 

Absent that, maybe the Republicans in the Legislature would be willing to support Governor Napolitano's 2004 suggestion that this silly stuff be eliminated. 

Phoenix is a Great Place to Live

PhoenixSince the Republic's business columnist has spent the last 7 years telling us that Phoenix sucks, I've decided to spend some time highlighting what a great place this is.  Here's a column in the Wall Street Journal that makes some really good points. 

"Over the past 15 years, it has been opportunistic newcomers — Houston, Charlotte, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Dallas, Riverside — that have created the most new jobs and gained the most net domestic migration. In contrast there has been virtually negligible long-term net growth in jobs or positive domestic migration to places like New York, Los Angeles, Boston or the San Francisco Bay Area.

What as much as anything distinguishes elite places — what Wharton real-estate professor Joe Gyourko calls "the superstar cities" — are their absurdly high real-estate prices. New York, Boston, San Francisco and Los Angeles have long been more expensive than, say, Dallas, Houston or Phoenix — but in recent years the difference in price, he calculates, has increased beyond all reason. San Francisco prices since 1950, for example, have grown at twice the national rate for the 50 largest metropolitan areas."

Clean Elections in the News

Tim Keller, Director of the Institute for Justice, has an interesting OP ED in the San Francisco Chronicle. 

In a free society, the government's job in elections is to ensure equal access to the polls, not equal access to campaign money. But Arizona's public-financing scheme tries to do just that and burdens free speech along the way. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco heard arguments last week to decide the constitutionality of Arizona's program.  Read the whole thing.

Maybe I'm just missing it, but I haven't seen any coverage of this case in the Arizona papers.  Why do I have to read California papers in order to get coverage of the challenge to Arizona's Clean Elections Statute?

A Headline McCain Doesn't Want to See

Keating Endorses John McCain

This headline showed up in Google News and my heart skipped a beat.  Turns out that it's Frank Keating, the former Governor of Oklahoma.  Whew.  I thought it was, you know, the other guy. 

Really Good References

New_jd_pic_2006J.D. Hayworth will be filling in for Laura Ingraham on her nationally syndicated radio show on Monday.  The show is heard locally on KKNT 960 from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM. 

Political junkies are paying close attention to see if JD lands a big time media gig, and a couple dozen would-be Congressmen are keeping their fingers crossed and hoping that JD gets such a good job that he won't be tempted to try to regain his old seat. 

Don't be surprised if you hear a call like this.

Hayworth:  "Let's open up the phones.  On the line we have David from Fountain Hills, good morning David, you are on the air.  How are you?"

David:  "More importantly how are you Mr. Hayworth, I just wanted to say what a great host you are.  This is a truly fascinating show about about the impacts of wind farms on the migratory patterns of geese.  I think Ms. Ingraham should hire you as a permanent side kick...kind of like Ed McMahon or Tonto."

Hayworth:  "Thanks David...gosh his voice sounded familiar...next we have Matt from Mesa."

Matt:  "Well JD, I live in Mesa now, but I've been thinking that District 5..I mean Scottsdale, is a really a nice place so I'll probably be moving to a Ward, I mean neighborhood there.  I just want to say that you are doing a great job.  You've got a lot of talent.  How's the negotiations with Fox going?  If you need me to make a call or two, I'd be happy to help." 

You get the picture.   

Truth in Labeling

Labeling_1Why does the media insist on labeling politicians?  And more importantly why can't they label them honestly?

Here's a great example from an Associated Press Profile of former Congressman Jim Kolbe.  The article appeared in the Tucson Citizen.

Kolbe, a moderate on social issues and a fiscal conservative, a Vietnam veteran and the second Republican in Congress to declare himself gay, was an expert on trade issues who held sway in a closely split swing district time and again - first the 5th District, later reconfigured as the 8th.

Really?  I volunteered for Kolbe's 1984 campaign and I've worked with him over the years.  I have friends and clients who say that he is wonderful.  But does anyone really think that Kolbe's a social moderate and a fiscal conservative?

Kolbe is openly gay, supports gay marriage and abortion rights.  He believes that legalization of gay marriage is inevitable.  Can that be described as socially moderate?  What would a social liberal look like?

On fiscal issues, Kolbe held one of 12 Sub-Appropriations Chairmanships in the House, making him one of the legendary 12 Cardinals.  That's a very powerful position and gives him the ability to spend money freely.  Many have argued that Congressional Republicans abandoned any semblance of fiscal responsibility when they took over Congress.  The men most responsible for the spending culture were the Cardinals.  Kolbe can not be described as a fiscal conservative. 

Why would the Tucson Citizen use an Associated Press writer to provide a profile of a Tucson Congressman?  And why would the writer mislabel Kolbe so badly? 

Chris Warner has Passed Away

During my tenure at RUCO,Chris Warner a long time political and environmental activist, served as a member of the RUCO advisory board.  We met monthly for a year or so, and I really enjoyed getting to know him. 

I'm sad to say that Chris has passed away.  He had suffered from heart disease but was doing well.  Chris apparently died in his sleep this morning.  He had just returned from a three day ski trip, went to bed, and never awakened. 

Chris's mother Carolyn Warner served as the Superintendent of Public Instruction and was nearly elected Governor in 1986.  Chris created Earth 911 and it was featured on the back cover of Time magazine, expanded that to Pets 911 and then with same technology did Amber Alert.   Chris was 49 --

Phoenix, Second Best Job Market Nationally

Folks ask me why I'm so critical of Jon Talton.  The reason is pretty simple, Talton is the Business Columnist at the Republic, but he seems to hate business and he's down on Arizona...especially Phoenix and most especially downtown Phoenix.    I don't expect the business columnist to be a Chamber of Commerce cheerleader.  But I tire of reading the same three columns about Phoenix being so terrible while San Diego and Denver are so great. 

So are we idiots for living here?  Talton never seems to mention articles like this one.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Raleigh, North Carolina, topped the list of the best U.S. cities for getting a job, according to an annual survey released on Friday by Forbes.com.

Among U.S. states, Florida is home to the most cities among the top 25 best spots for job opportunities, with Jacksonville at No. 3 and Orlando at No. 4 as well as Fort Lauderdale, Sarasota, Tampa and West Palm Beach, Forbes said.

Rounding out the top five cities were Phoenix in second place and Washington, D.C., in fifth place, Forbes said. The U.S. capital was No. 1 in the previous year's list.

McCain on the Home Front

From the New York Times.

SURPRISE, Ariz., Feb. 13 — The chairman of the local Republican Party here in the most populous county in Arizona has in his possession a bright yellow button with a black line slashed through the name McCain.

“I don’t wear it out very often,” said the chairman, Lyle Tuttle of the Maricopa County Republican Committee, in a slightly sheepish coda to a 20-minute vituperation about the state’s senior senator, served up from his living room chair.

“I think those who do not support Senator McCain,” Mr. Tuttle continued, “if they could just get the word out and help people to understand what has happened with him, we could have an impact.”

If you are wondering why conservatives are unhappy with McCain, here's a pretty good summary. 

They have been angered by Mr. McCain’s opposition to tax cuts backed by the White House; by his immigration position, which places him on a collision course with other Republicans; by his moves to close a loophole on gun purchases; and by his vote for the fetal stem cell research bill.

Republic: Listing to Port and Taking on Water

Sinking_ship_2Defections continue at the Republic.  Now, Washington corespondent Billy House has resigned.  He's taking a job as the DC reporter for a Tampa Paper.  I can guarantee that there will be no tears shed for Mr. House's departure among the Congressional delegation.

So let's review.  In the last six months, Chip and Robbie left for big time PR jobs.  Jon Kamman* has retired, and now Billy House is gone. 

This is the latest in a string of bad news for the Republic.  The cost of paper is rising, revenue from advertising is falling.  The distribution area is getting larger while the circulation is getting smaller.  The cheaper newsprint isn't working.  Morale has suffered as everyone has been asked to reapply for their jobs.  Management has organized the paper along "Information Centers" including for example "Community Conversations." 

I used to think that guys like Jon Talton would eventually be forced to leave the paper.  I've decided that the opposite is true.  Soon Jon Talton, Steve Benson and the current management will be the only ones left.

Actually, Talton is unlikely to survive the latest shake up.  There are only three columnist positions in the new structure.  That leaves Montini, Lauri Roberts, Richard Reulas, Talton and Clay Thompson vying for three slots.  When the music stops, it looks to me like Talton won't manage to snag a chair.   The columnist who doesn't make the cut isn't necessarily out the door.  He or she could take a reporting position, but would likely only get a reporter's salary and it would be hard for Talton to recirculate the same three "Phoenix Sucks; Move to Denver" stories.

Resa13s98ahab44 *Kamman will be remembered for his Ahab like obsession with Congressman Bob Stump.  Kamman hounded Stump with a ludicrous investigation and series of stories about Stump's residency.  The stories went nowhere.  Kamman followed it up with unfounded allegations after Stump's death. 

Stump, who served as President of the State Senate and went on to become the Dean of Arizona's Congressional delegation, is remembered fondly by all.  Kamman will soon be forgotten. 

(P.S.  The ship in the top picture is sinking because it tilted too far to the left.  If you were wondering if my choice was intentional, you need wonder no more.)

Agency Backs off Plan To Dump Preschool For the Blind

The Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind has abandoned its plan to discontinue funding the preschool classes run by the Foundation for Blind Children. 

The Republic has good coverage here.  The article finally makes it clear that it was the AGENCY that sought the cut, not the Legislature. 

Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind reached a deal with the Foundation for Blind Children on Wednesday that keeps their partnership and their preschool program going.

Earlier this month, it appeared that the state agency would drop its funding of the program, which helps children develop motor skills.

But the agency now has promised the private foundation that it will find $1.1 million to keep the program going, said Mark Dewane, the foundation's board chairman.

"They assured us that they've already got the money in their budget," Dewane said.

He and other board members accompanied the foundation's executive director, Chris Tompkins, during Wednesday's negotiations with Deaf and Blind Schools Superintendent Hal Hoff.

The discussions were intended to clear the air and rebuild lines of communication that had deteriorated between the agency and the foundation, which have collaborated for three decades.

The relationship grew especially strained when the foundation learned that Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind had asked the Legislature and the Governor's Office to drop the preschool funding.

Starting at the Top

I'm blogging from the Scottsdale public library.  There's a transient at the table next to me and she's totally engrossed in a book.  I was curious to see what could be so interesting, so I glanced as I walked by...it's Six-Figure Consultant by Robert Bly.  Only in America.

Len Munsil's Back in the Arena

Len20munsil

Len Munsil has stepped back into the policy Arena.  He's blogging again and has formed a PAC.  A PAC?  Not a 527? Or a secret charity?  Wow, that means that unlike certain folks, Munsil will be disclosing his contributors. 

Today, on Arizona’s 95th anniversary of Statehood, and exactly one year after I entered the race for Governor of Arizona, the journey continues!

Today I have filed papers with the Secretary of State and am announcing the formation of a new Arizona political action committee, PRO-PAC, that will work to advance the Reagan Republican principles I fought for in my campaign for Governor.

PRO stands for “Principled Reaganesque Outcomes” – and that is exactly what we will be fighting for through this political action committee.

We have been watching as a Governor who won re- election based on conservative principles – as a tax cutter who was tough on border security – has quickly abandoned those principles. She has gone back to ignoring border security while proposing huge new expansions of Arizona government that will lead inevitably to tax increases.

We need to begin now to oppose this liberal agenda and to prepare for the next elections, and we need your help to do it!

That is why I have started and will serve as Chairman of this new political committee!

Reagan Republican principles of limited government, lower taxes, a tough approach to crime and border security, strengthening the family and protecting life – these are still the values that resonate with our people.

How do we know this? First, as already noted, Gov. Napolitano had to present herself as a champion of conservative principles to win. Second, she was able to do this because Arizona’s taxpayer funded election system did not provide us with the financial resources to reach vast numbers of voters with our conservative message and her liberal record.

Post-election polling made it clear that we lost the election for reasons completely unrelated to our Reagan conservative message. And they also revealed that our lack of funding meant that, even on Election Day, many Arizona voters had no idea who I was.

In that scenario, a well-known incumbent supported by the liberal media, and running in a year of national antagonism toward Republicans, had an insurmountable advantage.

Despite those trends, THANKS TO YOU we ran one of the strongest grassroots campaigns in Arizona history, pulling off a shocking upset in the Republican primary and making a strong uphill effort against the national tides working in favor of Democrats.

More than half-a-million Arizonans voted for our campaign. Thousands of you made phone calls, put up signs and provided financial support.

We can’t quit now! I’ve been fighting for common sense conservative principles in public policy for more than 20 years, and I’m not about to stop now!

In the last few elections many of us have noticed a gap in timely financial support from outside groups for Republican candidates. We intend to fill that gap.

I hope you will decide today to help me continue this fight for our values by financially supporting PRO- PAC! You can help us hit the ground running by sending a generous donation to PRO-PAC at this address:

PRO-PAC
6501 E. Greenway, Suite 103, #617
Scottsdale, AZ 85254

Blind Preschool Update

The Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind will announce today that it has reconsidered its decision to discontinue its relationship with the Foundation for Blind Children.  ASDB will use existing funds to allow the Foundation to continue the nationally recognized Cooperative Preschool program. 

Say Cheese

If you want to see where the newspaper industry will be in five years, look at the film industry now. 

Filmsign1On the eve of Kodak's big investors meeting in New York City, a new report out of Britain says the photo giant may get rid of it's film business completely.

Kodak anounced last week that it was laying off over 25,000 workers.  This week it added another 3,000 to the list.  Kodak has 80% fewer employees than it did in the 1980s. 

Digital cameras have made film obsolete in the same way that the internet has made newspapers obsolete.  People are taking more pictures than ever, they just aren't using film.  Likewise, people are still reading about politics, sports and entertainment, placing classified ads and attending movies, but they don't use newspapers to accomplish these tasks.

You may have seen the news that the world's oldest newspaper is going digital.

The newspaper, founded in 1645 by Sweden's Queen Kristina, became a Web-only publication on Jan. 1. It's a fate, many ink-stained writers and readers fear, that may await many of the world's most venerable journals.

Of course you saw it.  It was on Drudge.  More people read Drudge than read the New York Times.  And speaking of the Times, you probably saw this on Drudge too. The New York Times is collapsing faster than Kodak. 

New York Times owner, chairman and publisher Arthur Sulzberger says he doesn't know and doesn't care whether he'll still be printing the paper in five years.

The New York Times is conceding that the physical distribution model is over.  The Arizona Republic can't be far behind.  After all, the Phoenix metro area expands every day and the Republic circulation shrinks everyday, eventually there will be a cross over point that makes the distribution system unprofitable.  Or, I should say, even more unprofitable.  The Republic's switch to cheaper paper has been a disaster.  The quality is awful; you have to put weights on the corners in order to read the dang thing and it's gumming up the presses. 

DiscoveryNewpapermen will argue that Kodak collapsed because no one uses their product.  They still take pictures, but they don't use film.  They argue that readers may no longer want the print edition, but they still want news and someone has to collect it.  Reporters will have jobs but their product will appear in on the website.  Fair enough. 

But if you were starting an On-line newspaper, would you build a big building downtown an hire thousands of people?  Of course not.  On-line readers don't care if everyone works in the same building.  The entire structure of the news industry was designed to create a physical product.  That product is gone and there is no reason to believe that the structure will convert to the net.  Contrary to what the newspaper men will tell you, the reporter's job will undergo as much change as the industry itself. 

Here's a great example.  The Republic moved Dan Nowicki to the McCain beat.  That's great.  But I noticed this interesting blurb on a blog called Powerline.

Phil Boas has accorded us the honor of breaking the news to the blogging world that the Arizona Republic (of which Phil is the deputy editorial page editor) has rolled out the new blog McCain Central. The site is now covering Senator McCain's run for the White House 24/7. It’s written by national reporter Dan Nowicki, who will be going on the road with Senator McCain when the campaign heats up.

Why would the Republic's Editorial Page Editor plug the Republic's blog on a blog called Powerline?  Because Phil Boas is a genius.  Boas gets it. It may seem odd to you that Boas is promoting the Republic's new website on a blog, but Powerline has many more readers and much more influence than the Republic.  Boas scored a serious coup by getting the guys from Powerline to promote McCain Central.  Oh yeah, by the way, Powerline is written by three guys...in their spare time. 

That's the model.     The internet reader doesn't care if his next click takes him to an author from the same company; he doesn't care if the next writer is in the same building or the same country.   The Newspapers of the future will eventually be crafted by thousands of authors and you will simply bookmark them as favorites, or find an agregator like Drudge or Instapundit.

That's what journalist of the future will look like.   Like the guys from Powerline, future authors will be more talented than typical journalists, and they will work for free.  Future readers will create custom newspapers by picking and choosing from their favorite sites. 

Kodak is done.  It's business model was geared to offer a product that no longer exists.  The company tried to convert its work force to provide a new type of product but the structures were inherently diferent.  There is no such thing as a film expert anymore, and a film expert doesn't become a digital camera expert simply becuase both products involve pictures.

The newspaper industry is coming right behind.  There is no inherent advantage to the monolithic, 1,000 employee, downtown newspaper.  There's no need for editors when the audience can self select its own content.  There is no need for a cadre of professional journalists when more qualified authors are stepping in for free. 

The disapearance of newsprint is inevitable and foreseeable.  The disappearance of the professional journalist is more difficult to foresee, but it's just as inevitable.   Just ask someone who used to work at Kodak. 

Clean Elections in Court

Here's an important story that I didn't see in any of the Arizona papers this morning. 

"SAN FRANCISCO – Weighing free speech versus “a clean elections system,” lawyers and a federal appeals court sparred Monday over the constitutionality of an Arizona election regulation that provides public finances to underfunded candidates who campaign against richer opponents.

The Arizona Citizens Clean Election Act, adopted by voters in 1998, gives candidates who opt into the program public money to campaign. Candidates for state treasurer, for example, were given a base of $71,000 in the general election and up to three times that to match the spending of candidates who refuse to participate, attorneys said. publicly financed candidates receive and can spend no more than three times the base, while candidates who don't participate can spend as much as they want." Read the whole thing.

A House Divided

SpyThere's still some serious tension among Democrats in the State House of Representatives.  The Republic profiled Kyrsten Sinema this morning.  She's a controversial figure who once compared stay at home moms to leeches and recently sponsored a bill to outlaw the Minutemen.  It's pretty easy to find a Republican who is willing to publicly criticize her, but this comment by a fellow House Democrat is truly extraordinary. 

"Many of the rural legislators, Democrat or Republican, they find her too liberal," said Rep. Pete Rios, D-Hayden. "To some extent, that hurts her ability to be effective."

Rios said some people thought the spectacle surrounding her domestic-terrorism bill was "embarrassing to the institution," and she should not have introduced a bill if she did not want it to have a public hearing.

Wow.

If it Weren't for Bad Press They'd have No Press at All

The poor Legislature just can't get a break.  The Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind (ASDB) has decided that it no longer wants to participate in a Cooperative Preschool for Blind Children.  This is clearly an outrage and deserves the attention that it's getting. 

The ASDB is an Executive Agency; It's part of the Napolitano Administration.  The Agency has requested the elimination of the funding for Preschool for the Blind.  The Executive (Napolitano) budget has agreed to eliminate the funding.  The JLBC (Legislative) budget has also agreed to support this request from an Executive Agency. 

So who gets the blame for this travesty?  Here's a typical example of the headline.  This one is from David Madrid on the Plugged In Website.

Legislature considering eliminating funding to program for blind

I ran into the House press guy this morning and he had doused himself with gasoline and was wandering through the lobby mumbling, "Hey buddy, got a light?"

The Blind Leaving the Blind II

Preschoolphx25Last week I broke the story that the Arizona School For the Deaf and Blind (ASDB) has broken off its relationship with the Foundation for Blind Children.  The resulting budget cut will force the elimination of preschool classes for blind children. 

The story went state wide this weekend.  The Republic is all over it, and the Republic story is being picked up state wide.  Here's the story on KVOA in Tucson, as well as KOLD, and in the Citizen.

The Republic story is well done and worth reading, but it fails to emphasize an important point.  It's not the Legislature's idea to cut the funding.  It's clear from the article that the Director of the Tucson based ASDB does not want to continue the relationship with the Foundation.  The Legislature and Governor are getting the blame for the cut, but it's ASDB Director Hal Hoff who doesn't want to continue the program. 

First, Hoff makes it clear that he's not happy with the Governor, Legislature or media butting into his business.

In an e-mail statement, Hal Hoff, the superintendent for Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, said the two organizations must work out issues between themselves.

"ASDB is working with the foundation to resolve them and hopes to maintain the association for the benefit of the students in the Phoenix area," according to the e-mail.

Hoff fails to mention that it was ASDB's decision to cancel the program.  And he's quick to suggest that the school districts should pick up the program. 

If the school district elects to have another agency provide the services, they can have the state aid that is received for the student sent to the contracting agency in the form of a voucher," he wrote. "School districts have the option of contracting with FBC or any other agency to provide the services, not just ASDB."

I have two questions.  Is this program really going to be cut?  To answer that one, you have to ask another one.  Who sets the policy for teaching blind preschoolers in this state, the Governor and Legislature or Hal Hoff?

HOV Positive

Toyotaprius2003hybridcardarkblueThe Governor has decided that Hybrid cars should be able to use the carpool lane.  I'm cool with that.  Since I don't use the carpool lane I'll be happy to have the extra room. 

The Guv seems to be ignoring the fact that Hybrids get better gas mileage in the city than they do on the highway.  They are most efficient in stop-and-start traffic.  Putting Hybrids in the HOV lane actually increases fuel consumption. 

Actual carpooling, of course, creates substantial reductions in fuel consumption, emissions and traffic.  Of course as the HOV lanes get more crowded, there is less incentive for folks to make the effort to carpool. 

The Guv's move is yet another example of an idea that sounds good, gets good press and makes the problem worse.  If this idea had gone through the legislature, there would have been testimony and policy makers might have made a rational decision.  Of course the Guv made this move on her own and implemented it by Executive Order...no testimony, no notice, no input, no hearings.  You know, like the founders envisioned. 

The End of Western Civilization

I just finished America Alone by Mark Steyn. I highly recommend it.  Steyn documents European  death spiral quite effectively. 

I've done quite a bit of consulting in Egypt.  The Egyptian government has a great advertisement that they show on CNN International.  It has great pictures of the Sphinx, the Pyramids, Valley of the Kings, Luxor and ends with this tag line:  Egypt...Welcome to our Seventh Millennium. 

Cool huh?  Of course the folks who currently populate Egypt aren't the same folks who built all that stuff.  They inherited it.  We don't even know who the original Egyptians were.  We just know that they disappeared and the new guys are there now.

Steyn makes the point that Paris, London, Berlin and the rest are heading that way as well.  Europe has an unsustainable welfare regime, is economically moribund, and its citizens have stopped breeding.  By 2050, you will see a similar commercial featuring Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tour.  But it will be in Arabic. 

Here's an interesting review of the book in City Journal

Alone_1Steyn believes that demography is destiny, and he makes an immensely convincing case. He stations himself at the intersection of two curves. The downward one is the population of developed Europe and Japan, which has slipped or is slipping below what demographers call “replacement,” rapidly producing a situation where the old will far outnumber the young. The upward curve, or curves, represent the much higher birthrate in the Islamic world and among Muslim immigrants to Western societies. Anticipating Harris in a way, Steyn writes:

Why did Bosnia collapse into the worst slaughter in Europe since World War Two? In the thirty years before the meltdown, Bosnian Serbs had declined from 43 percent to 31 percent of the population, while Bosnian Muslims had increased from 26 percent to 44 percent. In a democratic age, you can’t buck demography—except through civil war. The Serbs figured that out—as other Continentals will in the years ahead: if you can’t outbreed the enemy, cull ’em. The problem that Europe faces is that Bosnia’s demographic profile is now the model for the entire continent.

New Wine in Old Skins

Here's a great example of the inherent disadvantage of print.  There is so much information On line that the writer oftentimes wants to point a reader to some thing cool.  With a blog, I can point you to something by simply providing a link.  In fact that's