California

It's no secret that I am all for allowing marriage rights to gays. When I heard that Miss California had offered her contrary opinion during the Miss USA pageant I was slightly annoyed. I was even more annoyed when I saw a clip from the pageant: Prejean starting off with a decent answer and then degenerating into a nincompoop (you are representing the USA, which encompasses all opinions, honey, learn audience sensitivity) and Perez Hilton for setting her up with a loaded question (considering he is a homosexual and apparently only satisfied with--and expecting--one answer).

My opinion of the whole situation has not improved.

I read Perez's blog on a daily basis and am sick of him picking on her. It is getting really old. However, she is doing nothing to improve her image by attaching herself to the No Offense Campaign (AKA National Organization for Marriage), who are the people who put out the Gathering Storm video that Stephen Colbert wonderfully mocked.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
The Colbert Coalition's Anti-Gay Marriage Ad
colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Gay Marriage

Now, Prejean has this. (For you lazies, her boobies are in pictures.)

Anyway, what has this world come to when a person cannot openly state that she was raised in a home that valued marriage between a man and a woman? How intolerant of us, huh? We should learn to be more open-minded of other peoples' opinions, belief systems, and lifestyles.

Oh, wait.

Cuba

Can someone explain to me why people are pissed about us lifting parts of the Cuban embargo. I mean, c'mon... I keep hearing crap about Cuban policy, etc. and no one is saying anything about China. Well, except for my boyfriend.

Tea Party

I know the Tea Party Protests are supposed to be for all types of citizens, but it is was predominantly promoted by conservatives, especially those against President Obama. If I recall correctly it was President Bush who started handing out money to bailout companies. If I recall correctly it was this first handout that was done poorly with undisclosed amounts of money going to companies who padded their personal bank accounts. I don't agree with a majority of the current bailout plans, but I do appreciate that I know how much money is going where and under what circumstances.

That said, my anger lies with the people who recklessly spent outside their means and/or who don't qualify for the bailout plans in which they are participating. (poor sentence structure, sue me--I am pissed) If Republicans tout "individual responsibility," a tenant which I embrace, then stop pointing fingers at the people attempting to pick up the pieces. I was, and continue to be, responsible and all I have to show for it is an incredible amount of tax debt.

My shit list:

• People who flipped houses. Thanks, I can't sell my house.
• Wall Street
• People who foreclosed to get a better deal.
• Mortgage companies that played the game
• Wall Street
• Those (probably Republicans) who blame Clinton for this mess. Really? I mean, how many conservative administrations have we had in thirty years and he is the only one to blame? Knock it off.
• Those (Democrats and Republicans) for enabling companies to play games (ARMs, high credit limits, etc.)
• Those who don't seem to understand that better business means weeding out the morons (General Motors).
• Mesans who don't get the concept of how beneficial a property tax would be in the face of this mess.
• Anyone who thinks they have an answer how to get us out of this mess. Knock it off Nostradamus.
• Anyone in Arizona who voted for the current State Legislature, especially Russell Pearce. In the face this disaster they are acting like sanctimonious assholes...kind of like Wall Street.
• People who solely blame Obama for this mess.
• People who solely blame W for this mess.
• The media.

I missing a lot of people. Help me out.

RIF

Litchfield is cutting 78, Peoria over 300, Gilbert 267, Scottsdale 250, Tucson (2nd largest district) approved 600, and Mesa--my district and the largest--is only starting to make cuts. The list goes on.

The East Valley Tribune wrote a distasteful article today titled "Teacher layoffs painful but not a tragedy". If there is any proof that the media is out to hurt education, this is my exhibit A. This article essentially lays blame with the school districts for creating the panic, attempting to turn the public anger on the Legislature. The poor, poor Legislature. Yeah, the guys who can't make a decision regarding the budget and are twiddling their fingers while the school districts are following the LAW and notifying employees of RIFs (reduction in force) by the LEGAL deadline. This is the Legislature that has made Arizona go from 24th to 50th in per pupil spending in the span of 30 years. This is the Legislature that contains lawmakers who are openly disgusted with educators, like Mesa's rep, Russell Pearce who this time last year considered proposing Legislatures to mandate classroom curriculum because he was concerned the classrooms were becoming breeding grounds for liberal trash.

Before you ask me why teachers don't strike. Answer: Arizona is a right to work state.

Joe

All of the sudden the metaphoric meaning behind the lyrics "I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy..." makes more sense to me. I live in Maricopa county, which means me Sheriff is Joe Arpaio. (Insert groan here because you either know where I am going with this or you can't stand the guy either.) The rest of the country looks at this guy as a quirky, entertaining, hard-ass sheriff who dreamed up the pink underwear, tent city, and green bologna. I've heard people say Arizona is lucky to have Joe. That's like saying Germany was really lucky to have Adolf Hitler because he loosened up the real estate market and created jobs. This guy is a piece of work--and mark my words, by saying this I except to be arrested soon on trumped up charges for some littering violation.

Known as "America's Toughest Sheriff", this guy also has the most innovative public relations department. He is on the evening news, literally, at least twice a week. Currently he is under investigation by the US Department of Justice and Congress for violating laws related to his immigration crackdown. Basically, Arpaio likes to round illegals in raids, arrest them, etc. and in some of those raids are actual US citizens. He doesn't see anything wrong with this. By this, I mean taking away the rights of native or naturalized citizens.

Something else Arpaio is in the news for: demanding $1 million dollars from the State for salary raises for his deputies. I'm all for paying for safety--honestly I think those men need a bonus for putting up with him--but we are in something called a recession. You'd think it takes balls to go to the legislature and make those sorts of demands, but it really doesn't. Our lawmakers l-o-v-e Arpaio. Seriously, I think they send each other Valentines and give each other massages.

This morning I tried not to throw-up my Cheerios when I read that the reality TV show Arpaio just filmed "didn't cost much money" to the Arizona taxpayer. Right near this headline: Arizona $3 Billion Deficit Looms Large for Lawmakers". WTF?

I'm pretty sure that if asked Arpaio would say that we should not scrimp at all when it comes to funding any program he dreams up because it is in the good of public safety. But what about health care, education, transportation, etc, etc?

Pope

Pope Benedict XVI went to Africa and reiteratred the church's stance against on condom use. In Africa. No condoms. Seriously. From CNN, "More than 22 million people in sub-Saharan Africa are infected with HIV, according to a 2008 UNAIDS/WHO report. Nine out of 10 children with HIV in the world live in the region, which has 11.4 million orphans because of AIDS, the report said, and 1.5 million people there died of the disease in 2007."

This guy is an idiot.

Infighting?

I read this in the paper this morning. The article alleges that Arizona's new Governor is using bullying tactics against other lawmakers in her own party. Well, I ask the Arizona legislatures: How do you like it? For years, this mainly Republican group has bullied and ignored constituents and lawmakers from different parties. What are these lawmakers upset about? Brewer taking federal monies for childcare subsidies. Yeah, taking money made available for daycare costs for (how do I say this delicately?) the poor. If you want to know how "un-liberal" I can be, here you go. I do not like the direction we are going to be a welfare state, HOWEVER this money is provided to people who are WORKING--as in contributing to the system. How can we possibly rebuild the infrastructure of this country if people cannot work due to daycare? Also, what kind of care will be provided if children are not placed in proper care? The daycares that participate in the state programs are ones that are monitored by the state, which means proper ratios, clean environments, decent nutrition, etc.

On a side not, as part of my current graduate program I am taking a class called "Publicity and Politics of Administration". I've only been to one class and I am already pissed. I know I sound really naive, but... Do you know how often your representatives votes against the wishes of their constituents? Do you know how often legislatures vote as a "favor" for a deal they made with another lawmaker? Do you know how often these people votes contrary to what they promised while they campaigned? Um, a lot. The main focus of this class is to discuss the ins and outs of Arizona lawmaking so we are more informed administrators and citizens. It is also providing a different perspective when I read articles like the one above.