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.

Visit

Jeff got an email tonight from the Democratic Party explaining how to get tickets to attend Obama's visit to Arizona (in Mesa at Dobson High School). I am thinking about trying to get a ticket despite the fact I have class that night and I missed class last week's class to a rockin' migraine. Here is what I would say (you know...if I got a ticket and I got to say something):

Mr. President,

I am one of those people who makes just enough money to be above the cut in the middle class, yet I still live paycheck to paycheck. I took a 30-year fixed loan, therefore I can pay my mortgage, yet my neighbors have foreclosed leaving me unable to sell my home or have any equity. I proudly voted for you, yet I watch as you create a stimulus package that provides little if anything for me. (Excuse the 'Legends of the Fall' allusion here) I followed all the rules, but have nothing to show--I actually have LESS, because as a teacher I am getting ready to take a serious pay cut and I am concerned about my husband's job. While I think it is silly for the GOP to talk about yet another tax cut--since how do the lower and middle class (AKA the unemployed) benefit from that?--I think it is equally silly for you to ignore a significant portion of tax-paying, struggling Americans who followed the rules. I believe there has to be accountability and companies/homeowners/etc must suffer their stupidity.

Stop ignoring me. It pissed me off during the elections (you and McCain both) and it aggravates me now!

Oh...and please start forgiving teachers, nurses, and other public officials of school debt. I mean c'mon, there is a great provision for the stimulus package.

Immigration

I don't think I would call myself a hardcore liberal (despite what some of you think) because I have issues with abortion past the first trimester, I don't believe in completely curbing gun rights, and I tend to be "fiscally conservative". One of the things that I have been pretty "on the fence" about is immigration, which is odd since I am in a border state and it is ALWAYS the hot topic and everyone has picked a side. My thoughts on the issues have changed recently, let me explain...

As a teacher it is illegal and unethical for me to ask students if they are legal citizens. My job is to educate. Period. I actually don't really think about my students' status. When talking about illegal immigration people often point out that I should be the most upset because II take up space, resources, etc. The reality is education gets more money based on numbers, legal or not.

Work aside, I used to be only mildly annoyed by IIs, but not enough to believe they should be rounded up and shown the door. I understood the argument that they were breaking the law, but was sympathetic to the lengths these people would go to support their families. I would get angry at our stupid Sheriff for rounding up anyone with a Mexican surname and asking for their papers and I was annoyed that I would have to go through three different employees to find someone who spoke English. I realize how essential IIs are to our economy, and that is OUR fault because we ALLOWED it to be that way. Realistically the only reason there has been little done regarding immigration is that there is little or no middle ground.

Well, it only takes a bit of a recession for my perspective to shift a bit. We can barely help ourselves, but we are still doing enough to help out IIs. Our health care system is falling apart and I am paying ridiculous fees for my kid when the waiting rooms are packed with colds, allergies, and minor ailments. I can't even think about selling my home because our II neighbors could not afford their mortgage and bailed to go back to Mexico.

I feel like a hypocrite. I feel like a racist. I feel apologetic.

MMMM, thoughts?

Stimulus

I am very entertained by the back and forth between parties regarding the stimulus plan Obama is trying to get passed. The GOP is raving about the money that is being spent stating that spending the money that adds to our outrageous deficit is unconscionable. But did we not rack up quite a bill in the last presidency? The GOP blaming Obama for spending is like criticizing someone for how they clean up a mess you made. Hmm, I need to find a better explanation, because I in no way believe the GOP was solely at fault for the mess we are in, though it was their president who oversaw the disaster.

I think the GOP has lost all credibility as we have watched the original bailout money go out and we all know how that ended up. Well, at least with some of it, since there wasn't a lot of accountability and there are millions (if not billions) of dollars that has gone missing.

The next time we just hand money out to greedy crooks, it should go more like this: "You give me your bills and I will write the checks for them. And because I am such a nice person, I will even pay for postage."

Wall Streed defends bonuses.