Hello,
The past week of violence is not an anomaly. It is the direct result of the words and deeds-direct and indirect-of politicians and their amoral advisers. Without being dramatic or conspiratorial about it, there are tendrils of hate that have been wrapped in the trappings of many campaigns, twined around national policies, and fertilized by the venom of the President. Leading with twitterized code words-often incoherent to rational examination-and adding lies and smears offered by candidate's media blasts, the climate created has led to murders, attacks, and not-so-random acts of physical and emotional violence. While there has always been white supremacy, racism, and jew-hating in America, it has been underground or muted for the most part. The ascent of Trump has opened the crypt.
For many of us there is a sense of incredulity of what is taking place in our country. Events cascade weekly eliciting outrage, dismay, and fear. Arizona is certainly not immune; witness desperate Martha McSally accusing Kristen Sinema of treason! It is those kinds of statements that encourage the weak and deluded, the extremist and racist, and the haters.
The only way to combat the tendency toward paralysis in the firehose of information and events is to get/be active. Do something. Speak out. Check out the Red for Ed suggestions below for a place to start.
Off the soapbox....I've decided not to run for the board of the Bisbee Radio Project. I've thought about this organization a lot in the past months and attended many meetings. I highly value the BRP because of what it does as a community asset, and more, the wonderful things that could be done. BRP has not even begun approaching the potential it has. The Royale could be a cash cow if run right, and could fund much worthwhile community and radio stuff without becoming a 'commercial' thing. I've also kind of took an inventory about my current commitments, home life, our business and work as well as my age/energy. With all that in mind, I don't feel I have the tenacity and vitality now to help in the way I would like.
However I encourage you to help out with the task of rebuilding and building this solid community organization. If you have some financial savvy, or know-how of running an event/nightclub/community center, or non-profit board experience your expertise is sorely needed. Board nomination deadline is Nov 1. There are differing terms so it is not a long commitment.
fred
COUNCIL AGENDATUESDAY 10/30 6:00 PMSpecial Session
Background here:
http://bisbeeaz.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10302018-274
Of interest: The Jon Sky saga once again before the council to ask to buy part of a parking space. The recommendation by the fire dept. is for the fire hydrant to be moved across the street
THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WILL BE DISCUSSED AND/OR CONSIDERED AT THIS MEETING:
1. Discussion and Possible Approval of Ordinance O-18-09; Authorizing the sale and transfer of City Property located near 429D Laundry Hill.
Paul Esparza, Planning Manager
ELECTION
ARIZONA BLUE BUT CONFUSED? I recently read a succinct analysis of electoral politics that applies here. The statement was made by a black female, Stacy Adams, the first to run for Governor of Georgia and she applied it to Georgia. I'm stealing it. Arizona isn't red or purple, it's blue and confused. “My job is not to worry about the Republicans. They are going to try to out-Trump each other and prove who can be more xenophobic and more pro-gun. That’s not my narrative.” She also thinks, in an era when Americans are hungry for authenticity in politics, there’s no substitute for telegraphing values of her own. “There’s no one who’s going to convince me that reproductive access should not exist. That civil rights are a danger. They’re never going to convince me that I should not stand up for labor unions. Those are ideological beliefs that I hold." Ahhhh the breath of fresh air comes wafting through.
LATEST FORECAST OF EVERY RACE
538 generally has some of the most sophisticated software for polling analysis. They weight various factors including the track record of the polling outfits they summarize. If their analysis holds up it bodes well for democrats who they say have an overall 80% (about 6 in 7) chance of winning the House. They also have the Repugnicans favored to win the Senate by about 6 to 1 (80%) Many factors can change these forecasts but it is heartening.
In Arizona they have Kirkpatrick as a fave to win 55-45%. They also have Il Duce favored by the same margin. They have Sinema up 50-47% over McSally. For their process in the AZ Senate race, go here: https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2018-midterm-election-forecast/senate/arizona/
For the latest forecasts for every house, senate, gov race in the nation go here:
YOU CAN HELP! (BESIDES VOTING NO ON 305)
Save Our Schools has put out an enormous amount of info about the negative effects of proposition 305, the charter school giveaway. A no vote would put a ruler slap on the fingers of the Repugnican legislators who passed this odious legislation. Here are some of the way you could get involved.
10 ways you can help get out the vote for #NoProp305:
Put up yard signs at your house, in your neighborhood, or in a highly visible public right-of-way.
Paint your car with a #NoProp305 message like this one. (Easy-to-use car paint markers are available at craft stores and auto parts stores.)
Text 10 friends to remind them to vote.
Forward this email to 10 friends.
Join a canvass near you to talk to your neighbors about #NoProp305.
Phone bank from anywhere you can make calls, including your couch!
Print copies of our downloadable flyer and pass it out to neighbors. Want to boost the fun? Walk your neighborhood on Wednesday night with flyers to turn trick-or-treat into “canvass-or-treat”!
Donate $10 to help us reach Arizonans who haven’t voted yet.
Plan to stand near a polling place with No on 305 signs on Election Day!
What happens on November 6th will be decided by what we do now. Reaching as many voters as possible from now through Election Day to tell them about #NoProp305 is absolutely critical to keeping hundreds of millions of dollars in our public schools. And it will take all of us to score this #NoProp305 win for our kids, our schools and our state.
SHEDDING LIGHT ON PROP 127 (vote Yes!)
A New Yorker piece on the dough behind Prop 127. hint think APS.
EVERYTHING ELSE
AAHH THE TAX SCHEMES OF THE RICH AND NOT SO. Check this out for how to double dip on taxes for donations to private schools. It is not just greed-although these folks can't seem to get enough, but a vision of a privatized nation with a minimum of public good. http://thehill.com/opinion/finance/403065-irs-was-right-to-include-private-school-credits-in-new-SALT-regulations
SHOUT-THREATEN-PUNISH; THE ACQUISITION OF MONEY
This article doesn't touch the cultural/white nationalism aspects of Trump, but outlines very straightforwardly how he operates in the economic world. It is one of the most interesting explanations of how Trump uses tariffs and sanctions to supposedly seal deals. Many explanations of Trump behavior don't understand his love of, and glorification of, the chase of, acquiring money; it galvanizes everything he does economically. It is this that underpins every economic decision made. Like many billionaires he, and they, will never have enough money. These are the true junkies of the world
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/aug/19/trump-money-wars-economic-sanctions-trade-tariffs-backfiring?utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=GU+Today+USA+-+Collections+2017&utm_term=283779&subid=20881720&CMP=GT_US_collection
"In sanctioning foreign states, Trump typically acts without prior notice or any attempt at serious negotiation. His modus operandi is becoming familiar: shout – threaten – punish. Then comes a supposedly magnanimous offer to talk one-on-one, as happened with North Korea and the EU.
Trump uses real or confected public expressions of personal anger to soften up opponents and rally his electoral base to his latest cause. Then, like the lifelong capitalist he is, he hits his targets where he thinks it hurts most: in the pocket. After all, foreign wars are expensive and usually end badly. Better to follow the money.
Using this as a weapon makes ultimate sense to Trump. In his experience as a property developer and entrepreneur, money really does make the world go round. For him, the world is simply one big marketplace, where cash is king. He aims to make a deal, not a difference.
The president’s dollars-and-cents approach reflects the America that raised him...."
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT AND HIS UNBUILT PROJECTS
For me, the buildings that really resonate for their form and function are those created by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. I stumbled upon this site and perhaps you to will enjoy this 3-D rendering of his unbuilt projects. Butterfly bridge, paen to automobiles, some of the fantastic drawings brought to virtual reality. It really is a gas. Go to this site and then go to the page Happy Birthday Mr. Wright.