He who controls the gold, makes the rules.

In a historic first, Uncle Sam has supplanted sales, property and income taxes as the biggest source of revenue for state and local governments.

The shift shows how deeply the recession is cutting. Federal stimulus money aimed at reviving the economy and a sharp drop in tax collections have altered, at least temporarily, the traditional balance of how states, cities, counties and schools pay for their operations.

The sales tax had been the No. 1 source of state and local revenue since the mid-1970s, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Before that, property taxes were the primary source. That changed in the first three months of 2009.

Federal grants — early stimulus money plus conventional federal aid — soared 15% in the first quarter to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $437 billion, eclipsing sales taxes, which fell 2%

That’s a pretty nice revenue stream you got there, Arizona. I’d hate to see anything happen to it. I’d hate to see it disappear if you don’t do what The One asks of you.

It can’t be just me that sees this as a problem?

Like most states, Arizona is now in a bit of a financial pickle. The state is looking at a $3 Billion budget deficit, even after getting its piece of the Porkulus pie. Everything’s on the chopping block, and the Governor is now talking about increasing taxes.

What’s a good liberal to do? Why stage a rally of course! The Arizona Education Association (read: union) and the National Education Association (read: union) organized a protest against any cuts to the state’s education budget. The rally was held yesterday at the state Capitol, Yesterday was Wednesday, a school day.

Mesa school teacher Eric Stuebner said the assembled teachers, parents and students wanted to hear from the new governor.

“We want her to come out and talk to us,” said Stuebner, who teaches first grade. “We want to hear what she has to say about our rally out here.”

[Snip]

Throughout the day, teachers sporting T-shirts that said, “I am an educator, and I vote” circulated at the Capitol.

Ummmm…..who was manning the classrooms of these teachers while they were downtown? Substitute teachers perhaps? Subs whom are paid on a per day, as needed basis?

You’re at a rally trying to save the education budget because every penny is desperately needed, yet a portion of said education budget is wasted on substitute teachers so you can take the day off and go downtown. Tell me, why shouldn’t the education budget be cut if this is the kind of fiscal responsibility the school districts in this state are practicing?

Even worse yet - if substitute teachers weren’t called in, are the teachers who showed up yesterday really necessary? I mean, if they could take a day off away from their students without any impact on the children, why do they even have jobs? Clearly they’re not needed.

Drudge links to this story about student reactions to The One’s speech at their high school yesterday. Honestly I was reading it to find out more information about the student who wore the “Hitler Gave Good Speeches Too” t-shirt, but this little nugget at the end made me shoot coffee out my nose:

AP government teacher Jeff Sherrer said his students “feel very strongly about the issues, maybe more than the general population.”

DUH! Weenie.

This is an AP Government class. AP stands for “Advanced Placement”. These are the SMART kids. Of course they’re going to be more informed than the rest of the general population. They’re in AP classes - they’re smarter than the general population.

And don’t get me started on a the teacher’s use of the word “feel” in place of “think”. That’s one of my biggest pet peeves. MINI RANT ALERT! You don’t feel that inflation just spiked this morning. You think it. You analyze data, test hypothesis and make a determination.

These kids don’t feel strongly about anything in this class - they think. They discuss and debate the various political systems throughout history. They study the formation of our republic. They don’t sit around and discuss their feelings about a constitutional monarchy vs. a representative republic. They use facts and reason to discuss the differences and pros/cons of both systems.

You don’t use your emotions to determine a political opinion. If these kids are, then Jeff Sherrer’s failed as a teacher.

But what do I know? My AP Government class was first period, last semester of my senior year, taught by a football coach. Want to put money on how many of those classes I went to? I must’ve done something right though, I got a 4 on the AP exam.

Do you have a valid driver’s license? Are you attentive enough when you drive to identify traffic congestion due to construction projects? Are you comfortable telling construction workers to hurry the heck up in 110+ degree heat, without regard to life or limb? (People kinda get grouchy when it’s hot.)

Then the City of Phoenix has a job for you. For a mesely $160,000 a year, the City will pay you to drive around town and get right in the middle of construction caused traffic jams.

After scores of citizen complaints about congestion, Phoenix is moving to hire a “streets czar” to coordinate traffic projects around town.

Known officially as the deputy street transportation director, the czar will oversee every use of the public right of way, including maintenance, utility work, street widening and special events. The position pays $160,644.

The City Council recommended approval of the position this week during a policy session.

When hired, the czar will also manage two chief construction inspectors, another new position designed to alleviate construction burdens. They’ll travel along the light rail line looking for problems, ensuring as free a flow of traffic as possible.

I’d like to make $77/hour just to drive around town. I can tell people to STFU and get to work. Maybe I should get my resume ready. Hmmm.

There are days where I wonder what the hell my fellow Republicans are thinking.

Today is one of those days.

Senator McCain was successful in limiting my First Amendment right to support a political candidate or political position through his so called ‘Campaign Finance Reform’. He touted the bill as a way to clean up politics, get the special interests out blah blah blah (the same special interests he’s now embracing in his run for the White House, but I digress). With such altruistic motives, there was no way that bill WASN’T going to pass.

Republicans back here in Arizona took notice, and are aiming to do the same thing. But this time, they’re looking to the classroom. Republicans in the state legislature, under the guise of protecting our children from political indoctrination in the classroom, have introduced a bill that would punish educators for expressing politcal opinions. It’s for the children!

Classrooms should not be forums for schoolteachers and college professors to espouse political opinions, a group of lawmakers concluded Thursday.

A proposed law would prohibit any instructor in a public school or college from advocating or opposing a political candidate or one side of a social, political or cultural issue that is part of a partisan debate.

Supporters said the measure would let students disagree with instructors without fearing retribution. But college students and education advocates worry it would discourage instructors from leading discussions and debates on controversial topics.

Well this should make those Poli Sci and Economics classes rather useless, don’t you think? Even some of the brilliant Economics professors I had would have a difficult time not expressing an opinion on certain economic policies that are part of a partisan debate. We would’ve had to skip the entire discussion on the Laffer Curve and Supply Side Economics. Kinda important to the study of Economics. What would my tuition be paying for then? Stimilating discussions of the history of the dollar bill?

I can certainly understand the desire to ensure students aren’t punished for having a right of center point of view, when their proffessors offer up these little gems in class:

Troy Hyde’s ears perked up in a college class when his professor called President Bush an idiot, and he was stunned when another professor said suicide bombers are reasonable people.

But what is the purpose of the education system if not to prepare kids for real life? How is limiting an instructor’s First Amendment right to speak freely and openly about hot button political issues going to prepare my son for dealing with people he disagrees with outside of the academic setting?

I’m sure there are instructors who punish students with strong opposing opinions, but you know what? That’s life. Every day out in the real world, we are held accountable for the things we say and the things we believe. Sometimes we’re even punished for it - whether it’s passed up for a promotion, dumped by a moonbat for not agreeing Bushie’s the lefty equivalent of the Antichrist, whatever. That’s reality. Kids need to learn how to deal with it, not be sheltered from it.

And don’t even try to go down the indoctrination road with me. I know all about indoctrination - I’m a product of the California public school system. When I emerged from that education system I was so open minded my brains were falling out. Now that I’m not such a moonbat, I make sure the values and the things I believe are taught and reinforced at home. My son will be well armed against teachers who try to shove their opposing political opinions down his throat. I am responsible for preparing my son for that. Not you, not his school or his teachers and certainly not some state legislator.

Now if the Republicans in the legislature could kindly stop trying to mimic Senator McCain by restricting First Amendment rights and playing nanny to my son, I’d appreciate it. Thanks.

No, it’s not The Prom Queen’s minimum wage proposal - it’s a Do Not Call list for political campaigns.

One evening last election cycle, I received 6 phone calls from JD Hayworth supporters in an hour. The calls were all recordings of important conservatives telling me why I should vote for JD The Windbag. They clearly didn’t give a hoot about interrupting my dinner - just that The Windbag get my vote.

I’m a pleasant gal on the phone. I’m never rude to the poor call center folks, they’re just doing thier jobs. But by the time Rudy called twice I was getting a tad bitchy. Especially since I’d planned on voting for JD anyway - calling me endlessly doesn’t do any good, it just annoys me. It’s not like I can vote harder and make it count more.

Hmmm, I wonder if this had anything to do with The Windbag’s loss. Someone should look in to that.

There’s an odd stench wafting from the general direction of the ASU campus. I mean there usually is, it’s ASU (Go Wildcats!). Today, it’s absolutely wretched. It just stinks.

Oh, that’s why.

Um, not quite.

Remember those big immigration marches back in April? Well, organizers vowed to register 1,000,000 new Latino voters nationwide, using those marches as a launching point for their national campaign. They didn’t quite get there.

Nationally, organizers set a goal of registering 1 million new Latino voters by 2008, but to date have registered 146,000.

As a result, a vast Latino voter turnout that organizers hoped would send a message to political leaders on Nov. 7 probably won’t happen.

With a success rate of 14%, I’d qualify this as a failure, wouldn’t you? The spin on this failure is all over the place. Most are trying to blame the loss of momentum following the marches. Some are even trying to blame the ILLEGAL immigrants who participated in the marches.

The movement weakened, Espinoza said, because many who participated in the marches were undocumented and aren’t eligible to vote.

Wow. With a failure of this magnitude, sure must’ve been a lot of ILLEGALS at those marches.

Isn’t that just classic lefty? Blame your failure on those for whom you advocate. Glad to see nothing’s changed much since I’ve been away.

SCOTUS smacked down the 9th Circuit again - this time over turning the stay on Arizona’s photo ID rules for the November 7th election.

“The facts in these cases are hotly contested and ‘no bright line separates permissible election-related regulation from unconstitutional infringements,’ ” the Justices wrote. “Given the imminence of the election and the inadequate time to resolve the factual disputes, our action today shall of necessity allow the election to proceed without an injunction suspending the voter identification rules.”

Good guys - 1, ACLU whackjobs - 0

The Arizona Attorney General will be appealing the 9th Circuit’s stay on Arizona’s voter-ID rules.

I sure hope SCOTUS agrees to hear his appeal. Keep your fingers crossed.