Published Saturday, November 07, 2009 in Southeast Valley Opinions of the Arizona Republic as “Sheriff’s tactics to silence foes raise Constitutional issues.”
Note: The day after I submitted this for publication (Oct. 30), KPHO broke the story that what I’m reporting here is far more widespread and that the FBI is [...]
Published Friday, September 11, 2009 in opinions of Southeast Valley community sections of the Arizona Republic as “Obama’s speech to kids reaffirms American values.” (note: the published version cut off the part starting with the Constitutional Convention reference)
“And even when you’re struggling, even when you’re discouraged, and you feel [...]
Published Saturday, August 15, 2009 in Southeast Community editions of the Arizona Republic as “Political posturing will put pox on health-care debate.”
The health-care debate has hit the Southeast Valley full force.
Rep. Jeff Flake’s town hall meeting at Chandler’s Basha High School included 1,500 people with another 500 turned away due [...]
Published as the featured op-ed on Sunday, July 26, 2009 in The East Valley Tribune’s Perspective section as “Health care reform finally on horizon.” Next week The East Valley Tribune will feature a piece by Rep. John Shadegg [...]
Details on the tax end have emerged for the state budget and we have rumors of choppy waters ahead. We need a public tsunami.
It’s a fiscal disaster for state finances long-term, even though it gets us through short-term—though even there at great cost (see [30daysinjune.blogspot.com] for impacts on [...]
A flat tax to replace our graduated progressive income tax appears to be part of the possible budget agreement between Republican Governor Jan Brewer and our Republican legislative leadership.
If revenue neutral, this would be a stealth tax increase for many Arizonans and may also undermine state finances well into the [...]
Published Friday, May 22, 2009 in Southeast Valley Opinions of the Arizona Republic as “Some ASU students becoming agents of change.”
“A great motto for all of us — find somebody to be successful for. Raise their hopes. Rise to their needs.” –President Barack Obama’s commencement address at Arizona State [...]
Published Wednesday, April 22nd in the Tucson Citizen as “Let’s set goal to reconfigure AIMS” and published Saturday, April 25th in the East Valley Community Sections of the Arizona Republic as “Flaws in AIMS test demand scrutiny and overhaul.” You may also wish [...]
A shorter version has been sent to the Arizona Republic.
Rob Robb purports today that (“Increasing state taxes no economic panacea“, April 3), “some highly careless advocates even assert that if the state had not changed tax rates, state revenues would be $2 billion [...]
Published Saturday, March 28, 2009 as “No joking: Schools need to explore immigration issues” in Southeast Valley Opinions of the Arizona Republic in all communities except Tempe where it appeared on Wednesday, April 1.
I recently was told a joke where Chinese, Mexican and American individuals were requested to bring [...]
Expanded version of letter sent to the Arizona Republic
Why is the jobless rate lower here?
Rob Robb asks this pertinent question in a March 25 column.
His argument is largely based on comparing metro area unemployment figures and finding that we [...]
As I write on political issues, I want to convey clearly with public and university audiences that while I teach at ASU, I do not speak for ASU in any of these columns in publication or on my website. It is my free speech right as a citizen and within my [...]
Published March 17, 200 9 in the Arizona Daily Star as “GOP should follow Brewer’s lead.”
One of the peculiar aspects of politics is that sometimes it takes a Republican to raise taxes .
Imagine if former Governor Janet Napolitano had called for the' [...]
This piece has been distibuted to opinion page editors statewide–and was updated and editted for a version that later appeared in the East Valley Tribune on Sunday, February 1.
The only thing missing from the budget plan from Republican Appropriation chairs Russell Pearce and John Kavanaugh is a return to ancient [...]
Published Saturday, December 27, 2008 in Opinions section of the Tempe Republic section of the Arizona Republic as “Help those in need by sponsoring a marathon runner”
Why am I running a half marathon?
I regularly bicycle 10 to 30 miles a day, but the longest I’ve ever run before this year [...]
Distributed statewide to media outlets on December 12, 2008 by the Arizona Editorial Forum as “Budget Crisis Calls for Fiscal Pragmatism.” Appeared in Tucson Citizen December 17, 2008 as “Budget crisis calls for tax hikes.”
Facing an enormous revenue shortfall, the current secretary of state and soon to be [...]
Profile of subset of initiatives published Sunday, October 12, 2008 in the East Valley Tribune as “Voters will have lots to say ‘no’ to at polls”
2008 Ballot Proposition Guide (2 page (or 1 page back to back) pdf format to download or distribute)
As first lady, Nancy Reagan used to counsel teenagers [...]
The term Commander in Chief in this country post 9/11 is often synonymous with warrior—with the public being encouraged to consider the war-leading potential of their next President.
The first debate offered a wonderful opportunity to show leadership qualities while also debunking the notion that bombing folks into oblivion or [...]
Bear Stearns in March, Freddie and Fannie Mac a few weeks ago, and now Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch fail while AIG receives an $85 billion bailout. That may just be the tip of the iceberg. In coming days we may hear plans for a trillion dollar bail out of [...]
Published Friday, September 12, 2008 in Southeast Valley Opinions of the Arizona Republic as “Flags of other lands missing from 9/11 memorial.”
Does it matter if we misrepresent history?
History isn’t simply dates and facts. History was lived, but that experience differs depending on standpoint: the conqueror or those occupied, the slave owners [...]
Published Wednesday, August 6, 2008 in the Tucson Citizen as “Taking aim at problematic assessment test” and is forthcoming in Southeast Valley Opinions of the Arizona Republic and possibly the East Valley Tribune. Image credit: Arnie Bermudez, Tucson Citizen.
Published Thursday, July 17, 2008 in Southeast Valley Opinions of the Arizona Republic as “Let’s plan development on $10-a-gallon-gas.”
Who would have 
thought a year ago that gasoline prices below $4 we’d consider a bargain? [...]
This column was published on Saturday, May 24 in the East Valley Tribune as “Wright sermonizes about an America many don’t want to know.”
The column was actually written three weeks earlier–closer to the latest Wright controversy–but as Obama appears the likely Democratic candidate, the issue will continue through the Fall. Popular perception has Tucson’s Raza Studies program [...]
Published Wednesday, May 21, 2008 in Southeast Valley Opinions of the Arizona Republic as “Ranked Choice Voting good option for a city election.”
On April 10, all four candidates for Tempe City Council received a check from Cox Communications’ Political Action Committee for $390. With a run-off election slated for May [...]
Published Wednesday, April 30, 2008 in Southeast Valley Opinions of the Arizona Republic as “ASU’s new transit policy not very eco-friendly.”
If you’re Arizona State University, how do you celebrate Earth Day?
You send out a Parking and Transit newsletter with a top story entitled, “ASU U-Pass expands to include light rail; [...]
Published Friday, April 11, 2008 in the Southeast Valley Opinions of the Arizona Republic as “Sheriff’s popularity is created by an illusion.”
Sheriff Joe Arpaio is a popular man. A November KAET (Channel 8) poll found that nearly two-thirds of voters had a positive impression of him. People equate his numerous public appearances [...]
Published April 9, 2008 in East Valley Tribune Opinions as “Iraq five years later: Finding a path out.”
April 9, 2003 turned out to be the climax of the war—the day U.S. troops entered Baghdad and the Saddam Hussein regime fell. However, challenges quickly mounted and a simplistic happy ending eludes [...]
Tempe Elementary faces significant budget challenges next year–in part related to the state budget. Now it would have been far worse if the Maintenance and Operations override had failed in November. As is, however, the district has already identified $1.3 million in cuts for this academic year–largely based on declining [...]
Published Friday, February 22, 2008 in Southeast Valley Opinions of the Arizona Republic as “Let’s see where candidates are getting funds.”
As we approach this year’s city council election we face seven candidates who want to protect neighborhoods, maintain safety, and want quality parks. There’s no bad blood from W-2’s given [...]
Endorsements can polarize, so I don’t do public ones often-but they can also help people think through important decisions–and our next President is a very important decision.
Today brings news that John Edwards is suspending his campaign, and with McCain’s victory in Florida, it’s increasingly hard seeing anyone other than Arizona’s own John McCain emerging [...]
Published Saturday, January 5, 2008 in Southeast Valley Opinions of the Arizona Republic as “SE Valley needs to be more bicycle-friendly”
It’s winter in desert, which means we’re not wilting anymore come mid-afternoon. So when’s the last time you rode a bike?
The annual Tour de Tempe was Sunday, October 28. Hundreds [...]
Published Wednesday, December 26, 2007 in Southeast Valley Opinions of the Arizona Republic as “Christians shouldn’t turn backs on the other Jesus.”
It’s fitting that recently my path crossed with Jesus.
Christmas is a time of charity, of giving to others with special attention to those less fortunate regardless of ethnicity, religion [...]
Abbreviated version published as letter to the Arizona Republic on Saturday, December 22, 2007 as “Robb’s logic needs to go step further.”
I sometimes explore with my students the origin of news stories—interest groups and think tanks are always trying to get into the news. Much of that work is well-done [...]
Send comments on proposed requirements (before Dec. 10) to highschoolgraduation@azed.gov. (see sources at end for more information)
Published Friday, Dec. 7, 2007 in Southeast Valley Opinions of the Arizona Republic as “Youths need open-ended, crtical-thinking exercises.”
Featured opinion in Thursday, Dec. 13, 2007 Tucson Citizen: “Arizona’s Big Miscalculation: Overzealous focus [...]
Published Sunday, November 18, 2007 in Perspective Section of the East Valley Tribune as “Immigration Debate: What is Preferable: Police state or political solution?”
Sen. Hillary Clinton inadvertently stepped into the mire of illegal immigration when she recently appeared to support and then back away from New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s [...]
Published Wednesday, November 14, 2007 in Southeast Valley Opinions of the Arizona Republic as “Ray served his country, but VA isn’t serving Ray at all.”
In the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, 1,500,000 military personnel have been deployed. This is the story of one, Ray, but his experience likely speaks for tens [...]
Published Friday, September 28, 2007 in East Valley Opinions of the Arizona Republic as “Ok, Kcid, it’s time to eat property tax crow.”
Did you receive that cool cartoon in the mail? You know, the one from Maricopa County Treasurer David Schweikert that includes your 2007 property tax bill.
Since April, numerous [...]
Published Saturday, September 15, 2007 in the East Valley Tribune Opinions as Man forced to choose between home, health: 2 policy changes would open options for poor.
The Census Bureau recently reported that Arizona residents living in poverty slipped from 12.6 to 12.3 percent last year. Meanwhile, those without health insurance [...]
Published Saturday, September 15, 2007 in Southeast Valley Opinions of the Arizona Republic as “Cupcake police coming to a school near you.”
Every school year brings change.
In Tempe Elementary School District this year it’s the cupcake police. Our kids [...]
Musings on some key issues (feel free to comment) and also some links to past columns–that suggest, at least sometimes, I do get it right!
General Petreaus and MoveOn.org:
MoveOn.org has received some scathing critiques for its full page ad in the New York Times [...]
Published Wednesday, August 22, 2007 in East Valley Opinions of the Arizona Republic as “School merger support hardly unanimous.”
I recently returned from my 25th high school reunion. Much has changed in a quarter century, including the school district merging with an adjoining one. My graduating class had 108 students, and [...]
Below are two articles that were published on June 2 and June 13 in the Arizona Republic. The second corrects errors in the original–something I work hard to avoid and will endeavor not to repeat in future columns.
Published June 13, 2007 in East Valley Opinions of the Arizona Republic as “Obituary for [...]
Published Wednesday, May 23, 2007 in East Valley Opinions of the Arizona Republic as “More to restitution than paying back stolen funds.”
In February in an article titled, “Make school parent group’s theft a learning experience,” I wrote about how the former treasurer at Ward Traditional Academy’s Parent Organization had embezzled [...]
Published Tuesday, May 1, 2007 in the East Valley Tribune Opinion section as “How Dems can better sell the idea of troop withdrawal” and ran below a piece by Sen. Joe Lieberman “One Choice: Stay, fight, win.” Lieberman’s piece ran initially in the Washington Post, so here’s the [...]
Published Friday, April 27, 2007 in Tempe Republic Opinions of the Arizona Republic as “We need to make sure everyone can afford housing.”
Taxes can be a vexing subject, and Dick Foreman certainly sounds vexed! (”Tempe taxpayers taxed,” April 20).
My goodness, his mother and daughter may soon be forced to moved [...]
Published Wednesday, April 11, 2007 in East Valley Opinions of the Arizona Republic as “60 simple steps could save you money, planet.”
Al Gore came to town on Monday touting the inconvenient truth that our planet is warming at an unprecedented pace due, not to natural rhythms, but human activity. It’s [...]
2007 Arizona State Legislature Updates:
We’ll start with legislation related to some past columns. However, that only touches the surface of important legislation and budget issues that the Arizona State Legislature is considering. If you have your own updates or suggested bills PLEASE post a comment to that effect–and as able [...]
Published Wednesday, March 07, 2007 in East Valley Opinions of the Arizona Republic as “Gentle Strength leaving, its creative people remain.”
In March 1998 while here for a job interview at Arizona State University, I discovered the Gentle Strength Natural Foods Cooperative. As a vegetarian, my heart quickened.
At the time, I [...]
Published Wednesday, February 21, 2007 in East Valley Opinions of the Arizona Republic as “Make school parent group’s theft a learning expeience.”
“The Queen turned crimson with fury, and, after glaring at her for a moment like a wild beast, began screaming, ‘Off with her head!’” –from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures [...]
Published Wednesday January 10, 2007 in East Valley Opinions of the Arizona Republic as “Voter Protection Act must be revisited.”
Many important policy changes that the legislature refused to address have been approved by citizen initiatives including a public funding option for candidates (1998), independent redistricting (2000), medicaid eligibility for those [...]
