Call it by it's real name, "Earned Benefits Program"

Social Security and Medicare are earned benefits, paid for with our payroll taxes.  We paid for them at the same time we got our pay checks.  Don't be mislead or felt to think it is welfare or some kind of government giveaway.  

This constant push to "privatize" or "voucher" the system and change benefit ages, do away with cost of living adjustments or otherwise pull off some way to restrict corporate contributions just doesn't wash.  Of course big money donations from secret contributors to the GOP are looking for ways to make more money, fatten their "bottom line".  One of those would be making changes to Social Security and Medicare employer payroll taxes.

A wedge is attempting to be built pitting older generations against younger ones and trying to convince our grand kids to settle for less than what they deserve, which is a secure retirement that they earn through their work.

Every effort to curtail the onward existence of Social Security comes with the pitch to younger people, "it won't be there when you are ready to retire".   AND they are absolutely right if the Republicans in Congress have their way with their proposed changes.  The Republicans have been at it so long very few working people believe them.  Just ask any person on wages, when was the last time the GOP proposed enhancements to Social Security or Medicare?  When was the last time Republicans voted to increase the minimum wage?

The question, if so many people recognize and understand that by not increasing the minimum wage (most propose to $10.10 an hour) it is draining state and federal poverty programs keeping full time workers incomes so low they can't even support themselves let alone a child or a family, why is the Republican opposition so furious?  Do the Republicans really want people on "the dole" instead of working for wages not receiving government assistance?

The key, the GOP money backers don't like the matching payroll taxes associated with higher wages. 

Originally "the dole" was considered a government program for the unemployed, today the Republicans think any government program directed to combat poverty levels and help feed poor people such as food stamps or school free lunch programs are being wasted on people lacking initiative and just plain lazy "folk".

Of course government corporate assistance, special tax breaks, government subsidies, farm programs for corporate farms are not the dole!  Money directed to private businesses and corporate, even foreign corporations, represented by millions of dollars paid to unregulated lobbyists and front groups is not government welfare.

So what does the minimum wage have to do with Social Security and the Republican opposition?  The GOP dependence on the financial favors of a few huge campaign money machines and shadow "unconnected not for profit advocate groups" may have a little bit to do with their opposition.  How many elections would the GOP win without the dark money blasting and distorting Democrat policies and values? 

Time after time every poll and expression of public opinion supports and favors Democrat ideals and positions of issues.  Yet the confusion, and constant negative rhetoric has taken a toll on election results as in Statehouses, State Legislatures and the Halls of Congress itself. 

Changes advocated for Social Security, Medicare and opposition to lifting the minimum was all have to do with profits, the amount of money the fat cats get to keep.  Payroll taxes in the percentage of paid wages are lower with lower minimum wages, increase the minimum wage more taxes would be collected for the Social Security Trust Fund for Medicare, and maybe extending the life of the Trust Funds. 

It's the payroll taxes!  Think about it, higher pay, less people on the government dole, cut spending on government assistance programs, more chance to balance the federal budget, bring down the deficit, more money for the expanding Medicare rolls,  and protecting the earned benefits of Social Security.

Voucher out Medicare, or adopt snake oil solutions for future Social Security benefits and maintaining high corporate profits all the while pointing, yes, giving the finger to the working poor!  No solution to immigration without allowing low wage guest workers, no path to citizenship for millions living under the cover of darkness, and absolutely blocking every effort to empower people's right to vote.

All of those ideas might increase the Democrats numbers in Congress to hold back the Republican Budget offers that would revamp our Earned Benefits.

OPEN LETTER to my fellow Arizona Progressives and Liberals

Originally Published in March--Worth Repeating Again

What are you doing getting ready to throw another Democrat under the bus, found a Democrat not pure enough?   Can we afford the luxury tossing away a Congressional seat so we can demonstrate the power we exercise in the Democrat party?  Do you really think acting like the obstructionist Tea Party members of the GOP is the way to go?

Let's stop taking Congressman Barber to the woodshed every time we don't agree with him 100%.  The most powerful way to build or tear something apart is word of mouth.  You like something, tell your neighbors, your recommendation has meaning.  

When you are unhappy, even just a little bit and you go around with stinging questions and making qualified statements of support, your words will be ringing bells long after you come back into the fold.  Careful all of a sudden what you have is better than the alternative, how do you undo the damage?   Can you put your words back in the bottle?

I hear some of my friends words and they hurt deep down just as much as GOP rocker Ted Nugent calling our President Obama a "subhuman mongrel".  Words can hurt and to the casual non political observer stick in their mind.   Coming from you, your words have more meaning after all you are the main stay of the Democratic party to your friends and family.  You are sowing seeds creating destroying results that you never intended.

Talk is cheap, but to put something behind it, you need to walk the walk too. Take the Republican National Committee and their big talk about diversity, inclusion, reasonable and mainstream forms of gun regulation, sensible immigration reform. What spin, what nonsense.  Republicans have learned talk a good line, sell a bill of goods after all snake oil salesmen got away with it, why not them?

I am worried that we are failing ourselves and have become a Presidential year party.  Every four years we wake up with the political itch, fight a good fight maybe even make a few worthy gains then go into hiding not to wake up for another four years.  Our voters only see the importance of voting in Presidential years, too often they ignore the bottom of the ballot and concede many elections.  Know what, it is not enough just to win the top of the ticket.

All we have to do to see the errors in that is follow the Koch brothers around the country as they buy one election after another.  We might win the Presidential election, but who is enacting the laws, who is winning one legislative battle after another?  Don't just look at Congress, the action is taking place in state legislatures, city halls, school boards all across the country.  

The Kochs are spreading their money around in places giving them the most results for their dollars.  Look at another Congressional race in Arizona.  The talk is $963,000 against Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick in District 1.  Step back a minute, almost one million dollars in one Congressional race and the primary for the Republican nomination is months off.  That's planting a lot of crops before the neighbors even started plowing.

While lots of big money flows into Presidential campaigns, the Koch brothers are counting on making money talk in local and district races all around the country.  Governorships, Legislatures, County Commissions that's where Presidents come from.  Building up their triple AAA farm clubs, the Koch's are going to own the President's office when the likes of Governor Scott Walker move to the White House.

Progressives the question, who are we warming up in the bull pen?  You can't do it with the once every four year attitude and appearance.  

Face it the big political money is looking at the nettlesome regulations, control over state legislatures, having favors from county supervisors that are the targets of their money. Progressives we are letting them win by neglect and our involvement with pet causes losing sight of the real control and power.

Progressives we need political minor leagues, training ground for fresh new candidates, we need more action in the bull pens.  Let's work on preparations of candidates holding solid progressive values and build up for future elections.  Go a bit slower, build up more and tear down less.

Catch up time, Free at Last! Job Lock, Job Losses

May 29th Updates Available....click here

Up date with my take on where we go forward into this mid-term election year and the Affordable Care Act effects on the election.  Nothing counts if the Democrats react to this "off-year" election in their typical fashion, low interest and resulting low voter participation and predictable increase in Republicans elected to Congress.

With the gerrymandering of congressional districts and determined voter suppression efforts only a miracle could save the Democrats this election year.  Yet, the good news, President Obama's earth shaking health care program remains in tact and with another two years to go my take is it will be declared a smashing success by 2016.

Figures coming in for sign ups over 8 million at the closing of the first stage of enrollments to the Affordable Care Act.  President Obama points out "meeting expectations", hitting our estimates and proving the American people without health insurance answered the call for mandated health care.

Yet Republicans and their allies, most extremely wealthy money bags willing to spend huge amounts of money to run down the President and his accomplishments to the advantage of his political foes, broadcast not enough, it's not working and looking at the preliminary figures there is a lot to dispute.

The full story and the facts on how much of a success the new health care law actually becomes is yet to be determined.  With many of the states in control of Republican Governors and Legislatures portions of positive benefits never were enacted in a number of states.

Polls indicate wide spread disagreement exists with Obamacare, while the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has more acceptance.  The figures can be disputed, 31% opposed to the program come from people on Medicare, they got theirs and don't make any waves that might effect their health care. Misinformation on money transfers from Medicare savings are often cited and are designed to scare the elderly on Medicare about their own health care programs.

Another group listed as opposed to the Affordable Care Act are those people actually in favor of national health care but with a "single-payer" such as in Canada, the UK and most of the industrial world.  Some 28% say the Act doesn't go far enough!

Eight million people have made their decision, signed up for Obamacare and one way or another are counted in the results.  BUT, that is not the final result of the Law.  Part of the Affordable Care Act included provision for young people up to the age of 26 able to remain or be put on their parents health care plans.

Another part of the Law provided for full federal funding of expansion of Medicaid programs within the states.  Also expansion of the Children's Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) has added another 3 million to the rolls of newly health insured in the United States.  This number would have been even larger had more GOP controlled state governments chosen to participate.

Two more years of enrollments, additional states accepting federal funding opportunities for expanding health care coverage in their states and more shake out of the enrollment process should definitely change the whole composition of acceptance for Obamacare.  Seniors and already insured folks noticing the benefits will slowly become boosters of the Affordable Care Act under any name and some of the same Democrat politicans and Republicans shooting arrows at President Obama will be praising him within two years of his leaving office.

(Catch up time, Free at Last!  Job Lock, Job Losses     printed in 2013)
Back on January 3 I wrote in this blog about the secret benefit of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) for early retirement.  { http://solidprogressiveview.blogspot.com/2013/12/secret-benefit-of-affordable-care-act.html }

This week, February 3 the Congressional Budget Office {CBO} put out a finding about possible 2.5 million "job losses" over the next decade as a result of the new health insurance availability law.  Shock! Shock!  Some people may take their time finding new jobs if they get laid off or their bosses down size their production lines and unemployment insurance is available while they "look" for work.

People may not be in such a hurry to find a new job with health insurance if they have the Affordable Care Act with possible government help with the premiums.  Older experienced workers won't have to crawl over to Walmart or a few other low wage employers when the years of experience and knowledge is not in demand in their local area anymore.  Taking the need for a health insurance program out of the employment picture can make the difference between desperation and pride.

People on unemployment insurance many times have to swallow a lot of pride in seeking new employment, after many years on a job stepping down to what is immediately available is hard to do.  Just take out a minute and think, would you take a demotion for whatever reason if that was your only choice?  Losing a job is even worse than taking a demotion.

This should not be news to anyone understanding the aspect of portability of health insurance.  Workers will no longer be locked into jobs simply because they will lose their health insurance if they move.  Companies will lose their hold on employees whether through retirement or just plain wishing to move on to explore new opportunities.  That was exactly the point I was attempting to make when I wrote how the ACA was giving workers new pastures to investigate or possible early retirement even  before a person becomes eligible for Medicare at age 65.

What the Congressional Budget Office is telling us is that over the next few years a couple million people many hold out jumping in to the work force while they move out of one job and seek another.  Those members of Congress {and you Libertarians) screaming about free enterprise and a free society should congratulate President Obama and his Democrats in Congress for another building block of American Freedom.

Now that the CBO confirms what we expected, OBAMACARE is even better!  Workers have the option to move on when they feel better opportunities for them exist in the employment marketplace.  The boss doesn't have a hold on a worker just because of health insurance.  Now workers are in a much better position to negotiate other aspects of their employment and may even with some less resentment become an even more productive and useful team member for their employers.

WOW, ACA puts everyone in a WIN-WIN situation!

OK. Mr. Big Mouth Liberal, What would you do?

Coming here many years ago from Oregon, a state with NO sales tax and a law against pumping your own gas it is tough to adjust. Visited Oregon a few years back and went to fill the car with gas. You know, you drive up to the pump get out and lift the noozle, punch in the grade and fill. Oh, my gosh! The end of the world, the station attendance comings rushing out. "you can't do that!", NO Self-service! Look at a new shirt, $32, wait add 9% sales tax $2.88 total cost $34.88 here in many places in Arizona. In no sales tax Oregon, unless there is a hidden discount for being senior the marked price is what you will pay at the cash register. So a friend says, alright Mr. Liberal-Progressive big mouth where would you get the money to run government, schools and such? Absolutely, don't wail about the regressive sales tax unless you can come up with something different. I always like to point out, catching the winter visitors with a few months sales tax that the rest of us pay all year is a stupid reason to punish us. When people, older, retired probably more affluent than most of us year round residents come to Arizona where do they spend the most of their dollars? Food and drugs are exempt from sales taxes, they aren't making big ticket purchases cars, furniture, household goods, clothes or gifts and presents. No, restaurants, entertainment, golf fees, keeping the autos running and what else? You know like the things around home that wear out and have to be replaced every few months or years. Even if our winter visitors, you know "snowbirds" have second homes here how often to they replace things? Services on the A/C, plumbing, minor repairs all exempt from taxation except for parts and materials. No sales tax revenue there. Here is another point driven home to me just a couple years ago. Come August and we got to get the kids back to school. Amazing they have grown, they have been plenty rough on their clothes out of school this year. Alright, shoes, and few new clothes plus the sale taxes add up for one child, but times that by three! No wonder some states offer "sales tax vacation" right before schools start. They have come to realize how much it hurts the pocket book for families. Folks that's the way it is year round for most of us. Low income and fixed income families have choices to make and it's not just which school to enroll the kids. Well, we pretty much outlined the problem. What about walking toward some solutions? Wait one more thing, throw in something about the increased costs of roads and declining gas tax revenues. We all have to get from point A to point B and low cost public transportation isn't perfected all over yet. Right nothing progressive about the sales tax on gasoline. Fees for government services are just another sales tax with a different name, auto registrations, cigarette taxes, liquor tax, gas taxes, airport fees, car licenses, drivers license, etc. All just a different dinner jacket, out to eat your finances up. Regressive Tax A tax with a rate that decreases as the taxpayer's income increases. The result of a regressive tax is that the lower-income taxpayer pays a larger percentage of his or her income in taxes than does the higher-income taxpayer. The opposite of the regressive tax is the progressive tax. With progressive taxes, such as the federal Income Tax, the effective tax rates increase as the taxpayer's income increases. Nothing Flat about the Flat Tax except it gives a nice regressive tax break to wealthy incomes. Can we agree, Government Services costs should be based on not just on the use of services, "use taxes/fees" but shared equally based on a progressive ability to pay concept such as income taxes? What about roads, police, fire, and other services related to property? Education! Such an important role in the provision of government services it is locked into the Arizona (and most other states) Constitution. Foremost education provides for value, without education incomes dimminish, employable population decreases, jobs bypass, crime rate soar and all other government costs increase. Providing for educations across the state equally should be our goal. "No child left behind" a lofty idea but hard and expensive to guarantee. Early childhood education, proven in its value, up to community college associate degree programs setting up input into the job market a more skilled work force. How to fund education, what levels of taxation and which taxes? On the state level revenues from income and sales taxes are broad based shared by everyone. A sound system of per pupil served provides a beginning base of revenue for schools. State funds for education has not been the sole source, local property taxes have also played a major role in funding education.

Worst Congress !

In 1948  President Harry Truman called the 80th Congress the "Do Nothing Congress, he campaigned for election as President and not many expected he would win.  He traved across the United States pointing out the total failures of the "80 Congress".      Against all odds In 1948, a stonewalled and exasperated President Harry Truman campaigned against the 80th "do-nothing" Congress, a gridlocked legislative body that at the time was unlike any prior Congress. But even it managed to pass more than 900 bills during its two years in office.

At this rate, the current Congress won't even get close to that number. Talk about the current Republican controled House and lack of accomplishment and for sixty-six years, six decades plus we now have a Congress with less respect, less action, less accomplishment than the Congress that President Truman campaigned against and won unexpected election in 1948.

President Obama to put it mild hasn't even scratched the surface of the discontent with the Republicans in Congress by the American people.  All of the forward movement by the Obama Administration rests in the biggest test of the American "mid-term election" of 2014.  The question is will the Democrat party and Democrats in Congress measure up to the fire of President Truman and the voters of 1948?
                                                               
Americans aren't amused.  Congress has seen historically low approval ratings in recent months with a Gallup poll finding just 9 percent of Americans thought Congress was doing a good job.  

What has become the sole rallying cry of the Republican party is Obamacare is the villian.  Just as the then Senator from Wisconsin, Joe McCarthy, found Communists in every corner of Truman Administration so have the Republicans found all the faults within the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Obamacare.

Republicans led by a really small bunch of members of their party in the House have railroaded knowing but timid members to attempt repeals of the act some fifty-five times since enactment and subsquent positive judgement by the Supreme Court of the United States.

Why is President Harry Truman important to this battle over national health care?  

On November 19, 1945, only 7 months into his presidency, Harry S. Truman sent a Presidential message to the United States Congress proposing a new national health care program. In his message, Truman argued that the federal government should play a role in health care, saying "The health of American children, like their education, should be recognized as a definite public responsibility."

No one argues defense of this country is a public responsibility, provided old age pensions through Social Security, and single-payer senior health care through Medicare and education are public matters so should  the health care of all Americans be part of that national concern.  

Liberals and Progressives sought expansion of Medicare for all Americans as an option just as some Republicans seek private involvement in Social Security as a solution to long-term funding problems.  Many for possible political advantage blame President Obama for each and every little glich on the rollout and start up of the Affordable Health Care Act.  

The next President of the United States, Democrat or Republican, will be able to pick up refine and make improvements to Obamacare and it will then become the Affordable Care Act and no doubt become the hero for the FIX.  Just as Social Security, Medicare and Federal Deposit Insurance have become mainstay, so will government involvement in national health care.

These many years later, President Dwight D. Eisenhower is know for the Federal Interstate Highway System so will President Barack H. Obama be known for beginning of national health care.  Just as the great systems of National Parks, ending slavery, the League of Nations, accepting responsibility, the buck stops here are credited to the Presidents at the time so then will proper credit be given to President Obama.

Liberals and Progressives really understand the moving forward on these fronts were paid for in total by the collective efforts of the American People and this Congress the Obstructionist Congress that completely lost touch with almost everything but massive campaign donations by the power hungry few. 
 


Don't know what to do with it?

New Face of the Arizona GOP

First do not misunderstand, I am in total agreement politicians can change their minds and become "enlightened".  They can also espouse new positions because they want to get elected, move up the political ladder and it has nothing to do with a change of mind, but just an attempt to win votes.  Take Arizona Speaker of the House, Andy Tobin,  who presides over the most backward regressive legislative body in the United States.

The legislative assembly hasn't changed much since a few years back when they passed SB 1070, a straight out anti-Latino measure.  Last year it was the Legislature where the Republican majority fought tooth and nail against bringing Affordable Health Care Act and expansion of programs of health care for hundred of thousands of adults and children in Arizona.  The some times bitter fight pitting Republican Legislators against the Republican Governor that would bring millions of dollars of U S Government revenue to Arizona in addition to health care to thousands of citizens of Arizona.

He is the House of Representative leader presiding over voter suppression legislation.   Speaker Tobin whose Republican legislative cohorts attempted to renew segregation in Arizona with a law to declare businesses could pick and choose customers according to their own personal religious views. More Republican shame for Arizona.

On one hand legislative Republicans are coming up with ways to keep minorities from excising their right to vote.  Yet on the other hand the same Republicans seeing the light and future voting trends are not wanting to menace getting migrants votes particularly Mexican voters in Arizona where there are a huge number by taking responsibility for building road blocks to the ballot.

Republican Speaker Tobin announcement to seek election over extremely competent and popular Democrat incumbent Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick probably means her reelection by an unusually united Democratic party when judged fairly on their records.   Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick a moderate leader in the Democrat Party and House Speaker Tobin the leader of the Republicans in the Legislature.

The list of Republican candidates grows as opportunist keep jumping in the race thinking their chances are good because this is a Non-Presidential election year.   State Representative Adam Kwasman serving his first term in the State House under House Speaker Tobin is also seeking Congress.  Bang, good news for the Democrats as this has opened a legislative seat for an extremely qualified retired military officer, Hollace Lyon, to win a vacant House seat for the Democrats.

Representative Kwasman no doubt catches the bug for Congress having worked so hard in the failed congressional campaign of Jesse Kelly.  Give Kwasman credit he was a king-pin in the Kelly campaign, but that doesn't give him the experience or qualifications for higher office.  Democrats should be happy that Kwasman has a big ego and supporters thinking winning one election in that Republican Legislative District makes him ready for a much larger and more diversified Congressional District.

As far as Tobin's change of heart about our neighbors to the South and his many trips to Mexico City it won't endear him to the Latino votes in Congressional District 1 or any expertise in trade relations or political experience in relations with Mexico.  No amount of campaign photos, political talk by his campaign organization can undo the harm that he has done with the minority voters in the district or with our relations with Mexico.

There are two leaders working on correcting the misconceptions that Mexicans have about the United States.  Thankfully those relations are already on the mend through the tireless efforts of Mayor Jonathan Rothschild of Tucson and his fellow Democrat Mayor of Phoenx, Greg Stanton.

The two Democrat mayors long ago starting building solid positive relations with both Northern Mexican officials and the Federal Government in Mexico City.  Understanding leading to better working relations with our next door neighbor just acknowledges the current facts about Mexico's place in the world economy.

Twenty-five percent of U. S. Citizens living abroad are living in Mexico.  In terms of purchasing power Mexico is the world's tenth largest economy and the United States main import partner at 49.9%.
Mexico enjoys the sixth largest electronics industry in the world in terms of exports.  After China it is the second largest exporter of electronics.  Since 2009 Mexico surpassed South Korea and China as the largest manufacturer of televisions and the third largest manufacturer of computers in the world.

For several years now, one out of every four consumer applicances sold in the United States were of Mexican design.  Top that off with the growing oil production where Mexico is already the sixth largest oil producer in the world.  Mexico is a leader in free trade agreements in the world and the largest exporter in Latin America with the sum of Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Uruguay and Paraguay combined.

Mexico suffers as does the United States with income disparity.  It is a persistent problem as wealth and poverty highlights many American views of Mexico.

All this new thinking on the part of a few Republican leaders won't undo the harm already planted in the Latino-Americans by past legislative actions such as SB 1070 and negative speach about the hordes invading the United States and headless bodies laying across the desert Southwest.

Go home Koch Brothers and special spoils political action pacs, others may be falling for your snake oil, but Arizona is already on the mend and looking to a brighter future with our "good neighbors to the South". (FDR March 4, 1933)


Don't know what to do with it?

Arizona Feel Like Pigs Yet?

FACT:  The simple matter is,  folks in Arizona are being closed off from the rest of the United States caged like animals in a pen or corral.

The Republicans are building walls around Arizona.  Across the Southern Border with Mexico, keep 'em out goes out the cry from almost the total Republican party, elected officials and political leadership.  Perhaps there is one voice in the Republican party to claim an open mind and willing to face facts who has almost been shut up.

FACT:  There are millions of people living in the United States that are undocumented, hiding underground and in many cases being exploited.

Just recently the 2008 Presidential Nominee of the Republican Party, the long-time senior Republican Senator, war hero and former prisoner of war was censured by the Arizona State Republican party.  Even the most non-political person has to sit back and scratch their head and wonder if the Arizona Republicans are totally insane or what?

Liberals, progressives can sit back and point our fingers, laugh and tap dance across the cowboy's roping grounds because Senator McCain is one of their own and 99% of the time on the other side of the fence.
It is no laughing matter when it comes to the fact:   That same Republican party is in total control of  Arizona State Government.

The Republican party or least a very few, a tiny portion in the Legislature control all legislative action and the purse strings.  The state budget will be rolled out, and passed and another wall built around Arizona to keep more people out.  Don't come to Arizona, you're not welcome the budget will declare.  Even tourist and their sales tax dollars seem unwelcome.  State Parks funding is cut and local citizens are coming together to volunteer and keep parks in their area open.

The Republican Legislature split over the Republican Governor's plan to expand Medicare and Arizona's own Medicaid plan, they turned a deaf ear on children in need of health care.  Even when the dollars for the expansion and restoring health care services previously offered were coming from the Federal Government, almost with NO strings attached they said no.  Thank them, the Democrats in the Legislature came to the rescue of the Republican Governor and the health care needs of the state.

Watch this!  The repayment of pulling the Republicans out of their own mess and hole, millions of dollars being build up in a political action fund by the Govenor to be used against the Democrat candidates.

But worst of all, certainly at the top of the keep'em out build a wall around the state is the rank slow destruction of Public Education in Arizona.  Give it any name you want, justify all you can, the fact is, if you don't want people to come to your state, if you want to lose your talented, educated young people offer them no employment or professional job opportunities.

The facts are the corporations and the jobs they represent will not move to a state that does not offer educated employees, skill trained workers no matter how low the wages or right to work law type benefit packages and working conditions.

Corporation leadership may first look at the offerings for their own families in what educational opportunities exist and it may play a role where they locate.   Corporate decisions may not rest in what the employees they bring with them will be offered. Just as sure as anything when the chips are down it is in their best interest to go where profits can be made and that is to locate where solid public education exists.

Corporations may offer training programs, educational benefits for employees to increase their value to the company and enhance the abilities of their work force, but that is after they have built and the location is complete.

Preschool to University offerings and the related costs will be considered.  Reduced or eliminated preschool and elementary education, the tuition costs and availability of job skill training, professional grade offerings at reasonable costs has a place at the decision table.  Consideration of where to locate is on that table and where is Arizona in the competion is the question.

Put tax gimmicks, reduced infrastructure costs, land and building incentives on the table but the wall build around the state with  a poor public school system will not secure the movement of jobs to a state.  No job opportunities for your skilled, educated, professionally trained young people and they are forced to leave their families, homes, friends and established relationships behind for places where financial opportunities do exist.

That's another fact, the wall on the Southern Arizona-Mexico border may be steel, the wall of diminished and all too costly educational opportunity is just as strong and holding people out.  Arizona needs to call on its political and business leadership, properly fund our district schools, stop forcing them to provide education on less and less money each year.   Acknowledge the important role they hold in the overall well being of our state.

Provide funding for community colleges so they are in a position to offer academic and work skills at just above free tuition.  Tuition free community college should be offered to every qualified student for the first term of their accepted enrollment.  Have a grand opening for every possible enrollee, offer them free tuition to get a taste of what is offered.

Provide funding for the Universities so they can lower tuition and offer scholarships then they can build the employees corporations want and need.   Tear down those walls of  intolerance, dry up the special favors for the few, open up funding for public endeavors so they can make the "for profits" really compete and on a more open level playing field.  Arizona stop starving your young, agressively build futures for all.