31 August 2021
2-HOUR MESA CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION Last Thursday - 8/26/2021 - Marking The Return of 'The Brady Bunch'
FEDERALIST SOCIETY: Reasoned Argument: Counter to Cancel Culture, Session 2
They say they are "non-partisan" and that is hard to believe for more reasons that an argument... Here's the text provided with the uploaded video:
(* * * * * As always, the Federalist Society takes no position on particular legal or public policy issues; all expressions of opinion are those of the speaker.)
REASONED ARGUMENT: COUNTER TO CANCEL CULTURE
American Argument Prior to, During, and Following the Federalist-Antifederalist Debate
Session 2: The Declaration Of Independence: How Much Of The Declaration Is Still Largely Believed?
Featuring:
John S. Baker, Jr., Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus, Louisiana State University Law Center
Reasoned Argument Book Club will run weekly on Tuesday evenings for 13 one-hour sessions, beginning Tuesday, August 24th at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. The class is now full, but you can watch the live streams on our website and YouTube.
To counter cancel culture, we will be taking excerpts from these three books as well as others:
Our Republican Constitution, Professor Randy Barnett
Novus Ordo Seclorum, Forrest McDonald
The Ethics of Rhetoric, Richard Weaver
Law and Liberty’s Lifeblood: Reasoned, Persuasive Argument
The Republicanism of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution is the product of reasoned, persuasive argument. Over time, however, the republican rhetoric of law and liberty has been pushed aside by the language of regulation and federal power. More recently, Marxist rhetoric condemning America has erupted into the public square. The different worlds of sports, entertainment, education, media, as well as big law and large corporations seem to be singing from the same hymnal.
Condemning America and commanding—not arguing—that we should all think and speak as directed is the way of Cancel Culture. Rather than responding in kind, this Book Club offers an opportunity to refresh our understanding of the Republicanism that fueled the Founding and the Post-Civil War Amendments.
The audience for this Book Club includes not only law students and lawyers, but anyone concerned about disorder in our constitutional order. This Book Club is closer to a collection of essays, largely drawing from two books: Our Republican Constitution by Professor Randy Barnett; Novus Ordo Seclorum: The Intellectual Origins of the Constitution by Professor Forrest McDonald; and The Ethics of Rhetoric by Richard Weaver.
Professor Barnett’s book is aimed at a general, non-scholarly audience. Professor McDonald’s book goes more deeply into the intellectual richness of the Founding. Dr. Weaver's book addresses ethical and persuasive speaking and argument by analyzing particular arguments, including those of Lincoln.
Persuasive Speech—aka Rhetoric
Justice Scalia proved the power of rhetoric, classically understood. He defended the Rule of Law and Originalism, through much more than pure reason. He used, of course, analogies and memorable metaphors, e.g., “this wolf comes as a wolf.” It was his passion for truth, however, that powered his persuasiveness. The challenge, which he relished, was addressing written and oral arguments aimed at audiences steeped in relativism. For readers and listeners ranging from fans to sneering cynics, he employed humor, sarcasm, hyperbole, and (from the bench and in speeches) especially facial expressions. His purpose: to shatter their un-reflected acceptance of Progressive constitutional truisms.
Professor Baker co-taught with Justice Scalia over the entire period of the Justice’s tenure on the Supreme Court. Besides arguing constitutional cases, including twice in the Supreme Court, Baker tried over 40 felony, jury trials and countless misdemeanors as a state prosecutor prior to entering law teaching.
Baker emphasizes that one need not have the personality of a Justice Scalia in order to understand Rhetoric and to argue more persuasively. One need not even ever make formal arguments in order to realize its benefit in the most informal of exchanges with others. But everyone needs an understanding of Rhetoric in order to protect against Woke’s “Condemn and Command” rhetoric.
* * * * *
As always, the Federalist Society takes no position on particular legal or public policy issues; all expressions of opinion are those of the speaker.
NEWS FLASH > Arizona Federal Judge Vacates and Remands Navigable Waters Protection Rule
As part of ADEQ's commitment to keep you informed on federal changes regarding Waters of the U.S., we want you to be aware that a District Judge for the District of Arizona issued an order on vacating and remanding the Navigable Waters Protection Rule on Monday, Aug. 30, 2021 | Click here to view the order > The order will have the effect of setting Clean Water Act regulations in Arizona to those in place pre-2015. ADEQ will continue to follow applicable federal and state laws in its administration of the Arizona Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (AZPDES) Program and the upcoming Surface Water Protection Program. ADEQ plans to publish a list of protected surface waters in compliance with state law and to continue outreach on the rulemaking required to implement the Surface Water Protection Program. David Lelsz, Ph.D. About ADEQUnder the Environmental Quality Act of 1986, the Arizona State Legislature established the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality in 1987 as the state agency for protecting and enhancing public health and the environment of Arizona. For more information, visit azdeq.gov. |
QUESTIONS? Contact Us |
SPECIAL FEATURE POST: A Riff from Rogue Columnist Jon Talton 'How-to-Read The News' . . .Carefully, widely, and skeptically
Here ya go!
Just enough to get readers of this blog started - and a couple of clips closer to home about Superstition Vistas
August 30, 2021
How to read the news
Penelope Abernathy at the University of North Carolina has been tracking the expansion of "news deserts" in the United States — counties with no local newspapers at all, and those with only one. Even the survivors are hanging on
"U.S. newspapers lost 48 percent of their journalists between 2008 and 2018, and the losses are now accelerated by the pandemic. More than 1,800 newspapers have closed since 2004. Arizona newspaper circulation dropped by 37% between 2004 and 2019. All this is because of the collapse of the old business model because of Craig's List and self-inflicted wounds.
Many newspapers are being sucked dry by hedge-fund owners. As a result, the most experienced journalists are being pushed out. What's left are cub reporters while institutional knowledge is lost. The alternative is television news/entertainment, which is typically a shooting, an auto collision, and Heather-with-the-weather. (An honorable exception is Brahm Resnik at 12 News, a newspaper-trained newsman).
Meanwhile, a gray area of news also exists. In Phoenix, this includes Cronkite News out of ASU, KJZZ, and AZ Big Media. Flagstaff and Tucson are served by Arizona Public Media. Each of these have plusses and minuses.
This situation has profound implications for a self-governing society. Only real journalism exposes corruption, shines a light on self-serving politicians, explains complicated issues, and knits together civil society. Let's look at how to read the news — I've been a reporter, editor, and columnist for nearly four decades.
Let's look at a recent story on azfamily.com, the website of KPHO and KTVK. It's headlined, "New ADOT North-South Corridor would create traffic relief for Southeast Valley." With two reporters, the story states in part:
Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has selected a 55-mile North-South Corridor through Pinal County that would not only help relieve traffic from Phoenix to Tucson, but it would also connect areas of the Valley.
ADOT is looking to connect those who live in Queen Creek, San Tan, and the overall congestion along the I-10 to Tucson along the 55-mile stretch that would go from the US-60 and Ironwood to Eloy along the I-10.
"The purpose of the North-South Corridor study is to enhance the area’s transportation network to accommodate the current and future population and employment growth, improving access to future development and other centers of activity, improving regional mobility, providing an alternative to and reducing congestion on Interstate 10, improving north-to-south connectivity and integrating the regions transportation network," according to a press release from ADOT.
Garin Groff from ADOT says it's a big project that could take years but the effort is worth it.
"This is a big corridor. It's 55 miles, all the way from US 60 in Apache Junction down to Interstate 10 in Eloy. This is a corridor that ADOT has been studying for a number of years to improve north south connectivity as well as serve future growth in the area," says Groff. "We're looking at this corridor both for the current transportation needs and for the population growth and the growth of businesses that we expect in this area for the coming decades."
It continues on in this vein. Nowhere are some basic elements to a news story or Journalism 101 questions asked.
Who will benefit from this project besides, we're told, drivers? Experience with freeways in "the Valley" shows that speculators lock in parcels that would otherwise be worthless without the coming expressway. Also who will fund it? Is this another regressive sales-tax-funded freeway?
What are the downsides? The story contains no opposing voices, even though it appears this massive project would bring big environmental and climate-change emission consequences. Arizona is in a drought yet the story never mentions that and the huge costs of filling in this desert land with subdivisions and a freeway. Also, it never discusses induced demand, how building highways and wider highways actually makes traffic worse.
Where is this land coming from? It appears to be part of the controversial Superstition Vistas project but the reader is never told.
All of these flaws are common on news stories from most sites. . ."
6 charts on COVID-19 this summer
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Wait Wait Don't Tell Me: The City of Mesa Received $52,757,862 in May 2021 Federal American Rescue Plan Act...How Much Has Been Spent?
Just in case you missed this - and admit it you it - this is most of what happened at last Week's Mesa City Council Study Session on Thursday 08.26.2021 at 07:30 in the morning.
The Power Point Slide Presentation that took up the last half-hour of that 2-hour 'Study Session'
The Local Fiscal Recovery Funds must be obligated by December 31, 2024. A time period covering over three years is designed to provide prolonged support and recovery with the understanding that the recovery from COVID-19 will take years. The proposed options included in this report are based on input from councilmembers during our initial discussion and are designed to fit within the parameters set forth in the federal guidance. Many of these new initiatives will require additional time and resources to fully develop and deploy.
==========================================================================
Update
DETAIL:
- Food Security Initiative
- Restaurant Incubator
- Rental Assistance
- COVID-19 Vaccinations
- Broadband Subsidy Cybersecurity
File #: | 21-0869 |
Type: | Presentation | Status: | Agenda Ready |
In control: | City Council Study Session |
On agenda: | 8/26/2021 |
Title: | Hear a presentation, discuss, and provide direction on the City's proposed expenditure plan for the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. |
Attachments: | 1. Presentation, 2. Council Report |
Michael Kennington, Deputy City Manager/Chief Financial OfficerIrma Ashworth, Finance Director
A Brutal Masterpiece Blow-After-Blow: Trump-Loving Stunt Lawyering Has Consequences (Please be advised this post contains strong and explicit language)
Sidney Powell, Lin Wood, And A Bunch Of Other Trump-Loving Lawyers Hit With Sanctions In Michigan
from the these-assholes-deserve-everything-coming-to-them dept
You can't have it both ways. Powell is now being sanctioned, along with several other lawyers (including L. Lin Wood) who participated in this harmful waste of government resources. The sanctions order [PDF] is a brutal masterpiece. It runs 110 pages and it details everything wrong about Powell's actions and allegations. Someone give Judge Linda Parker a raise. . .
This is the opening paragraph, which gives the reader a pretty good idea how the rest of the order is going to run. If that reader is one of the lawyers being sanctioned, this paragraph is a swift punch to the solar plexus. Unfortunately for those particular readers, it's only the first blow in a sustained, impeccably delivered beating.
This lawsuit represents a historic and profound abuse of the judicial process. It is one thing to take on the charge of vindicating rights associated with an allegedly fraudulent election. It is another to take on the charge of deceiving a federal court and the American people into believing that rights were infringed, without regard to whether any laws or rights were in fact violated. This is what happened here. . .
> Blow after blow.
The sanctity of both the courtroom and the litigation process are preserved only when attorneys adhere to this oath and follow the rules, and only when courts impose sanctions when attorneys do not. And despite the haze of confusion, commotion, and chaos counsel intentionally attempted to create by filing this lawsuit, one thing is perfectly clear: Plaintiffs’ attorneys have scorned their oath, flouted the rules, and attempted to undermine the integrity of the judiciary along the way. . .
> This is directed at Powell and her defamation lawsuit defense:
It is not acceptable to support a lawsuit with opinions, which counsel herself claims no reasonable person would accept as fact and which were “inexact,” “exaggerate[ed],” and “hyperbole.” Nor is it acceptable to use the federal judiciary as a political forum to satisfy one’s political agenda. Such behavior by an attorney in a court of law has consequences. Although the First Amendment may allow Plaintiffs’ counsel to say what they desire on social media, in press conferences, or on television, federal courts are reserved for hearing genuine legal disputes which are well-grounded in fact and law.
> Then there's L. Lin Wood. He claims he shouldn't even be facing sanctions because he was not officially part of this lawsuit. . .
> Other attorneys trying desperately to distance themselves from this lawsuit now that it's sanctionable fare no better. Emily Newman claimed she only spent about "five hours" on the lawsuit and performed that work at home. So what? asks the court. . .
> The same goes for Gregory Rohl, whose argument that he didn't spend much time on the lawsuit completely backfires. . .
> Also sanctionable was the lawyers' refusal to dismiss the lawsuit once it had become moot. The legal theory cited isn't actually legal.
Plaintiffs’ attorneys maintain that this lawsuit was no longer moot after December 14 because three Plaintiffs subjectively believed that they had become electors. The attorneys cite no authority supporting the notion that an individual’s “[personal] opinion” that he or she is an elector is sufficient to support the legal position that the individual is in fact an elector. Of course, such a belief is contrary to how electors are appointed in Michigan.
This refusal resulted in more filings by those being sued, forcing them to expend time and money to address claims based on nothing more than speculation and a strong desire to return Trump to office. Very sanctionable. . .
> And at this point, we're only halfway through the decision. I suggest you read the whole thing, but here are a few more highlights: ..............................................................................................
> This is brief but brutal:
Plaintiffs alleged that certain acts or events violated the Michigan Election Code when, in fact, they did not.
The affidavits presented as evidence were just as garbage as the allegations:..............................
.........................................................................................................................................................
> And then there's this hysterical First Amendment argument, which is capably dismantled by the judge.
In response to the State Defendants’ supplemental brief, instead of explaining what efforts they undertook to investigate the veracity of the affidavits, Plaintiffs’ attorneys argue that they “never stated that lawyers cannot be held to account.” “Instead,” they argue, the motion to dismiss “justifies lawyers being afforded the same type of Constitutional protections as journalists,” “who . . . would lose the protection afforded to them by the Supreme Court . . . if they were ‘drawn into long court battles designed to deconstruct the accuracy of sources on which they rely.’”
Attorneys are not journalists. It therefore comes as no surprise that Plaintiffs’ attorneys fail to cite a single case suggesting that the two professions share comparable duties and responsibilities. Perhaps this confused understanding as to the job of an attorney, and what the law says about the attendant duties and obligations, is what led Plaintiffs’ counsel to simply copy and paste affidavits from prior lawsuits. Perhaps not. But what is certain is that Plaintiffs’ counsel will not escape accountability for their failure to conduct due diligence before recycling affidavits from other cases to support their pleadings here. . .
> Here's everyone that's affected by this sanction order, as listed on the Michigan attorney general's website:
Sidney Powell - Texas;
L. Lin Wood - Georgia;
Emily Newman - Virginia;
Julia Z. Haller - the District of Columbia, Maryland, New York and New Jersey;
Brandon Johnson - the District of Columbia, New York, and Nevada;
Scott Hagerstrom - Michigan;
Howard Kleinhendler - New York and New Jersey;
Gregory Rohl - Michigan; and
Stefanie Lynn Junttila - Michigan.On top of this, other lawyers engaged in similar "election fraud" lawsuits are being hit with sanctions in Colorado. And the Texas Office of the Chief Disciplinary counsel is now looking into stripping Powell of her license.
Good. Fuck these guys.
> They decided to turn a sore loser's wild ass claims into legal proceedings, relying on a choir of the converted to provide supporting "evidence."
> And they refused to back down, even when the Department of Justice itself (while still headed by Bill Barr) found no evidence of election fraud.
> They played to the base and lost.
> They catered to conspiracy theorists and Trump loyalists that coalesced in a raid of the Capitol building in hopes of preventing certification of election results -- a raid that culminated in several deaths and several hundred criminal prosecutions.
Stunt lawyering has real consequences. These attorneys will now be paying the legal fees and costs incurred by the multiple Michigan government entities that were forced to defend themselves from this baseless lawsuit.
Filed Under: elections, fraud, kraken, lin wood, sanctions, sidney powell
Companies: dominion
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'They All Wanted To Believe' . . .“It was an incredibly alluring narrative that everyone wanted to believe.”
‘Selling a promise’: what Silicon Valley learned from the fall of Theranos
The company’s collapse has changed the startup environment, but some say the industry still hasn’t faced a ‘true reckoning’
Last modified on Mon 30 Aug 2021 01.02 EDT
Changing times
When Holmes was rising to power, tech companies were still seen as innovators that were largely benefiting society, said O’Mara. Bolstered by organizers’ use of technology platforms in events like the Arab spring and Occupy Wall Street, there was an overarching narrative that Silicon Valley was connecting the world and promoting democracy.
“This was a time when companies could say they were making the world a better place and most people believed them,” O’Mara said.
Startups from an array of industries were able to hop on Silicon Valley’s hype train, adopting its ethos of “move fast and break things”. Theranos was primarily a medical device company, while WeWork – another industry darling – was at its core real estate firm selling office space.
A decade later, the startup environment has decidedly changed. Revelations like the Cambridge Analytica scandal have eroded trust in big tech. Legislators and the public are increasingly questioning the monopoly power some major tech companies hold. Social platforms were largely blamed for the rise of Donald Trump and his stunning victory in the 2016 election.
“That’s when the whole conversation around social media and more broadly the tech sector started turning sideways,” O’Mara said. “There started to be more skepticism about what exactly these companies were promising.”
. . .“Healthy skepticism has evolved into complete mistrust,”
. . .The outcome of the case will be huge for startup culture, Carreyrou, the journalist, said. “There has long been a culture of faking it until you make it in Silicon Valley, and Holmes is a product of that culture,” he said.
“To reform that – to change Silicon Valley – it is going to take a conviction.”
TAKE THE TIME TO READ THE DETAILS > https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/aug/30/elizabeth-holmes-trial-theranos-silicon-valley
EYE ON GOVERNMENT: City of Mesa Housing & Community Development Board
Government » Advisory Boards & Committees
Housing & Community Development Advisory Board
6:00 PM
City Council Chambers - Lower Level
57 E. First Street, Mesa, AZ
The next Housing and Community Development Advisory Board meeting will be held on Thursday, Sept 2, 2021 at 6:00 pm.
Meeting Date | Document Title | Meeting Type | Document Type | |
---|---|---|---|---|
5/6/2021 | May 6, 2021 Agenda | Regular | Agendas | |
5/6/2021 | May 6, 2021 Results | Regular | Results |
Board Members
Role: | Board Member: | Date Appointed: | Term Expires: |
---|---|---|---|
Chair - Community Rep | Johanna Richards | 07/03/18 | 06/30/21 |
Vice-Chair - Community Rep | Mara Benson | 07/01/19 | 06/30/22 |
Manufactured Housing Rep | Susan Brenton | 08/16/18 | 06/30/21 |
Financial Rep | Derek Brosemann | 07/01/19 | 06/30/22 |
Single-Family Housing Development Rep | Chad Cluff | 07/01/19 | 06/30/22 |
Non-Profit Provider Rep | Kevin Humphrey | 05/07/20 | 06/30/23 |
Community Rep | Nicolle Karantinos | 11/12/20 | 06/30/23 |
Special Needs Provider Rep | Monique Kennedy | 07/02/19 | 06/30/21 |
Community Rep | Mark Powell | 07/01/19 | 06/30/22 |
Community Rep | Shelley Reimann | 07/01/20 | 06/30/23 |
Community Rep | Vacant |
Staff Liaison
Jessica Morales, Program Assistant
480-644-3024
- Address longstanding public housing capital needs. Nearly two million people across the country live in public housing—families with children, older Americans, and people with disabilities. Like roads, schools, and power grids, public housing is critical infrastructure that directly impacts the health and viability of our communities. Yet nearly half of the nearly 1 million units of public housing are over 50 years old and many contain lead paint, mold, and other health hazards. The American Jobs Plan calls for a transformative investment of $40 billion to rehabilitate and preserve public housing, addressing residents’ critical health and safety concerns. This is not just a safety issue but a racial justice issue, as approximately three in four public housing residents are people of color
26 May 2021
FACT SHEET: The American Jobs Plan Will Provide HUD with New Resources to Strengthen Communities, Expand Access to Affordable Housing, and Create Jobs
PRESS RELEASE The American Jobs Plan Will Provide the Department of Housing and Urban Development with New Resources to Strengthen Communities, Expand Access to Affordable Housing, and Create Jobs
• Expand housing throughout Mesa for persons of all incomes and needs.
• Ensure the current inventory of housing is healthy, maintained and safe.
• Prioritize federal funding housing strategies that include reducing homelessness and promoting homeownership.
• Seek partnerships to leverage housing development
Guiding Principle: Expand Housing throughout Mesa for Persons of All Incomes and Needs
> INVENTORY AND PLAN FOR MANUFACTURED HOUSING CITYWIDE: Identify all mobile home, manufactured housing communities in Mesa as well as their age and conditions.
• OPTIMIZE AND LEVERAGE HUD FUNDING:
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 – Direct Aid To Education, Healthcare And Other Sectors May Indirectly Benefit State And Local Governments
January 14, 2021 https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/the-consolidated-appropriations-act-8660575/
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (the “Act”) supplements the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act of 2020 (the “CARES Act”) by providing approximately $900 billion in additional federal aid to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The Act excludes state and local governments from direct financial relief, a major sticking point in the final weeks of negotiation. Nevertheless, the Act’s targeted aid to particular sectors, including K-12 and higher education, healthcare, transportation and housing, should provide some aid to state and local governments, albeit indirectly, as highlighted below
Housing
- The Act extends the CDC’s residential eviction moratorium until January 31, 2021 and provides $25 billion in additional emergency rental assistance.
- The Act also establishes a 4% floor rate for calculating the low income housing tax credit (LIHTC), a federal subsidy used in financing the acquisition, construction and rehabilitation of affordable rental housing for low- and moderate-income tenants.
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