I have to give Ryan points for attending the service and for allowing me to interview him. However, I still find troubling his statement that there was no record of Powell's guardianship in the ADC's files. I was able to obtain a record of Powell's guardianship simply by consulting the clerk of superior court's records.
If Powell had been kept alive a little longer, it would not have taken much digging to find paperwork related to the guardian's appointment. Indeed, at one point in the court record, the court is officially advised by Powell's guardian that she has a new address; i.e., Perryville Prison. Isn't the ADC supposed to have access to all such court records related to an inmate?
courtesy of Richard Bock
Diners, Drive-ins and Dives host Guy Fieri (left) with Phoenix cellist and restaurateur Richard Bock.
Related Content
More About
Of course, if no next of kin is located, it may be a moot point. Still, as these and other issues regarding Powell involve decisions made by Ryan, an independent investigation would be ideal. There's no reason for it not to happen. Unless someone at ADC doesn't want the truth to get out.
KYRSTEN'S COUNSEL
Would you take financial advice from a homeless man? Lessons in humility from Simon Cowell? Follow Kirstie Alley's diet regimen? Look for WMDs with a map drawn by Dick Cheney? Or take an anger-management class taught by Russell Crowe?
Then why in tarnation would you read a book about "winning" written by one of the current leaders of the state Democratic Party — the biggest bunch of losers in Arizona?
Such is the dilemma, if you can call it that, offered by state Representative Kyrsten Sinema's new book Unite and Conquer: How to Build Coalitions That Win and Last. You may recall Sinema as the unapologetically liberal legislator, from an enviably liberal district, who talks like she's channeling Thurston J. Howell III.
Someone recently sent me a link to the Amazon.com page for Sinema's tome, which you can pre-order for the low, low price of $11.53 ($9.99 for the Kindle version). But recalling the fact that Sinema holds a position as the assistant leader of the House minority, you may want to wait for the free library version to run your digits through its pages, for all the good its advice will do you.
I reckon losing can be as much of a learning experience as winning, but Sinema's book isn't about gaining such critical insight, to judge from the blurb Amazon offers.
"Divide-and-conquer tactics stolen from conservatives do not work," reads the description, "especially in the long term, to further progressive causes. There is no logic or power in trying to use bad strategies to get to a good place. In Unite and Conquer, Sinema attempts to show how the future of the progressive movement is to be found in unity, alignment, and partnership."
This is great advice for the Dems if they want to remain in the minority indefinitely.
Indeed, I'm sure Arizona Republicans would love for them to continue the mistakes of the 2008 election, in which the state party bucked a national trend and left the Legislature firmly in Republican hands.
Sure, that had something to do with favorite son John McCain's leading the GOP national ticket, but there was more to this Dem defeat than that.
On the county level, Sith Lords Andrew Thomas and Joe Arpaio retained their positions as Maricopa County Attorney and sheriff. And Prop 102, the anti-gay marriage amendment to the state Constitution, made mincemeat of the statewide campaign against it, led by — you guessed it — Kyrsten Sinema.
"I think the country was like, 'Look, you get Obama, call it a day, and go home,'" Sinema told a New York Times reporter of the losses for the pro-gay marriage side. "And, frankly, I'll take it."
Let's face it, Dems like Sinema don't mind losing locally. In the minority, such Ds get to be the kings and queens of the donkey sandbox, while state GOPers rule the adult world. But Dems need to learn a few tricks from the Republicans. Like how to fight, how to engage enemies, and how to leave them in the dust begging for quarter.
