The United States Supreme Court has delivered a ruling that it is illegal for the Bush administration to use military tribunals to circumvent justice for the detainees in Cuba.  In many ways today’s ruling was expected based on the sheer numbers of legal experts who have argued that there is no basis for the administration to deny Geneva Convention rights nor to circumvent the provisions of the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights which guarantees the rights of trial to prisoners.

Click here to read more about this breaking story in the New York Times. 

In a procedural vote yesterday, the House Republican Leaders voted to delay renewal of the landmark 1965 Civil Rights Act.  This law guaranteed voting rights for blacks and other racial minorities.  Apparently these Republicans want to roll back forty years of history.  Click here to view the story in the Detriot Free Press.

This landmark civil rights legislation eliminated poll taxes and other state measures designed to prevent free access to voting polls by blacks and other minorities.  It also set up special monitoring provisions for seven southern states, Arizona and Alaska where discrimatory provisions blatently used to prevent poll access by minorities.  Please remember that this was the era of Goldwater Republican influence in Arizona and there was considerable supoport on the part of Arizona Republicans for maintaining racial imbalances in legal matters. 

Repuclicans in the U.S. Senate again voted to block efforts to increase the minimum wage.  The wage now $5.15 per hour ($10,700 for full time annual compensation) has been repeatedly blocked by Republicans.  Click here for the story in the Los Angeles Times.  Both Jon Kyl and John McCain were among those voting against any increase in the the minimum wage.  Shame on you both!

Meanwhile here in Arizona, Northern Arizona University has just released a poll regarding efforts to put a minimum wage initiative on the ballot.  That poll shows that a mere 81% of registered voters say that they will vote in favor of immediately raising the minumum wage to $6.75 per hour and tying the wage to inflation.  Efforts to gather signatures for the effort appear to have been successful and the measure seems assured of being on the November ballot.  Click here for a story about the poll.

The Pinal County Democrats hold their meetings at 7pm on the third Wednesday of each month in Florence. We generally gather for a dutch treat supper at about 5:30 pm at the Mount Athos Greek Resturant at 444 N Pinal Parkway, in Florence. This is great opportunity to meet and greet fellow Democrats in an informal setting. The meeting is held at the offices of the Pinal County Attorney at 31 N Pinal St. Carpooling is generally available from SaddleBrooke. Hope to see you there!

Our June meeting will be held Saturday, June 10th 2006.  Our principal speaker is Gabrielle Giffords who is running for Congress in CD #8.  As usual the meeting will be at the SaddleBrooke Activities Center at 64518 E Galveston Dr starting with a socal time at 3pm.  The meeting will commence at 3:30pm  Call 818-6607 to reserve your place at June and Stan Boicourt’s pot luck supper.

Jim Pederson, the Democratic candidate closing in on Jon Kyl for a seat in the United States Senate will be holding an reception and fund raiser on Friday June 2, here in Tucson.  Jim will be at the reception at HomeStyle Galleries at 2950 W Ina (at Shannon) starting at 5;30pm.  The suggested donation is $50.  Call (520) 299-9533 or (520) 818-1628 for further information.

Our troups will get "Ethics" training according to White House sources.  Too bad we can’t get the training for George W (worst ever)!  Click here for the latest story on BBC World News.  In yet another incident, a pregnant Iraqi woman was killed while on-route to the hospital.  The continued policy of "shooting first" is causing all sorts of incidents.  Last week it was an automobile altercation in Kabul and now this one.  The fundamental problem is that our troops are acquiring an "bunker mentality" similar to those of prior wars such as Vietnam.  More and more, the people turn against the Americans and more and more they shoot first.  Click here for another distrubing story.