You are here: Home / 2007 / March / Archives for 22nd

Press Release: Pullen Praises Flake

March 22, 2007 By 3 Comments

For Immediate Release – March 22, 2007
Contact: Brett Mecum
bmecum@azgop.org
Phone: 602.957.7770
www.azgop.org
Cell: 602.448.9883
Fax:602.224.0932

State GOP Critical of “Pork Spending” Extension – Pullen praises Flake for standing against runway spending

Phoenix, AZ – Randy Pullen, chairman of the Arizona Republican Party and Congressman Jeff Flake (R-Arizona) were both critical today of a move by congressional Democrats to extend the earmark request deadline by six weeks.

“The tax and spend Democrat house leadership gave six more weeks to dream up more earmarks – but when was the last time Congress gave taxpayers six more weeks to pay their tax bill,” asked Pullen.  Rather than going on yet another spending spree, Democrats should walk the talk on fiscal responsibility that they continuously preached before the November elections.” 

Pullen continued, “While the Democrats in Congress continue to spend like drunken sailors, we in Arizona are fortunate to have leaders like Jeff Flake who has been a steadfast supporter of earmark reform.  I applaud Jeff’s efforts and know that he will continue to fight against irresponsible spending in Washington.”

Congressman Flake said, “Despite what they said during the last campaign cycle, it doesn’t look like pork barrel projects are going to end with the Democrats in charge.  It’s just business as usual.” 

On Wednesday, Appropriations Chairman Dave Obey (D-Wisconsin) extended the date U.S. House members must submit their requests for special projects by six weeks to April 27th.

For more information contact Brett Mecum at 602.957.7770 or at bmecum@azgop.org.

Filed Under: Federal Budget, Press Release

McCain’s Double-Talk Express

March 22, 2007 By 1 Comment

I have to wonder if Senator McCain envisioned the widespread use of the web for political speech when he sought to pass the First Amendment quashing Bi-Partisan Campaign Finance Reform Act (McCain-Feingold).

YouTube Preview Image
Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Freedom of Speech

In through the back door.

March 22, 2007 By 11 Comments

groundbreaking.jpg

     Yesterday was the ground breaking ceremony for the controversial Oro Valley Marketplace. The project was delayed when a $23,000,000 tax rebate approved by the town council was sent to the voters. The initiative in favor of the rebate passed overwhelmingly after a massive public relations campaign paid for by the Phoenix based developer Vestar.

     Oro Valley Marketplace was touted as a high quality project but the developer was careful not to commit to which stores would or would not be involved. Many local residents were surprised when it was finally announced that a Wal-Mart Supercenter would be going in at the site.

     Most people that I have talked with were hoping for something a little higher end but they are not ready to jump out of any windows.

     Some people are getting near the edge and have set up several web sites. One of them can be found at Let Oro Valley Excel. There you will find a link to Oro Valley First. The page encourages support for local businesses but quickly devolves into classic Wal-Mart bashing.

     (I was surprised to learn that Wal-Mart lowers the value of surrounding residential properties. I wonder what the million dollar homes in Tucson National would sell for if there was not a Wal-Mart located in the vicinity. Rich people must be delighted that they only have to pay $1.4 instead of $1.6 for their winter golf house just because there is a large retailer down the street.)

     The Oro Valley First has a place where you can register and pledge not to shop at the Wal-Mart or even any stores at the Oro Valley Marketplace. I wonder what will happen with all those names and addresses in the future. At the bottom of the Oro Valley First page it says Vistoso Media, which seems to be connected to Salette Latas.

     Salette and her husband Jeff (former Democrat candidate for congress) live in the exclusive gated community of The Estates at High Mesa. (Not exactly the Wal-Mart crowd.) Salette has announced that she is running for a seat on the Oro Valley Town Council. Would I be cynical if I wondered if some of those names and addresses from the pledge to stop Wal-Mart from coming to Oro Valley ended up on a mailing list for Salette’s campaign? It would be a good fit since she seems to be making the Wal-Mart store one of her issues.

     Oro Valley is overwhelmingly Republican but due to the non-partisan nature of the vote by mail election it would be very possible for someone like Salette to end up on the council. She may do well by tapping into the community angst about Wal-Mart and the planned Crematorium.

     This is a classic battle of the hate Wal-Mart crowed vs. the business / development crowd. I wonder if Vestar will poor a little more money into Oro Valley so that we don’t end up with a partisan Democrat on the council now that they have given her a great issue on which to run.

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Government

Maybe He Can Be McCain’s Secretary of Defense and Get to the Bottom of This

March 22, 2007 By 1 Comment

Governor Symington 

As mentioned in a previous post, former Governor Fife Symington has signed on as a co-chair for McCain’s Arizona campaign. But that’s not all the former Guv is doing these days.

From an interview last night on Anderson Cooper 360

Symington: “If you had been here 10 years ago, standing out there looking up there at the lights and the view, you would have been astounded. You would have been amazed.”
Tuchman: “Governor Symington is referring to what is now known as the Phoenix lights, an object videotaped by many and seen by thousands over several nights in the Arizona sky in 1997. … The former governor, a Vietnam Air Force veteran, had never publicly acknowledged seeing it until now.
Symington: “And I suspect that, unless the Defense Department proves us otherwise, it was probably one form of an alien spacecraft.”
Tuchman: “So why didn’t he say anything then? Partly because he didn’t want people to panic.”
Symington: “I think as a public figure you have to be very careful about what you say because people can have pretty emotional reactions. And I said my goal wasn’t to try to stir the pot.”
More Symington: “The lights were really brilliant. And it was just fascinating. I mean, it was enormous. It just felt otherworldly. You know, in your gut, you could just tell it was otherworldly.”
Tuchman: “Symington will be talking about this in an updated film about UFOs called ‘Out of the Blue.’ He is also talking with an organization that wants UFO information more out in the open. … Governor Symington says he did tell his family, friends and staff about what he saw early on.”
Symington: “I still, behind the scenes, tried to investigate it, but I got nowhere”

Filed Under: National Security

Has-Beens for McCain

March 22, 2007 By 8 Comments

John McCain has announced his home state campaign co-chairs.  And what a group it is! Consisting of the powerhouse crowd, hangers-on and wannabees, it is an impressive list, indeed.

Leading the pack of co-chairs is former Gov. Jane Hull.  She is remembered as much for her sucker-punch to McCain’s 2000 presidential bid, as for her flame-colored hair.  Her endorsement of George W. Bush was not warmly received by AZ’s senior senator in his previous race for the White House. This New York Times article details her view of the ill-tempered McCain:
McCain Having to Prove Himself Even in Arizona

Nice to see they’ve mended those fences.

Arizona’s other US Senator, Jon Kyl is serving as state campaign chairman.

The majority of the state Republican congressional delegation is in his corner.  Only Trent Franks has broken ranks with his endorsement of California Congressman, Duncan Hunter. But, Reps. Jeff Flake, Rick Renzi and John Shadegg have all dutifully signed on as co-chairs. There are cabinet and diplomatic appointments, federal judgeships and McCain’s vacant senate seat up for grabs if he wins the big prize.

The West end of the party is represented with former Attorney General Grant Woods, former Secretary of State Betsey Bayless. Another former Governor Fife Symington and two former Reps. Jim Kolbe and Matt Salmon have also hopped aboard.  Former Superintendent of Public Instruction, Lisa Graham Keegan is another co-chair.

Oops! Nearly forgot the list of former state GOP party chairmen, Mike Hellon, Burt Kruglick, Mike Minnaugh and John Munger. What happened to Bob Fannin?

The list is resplendent with “formers.”
Final count: 2 former governors, 5 former party chairmen, 2 former congressman (We’re counting Salmon in two columns both as a congressman and chairman), 2 former Secretaries of State (counting Hull twice) and 1 former Superintendent of Public Instruction.

To be fair, there is a sprinkling of current Arizona office holders: Others supporting the McCain  presidential candidacy are Secretary of State Jan Brewer, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne, State Senate President Tim Bee, Arizona Corporation Commissioners Mike Gleason, Jeff Hatch-Miller, Kris Mayes, Bill Mundell and Gary Pierce and Arizona Mine Inspector (and former state legislator) Joe Hart. Yep. An impressive list, indeed.

Filed Under: Political Parties