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Tim Bee rocks!

July 10, 2007 By 13 Comments

tim bee.jpg

     The speaker at today’s luncheon meeting of the Pima County Republican Club was Senate President Tim Bee. The reception from the club members was very positive. Senator Bee spoke about the recent budget and other issues of important to Southern Arizona. He also discussed his bill that passed this session aimed at helping victims of domestic violence (SB 1227.) As one of the leading elected Republican officials in all of Southern Arizona he continues to enjoy rock star status, with everyone wanting to shake his hand and say hello.

     The contributors at Sonoran Alliance have no direct knowledge of his plans but our best guess is that he will make a move for the district 8 congressional race before late fall, possible much earlier. Our guess is that he will run for the seat, with an official announcement when permitted by the state’s resign to run law. Either way his many years of distinguished public service have clearly earned him a little while longer before another Republican decides he/she wants to run.

     Speaking of someone else running on the Republican side we are hearing rumors of a doctor that teaches Environmental and Occupational Diseases at the University of Arizona wanting to get in the race. This would be a TOTAL disaster. First, if for some reason Tim Bee decides not to run for CD-8 the next in line is Representative Jonathan Paton. A few people would even prefer to see Paton run this time but in a brilliant show of party discipline Paton is holding tight for now.

     Secondly, anyone running against Bee in the primary would loose. No amount of money will make up for the years of name recognition and goodwill that Bee has built up within the party in Southern Arizona. If Bee for some reason does not enter then Paton surely will and the same prediction for a primary victory applies to him. CD-8 is not just about the money. Certainly a lot of it will be required to unseat a Democrat incumbent but name recognition and broad party support would also be essential. Bee and Paton have both of those. The only other person who might have similar attributes is Pima County Supervisor Ray Carroll and we have not heard any mention of his name this cycle.

     The only effect that would result from a no name entering the Republican lineup would be to drain vital financial resources away from the eventual nominee, who will be either Bee or Paton (barring a realignment of the planets.) The incumbent has some vulnerabilities and the proper Republican candidate will have a good chance of winning the general. A hopeless primary challenge will have no other effect than to weaken the chances for a Republican victory in November. With a tough race ahead in CD-5 and possibly CD-1 the Republican Party can ill afford to make any mistakes this cycle.

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Political Parties

Lose a debate, ban your opponents

July 10, 2007 By 1 Comment

Now that liberals and the Beltway Senators lost the debate over “comprehensive immgration reform,”  what do you think their response will be?

Modify the bill and “compromise” with the people who opposed it?  Nope

Suggest first passing those pieces of legislation everyone supports, and working out the contentious parts later? Nope

Conduct a different media campaign to get their message out?  Nope

Change their arguments to be more in tune with the American public?  Of course not.  These are liberals afterall, so the liberal response is to slander their opponents and ban their right to free speech:

[Frank Sharry is executive director of the liberal National Immigration Forum] said talk radio exploited “an ugly strain of nativism along with a legitimate mistrust of government” to help shoot down the bill.

Some Democrats in Congress would like to restore the Fairness Doctrine, in part to counter what they say was a one-sided debate about immigration reform on talk radio.

Gotta love that “one-sided debate” line.  Liberals have no concern about the omnipresent left-wing bias in every other media outlet.  But that 10 percent of the radio listening population, now that’s a problem! 

The problem liberals have is talk radio is purely market driven.  The far-left radio syndicate Air America failed because few people actually want liberal opinions (especially the hate-filled ones on that station) and those who do have plenty of options with CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC and MSNBC, or they can read the New York Times, the Arizona Republic and just about every other major daily. 

What’s interesting is the fortune of “conservative” talk radio and the center-right Fox News Network.  Their ratings are spectacular.  Meanwhile, the left-wing “news” outlets, especially the NYT and the Republic, are in steep decline.  Shutting down talk radio with the Fairness Doctrine (and someday Fox News) may be only way for the left to get back their media monopoly.

The Democrat’s attempt to stifle free speech is not only born out of intolerance, but of greed.

Filed Under: Freedom of Speech, Media

McCain watch.

July 10, 2007 By 1 Comment

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There are always markers surrounding historical events. Points of no return. It cannot be a good sign for a campaign when Real Clear Politics puts up a header titled “MCCAIN CAMPAIGN IMPLOSION.”

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/topic/?topic=mccain

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections

McCain near 4th in IL.

July 10, 2007 By 2 Comments

According to a recent poll by American Research Group, Inc., McCain’s numbers in Illinois have been cut in half since they last polled in January of this year. Then he was at 24% and is now at 12%.

Giuliani leads with 33%, Thompson 21%, McCain at 12%, and Romney at 11%.

http://americanresearchgroup.com/pres08/ilrep8-702.shtml

 

Michelle Malkin summarizes the latest shakeups in the McCain campaign.

http://michellemalkin.com/2007/07/10/mccain-08-death-watch-top-staffers-out/

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections