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Log Cabin Republicans and John McCain

April 17, 2009 By 16 Comments

Cindy and Meghan McCain — the Arizona senator’s wife and daughter — will attend a Log Cabin reception at the home of former Republican representative Jim Kolbe tonight, while Meghan McCain is scheduled to attend the convention’s national dinner Saturday night [4/18/2009]

Although John McCain opposed California’s Prop. 8, it seems his close advisor Steve Schmidt as well as his self-described Progressive Republican daughter Meghan have other ideas.

In fact, according to Steve Schmidt,  “There is a sound conservative argument to be made for same-sex marriage,” this from a speech Schmidt gave today during the Log Cabin Republicans convention today.

Is Meghan McCain the new voice of John Shadegg’s Republican Big Tent?

Filed Under: Uncategorized

AZRTL: Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano Slams Pro-Lifers in Official Document

April 17, 2009 By 4 Comments

Arizona Right to Life has issued a response to Napolitano’s DHS report. Napolitano warned law enforcement agencies that certain types of people could be engaging in domestic terrorism. The report painted a broad brush, likening them to white supremacist groups, Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City bombing. The types of people Napolitano listed in the report were one-issue organizations such as prolife groups and groups opposing illegal immigration, returning war veterans, and people that prefer local & state control over federal government control (I think this latter category would include virtually every Republican in the country?). We’ve heard that one Congressman has already called for an investigation of bias within Homeland Security over the report, and a lawsuit has been filed by the Thomas More Society on behalf of Michael Savage and others on free speech grounds. Why is DHS issuing reports like this, when they should be going after real terrorists like al Qaeda?

Dear Friends,

Arizona Right to Life is saddened and deeply disappointed by a recent report made public by Department of Homeland Security Secretary and former Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano regarding many organizations throughout the nation, including pro-life groups and our nation’s military.

Arizona Right to Life PAC cannot understand the mental acuity behind recent comments made by Secretary Napolitano. In a Homeland Security report sent to police and sheriff’s departments, titled “Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment,” Napolitano warned about groups like Arizona Right to Life,

“Rightwing extremism in the United States…[includes groups] rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority….[and] may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration.”
The report asserts that “right wing extremists” made up domestic terrorist groups that were responsible for an increase in violent attacks in the 1990′s, including the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, and hints that with Barack Obama as the first African-American president, there will be a rise in white supremacist militias.

This characterization of many worthy organizations, such as Arizona Right to Life, as hate groups or terrorist groups is extremely offensive and lacks any basis in truth. Organizations such as Arizona Right to Life are composed of peaceful citizens from all walks of life and all political parties. These organizations work to restore, in law, all protection of all innocent human beings, including unborn children, as was the case prior to the U.S. Supreme Court’s edict in Roe v. Wade in 1973. This work does not reflect the action or attitude of a hate group or terrorist group. Quite the contrary, the whole goal of these organizations is to end violence against all human beings.

Secretary Napolitano, and the Obama Administration, feign a lack of understanding and “concern” over the mission of pro-life organizations as a thinly veiled maneuver to forward an agenda based on extremist disregard for human life. As citizens of a nation founded on the tenets of justice and freedom, no one should be willing to tolerate such blatant manipulation and disregard for truth.

The answer that all Americans should be demanding of this administration is “Why is the Department of Homeland Security spending our time and resources singling out groups like pro-life supporters instead of focusing on identifying and apprehending the real terrorists – like al-Qaeda – groups that have vowed to destroy America?”. If Secretary Napolitano is unwilling or unable to address the true threats to this country, it is imperative that she be immediately replaced by someone who can and will.

Secretary Napolitano has issued a weak apology to the United State Military for the outrageous and erroneous statements made in this report. This is not enough. We urge our grassroots supporters to contact Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and demand that she formally apologize, recant the statements made against the many organizations that have been libeled by this report and begin to fulfill her obligation to address the many real threats against our country. Contact information can be found at www.dhs.gov/xutil/contactus.shtm.

Filed Under: Crime and Punishment, Freedom of Speech, Sanctity of Life

Resilient America in the Tea Party Spirit: Contracting American Individualism

April 17, 2009 By 7 Comments

by Gayle Plato

Reflecting on the Tax Day Tea Party, there is a sense of what next? This is a slice of the pie regarding the day, the movement, a back story, and one perspective of a little get-together with a few thousand friends:

“As Republican Members of the House of Representatives and as citizens seeking to join that body we propose not just to change its policies, but even more important, to restore the bonds of trust between the people and their elected representatives.

That is why, in this era of official evasion and posturing, we offer instead a detailed agenda for national renewal, a written commitment with no fine print.

This year’s election offers the chance, after four decades of one-party control, to bring to the House a new majority that will transform the way Congress works. That historic change would be the end of government that is too big, too intrusive, and too easy with the public’s money. It can be the beginning of a Congress that respects the values and shares the faith of the American family

Like Lincoln, our first Republican president, we intend to act ‘with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right.’ To restore accountability to Congress. To end its cycle of scandal and disgrace. To make us all proud again of the way free people govern themselves.”- The Contract With America, 1994, Republican Congressional Promise to the Voters. 

On Wednesday, I spoke for three small minutes, freezing from an odd Arizona cold front, confronted with protesters yelling in front of me.  My moment not stellar, a bit nervous, and lost in the shuffle of being the inadvertant opening act to Representative John Shadegg.  As I stood there next to him, seeing JD Hayworth a few yards away on the radio, I felt odd.  What a difference 15 years makes.
 
In late 1994, I was making a presentation at a workshop for educators about ‘Resiliency’. It’s basically the opposite of at-risk programming, with a focus on implementing protective factors, creating an environment of respect and mentorship with people, and a deep desire to achieve personal best.  At-risk is about victimization of the soul, and funneling money at crisis intervention of victims.  Victims are real and need help, but in order to stop building victims we need to foster social success. We need intrinsic, inalienable understanding of self-worth.
 
At the presentation, I was asked to offer a document or professional article that exhibited resilient language and fostering of personal accountability.  Most went to educational jargonese; I went to current events.  To a group of liberal educators, in a nice hotel ballroom in sight of the Space Needle, with roasty aroma of brewing espresso wafting in, I handed out a copy of the Contract With America.  
 
You’d have thought I asked the folks to drink my Grandma’s luke warm Sanka decaf. I was literally a lead balloon bottoming out in front of my peers. I heard a colleague I felt a friend, leaning in to another saying, “She’s from Arizona so well, y’know…”
 
All I could do is move forward.  I was younger than today and a bit better on my game, in front of an audience. Though a bit arrogant, I can honestly say, I was good.  They were speechless by the time I finished, and could not deny that resiliency is apparent when expertly written in a Contract With America. 
 
The Contract With America is the quintessential document of resiliency and I knew it.  Fostering respect, limitations, concise defined parameters, and focus on the positive qualities of the citizen being courted, ‘The Contract’ is a brilliant piece of work.
 
On Wednesday, April 15th, I stood there next to two men who had come in to Washington D.C., under the Contract I valued, now here in Arizona at this ‘Tea Party’ with me, an older mom, very distant from that eye I once had of the Needle.  What happened to the Contract?
 
It seems to me, that we now have leaders who worry about themselves, their power, ongoing growth of government, and an oppressive angst about families, average Joes or Gayles, just one pay check from being at-risk; all angry about disenfranchisement.  We are smart enough to know when we had something and now see what we are losing. But the day was closing and sun setting on the Party. I got up there and said, “It seems to me that these fifteen years later, our leaders are taking a contract out on America and I am not okay with that.”
 
But like I say, I am always looking up.  I just did, and on the TV, I see Captain Phillips from the Somali pirate nightmare, climbing off the airplane, hugging his normal kids and wife. He’s an accidental hero and a real man given the gift of relevance.  Life gets crystal clear when all you care about is love and family. THAT is resiliency. 
 
I am feeling hopeful.  The world is so heavy; our wallets light.  Family still matters but fractures under the crack of lightening speed change.  We all have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from the economic home invasion; our houses are in disorder.  Yet, it is in the rubble of the fallen, when walls come down. Average people become role models of Good.  They become mentors and examples, they give us resilience. 
 
All of us are citizen legislators with roles of new models. We are community organizers preserving individual freedoms and long-tried standards.  Our children damand of us the role as leader and parent.  We cannot give in and just be friends.  We are the the stoppers of the buck, and in our eyes, reflect their dignity.  Stand up and help.
 
Shift the paradigm, and get back to normal.  Maybe a triumph of the nerds meets Mac ‘n Cheese politics. Top Chefs on the Road to Serfdom are not sure at all what we are bringing to the table. But as we each say Bon Appetit’ to the yuppie cuppers of crisis spin management, there is a crude truth they each see coming. We are choosing to leave their table, doggie bag in hand, asking for the check.
 
Filed Under: Family, Special Event, Spending

Your Health Care: Property of the State

April 17, 2009 By 6 Comments

Proponents say electronic health records are superior in many ways. … Also, worries about patients’ privacy persist. – Arizona Republic

The bill’s health rules will affect “every individual in the United States”.  Your medical treatments will be tracked electronically by a federal system.  …  the bill goes further.  One new bureaucracy, the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, will monitor treatments to make sure your doctor is doing what the federal government deems appropriate and cost effective. …  Tom Daschle proposed an appointed body with vast powers to make the “tough” decisions elected politicians won’t make. The stimulus bill does that, and calls it the Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness…” [Bloomberg Reports]

A tale of two views, Big Brother making your health care decisions.  The Arizona Republic is careful to avoid telling you why the medical industry in Arizona is moving so quickly to digital and database; simple, those medical providers not in compliance will not become approved providers on your healthcare insurance unless they comply.

Of course, you don’t have to comply.  But then again, the costs of maintaining your medical services with a doctor not in compliance will be astronomical.  The debt of the Obama stimulus program is being used to force your medical and healthcare decisions into the hands of a federal bureaucracy.

Here’s where the dog hunts:  My 71 year old aunt has lived in Great Britain for going on 25 or more years now and is a legal property owning tax-paying  resident.  She had her first heart attack when she was 66.  Although diagnosed as needing a bypass procedure, she was not “approved” by the government health ministry for the procedure until 2 more heart attacks and 3 years had passed.  The reason?  Simple, she was judged too old to be given medical priority (that and she was a Yank not a Brit).

The system had decided her priority for medical treatment.  She is a used bookstore manager and co-owner, but her expected future productivity was deemed insufficient against other medical users of more value to the state.

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2009/04/17/20090417stim-biz-medical0417.html

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aLzfDxfbwhzs#

Of course silly me, that’s only in Great Britain.  It could never happen here.

Then again, maybe it could.  Read Tom Daschle’s book, “Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis.” If you are over 50, be concerned. As for the buffoons at the Arizona Republic?  They’ll print anything if they think it makes the Administration’s programs look good.

File this under, O’bam-it!

Filed Under: Family, Health Care, Human Condition, Privacy

Americans for Prosperity identifies Republican legislators who may vote for Brewer’s tax increase referral

April 17, 2009 By 17 Comments

Americans for Prosperity is urging constituents who live in these legislators’ districts to put pressure on them not to vote for Brewer’s tax increase referendum.

Will they become collectively known as “The Squishy 9,” or will some of them stick to their core Republican values of lower taxation? (comments added by us, not AFP)

Sen. Carolyn Allen – aka “Janet Napolitano, Jr.”
Sen. Rich Crandall – he may as well write off winning a Republican primary for Superintendent of Schools if he votes for this
Rep. Adam Driggs – very sad to see him on this list, he’s generally a solid Republican
Rep. Russ Jones
Rep. Bill Konopnicki – will also ruin any future political aspirations like running for Congress if he votes for this
Rep. Lucy Mason
Rep. Michele Reagan – Ronald Reagan will be rolling over in his grave if she votes for it
Sen. Jay Tibshraeny – would be another real disappointment, he’s been a solid Republican
Rep. Vic Williams

We’ve heard rumors that Brewer may not run for another term as governor. Which would explain why she’s committed Republican career suicide advocating for a tax increase. But some of these legislators have higher aspirations and seek reelection. Is it worth their careers voting as Republicans for a tax increase? It may score them a few invites to establishment parties, but the vote will never stop following them around. Republicans already disagree on many sublevel issues, like abortion, gun rights, and tax credits. If we can’t agree on reducing taxes, then what’s left holding us together and distinguishing us from Democrats?

Filed Under: Spending, State Budget, State Government, Taxation

Open borders advocate Jason LeVecke throwing fundraiser for McCain

April 17, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Jason LeVeckeOpen borders advocate and Carl’s Junior owner Jason LeVecke, co-chair of McCain’s reelection finance committee, is throwing a fundraiser for McCain in Houston on May 4. McCain should distance himself from radicals like LeVecke. McCain’s liberal position on illegal immigration didn’t help him in the election, Hispanics still went for Obama. In fact, McCain got 5% fewer votes from Hispanics than Bush did in 2004. Hispanics shifted away from McCain at the same rate the general population did. If McCain wants to survive another term, he should distance himself from the open borders crowd like LeVecke, who don’t represent the majority of Arizonons. Otherwise, he is susceptible to a primary challenge on the right, maybe by J.D. Hayworth, and as we saw in the general election, it won’t help him.

Filed Under: Border, Campaigns & Elections, Illegal Aliens, Illegal Immigration, Special Event

What Member of the MSM do you Most Dislike?

April 17, 2009 By 8 Comments

Here’s my pick.  CNNs Ms. Amanpour.  One of the most biased journalists I’ve ever listened to.

And tell me if you recognize this mug shot of my second most loathed MSN personality.

“… charged with Grand Larceny … a Miami radio station once printed bumper stickers that said, “Honk if **** ****  Owes You Money.”

Ok, its over to you good readers.  Let us know who your most disliked MSM personality is.  And there are no rules; right or left of the line is ok.

Filed Under: Media

Blood In The Water

April 17, 2009 By 6 Comments

Whenever an elected Republican in Arizona comes close to even suggesting raising taxes, its akin to self-afflicting a wound in shark-infested water. That’s exactly what happened when Governor Jan Brewer mentioned it in her address to the legislature weeks ago.

A recent visit to the Secretary of State’s election website reveals a growing list of candidates exploring and seeking to thwart any effort by Governor Brewer to seek reelection.

In fact, as recent as yesterday, former State Senator, Karen Johnson, formed an exploratory committee to weigh her options. Tim Willis, a conservative Republican from Wickenburg, was the earliest candidate to announce on November 6th, 2008. John Paul Mitchell, an Independent, has actually formed a full-blown committee and has been blogging on his campaign for months.

In total, there are six candidates of which half are Republicans, one Independent and two unidentified third party candidates.

Will there be more candidates? Count on it, especially as public dissent at the federal level spills over to the local level. Wednesday’s multiple taxpayer protests shot a warning shot across the bow of Brewer’s Administration. If the Governor continues to push her tax-hike-last-resort option, you can bet other high profile Republicans will enter the Primary. Names include John Munger who has been extremely active pushing an organization called Imagine Arizona.

Political insiders are also speculating Congressman Jeff Flake will be compelled to enter the race given his fiscally conservative, Goldwater-ties and local roots.

Don’t be surprised to see a Draft JD Hayworth movement rise up from those who demand fiscal responsibility and border security.

Just remember, a lot can change between now and September 2010 and although its still early in the next election cycle, expect more announcements as we move into the fall.

Finally, the biggest shock may come should the current Governor decide to make next year’s race an open primary.

 

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, State Budget, Taxation

BOYCOTT THE BIAS at CNN, NBC, and All MSM

April 16, 2009 By 8 Comments

by Gayle Plato

From blog 2009
From blog 2009

The Tea Party movement goes beyond the rally and we as citizens have a right to be angry about how we are portrayed and dismissed. As my brother, Paul, and I were discussing how the media covered the rallies, it became clear. Organizations like CNN, NBC, its sister network MSNBC, and almost all Main Stream Media are beyond slanted.  Yesterday we each saw news media doing appalling things:

Anderson Cooper kidded about the Tea Parties by making an extremely lewd comment, CNN encouraged reporters to literally accost and then scream down protesters.  Almost all main stream media coverage used similar derisive language right out of the liberal muckraking playbook.

But then, we noticed something more insidious.  Think of the coverage mentioned: sexual innuendo during a newscast families watch, attacks of a family man with his toddler, language linked directly to the Administration’s  recent Homeland Security bulletin about right wing extremism, and finally degrading wallpapering (background images while the story is a voice over track)  of veterans and other citizens while rude and biased jokes were made.

Paul noted how offended he was that as a family man, just trying to voice his opinion, he was chastised and degraded.  The entire movement becomes a pornographic joke backdrop, and this biased coverage seems organized as a smear campaign. 

We have had it. We refuse to allow one more minute of vile, hate-filled, anti-family, abusive left-wing extremism masquerading as news. 

In the spirit of the rallies, we are organizing a new layer of citizen protest and we ask you to join us. Paul and I are officially boycotting all of the bias.  We will not watch CNN, and NBC shows or stations, nor are we going to patronize any advertiser on these channels. 

I am going to include e-mail addresses, and lists of advertisers worth contacting. Please feel free to e-mail me any more links or ideas relating to this. 

I am also challenging any politician or state and federal officials that agree with us to BOYCOTT THE BIAS. Do not agree to appear on these stations nor affiliates. The stations need you more than you do them, their ratings are so limited, that this boycott may just push network bias To END as we are not going to allow this one more day.

How do you feel about this?   Let me know and show us your support. I can be reached at platobesley@gmail.com, or on Twitter @rightwoman.
 

 
From blog 2009

 

 
 
CONTACT THESE STATIONS- e-mails tend to be shut down so I recommend snail mail.
 
CNN NY
1 Chase Manhattan Plaza
New York
NY 10005
 
NBC News or MSNBC
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, N.Y. 10112
Start e-mailing me the list of advertisers you see on these channels and I will add:
 
 
Filed Under: Media

Education Reform Mr Munger, here’s a thought

April 16, 2009 By 4 Comments

…  it’s a choice Obama has the luxury of making for his kids. It’s a choice almost 50 percent of the U.S. Senate exercises for their kids. It is a choice teachers’ unions are petrified of giving to Carmen and Patricia. And, it’s clear that, when given a choice, Democrats are more petrified of unions than they are interested in doing something that works for some of the most underserved kids…  [Mary Katharine Ham, The Weekly Standard]

http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/04/democratic_administration_usur.asp

Last week the Congress led by Nancy Peolosi terminated $14 million in funding for a pilot program that offered HOPE and CHANGE to 1,700 of the most disadvantaged students in the District of Columbia.

While the program had been evaluated, we have to ask the question: Was it given a fair opportunity to succeed or fail?  Reading scored had improved statistically, and while (again statistically) math scores lagged, there was still improvement shown.  Is three years long enough to undue decades of poor schools?  Or is something more sinister at work here?  Could it be that, although called the Scholarship Opportunity Program, it was a true voucher system and it worked?

To those who advocate true reform of Arizona’s schools, this has to be a rallying point.  Mr. Munger pontificated on educational reform, and yet failed to discuss the Washington DC Scholarship Opportunity Program.

Question:  Is the voucher system truly “un-Constitutional”?  Or is that just a judicial opinion influenced by the side with the deepest legal pockets?

Until citizens and politicans begin to understand the true damage of teacher’s unions, political agendas in the schools, and a cornucopia of Education Administrators, our children’s ability to effectively compete in a global economy will be handicapped.  Poverty continues without education.

Filed Under: Education

Conservative Arizona Women on the Move!

April 16, 2009 By 2 Comments

Two great conservative women blogs to add to your reading list!

Real AZ Women actually debuted back in February (I should have plugged it back then!) and features a number of conservative women who have been active in Arizona politics. According to their subtitle, “Arizona women are smart, witty and ready to lead. We love working and learning from men and women and invite anyone with a point of view, interesting news or insight into how we live, love and work…”

The newest social networking blogsite is also up at Smart Girl Politics – A Conservative Woman’s Movement. (This is part of the growing ”NING” blog formats that anyone can join.) According to Teri Christop, the site’s creator, “SGP is a grassroots organization that promotes the opinions and principles of conservative women. We are dedicated to the advancement of conservative women in all levels of public service. Men are more than welcome to join.” And although SGP is a national blogsite, several prominent Arizona women are contributing to its content.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, Sonoran Alliance has been an incubator for several of Arizona’s conservative blogs. In fact, I could give you a long list of Arizona blogs whose writers got their start right here and are now leading the way in their own regard. Congratulations to these women and may their blogs be widely read and highly influential!

Filed Under: Blogs

Arizonans Protest Federal Power Grab!

April 16, 2009 By 2 Comments

The Arizona Tea Party Protests were a huge success with over 2,000 gathering in Tucson, 1,000 gathering in Gilbert and almost 6,000 gathering at the State Capitol. We are still awaiting official numbers from other locations around the State.

While the Democratically-ruled federal government was clearly the target, Arizona’s Republican Governor should have received the message loud and clear that Arizonans adamantly oppose her proposal to raise taxes.

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Filed Under: Special Event, Spending, Taxation

Arizona Tea Party Update

April 14, 2009 By 9 Comments

If you plan on attending any of the Arizona Tea Parties tomorrow, Wednesday, April 15th, here are links to information about the various events:

Detailed information about the Phoenix and Tucson rallies

Information about rallies in other Arizona cities

News release about tomorrow’s rally at the AZ State Capitol

The tentative speaker list for the rally at the Capitol

The State Capitol is located at 1700 W. Washington Street, Phoenix, AZ 85007

Stay updated on state tax and budget issues at www.aztaxpayers.org!

Join the activist alert list by emailing infoAZ@afphq.org. For district-specific alerts, please include your city and zip code–or your state Legislative District number (not your Congressional district), if you know it.

 

Filed Under: Special Event, Taxation

Lisa Graham-Keegan & John Munger do Education

April 14, 2009 By 7 Comments

Arizona can make these dreams happen …

First, Team McSame calls for a total overhaul of education in Arizona with their first priority being, “… a clear definition of sound academic goals”.  Excuse me for asking the obvious, but what have the EDUCATORS been doing all these years and with the millions of dollars Arizona’s poured into the AIMS program?

We’re not sure if Team McSame, John Munger & Lisa Graham-Keegan are thinking about Disneyland or Arizona’s struggling education process.  Perhaps this puff piece lacking any real substance is merely a symptom of what some describe as, the Munger Hunger.

After promising to outline their plan for the reform of Arizona’s schools, they proceed to contradict themselves in two adjoining paragraphs!  Here’s a sample:  “… create an environment that empowers dedicated professionals at the most local levels to lead or create the schools that are capable of achieving…”    Now compare that with the following paragraph;  “we believe in the power of individuals who have dedicated their lives to education, in the innovative energy of our teachers…”

So what is it here?  Are they looking for dedicated professionals to lead or create schools capable of achieving, or do they believe in the power and innovative energy of our teachers?  Are they proposing a new paradigm or the status quo?

So far, we’re at the half way point in this dribble and still no outline of anything remotely looking like the fundamental reform of Arizona’s education system forever mentioned in the opening paragraphs.

After what sounds like schmoozing the institutional educational establishment with words like “dedicated, power and innovative”, they do a 180 with “… reforms that require teachers to have a deep understanding of their subjects. And experience in how to teach very different students”. Again, seemingly to contradict their previous accolades of Arizona’s teachers.

Hasn’t Arizona tinkered enough with the school systems?  Haven’t our schools become edutainment processing facilities and quasi-detention centers replete with fencing and zero tolerance?

Seriously, have you ever just watched the kids leaving their schools when the last bell rings out that their day of drudgery is over?  They just seem to plod home, void of any youthful exuberance – drones who have been “processed” for the day.  Likewise, look at the educators, you’ll see a look of tired shell shock and relief that the day is over.

John and Lisa’s final suggestion?  Pay the teachers more and “… we can expect the greatest innovative explosion in education in American history.”

What’s really going on here?  My take?  A wannabe governor is borrowing the name of a former State Superintendent of Public Instruction (an elected post) to appeal to frustrated parents who are worried the future of their children.

My father – a teacher of 42 years -  told me once, if a politician says ‘Its for the children’, whatever they’re selling, its gonna cost you money.  Take note, Arizona charter schools and private schools turn out a better student for less money.  We don’t need radical reform, we need teachers not educators and the parents to back them up.

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/2009/04/14/20090414keegan14.html

Filed Under: Education

Big Sister is Watching

April 14, 2009 By 17 Comments

I hate to be right during times like these but here is a screenshot of a speculation/prediction I made on my Twitter account on March 30th at 11:29 PM. The actual “Tweet” is in small text at the bottom with the date and timestamp.

The next screenshot is from The Drudge Report this morning.

Here are the accompanying articles:

Federal agency warns of radicals on the Right – Washington Times

Homeland Security on guard for ‘right-wing extremists’ – World Net Daily

Both articles also cite the resurgence of the militia movement which was noted here on Sonoran Alliance by one of our writers on February 20th.

If  my fellow bloggers and conservative community organizers suddenly “disappear” sometime in the near future, you will know what happened to us.

Need I say more?

Be afraid. Be very afraid…

Filed Under: Blogs, Privacy

Respect/Respeto: the organization that funded Gascon’s trip

April 14, 2009 By 9 Comments

After receiving criticism for being paid by a stealth group to fly to D.C. to testify against illegal immigration enforcement and Arpaio, Mesa Police Chief George Gascon returned the reimbursement to the organization, Respect/Respeto. At first, he would not identify the group. The organization’s purpose is to reverse laws against illegal immigration. One of its most prominent members is Lydia Guzman, outreach director for the left wing (and now defunct) Clean Elections Institute. This website also notes that she is a member of the radical group MALDEF, League of Latin Citizens, NALEO, and is VP of Somos America. Their Reform not Raids summit agenda reads like a who’s who of left wing illegal immigration activists.

Respect/Respeto is affiliated with the Golden Door Foundation. One of their projects is Secure Borders for a Secure Country, which is a client of Gordon James. The title is deceptive, because it’s clear the initiative takes the business approach to illegal immigration, calling for more work visas as the economy improves. This press release quotes Jason LeVecke, the open borders business owner.

With this cadre of open borders activists and groups behind Gascon’s trip, he should have never accepted their trip to D.C., it obviously colored his testimony. At least he has returned the funding – but he can’t return his testimony. He wasn’t serving the interests of the citizens of Mesa when he testified, he was serving the interests of a few wealthy business interests and some radical far left organizations.

Filed Under: Border, Crime and Punishment, Illegal Aliens, Illegal Employment, Illegal Immigration

Democrats trying to make Governor’s plan look good.

April 13, 2009 By 5 Comments

Raising taxes is a perilous proposition for lawmakers, who must balance their states’ budgets every year. Not only do they face political heat for increasing financial burdens during the recession, but added taxes risk worsening their states’ economic problems by, for example, further hobbling consumer spending.  WSJ 4/9/09

One explicit argument for the $787 billion “stimulus” bill was to help states avoid these tax increases that even Keynesians understand are contractionary. Instead, the state politicians are pocketing the federal cash to maintain spending, and raising taxes anyway. Just another spend-and-tax bait and switch.   WSJ 4/11/09

If Governor Brewer is steamed up over the legislature’s refusal to consider her tax increase, the state Democrats certainly didn’t wish to be out done.

The state’s minority party, in a bid to remain a minority, proposes a wealth redistribution scheme which will raise state income taxes on couples making $250,000 or more.  Essentially, taking from the productive and giving to the non-productive.  Smart move!

This is a favorite of mine; suspending tax breaks for motion picture and television productions.  Why Arizona’s small rural communities don’t need those Hollywood types coming and dumping buckets of cash on their starving municipal coffers.  This is sure to be a hit with the Arizona League of Cities and Towns.

And I thought the Democrats supported education?  Veritas was wrong, the minority party proposes suspending tax credits for donations made to private schools and to public schools.  So much for the Pro-Choice crowd eh?  Guess there’s No-Choice in education where minority children might benefit.

This has got to be the crown jewel of the Democrats proposal:  Their plan allows the property tax equalization rate to come back. The property tax is on a temporary repeal, however without renewal action will return to further dampen any chance of a recovery in that sector.

And here’s how far they’ll go to push their Climate Change Agenda:  Impose new taxes on utilities for using nonrenewable energy sources!  So traditional energy sources like coal, nuclear, and natural gas will be taxed while hot air… er, I mean wind energy enjoys a further free ride.  You know, the utilities will simply pass through those taxes to the ratepayers.  This is a sure fire way to stimulate Arizona’s economy.

And for the dumbest new tax idea ever, extending the state sales tax to now-exempt service warranties and contracts.  You know, that service contract you buy when you got your new television?  I suppose the idea here is to force you to buy a new product when the old one craps out 90 days after you purchased it.  Pretty clever of them isn’t it?

I’ve got to ask the questions, is the Governor listening to her own party or the Democrats … and are the Democrats trying to make the Governor’s plan look good?  Did anyone read any of the excellent analysis put out by the Goldwater Institute (or any other reputable economic think tank)?

You don’t tax your way out of a recession (unless you wish to extend the hard times by a couple of more years).  Voters will remember come 2012.

Filed Under: State Budget, State Economy, State Government, Uncategorized
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