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Ronald Carmichael to enter race for AZ GOP Chair

December 9, 2010 by 22 Comments

The race for Arizona Republican Party Chairman is about to get a little more crowded as attorney Ronald W. Carmichael readies his announcement to seek the post. Carmichael, who resides in Legislative District 11, is rumored to be the hand-picked choice of Senator John McCain.

The 72-year-old lawyer is founder of Carmichael & Powell, P.C. and has served with the Maricopa County Community Foundation. Most recently, he was elected as 1st Vice Chair on LD-11.

Already, three other candidates have announced their intentions to succeed outgoing Chairman, Randy Pullen. Marty Hermanson, Vernon Parker and Bruce Ash have all submitted their letters of interest in preparation for the State Party Meeting in January.

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Political Parties, Political Science

Republican National Committeeman Bruce Ash Announces for AZGOP Chairman

December 9, 2010 by 15 Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 9, 2010

Tucson – On January 22, 2011, Arizona’s Republican State Committeemen will gather in Phoenix to elect a new Chairman of the Arizona Republican Party. With the future of Arizona on the line, Republican National Committeeman Bruce Ash has decided to seek election as Chairman of the AZGOP.

“The the past few weeks, there has been an overwhelming amount of people urging me to run for Chairman,” said Ash. “Their requests are humbling and I am deeply moved by their thoughts and concerns about the future of the Republican Party. After discussing it with my family and friends, I have decided to run for AZGOP Chairman.”

“Over the past 3 and a half years, it has been a distinct honor and privilege to serve as Arizona’s Republican National Committeeman,” Ash continued. As State Party Chairman, I feel that my experience and in-depth understanding of state and national politics can build on the success we’ve had and ensure our hard work will not be in vain.”

“In my view, the State Republican Party must be a professional organization whose mission is to win elections while promoting the conservative political philosophy of the grassroots,” Ash said. “Providing the leadership that will guide the AZGOP through the election in 2012 will be a full-time job, and I strongly feel that I have the experience and ability necessary to get the winning results that we’ve all worked so hard to achieve.”

“The success of the Arizona Republican Party has only emboldened our opponents to work harder than they have ever before, and we must be prepared for that challenge in 2012,” said Ash. “We can be sure that President Obama and supporters of his liberal agenda will stop at nothing to regain power at every level of government. While Republicans have restored balance in congress, we must understand that our fight has only just begun. Here in the Grand Canyon State, that means protecting the gains we’ve made at every level of government including congress and the state legislature. Plus, with the creation of Arizona’s new Congressional District 9, we can expect Democrats to expend a vast amount of resources in an effort to secure an open seat. With so much at stake, the AZGOP cannot afford a Chairman who isn’t prepared for battle. I have great respect for those who have also thrown their hat in the ring, but during such a critical period for Arizona, I believe that I offer Republicans the best choice to move the Party forward.”

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Political Parties, Political Science, Press Release

Extra, Extra! Teacher union rules hurt kids – poor kids especially

December 9, 2010 by 3 Comments

by Matthew Ladner, Ph.D.
Goldwater Institute

There are ugly results from a recent analysis by the Los Angeles Times and RAND Corp. that contrasts school employee layoffs with teacher performance in the classrooms of the L.A. Unified School District. From the article:

“Because seniority is largely unrelated to performance, the district has laid off hundreds of its  most promising math and English teachers. About 190 ranked in the top fifth in raising scores  and more than 400 ranked in the top 40%.”

 “Schools in some of the city’s poorest areas were disproportionately hurt by the layoffs. Nearly  one in 10 teachers in South Los Angeles schools was laid off, nearly twice the rate in other  areas. Sixteen schools lost at least a fourth of their teachers, all but one of them in South or  Central Los Angeles.”

 “Far fewer teachers would be laid off if the district were to base the cuts on performance rather  than seniority. The least experienced teachers also are the lowest-paid, so more must be laid off  to meet budgetary targets. An estimated 25% more teachers would have kept their jobs if L.A.  Unified had based its cuts on teachers’ records in improving test scores.”

Wow! Firing all of the young teachers, regardless of how effective they are, is simply indefensible. Likewise, holding onto all the older teachers, regardless of how ineffective some of them are, cannot be justified by anyone who gives a whit about the interests of children. But, that’s how the cookie crumbles with the teacher union contract.

Arizona is in the process of developing job evaluations for teachers and principals partially based on how well their students perform on independent tests. Policymakers should take steps to make sure any school district layoffs in 2011 and beyond do not follow L.A.’s horrible example.

With the Nation’s Report Card showing that 44 percent of Arizona fourth-graders are illiterate, Arizona cannot afford to lose successful teachers or protect ineffective ones.

Dr. Matthew Ladner is vice president of research for the Goldwater Institute.

Learn More:

Goldwater Institute: Union trying to bully Legislators into changing law

Goldwater Institute: Does a certificate make a teacher – Or results?

Los Angeles Times: When layoffs come to L.A. schools, performance doesn’t count

Filed Under: Education

Tonight: Federalist Society presents S.B. 1070′s effect on Arizona employers

December 9, 2010 by 3 Comments

Professional Development Program Series – SB 1070

The Impact on AZ Employers

Thursday, December 09, 2010
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Senate Bill 1070 (SB1070) was signed into law by Governor Jan Brewer on April 23, 2010.
This program will center on the impact SB1070 will have on commerce and on labor and
employment in Arizona and the likely impact on the businesses that engage in commerce
in Arizona.

thumb_GordonSFW.jpgMayor Phil Gordon, City of Phoenix
Gordon was elected Mayor of Phoenix on September 9, 2003, with 72 percent of the vote. He was re-elected in September 2007, with 77 percent of the vote. In 2008, Gordon was named the Best Mayor in North America by the London-based World Mayors Project. Currently, he serves as chairman of the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Task Force on Comprehensive Immigration Reform. In August 2010, Mayor Gordon was appointed to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Local Government Advisory Committee for a two-year term.  Mayor Gordon has also built a stronger international presence for global opportunities in business and investment. His recent “bridge building” business and development trips have included Dubai,Saudi Arabia, Israel, Canada, China, Japan and Mexico.

kobach10-124x150.jpgKris Kobach, Kansas Secretary of State-elect here is
Professor Kobach received his bachelor of arts degree with highest distinction from Harvard University in 1988. He graduated at the top of his class in the Harvard Government Department. In 1988, the British government awarded him a Marshall Scholarship, which took him to England for post-graduate study. In 1992 he received his doctorate in Political Science from Oxford University. In 1995 he received his J.D. from Yale Law School. While at Yale, he taught undergraduates in the Yale Political Science Department, and in 1994 he won the Prize Teaching Fellowship, an award based on student nominations and faculty review. He is Senior Counsel at the Immigration Reform Law Institute, a Washington, DC-based legal advocacy organization that represents U.S. citizens in immigration-related cases across the country.  Professor Kobach is the principal author of SB 1070.

Steve_Gonzales.jpg Steven Gonzales, Assoc. Prof./Director of Experiential Learning
Professor Gonzales is a member of Phoenix School of Law’s founding faculty.  He teaches Constitutional Law, Federal Courts, Federal Indian Law, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), Property, and is Director of Experiential Learning, including the mediation and Hybrid clinics.  He is admitted to practice in Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and U.S. District Courts for Arizona, Colorado, and the Western District of Michigan.  He served five times as an accredited consultant at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (2004-09).  He is a frequent guest on local television and talk radio.  He was a Commissioner on the American Bar Association (ABA) Commission on Race and Ethnic Diversity, chaired the Arizona State Bar Committee on Women and Minorities, and serves on the Maricopa County Bar Association Diversity Committee and is a member of Los Abogados, Arizona Hispanic bar association.

Location:
Phoenix School of Law
4041 North Central Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85012
Map This

Cost:
$35.00 Members
$35.00 Non-Members

If you would like to pay by check, make payable to  “ALERA” and mail to:

ALERA, c/o Miguel Rodriguez, 2600 N. Central Ave., Suite 1800, Phoenix, AZ 85004

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Filed Under: Illegal Aliens, Illegal Employment, Illegal Immigration, Legislation