Some light hearted frivolity from the (union) folks lurking in the background of the Pearce recall effort.
Speaker’s Suggestion that Protesters Start Urinating on GOP Lawmakers Draws Applause, Laughter at Fighting Bob Fest
MacIver News Service | September 18, 2011
[Madison, Wisc…] Thousands of liberal political activists, gathered here Saturday for an annual conference, cheered and laughed as a speaker recounted the recent assault of a GOP lawmaker.
The crowd attending the Fighting Bob Fest also rejoiced at the suggestion that protesters, instead of dumping beer over the heads of Republicans, should urinate on them.
“This is Wisconsin, this is the place where you had some guy pour a beer on the head of a Republican State Senator?” said Fest speaker Greg Palast as the crowd erupted with cheers. “No, no, no, that’s all wrong. You can’t do that. That’s just wrong. I’m from New York. If you’re going to pour beer on a Republican, you have to drink it first.”
In audio of Palast’s speech posted online, the crowd can then be heard breaking out in loud and sustained cheers and laughter.
Madison Police on Friday cited Miles Kristan, commonly referred to as ‘Pink Dress Guy’ with disorderly conduct for an incident that occurred Wednesday evening. According to police reports, Kristan dumped a beer over State Representative Robin Vos (R-Rochester) and two of his colleagues GOP Reps Scott Suder (Abbotsford) and John Nygren (Marinette) at the Inn on the Park hotel bar and restaurant.
The incident has brought to a head concerns by conservatives in Madison that law enforcement there have not taken threats to public safety seriously. Many on the Left, however, have openly mocked the incident as humorous and minimal, although most of this has come in the form of facebook and twitter postings and none in such a public fashion as Palast, an author and freelance journalist, brazenly did on Saturday.
Hear the clip, which was posted on the liberal Democurmudgeon
Fighting Bob Fest is an annual gathering featuring progressive speakers, networking opportunities, and folk-style entertainment, according to organizers. Named after Robert “Fighting Bob” La Follette, the event attracts thousands and had previously been held at the Sauk County fairgrounds but was moved to the Dane County Coliseum this year.
The line up of speakers included Democratic Congresswoman and US Senate candidate Tammy Baldwin of Madison, Mike McCabe of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, John Nichols of the Capital Times and The Nation Magazine, former Congressman David Obey, US Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Matt Rothchild of the Progressive magazine. According to press accounts attendees included Vos’ colleague State Representative Mark Pocan.
Ironically, earlier this year Pocan joined Vos in a call for more civility in Madison.
Pocan has not issued a statement regarding the assault on Vos, nor Palast’s comments that protesters should instead urinate on their political foes. As of press time neither has any of the speakers mentioned above.
The inciting comments and crowd reaction come one day after State Representative Steve Nass (R-Whitewater) said he believed Madison law enforcement leaders are partially to blame for the escalation of disorderly and dangerous conduct by protesters in the Capitol city.
Nass believes that Madison Police Chief Noble Wray, Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney, Capitol Police Chief Charles Tubbs and Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne have been more interested in cooperating with protesters than enforcing the law.
“The problem is not with rank-and-file police officers. They have had enough, as well. Frankly, the problem rests squarely with the top law enforcement leaders that have let their partisan views interfere with the conduct of their offices,” Nass said.
Indeed, the beer incident of Wednesday night was not a spontaneous occurrence.
The MacIver News Service discovered a video, posted online, of Kristan and another protester harassing Representatives Vos and Suder just last week. In the video, which is apparently shot by Kristan and can be seen here, the representatives leave the Capitol and head over to check into the Inn on the Park. This video corroborates allegations that these two individuals have repeatedly harassed Vos, Suder and others.
“I am somebody and you will listen to me,” the agitator screams at one point in the six-and-a-half-minute video. Earlier, he warns that he was giving Vos “five business days to respond.”
The beer was dumped on Vos and the others five days after the video was posted.
Many conservatives share Nass’ concern that Madison authorities, while not mocking the incident as publicly as Palast, appear to be supportive of Kristan’s antics. Nass warns this casual attitude toward unrest could reach a boiling point.
In this exclusive video interview with the MacIver News Service, Nass said, “[I]f Madison law enforcement authorities don’t begin to crack down on the repeated and escalating harassment of lawmakers and staff “somebody is seriously going to get hurt…or killed.”
Veritas, for someone whose name supposedly means “truth”, you have no problem misleading people with your headline. There are no “union people lurking behind the Pearce recall.” There are a bunch of middle aged Republicans from Pearce’s district. What is it about the writers on this site that just can’t accept that the people who know Russell best have tired of his feckless, bullying antics. Why aren’t any of the people coming out and endorsing him from his own district?
Maybe you should talk to Russell Pearce and tell him to tone down the rhetoric against the organizers of the recall before someone “seriously gets hurt…or killed”. We heard the garbage he was spreading about us at the Tea Party meeting the other night. Seriously unbecoming the President of a legislative body.
@Chad, where do tell did the funds come from to initiate the recall and pay for the petitions? That will be disclosed soon and all will know.
And indeed, I know Russell very well and he’s been a good friend and good man for all the many years its been my pleasure to know him. Russell has done no wrong deserving of this recall.
Republican dis-fellowship is suitable for the likes of Mr Lewis. As for the ‘leadership’ of his district? Perhaps it is because they are all small men, envious of what Senator Pearce has achieved and in their hearts they seek his demise.
Where do the funds come from? Over a thousand individual donors, 93% of whom are from Arizona. I can tell you that not one donation was received from a lobbyist or Fiesta Bowl employee… Meanwhile Pearce is having fund raisers hosted and attended exclusively by lobbyists -that doesn’t bother your delicate conservative sensibilities? Also, no donations from the DNC, MoveOn.Org, or any other national or state Democratic organizations.
Meanwhile, a former Mormon stake president who is a leader in the Boy Scouts of America is deserving of disfellowship from your version of my party as too liberal? That’s a pretty small tent, Veritas.
“@Chad, where do tell did the funds come from to initiate the recall and pay for the petitions? That will be disclosed soon and all will know.”
And of course, because it won’t fit into your thesis, we’ll never see it here.
Chad,
Pot calling Kettle black.
Who wasn’t being “truthful” about his motives?
From http://www.russellpearce.com, Endorsements:
Arizona Police Association
Phoenix Law Enforcement Association
AzCOPS
Mesa Police Association
Maricopa County Deputy’s Law Enforcement Association
Arizona Highway Patrol Association
Arizona Federation of Firefighters
U.S. Border Patrol Officers of the Southwest United States
These are all Unions.
But, since those Unions officially support Mr Pearce, they’re ok.
Right?
Certainly, you can’t be referring to Unions who wanted to donate to Mr Pearce’s recall campaign. You know, the ones that Russell and Lisa Hauser argued (and lost) he should be entitled to receive.
Insert comment about, pot, kettle and black chick.
Excellent point!
And what part of illegal doesn’t Pearce understand? He keeps making asking for special favors and legal dispensations – and getting rebuffed – what can’t he support the rule of law?
Support the rule of law in LD 18, vote for Lewis.
@Rob, you *know* the union groups I suggest so please don’t play games.
Lewis is a coward who wouldn’t run in a traditional primary against Pearce. As for caring about taxpayers? Who’s going to pay for this recall election? Mr Lewis?
The issue of payment for the special election will come before the Legislature and, my guess is they’ll refuse the tab (which is their legal option). So who’ll pay for this? Certainly not the man who did nothing to incur this crass action.
Maybe the Lewis supporters can pay for this special election? And I am left wondering, how many apologists for Lewis are recent converts to the Republican Party?
Veritas,
Games?
I suggest you attempt to live up to the moniker you’ve chosen for yourself.
Not just the parts that fit your position.
By the way, where do the Lewis issues lie within the story?
I must have missed them.
Red herring much?
Great point, Rob. Pearce is the one who, upon the filing of the signatures, went to the Attorney General asking for “permission” to accept donations from unions and corporations. And Veritas is apparently the official arbiter of which unions are good and which are bad…
BTW, Veritas – no unions endorsed the recall.
Chad, you claim that your supporters are “a bunch of middle aged Republicans from Pearce’s district.” While this is a bit of a stretch, you fail to mention the other supporters like the ones who showed up at the Alto Arizona Anti SB1070 march last year to walk alongside your partner in crime, Randy Parraz. You know, the march to boycott AZ and really show ‘em you mean business.
http://www.barriozona.com/media/BARRIOZONA_March_Against_SB1070_Phoenix_Arizona_Two/index.html
Randy and yourself knew that in order to be successful, you needed to get a few people on board from all groups (community organizer….check, Mormon lawyer…..check, disgruntled democrats…..check, a smattering of a few republicans who think Jerry Lewis is a “nice guy”….check).
How about being honest about what this is REALLY about. You know, “New York Times headlines”. Although, the only video available of Parraz speaking to the PDA in Tucson (Progressive Democrat Caucus) is one that your recall group cut and pasted, there was someone else there filming but for some reason, Parraz told her to delete the videos from the internet. What did he want to hide?
http://tucsoncitizen.com/tucson-progressive/2011/04/17/randy-parraz-updates-progressive-dems-on-pearce-recall-video/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSzJA7r85GA
Parraz April 2011: “I can’t wait to have that ammunition to go after him. And I’ll tell you what, together, think about this, the people said, you know, “we should wait until 2012, what are you doing recalling him?” We need a victory now! We need to go on the defensive NOW! We need a strategy NOW that can WIN! I have done the research and I have not found in the entire history of America, no sitting President of a legislature has been recalled. Not ever. Not only in Arizona but anywhere in the United States. Right now in Wisconsin, they’re recalling 8 senators. Not one is a sitting President. They’re not recalling THAT person. Just those 8. This is history in the making! We filed our recall before they did in Wisconsin. They’re following US! We’re setting the trend. We’re going to make a name for Arizona……you get recalled by your constituents. It’s going to be a good time for us. We’ve put this guy in the spotlight and hold him accountable…..nothings got the teeth of a recall. It’s perminent. You know, even if he SURVIVES a recall, it’s perminent. Every where he goes people will ask, “why were you recalled by the citizens of Mesa? You’re supposed to be the KING of Mesa!” That should be our message, right? This is someone who thought he was untouchable.”
Neo, Citizens for a Better Arizona didn’t exist during last year’s anti-1070 march, so get your facts straight. Also, you forgot to mention the majority of REPUBLICAN precinct committee people from LD18 who voted against Russell Pearce as a state party delegate last year. Are the Mesa Republicans too liberal for you also?
Randy is an unabashed progressive/liberal Democrat. I don’t agree with him on much politically. But he’s a good person and a good friend.
The recall honestly is about Russell Pearce being too extreme for Arizona and pushing a radical, one-issue agenda at the expense of other things that are more important. On that Republicans, Democrats, and Independents in his district all agree.
Since you don’t know anything about what REALLY happend in LD18 (and LD 19/22/21/11 etc) because you aren’t even IN Mesa, and I would venture to guess that you aren’t even a PC yourself, let me fill you in on the details. What happened to PCs in LD 18 and the other LDs was orchestrated by McCain cronies in order to maintain state committeemen control. It was unsuccessful I might add. Pearce wasn’t the only CONSERVATIVE member of LD 18 who almost wasn’t elected. As I said, many CONSERVATIVE PCs in several districts were not elected either. You, however, ignorantly think it was because his district think he is too “radical”. If he was too “radical”, how is it that his district ELECTED him to office just a few months earlier? It was McCain’s people who knew Pearce wouldn’t vote for the leaders who would hold the purse string to help McCain’s campaign who controlled who was elected as state committeemen.
To your other point, yes, in lawyer speak, “technically” CBA wasn’t around during the march in May 2010. You are admitting though that he did participate and that it was a march to protest and boycott AZ. However, you are deflecting the point. Parraz WAS involved with the same groups that participated in the march PRIOR to the march:
http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bastard/2010/03/pushback_to_russell_pearces_bi.php
March 2010
“Around two hundred protesters and speakers from groups such as Border Action Network, Puente, Maricopa Citizens for Safety and Accountability, Somos America, the ACLU of Arizona, and others rallied at Capitol’s Executive Tower today to demand that Governor Jan Brewer veto state Senator Russell Pearce’s bill SB 1070/HB 2632. leaders of the anti-Pearce crowd including BAN’s Jennifer Allen, MCSA’s Randy Parraz, and Carlos Garcia of the Puente Movement entered the Executive Tower, and took the elevator to the 9th Floor in search of the Governor. ”
Let’s see, BAN, Puente, Maricopa Citizens for Safety and Accountability (This was Parraz’s group, no?), Somos America, ACLU (isn’t that a union?). One month later, Parraz announced is (failied) run for Senate.
The majority of CITIZENS who voted within his district elected Pearce to be a PC in 2010 by 9%. But that stat doesn’t work well with your platform, does it?
Pearce 302 votes
Next highest votes were:
Chad Coons 285
Beth Coons 276
(Now where Have I seen Beth Coons before? Oh yeah, Ross Farnsworth’s RINO daughter who was put up to run by the same people (Lindbloms) who put up their people in other districts to get the majority State Committeemen and who is also friends with Dea Montague. The guy who was on the “committee” to find a candidate to run against Pearce.)
It’s too small of a LDS world to not connect the dots.
How is it your Citizens for a Better Arizona group only registered with the AZ Secretary of State on Jan 28, 2011, yet managed by Jan 31 to have upwards of $10k in your warchest? Was that leftover money from Parraz’s failed Senate campaign? Is that even legal? Collecting money when you aren’t even a registered organization yet?
http://www.azsos.gov/cfs/FilerDetail.aspx?id=201200056
Jan 31, 2011
http://www.crnlive.com/CRNBlog/index.php/2011/01/citizens-for-a-better-arizona-urges-you-to-join-with-us-to-recall-russell-pearce/
We are a well-established group that has what it takes to raise the necessary funds both across the state and across the nation and we’re rapidly closing on $10,000 already raised to help us achieve our goals!
Mostly money from the few of us who founded the group. We put our money where our mouth is – we don’t ask lobbyists and out-of-state special interests to pay our way.
“Why aren’t any of the people coming out and endorsing him from his own district?”
LOL! DUDE! Seriously? YOU and PARRAZ (and Ken Smith, your treasurer Diana Loken, Dan O’Neal) AREN’T IN HIS DISTRICT. YOU are the ones spearheading the recall.
Please, my side aches from laughing so hard. You really must think people are a bunch of idiots.
Still waiting for Neo48 to show one shred, just one shred of evidence, that Unions are behind the recall. That was the claim, too bad he doesn’t have the intellectual courage to back up his words.
I’m tired of feckless liars, aren’t you? Get rid of Pearce and his failed agenda and poor leadership. LD18 needs job and tax reform, not the headline hunting Pearce and his cronies crave.
True Conservative, Brett, whoever you are. I DO know, you can’t POSSIBLY be a True conservative or MORE Conservative than me if you choose to hang on desperately to the Unions issue rather than see past your nose at those actually behind the recall. Case in point. Did you know that Randy Parraz was endorsed by Dan O’Neal (Progressive Democrats of America)? As a conservative, surely you understand what a “progressive” is, yes?
How about those who are listed as “supporters” on Chad and Randy’s website. You know, people they claim are middle aged republicans in his district who are tired of Russell Pearce? Guess what? You’re being played. Here’s the list of those “supporters”
Ellie Gursten: Catholic Charities Coordinator located at 430 N Dobson Road # 110 Mesa, AZ 85201-5276
She, however, lives in Tempe
Part of “Friends of Children First Academy” founded in 2008 and is part of the SEQUOIA CHARTER SCHOOLS FAMILY. (Sound familiar? Same school Jerry Lewis is on the board)
Jason Anderson: Admits he’s from Phoenix
Linda Sullivan: Treasurer of LD18 Democrats, previously on board of Mesa Leadership Training and Development
Julie Jorgensen: Proponent of the Utah Compact, a GED Teacher who has had a gripe with Pearce since at least 2003 over budget cuts to education
Gail and Steve Wylie: Democrats in LD 18. He is a retired teacher at Dobson High School.
Brian Barabe: (see Daniel Martinez below) From Chandler. Taught English and Spanish at Westwood. Member of “East Valley Patriots for American Values” organization to oppose Pearce. Goal is to introduce similar legislation to the Utah Compact.
**This organization was created ALONG WITH RANDY PARRAZ in early December 2010
Tuesday, December 7th, 2010
A grassroots group opposed to the policies of State Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, made its first public appearance Monday night at the Mesa City Council meeting.East Valley Patriots for American Values believes Pearce is harming Mesa and the state as a whole with his tough policies on immigration and the budget, organizer Brian Barabe said.
Barabe, who taught English and Spanish at Westwood High School for more than 31 years, was one of two speakers who addressed the council Monday night. Another 20 or so members sat in the audience.
Daniel Martinez of Gilbert said the group draws its members from Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe and Ahwatukee Foothills. He is a former faculty member at Mesa Community College.
Another organizer is Randy Parraz, who ran for U.S. Senate this year but lost in the Democratic primary.
William Schnebly: “Resident of Arizona” Actually lives in Phoenix. Married to a hispanic woman from Sonora Mexico and who has known who Parraz was since he ran for congress)
Daniel Martinez: From Gilbert. Former educator with MCC. Founder of East Valley Patriots for American Values alongside Brian Barabe above.
Manny Cortez: Democrat in LD18. Ran for Mesa City Council in 2008
From Feb 3, 2011 shortly after Recall was announced:
Some people working on the drive are from Mesa, including former City Council candidate Manny Cortez and Julie Jorgensen, an adult education teacher. Others are not from Mesa, including Randy Parraz, who ran unsuccessfully in the Democrat Senate primary.
But, you keep beating that “union” drum and don’t watch what the other hand is doing and using ignorant people like you to do it.
You allege Union support for the Recall – but don’t provide any. Parraz is a tool, but the election isn’t about him any more than this discussion is about Catholics who support Lewis. (Something you bizzarly think is important.)
Pearce is a failed leader. He had a good run as the wild loon from LD18, but he has failed the state and, most importantly, his district with his failure to address the jobs, taxes or meaningful education reform. He’s made Arizona a laughingstock with his serial unconstitutional legislative submissions and his media grabbing PR stunts.
Similarly, you have failed in this discussion to prove Union support for the recall. It’s a matter of public record that most of Pearce’s money comes from out-of-state donations and that the local unions are in his camp. Heck, he’s the one who tried to unlawfully solicit union money for his campaign – but was rebuffed by Republican AG Horne!
That’s a pretty diverse group of educated Republicans and Democrats from all over Arizona, Neo. Does Russell enjoy that kind of across the board support? Why doesn’t he release the results of the two polls he’s done and we’ll see… (Hint: if the polling was positive for Pearce, you can bet he’d be parading it through the streets).
TrueCon is right, Pearce is simply a failed leader who has lost the support of even the Republicans in his own district.
LOL Chad. But where are all of those white, Republicans WITHIN HIS OWN DISTRICT that you so often talk about? You are so eager to criticize Pearce supporters as being outsiders, but look at YOU. lol that’s funny.
Yes, Pearce DOES enjoy that kind of support across the board. In AND outside of the state. It is you and your followers who are in the minority.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/05/12/us-usa-immigration-study-idUSTRE64B4W820100512
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20010460-503544.html
(57% support the new immigration law. Another 17% think it doesn’t go far enough)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpocEUhM5no
(81% of Arizonans support the new law. 50% of supporters are DEMOCRATS!)
The fact that Parraz worked for the AFL-CIO in AZ and DC for nine years doesn’t matter? Have you seen the picture of Parraz next to Trumka at the Alto Arizona anti SB1070/boycott AZ march?
Texas AFL-CIO supporting the recall
See July 8, 2011
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Texas-AFL-CIO/122300848805
http://www.azaflcio.org/index.cfm?action=article&articleID=872a4185-8320-4ea2-9179-1712e4400608
Alto Arizona and Puente/NDLON:
http://blog292.aflcio.org/2010/05/29/tens-of-thousands-protest-arizonas-immigrant-law/#more-30155
http://www.ndlon.org/
But keep calling yourself “conservative”.
Neo, I’m starting to be a little creeped out by your obsession with Randy Parraz. He is simply one of many people who have organized and worked on the recall. But he is the only Hispanic Democrat who used to work for a union so he’s an opportune target for Pearce. Why not focus on the white, Republican Mormons who want Pearce out just as badly as Parraz?
Chad, the same could be said of your obsession with ousting Pearce. Know thine enemy.
Again, where are all of the white, Republican Mormons who want Pearce out on your CBA website? Couldn’t find more than one?
The fact that Parraz worked for the AFL-CIO in AZ and DC for nine years doesn’t matter? Have you seen the picture of Parraz next to Trumka at the Alto Arizona anti SB1070/boycott AZ march?
Since the comments section apparently doesn’t like a lot of links, you may have to actually make an effort to google it for yourself.
Texas AFL-CIO supporting the recall
See July 8, 2011 on their Facebook page
Also look into
Alto Arizona and Puente and NDLON (that’s National Day Labors Organization Network)
But keep calling yourself “conservative”.
TrueCon, apparently Neo’s 12th Commandment is that if you happen to agree on an issue with a Democrat, you aren’t a true “conservative”.
If Pearce isn’t representing those who voted for him, the next election is thr proper time to address that, with the FULL and OPEN cndidate VETTING processe of a normal election cycle. IN a recall, the public doesn’t get the chance to really examine the candidates – it’s RUSHED..
Recalls are a new dirty trick from the Democrats. The run dead people on their tickets and try to tear live Republicans out of their seats, they NEED union dues removed automatically or people would quickly opt out of contributing to unions. What a morally, politically bankrupt political party. Now they’re running around telling everyone to “attack” and “get in their faces.”
Sounds like caged rat desperation, not a party of vision and ideas which actually produce positive results for everyone.
Democrats are so out of control they can’t even wait for a normal election cycle.
Recalls are provided for in the state constitution. It’s the law. You don’t support the rule of law. I do.
Would I have preferred no recall – yes. Am I going to whine about citizens complying with the law to seek political redress, no.
FWIW: I think the recall was a misstep by the dems. Pearce is likely to win, to our shared shame, and then will be more entrenched then ever.
Here’s the yardstick I use: are the issues that affect true conservatives being tended too successfully? Pearce has the right issues in mind, but his priorities are wrong, his leadership has failed and the legislation he produces does not solve, and sometimes exacerbates, the problem.
Support the rule of law, vote for Lewis in LD18.
One good thing about all this, True Conservative is exposing all his Liberal Leftisms, the reality behind the phony facade.
It’s so Democrat to invoke rule of law in that manner. LIke how they suddenly get all “Jesus” when they covet other people’s property.
To invoke the rule of law in what manner? The manner consistent with both the letter and the spirit of the law?
Come on, you can do it, finish your thought … be a good lad …
Here’s another thing: just because someone disagrees with you on one issue doesn’t mean they disagree with you on all the issues.
We should all remember Ronald Reagan was the master of negotiating with his ideological enemies. He respected them, he found common ground, and he ensured his principles were protected, if not all his desires.
You, sir, are negotiating “common ground” with the Progressive Democrats of America, the former Arizona director of the AFL-CIO (who spearheaded the “freedom ride” through AZ), who is buddies with Salvador Reza from Puente AZ and Alto Arizona (who supported a boycott on our state) for starters.
You know that Parraz founded a group called the “East Valley Patriots for American Values” (sounds so patriotic huh?) back in early December with a guy named Brian Barabe. (You can see him as one of the disgruntled “supporters” on the CBA website. You know, someone who is supposed to be in LD18 and supports the recall?) The thing is, this group was created specifically to get rid of Pearce. According to Parraz on Dec 30th: “We’re very concerned that this person (Pearce) does not have the ability to represent the values and the ideals that are best for Arizona,” said Parraz, who also is organizing a second group named the East Valley Patriots for American Values, which will monitor the actions undertaken by Pearce, in particular, WITHIN THE DISTRICT HE REPRESENTS IN MESA…” This was a month before the recall was announced. Parraz, after coming in dead last in the dem primaries in August, was already organizing to get rid of Pearce at least as early as the beginning of December. Common sense tells you that talks were in the works even before then.
Barabe taught at Westwood for 30 years. Weird. That’s where Lewis taught Seminary and participated on various school organizations. I find it very strange that Barabe knows a lawyer in Mesa named Ken Smith who actively participated in campaigns for candidates who opposed Pearce (like Andrea Garcia in 2010). Ken also was gathering recall signatures at his law firm office back on Jan 31st . Smith also knows Dea Montague (Lewis’s campaign manager).
Parraz and Snow are being, shall we say, less than honest, when they claim they weren’t involved in the candidate selection. From a previous article, “The candidate’s name is Jerry Lewis, and he is the product of a search by Mesa residents for a challenger. The group that led the successful campaign to put the recall on the ballot, Citizens for a Better Arizona, says it has not been involved in the search for a candidate.” We know they are smarmy lawyers who choose their words very carefully. While they may not “know” Lewis, they full well knew those recruiting him. I mean, what would be the point of recalling someone if you didn’t have someone to put up to run against him? They knew it needed to be someone LDS and republican. Who better to ask but an LDS lawyer from Mesa who was known to have tried to oust Pearce in the past?
I lose instant respect for those willing to compromise their “conservative” values to find “common ground” with the enemy.
As Franklin said, “those willing to give up essential liberty for a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
@Neo – Sorry you hate Reagan. I don’t. His approach worked, yours hasn’t. So which one of us is the true conservative?
Further, ideological enemies are not the same as flat-out enemies. We’re all Americans at the end of the day. As such, your Franklin quote is bizzarly misplaced.
Isn’t this recall election oddly similar to the waged recall elections in Wisconsin? Why was Pearce chosen? Maybe because SEIU and the open border amnesty groups joined with the edu lobby who want “more investment’ for their failed education establishment? Maybe its not ‘moderate’ republicans in LD18 at all, but liberal interests who seek the demise of Russell Pearce? Give me a fracken break… Mr Snow? You and your minions disgust me.
There are teachers, an honorable profession… and then there are educators; and the two are vastly different. Good teachers don’t last long in the education industry while true “educrats” rise to the level of EdD and have proliferated like rabbits eating up every dollar the state earmarks for the classroom…
“Isn’t this recall election oddly similar to the waged recall elections in Wisconsin?”
Or oddly similar to the Gray Davis recall in California.
AND OH MY GOD… ISN’T IT ODD THAT JERRY LEWIS AND VLAD THE IMPALER ARE BOTH HOMO SAPIENS THAT LIVED IN THE HOLOCENE EPOCH!?!?!
THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE PEOPLE!!!!
For those not familiar with the “Holocene Epoch,” here is a brief Wikipedia entry:
The Holocene is a geological epoch which began at the end of the Pleistocene [1] (around 10,000 14C years ago) and continues to the present. The Holocene is part of the Quaternary period. Its name comes from the Greek words ὅλος (holos, whole or entire) and καινός (kainos, new), meaning “entirely recent”. It has been identified with the current warm period, known as MIS 1 and based on that past evidence, can be considered an interglacial in the current ice age.
The Holocene also encompasses within it the growth and impacts of the human species world-wide, including all its written history and overall significant transition toward urban living in the present. Given these, a new synonym Anthropocene, is specifically proposed and used for the time period since approximately synchronous lithospheric evidence, or more recently atmospheric evidence, of human impacts have been found on the Earth and its ecosystems; these impacts may be considered of global significance for future evolution of living species. (Wikipedia entry)
Gee, maybe the now exposed and embarrassed TIMES ATLAS “experts” were reading Wikipedia conjecture when they unilaterally evaporated 20% of Greenland’s existing ice sheet off the map, based on, the NEW pseudo-scientific method of “we’re just anticipating what is supposed to happen by the computer models.”
So far, the old Oracle of Delphi has done better predicting the future than any “climate change pseudo scientist.” People are going to look back at this period as the “GarbageInGarbageOutocene.”
It’s real similar to the Wisconsin tit for tat recalls. 14 Democrats literally ran away from their jobs in an inventive filibuster move, since they didn’t have enough votes to filibuster, to block what the voters wanted as demonstrated by the voters responding to the GOP campaigns by voting to out the Democrats, who had decades of failed governing results, so THAT was a recallable reason – they walked off their jobs. Anyone ELSE in ANY other job would have been FIRED.
But in the best defense is a strong offensive tactic, up sprouted the counter recalls – to recall representatives who WERE on the job, so those were simply attack recalls.
The Democrats see great sleazy opportunity in this nasty recall business because it’s RUSHED and voters don’t have much time to be adequately informed, thus prone to make mistakes, prone to misleading Democrat political bait and switch, and low turn-outs help Democrats, so Democrats perceive after some raw cynical calculations that they have a chance to 1) harass incumbents to ineffectiveness and 2) actually slip in Democrats who otherwise wouldn’t get anywhere with the public 3) totally exhaust voters with endless recall elections between real elections, totally screwing with a system that has served the USA well for centuries. .
The Republicans have a lot to lose in every single political race, from dog catcher to POTUS coast to coast if they do not shut this down NOW. If Pearce is recalled, then Democrats are poised to collapse the system in recall mania. WHY should civilization allow what is no more than political VANDALS, who care nothing of the long-term consequences, destroy a functioning and fair electoral system?
So, Democrats are continuing to be the party that depends on the tricks: dead candidates, recall sneaks.
Yea, you do know that Wisc. Republicans also initiated recalls? And that recalls have been a part of Representative Democracies for centuries?
Fear not, Chicken Little, the sky is not falling.
BTW: Historically, low turn out favors Republican candidates. We with (R) tend to vote no matter what, not so much for the (D). Further, the only dirty trick I’ve witnessed in this recall is the Pearce team fronting a shill candidate to dillute the vote. If you cared about fair elections you would be upset at that, as well. As is, it seems all your rightious anger is just puffery.
“Anyone ELSE in ANY other job would have been FIRED.”
Except, of course, the people of the districts that 3 of those Democrats were from were given the chance to fire them, and they did not – no Democrats were recalled in the 3 recalls REPUBLICANS set up.
Aw, wassa matter, wanumba? You mad, bro?