Arizona Politics for Conservatives: Sonoran Alliance
Arizona Politics, News, Commentary and Information with a Blatantly Conservative Worldview Presented by an Alliance of Writers, Activists, Consultants and Government Insiders.
Phoenix Police have released the following report regarding Mark Mitchell. For several weeks, Sonoran Alliance has provided a forum for one of our writers to demand that this report be made public. One would expect the police investigation to lead to charges being filed. Here is that report.
By Stephen Slivinski
Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor released employment data for all 50 states. Arizona has done reasonably well since March 2011, adding 47,000 non-farm jobs. That’s a growth rate of around 2 percent and puts Arizona among the top 10 states.
The Arizona Republic mentioned these numbers in their annual employment survey of the largest companies in the state and concluded that large employers were helping lead the state into a recovery. The Arizona Department of Administration reported that the biggest absolute job gain was in the leisure and hospitality industry (10,700 new jobs).
But digging deeper into the employment data reveals that Wal-Mart and tourism aren’t the state’s real growth industries.
In percentage terms, the fastest-growing industry was specialty contractors. Tied for second place were the securities and commodities industry and the state public education system, which includes the state universities.
| Specialty Trade Contractors | 10.5% |
| Securities and Commodities | 6.3% |
| State Government Educational Services | 6.3% |
| Building Services | 5.7% |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 5.7% |
Source: Author’s calculations based on data from U.S. Department of Labor
It’s worth noting that the biggest employer in the state is not Wal-Mart, as the Arizona Republic concludes. The biggest employer in Arizona is the government.
State government as a whole has more than twice as many employees as Wal-Mart in Arizona, and total state and local public education employees outnumber Wal-Mart employees by more than 6 to 1.
The growth in the ranks of public education employees means more resources go to government. Unfortunately, there has been little in the way of an honest appraisal of whether those additional resources will add more value for taxpayers or students. In the meantime, policymakers should recognize that until we have real limits on the growth of government, government will continue to compete with private industries for the title of “top growth industry.”
Stephen Slivinski is an economist with the Goldwater Institute.
Learn more:
Arizona Department of Administration: Job Gains Across All Sectors (PDF)
Arizona Republic: Arizona’s Big Companies Boost Jobs Recovery
Goldwater Institute: Put Arizona on a Real Budget
A m e r i c a n P o s t – G a z e t t e
Distributed by C O M M O N S E N S E , in Arizona
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, May 7th, 2012
CONTACT: info@adamkwasman.com
ORO VALLEY, AZ. Former Congressman Matt Salmon has endorsed Adam Kwasman for State Representative.
Salmon stated, “I spent years working to reduce spending and limit the size of government when I was in Congress and the Arizona Legislature. I know what it takes to be effective and I see those qualities in Adam Kwasman. He has a proven record of fighting to restore liberty and that is what we need right now in America.”
Kwasman responded, “Matt Salmon has a strong record of fighting to restrain the size of government, and will be a champion for liberty when he returns to Congress. He is an inspiration to conservatives in Arizona and I am honored to have his support.”
Adam Kwasman was born and raised in Southern Arizona. He lives in Oro Valley and is running for the House of Representatives in Legislative District 11. Adam is running on a platform of limiting the size of government, attracting new jobs to Arizona by making our state a better place to do business, and on enforcing our immigration laws. Please visit www.adamkwasman.com for more information.
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Operational Control Should Be Metric for Success
Washington, D.C. – Republican Congressman Jeff Flake, who represents Arizona’s Sixth District, today criticized the border security proposal outlined by the Department of Homeland Security’s Chief of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The five-year plan moves away from operational control as the metric for measuring effective and sustainable border security and shifts the focus of border security from being resource-based to risk-based.
“Unless the federal government has operational control, the border is not secured,” said Flake. “When the Tucson Sector looks like the Yuma Sector, the Obama Administration can start patting itself on the back. But to abandon operational control as the metric of success now makes me question the seriousness of the Administration’s proposal.”
“We have a plan in Congress that would put the federal government on the path to operational control – The Border Security Enforcement Act.”
In 2011, Congressman Flake introduced in the House H.R. 1507, the Border Security Enforcement Act of 2011, which is focused on increasing resources along the Southern U.S. border. Senators John McCain and Jon Kyl introduced the legislation in the Senate. Among the 10 key provisions of the bill is the deployment of up to 6,000 National Guard troops and 5,000 additional Border Patrol agents to the United States-Mexico border by 2016. It would create additional Border Patrol stations along the southwest border and six additional permanent Border Patrol Forward Operating Bases and would upgrade existing bases.
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Mr. Flake Goes to Washington and Refuses to Come Back!
Congressman Flake's Washington Buddies Pay Up to Keep Their Washington Insider!
“The Club for Growth endorsed Flake immediately after he entered the race, and they’ve raised an impressive sum on his behalf, bringing in $100,000 in the first 24 hours after giving him their backing.” (Sean Sullivan, “Flake In The Millionaire’s Club,” National Journal’s Hotline On Call, 4/4/11)
Not only does the Club for Growth pay for lavish trips for Congressman Flake, they are also his largest campaign contributors.
Even more of Congressman Flake’s money comes from Political Action Committees (PACs)
Arizona can’t afford a U.S. Senator beholden to anyone other than the citizens of Arizona.
Jeff Flake says he’s watching out for Arizona, but in Washington he is beholden to lobbyists and special interests.
For documentation and an explanation, call Congressman Flake at 602.845.0333.
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By Jim Lamerson
Reposted from PrescottENews.com
Councilman Jim Lamerson lauds Speaker Tobin’s decision to run again for the House of Representatives.
What individually motivates elected officials differs greatly. We have different priorities and core values. Reactionary best describes what I’ve seen happening lately. The old adages “money is the root of all evil” and, “absolute power corrupts absolutely” may indeed be true.
The federal government tries to take control over Arizona’s sovereign authority to self determination as constitutionally assured and the State attempts dominion over home rule of chartered cities as earmarked in the State constitution.
I had not witnessed such brazen attempts to trample on State’s rights, squander and consume public money prior to the constitutional delinquents now occupying Washington. It appears equally easy for the State legislature to pillage Arizona cities and towns as it is for the Federal government to justify a seventeen trillion dollar deficit and simply extend its limit to feed their insatiable appetite for spending other people’s money.
Port and graft at all levels appears the normal way of doing business. Sodom and Gomorrah’s opportunity for a good screwing was not much different than what Washington and Phoenix does to us here in Prescott, except maybe the inflationary cost to grin and bear it is more today.
The Speaker of the House for Arizona from rural Paulden is a prime example of service above self. The announcement that he would not seek a congressional seat in a district where he is extremely popular demonstrates his willingness to place what’s in the State’s best interest in front of what’s the easiest climb up the political ladder.
There are some honest people with integrity still involved in government defending the Constitution and those admirable qualities of this country and great state. Further, there is hope with another generation of well educated and very determined patriots with an opportunity for rapid communication and a willingness to get the mess cleaned up.
Hopefully Speaker Tobin’s leadership will guide the next generation of State leadership rather than get lost in the Quagmire of the national policy debate for personal gain. Our current governor took the leadership role regarding border security and one of her most ardent supporters is the Speaker. Arizona, while small in population, is huge in leadership.
It’s only Tuesday morning, and already, Ron Barber’s campaign isn’t having a good week.
Barber started Monday on the defensive, trying to hide his support for ObamaCare, which cuts $500 billion from Medicare.
Fact: Ron Barber still refuses to support the repeal of this government takeover of healthcare.
Next, Barber shunned a group of high school students who had organized a local debate, forcing them to cancel. Hours after the news broke, his campaign rushed out a laughable, late-night press release to play damage control.
Fact: Ron Barber still refuses to take questions from local high school government students.
National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Daniel Scarpinato had this to say about Ron Barber’s defensive moves: “Positions on the issues matter in this race. If Ron Barber won’t take questions from local high school students, how does he expect to represent southern Arizonans in Congress?”
Cites Parker’s life story as “the American Dream”
(Phoenix) – President George H.W. Bush, in a poignant letter recently sent to Vernon Parker, lent his name and support to Vernon Parker’s campaign for Congress in Arizona’s newly created congressional district 9 (CD-9).
In his letter of April 13th 2012, President Bush said:
“Vernon is a good man who served honorably in my Administration.” Vernon is a leader who demonstrates conservative values, love for country, and commitment to excellence in all that he has done.”
“I am deeply honored to have the support of a President I had the privilege to serve and for whom I have the highest regard,” said Vernon Parker.
“President Bush epitomizes all that I aspire to be as an American, a public servant, and as this new district’s first Member of Congress. President Bush is a statesman whose legacy will loom large,” Parker said.”
“In his letter to me, my former boss generously remarked that he regards my life story as the “’American dream.’” “Indeed, in my mind, President Bush is an American icon, whose life story and achievements, I know, will serve to inspire young people for future generations.”
“It is a rare move for a former President of the United States, to endorse a candidate for Congress in a primary election,” said Parker. “President Bush has my assurance that every day on the campaign trail I will aspire to be the kind of candidate, in whom, he placed his trust.”
President Bush letter to Vernon Parker ended simply by saying:
“I encourage you to vote for Vernon Parker.” All the best, George Bush
A copy of the letter from President George H.W. Bush is attached.
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Bill Will Ease EPA Regulatory Burden for States With Natural Dust Occurrences
Washington, D.C. – Republican Congressman Jeff Flake, who represents Arizona’s Sixth District, today introduced H.R. 5381, the Commonsense Legislative Exceptional Events Reform (CLEER) Act.
In order for states to exclude specific exceedances of air quality standards often caused by naturally-occurring events such as dust storms, they must submit costly and complicated demonstration projects to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its review. However, the EPA is under no pressure to review this paperwork in a timely manner. Additionally, the current regulations governing exceptional events demonstrations leave the decision entirely at the discretion of the EPA, and the decisions are not appealable.
The CLEER Act remedies these costly and burdensome exceptional events regulations with commonsense reforms in part by requiring the EPA to review states’ exceptional events documentation within 90 days of submission; afford states deference on what should be excluded; carry out a rulemaking in concert with the states on what exceptional events demonstrations must include; and making their decisions on exceptional events demonstrations appealable.
“States shouldn’t face bureaucratic penalties from the EPA for naturally occurring events, like dust storms,” said Flake.
The CLEER Act is supported by a wide variety of air quality stakeholders in Arizona and on the national level. A complete list of the bill’s supporters as well as additional background and information about the CLEER Act are attached.
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Ban Amnesty Now (B.A.N.), with more than 400,000 members/supporters in Arizona, and more than 800,000 across America, has announced two major Phoenix-area businesses have suspended advertising with the Phoenix New Times / Village Voice Media.
Pearce said he hoped the leadership showed by Dan Harkins and Buddy Stubbs would encourage other businesses to follow suit.