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 1, 2012
|
|
|
Vote for Russell Pearce in this poll now!
May 1, 2012 By 14 Comments
Progressive Democrats set example of Enlightened Civility and Tolerance
April 18, 2012 By 12 Comments
The following is a re-print from the Arizona Daily Star and is posted here as a sterling example of the civility and respect with which the Progressive Democrats view anyone who thinks differently from them. Here we can see such Leftist virtues as *Tolerance* of *Diversity* and *Respect* for Others. In other words, the Progressive Democrats want everyone to DO as they SAY but NOT as they DO. These are the folks who want you to elect them to steer the ship of state.
By the way, what is the fetish the Progressive Left has with college and university education? They seem to think it magically bestows some kind of smartness on those who endured four or more years of higher education. They seem to look down their collective noses on those who are graduates of the School of Hard Knocks, in other words, those who may possess good old common sense. Liberals seem to believe that once you leave high school your ability to continue learning ends unless you sit for endless hours listening to a college professor who’s never practiced anything remotely like what he teaches. But I digress. Read this example of *civility* that hails from the enlightened troglodytes in Baja Arizona.
Fitz: Kelly wins
Dave Fitzsimmons The Arizona Daily Star | Tuesday, April 17, 2012
High school graduate Jesse Kelly defeated a Harvard educated Air Force pilot, a nice American named Dave Sitton and Frank “Spank me, I’m bad” Antenori. Now that the fat lady has sung and the primary is over it’s time for Act II of “The Barber of Civility”: A contest between the guy who looks like the Jurassic Park professor without the pith helmet and a carpet bagging gun-toting Bible thumping gosh and shucks Gomer Pyle who can channel Sean Hannity.
Jesse will do great among the unwashed, the rural, the illiterate, the scared goobers willing to cheerfully vote against their own interests, whipping up the groundlings and the believers with rhetorical red meat so rotten with the stench of untruths that honorable flies will choose to lay their eggs elsewhere. And he’ll smile like a man surprised he said something resembling a coherent thought. And the crowds who hate elitists and grammar and syntax and critical thinking will slap their knees and hoot. Scan the online comment section for repugnant speech and unfiltered anonymous hatred of all who differ with the strict conservative view and and you have found your archetypal “here come the black helicopters from Kenya” Kelly supporters.
And he will be petted and stroked and groomed and cooed to by right-wing think tanks and he’ll be showered, nay, flooded with bags of cash from big oil and all the right PACs looking for a manly mannequin with a pull string. And he’s a pretty one. He’s tall and he’s handsome and he’s tall and he’s handsome. Elderly church ladies who can’t tell you who the Vice-President is gaze adoringly up at Kelly, yearning to vote for him and to adopt him and to feed him apple pie. Goodbye Mo Udall, hello empty plastic Ken doll.
And he will be angry at those who question his ascendency and his indignant finger will raise up to poke the sky and he’ll thunder incoherent talk radio babble about freedom and liberty and liberty from freedom and FOX news and the right-wing machine will give him their cameras and their spotlights every chance they can.
He won’t represent you. He will represent the Tea Party fanatics, talk radio freaks, the hand-wringing evangelicals, the gun fondlers and the paranoid. The rest of you are just not Americans, you Marxists and Communists and baby killers and you can go to Hell for all he cares. He’ll terrify crowds with his tales of the liberal straw man, the wretched progressive sasquatch, the abominable secularists and he’ll shake the scarecrow and he’ll offer himself up as the great peasant’s torch just waiting to be pressed into battle against the fictitious kindling. Swaddled in the flag and clutching his sacred Constitution he’ll weep for America and prophesy a plague of socialism sweeping across the land that will rival the fire-in-the-sky visions of St. John. Evolution is a head-shaker and abortion is for harlots and those who are not with him are devils. The Word is Limbaugh and he is the word made flesh. Hearken to Jesse all ye Limbaugh Christians, the end times are upon us and the Messiah has a high school diploma. Reject him not, oh ye dittoheads. The Republicans have their man, their folksy Baron of bromides, their King of jingos, raised in the womb of the right-wing echo chamber. And their darling will have an army of fanatical feverish shock jocks who’ll trumpet at the Walls of Jericho for He who is Him everyday until Medicare, Social Security, Big Government, Taxes, the department of Education, our rotting public education system, and those diabolical regulators and the United Nations all come tumbling down.
At the final debate with Giffords in 2010 he was figuratively hoisted on the shoulders of believers with pitchforks and torches who cheered their Messiah with yahoos and slogans in lieu of palm fronds. How can one be civil when you’re debating an opponent who lies and smirks and makes George Bush sound look Stephen Hawking? His adherents cannot be moved by facts, they have found faith.
Sinclair Lewis had his Main Street Babbitt, we have Kelly. This Barber v. Kelly election will truly be an American spectacle rivaling the Scopes Monkey trial because its outcome will define us for years. Are we an easily frightened America aching for the shallow comfort of the primitive and the superstitious or are we the fearless America that questions, that embraces the future, that is modern and smart? Mark Twain and H.L.Mencken savaged their respective times as the gilded ages of carnival hawkers and tent evangelists and smiling shoeshine salesmen and gullible rubes willing to say yes to any smiling carpet-bagger. They are gazing up from Hell longing to see this show unfold. This summer the oldest American story shall repeat itself.
Eric Holder, Professional Racialist
February 17, 2012 By 42 Comments
As bad as the Fast and Furious debacle is, there is another part of the Eric Holder story that deserves equal attention.
Namely –
Attorney General Eric Holder is a racialist. In fact, he is a professional racialist.
Note that I am not calling Holder a racist. That’s different. A racist is a person who believes there are significant differences in abilities or character among people of different races, attributes those differences directly to race, and almost always believes that his own race is somehow superior to other races. That’s not Holder.
A racialist, on the other hand, as the term is used here, believes that racism is itself the primary driving force of events, behaviors, and outcomes in all societies. Anywhere there is a perceived injustice or inequality of outcomes, a racialist looks first to racism as the underlying cause. To an avid racialist, any other contributing factor is either subordinate or is itself tied to racism in some other form at some other time or place.*
Eric Holder is well known for his claim that we’re a “nation of cowards” when it comes to race, for his documented race-biased pursuit of justice in the DOJ, and for his recent sniveling whimper that Congressional calls for his resignation over Fast and Furious are race-based. Through these behaviors, and because of his position as US Attorney General, Holder is a quintessential professional racialist.
As expressed by AR Ward and others, professional racialists variously use race as the basis for earning a living, making speeches, writing articles, winning elections, and determining policy. Their worldview is grounded in the notion that racism, specifically white racism, explains virtually all of society’s political and economic ills. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are perhaps the most visible, but other prominent professional racialists are Cornel West, Alan Johnson, Michael Eric Dyson, and Tim Wise.
Racialists, professional or not, use “racism” as their ever-ready trump card, instantly putting their target on the defensive. It works. The epithet racist is nasty and cutting, with an ugly sound that calls to mind Ku Kluxers, black-and-white images of 1950′s police with barking dogs, water cannons, and state governors (all Democrats, by the way) blocking the entrance of African Americans to public schools.
Old-fashioned virulent racism is all but gone now, and good riddance. But the Left is fairly teeming with racialists and racialism. Some professionals, like Jackson and Sharpton, owe their livelihood — indeed their whole raison d’être — to sniffing out and spotting perceived racism as if they were some sort of cultural pointer dogs. In fact, with old-time virulent racism so rare, these professional racialists have had to purposefully extend the definition of racism to include race-blindness.
As AR Ward puts it:
Of course we should all be anti-racist, but [racialists] don’t share the same definition of being anti-racist as most Americans. [To them], everyone in our society is either privileged (whites) or oppressed (“people of color”) because of racism. Since they think the driving force of privilege and oppression is race, naturally their enemies are those who are blind to race (almost always whites). So, according to the racialists, to be blind to race means being blind to racism.
To most people, race-blindness aligns well with the morally worthy I-Have-A-Dream vision of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., who called for the day when people would be judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin. Unfortunately for professional racialists, their influence, power, income, and self-righteous self-image can last only as long as Rev. King’s vision remains out of reach. It is in the racialist’s own self-interest, therefore, to perpetuate at least the perception of racism in America. And that’s what they do, viciously slandering any political movement that does not adhere to their racialistic worldview.
In particular, the Tea Party Movement (TPM) is anathema to racialism. The TPM holds that free markets, limited government, and fiscal responsibility constitute the path to greater well-being for all Americans. This TPM credo has nothing to do with race. To the TPM, this implicit race-blindness is a feature, not a flaw. But to racialists, any race-blind political movement must be, by definition, racist, and the TPM in particular drives some virulent racialists into apoplexy. See for example the 1-minute video at this link, wherein avid racialist Janeane Garofalo becomes delusional about the Tea Party Movement.
So then …
How should people of good faith deal with professional racialists like Sharpton, Jackson, and lesser racialists like Garofalo? Well, how about going on offense? When they cry “Racist!” without cause, cry “Racialist!” right back at them, but with good cause. As an epithet for these angry, bitter people, racialist is accurate, deserved, and puts them on the defensive, which is where they belong — for a change.
Now while racialists like Sharpton, Jackson, and Garofalo are certainly annoying and get a lot of media attention, they do only moderate damage. They are often the billboards of their own buffoonery. And their flailing rants against the Tea Party Movement arguably draw new members to the Conservative cause as well as (re)energizing current members.
Eric Holder, however, is another matter.
As US Attorney General, Holder runs our Department of Justice. That’s serious. The exposé Injustice, by J. Christian Adams, has received scant media attention amid the Fast and Furious investigations, but Adams’ serious, highly credible book shows that as a professional racialist, Holder has abused his AG position as an opportunity to correct past racial injustices by committing new ones.
As Adams writes (in the Injustice introduction section):
The DOJ’s dismissal of the New Black Panther voter intimidation case — a case I brought and ultimately resigned over — gave the public a glimpse of the racially discriminatory worldview that characterizes this influential government agency. But the publicity surrounding that case was unusual. Until now, no one has fully conveyed to the American public exactly how deep the rot goes in the Civil Rights Division, and the many disgraceful scandals that have unfolded behind its closed doors.
…
The end result when racial extremists dominate such a powerful division of federal law enforcement is, in a word, lawlessness.Impervious to sanctions and penalties handed down by federal courts, the DOJ Civil Rights Division feels unconstrained by department regulations or even by federal law. We now face the Orwellian situation where government lawyers brazenly ignore and subvert the law they have sworn to uphold, and where a leading civil rights protection agency discriminates against some racial groups while it favors others. This is not only lawlessness, it is the most dangerous kind of lawlessness — for history shows that once a nation’s laws cease to apply to the law enforcers, individual liberty does not survive for very long.
The Fast and Furious debacle may well bring Holder down, but if it does not, perhaps he should explicitly rename the Department of Justice with the more accurate name Department of Revenge for Past Injustices, or DORFPI. The acronym could be conveniently pronounced “dorf-pie” or “dorf-pee”. Catchy, no? And fitting, either way.
AG Holder’s deliberate corruption of our DOJ is one of the prime reasons that the Obama regime must be voted out in 2012.
——————————————————————————-
Afterword:
By the definition and discussion of racialism in this blog, am I somehow claiming that the last vestiges of racial, religious, and ethnic prejudices in America are gone? Of course not. But so what?
The best counsel I know of for victims of prejudice appeared in a decades-old newspaper column written by Thomas Sowell. (I’m relying on memory here since I can’t seem to find the actual column via Google). Sowell, himself black, wrote that the best advice he had ever received about prejudice was given to him when he was still a boy. It came from an old Jewish woman who told him “Don’t wait for them to love you.”
Sowell followed that advice rather well. He is, of course, a world-class economist, now at Stanford, and he is a superb conservative writer. I’m now enjoying his latest book, The Thomas Sowell Reader.
As more and more people follow the advice of that nameless old Jewish woman, professional racialists like Sharpton, Jackson, and Holder will be put out of business, and they’ll have to find another way to make a living. Bummer.
————————————————————————————-
* Some authors have used the term liberal racism instead of racialism to mean virtually the same thing. A superb writer, and incidentally a high school classmate of mine, Jim Sleeper, wrote a book with the title Liberal Racism in 1997. It stands as a benchmark on the subject, written by a decidedly Left-leaning person, which gives it all the more credibility since it is sharply critical of the mainstream Left for “getting race wrong”.
3 Republican legislators vote to continue corporate subsidies to newspapers
February 17, 2012 By 12 Comments
by Rachel Alexander
I couldn’t believe what I watched yesterday. Three Republican legislators – who all hold themselves out as conservatives – voted in a committee hearing to continue granting print newspapers an exclusive monopoly on public notices. Reps Carl Seel, Jeff Dial, and Terri Proud all voted against HB 2403, which would have brought us into the modern era and permitted public notices to be posted on the internet instead of print newspapers, including on government websites, saving taxpayers lots of money and increasing transparency. Websites like Sonoran Alliance and my IC Arizona would be able to post public notices at a more competitive cost.
I wrote an article fully explaining the depths of this problem here. I received this email today about it: “I work for a newspaper and you’re 100 percent right … but I can’t say anything. Not only does the public pay to put notices in the paper, the law requires purchasing the paper to get the notices. They get you coming and going.”
It may not be too late to revive this bill. Please contact the three Republican legislators who voted against it and express your disappointment. Kudos to the Republican legislators who supported it, Sen. Andy Biggs, Rep. David Stevens and Rep. Justin Pierce.
Carl Seel – cseel@azleg.gov 926-3018
Jeff Dial – jdial@azleg.gov 926-5550
Terri Proud – tproud@azleg.gov 926-3398
Tucson Potholes.com Launches!
January 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment
This was too good to pass up and I especially appreciate the creative snarkiness to it all!
Potholes, potholes, potholes. You simply cannot drive anywhere in Tucson without hitting one. But don’t get mad. Instead, embrace your favorite local pothole and share it with everyone.
We are pleased to announce a new social media website for the greater Tucson area. It’s aptly titled, Tucsonpotholes.com. You can upload your favorite pothole picture and give it a name. You can rate your pothole and other people’s potholes. Your best snarky comments are always welcome. View the Google Potholes map to see the “red dots” grow and grow. Read some of the serious commentary on the blog side, too.
The goal? To bring Tucson’s pothole plight to “center stage” and hold the Tucson City Council and the Pima County Board of Supervisors accountable for their failed leadership in keeping our streets safe and usable.
Thank you for your interest and we are looking forward to seeing your favorite pothole on Tucsonpotholes.com
Update on Mathis Photo
November 18, 2011 By 36 Comments
Sonoran Alliance obviously generated a lot of buzz over the photo that went public yesterday in which an anonymous photographer claims Colleen Mathis and her husband were visiting with the office of Congressman Raul Grijalva in mid-July of this year.
The post and photo has been placed back in pending “private” mode as we double-back once again with the photographer to verify the identities. Because this has generated much wailing and gnashing of teeth among Arizona’s left and provoked the possibility of legal action, we believe it is certainly worth yet another verification with the photographer in order to ensure they are willing to stand by the photo or even go public.
Update: November 21, 2011 @ 20:30 – Sonoran Alliance has decided to retract the photo and issue a retraction. Although the photographer asserts that the two individuals in the photo are Chris and Colleen Mathis, there is not enough information available to double verify the photo. We have made a decision to pull the photo and issue a retraction unless new evidence is provided.
DeeDee Blase is a Liar and Engaging in Libel.
November 7, 2011 By 125 Comments
OK DeeDee Garcia Blase. If you want to play this game on the blogs, let’s play. I’m calling you out!
I have always believed that running Olivia Cortes was a huge mistake if not just plain stupid. Gaming the system in such a manner goes against the American Association of Political Consultants Code of Ethics.
I did not participate in the fiasco of running her as a candidate other than providing a forum for supporters and detractors to discuss her participation in the race.
Ultimately what Tom Ryan did to her was evil by dragging her through the mud and into the court system. If there was anyone YOU should be attacking for disrespecting Latinas, it is Tom Ryan and his minions for humiliating her in the courts. Shame on you DeeDee for not defending her!
Yes, Olivia Cortes was dragged into this stupid, unnecessary recall fiasco as a means to game the system. Those who pulled her into this were wrong for doing so.
DeeDee Garcia Blase, we may agree on several other issues but you are DEAD WRONG on my participation in the Cortes fiasco.
You should also go back and read Sonoran Alliance and see that I gave Jerry Lewis supporters the opportunity to post on Sonoran Alliance as guest opinions. I even gave Tyler Montague and Chad Snow space and time to get their opinions out:
Deep Thoughts from Team Pearce: A new interpretation of, “We report, you decide.” by Tyler Montague
Citizens for a Better Arizona Official Statement – “Why a Recall – Why Now?” by Chad Snow
You need to do your research before you start hysterically lashing out at what you don’t know.
This blog is well read across the State of Arizona and in Washington, D.C. Anyone who is a frequent reader and visitor will see that I have given each side the opportunity to voice their opinions.
If you want to continue to pursue this and tell lies about my position, I will be more than willing to dedicate space on Sonoran Alliance to make sure that you received negative ink on a daily basis. This is your opportunity to retract your posts that are outright lies and likely libelous. In exchange, I will remove this post. The choice is yours DeeDee Blase.
Finally, go back and read Sonoran Alliance in 2010 and you will see that John McCain had his supporters also posting on the blog. It was NOT one-sided as you alleged on your most recent post.
I am getting sick and tired of people like you who think that I write every post on Sonoran Alliance or don’t allow other viewpoints. There are plenty of people who will back me up that Sonoran Alliance bends over backwards to give equal access to both sides. Hell DeeDee, I would even give you your own login if you asked!
So tell the truth DeeDee Blase and take the opportunity to correct and retract your statements before you wear out my graces.
Bloggers Corner: Don’t Fear the Robots, Fear the Rhetoric
October 25, 2011 By 4 Comments
By: Cliff Smith, Aide to Congressman Gosar
In this time of serious economic hardship, Congress must engage in serious debate over serious issues. There are serious and substantive disagreements between Representatives of different persuasions and these differences need to be seriously discussed and debated as we work to move our economy forward. What should not guide Congress is an endless game of unfounded attacks that leads to trumped up fear mongering to gain partisan advantage, particularly, in this case, the fear of robots.
Yes, the fear of robots.
H.R. 1904, otherwise known as Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act of 2011, is a common-sense bill that exchanges about 2422 acres of federally owned land, rich in copper, for about 5344 acres of privately owned land, which is home to many sensitive eco-systems and endangered species. In so doing, this bill would open up one of the largest copper deposits in the world. In fact, this deposit is so large that this mine alone is estimated to produce roughly 25% of America’s copper consumption. The estimated economic impact of $61.4 billion, which would average out to roughly $1 billion per-year, add $19 billion to federal, state and local tax coffers. Roughly 3,700 jobs will be created. In fact, $700 million in private funds invested in the project, and over 500 jobs have already been created for work related to the site. So basically, the bill conserves a huge amount of sensitive lands, develops vast amounts of a natural resource vital to electronics, defense, and even green energy systems such as solar panels and windmills, and creates jobs.
But the bill’s opponents are complaining about robots. (See: 2:44:30-2:46:30)
In essence, some are claiming that this massive undertaking to extract a huge amount of valuable natural resources won’t create enough jobs, because all of the work will be done by robots. This sort of logic is reminiscent of those who opposed the creation of railroads, because they felt it would wreck the jobs of wagon wheel makers and horse breeders.
It is true, that modern mining technology uses robots to accomplish certain tasks. This is done for efficiencies sake, and for the sake of worker safety. Mining is a potentially hazardous task, and certainly a difficult one that must be done with precision. So using robots is a necessary and desirable part of the process, as it streamlines a difficult process and protects workers. Linking this to a lack of job creation, however, is absurd!
It hardly seems worth saying, because it is so obvious, but robots are part of a much larger process. You still need people to run the mine, to drive the trucks, to feed the workers, to dig the holes, to engineer the dig, to build the structures, to process the minerals, and, yes, to build, maintain, and control the robots. With respects to Arnold Schwarzenegger, we don’t have artificially intelligent, self-sufficient terminator robots yet. Finally, the copper its self provides massive real-world benefits to literally thousands of companies that hire many more people. It can be used for hundreds or thousands of different products, from piping to computers to cars to copper wiring.
Come to think of it, a lot of those components can probably be used to…make the same robots that some seem so concerned about.
To those who say this will not fix our economic problems overnight. Our economic problems were not created overnight, nor will they be fixed overnight. But to the people of Arizona, this will make all the difference in the world. H.R. 1904 aids in facilitating jobs and wealth creation with zero cost to the taxpayer and with no burden put on private business. Let’s not lose out on the big picture by obsessing over robots.
New Rules for Discourse on Sonoran Alliance
October 11, 2011 By 14 Comments
Because certain people who comment on this blog cannot seem to hold civil discussions, I am now having to waste my time (for which I do not get paid) monitoring every comment on Sonoran Alliance. I will NOT bow or be bullied by any one individual’s demands on how to run MY blog. Therefore, at this time, all comments will be approved by me once I have the time to review them. If they are civil, they will get approved. If they resort to calling other people names, attack family members or use vulgarity and profanity, I will disapprove them or even ban their respective IP addresses. These are MY guidelines and rules and if you cannot abide by them, then go elsewhere or start your own blog.
Sonoran Alliance on TV-12 Lunch Cast
August 2, 2011 By 7 Comments
In case you missed it, here is the video from my appearance on 12 News Lunch Cast with Brahm Resnik and liberal blogger, Donna “Democratic Diva” Gratehouse.
On camera appearances like this “move” very quickly and you’re lucky if you get all your points made before the end of the segment.
Thanks to Brahm Resnik and the crew at 12 News for having me on to represent the conservative Tea Party movement!
AZ GOP: Headed in the Wrong Direction
May 4, 2011 By 49 Comments
DISCLAIMER: The contents of this post represent my beliefs, and in no way should be viewed as being the views of Sonoran Alliance. Sonoran Alliance has a policy of permitting posters with a wide variety of views and does not endorse the content of all posters.
I want to make clear that I am not affiliated with the mystery group or the website that is demanding the resignation of our Chairman via anonymous demands. Although I feel it would be best for him to resign, Tom Morrissey is still the duly elected Chairman of our party. As such, he deserves the respect of people willing to speak in a civil tone and under their own name about their grievances. I am making the case that Tom Morrissey is unfortunately not the leader to lead us to victory in 2012. I have stated the facts to the best of my knowledge and ability and even removed and re-worked the post after someone claimed an inaccuracy in the numbers. There are many debates to be had over this issue, and I ask you to reflect in a respectful and reasoned manner as to the role of the State GOP Chairman. For the sake of a false “unity” should we cripple the party for two critical years? We must have an effective, strong organization against the Democrats in 2012.
AZGOP: Headed in the Wrong Direction
Republican organizations across the country have made fundraising a priority for the 2012 election cycle. The newly elected RNC Chairman, Reince Preibus, stated his priorities would be to raise enough money to compete with President Obama and erase the party’s debt. Preibus is well on his way to accomplishing these goals – the RNC announced last week they have raised $17.7 million in the 1st Quarter, with over $7 million contributed in March alone. Additionally, the RNC has reduced its debt by nearly $5 million.
So the question begs to be asked: What has the Arizona Republican Party, under Chairman Morrissey’s leadership, done to accomplish these same goals?
Fundraising
According to FEC (Federal Election Commission) Reports, the AZGOP is headed in the wrong direction. Year-to-date, our State Party has raised $176,653. Republican revenue was $80,129 in January, $62,526 in February and $33,998 in March. Since Tom Morrissey was elected as our State Party Chairman, revenue has dropped 46%.
The Arizona Democratic Party, on the other hand, has raised an outstanding $220,448 to date, with $70,617 in January, $72,588 in February, and $77,243 in March.
These numbers show that Democrats are increasing their contributions even as Republicans are showing declining revenue. The Democrats have out-raised Republicans in Arizona by $91,942 in only three months. The election of the young, dynamic Andrei Cherny has given the Democratic Party an effective leader who moved quickly to heal splits in his Democratic Party, and has given the AZGOP a formidable adversary. It should also be noted that Cherny’s election was heavily contested; indeed, factions within the Democratic party attempted to prevent his nomination as Chairmen on procedural ground. Despite the overwhelming Arizona Republican victories of 2010, Arizona only has an 11% Republican registration advantage and the Democrats appear to have been motivated to rally in the face of their setbacks. We Republicans have grown complacent and the State Party under Tom Morrissey has shown the troubles this can cause.
Reducing Debt
As of February 28, 2011, the AZGOP had $7,505.41 in debt, consisting primarily of monies owed to CBIZ MHM, LLC for FEC Report Preparation.
By the end of March 2011 the Party’s debt ballooned to $73,616.67. As Republicans at every level of government are fighting against wasteful spending, incredible deficits & unsustainable debt, the AZGOP has increased their debt by nearly 1,000% in 30 days. It is hard to imagine the party ever previously going through a period of such staggering debt accumulation.
Where did this debt come from?
- $20,000 in legal fees to two law firms
- $5,149 due to T-Mobile
- $10,062 for FEC Reporting owed to two firms
- $4,865 Property Taxes
- $1,327 Reimbursement
- $683 to Cox for Internet Service
- $14,334 to Political Media for web page consulting
- $17,193 for Direct Mail, Telemarking and contribution envelopes
Following are some of the questionable expenditures by the AZGOP since Morrissey became Chairman:
In March 2011, the AZGOP paid Political Media $14,334 for web page work. This is in addition to the $4,954 they paid Political Media in February for web page consulting. That brings the total year to date cost for web page consulting to a staggering $19,228.You may visit www.AZGOP.org and decide for yourself if the new website is worth nearly $20,000.
Business leaders understand “to make money you have to spend money.” Unfortunately, the AZGOP is spending money with no results. In March, the AZGOP spent $35,574 on various fundraising efforts consisting of Direct Mail and Telemarketing. These efforts raised $33,998, resulting in a net loss of $1,575. To put this in perspective, they spent $1.05 for every dollar they brought in and considering the $20,000 website could have generated some donations, this is a generous assumption.
The AZGOP spent $4,000 in March to lease a copy machine, and also spends $140 per month for a landscaper to maintain the grounds (ie. the half dozen trees scattered around the rock and asphalt) at headquarters. One can easily make the argument the State Party is wasting the money it is raising, and not spending it on the essentials. Those that attended the April Executive Guidance Committee meeting realized that the extravagant spending of the AZGOP does indeed have its limits – the air conditioning was broken. Rob Haney has moved the May meeting as well due to the air conditioner being still in need of repair, and recently noted that he has reserved locations to hold the meetings outside the Republican Headquarters in June and July, with reservations for August and September are in progress as well. Although I cannot speak on behalf of the Maricopa Republican Chairman, I hope he is not alluding that the Republican Headquarters expects to be without air conditioning for the entire summer.
The Arizona Republican Party needs true leadership, a leader who can fill our war chests for the inevitable redistricting fight that will influence Arizona politics for the next decade. We are all aware the Democrats will file suit in every case where the district boundaries do not serve their interests, and right now we do not have the financial resources to fight any legal battle. In fact, we have already taken ourselves deeper into debt with $20,000 of unpaid legal fees. Sadly, the Arizona Democrats, who are in the exact same position with new party leadership, seem to be gearing up for this fight. They have out raised and out spent us without accruing any additional debt.
The Arizona Republican Party seems to be on a fast track to bankruptcy and demise from internal and external destruction. We need a consistent, qualified leader that can fundraise and ultimately, unite the party when it really matters. Without this unity, we are not only diminishing our ability to defeat Obama in 2012, but also risking our majority Arizona Congressional Delegation, and the super-majorities we have gained in the Arizona House and Senate. With the 2012 election right around the corner we need a strong State Party more than ever, and so far we have yet to see the results or actions we need.
I, personally, did not support Tom Morrissey for State Chairman. However, I feel that barring extraordinary circumstances, it is important to support a State Chair. Unfortunately, these are extraordinary circumstances. Asking for a State Chair to step down is a very serious matter, and should not be taken lightly or for reasons of philosophical differences. It should only be done in times of grave crisis. I fear we are heading for that crisis.
Arizona Republicans need a leader who can be effective in preparing our State Party for the challenges that await us in 2012. Tom Morrissey is not that man. Tom Morrissey is not a leader.
You may verify the numbers above on the FEC website:
http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/dcdev/forms/C00008227/725939/
Welcome to the New Sonoran Alliance!
February 27, 2011 By 10 Comments
Welcome to the new design of Sonoran Alliance!
It’s been FIVE years since the original site went live with the design you’ve all grown accustomed to. Over that time, we’ve done virtually nothing to the design until today.
As you can see, we now have widgets enabled along the right side of the page. This will allow readers to search, view tags, categories and archives and polls. You will also be able to tweet our posts and subscribe to our email list through feedburner.
Another thing you will notice is that Sonoran Alliance is finally running ads! That’s right, we’re finally monetized! Any business or candidate running for office now has the opportunity place an ad on the site and drive some traffic to their website! (Contact me if I can get that set up.)
I hope you like the changes. Please feel free to leave feedback.
Finally, I want to give a huge thanks to my friend and the technical guru behind Sonoran Alliance, Tim R. and company at Adeptplus! Five years ago, Tim breathed 1′s and 0′s into Sonoran Alliance and the rest was history. Thanks Tim!
Surrender our Bill of Rights?
January 7, 2011 By 11 Comments
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
Friday, January 7, 2010
This article is a reprint from Seeing Red AZ – http://seeingredaz.wordpress.com/
Surrender our Bill of Rights?
January 7, 2011
This exchange between Wes Harris and Tom Husband epitomizes the differences in the mindset between the Grassroots Conservatives of our Republican Party and the political class who demand total subservience:
Wes you say, in part:
“It is totally unfair for any Chair of the Republican party or elected official to show “official” favoritism, in my opinion. What they do in the voting booth is their own business…what they do in public, even if they say that this is ‘their personal opinion’, is our business as elected P.C.s. We have our own minds and we will make them up on our own without “being led” (as Mr. Haney put it to me on Wednesday night). There is no doubt that Mr. Haney has been a fine and conservative leader for us…however, again in my opinion, he crossed the line on this one and I have freely told him that on more than one occasion…speaking as a P.C. and not for the Tea Party.”
Wes, make up my mind. Do “We have our own minds and we will make them up on our own…” or not. I challenged you to offer any credible evidence that Haney supported any candidate in his capacity as Chairman. It is incredible to think that one would have to give up their First Amendment rights in order to serve in the Republican Party. I won’t be silent and I support those brave enough to speak out.
In the telephone conversation we just had, you admitted that you have no evidence that Haney ever endorsed anyone in his capacity as Chairman. Only his capacity as a private citizen. Where we differ is that you believe that one must surrender their First Amendment rights when elected to political office. I strongly disagree. To ask one to surrender their rights under our Bill of Rights in order to hold political office is preposterous and I ask you to reconsider.
Wes, you go on to say: “But like Mr. Haney, my public remarks, even though offered as my own personal opinion, will most likely be read as that of the Tea Party…so I rest my case!” and then you put your Tea Party title below your name. Don’t you see that when you are writing as the head of a Tea Party, you are no longer offering your personal opinion? It would be taken as your personal opinion if you had just signed it as Wes Harris. You just lost your own case!
Best Regards,
Thomas F. Husband
Greater Phoenix Tea Party Patriots, and the 912 Tea Party Project Pinal County: Deceit and Duplicity on Display
August 23, 2010 By 18 Comments
Kelly Townsend, candidate for LD22 GOP legislator, as well as owner and founder of Greater Phoenix Tea Party Patriots has been the focus of some troubling ethical questions due in part, to her website. Kelly, along with the 912 Tea Party Project Pinal County co-owners with Sassia Niederste-Hollenberg , Stephen (a candidate for Casa Grande School Board)and Melinda Kohut, have acted in ways that contradict the Glenn Beck’s 9 Principles and 12 Values prominently featured on the Pinal County website.
On these two websites, some of the most incredible blogging activity has occurred over the past six months since JD Hayworth announced his candidacy for Arizona’s US Senate seat in Congress. It has culminated over the past three weeks with some phenomenal attacks on numerous tea parties in our state, a blog post by a Senate candidate’s wife calling an avowed racist JD Hayworth’s “best friend’ and discovery that one of Jim Deakin’s strongest supporters, and wife of the co-owner of a Pinal County TPP website, pretending to be interested in endorsing a candidate. Lastly we’ve discovered the completely duplicitous and hypocritical actions by two Tea Party websites and their owners.
Beginning last April there was growing group Tea Party groups who started working together to form a coalition of Tea Parties for creating resources, sharing ideas and providing a stronger voice in Arizona. While there was considerable difference as to the shape and form of this coalition, there was complete unanimity in recognizing the need for such an organization. One of the key issues that developed was the recognition to determine a legal way to endorse candidates. This culminated on August 2nd, with a group of 16 statewide and national groups endorsing JD Hayworth for US Senate as the Tea Party candidate. You would have thought all hell broke loose among Jim Deakin’s supporters, both on the blogs and in Deakin’s campaign. Jim and his wife Adonia began making posts, attacking all this coalition, calling them “Fake Tea Parties”. Also Deakin sycophants began making accusations of law violations and threats to file complaints with the Federal Elections Commission.
One such supporter, Stephen Kohut, co-owner of the 912 Tea Party Project of Pinal County website, has been extremely vociferous, threatening to file complaints with the FEC. So outspoken has Stephen been speaking out, that you’d almost forget that, at least according to his own words, Kohut did not ‘make up my mind’ until after the July 16-17th, debates. Stephen claimed on various Tea Party websites and in his voluminous comments on Sonoran Alliance that he was “undecided” as to his choice for the US Senate. Kohut EVEN claimed that while his wife Melinda had decided to support Deakin, even contributing $500 to his campaign, he remained “undecided”. Yes, and I have oceanfront property in Quartzite, Arizona for bargain prices!
With Deakin’s utter failure to garner any Tea Party endorsements, Jim has taken to condemning those Tea Parties who have endorsed JD Hayworth. This is where it gets interesting. Kelly Townsend’s Greater Phoenix Tea Party Patriots is a 501(c)4 organization, hence cannot endorse any candidates. Also, Sassia Niederste-Hollenberg and Stephen Kohut’s 912 Project Pinal County Tea Party Patriots “claims” to be a 501(c)4 group. ‘Claims’ is the operative word; for last March when I questioned them about a video of some Massachusetts independent ‘endorsing’ Jim Deakin prominently on their front page, and I then repeated my concerns with another question, they suspended me from the website! Stephen recently called my questioning, “cyber-intimidation”. Yet, since they weren’t even a 501(c)4 group, my question was irrelevant, EXCEPT they claimed then and now to be a 501(c)4 group! Why would they make such false statements?
Here are the facts: when I recently checked the AZ Corporation Commission’s listing of corporations, there was nothing for Kohut’s group at the time. NOT until May 7th did a reservation for a group, “Pinal County Tea Party Patriots” appear, reserved by Melinda “Mindy” Kohut. The reservation expires on September 5th and to date there appears that no corporation exists. Then on June 8th, Kelly Townsend filed for a registration of trade name for “Pinal 912 Tea Party Patriots”; thereby intertwining the two Tea Party groups completely together. Yet they use their websites to take a cheap shot at the Tea Party groups that endorse candidates.
Both websites and the Tea Party groups’ leaders, Townsend, Sassia and the Kohuts have been solidly supporting Jim Deakin. So imagine my surprise last week to find out that Mindy Kohut asked two months ago to join this coalition of Tea Parties. For the last two months Stephen’s wife, Mindy a contributor to Deakin’s campaign, has been a member of the website, but failed to acknowledge her support for Deakin by joining the Jim Deakin group. So, while being a member of the Association that was seeking legitimate avenues for endorsing candidates, Melinda’s Pinal County Tea Party Patriots is strongly opposed to endorsements of candidates. She pretended to support the concept of endorsing a candidate, which WAS an option for Tea Party leaders for ANY candidate, as a result of the Association. Needless to say, her membership has been terminated. Here’s the link to their page look for their statement on endorsing candidates: http://thepinalcounty912project.ning.com.
It’s interesting that Kelly, the Kohuts and Sassia, along with Jim Deakin, want the exclusive right to define WHAT CONSTITUTES A TEA PARTY! THEN they dare to condemn anyone or group that doesn’t fit THEIR definition!!
Now with Kelly Townsend working with and closely allied to the Pinal County group, it’s not too surprising to find that her actions also clearly violate the 912 standards. For example, over the past eight months numerous groups formerly affiliated with Kelly left her organization. In most every case she refused to let them keep their name, since SHE was the registered owner. The key reason for leaving was simply that Kelly concentrated the control and authority in the hands of herself and the members of the board, Les White, Charles McCain, and Chris Rossiter. For example, after a national group, Tax Day Tea Party, endorsed JD Hayworth, Kelly immediately contacted Robert Mayer, Roger Boone and Patrick Beck of the Tucson, Flagstaff and Bullhead City “Tea Party” groups and issued a press release claiming to be the four largest Tea Parties and that they were NOT endorsing JD Hayworth for the Senate seat. This press release garnered widespread press attention, thanks to John McCain’s powerful influence.
Two interesting facts about this press release: 1. one members of Kelly’s Board at the time was NOT even informed about the press release, let alone involving her, leading up to the press release! 2. While Kelly’s and Roger’s groups could NOT endorse ANYONE due to their status, the Tucson group had made the decision NOT to endorse any candidate for any race, not just JD Hayworth for the US Senate. Lastly, Patrick Beck did not EVEN HAVE a Tea Party group! Sure, he had organized a rally for April 15th last year that attracted 400 attendees in Bullhead City. However, there were NO meetings, until he set up an ‘association’ last May, and THEN only ONE! This was a concerted effort to mute the impact of any endorsements for JD Hayworth.
Lastly, Kelly Townsend shows complete hypocrisy on her website in what she allows or censors in the discussion groups. Specifically, when there were very heated discussions regarding the Senate race, in the West Valley and the Greater Scottsdale groups, causing several members to complain and leave the discussion pages. Kelly rightfully set up a Senate discussion group on June 10th, and after she complained to me about ‘strong language’ (not foul, just forceful) she told me in a phone call that in the new group, “almost anything goes”. Then on June 14th, I used the term “Deakinistas” in reference to the more rabid supporters, given to insults and personal attacks. Kelly suspended me, and another person who used the term “Deakinasses” for 30 days. BY contrast, Adonia Deakin post the MOST despicable of blogs, claiming that JD Hayworth asked his “best friend” David Duke to get his friends to call on his behalf!! She also posted this on Smart Girl Politics and it was quickly deleted! Kelly simply asked Adonia to ‘revise’ the post. SO, Kelly doesn’t mind blatantly false and despicable posts in a completely disgusting display by the wife of Jim Deakin. Yet she is “offended” by the term “Deakinista”!?
You have to wonder, DO the Kohuts believe it proper to make false claims of support for the Association, or being “neutral” and criticize all Tea Parties who do not agree with them calling them “Fake”? Does Kelly Townsend believe that it’s proper to control over 3-5,000 Tea Party members in over a dozen groups, with just 3-5 board members, not giving the leaders of the various groups say in thei leadership? Further, does she possibly believe that no one can see through the flimsy claim that they don’t really moderate the blogs? One thing is for certain: the voters in LD 22 and the Casa Grande School District need to take a very close look at these candidates’ ethics. BOTH should be subject to a MUCH closer scrutiny, based on their actions over the past six months.
My statement on a recent post
August 10, 2010 By
On August 5th a post appeared on Sonoran Alliance titled, “LD4 House Race: What the heck is going on?” In that post, the writer asserted that the person behind the scenes of a website called “Crazy Jack Harper” was a reporter at the Arizona Guardian.
That is not the case and the post has since been “pulled.”
In researching their article, “Mad Arizonan” cited the domain name registry information listed for the domain name “CrazyJackHarper.com.” They even took a screen shot of that registrant information that included the name of the Arizona Guardian reporter.
Last Friday, I received a phone call from that same reporter explaining that he was not the individual associated with the website. He explained, and I agreed that someone was falsifying that information probably to make him appear to be the mastermind behind the scenes. When we spoke on the phone, this reporter stated that the person(s) behind the site had changed the administrator again to another fictional name not associated with the Arizona Guardian. I asked the reporter to email me a statement regarding the matter and that I would issue my own statement clarifying that the post had been inaccurate. I never heard back from the reporter.
It appears that the individual(s) behind the scenes of the CrazyJackHarper.com website have duped a number of people including the writer of the recent post.
I am especially angry with those who put up the site. They obviously lied about their identity as the administrator and then libeled a reporter with the Arizona Guardian and ultimately, brought Sonoran Alliance into their deception by duping one of our writers.
Anything to do with that website will be removed and rejected from Sonoran Alliance.
J.D. Hayworth Opposed Proposition 200
August 5, 2010 By 11 Comments
A few posts down, a fellow contibutor who goes by Fredo, made some historical references to the voter initiative Prop 200 back in 2004. I just felt it was incomplete.
So here’s, as they say, the rest of the story…..
In Fredo’s post below (“Anti Prop 200 alumni, where are they now?”), he notes that while “everyone is acting tough on illegal immigration now,” back in 2004 several Arizona politicians opposed Proposition 200, which restricted public benefits to illegals and required photo ID to vote
Fredo asks, “Will the voters care about politicians who supported benefits for illegals? They should at least know the facts.”
Here’s one ‘fact’ Fredo forgot to mention – one of those politicians opposing Proposition 200 in 2004 was J.D. Hayworth!
J.D. now claims he’s a long-time advocate of cracking down on illegal aliens, but just six years ago (two years before the end of his public career), he opposed the anti-illegal immigrant Proposition 200. He says 9-11 removed the “scales from his eyes“. Wasn’t 9-11 in 2001? Wasn’t Prop 200 in 2004?
That’s a fact. And facts are stubborn things.
How’s does Hayworth explain his past opposition to Prop. 200? I’ve never heard him talk about it…truthfully.
JD’s use of Susan Bradford, Abramoff “groupie” and apologist, proves his desperation
August 5, 2010 By 20 Comments
Not many people have listened to Susan Bradford in her years long effort to get some traction behind her belief that Jack Abramoff is innocent. Her personal mission to clear his name has evolved into a book designed to reveal that Abramoff was innocent and framed! Framed, I say! She calls herself an investigative journalist. She has plenty of Abramoff apologies on multi-user open websites but her personal website is no longer operational.
If Ms. Bradford is to be quoted, then it is only right that the readers of this site have a full view of her perspective. Ms. Bradford’s enamored status of Mr. Abramoff has been going on for sometime. So much so , that she felt compelled to write on his behalf.
In Bradford’s letter to the judge, begging for leniency in Abramoff’s sentence, she described him as “noble, enterprising, and creative…”
Two out of three ain’t bad.
She goes on to write of his love of country, fight for freedom, and his devotion to the conservative movement. It all was a “whirl of activity” that caused him to “lose sight of the fine print” and that he ”perhaps stopped paying attention and made some bad decisions.”
“Perhaps” he made some “bad decisions”…? Really! Ya’ think?
But if you thought her plea for his sentencing was just to take it easy on the guy…you are wrong. She didn’t think he should be punished at all! So much so that she said in her letter:
Yes, he clearly broke the law, but hasn’t his unmitigated public humiliation around the world and decimation of his character been enough punishment?
OK, hold on because it gets worse. She sees this guy as the remedy…not the epitome’ of the problem. Don’t send him to jail, Your Honor…oh, no because according to Ms. Bradford:
Mr. Abramoff can do so much more good outside of prison than within it.
I’m not making this up. The guy who is the poster-child for campaign corruption, who obviously felt his end justified his means, should be allowed to take a walk? Because he will “fix” the problem? How, by using his “enterprising” and “creative” ideas? I think we already saw that in play…..maybe this is when the “noble” comes in.
And now, the Hayworth campaign is using the distorted perception of this woman to attack Jim Deakin and tie him to McCain in rambling writings and a graph that looks like people playing “The Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” on crack.
The only thing this proves is that JD has not broken his connection to Abramoff. He clearly is still on the side of the guy who provided him with tens of thousand of dollars, all paid to JD’s PAC. What’s more…Team Hayworth doesn’t see why that is the wrong message to send to voters.
This sort of desperate and distorted effort will only serve to cement the notion that Hayworth cannot accept responsibility for his own bad acts, sees a boogey man behind every corner, and has no filter when his own self interest is involved. For whatever good he has or may be able to do, the voters will never trust him again.
They just showed us all why.
