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Why ask Why??

September 22, 2010 By 5 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

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

 

 

Yvonne Wingett, reporter for the financially troubled Arizona Republic, has once again hit a discordant note with another of her infamously vituperative articles. Ms. Wingett, frequently called “Wingnut”, discusses a conflict between the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and certain other elected officials who she criticizes for running up legal bills for lawsuits against the board.

“Wingnut” seems to accurately describe the alleged journalist who acts as a PR agent for elected officials who not only are not up to the job, but work actively against the public interest.

The Board of Supervisors has enthusiastically championed the expenditure of about one third billion dollars on a courthouse project that nobody needs, and whose vital records have been hidden away and locked up preventing public scrutiny. In fact, this board has done so many things that are over the line, they have practically invited the lawsuits against them.

Ms. Wingett said not a word about that, but excoriated those who have been forced to defend themselves against this ruthless Board of Supervisors whose hands have been caught in the cookie jar too many times. The Board has repeatedly attacked several departments that have cried foul over the handling of the court house fiasco, and the slashing of much needed budgets.

Of course, there is nothing new here. This news is so old, it has cobwebs growing on it, but Ms. Wingett soldiers on, perhaps goaded by an overly enthusiastic editorial staff at her gradually eroding organization. If Ms. Wingett has a firm grasp of the obvious, and would like to do us all a service, she should look into why.  

What is the root cause of all this conflict?  If she really digs just a little she might find that the BOS has let their top dog, David Smith, assume way too much authority.  He makes no effort to work with the other elected officers and constantly interferes in their business either by withholding support or trying to take over.  

David Smith leaves behind him a trail of bad decisions and very suspicious behavior. There is not a hint about that from Ms. Wingett who actually gives support to Smith’s misdeeds by skewing the truth. Maricopa county has become notorious for government by the most unscrupulous or unsuitable people. It is sad that journalism has ceased to exist as a profession, now ranking at a level normally reserved for another human occupation that we usually call the oldest of all professions.

Filed Under: Conspiracy Theories, County Government, Crime and Punishment, Ethics, Government, Uncategorized

Once Again Thomas Lies About Investigations

August 16, 2010 By 20 Comments

After the release of grand jury records revealing Andy Thomas had purposely mislead the public for his own personal and political gain, often referring to an ongoing investigation that had long since been  thrown out, you would think he would learn a lesson.  Or maybe when other County Attorney’s told him..you’ve got no case, buddy…he would stop.  But, no.  He lied and attempted to keep it going while he shopped for someone to prosecute what he perceived as his political enemies. 

All in the name of the law.

But, it is very clear that the law means nothing to Mr. Thomas and the truth even less.

Today the Thomas campaign issued a press release, you can see it in the post below, saying the ACC was investigating Tom Horne.  If you read the letter they use as the evidence, it is nowhere near a statement of investigation.  It is nothing more than a reply to a letter of complaint they received from Thomas’ campaign. 

There is no investigation. Thomas’ claims are not true says the Arizona Corporation Commission.  Not at all.

But, never one to let the truth get in the way of a good press release…Thomas ran with it and once again, lied.

It’s actually not accurate,” commission spokesman Rebecca Wilder said of the Thomas press release. “We received a complaint. We’re not conducting an investigation at this time.”

So will Andy retract his statement…of course not.  He will continue to spread his version of the truth.  After all, isn’t that all that matters?

Thomas however is under investigation;  reportedly by the State Bar and the FBI over abuse of power allegations related to his pursuit of criminal charges against county judges, supervisors and top administrators. 

Either the law means something or it doesn’t.” Jason Rose….

 

Unless you are Andrew Thomas.

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Conspiracy Theories, Crime and Punishment, Ethics

I couldn’t have said it better…

August 14, 2010 By 21 Comments

I have been reading Espresso Pundit for years.  I usually agree with Greg on most subjects and find his wit and style interesting.  He is front and center in the CD5 campaign, anyone who has read his blog for more than awhile knows he is squarely behind Schweikert.   A CPA, he is also an attorney and dude, until recently did not have a TV in his house!

 He doesn’t pull any punches. Greg has taken on APS, The Republic, and now he has a new object of his effort.

Sometimes you just have to give credit where credit is due, Greg Patterson who writes Espresso Pundit,  nails the reality of Andy Thomas in his latest post on the subject… 

With such flagrant and well documented ethical violations, I don’t see how Thomas could possibly still be a licensed attorney this time next year. 

This is the reality most have come to believe.  The evidence pointing to extreme abuse of power and corruption is so overwhelming, that to suggest Thomas will escape this without, at the minimum, being disbarred is foolish.  The odds he may very well be sitting in Camp Cupcake very soon are pretty good.  Disappointing.

So, what is a conservative to do?  Patterson had this to say about Tom Horne:

…he supported parental consent as well as the ban on partial birth abortion–and he has pledged to defend the laws that the legislature passes. 

So I can say that from a Conservative perspective, I’m not simply voting against Thomas.  I’m very comfortable voting for Tom Horne. 

However, there is another point that has been made by more than a few very conservative folks.  When faced with the idea of having an AG who is likely to be indicted, disbarred, and tied up in personal fights of corruption…

And if Horne doesn’t win the Primary…?  Ok, then I’ll simply be voting against Thomas.

A growing number of R’s will not pull the lever for Thomas.  No D’s will.  Certainly a good portion of I’s will go with the Democratic nominee.  In light of these latest developments, Andrew Thomas should immediately step aside, get his house in order, fight his good fight and when, or if, he can… return to public service.  For now, he is doing more harm than good.

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Conspiracy Theories, County Government, Crime and Punishment, Ethics

Thar he blows…and blows…and blows!

August 8, 2010 By 22 Comments

The crazed effort of Team Hayworth, currently being driven by desperation and fueled by a lethal combination of ignorance and arrogance, is imploding as the failed endeavor of the scandal plagued former Congressman commits to his own personal destruction.  When the Rasmussen poll, which the campaign had touted as the “realistic poll”, delivered the news that “Huckster Hayworth” is down by at least 20 points in the primary and trailing the Democrat in the general, the highly charged rhetoric ramped up.  The results have been particularly pathetic and will follow him long after his defeat has been recorded; if the huge vote margin in his loss is not enough to end his future, once again his judgment has been.

Last week Team Hayworth released an ad that took a 3-word excerpt out of context from one of Sen. McCain’s books from 2002 and used it to call him a liar…while in the ad of course, they lied about things attributed to Sen. McCain.  The non-profit group Factcheck.org calls it misleading and untrue.  Of course that can’t be allowed…so JD attacks Factcheck.org.  No surprise there!   JD never does anything wrong!  Remember, “buyer beware“. 

Judicial Watch lists JD on their Political Corruption page, noting he was among those who refused to return the money they took from Jack Abramoff or thru his efforts.  JD denies it was Abramoff who gave him the loot….even though he used his skyboxes for fundraisers illegally 5 times.   Deny.  Blame others.  Deny.  Blame others.

Others are also refusing to part with some big Abramoff-connected bucks. For instance, Democrat Senator Patty Murray of Washington will keep $41,000, Democrat Representative Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island will keep $42,500, Democrat Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington will keep $10,000 and Republican Representative J.D. Hayworth of Arizona will not part with $150,000.

That story reminds me of the old Sesame Street jingle…”one of these things is not like the other…”  All Dems BUT good ol’ J-D Hay-worth.

In a hamfisted effort to make some of the best news to hit Arizona in awhile a bad thing, and counter the positive media Sen. McCain received, Rachel Alexander (the campaign social media director) calls McCain out for his work to protect LAFB and gain the preferential location for the F-35.  Pork.  She called it pork.  Keeping Luke open, gaining a program that will serve our nation well…pork? 

Next time some soldier on the ground needs air support…let’s see if they think of that highly skilled fighter pilot as a pork barrel commodity.  Or what makes it possible for them to come home…alive.

JD will attack anyone who stands in his way with vile and venom.  The truth is what he needs it to be.  His personal brand of right makes might mentality is all he needs to motivate his actions. 

Last week, in the sure sign that JD has lost it…he makes an unprovoked attack on the Bush family!  The candidate running in Arizona was on a Baltimore radio station when he unloaded on the former POTUS.

I know he is a big spender, but now he attacks Bush?  Is he channeling Obama?  Attacking President Bush wasn’t enough, he had to go after the whole family!  Sounds like someone didn’t get an endorsement they wanted…

The sad fact about the Bush family is this stubborn notion of noblesse oblige, combined with verbal dyslexia.” JD Hayworth

This after he attacked Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu, calling him a racist, drawing the ire of police organizations around the state.  What should we expect? After all, Sheriff Babeu endorsed Sen. McCain.

The commonly held understanding that JD is unelectable has been met with disbelief among the true believers as they cling to some hope that maybe, just maybe, they could pull this thing out.  McCain Derangement Syndrome has invaded the inner most actions of JD and his followers.  The attacks, distorted reality, and the search for an enemy behind every word have made the demise pitiful but certainly not endearing.     

It is like watching the sailing and the ultimate sinking of The Titanic.  Lots of build up, big promises, all based on the denial of the obvious with no vision for the true course ahead, followed by a crash that leaves few survivors and an ending that leaves the ship at the bottom of the ocean never to sail again.

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Conspiracy Theories, Ethics, National Security, Polls

Angry Citizen at McCain Town Hall

May 15, 2010 By 19 Comments

This gentleman is obviously angry and on a crusade to expose John McCain and Bob Barrett over some sort of coverup.

Some great shots of the McCain staffers at work.

YouTube Preview Image
Filed Under: Conspiracy Theories, Protests, Town Hall

Is it time for him to ‘Buz’ off?

May 2, 2010 By 11 Comments

The mounting controversies surrounding Buz Mills are making it increasingly likely that he will not be able to continue his campaign for Governor much longer.  The Arizona Capitol Times and other news outlets are reporting that he is rapidly losing momentum in the contest:

Revelations that Mills had defrauded business partner in Florida and conflicting messages from his campaign that muddied his position on Arizona’s employer sanctions law have set the stage for attacks against him in the Republican gubernatorial primary.

Republican consultant Constantin Querard said Mills’ campaign has been damaged, and the negative image will get worse if he doesn’t address the issue more thoroughly.

“It does have the potential to cost him the race,” Querard said.  Most damaging, perhaps, was the news on April 26 that a Florida judge ruled in 2001 that Mills had defrauded a business partner during the sale of his telecommunications company.

According to court documents, Mills bilked business partner John Mortellite out of several million dollars by arranging the sale of OPM-USA, Inc. without telling Mortellite and then buying out Mortellite’s 10-percent share of the company for much less than it was worth. Mills and his wife, Sonja, owned 90 percent of the communications company.
The overwhelming evidence that he defrauded a former business partner out of millions of dollars in Florida is being viewed by many observers as something that could very will be an insurmountable obstacle for Buz Mills:

Pollster Bruce Merrill, an Arizona State University professor who runs the Cronkite/Eight Poll, said the fraud ruling has the potential to damage Mills’ campaign.

“In a primary race, it certainly could hurt,” Merrill said. “I think the key thing would be whether one of his opponents would use it as the basis for a commercial or something like that.”

Mortellite was a neighbor of the Millses in 1995 when the three of them formed OPM, which was created to build cellular towers and sell them to communications companies. Mortellite bought a 10 percent share of the company for $100,000.

Mills’ dispute with Mortellite began in 1997 after Mills began talks with American Tower L.P. to sell OPM-USA, which he ultimately sold for $105 million. But he bought out Mortellite for just $1.5 million without telling him about American Tower’s offer or disclosing OPM’s full value, according to court documents. Mills even told Mortellite to extend a vacation for several weeks to keep him from finding out about the negotiations with American Tower.

When Mortellite returned from vacation, Mills fired him. Later, at an August 1997 board meeting, Mortellite agreed to leave the company and take the buyout based on an incorrect assumption about the company’s value, according to court documents. Mills didn’t tell Mortellite about American Tower’s offer, even when Mortellite’s attorney asked at the board meeting whether OPM was involved in any pending transactions.
How can Buz possibly continue his race for Governor now that this has come to light?  More importantly, what else don’t we know about this man and his background?  Can conservatives really vote for him in good conscience and expect him to uphold their values?  Is it time for him to ‘Buz’ off?
Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Conspiracy Theories, Crime and Punishment, Government, Predictions, State Government, Uncategorized, Voters Guide

Threats Absent of Any Proof is Political Theater

April 24, 2010 By 5 Comments

In the tradition of Democrat senators and Representatives who challenged the Washington, D.C., Tea Party attendees, walking through the crowds with cam recorders, trying to record epithets and racist comments without avail, Democrat Raul Grijalva claimed victimization from alleged threats and closed his Tuscon and Yuma offices. Yet there is not one scintilla of evidence that a threat was made.

 The one consistency among Democrats claiming victimization is the absence of evidence. Even the broken glass door at Gabrielle Giffords Tucson office is absent of evidence. Who destroyed the door? It could have been Giffords’ staffers at her behest. We’ll never know. There is no evidence. It is simply political theater.

 Now, Grijalva continues to work against the interests of Arizonans. First he called for a business boycott against Arizona, which harms even his own constituency. Now he has called for the federal government to limit cooperation with Arizona officials.

 In both instances, Grijalva has attempted to violate U.S. Constitutional rights of Arizonans by asking the federal government to treat Arizona and all Arizonans in a lesser manner than the federal government treats all other states. By urging a boycott, he is attempting to injure all Arizonans financially.

 By taking these actions Grijalva has violated his oath of office to protect and defend the United States, meaning all states including Arizona. Grijalva has engaged in a premeditated effort to harm all Arizonans. His hatred of Arizonans and Arizona is not political theater.

Filed Under: Conspiracy Theories, Property Rights, Sanctity of Life, State Government, States Rights Tagged With: , ,

Al Gore goes Girly-Man to save his frauduant climate scheme

March 4, 2010 By 4 Comments

This was too much fun to pass up!  Thank you Kyle-Anne Shiver!! Who wrote this delightful piece…

http://bigjournalism.com/kashiver/2010/02/28/former-veep-goes-girly-man-has-hissy-fit-in-pages-of-new-york-times/

This piece of pure, dribbling, drooling emoting is going to either make you collapse in a torrent of tears or retch into the nearest barf bag.  The only human beings on the planet to whom this editorial would appeal are a bunch of 13-year-old girls without a single clue between them.

With hundreds of millions of dollars on the line, Al is going all out to save his massive investment in the Global Warming hysteria.  Here, he comes up with histrionics befitting the amount of personal loss he stands to suffer.

Ok, so this isn’t totally about Arizona … or is it?

How about the AzCC’s Residential Energy Standards?  Or the AzCC’s stepping out from their legal role as rate-payer watchdog and into making energy policy for Arizona that is; A) out of its pay-grade by the Arizona Constitution, and B) totally based on a outright fraud.

The RES and subsequent foray into “Green Energy” at all costs, without a thought to the real cost per Kwh for fantasy sources of reliable energy is a dangerous road for Arizona’s economic future.

Cost per on demand 24/7 available Kwh of “green electric generation” cannot compare with *clean coal* and *clean nuclear* power period.  Windmills and acres of solar panels dotting the landscape with miles of transmission towers and lines crisscrossing the environment altering the patterns of migratory birds and thunderstorms might be a Quixotic vision of an environmentalists utopia, but unfortunately reality bites.  The sun doesn’t shine 24 hours a day, so you need environmentally unfriendly Lithium batteries to store the energy for later use.  The wind doesn’t blow 24 hours a day in exactly the right velocity and direction to provide on demand electricity for job producing industrial small businesses in a cost effective way.

Time to debunk the Green Dream.   We’ve even heard that schools in Arizona are spending unrestricted amounts of money to “green” up their classrooms.  Shouldn’t that be money better spent with the teachers and kids on real learning?

Anyway, until someone politically stands up and says “Look Mommy!  The Emperor is wearing NO clothes!!”  we will continue down the path to an “Olive Drab Green” future rather than the pretty green that Al Gore would have us believe in.

Filed Under: Conspiracy Theories, Energy, Environment, Liberals, Political Correctness, Predictions

The “Cat” in the Hat

February 24, 2010 By 12 Comments

Found this interesting photo online. Anyone want to take a guess who this cat-in-the-hat-Uncle-Sam-wannabe is?

Cat in the Hat

Filed Under: Conspiracy Theories, Freedom of Speech, Personalities, Pol-parazzi

McCainiacs take aim at Randy: Pullen Pullen responds

January 22, 2010 By 23 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 22, 2010

McCainiacs take aim at Randy Pullen
Pullen responds

Dear Executive Committee Members:

It has come to my attention that the Chairman of the Yuma Republican Party, Phil Townsend, has sent a letter to members of the Arizona Republican Party Executive Committee alleging several serious improprieties on the part of myself and Lee Miller, our Legal Counsel.  I felt it was incumbent upon me to respond in kind.

There have been a number of recent inaccurate emails, blogs and reports regarding the financial operations of the AZGOP.  In every instance where I have been contacted by members of the Executive Committee either by phone or email regarding any of these communications, I have responded to their questions as quickly as possible.  Unfortunately, Mr. Townsend, decided he would rather write a letter than get the facts.

The AZGOP files both federal and state reports for various contributions and expenditures at different times depending on the reporting requirements of the FEC and Arizona law.  We have never failed to file nor been fined by the state or FEC for violations under my chairmanship; although, we did pay a fine to the FEC in 2007 for violations that occurred prior to my becoming chairman.  During this time, we have filed numerous amended reports and responded to regular inquires from the FEC on different matters.  Campaign regulations are complex and Byzantine to say the least.

With respect to the RNC transfer of $50,000 that was done late in November of last year, it was not reported in the FEC report filed on December 19th.  By the time I reviewed the report, it was too late to correct it.  Missing a filing date is a serious matter and will result in a fine.  It is better to file and amend later, which is what we are doing.  I have spoken with the RNC about it and they understand we will amend the report.  None of the RNC funds have been “used to pay overhead,” as Mr. Townsend alleges.

With respect to the question regarding debts of the party asked by Donna Reagan during our conference call on December 30th, what I said was we had accounts payables that needed to get paid and I was working on doing that, but we had no debt and I had no intentions to borrow money.  We do have some payables that need to be listed on the FEC report and they will be on the December 31, 2009 report that will be filed at the end of this month.

With respect to Mr. Abate and his letter, he was not provided all of the facts by Mike Hellon or Shiree Verdone, campaign staff for Senator McCain.  Certainly, the bylaws of the party allow the Chairman and Treasurer to assign their check signing authority when necessary.  This does not relieve them from their fiduciary responsibilities to be fully aware and knowledgeable about all expenditures.  This was not what Mr. Hellon and Ms. Verdone were asking for me and Timothy Lee to do.  They demanded control over all Victory Program funds.

At the time they made their demands, there were several people in the room who can confirm what occurred.  I suggest that this be fully aired in our Executive Committee meeting on this coming Saturday afternoon. It is sufficient to say that I had real concerns with their demands; however, I felt it was prudent to check with counsel before deciding what to do with the Victory Program.  In addition to talking to Lee Miller, I took the time to call legal counsel for the RNC, a former commissioner for the FEC, and explain the circumstances.

In both instances, the conclusion was the same.  The AZGOP could not give check signing privileges to campaign staff members of Senator McCain’s campaign.  This would likely be a violation of McCain-Feingold campaign laws.  While it is legal for state parties to coordinate with federal candidates on certain expenditures made by the party on behalf of their campaigns, it is not proper to give control over those efforts and funds to the respective campaigns.

What, I along with the assistances of Legal Counsel, the Treasurer and members of the ad hoc victory committee have done is to establish a framework for review of the Victory Program and to put in place appropriate controls and procedures to assure we will not have legal problems with the implementation of the Victory Program in 2010.  If anyone would like more detailed information on our financial reports, they are available on the FEC website as well as the Secretary of State’s website.  If you have trouble navigating either site, please call Brett Mecum at our office and he will help you get the information you need.

Sincerely,

Randy Pullen

Filed Under: Conspiracy Theories, Political Parties

Get Ready For A Rowdy State GOP Meeting This Saturday!

January 21, 2010 By 31 Comments

Democrats are in disarray, Republicans are making gains nationwide, poll numbers are improving, and generic ballot polls show Republicans poised to make big gains in 2010.  With pickup opportunities in CD1, CD5, and CD8 here in Arizona, Saturday’s AZGOP Annual Meeting should be a great time for all.

Or not.

It seems someone isn’t happy with the state of things and is looking to hijack the meeting and maybe the entire Party this weekend.  Gila Courier has coverage of a letter that started landing in PC mailboxes and the interesting tale behind it.  Others have been warning about the possibility that McCain supporters may make a move to remove State Party Chairman Randy Pullen so that they can take over the party apparatus in advance of the GOP primary against JD Hayworth.

It should be a VERY interesting time for all in attendance.

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Conspiracy Theories, Political Parties

Will Haiti be Obama’s Katrina … or is Jan Brewer using a Straw Man?

January 14, 2010 By 19 Comments
Jan Brewers Straw Man?

Jan Brewer's Straw Man?

This is gonna be short and sweet – AND ITS ONLY SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.   Is “Buz” Mills Jan Brewer’s straw man in this election cycle?

Consider she qualified for Clean Elections funding (in spite of having a record to run on and being an established political brand in Arizona politics).

Consider how hard the Goldwater Institute (who generally dislikes Governor Brewer’s affinity for taxes) is struggling to close down the CCEC matching funds provision of the voter approved Clean Elections program.

Think about it.  Brewer obtains three-quarters of a million dollars in public financing and because of the dog-pile of money dumped into the race by a competing candidate (Buz Mills), Governor Brewer will be matched with little effort on her part.

How hard will it be collecting the necessary funds to mount a successful campaign to retain the governor’s seat?  How many good candidates are already in the race?  And don’t forget the 800 pound gorilla in the Big Tent running for his political career in the U.S. Senate.  Times are tough.   Could one of Jan’s advisers have come up with a quick and easy way for her to short-cut the system?

Slick isn’t it (if its true)?  Someone could be really gaming the system and should be shut down.  Shame on those veteran incumbents who couldn’t be re-elected without CCEC.

Veritas for the record supports Clean Elections funding of entry level candidates into the political process as a means of equalizing the playing field and as a mitigation measure against deep pocketed special interests from buying elections.  I am deeply disappointed in the Goldwater Institute that given all the abuses of Constitutional law, they are choosing this narrow niche in which to sally forth into courtroom battle.

A misconception should be clarified.  Clean Election funding is NOT involuntary and does NOT involve taxes.  When you err in your driving (and for some criminal actions) you have made a voluntary decision to contribute to Arizona’s Clean Election fund.  And lets not forget those voters who include a $5 contribution along with their Arizona income tax filing as well as the thousands of voters who give the candidate of their choice $5 during this time of year.

Lastly, is CCEC truly a violation of “campaign speech”?  What about the candidate who’s told by the big corporate special interest “… these are our issues.  Now did you want to talk about a contribution from our members?”  Isn’t that stifling the “free speech” of the candidate who truly wishes to represent their voters?

Two final parting thoughts:  The CCEC should be reformed, perhaps by amending it to only be available for the first election and first re-election bid of a candidate.   Lastly, should there be a cap on election spending by all interests in Arizona elections?  Why should someone be willing to spend millions of dollars for a job that pays peanuts?

Filed Under: Campaign Finance, Campaigns & Elections, Conspiracy Theories, Freedom of Speech

Look Who’s Setting the Agenda

October 5, 2009 By 4 Comments

This ought to scare the hell out of you. These people have a seat at the table and are influencing the direction of the country.

Filed Under: Conspiracy Theories, Culture, Government

“Sloppy Joe” List Really Isn’t That Messy for the GOP

September 28, 2009 By

Last Thursday, Espresso Pundit’s Greg Patterson broke a story about the release of a list of “Joe’s” who have patronized a valley VIP prostitute ring known as the Desert Divas. The story on this actually went public when the Phoenix New Times wrote an article back on February 12th that seemed to go nowhere.  Thursday that list of “Joe’s went public. Patterson explains that hew was able to walk into the Phoenix Police Department’s office of public records and obtain the list in a CSV file and it’s now online for the whole world to see.

Once Patterson posted the list at Espresso Pundit, he left it at that. (He even turned comments “off.”)  The Phoenix New Times was quick to jump on his story and also posted a link to the list and spun the story as a heads up to valley wives who may want to see if their hubbies were on the list.

Until now, no names have been mentioned in writing. Saturday, I received several phone calls informing me that two well-know political operatives show up on the list. I verified this myself.

Since Saturday, I’ve sat on the story after hearing that Dennis Welch of The Arizona Guardian was not going to publish. Well, Welch went public on Sunday. Sean Noble also picked up on it today and even reprinted Welch’s article on his blog, Noble Thinking. And one of our own, “GOP Cannon” posted his/her take on it earlier today. So now I’m going to chime in on the story and what I know.

The first name which may come as a surprise is that of Charles Jensen, the founder and President of Politics on the Rocks. I spoke with Charles on the phone and he catagorically denied any involvement or association with Desert Divas or any prostitute or prostitution ring. According to Jensen, he rented one of his properties to someone he won’t identify earlier (in 2007) who probably was a client of the Desert Divas. That means that the list was actually based on addresses given to law enforcement by the Divas. That address was tied back to the owner, Charles Jensen, who did not reside there. When I spoke with Charles on Saturday, he said that he was obtaining legal counsel in order to chase down the actual evidence provided by the Diva to Phoenix PD (probably a police report or transcrpt). That attorney will also likely go after anyone who attempts to libel Jensen. So the key to the Jensen’s innocence hinges on whatever evidence the Phoenix PD used to create their list of “Joe’s.” I happen to believe Jensen and think that one of his renters was the “Joe.”

The other name that shows up on the list is lobbyist, G. Michael Williams of Williams & Associates. I spoke with Williams Saturday night and he knew nothing of the list and catagorically denied it. It even appears that Williams and Associates  may not have even been at the address shown on the Diva List at the time that the alleged incident took place.

Having spoken to both gentleman, it appears that this is all a matter of mistaken identities tied to the addresses where the supposed acts took place. I’m going to take both men at their word especially since they appear to have alibis and attorneys.

Will this taint the GOP brand here in Arizona? I tend to doubt it. I also agree with the earlier post by GOP Canon. There are probably individuals in the GOP who will take advantage of this perception of a scandal and use it as leverage to advance their position of power in the party. That’s sophomoric, unethical and disgusting and it needs to stop.

Filed Under: Conspiracy Theories, Crime and Punishment, Human Condition

Why BIG Lies Work

September 19, 2009 By 4 Comments

“In the simplicity of their minds, people more readily fall victims to the big lie than the small lie, since they themselves often tell small lies in little matters but would be ashamed to resort to large-scale falsehoods. It would never come into their heads to fabricate colossal untruths, and they would not believe that others could have such impudence. Even though the facts which prove this to be so may be brought clearly to their minds, they will still doubt and continue tothink that there may be some other explanation.”

What the sociologists are telling us, is that by the time facts become clear, people are emotionally wedded to the beliefs planted by the propaganda and find it a wrenching experience to free themselves. What happens is, those who believed “the big lie” begin to denounce and ridicule the truth-tellers rather than the liars whom the truth-tellers expose with facts.  A current example is the impassioned debate over illegal immigration, gun control, abortion, same-sex marriage, 9/11 and the birth place of Obama.  Eventually, rational fact is replaced with passionate defense of emotional investments.

Oh, and the quote I opened this bit of fact with?  He was an insignificant individual of foreign birth who led a nation into oblivion and the world into war.  But he understood the power of “The Big Lie”.

So please remember this when you hear these famous words of Rahm Emanual …

“You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.”

There’s a ‘crisis‘ for everyone; Borders … Economy … Health Care … Banking … H1N1 Flu … Climate Change (formerly Global Warming) … and the list goes on and on.  The only ones who benefit are those in power.

Filed Under: Conspiracy Theories, Culture, Media, Political Correctness

Pop Culture Destroys the White House Again

September 12, 2009 By 5 Comments

As someone who follows pop culture and its relationship to the political arena, I found it somewhat interesting when the trailer to 2012 was released a few months ago.

In the trailer, there is a clip where the aircraft carrier, USS John F. Kennedy, is swept up by a ginormous tidal wave. The ship capsizes and, as the trailer shows, the ship rolls right on top of the White House.

This scene should actually come as no surprise. The same director who put out the movie Independence Day also destroyed the White House by an invading alien spaceship laser-beaming it into oblivion. The director then was Roland Emmerich. The date that movie was released was July 3, 1996. (In fact, President Bill Clinton was given a private viewing the day before at the White House.) Emmerich will release 2012 on Friday, November 13th. Danny Glover will play the President of the United States.

One surpising thing I remember at the time that ID4 was being talked up across the country, was that many audiences were applauding when the White House was destroyed. Some of you may remember that even Rush Limbaugh mentioned it on his program.

My strange fascination in doomsday and apocalyptic movies makes me wonder if Emmerich planned this latest clip because it provoked such a popularly macabre response in his earlier work or if he has some disdain for who resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. For some reason, the mood of the country tells me he may generate the same reaction all over again.

Coincidence? We shall find out.

 

Filed Under: Conspiracy Theories, Culture

E Pluribus Discerpo?

September 10, 2009 By 19 Comments

Pat Buchanan has a provocative assessment of the current political climate posted over at World Net Daily in which he asserts that American may be coming apart.

Given the growing dicension and unrest, I would have to agree with him. And we should have expected it. For several generations, American attitudes have been shifting between those who give and those who take; those who reap the benefits of government and those who pay for them.

It’s an attitude of entitlement and that everything other than life, liberty and property is a “right.”

We’ve been warned about this already many many years ago by a Scot named Sir Alexander Fraser Tytler when he supposedly said:

A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.

I’m not certain that Tytler had our situation in mind when he made his famous statement given that we are actually a Constitutional Republic, but I would have to agree that once a certain number of the population realizes that they can vote themselves into dependence on the state, we have a real problem.

I can easily see the other portion of the population revolting and collectively shutting down funding of the entire system. Already some conservative celebrities have suggested they’re gonna stop paying taxes into the system probably through tax avoidance (not to be confused with tax evasion). Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe they will be blatant in their refusal to fund the federal government. Regardless, I get a sense that those who have been funding the system are a day short from refusing to pay any more. And why should we expect anything but that when we’ve already escalated our everyday financial vernacular to the use of the word “Trillion” with a capital “T?”

I hope I’m wrong about this but I have a terrible gut feeling that our economic political and social system is about to collapse under the weight of entitlement.

If or when that happens, life in America will be very different. A post-American senario has already been predicted by Russian political science professor, Igor Panarin, but I don’t give total credence to his disintigration of the US hypothesis. We may be weak but not to the point where other countries rapidly infiltrate and balkanize us into six separate nation states. But his assertion that we are overwhelmed with financial turmoil and to a certain degree, moral degredation, does worry many of us.

Back to Buchanan’s column where he says:

We are not only more divided than ever on politics, faith and morality, but along the lines of class and ethnicity. Those who opposed Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court and stood by Sgt. Crowley in the face-off with Harvard’s Henry Louis Gates were called racists. But this time they did not back down. They threw the same vile word right back in the face of their accusers, and Barack Obama.

Consider but a few issues on which Americans have lately been bitterly divided: school prayer, the Ten Commandments, evolution, the death penalty, abortion, homosexuality, assisted suicide, affirmative action, busing, the Confederate battle flag, the Duke rape case, Terri Schiavo, Iraq, amnesty, torture.

Now it is death panels, global warming, “birthers” and socialism. If a married couple disagreed as broadly and deeply as Americans do on such basic issues, they would have divorced and gone their separate ways long ago. What is it that still holds us together?

The European-Christian core of the country that once defined us is shrinking, as Christianity fades, the birth rate falls and Third World immigration surges. Globalism dissolves the economic bonds, while the cacophony of multiculturalism displaces the old American culture.

“E pluribus unum” – out of many, one – was the national motto the men of ’76 settled upon. One sees the pluribus. But where is the unum? One sees the diversity. But where is the unity?

Sounds to me like our motto may be changing to “E Pluribus Discerpo” but I pray I’m wrong, if praying is still allowed.

Filed Under: Conspiracy Theories, Culture, Demographics, Economics, Human Condition
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