American Conservative Republican

Is Arizona Treasurer Dean Martin Corrupt ?

2010-10-23T12:35:00.002-07:00

By Bob Haran;

Recently I was accused of making unsubstantiated accusations against Arizona Treasurer Dean Martin regarding his profiting from public office as a state senator.

Please allow me to submit the facts as I know them in regard to this case and let those who don't know them decide if our state treasurer is corrupt or not.

This information can easily be verified by going to the Arizona Secretary of State's web site.

In the 2004 campaign, incumbent Dean Martin had no primary challenger in his Republican safe district, which had a 19.9% Republican voter registration advantage over the Democrat Party. His Democrat opponent in the general election was a political unknown and professional petition gatherer by the name of Marla Wing. According to campaign finance reports, Ms. Wing spent a grand total of $26 on her campaign.

Obviously this campaign was going to be an easy win for Mr. Martin.

Shortly after then Arizona Senator Dean Martin's 2004 campaign for re-election, I examined his campaign finance reports and discovered something very unusual.

In a legislative campaign postage is usually the biggest expense but in Martin's campaign his largest expense was for printing, $11, 903.76 and his expense for postage was only $4,865.37. Martin spent more then twice as much on printing then he did on postage, which means his spent more then twice as much to print a piece of literature then to mail it, that doesn't make sense.

What made even less sense was that Martin claimed to own a printing business, Digital Print Design, located at 4718 E. Cactus Rd # 159, and was producing his own printing in house, that $11,903.76 for printing was paid to Digital Print Design.

Out of curiosity, I decided to go to 4718 E. Cactus Rd to see Mr. Martin's printing business for myself and discovered it was merely a rented mail box at Paradise Valley Mall.

Suspecting that Digital Print Design may merely be a front company to launder campaign funds into Martin's pocket, I checked for a telephone listing in the White and Yellow Pages and called information, there was no listing for a Digital Print Design in Arizona. I then did a web search and discovered no web site for a Digital Print Design. I discovered no evidence anywhere of any kind of advertising or marketing by a Digital Print Design to generate business.

If Digital Print Design was merely a front, where did the $ 11,903.76 Martin's campaign paid for printing go? Remember that money came from lobbyist with business before the legislature, and Martin was chairman of the Senate Finance Committee at the time.

Something else was unusual in regard to Martin's campaign finance reports. His second largest campaign expenditure, $7,331.54, went to a company named "Grassroots Programs," for "voter outreach." I'm not sure what Martin meant by voter outreach but the address for Grassroots Programs was exactly the same rented mail box as Digital Print Design and that the owner of Grassroots Programs was Kerry Martin, the now deceased wife of Dean Martin.

Again I checked the telephone directory and called information, no Grassroots Programs in Arizona. I did a web search for Grassroots Programs and again nothing. Apparently, Grassroots Programs was also a phony front company used to launder Martin's campaign funds. Where did the $7,331.54 the Martin campaign paid to Grassroots Programs go?

If either Digital Print Design or Grassroots Programs were legitimate business entities they would have records, such as; a business journal to record sales, purchases, payroll, accounts receivable. There would also be bank and tax records, a business licence and tax number. A printing business would require equipment such as a printing press and purchase records for large amounts of ink and paper. If these were real business entities, it would have been an easy task for Mr. Martin to produce these records for examination.

It also appears that Dean Martin was using his campaign fund as if it were his own personnel checking account, spending over $2,200 to pay for his cell phone service, and over another $2,200 on food, and somewhere around $12,000 on various electronic and computer equipment, which he gets to keep for his own personnel use and enjoyment.

To celebrate his 30th birthday, Mr. Martin used $650 of his campaign fund to rent a movie theatre for a private showing of Mel Gibson's, "The Patriot," and invited lobbyist to help him celebrate his birthday by attending the showing and making further campaign contributions.

In summation, these facts, which can be verified, describe a public official who turned his public office into a profit making enterprise that solicited contributions to his campaign fund, which he controlled, and which he then laundered through phony business entities he controlled, and then into his own pocket.

These actions resulted in a pecuniary gain for Mr. Martin and therefore, Dean Martin knowingly created an additional income for himself and a conflict of interest in relation to his official duties as an Arizona elected official; in violation of ARS, 38-504, Conflict of Interest, Prohibited Acts, a class 6 Felony.

If directing money from people with business before the legislature into your own pocket, regardless of how circuitous the route, is not corruption, then I don't know what is.

But please don't say that my accusations against Mr. Martin are unsubstantiated or without foundation, the facts are the facts, Dean Martin profited from public office and is therefore corrupt and unfit to hold any public office.

How Do You Say Hypocrite in Spanish?

2010-09-04T11:05:00.004-07:00

Illegal aliens may come to America and desecrate the American flag but when an American draws a carton of the Mexican flag Mexico becomes outraged.

From AOL

Lauren Frayer ContributorAOL News

(Sept. 4) -- An American cartoonist's rendition of the Mexican flag is causing controversy south of the border, where Mexicans say it's offensive to taint their national symbol with images of drug violence.

Political cartoonist Daryl Cagle's drawing, which ran on the front page of several Mexican newspapers this week, shows what's normally a regal-looking eagle at the center of Mexico's flag riddled with bullets and bleeding. It's a reference to the drug wars that have riled Mexico and left more than 28,000 people dead there in less than four years.

"Editorial cartoonists look for readily recognizable metaphors and that's an obvious one for Mexico," Cagle told CNN.

But some Mexicans say they're offended by the cartoon. Like the American flag, Mexico's banner is a national symbol under which many soldiers and civilians have given their lives. They say Cagle overstepped his creative license in this case.

American political cartoonist Daryl Cagle's sketch of the Mexico flag is drawing outrage south of the border.

"It is a shame that a patriotic symbol like our flag, which is so beautiful to me, can be mocked by a stupid cartoonist," one angry reader complained to the Mexican newspaper El Universal. "I think there are many other ways to graphically protest what's happening in our country."

The Mexican Embassy in Washington weighed in on the issue, with a spokesman Ricardo Alday saying Thursday that Mexico "respects and defends freedom of speech and freedom of expression" but "differs" with Cagle "on the use he makes of the Mexican flag and the message it conveys."

In a letter to MSNBC.com, which employs Cagle, Alday said the cartoon "triggered a negative response from some sectors of Mexican public opinion."

On his blog, Cagle acknowledged that many people consider his cartoon "scandalous" and that it "struck a nerve with Mexican readers." He said he's received some "interesting, outraged emails" from readers.

"I think your idea of bringing the violence in Mexico to light is excellent. Too bad you butchered it along with the Mexican Flag," Ramon De Leon wrote on Cagle's blog comments section. "Laws in Mexico with regards to the use and depiction of the flag are in place to prevent this sort of stuff. Please consider taking it down and issuing an apology to the Mexican American community."

Cagle has not yet issued any apology, and newspapers continue to reprint his cartoon despite the controversy. The cartoonist also sought to defend his choice of material as a freedom that comes with his profession.

"National flags are common fodder for editorial cartoonists around the world, so the reaction to this cartoon was surprising to me," Cagle wrote.

The controversy over Cagle's cartoon comes two years after another cartoonist, Barry Blitt, sparked ire over his cover of The New Yorker magazine showing Barack Obama, who was then running for president, and his wife Michelle dressed as Muslim extremists with an American flag burning in a fireplace behind them. And in 2005, a Danish newspaper published controversial cartoons depicting Islam's prophet Muhammad, igniting protests and violence that left hundreds of people dead across the globe.

Images of Mexico have drawn offense before -- and not always from Mexicans.
In 2008, Absolut Vodka launched a marketing campaign in Mexico that showed a map of North America with several states in the Southwest -- including California, Texas and Arizona -- located inside Mexico.

The states were conquered by the U.S. in a war with Mexico in the mid-19th century.
The company pulled the ad after it received more than 1,000 angry comments on its blog site, with many calling for a boycott of the brand.

Absolut issued a statement saying that the ad, which ran in Mexico only, did not "advocate an altering of borders, nor does it lend support to any anti-American sentiment," Reuters reported.
Last year, Burger King ran an ad for its new Texican Whopper burger that showed a tall American cowboy and a short Mexican wrestler, whose cape resembled the country's flag.
The ad, which ran in Europe, showed the cowboy helping the wrestler reach high shelves and clean tall windows.

A narrator described the burger as "the taste of Texas with a little spicy Mexican."
Mexico's ambassador to Spain, Jorge Zermeno, said the ads "improperly use the stereotyped image of a Mexican," according to The Associated Press.

"In Mexico we have a great deal of respect for our flag," Zermeno said.

Glenn Beck Regrets Calling Obama 'Racist,'

2010-08-29T11:21:00.002-07:00

Glenn Beck Regrets Calling Obama 'Racist,'
Rules Out Run for President.

From AOL
By Bruce Drake,
Conservative talk show host Glenn Beck said after his Saturday rally at the Lincoln Memorial that he regrets once having called President Obama a racist who hated white people, and said "not a chance" when asked about the notion of a Beck-Sarah Palin presidential ticket in 2012.

Beck had made the statement about Obama last year on Fox & Friends during a discussion of Obama's criticism of Cambridge, Mass. police. Obama had said they had acted "stupidly" in arresting Harvard University professor Henry Louis Gates, an African-American, outside his own home after receiving a call reporting a possible break-in.

"This president, I think, has exposed himself as a guy over and over and over again who has a deep-seated hatred for white people or the white culture," Beck had said. "I don't know what it is. This guy is, I believe, a racist."

Beck, who had been criticized for holding his event on an anniversary day of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, was asked by Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace in an interview conducted after the rally, "After that, do you have any credibility talking about reclaiming the civil rights movement?"

"It shouldn't have been said," Beck answered. "It was poorly said ... I have a big fat mouth sometimes and I say things, and that's just not the way people should behave. And it was not accurate."

Beck said he had "miscast" as racism what he should have attributed instead to Obama's attachment, as expressed in his writings, to "liberation theology."

"He is a guy who understands the world through liberation theology, which is oppressor and victim," said Beck, referring to the movement in the Catholic Church challenging economic, political and social conditions affecting the underprivileged.

Asked if he regretted his remarks, Beck said, "Of course I do."

Beck also brushed aside any talk in the blogosphere and elsewhere that the popular movements conservatives like he and Sarah Palin have launched might produce a Beck-Palin presidential ticket in 2012.
"Not a chance," said Beck. "I don't know what Sarah is doing. I hope to be on vacation. I have no desire to be president of the United States. Zero desire. I don't think that I would be electable."

"There are far too many people that are far smarter than me to be president," he said. "I'd like to find one with some honor and integrity. I haven't seen them yet, but they'll show up."

SB 1070 Still A Winner

2010-08-09T12:25:00.003-07:00

By Russell Pearce

Opponents of immigration enforcement are calling the temporary injunction against parts of Arizona's anti-illegal-immigration law a death blow to state enforcement. The Mexican American Legal Defense Fund called it a “warning to other states” that want to enact similar legislation.

As the author of the new law, SB 1070, I can honestly say that July 29, when the pared-down law went into effect, was a victory.

Many key provisions are still in effect. Local police have more power to enforce immigration laws. Sanctuary cities are outlawed. Illegal day laborers are likely to be arrested and the employers' trucks that pick them up impounded.

And I am confident the entire law will be upheld.

Already, illegal immigrants are taking notice. Even before the law went into effect, NPR and Reuters reported that undocumented immigrants, including entire families, were moving out of the state. The day after the ruling, CNN reported, “some of the estimated 500,000 undocumented immigrants who went to Arizona are leaving the state.”

This is the strategy of SB 1070: attrition through enforcement. Arizona has made it clear through our policies that illegal immigrants are not welcome, and they are self-deporting from the state.

Judging from media portrayals, one would think this law is the only time that a state has taken up immigration legislation. But this is just the latest bill in Arizona’s string of attrition-through-enforcement legislation.

It began in 2004, when 56 percent of Arizona voters — including 47 percent of Latinos — voted for Proposition 200, which barred illegal immigrants from receiving public benefits. In 2006, voters approved four anti-illegal-immigration and pro-English ballot initiatives. The year after, then-Gov. Janet Napolitano signed the Legal Arizona Workers Act, requiring all employers to use E-Verify to ensure that they do not hire illegal immigrants.

The battles over these laws did not draw as much national attention as SB 1070, but Arizona still faced media campaigns, lawsuits and temporary injunctions. All the laws were eventually enacted.

Even the liberal 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which is to rule on SB 1070 in November, upheld the legal workers act.

Rather than serve as a warning to other states, our immigration law has inspired people across the country, who are fed up with the federal government's inaction, to follow our lead. Lawmakers in 20 states have now introduced similar legislation. Nine state attorneys general signed an amicus brief in support of Arizona.

The more opponents attack our immigration law, the longer it stays in the national spotlight. This looks likely to be a major issue in the midterm elections. It's almost a prerequisite that any gubernatorial candidate in a Republican primary support SB 1070. Even Democratic candidates, like Roy Barnes of Georgia, support the law.

Poll after poll shows that the majority of Americans support the Arizona law. The day after the injunction, a Rasmussen poll found that 59 percent of American voters wanted an Arizona-style law in their state, while only 32 percent did not.

Despite critics’ claims that SB 1070 interferes with federal law, it actually mirrors federal law, empowering local law enforcement to assist federal authorities. No one denies this. Instead, the court ruled that the law will “impermissibly burden federal resources and redirect federal agencies away from the priorities they have established.”

The “priorities” are not to arrest, detain, prosecute or remove illegal immigrants unless they have already committed serious crimes in addition to illegal presence.

These critics would rather wait for another American to become a victim of crime before they enforce our laws. The only thing that conflicts with federal immigration law is the Obama administration's intentional policy not to enforce it.

With the American people and the Constitution on our side, the temporary ruling of an activist judge will not keep Arizona from prevailing in our fight against illegal immigration.

HAS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BECOME OUR ENEMY?

2010-08-03T05:38:00.005-07:00

(CNSNews.com) – Pinal County (Ariz.) Sheriff Paul Babeu is hopping mad at the federal government.

Babeu told CNSNews.com that rather than help law enforcement in Arizona stop the hundreds of thousands of people who come into the United States illegally, the federal government is targeting the state and its law enforcement personnel.

“What’s very troubling is the fact that at a time when we in law enforcement and our state need help from the federal government, instead of sending help they put up billboard-size signs warning our citizens to stay out of the desert in my county because of dangerous drug and human smuggling and weapons and bandits and all these other things and then, behind that, they drag us into court with the ACLU,” Babeu said.

The sheriff was referring to the law suits filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the U.S. Department of Justice challenging the state’s new immigration law.

“So who has partnered with the ACLU?” Babeu said in a telephone interview with CNSNews.com. “It’s the president and (Attorney General) Eric Holder himself. And that’s simply outrageous.”

Last week, U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton placed a temporary injunction on portions of the bill that allowed law enforcement personnel during the course of a criminal investigation who have probable cause to think an individual is in the country illegally to check immigration status. The state of Arizona filed an appeal on Thursday with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

“Our own government has become our enemy and is taking us to court at a time when we need help,” Babeu said.

Babeu and Sheriff Larry Dever of Cochise County Ariz., spoke by phone with CNSNews.com last week about the May 17 ACLU class-action lawsuit, which charges the law uses racial profiling and named the county attorneys and sheriffs in all 15 Arizona counties as defendants. The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit on July 6, charging the Arizona law preempted the federal government’s sole right to enforce immigration law.

“If the president would do his job and secure the border; send 3,000 armed soldiers to the Arizona border and stop the illegal immigration and the drug smuggling and the violence, we wouldn’t even be in this position and where we’re forced to take matters into our own hands,” Babeu said.

Dever said the federal government’s failure to secure the border and its current thwarting of Arizona’s effort to control illegal immigration within its borders has implications for the entire country.

“The bigger picture is while what’s going on in Arizona is critically important, what comes out of this and happens here will affect our entire nation in terms of our ability to protect our citizenry from a very serious homeland security threat,” Dever said. “People who are coming across the border in my county aren’t staying there. They’re going everywhere USA and a lot of them are bad, bad people.

”According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), about 250,000 people were detained in Arizona in the last 12 months for being in the country illegally. Babeu said that that number only reflects the number of people detained and that thousands more enter the country illegally each year.

The CBP also reports that 17 percent of those detained already have a criminal record in the United States.

Both Babeu and Dever said they want to remain involved in the legal battle over the law, which many experts predict will end up being decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Dever has hired an independent attorney to represent him in the ACLU case and his attorney has already filed a motion of intervention in the DOJ lawsuit so the “(Dever) will have a seat at the table.

”A Web site also has been launched by the non-profit, Iowa-based Legacy Foundation to raise money for the Babeu’s and Dever’s legal defense.

Both men said they believe the outcome of the case has national significance.“For us, this is a public safety matter and a national security threat,” Babeu said.

LIAR, LIAR - GOP Candidate Lies to GOP, Supported Clinton

2010-07-29T04:53:00.004-07:00

LIAR, LIAR -
GOP Candidate Lies, Supported Hillary Clinton

By Bob Haran

At a candidate forum for the Arizona House on Monday night, (July 26), in Legislative District 6, I asked the five candidates that showed up if any of them had contributed to any liberal, pro-abortion cause or Democrat candidates like Hillary Clinton in the past ten years? And yes, I specifically said Hillary Clinton. All five candidates; John Adam Kowalski, Amanda Reeve, Steve Kaiser, David Fitzgerald lll, and Carl Seel, all in turn adamantly responded NO to my question.

After asking my question, a lady asked me if I knew the answer my question, I responded with a simple "YES."

One of the five candidates for the Republican nomination for the Arizona House of Representatives, all who claim to be strongly conservative, pro-life, and a life long Republican, had just lied to the District 6 Republican Precinct Committeemen.

Unlike some other political blogs, The American Conservative Republican likes to verify information before we publish it.

A reliable source, (which means someone I know but who's name I will keep confidential), E-mailed me a copy of Federal Elections Commission form 3, (REPORT OF RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS) for the "Friends of Hillary" committee dated 10/15/2005. On page 584 of the report under item B was the name of a contributor as David Fitzgerald lll, mailing address 4530 W. Misty Lane, Glendale, AZ 85310-3901, name of employer as SELF, Occupation Real Estate Broker, Date of Receipt 9/15/2005, amount of receipt $250.00.

It might be possible that two people in Arizona in the real estate business might have the name David Fitzgerald lll, therefore, I had to verify that this was the same David Fitzgerald lll running for the Arizona House as a Republican in LD6.

The Arizona Corporation Commission -- Corporations Division, had a listing for a David E Fitzgerald lll with the address as 4530 W Misty Willow Ln, Glendale, 85310 listed as the President/CEO of Success One Realty Inc and a Yukari Fitzgerald of the same address, listed as the Secretary of Success One.

So far I have proved that the David Fitzgerald lll listed in the FEC report is the same David E Fitzgerald lll listed with the Arizona Corporation Commission. However, is this the same Fitzgerald running for office in LD 6?

The Arizona Capitol Times 2010 Primary Elections Guide has a listing of all candidates for the Arizona legislature. Under Arizona House District 6 is Fitzgerald, David (Republican), OCCUPATION: Broker/owner, Success One Realty, since 1998. MARTIAL: Married (Yukari, loan officer).

The information therefore has been verified, the David Fitzgerald III that contributed $ 250 to the Hillary Clinton campaign for the United States Senate from New York on 9/15/2005 is one and the same as the David Fitzgerald currently running for the Republican nomination for the Arizona House of Representatives from LD 6 and he did in fact publicly lie to the Republican Precinct Committeemen and others at a candidates forum on July 26 at the Deer Valley Airport Restaurant in regard to making a contribution to any Democrat candidate like Hillary Clinton in the past ten years.

In the interest of fair play, the Chairman of District 6, Larry Gorman, contacted David Fitzgerald to offer him an opportunity to respond, David Fitzgerald asked that the following statement be distributed.

"As a Republican candidate for House in LD6, I would like to make sure that PCs are able to contact me directly to answer any questions they might have. To all PCs (and all constituents!) in LD6, please feel free to contact me anytime on my cell phone at 480-688-8217"

A very interesting response, I wonder what his explanation will be, they always have an explanation. Maybe he can claim temporary insanity or he didn't understand the question.

David Fitzgerald is running on a slate with Lori Klein and Carl Seel.

Lori Klein, who claims to be pro-life, was discovered to have made a contribution to the pro-abortion WISH LIST and to have been convicted for drunk driving last year.

Carl Seel, who is running a publicly funded campaign, has just completed his first term in the Arizona House and submitted 46 bills, not one of which was passed into law. It was recently reported that he is being sued by a Pay-Day Loan company for writing them a bad check.

Amazingly, Klein, Seel and Fitzgerald have all been endorsed by Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who claims to be America's toughest sheriff.

We have no word if Hillary Clinton will be endorsing the Klein, Seel, Fitzgerald slate.

BREWER on SB 1070, "I will fight all the way to the Supreme Court"

2010-07-29T01:33:00.004-07:00

Statement by Governor Brewer on Federal Court decision.

July 28, 2010

“This fight is far from over. In fact, it is just the beginning, and at the end of what is certain to be a long legal struggle, Arizona will prevail in its right to protect our citizens. I am deeply grateful for the overwhelmingly support we have received from across our nation in our efforts to defend against the failures of the federal government.

“I have consulted with my legal counsel about our next steps. We will take a close look at every single element Judge Bolton removed from the law, and we will soon file an expedited appeal at the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.

“For anyone willing to see it -- the crisis is as clear as is the federal government’s failure to address it.

“The judge herself noted that the stash houses where smugglers hide immigrants from Mexico before bringing them into the country's interior have become a fixture on the news in Arizona and that, ‘You can barely go a day without a location being found in Phoenix where there are numerous people being harbored."

“When I signed the bill on April 23rd, I said, SB 1070 – represents another tool for our state to use as we work to address a crisis we did not create and the federal government has actively refused to fix. The law protects all of us, every Arizona citizen and everyone here in our state lawfully. And, it does so while ensuring that the constitutional rights of ALL in Arizona are undiminished – holding fast to the diversity that has made Arizona so great.

“I will battle all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary, for the right to protect the citizens of Arizona. Meanwhile, I also know we still have work to do in confronting the fear-mongers, those dealing in hate and lies and economic boycotts that seek to do Arizona harm.

“We have already made some progress in waking up Washington. But the question still remains: will Washington do its job, and put an end to the daily operations of smugglers in our nation, or will the delays and sidesteps continue? I believe that the defenders of the rule of law will ultimately succeed with us in our demand for action

GORMAN ENDOSED BY ALAN KEYES

2010-07-27T21:35:00.004-07:00

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Contact: Chris Baker 602-677-1380

ALAN KEYES ENDORSES PAMELA GORMAN FOR CONGRESS IN AZ-03

(Phoenix, AZ) Alan Keyes, Chairman of Conservative Majority PAC, announced his support for former Senator Pamela Gorman (R) in the crowded ten-way primary for Arizona’s 3rd Congressional District to replace retiring Congressman John Shadegg.

The Conservative Majority PAC states, “In the battle to preserve the rights and free institutions of the American people, we need sincere, principled leaders. We need those with the moral courage to assert and defend our God-given rights. Our purpose at Conservative Majority is to identify those good candidates for public office, and to return this nation to its foundational core.”

Of Gorman, specifically, Keyes says, “I believe there is one candidate in the Republican primary for Congress in (the 3rd) district who can truly help lead the effort to save America, if you will empower her to do so. That candidate is Pamela Gorman. “In a field of 10 Republican candidates, Keyes has chosen to back the proven conservative who has a solid record of leading on key conservative issues. He explained, “She knows that without respect for life, property and all the individual freedoms guaranteed under our Constitutional system of ordered liberty, tyranny triumphs.” He added, “Her record reflects the heart of a person who has the courage and the will to carry her convictions into public policy, in fulfillment of her sworn oath of office.”

Pamela Gorman said, “I am honored by this endorsement from Mr. Keyes. As an anti-establishment candidate, it is great to be recognized by a respected national figure for my leadership on key issues we share. Most notably we share a passion for furthering policies to defend the sanctity of life.” Keyes, a pro-life activist, was selected by President Reagan to negotiate the language of the Mexico City Policy, which withheld federal funds from international organizations that support abortion.

More information can be found on Pamela Gorman, candidate for U.S. Congress, at www.Gorman2010.com.
###

LORI KLEIN EXPLAINS DUI ARREST

2010-07-22T17:13:00.003-07:00

In the Matter of Arizona V. Lori Klein.

On October 2 2008, Lori Klein, who is a candidate for the Republican nomination for the Arizona Senate from Legislative District 6, was arrested and charged with violating ARS 28-701.02A3, (speed exceeding 85 MPH); ARS 28 -1381A1, (DUI); and ARS 28- 1381A2 (DUI with Blood-Alcohol of .08 or More). In other words, this wannabe law-maker, was breaking the law and driving without regard to human life, at 85 MPH on public roads with a very high octane blood-alcohol level. Thankfully the police apprehended her before she killed or injured anyone.

After fighting the charges for over a year, Lori Klein was sentenced to 3 years probation; 1 day in jail which was served on 8/17/09; Alcohol Education with DUI Education, Treatment & Counseling with Court Support Services, which she completed on 10/28/2009; Ignition Interlock Device per MVD order and; Penalty Fees totaling $1,460.00, which she paid on 8/10/2009.

Now, Lori Klein has tried to explain away her irresponsible behavior on her campaign Web site under a section she calls "Lessons Learned."

From Lori Klein's Campaign Web Site
http://www.kleinforsenate.net/issues.html

Lessons Learned:

A couple of years ago, on my way home from an event, I was pulled over for speeding. The officer asked me if I had had anything to drink that night. I had two glasses of wine so I said "yes" and agreed to take a breathalyzer test. I wasn’t terribly concerned because I had consumed the glasses over a long period of time and I felt fine.

So you can imagine how I felt when he said that my blood alcohol content was at .08—the legal definition of a DUI. Stunned, shocked, and embarrassed just to start. As the mother of three teenaged boys, I always had imagined how I would handle it when the call came from them in the middle of night. Now I was the one making the phone call. It turns out that losing fifty pounds and being in ketosis, as well as having a slower metabolism is not a good combination if you are going to drink wine, even with dinner.

It only took me a short while to realize that as embarrassing as this was, I was actually quite lucky. I might not have felt impaired, but the limit is set at .08 for a reason, and the evening could very well have ended tragically for me, my family, or even someone else’s family.
Since that night, I’ve used the event to warn and teach my friends and family about the importance of not having even that first drink if you know you will be driving later on. Get a designated driver or order the iced tea.

Some people are surprised by my willingness to talk about this event, but what good is learning a lesson the hard way if you can’t share it and help others with the lesson learned? For more information on the dangers of drinking and driving, please visit http://www.drinkinganddriving.org/, and for information on how to talk to your kids about alcohol/drugs, please visit http://www.theantidrug.com/.

Paid for by Klein for Senate © 2010

It was also discovered that Ms. Klein has also contributed money to the pro-abortion WISH List, which is dedicated to electing pro-choice Republican women at all levels of government. WISH List also has very little regard for human life.

Klein, who is not a precinct committeemen in LD 6 is being strongly supported by Arizona Treasurer Dean Martin; former LD 6 representative and congressional candidate Sam Crump; and current LD 6 Arizona Representative Carl Seel.

Thankfully for Ms. Klein, she also has the support of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, just in case she lands in Tent City.

CARL SEEL - Bad Check Writer

2010-07-22T10:29:00.001-07:00

According to a report published in the Arizona Capitol Times, a payday lender has had to sue Arizona Representative Carl Seel, R, LD 6, for a check that bounced.

Payday Loan Store of AZ # 341 filed a lawsuit against Seel on June 17, claiming that Seel bounced a check for $ 588.23, he had written to the lender to secure a loan.

Seel told the Yellow Sheet Report, a publication of the Arizona Capitol Times, that he was unaware the check had bounced or that he was being sued.

"I'll make good on it. I'm not going to leave them hanging," Seel said. "It's embarrassing. It shouldn't have happened."

Seel said he sought the payday loan earlier this year after his business, a small publishing company, began to suffer as a result of the economic downturn.

"A lot of people are struggling now, and I'm not immune to the economy," Seel said.

Stolen Valor Legal Says Fed Judge

2010-07-22T07:44:00.003-07:00

EDITORIAL: Medals of Dishonor

Real heroes need to be distinguished from the fakes
By THE WASHINGTON TIMES

7:06 p.m., Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Attention, phony war heroes: Dust off those surplus uniforms and shine up those medals awarded by eBay. U.S. District Judge Robert Blackburn has ruled that the Stolen Valor Act is an unconstitutional abridgment of your free-speech rights to deceive the public and dishonor those who actually did the heroic acts that you can only dream of doing.

Judge Blackburn, in a case before the District of Colorado over faux Marine Rick Glen Strandlof, ruled that the government lacked a compelling interest in abridging speech rights when it came to warrior impersonators. This is no G.I. Joke.

The Stolen Valor Act made it a misdemeanor for people to falsely claim "verbally or in writing, to have been awarded any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the Armed Forces of the United States." Congress thought the law was necessary because "fraudulent claims surrounding receipt of the Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, the Air Force Cross, the Navy Cross, the Purple Heart, or any other medal or decoration awarded by Congress or the Armed Forces damage the reputation and meaning of these medals."

Counterfeiting is an apt analogy. The counterfeiter turns paper into wealth he did not earn, and in so doing dilutes the value of legitimate currency possessed by others. Service medals are akin to currency, but they are backed by blood, sweat and sacrifice. They are a form of recognition that has value because of the official regulations and honored traditions that govern the awards. Those who have earned the right to wear them, possess them or even say they were awarded them have acquired a tangible asset in the form of the respect bestowed on them by the public. Most recipients of military medals don't seek them, and many are unassuming about their awards after the fact. But the phonies seek only to profit from claiming to be among the ranks of these heroes. They impersonate specifically to seek gain in the same way the counterfeiter seeks to profit from making phony bills.

Fraudulent heroes devalue military medals in two ways. By making awards seem more common, they become less rare and seem more ordinary. If every veteran - or rather, imposter - claimed to have been awarded the Silver Star, the award would soon inspire the same awe and admiration as a Girl Scout Brownie's merit badge for basket-weaving. And when fakers are exposed, the disappointed public then looks with suspicion on genuine heroes. The phonies break the bonds of trust established by those who earned it. Heroes unjustly lose their repute; the public unfairly loses the opportunity to have heroes to emulate. In this way, the fakers assault the integrity of the military awards system itself.

It is in the government's compelling interest to defend the system established by Congress to render these official honors. The issue is not whether all lying should be made illegal; lying, with some notable exceptions, is protected speech under the Constitution. Acknowledging a special interest in safeguarding the military awards system is no more a slippery slope than the laws governing perjury, libel, slander and criminal fraud. If the government has an interest in recognizing valor at all, it also has an interest in seeing to it that valor is not cheapened.

A Purple Heart medal can be purchased online for less than $35. Compare that to the price paid by warriors who survived enemy attacks or who face a lifetime of disability from their wounds - or those who never make it back home. No matter what some confused judge thinks, honoring genuine heroism and sacrifice for America is a compelling interest.

Senate Rejects GOP Bid to Block Arizona Lawsuit

2010-07-22T06:58:00.005-07:00

From the Arizona Republic

Our colleage Raju Chebium of the Gannett Washington Bureau contributed the following item.

WASHINGTON – A Republican bid to stop the federal government's lawsuit against Arizona’s
immigration law failed Wednesday.

The vote was 43-55 along mostly partisan lines.

Republican Sens. Jim DeMint of South Carolina and David Vitter of Louisiana sought to prohibit the White House from using federal funds to finance the lawsuit, which the U.S. Department of Justice filed earlier this month. The senators wanted to attach their measure to legislation extending unemployment benefits.

Before the vote, DeMint accused President Barack Obama's White House of trying to “intimidate” Arizona for seeking to enforce federal immigration law.

The federal government failed in its duty to secure the border and Arizona is merely trying to protect its citizens, DeMint said on the Senate floor, adding that the law doesn’t advocate racial profiling but expressly forbids it.

“This is something we know the American people – if they could vote here today – would vote in favor of,” DeMint said. “The question is will the majority vote to support the people of Arizona or to support this political move that we’re now seeing from the White House?”

The Justice Department argues that Arizona is violating the Constitution by trying to usurp the federal government's sole authority to regulate immigration. The lawsuit seeks an injunction to block the law from taking effect on July 29.

South Carolina has joined eight other states – Michigan, Alabama, Florida, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas and Virginia – and the Northern Mariana Islands in filing a legal brief supporting the Arizona law.

The Senate also rejected, by a vote of 39-59, a separate DeMint measure to permanently repeal a real estate tax that critics call the “death tax.”

Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl, both Arizona Republicans, voted for both DeMint proposals.

Erin Kelly of The Arizona Republic's Washington Bureau contributed to this report.

POLL FINDS BREWER, McCAIN WOULD WIN GOP PRIMARY - MARTIN, MILLS DROP OUT

2010-07-14T15:18:00.004-07:00

A Behavior Research telephone poll conducted June 30 to July 11, indicates that incumbent Republican Governor Jan Brewer would win the GOP primary for governor with the support of 57% of Republicans and Independents who plan to vote in the GOP primary on August 24.

Arizona businessman Buz Mills, who contributed millions of dollars to his campaign, had the support of 12% of those planning to vote and Arizona Treasurer Dean Martin had the support of only 9%.

Jan Brewer has also been endorsed by the National Rifle Association, Arizona Right to Life and, both Arizona Senators John McCain and Jon Kyl.

Martin and Mills have boyh suspended their campaigns.

The sample of 236 registered Republicans and independents had a margin of error of 6.5 %.

Recent polling by Behavior Research also showed that Sen. John McCain would prevail over his two primary opponents; former Member of Congress and radio talk show host, J.D. Hayworth and, citizen candidate, businessman and tea party activist, Jim Deakin.

McCain had the support 64% of Republicans and GOP-leaning Independent voters. Hayworth had only 19 percent, Deakin had 5%, 12% are undecided.

In April Hayworth was at 28%.

McCain - Kyl Endorse Brewer

2010-07-12T18:39:00.002-07:00

Arizona’s two Republican senators are endorsing Gov. Jan Brewer in the state’s gubernatorial primary, citing her defense of a new illegal immigration law currently being challenged by the Obama administration.

“There has been no stronger defender of the State of Arizona than Gov. Jan Brewer,” said Sen. John McCain in a joint statement with Sen. Jon Kyl. “From border security to health care to job creation, Gov. Brewer has consistently stood up for our state. Gov. Brewer continues to lead the fight against the Obama Administration’s frivolous lawsuit against Arizona’s immigration law.”
Kyl said that Brewer "has shown courage in fighting for the rights of Arizonans."

McCain, previously a champion of comprehensive immigration reform, has become more hawkish on border security in the face of his own tough primary contest against radio host J.D. Hayworth. He recently disagreed with Brewer’s statement that most illegal immigrants are “mules” being used to smuggle drugs into America, but lauded her overall handling of the immigration law. “I think the governor of Arizona has done a good job in this whole debate,” he said on NBC’s Meet the Press last month.

Brewer, who once struggled in her re-election bid, enjoyed a burst of popularity after the passage of the new law. She now leads in her contest against businessman Owen “Buz” Mills and political newcomer Matthew Jette in the lead-up to the August 24 primary election. State Treasurer Dean Martin bowed out of the race last week.

AZ Right to Life Endorses Brewer

2010-07-12T16:38:00.002-07:00

Phoenix, AZ-

July 12, 2010 -

Arizona Right to Life Political Action Committee ("AZRTL PAC") today announces its endorsement of Jan Brewer in the Republican Primary for Arizona Governor.

AZRTL PAC endorses Jan Brewer because of her strong support of the pro-life cause over her 25 year political career. In just her first term as governor since being appointed in January of 2009, Governor Brewer signed eight pro-life bills into law that will help protect innocent human life in Arizona. Among those bills signed into law incude a ban of partial-birth abortions in Arizona and a mandatory 24-hour waiting period before an abortion can be performed. "Unlike her immediate predecessor, Governor Brewer has shown she truly cares about women and children by recognizing the importance of protecting all innocent life, including the unborn. For these reasons, AZRTL PAC strongly endorses Governor Brewer in the Republican Primary for Arizona Governor," according to Walt Opaska, Chairman of the AZRTL PAC.

Other pro-life bills signed by Governor Brewer include a ban on non-doctors performing surgical abortions, a bill that opts Arizona out of providing abortion coverage in any insurance exchanges offered under the new federal health care law and a prohibition on Arizona taxpayer dollars from being used to fund insurance coverage for elective abortions for government employees.

The Arizona Right to Life Political Action Committee is Arizona's oldest, largest, and strongest political pro-life organization. To learn more about Arizona Right to Life, please visit our website at www.arizonarighttolife.org

Sheriff Paul Babeu also Major Babeu, AZ National Gaurd.

2010-07-12T12:25:00.004-07:00

July 11, 2010

from
http://www.nationalguard.com/

Guard Officer elected Sheriff in landslide vote

By Clint Wood
MAJ PAUL BABEU knows a thing or two about accepting new roles and challenges.
While attending Officer Candidate School (OCS), he remembers being told, “You shall seek and accept responsibility.”

The Arizona Army National Guard officer, who has nearly 20 years of service in the Guard, has embraced responsibility as both a Citizen- Soldier and a civilian. In the latter position, Babeu has served nearly a year as the sheriff of Pinal County, AZ, which measures approximately 5,400 square miles and is the fastest growing county in the U.S.

Asked why he chose to run for sheriff , 40-yearold Babeu, who became a police officer at 32, replied, “Because the organization was screwed up, and I knew I could do a better job than the sheriff .”

Despite Babeu being a republican in a democratic county, the voters agreed and he won by a “landslide”—about 8,000 votes. He was the first republican elected to office in Pinal County since its formation in 1875.

He feels one of the reasons for his election was that he shook hands and made eye contact with many of the county’s residents—a number estimated at 400,000.

“If you don’t believe in yourself and your own ability, nobody ever will,” he commented. Babeu is “leading” more than 700 employees in the sheriff’s office. Being responsible for so many people is nothing new to him, as he led between 400 and 1,000 Guard Soldiers as the Task Force Yuma commander during his 16-month Operation Jump Start tour. This operation saw Guard troops deployed along the U.S.-Mexico border to keep the borders safe.

Babeu remembers the first time he accepted a challenge: when he stepped off the bus for Basic Combat Training at Fort Benning, GA.

Babeu, who served three years as an enlisted infantryman, practically grew up “bleeding Army green.” His father served in the Army during the Korean War, surviving a very low life expectancy rate in combat for the Soldiers on the frontline. At one point in Babeu’s Guard career, his three brothers served as well.

“I am an unabashed patriot,” said Babeu. “I’ve always loved and respected the military.”

BABEU LEADS TASK FORCE TO FAME

He was one of the most successful task force commanders of Operation Jump Start. Of the nine units, his achieved more than double the results of halting illegal border crossings.
Babeu said other task force commanders spent a lot of time attempting to learn why he was so successful.

BABEU’S CIVILIAN EDUCATION INCLUDES AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT TECHNOLOGY AND A BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN HISTORY/POLITICAL SCIENCE.

“It’s all about people, and … leaders [need] to get over themselves,” he noted. “They need to focus on the mission. We did that right from the start.”

He said his mission intent was to maintain communication with the Border Patrol leaders, unlike the other task forces, who considered it a military operation. Included in this dialog was what each entity’s goals were.

He said he educated the patrol on what his task force brought to the table to benefit the patrol’s mission. He also challenged the patrol in tactics and procedures.

“There was a sense of trust that was developed so they didn’t take it in the wrong matter, and they ended up achieving results that they had never seen,” he explained.

He noted that some of the agents had served for more than 20 years and were “up to their eyeballs” in just trying to catch and release.

His task force’s direct support and cooperation with the U.S. Border Patrol resulted in a 74-percent reduction in illegal aliens crossing the border.

Babeu is still in contact with the two Arizona Border Patrol chiefs, and they have had conversations about the operation. One of these included how the cooperation with Babeu’s task force allowed the patrol to concentrate on other criminal activity, including human trafficking.
Babeu, who has been a commander for a combat engineer company, considers leading a task force during a domestic mission like Operation Jump Start as his “greatest privilege.”

LESSONS LEARNED

Babeu brings all his lessons learned in his Guard career to his role as sheriff. He said this responsibility is different than leading Soldiers, though. Everything the sheriffs office does affects nearly all of the citizens in the county.

“I tell my employees that everything we do must be driven by our desire to improve service to the public,” he explained.

And he communicates his intent to his charges at the sheriffs office just as he does to his Soldiers. “I always articulate and define very clearly what I expect from the department collectively,” he explained.

CHANGES WERE MADE

Before the citizens of Pinal County had a chance to remove their “Vote for Babeu” signs from their lawn, he was hard at work, making the changes he deemed necessary.
Some seemed insurmountable. His county has one deputy per 1,000 citizens. The national average is 2.2 deputies per 1,000. Babeu instituted a beat system, where each deputy was assigned a small area to oversee. This meant the deputy would become familiar with all the businesses and schools in his beat.

Babeu also ensured that about 500 of his employees, including him, were certified in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This process took time, but helped deliver his promise of making the county safer.

“Even if it takes a lot of effort, if we say we are going to do something, damn it, we are going to do it,” he noted.

This was just one example of the way Babeu “changed business” in the sheriff ’s office. But each time he made changes like this, he told the voters why—something he learned in the Guard, specifically, while serving in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, 2004–2005.

He volunteered as an individual augumentee and was assigned to one of the 42nd Infantry Division’s aviation brigades.

Serving under the 42nd—or “Rainbow”— division was sort of a homecoming for Babeu, who was born and raised in North Adams, MA. He and his three brothers drilled with the division at the North Adams armory.

His duties in Iraq included being a human relations expert and public affairs officer. He excelled at increasing morale and handling Soldiers’ issues, including family and psychological issues.
Unlike most military units, whose leaders made decisions without telling the Soldiers why, his commander fully supported him listening to the Soldiers’ concerns and attempting to solve their problems. Naturally, they chose their chain of command in the process.

“Imagine if you have everybody on the same sheet of music fully believing in what you’re doing,” he said. “That we're accountable even to ourselves. That we’re working to improve our operations and what is most important to us is the Soldier. So many leaders talk that game and not as many follow through.”

Some officers were removed from their leadership positions because of their inability to take care of their Soldiers’ personal issues. Babeu, who said his leadership trait is having discipline in everything he does, kept a watchful eye on every leader. He especially reached out for mentoring from the stellar leaders.

“I tried to implement those life skills and leadership skills into my life,” he said.

NOT HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

One of these “skills” was spending holidays visiting his Soldiers or employees. Recently, this included “riding shotgun” with his deputies and shaking hands with every detention officer.
“When they can’t be with their family,” he explained, “they know their sheriff is there to say hello and ask how they’re doing.”

CAMPAIGN LIKE A MISSION

Babeu treated campaigning for sheriff as though it were a military mission. Every step was planned out. He feels policy is similar to a military plan. “It’s a dynamic, living, breathing plan like any mission or operation,” he commented.

He added that he spoke several times to the voters about his military experiences.
“Americans are proud of our military, so they get it. They understand that the best leadership in the country is a result of training in the military.“

His days at OCS helped, too. He is fulfilling the school’s intent at 110 percent.

Democrat Governors Concerned About Obama vs Arizona Lawsuit.

2010-07-12T10:43:00.004-07:00

From The New York Times.

July 11, 2010

Governors Voice Grave Concerns on Immigration

By ABBY GOODNOUGH

BOSTON — In a private meeting with White House officials this weekend, Democratic governors voiced deep anxiety about the Obama administration’s suit against Arizona’s new immigration law, worrying that it could cost a vulnerable Democratic Party in the fall elections.

While the weak economy dominated the official agenda at the summer meeting here of the National Governors Association, concern over immigration policy pervaded the closed-door session between Democratic governors and White House officials and simmered throughout the three-day event.

At the Democrats’ meeting on Saturday, some governors bemoaned the timing of the Justice Department lawsuit, according to two governors who spoke anonymously because the discussion was private.

“Universally the governors are saying, ‘We’ve got to talk about jobs,’ ” Gov. Phil Bredesen of Tennessee, a Democrat, said in an interview. “And all of a sudden we have immigration going on.”

He added, “It is such a toxic subject, such an important time for Democrats.”

The administration seemed to be taking a carrot-and-stick approach on Sunday. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, in town to give the governors a classified national security briefing, met one-on-one with Jan Brewer, the Republican who succeeded her as governor of Arizona and ardently supports the immigration law.

About the same time as that meeting, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said on a taped Sunday talk show that the Justice Department could bring yet another lawsuit against Arizona if there is evidence that the immigration law leads to racial profiling.

Ms. Brewer said she and Ms. Napolitano did not discuss the current lawsuit. Instead, in a conversation she described as cordial, they discussed Arizona’s request for more National Guard troops along the border with Mexico, as well as other resources.

The Democrats’ meeting provided a window on tensions between the White House and states over the suit, which the Justice Department filed last week in federal court in Phoenix. Nineteen Democratic governors are either leaving office or seeking re-election this year, and Republicans see those seats as crucial to swaying the 2012 presidential race.

The Arizona law — which Ms. Brewer signed in April and which, barring an injunction, takes effect July 29 — makes it a state crime to be an illegal immigrant there. It also requires police officers to determine the immigration status of people they stop for other offenses if there is a “reasonable suspicion” that they might be illegal immigrants.

The lawsuit contends that controlling immigration is a federal responsibility, but polls suggest that a majority of Americans support the Arizona law, or at least the concept of a state having a strong role in immigration enforcement.

Republican governors at the Boston meeting were also critical of the lawsuit, saying it infringed on states’ rights and rallying around Ms. Brewer, whose presence spurred a raucous protest around the downtown hotel where the governors gathered.

“I’d be willing to bet a lot of money that almost every state in America next January is going to see a bill similar to Arizona’s,” said Gov. Dave Heineman of Nebraska, a Republican seeking re-election.

But the unease of Democratic governors, seven of whom are seeking re-election this year, was more striking.

“I might have chosen both a different tack and a different time,” said Gov. Bill Ritter Jr. of Colorado, a Democrat who was facing a tough fight for re-election and pulled out of the race earlier this year. “This is an issue that divides us politically, and I’m hopeful that their strategy doesn’t do that in a way that makes it more difficult for candidates to get elected, particularly in the West.”

The White House would not directly respond to reports of complaints from some Democratic governors.

But David Axelrod, the president’s senior adviser, said on Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that the president remained committed to passing an immigration overhaul, and that addressing the issue did not mean he was ignoring the economy.

“That doesn’t mean we can’t have a good, healthy debate about the economy and other issues,” Mr. Axelrod said.

Mr. Obama addressed the economy last week during stops in Kansas City and Las Vegas, and has been calling on Congress to offer additional tax relief to small businesses.

And the heads of Mr. Obama’s national debt commission — Alan K. Simpson and Erskine B. Bowles — were on hand here on Sunday to press the economic issue.

The nation’s total federal debt next year is expected to exceed $14 trillion, and Mr. Simpson, a former Republican senator from Wyoming, and Mr. Bowles, a Democrat and the White House chief of staff under President Bill Clinton, offered a gloomy assessment if spending is not brought under control even more.

“This debt is like a cancer,” Mr. Bowles said. “It is truly going to destroy the country from within.”

Still, the issue of immigration commanded as much attention as anything here this weekend.
Ms. Brewer, who was trailed by television cameras all weekend, called the lawsuit “outrageous” and said the state was receiving donations from around the country to help fight it.
“I think Arizona will win,” she said, “and we will take a position for all of America.”

Immigration was not the only topic at the Saturday meeting between Democratic governors and two White House officials — Patrick Gaspard, Mr. Obama’s political director, and Cecilia Munoz, director of intergovernmental affairs. But several governors, including Christine Gregoire of Washington, said it was a particularly heated issue.

Ms. Gregoire, who does not face an election this year, said the White House was doing a poor job of showing the American public that it was working on the problem of illegal immigration.
“They described for me a list of things that they are doing to try and help on that border,” Ms. Gregoire said of the White House officials at the closed-door meeting. “And I said, ‘The public doesn’t know that.’ ”
She added, “We’ve got a message void, and the only thing we’re hearing is that they’re filing a lawsuit.”

Some Democrats also joined Republicans in calling for Congress to pass an immigration policy overhaul this year.
“There are 535 members of Congress,” said Gov. Brian Schweitzer of Montana, a Democrat. “Certainly somebody back there can chew gum and hold the basketball at the same time. This is not an either-or.”

Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico praised the Justice Department’s lawsuit, saying his fellow Democrats’ concerns were “misguided.”
“Policy-wise it makes sense,” said Mr. Richardson, who is Hispanic and who leaves office this year on term limits, “and Obama is popular with Hispanic voters and this is going to be a popular move with them nationally.”

Gov. Martin O’Malley of Maryland — a Democrat who voiced apprehension about the lawsuit in the private meeting, according to the two governors who requested anonymity — said in an interview that he supported it.

“The president doesn’t have control over some of the timing of things that happen,” Mr. O’Malley said. “When those things arise, you can’t be too precious about what’s in it for your own personal political timing or even your party’s timing. When matters like this arise, I think the president has to take a principled stand.”

But Mr. Bredesen said that in Tennessee, where the governor’s race will be tight this year, Democratic candidates were already on the defensive about the federal health care overhaul, and the suit against Arizona further weakened them. In Tennessee, he said, Democratic candidates are already “disavowing” the immigration lawsuit.

“Maybe you do that when you’re strong,” he said of the suit, “and not when there’s an election looming out there.”

Mr. Ritter of Colorado said he wished the Justice Department had waited to sue Arizona until after the law went into effect, to give the public a chance to see how difficult it would be to enforce.

“It’s just an easier case to make,” he said. “I just think that law enforcement officers are going to have a terribly difficult time applying this law in a constitutional way.”

Sheryl Gay Stolberg contributed reporting from Washington, and Katie Zezima from Boston.

Minuteman Founder Offers Support to Arizona & Brewer

2010-07-07T13:32:00.005-07:00

Dear Governor Brewer,

You have the full and unconditional support of myself, and the Minuteman Project, regarding Arizona Senate Bill 1070.

I have read the Bill and find it fair, reasonable, and within the spirit of the rule of law.

The Minuteman Project offers its vehement support to SB 1070, Az. State Senator Russell Pearce, and to Governor Jan Brewer. If there is any way you would like the visible support and endorsement of me or the Minuteman Project, please contact us.

Thank you for your tireless efforts to preserve the United State of America as a civilized nation governed by the rule of law.

Sincerely Yours,

Signed by

Jim Gilchrist,
Founder/President - Minuteman Project

Proud to Serve My Country, By Rick Romley

2010-07-02T10:27:00.004-07:00

Proud to Serve My Country

By Rick Romley

My parents taught me what it means to be of service to others. And they taught me that, other than family, perhaps nothing in life is more important.

I grew up in the sixties. It was a decade defined by political turmoil and Woodstock. I didn’t go to Woodstock. Instead, my best friend and I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps soon after graduating from high school. That was in April of 1968. Just four months later, I was through boot camp and infantry training and was on a military transport to Da Nang, Vietnam. Shortly thereafter, I was made a squad leader.

On the evening of April 6th of 1969, the squad leaders were called together and told that we would be doing a sweeping operation south of Marble Mountain. Da Nang had taken some artillery fire believed to be coming from that area and it needed to be stopped.

We began our mission the next morning, under beautiful blue skies. After nearly completing the mission, several of my fellow Marines went down. We took no gunfire, but there were land mines and booby traps, seemingly everywhere. After evacuating my fellow Marines, we continued our mission. We then hit another area of land mines. We lost a total of six Marines that day. While rushing to provide assistance and to reassign weaponry, a land mine exploded beneath me.

Although my active military service ended that day, I will never forget the young soldiers of my youth, including my best friend who joined the Marine Corps with me and was killed on a forgotten hill in the demilitarized zone in August, 1969. Many are gone now. Sadly, Vietnam veterans are dying at a faster rate than the veterans of previous wars. In so many ways, their sacrifices continue.

As we celebrate this Fourth of July, let's take a moment to pause and remember the sacrifices of the men and women in uniform who have fought and continue to fight for the freedoms we enjoy today. It is because of these men and women that our country, founded on the principles of freedom, liberty and justice, will be celebrating its 234th anniversary.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Fourth of July.

God Bless America.

Respectfully,Rick Romley

So Why Can't We Solve the Immigration Problem?

2010-07-01T17:03:00.002-07:00

So Why Can't We Solve the Immigration Problem?

By Bob Haran;
American Conservative Republican

President Barack Obama says our immigration system is broken.

The Arizona Chamber of Commerce in a statement they recently issued pointed out that the federal failure to enact immigration reform has thrust Arizona into a "divisive, emotionally charged environment that is tearing at the fabric of Arizona's sense of community and threatening the essence of our historically diverse culture."

The Arizona Republic in an editorial today said, "Arizona has to be more than the sum of our frustrations," and that "Yes, federal policies made our state the nation's busiest crossing point for illegal immigration and drug smuggling." The Republic then concludes that the "ultimate solution" has to come from Congress.

The Republic further claims that, "The state's soul is at risk," and that "saving it means calling out the bullies."

Of course, those of us demanding a secure border and the enforcement of our immigration laws are the bullies of which the Republic speaks. The assumption being that all who want immigration laws enforced must certainly be the bullies and racist of our society and those opposed to enforcement and advocating a "comprehensive solution" and "immigration reform" are the open minded, tolerant and good people in American society.

Interestingly, all their "comprehensive reform solutions," always include a path to citizenship for the millions illegally residing in America as an important element in solving our nations illegal immigration problem.

President Obama has endorsed a proposal by Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., that would require illegal immigrants to admit they broke the law, pay a fine and any back taxes and perform community service to obtain legal status.

What these good, tolerant and open minded people will never admit, is that every path to legalization and citizenship for those who are in our country illegally is an amnesty for violating our immigration laws.

The true path to legalization and citizenship for those here illegally would be to return to their own countries and enter the United States legally by the front door, after getting permission to enter, then apply for citizenship and take the oath that millions of our ancestors have proudly taken.

The assumption that those demanding a secure border and enforcement of our laws are racist is just ignorance.

The assumption that we somehow hate Latino's or Mexicans or any other group of people is ignorant.

The fact is that America is a nation of immigrants and we welcome those who come here legally and earn American citizenship. All we ask is that you come in the front door and let us know who you are before entering our homeland.

Trying to solve the problem of illegal immigration by making the "illegal" alien a "legal" alien is like trying to solve a speeding problem on the highway by increasing the speed limit. You wont have less speeders but less people will be breaking the speed limit.

The solution to the illegal immigration problem is not that complex, fist look at what caused the problem.

Having a unsecured border that anyone could walk or even drive across was a major cause on illegal immigration. It's the same as keeping your back door wide open and then wondering why people keep coming in your house that way.

Securing the border is just common sense.

As President Obama said however, "the problem cannot be solved only with fences and border patrols."

The greatest magnet to illegal immigration are jobs, jobs that greedy business people give to those here illegally because they profit from the low cost of the illegal immigrant's labor. Of course these employers are the good people of the Chamber of Commerce and certainly not racist, just as the plantation owners who profited from slave labor were good people and pillars of the community.

But wait a minute, we have laws against hiring undocumented workers, why are these people being hired if it's illegal to hire them? The answer is that the law is not being enforced.

Obama said that business should face consequences for knowingly employing illegal immigrants. Well Mr. President, that is the responsibility of the executive branch of government, the branch you are in charge of, you don't need a new law from Congress, just enforce the laws we already have against hiring undocumented workers and call it a "comprehensive solution."

If the president, the Chamber of Commerce and, the Arizona Republic are all that concerned with illegal immigration and what it is doing to our country and state, then they should help solve the problem, secure the border, prosecute those who knowingly hire undocumented workers, and yes, when someone is found to be in the United States illegally, do what the law prescribes, deport them.

Maybe the real problem is that the president and the Republic are afraid of today's plantation owners who must have their cheap labor regardless of the cost to the state or nation.

Brewer Tops Goddard, 53% to 35%

2010-07-01T11:56:00.001-07:00

Source: Rasmussen Reports.

Arizona’s gubernatorial race is shaping up as a referendum on two of the nation’s hottest political issues – health care and immigration. Republican Governor Jan Brewer has turned to outside legal help to challenge the national health care bill and defend Arizona’s new immigration law because the state’s Democratic attorney general, Terry Goddard, opposes both moves.

Brewer, the runaway leader in her own party’s primary contest, is now leading Goddard, the unchallenged Democratic candidate for governor, by 18 points in the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of the governor’s race.

Fifty-three percent (53%) of Likely Voters in the state support Brewer, while Goddard earns 35% of the vote. Two percent (2%) prefer some other candidate, and nine percent (9%) remain undecided.

This marks a slight improvement for Brewer who in mid-May led Goddard 52% to 39%. However, it’s a huge change from earlier in the year. Brewer trailed Goddard 45% to 36% in March. Since then, she has benefitted significantly from the national debates over health care and immigration.

Fifty-eight percent (58%) of all voters in the state now approve of the job Brewer is doing as governor. That represents quite a jump from 41% in March.

Forty percent (40%) now disapprove. The current figures include 33% who Strongly Approve and 24% who Strongly Disapprove.

The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Arizona was conducted on June 29, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC.

Things began to break for Brewer when Goddard refused to join the Attorney Generals from other states in suing the federal government over the health care law. The likely Democratic nominee lost ground in the race and fell behind Brewer.

The next step was the immigration law. Just days after signing the law in April, Brewer posted a 48% to 40% lead. Since then, as many from outside the state have attacked both Arizona and Brewer, the incumbent Governor has seen her lead grow and she has held a double-digit lead over Goddard since then.

The GOP Primary race is a similar story. Brewer’s unpopularity, largely over her handling of the state’s budget problems, prompted several other Republicans to challenge her for the gubernatorial nomination. Brewer was struggling until she signaled her opposition to the health care law and then began to move ahead. Since signing the immigration law, however, her support has soared to 61%. Barring unforeseen developments, she is expected to easily win the August 24 primary contest.

Sixty-six percent (66%) of Arizona voters now favor the state’s immigration law, while 24% oppose it. This is in line with findings over the past two months.

Seventy-seven percent (77%) of the voters who favor the law support Brewer. Goddard earns 82% of the vote from those who oppose the law.

Sixty percent (60%) of Arizona voters favor repeal of the recently passed health care law, while 37% oppose repeal. This includes 49% who Strongly Favor repeal of the measure and 28% who are Strongly Opposed. Support for repeal is higher in Arizona than it is nationally.

Among voters in the state who Strongly Favor repeal, Brewer picks up 81% support. Seventy-five percent (75%) of those who Strongly Oppose repeal favor Goddard.

Twenty-three percent (23%) of Arizona voters consider themselves members of the Tea Party movement, compared to 16% nationally. Sixty-one percent (61%) say they are not members, but another 16% are not sure.

Eighty-nine percent (89%) of Tea Party members support Brewer. Non-members break almost evenly between the two candidates.

Goddard is viewed Very Favorably by 18% of Arizona voters and Very Unfavorably by 14%. The Democratic contender, served as mayor of Phoenix in the 1980s and also is the son of a former governor.

Thirty-three percent (33%) hold a favorable opinion of Brewer, who became governor last year when President Obama named Janet Napolitano secretary of Homeland Security. Twenty-two percent (22%) view her Very Unfavorably.

At this point in a campaign, Rasmussen Reports considers the number of people with strong opinions more significant than the total favorable/unfavorable numbers.

Longtime Senator John McCain continues to lead Arizona’s Republican Primary by double digits but remains in the same narrow range of support he’s drawn since January.

Arizona Democrats won’t pick their Senate nominee until August 24, which is just as well since 46% of Likely Democratic Primary Voters in the state are undecided at this point.

Sixty-three percent (63%) of all Arizona voters support offshore drilling, and a plurality (49%) favor deepwater drilling as well. Both findings echo voter sentiments nationally.

Seventy-five percent (75%), however, think the ongoing oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico will have a significant long-term impact on the environment. Seventy-five percent (75%) also think the oil companies responsible for the leak should pay all the cleanup costs, but 21% say the government should chip in and help pay some of those costs.

In 2008, Rasmussen Reports projected nationally that Barack Obama would defeat McCain in the presidential contest by a 52% to 46% margin. Obama won 53% to 46%. Four years earlier, Rasmussen Reports projected the national vote totals for both George W. Bush and John Kerry within half-a-percentage-point.

In Arizona during the 2008 campaign, Rasmussen Reports polling showed McCain winning the state by a 51% to 45% margin. He defeated Obama 54% to 45%.

In the 2006 Arizona governor’s race, Rasmussen polling showed Napolitano defeating Len Munsil 58% to 37%. Napolitano won 63% to 35%. In the 2006 race for U.S. Senate, Rasmussen polling showed Jon Kyl leading Jim Pederson by nine, 51% to 42%. Kyl won by nine, 53% to 44%.

SAY IT AIN'T SO JOE - Arpaio Endorsed Convicted DUI for AZ Senate

2010-06-25T11:42:00.003-07:00

CORRECTION:

There is false information in this post based on deceptive information that Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio had withdrawn his endorsement of Arizona Senator Dave Braswell. Joe Araio has endorsed Dave Braswell and has never withdrawn that endorsement. Arpaio has also endorsed Lori Klein however for the Republican nomination for the Arizona Senate from LD 6. More information will be provided in newer posts. Sorry for the misinformation but we picked up the information form the Sonoran Allience blog which was apparently deceived by a phony press release.

Bob Haran,

American Conservative Republican

By Bob Haran;

America's toughest sheriff may pull you over for a broken tail light or a cracked windshield, however, if you happen to be a fundraiser, arrested and convicted for driving drunk at 85 MPH on our streets, he might endorse you for the Arizona Senate.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who once endorsed Democrat Janet Napolitano for governor, has decided to take back his endorsement of incumbent Arizona Senator Dave Braswell for state senate in LD 6 and "Upon further reflection," decided, "I am 100% behind Lori Klein and have proudly endorsed her election effort."

Arpaio said in a press release posted on the Senoran Alliance blog that, "I've done my homework and Lori is a fighter, a conservative, and someone who will do the right thing in the face of tremendous pressure."

The Sheriff may have to re-do his homework because Lori Klein is also a contributor to WISH LIST, who's mission is to, "Raise funds, identify, support and, elect pro-choice Republican women to positions at all levels of government across America."

Joe Arpaio claims to be pro-life and so does Lori Klein, she just lends her financial support to pro-abortion groups.

Ms. Klein may have had her judgement impaired however when she contributed to WISH LIST, she certainly did on October 2, 2008 when she was arrested and charged with driving drunk in excess of 85 MPH on our streets with a BAC of .08 or more.

Court records indicate that Klein was sentenced to 3 years probation, 1 day in jail which she served in the Town of Paradise Valley Jail on August 17, 2009, Alcohol Education which she completed on October 28, 2009, an Ignition Interlock Device per MVD order and penalty fees totaling $1,460.00 which was paid on August 10, 2009.

For those who are still drinking the Kool Aid and don't want to believe what they read, the case was adjudicated at Dreamy Drew Justice Court, Case Number TR2008-162210, In the Matter of the State of Arizona V. Lori Agnes Klein.

Dave Braswell, Lori Klein and myself were nominated at a special election by the precinct committeemen of LD 6 as the three candidates to fill the vacancy in the Arizona Senate when Pamela Gorman resigned to run for Congress in CD 3. Arizona Treasurer Dean Martin put Ms. Klein's name in nomination and she was strongly endorsed by Sam Crump who is also running for Congress and Arizona Representative Carl Seel of LD 6.

Dave Braswell, who was the district chairman at the time, was nominated on the first ballot with just under two thirds of the vote. Ms. Klein and myself were both nominated on the second ballot with 82 votes for myself and 67 for Klein.

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors had the final authority to select one of the three people nominated by the Legislative District Committee as Pam Gorman's replacement in the Arizona Senate and they selected Dave Braswell, which was a good choice. Braswell was nominated on the first ballot by the precinct committeemen who represent all the registered Republicans in District 6 and honestly, I couldn't come up with a good argument why he should not have been selected. He is a thinking conservative and a good family man and I'm proud that if someone other then myself were selected to represent the people of LD 6, that it was Dave Braswell.

Lori Klein is Braswell's only opponent for the Republican nomination for the Arizona Senate from LD 6 this year as I promised that regardless of being appointed to fill the vacancy or not, I would not run in 2010.

At this time, since we our on the subject of endorsements, as the publisher of the American Conservative Republican, I hereby endorse Arizona Senator Dave Braswell for the Republican nomination for the Arizona Senate from LD 6. As his opponent for the appointment I had the opportunity to research him and found no reason why he should not represent our district.

Bob Haran,
American Conservative Republican

NRA Endorses Governor Jan Brewer

2010-06-24T20:07:00.002-07:00

Fairfax, Va. -- The National Rifle Association’s Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) is endorsing Arizona Governor Jan Brewer in the state’s August 24th Republican primary election.

Chris W. Cox, chairman of NRA-PVF stated, "Governor Brewer has earned this endorsement because of her outstanding record of support for Second Amendment issues as Governor, as Secretary of State and as a state legislator. She is a champion and strong defender of the Second Amendment freedoms of law-abiding Arizona gun owners, hunters and sportsmen."

During her tenure, Governor Brewer has defended and protected Arizonans' Second Amendment rights by strengthening Arizona’s preemption statute; recognizing the right to carry in restaurants; and protecting the right of employees to keep a firearm locked in their vehicles while parked on company property. Most recently, she became the second governor in the nation to sign a law recognizing the right of all lawful citizens to carry a firearm without a permit. Jan Brewer also maintained a perfect voting record during her twelve years of service in the Arizona Senate and House of Representatives.

Brewer’s support for the Second Amendment as the incumbent governor has earned her an "A+" rating and endorsement from NRA-PVF.

"On August 24th, I urge all Arizona NRA members and gun owners to vote Jan Brewer in the Republican primary election," Cox concluded.

Chris W. Cox is executive director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action. He also serves as chairman of NRA-PVF. The National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund is responsible for political candidate rankings. These are based on candidate voting records, public statements and responses to NRA-PVF questionnaires.

Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen's group. Four million members strong, NRA continues to uphold the Second Amendment and advocates enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation's leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the armed services.

Obama Declares WAR -- on Arizona

2010-06-22T11:31:00.003-07:00

From the Washingtonexaminer.com
By: Byron York, Chief Political Correspondent

June 22, 2010

The Obama administration has a lot of fights on its hands. Putting aside real wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, there's the battle against leaking oil in the Gulf, the struggle against 9.7 percent unemployment across the country, and clashes over the president's agenda on Capitol Hill. Despite all that, the White House has found time to issue a new declaration of war, this time against an unlikely enemy: the state of Arizona.

The Justice Department is preparing to sue Arizona over its new immigration law. The president has stiffed Gov. Jan Brewer's call for meaningful assistance in efforts to secure the border. And the White House has accused Arizona's junior senator, Republican Jon Kyl, of lying about an Oval Office discussion with the president over comprehensive immigration reform. Put them all together, and you have an ugly state of affairs that's getting uglier by the day.

First, the lawsuit. Last week, Brewer was appalled to learn the Justice Department's intentions not from the Justice Department but from an interview done by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton with an Ecuadorian TV outlet. "It would seem to me that if they were going to file suit against us," Brewer told Fox News' Greta van Susteren last week, "they definitely would have contacted us first and informed us before they informed citizens ... of another nation."
But they didn't.

"There certainly seems to be an underlying disrespect for the state of Arizona," says Kris Kobach, the law professor and former Bush administration Justice Department official who helped draft the Arizona law. Kobach points out that during the Bush years, several states openly flouted federal immigration law on issues like sanctuary cities and in-state tuition for illegal immigrants. Respecting the doctrines of comity and federalism, the Bush administration didn't sue. Now, when Arizona passes a measure that is fully consistent with federal law, the Obama administration, says Kobach, "goes sprinting to the courthouse door."

Then there is the matter of the White House's assistance, or nonassistance, in Arizona's border-security efforts. On June 3, the president, under criticism for refusing to meet or even talk to Brewer, reluctantly granted her an audience in the Oval Office. After the meeting, Brewer told reporters Obama pledged that administration officials would come to Arizona within two weeks with details of plans to secure the border.

June 17 marked two weeks, and there were no administration officials and no plans. There still aren't. "What a disappointment," Brewer told van Susteren. "You know, when you hear from the president of the United States and he gives you a commitment, you would think that they would stand up and stand by their word. It is totally disappointing."

And now, there's the Kyl controversy. On June 18, Kyl told a town meeting in North Phoenix that Obama personally told him the administration will not secure the U.S.-Mexico border because doing so would make it politically difficult to pass comprehensive immigration reform. "I met with the president in the Oval Office, just the two of us," Kyl said. "Here's what the president said. The problem is, he said, if we secure the border, then you all won't have any reason to support comprehensive immigration reform."

"In other words," Kyl continued, "they're holding it hostage. They don't want to secure the border unless and until it is combined with comprehensive immigration reform."

After Kyl's statement went viral on the Internet, the White House issued a sharp denial. "The president didn't say that and Senator Kyl knows it," communications director Dan Pfeiffer wrote on the White House blog. "There are more resources dedicated toward border security today than ever before, but, as the president has made clear, truly securing the border will require a comprehensive solution to our broken immigration system."

Kyl is not backing down. "What I said occurred, did occur," he told an Arizona radio station. "Some spokesman down at the White House said no, that isn't what happened at all, and then proceeded to say we need comprehensive immigration reform to secure the border. That is their position, and all I was doing was explaining why, from a conversation with the president, why it appears that that's their position."

Even if it didn't have so many other fights on its hands, it would be unusual for an administration to align itself against an American state. But that's precisely what has happened. Soon it will be up to the courts and voters to decide whether Obama's campaign against Arizona will succeed or fail.

BREWER FAVORITE WITH GOP

2010-06-22T05:49:00.002-07:00

From the Phoenix Business Journal,
by Mike Sunnucks

Brewer gets 61 percent in a 700-person poll of GOP voters by Rasmussen Reports.
Businessman Buz Mills gets 16 percent and State Treasurer Dean Martin 12 percent in the statewide poll, which was conducted June 16.

The poll shows Republican voters like Brewer’s hard-line stance on immigration including the new state law that gives police more power to question suspected illegal immigrants.

The Rasmussen poll shows 89 percent of Arizona Republicans support the new law. Another 65 percent say it will be good for the state’s economy and 62 percent say it will help Arizona’s image. Supporters of the immigration law say it will reduce crime and the costs of illegal immigration. Brewer signed the law in April and it has catapulted her as the standard bearer for get-tough immigration policies in the state. It’s also helped her popularity with primary voters.
Critics of the bill say it will lead to police racially profiling Hispanics, and that it sends a negative image about the state.
# ##

Comment from American Conservative Republican;

Time for Mills to stop wasting his money and Martin to get a real job.

In the short time that she has been Governor, Brewer has done more then past Arizona governors have done in one or two full terms in office.

Others may talk about doing this and that when they are elected, Brewer makes things happen. She has reduced the size of state government by making unpopular budget cuts and state employee layoffs and also had the political courage to ask the people to help Arizona with a one penny sales tax. Sadly, Mills, Martin, and many other Republicans did not trust the people to make this decision and were unwilling to give a penny for Arizona.

Others may talk tough on illegal immigration, Brewer takes action. Against threats and protests, she signed SB 1070 and did the job the Feds won't do.

Governor Brewer is the most dedicated Pro-Life governor in Arizona history. She has Signed; HB2400the "Partial Birth Abortion Ban," Signed HB2564 the "Abortion Informed Consent Act," Signed SB1175 "Prohibition of abortions performed by non-physicians," and Signed HB2616 "Jesse's Law Part 2," which protects a patient while any legal issues are being resolved in lieu of an Advanced Medical Directive.

While Jan Brewer was defending the right to life, Dean Martin nominated Lori Klein, a Pro-Choice Wish List contributor and convicted DUI to fill a vacancy in the Arizona Senate from LD 6.

Brewer supported traditional marriage by prohibiting unmarried domestic partners of state employees from receiving state employee benefits.

Buz Mills may be a big contributor to the NRA but Brewer protected the Second Amendment rights of Arizonans by expanding gun owners rights to carry firearms.

This is not the time to oppose a good, strong, conservative, Republican governor with the guts to govern, this is the time to unite behind Jan Brewer and help her advance the conservative Republican philosophy of less government, the Right to Life, immigration control, family values and secure the right to bear arms.

This is time for all conservative Republicans to support our governor, Jan Brewer.

Bob Haran,
American Conservative Republican

The People Say, "Enforce the Law."

2010-05-26T14:12:00.005-07:00

Some interesting poll numbers just in on illegal immigration.

With boycotts against Arizona for passage of SB 1070 and daily protests for its repeal, 76 percent of Americans want the number of illegal aliens degreased according to a CNN/Opinion Research Poll conducted May 21-23, this is an increase from the 67 percent who felt the same way in June 2006.

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer seems to have re-ignited the illegal immigration debate when she signed SB 1070 into law, pointing out that the federal government has failed to secure the border between Arizona and Mexico.

President Obama promised his supporters during his 2008 campaign for president that immigration reform would be a priority during his first year in the White House, which included a plan to make illegal aliens legal, instead of using the dreaded A word, amnesty. That would be the same as reducing the number of speeders on the highway by increasing the speed limit. If Obama makes illegal aliens legal aliens we wouldn't have as many illegal aliens.

Most Americans are not buying the Obama plan however, 60 percent want the government to put the emphasis on stopping illegal from entering and deporting those already here. Only 38 percent want them to become legal residents.

Senator John McCain of Arizona, must also have been reading the poll numbers. In 2006, McCain was the poster boy for a plan that would provide a path to citizenship for illegal aliens. Now that he is in a tough primary for the GOP nomination for the senate, he has changed his tune and is broadcasting campaign commercials portraying him as tough on border security.

The CNN poll shows that 88 percent of Americans favor putting more Border Patrol and federal law enforcement on the border, which is up from 74 percent in 2006.

54 percent favor building a 700 mile long fence at the border with Mexico, up from 45 percent in 2006 and 2007.

A whopping majority of Americans are for doing what the federal government won't do, turn off the jobs magnet that is causing people to risk their lives in the deadly Arizona desert to provide cheap labor for greedy employers. 71 percent are in favor of imposing fines of tens of thousands of dollars on employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens, this number is up from 58 percent in 2006 and 47 percent would send those employers to jail for hiring undocumented workers, up from 40 percent in 2006. 70 percent are in favor of creating an ID card issued by the federal government that American citizens and legal residents could use to get jobs.

NBC News and Telemundo, the Spanish language network, also conducted a poll from May 20 to 23 that found that 40 percent of all registered voters would back a Republican candidate who supported Arizona's illegal immigration law which, included 19 percent of Latinos, and 26 percent would back a Democratic candidate who opposed the Arizona law, which included 53 percent of Latinos. 32 percent of all registered voters polled said that the issue would not affect how they voted, 25 percent of Latinos said the same.

The questions I have are, "if we are a federal republic of laws, why are our immigration laws not being enforced?"

"If we are a government by the consent of the governed and the clear majority of the governed want the border secured and employer sanctions against hiring illegal aliens, why, after all these years, has it not happened?"

Bob Haran,
American, Conservative, Republican.

"Ich bin ein Arizonan"

2010-05-18T09:36:00.004-07:00

"Ich bin ein Arizonan"

A comment from one of our readers to the post, "Proud to be an Arizonan," was so good, I decided to make it a post by itself.

Carl A. Voigtsberger said...

To all Arizonans: I WAS one of the silent majority, but no longer. I support wholeheartedly your new immigration law and the lawful enforcement of that Law. Congradulations to your Governor. She has Guts. Remember when JFK said in Berlin that " He was a Berliner" to show the world that he supported Berliners. Well, "Ich bin ein Arizonan". Every state in the union should be supporting Arizona.

Thanks for being first.

Carl A. Voigtsberger,

Cheyenne, Wyoming

PROUD TO BE AN ARIZONAN

2010-05-07T15:40:00.003-07:00

PROUD TO BE AN ARIZONAN.

By Bob Haran;

I'm proud of my state of Arizona, proud of our legislature for passing SB 1070 and of our governor for having the courage to sign 1070 into law.

I'm proud of the majority of the people of Arizona who will not bend under the pressure of the lies and distortions perpetrated against Arizona and our law, good people who are opposed to racism and know the difference between truth and propaganda.

I'm proud to be an American and a citizen of the United States but most of all I'm proud to be a citizen of the Forty-Eights state of these United States of America.

I'm proud to be an Arizonan.

The Fuss over Arizona's Immigration Law

2010-05-04T05:40:00.003-07:00

The Fuss over Arizona's Immigration Law
Wednesday, April 28, 2010

By Brit Hume

The president says the Arizona law is "misguided."

His attorney general says it's "unfortunate."

In San Francisco they are talking about boycotting the state.

Al Sharpton is on the way to lead marches and Linda Greenhouse, the esteemed legal affairs commentator of The New York Times, says she will boycott Arizona because, she says, it's now a police state where, "breathing while undocumented" is a crime.

All this is in reaction mainly to two passages of the new Arizona immigration law

One provides when police are engaged in "lawful contact" with someone where there is "reasonable suspicion" the person is an illegal alien, that the police shall make a "reasonable attempt... when practicable" to determine the person's immigration status.

The other provision makes it a crime to be in Arizona illegally. This is the part that Greenhouse says makes breathing while undocumented a crime.

But it's already a federal crime to enter the U.S. illegally. The new law just makes it a state crime, to.

As for the charge police will now make random demands of Hispanics to produce their papers, the bill's authors say that the requirement that there first be "lawful contact" means situations where someone has already been stopped for other law enforcement reasons.

In fact, once you actually read this law, it becomes clear the fuss over it has little to do with breathing in Arizona and a lot to do with hyperventilating in Washington.

— Brit Hume is the senior political analyst for Fox News Channel.

George Will on Arizona's Immigration Law

2010-05-01T13:17:00.003-07:00

From the Washington Post

A Law Arizona Can Live With.

By George F. Will
Wednesday, April 28, 2010

"Misguided and irresponsible" is how Arizona's new law pertaining to illegal immigration is characterized by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She represents San Francisco, which calls itself a "sanctuary city," an exercise in exhibitionism that means it will be essentially uncooperative regarding enforcement of immigration laws. Yet as many states go to court to challenge the constitutionality of the federal mandate to buy health insurance, scandalized liberals invoke 19th-century specters of "nullification" and "interposition," anarchy and disunion. Strange.

It is passing strange for federal officials, including the president, to accuse Arizona of irresponsibility while the federal government is refusing to fulfill its responsibility to control the nation's borders. Such control is an essential attribute of national sovereignty. America is the only developed nation that has a 2,000-mile border with a developing nation, and the government's refusal to control that border is why there are an estimated 460,000 illegal immigrants in Arizona and why the nation, sensibly insisting on first things first, resists "comprehensive" immigration reform.

Arizona's law makes what is already a federal offense -- being in the country illegally -- a state offense. Some critics seem not to understand Arizona's right to assert concurrent jurisdiction. The Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund attacks Gov. Jan Brewer's character and motives, saying she "caved to the radical fringe." This poses a semantic puzzle: Can the large majority of Arizonans who support the law be a "fringe" of their state?

Popularity makes no law invulnerable to invalidation. Americans accept judicial supervision of their democracy -- judicial review of popular but possibly unconstitutional statutes -- because they know that if the Constitution is truly to constitute the nation, it must trump some majority preferences. The Constitution, the Supreme Court has said, puts certain things "beyond the reach of majorities."

But Arizona's statute is not presumptively unconstitutional merely because it says that police officers are required to try to make "a reasonable attempt" to determine the status of a person "where reasonable suspicion exists" that the person is here illegally. The fact that the meaning of "reasonable" will not be obvious in many contexts does not make the law obviously too vague to stand. The Bill of Rights -- the Fourth Amendment -- proscribes "unreasonable searches and seizures." What "reasonable" means in practice is still being refined by case law -- as is that amendment's stipulation that no warrants shall be issued "but upon probable cause." There has also been careful case-by-case refinement of the familiar and indispensable concept of "reasonable suspicion."

Brewer says, "We must enforce the law evenly, and without regard to skin color, accent or social status." Because the nation thinks as Brewer does, airport passenger screeners wand Norwegian grandmothers. This is an acceptable, even admirable, homage to the virtue of "evenness" as we seek to deter violence by a few, mostly Middle Eastern, young men.

Some critics say Arizona's law is unconstitutional because the 14th Amendment's guarantee of "equal protection of the laws" prevents the government from taking action on the basis of race. Liberals, however, cannot comfortably make this argument because they support racial set-asides in government contracting, racial preferences in college admissions, racial gerrymandering of legislative districts and other aspects of a racial spoils system. Although liberals are appalled by racial profiling, some seem to think vocational profiling (police officers are insensitive incompetents) is merely intellectual efficiency, as is state profiling (Arizonans are xenophobic).

Probably 30 percent of Arizona's residents are Hispanic. Arizona police officers, like officers everywhere, have enough to do without being required to seek arrests by violating settled law with random stops of people who speak Spanish. In the practice of the complex and demanding craft of policing, good officers -- the vast majority -- routinely make nuanced judgments about when there is probable cause for acting on reasonable suspicions of illegality.

Arizona's law might give the nation information about whether judicious enforcement discourages illegality. If so, it is a worthwhile experiment in federalism.

Non-Hispanic Arizonans of all sorts live congenially with all sorts of persons of Hispanic descent. These include some whose ancestors got to Arizona before statehood -- some even before it was a territory. They were in America before most Americans' ancestors arrived. Arizonans should not be judged disdainfully and from a distance by people whose closest contacts with Hispanics are with fine men and women who trim their lawns and put plates in front of them at restaurants, not with illegal immigrants passing through their back yards at 3 a.m.

Brewer Best Republican To Beat Goddard.

2010-04-29T14:55:00.002-07:00

Recent polls numbers released April 27 from Public Policy Polling show that Arizona Governor Jan Brewer is not only the leading candidate for the GOP nomination but she is also the strongest Republican candidate to run against the presumptive Democrat Party nominee, Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard.

In match-ups between Goddard and each of the leading GOP contenders, Brewer polled 44% to 47% for Goddard. Mills, Martin and, Munger were all far behind Goddard in the poll.

Poll results show Buz Mills, who has spent over $1.2 million on TV ads, trailing Goddard 37% to 45%, followed by Arizona Treasurer Dean Martin who trailed Goddard 36% to 47%. In last place against Goddard is John Munger, who polled 31% to 46% for Goddard.

The Public Policy Poll showed Brewer favored by 73% of Republicans. With the support of over two-thirds and close to three-fourths of Republicans, it's fair to say that Jan Brewer is now the presumptive Republican nominee for governor in 2010.

It may be time for Mills, Martin and, Munger to gracefully bow out of the race and support the conservative Republican with the best change of keeping the Ninth floor in Republican hands, our Governor, Jan Brewer.

Further division within the GOP will only help turn the governor's office over to Goddard and the liberal Democrats.

Bob Haran,
American Conservative Republican.

How Mexico Treats Illegal Aliens

2010-04-28T18:23:00.002-07:00

How Mexico Treats Illegal Aliens

by Michelle Malkin

04/28/2010

Mexican President Felipe Calderon has accused Arizona of opening the door "to intolerance, hate, discrimination and abuse in law enforcement." But Arizona has nothing on Mexico when it comes to cracking down on illegal aliens. While open-borders activists decry new enforcement measures signed into law in "Nazi-zona" last week, they remain deaf, dumb or willfully blind to the unapologetically restrictionist policies of our neighbors to the south.

The Arizona law bans sanctuary cities that refuse to enforce immigration laws, stiffens penalties against illegal alien day laborers and their employers, makes it a misdemeanor for immigrants to fail to complete and carry an alien registration document, and allows the police to arrest immigrants unable to show documents proving they are in the U.S. legally.

If those rules constitute the racist, fascist, xenophobic, inhumane regime that the National Council of La Raza, Al Sharpton, Catholic bishops and their grievance-mongering followers claim, then what about these regulations and restrictions imposed on foreigners?

-- The Mexican government will bar foreigners if they upset "the equilibrium of the national demographics." How's that for racial and ethnic profiling?

-- If outsiders do not enhance the country's "economic or national interests" or are "not found to be physically or mentally healthy," they are not welcome. Neither are those who show "contempt against national sovereignty or security." They must not be economic burdens on society and must have clean criminal histories. Those seeking to obtain Mexican citizenship must show a birth certificate, provide a bank statement proving economic independence, pass an exam and prove they can provide their own health care.

-- Illegal entry into the country is equivalent to a felony punishable by two years' imprisonment. Document fraud is subject to fine and imprisonment; so is alien marriage fraud. Evading deportation is a serious crime; illegal re-entry after deportation is punishable by ten years' imprisonment. Foreigners may be kicked out of the country without due process and the endless bites at the litigation apple that illegal aliens are afforded in our country (see, for example, President Obama's illegal alien aunt -- a fugitive from deportation for eight years who is awaiting a second decision on her previously rejected asylum claim).

-- Law enforcement officials at all levels -- by national mandate -- must cooperate to enforce immigration laws, including illegal alien arrests and deportations. The Mexican military is also required to assist in immigration enforcement operations. Native-born Mexicans are empowered to make citizens' arrests of illegal aliens and turn them in to authorities.

-- Ready to show your papers? Mexico's National Catalog of Foreigners tracks all outside tourists and foreign nationals. A National Population Registry tracks and verifies the identity of every member of the population, who must carry a citizens' identity card. Visitors who do not possess proper documents and identification are subject to arrest as illegal aliens.

All of these provisions are enshrined in Mexico's Ley General de Población (General Law of the Population) and were spotlighted in a 2006 research paper published by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Security Policy. There's been no public clamor for "comprehensive immigration reform" in Mexico, however, because pro-illegal alien speech by outsiders is prohibited.

Consider: Open-borders protesters marched freely at the Capitol building in Arizona, comparing GOP Gov. Jan Brewer to Hitler, waving Mexican flags, advocating that demonstrators "Smash the State," and holding signs that proclaimed "No human is illegal" and "We have rights."

But under the Mexican constitution, such political speech by foreigners is banned. Noncitizens cannot "in any way participate in the political affairs of the country." In fact, a plethora of Mexican statutes enacted by its congress limit the participation of foreign nationals and companies in everything from investment, education, mining and civil aviation to electric energy and firearms. Foreigners have severely limited private property and employment rights (if any).

As for abuse, the Mexican government is notorious for its abuse of Central American illegal aliens who attempt to violate Mexico's southern border. The Red Cross has protested rampant Mexican police corruption, intimidation and bribery schemes targeting illegal aliens there for years. Mexico didn't respond by granting mass amnesty to illegal aliens, as it is demanding that we do. It clamped down on its borders even further. In late 2008, the Mexican government launched an aggressive deportation plan to curtain illegal Cuban immigration and human trafficking through Cancun.

Meanwhile, Mexican consular offices in the United States have coordinated with left-wing social justice groups and the Catholic Church leadership to demand a moratorium on all deportations and a freeze on all employment raids across America.

Mexico is doing the job Arizona is now doing -- a job the U.S. government has failed miserably to do: putting its people first. Here's the proper rejoinder to all the hysterical demagogues in Mexico (and their sympathizers here on American soil) now calling for boycotts and invoking Jim Crow laws, apartheid and the Holocaust because Arizona has taken its sovereignty into its own hands:

Hipócritas.

BREWER CLEAR LEADER WITH REPUBLICAN VOTERS

2010-04-20T17:46:00.003-07:00

According to the latest Rasmussen poll of 510 likely Republican primary voters, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer is the clear leader for the Republican nomination for governor.

Poll results show 26% of Republican voters supporting Jan Brewer with millionaire Buz Mills, who has spent over $1.2 million on TV ads in second place , 8 points behind Brewer with 18% support.

Former Arizona Board of Regents president John Munger of Tucson improved his support with Republican voters and came in third with 14% support, up from 10% in March.

Arizona Treasurer Dean Martin has dropped from third to fourth place with 12% support, down from 21% in March.

Brewer became governor when former Governor Janet Napolitano resigned in January 2009 and went to Washington to serve as President Obama's Secretary of Homeland Security.

After taking the oath of office, Brewer was confronted with a state budget out of balance with increased spending and reduced revenue.

Brewer showed she had the guts to govern and immediately went to work to craft a solution which required very large and unpopular reductions in state spending.

Jan Brewer accepted reality, budget cuts alone would not be enough to balance the budget, and she announced that nothing was off the table, including the need to increase revenue to the state in order to provide a minimum of essential governmental services and a balanced budget. Some Republican members of the legislature didn't want to accept reality however, they would not under any circumstances vote to increase any tax regardless of how serious the budget situation was for Arizona.

Republicans by nature are for less government and less taxes and that has been the position of Jan Brewer throughout her long career in public service.

When Napolitano went to Washington she left Brewer with the tab for years of a growing state budget and no way to pay for it without large tax increases. Brewer is not one to pass the buck however and sponsored a plan that was hailed by the Wall Street Journal as, "a budget breakthrough for state government and an alternative to the California tax and spend model."

The plan was to repeal the hated tax on business property, provide one of the largest corporate tax cuts in the nation from 6.97% to 4.86%, and cut all individual income tax rates by 6.6%. Those cuts would have stimulated economic growth in Arizona and in the long run would have increased revenue to the state. To handle the immediate problem of inadequate income to balance the budget, in addition to massive cuts, the governor and Republican legislative leadership agreed to refer a temporary one cent sales tax increase to the voters.

The Arizona House of Representatives approved the plan but when the legislation got to the Arizona Senate, it ran into serious trouble. Two extremist and irresponsible Republican Senators, Pamela Gorman and Ron Gould, broke ranks with the GOP and voted with the Democrats against the sales tax referral, which killed the Republican budget agreement.

Gorman resigned as the Republican Senate Whip and later resigned from the Arizona Senate to run full time for the congressional seat held by retiring Congressman John Shadegg.

Ron Gould is still making noise in the Senate but has been removed from any leadership position.

Brewer stuck to her guns and eventually the Arizona Legislature accepted reality and referred the temporary sales tax increase to the voters to decide.

While Brewer was displaying extraordinary political courage by putting the people of Arizona before herself and fighting for the unpopular but necessary sales tax increase, other Republicans were taking advantage of the situation and putting themselves first in an attempt to advance their own political careers.

No one wants a tax increase, not you, not me, and certainly not Jan Brewer, but the state budget must be balanced and the people will tolerate only a certain amount of cuts in state services. Brewer has had to make the tough decisions on what to cut and by how much and how to enhance state revenue without taking too much from the taxpayers. She decided to ask the voters for a penny increase in the sales tax temporarily to help fund; education, health and, public safety.

Mills, Munger and Martin, have decided to show no leadership and attacked Brewer for having the courage to lead, telling the people the truth, and doing what is necessary to solve Arizona's budget crisis. The 3M candidates, Mills, Munger, and Martin have showed that they are Missing what Brewer has, the guts to govern and make the tough decisions a governor must make.

On this one issue alone, Brewer has proven that she is the only candidate worth supporting for governor and head and shoulders above the 3M candidates who attack her for providing the leadership Arizona needs.

Mills, Munger, and Martin have decided on a campaign strategy of telling the loudest and most radical what they want to hear, stick their heads in the sand and offer no leadership or real solution to the current budget crisis.

Their do nothing strategy doesn't seem to be working.

Bob Haran,
American Conservative Republican

NO FREE SANCTUARY

2010-04-13T13:41:00.003-07:00

From the Federation for American Immigration Reform, (FAIR), to me, to you.

Hope Phil Gordon reads this.

Barbara Hollingsworth:

There's no such thing as a free sanctuary

By: Barbara Hollingsworth Local Opinion EditorApril 13, 2010

Virginia's Prince William County was vilified three years ago for being the first jurisdiction in the region to assist federal immigration officials in identifying and detaining illegal immigrants accused of crimes so they could be deported.

Since then, public pressure forced most of the other counties surrounding Washington to quietly follow suit. Not Montgomery County. Instead, it's defiantly sweeping off its "Welcome" mat and inviting illegal immigrants to "come on in."

But the county's acclaimed sanctuary policy doesn't come cheap. An estimated $243 million is spent annually on low-income housing, medical care, public education, and other human services for the county's illegal immigrant population, including the cost of maintaining foreign-born criminals in its correctional facilities.

Unlike neighboring Frederick and Prince George's counties, Montgomery still refuses to send the names of all arrestees to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement unless they are charged with a violent crime such as murder, rape or armed robbery.

Otherwise, "ICE will NOT be contacted, regardless of the individual's legal status and/or gang affiliation," county spokesman Patrick Lacefield emphatically told the Washington Examiner's Hayley Petersen.

Since the Maryland State's Attorney's Office estimates that there are 40 active gangs operating in Montgomery County alone, that means that hundreds of gang members know they will not be deported -- even if they are busted for selling drugs, stealing cars or other serious offenses.

Between 2000 and 2008, Maryland's foreign-born population grew 34.6 percent, while the native-born population increased just 3.3 percent, according to a new study by the Federation for American Immigration Reform. Costs (about $790 per household) are concentrated in places like Montgomery County with high illegal immigrant populations.

Of course, not all the county's 3,300 or so inmates are here illegally, but since Montgomery refuses to participate in the Immigration and Customs Enforcement's 287(g) program, there's no way of knowing exactly how many currently in the system lack legal presence.

County taxpayers are billed $157 a day (or $57,305 per year) for each inmate regardless. By contrast, the county spends $82 per day on each public school student.

There's a reason incarceration costs so much. A list of Montgomery County employees obtained by the Examiner under the Freedom of Information Act shows that the 541 employees in the county's Department of Corrections are paid handsomely, making an average of $80,000.

The annual salary of Corrections Director Arthur Wallenstein, who denied a previous Examiner request for statistics on the number of illegal inmates in custody, is $210,621, and 21 of his top managers each make more than $100,000 per year.

Other salaries range from an intake processing aide's $35,691 per year plus $10,802 in overtime, to the $98,513 plus $1,916 in overtime paid to a corrections specialist V.

Correctional Officer III Cpl. Paul Miller wracked up an unimaginable amount of overtime pay ($62,048) that was almost as much as his annual base salary ($70,758). The 1,202 hours of OT Miller reported (at $51.62 an hour) represent more than half of the 2,000 hours in a year's worth of typical 40-hour workweeks with two weeks off for vacation.

Miller's fellow Correctional Officer III Cpl. Roger Castell logged in even more OT (1,249 hours), adding $55,241 to his base salary of $61,660.

In fact, 366 correctional employees -- more than half of Wallenstein's entire staff -- reported working more than 100 hours of overtime last year, beefing up their paychecks and future retirement accounts while depleting the county's coffers.

With a budget gap of $779 million, an unemployment rate of 6.2 percent, and credit rating agencies threatening to downgrade its bond offerings, Montgomery can no longer afford to feed and house criminals who don't even belong in the United States.

Montgomery County is indeed a sanctuary. But not for taxpayers.

Barbara F. Hollingsworth is the Washington Examiner's local opinion editor.

SCHECTER Makes HALL of SHAME

2010-04-05T17:20:00.006-07:00

By Bob Haran;
American Conservative Republican and
Marine Corps Vietnam Veteran.

Joel David Schecter, AKA, J.D. "DUKE" Schecter, of Tucson, seems to want to be what he is not, an American war hero. Schecter also wants to be a member of the Arizona Senate from LD 27. The DUKE has a problem however, he is trying to become an Arizona Senator by stealing the valor or the respected symbols of valor, of those who earned those symbols with their blood and many times with their life.

A group dedicated to exposing military fakes, "The P.O.W. Network," has added Schecter to its Hall of Shame because he claimed to have earned a Silver Star and five Purple Heart medals as a combat Marine Sergeant in Vietnam.

Military records obtained by the Arizona Daily Star under the Freedom of Information Act indicate that Schecter did serve as a Marine in Vietnam as a helicopter electrician, however, he never earned a Silver Star or any Purple Hearts and that he was discharged from active duty as a Lance Corporal, not a Sergeant.

For those unfamiliar with the military, ever decoration, badge, stripe, button and the uniform itself, worn by our soldiers, sailors, Marines, airman and Coast Guardsmen has been earned. Over a million Americans have died in the service of our country wearing those uniforms and only a small number of those have had their service recognized with decorations such as the Silver Star. In fact, those that have earned the right to wear such decorations, including those awarded with the Medal of Honor, will tell you that they wear their medals in recognition of those who went unrecognized for their bravery. The wearing of unearned military decorations therefore is one of the lowest and dishonorable things an individual could possibly do.

Bogus claims to American military awards for heroism are so serious, it is a federal offense under the Stolen Valor Act of 2007.

According to the Arizona Daily Star report, http://azstarnet.com/news/local/article_60ceca5f-c1bf-559c-b11a-12f101c12cfc.html, Michael Davis, a retired Marine Corps First Sergeant from Oklahoma, reported Schecter to the Phoenix office of the FBI. Hopefully, the DUKE, will be wearing some addition medals in the near future, around his wrists.

The American Conservative Republican prays that Mr. Schecter is never elected to any public office, having the title "The Honorable" before his name would be obscene. ACR would also recommend that the Arizona Legislature pass an Arizona version of the Stolen Valor Act out of respect for those who are now and those who have in the past, Gave Their All.

For God and country,

Bob Haran

How I wish we had kept to Jefferson's principles

2010-04-03T15:10:00.004-07:00

How I wish we had kept to Jefferson's principles

From Helain Chersonsky

Obviously, Thomas Jefferson was a man ahead of his time.

HOW DID JEFFERSON KNOW?

Quotes from Jefferson.

Especially: Read the last quote from 1802.

When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe.Thomas Jefferson

The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not. Thomas Jefferson

It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world. Thomas Jefferson

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them. Thomas Jefferson

My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government. Thomas Jefferson

No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. Thomas Jefferson

The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government. Thomas Jefferson

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. Thomas Jefferson

To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical. Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson said in 1802:

'I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property - until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.'

I WISH WE COULD GET THIS OUT TO EVERYONE!!!

Randy Pullen on The Price of Border Insecurity

2010-04-03T09:20:00.003-07:00

The Price of Border Insecurity

By Randy Pullen;

The murder of rancher Robert Krenz this last week on his ranch in southern Arizona, by a suspected Mexican drug dealer or human trafficker (Coyote) tracked back to the nearby Mexican border, was a tragedy in the making for 10 years. Many of us who have been directly involved with attempting to bring illegal immigration under control along the southern border feared this day would come.

Mr. Krentz and his family are well known along the border as hard-working, God-fearing Americans with hearts of gold. Their property has constantly felt the pressure of tens of thousands of illegal aliens crossing in their migration north. Yet they had continued to act as good Samaritans, helping those who were in distress with food and water.

The pro-illegal immigration crowd would have us believe Mr. Krentz’s murder is merely the result of increased border violence. They refuse to see any connection to the tens of millions of illegal aliens who have crossed our southern border in the recent past. But for those who live along the border, and for those who have taken the time to visit, the truth is plainly obvious: Our southern border has been under attack for years. The fact that we have avoided such a tragedy until now is shear luck.

As the Chairman of Prop 200 in Arizona, the citizens’ initiative requiring proof of citizenship to vote and to receive welfare benefits, I have been on the frontlines of Arizona’s and America’s immigration debate, and this is not the first time I’ve seen the open-borders, pro-Amnesty special interests attempt to deflect attention from the debate at hand. I, myself, and many others have been subjected to personal attacks and racial slurs in our efforts to enforce the rule of law along our border as well as in our state, and such tactics are not likely to end soon.

Prop 200 easily passed on Election Day in 2004, with a majority of Arizona’s Latinos voting yes. They believed then, as they do now, in the rule of law, and understand as we all do – Democrats, Independents and Republicans – that an unsecured, open border and millions of illegals entering our country each year is a formula for disaster. Latinos and legal immigrants support our conservative values on this issue. It is their leadership who are out of touch with America.

What makes the Krentz murder so incredibly tragic is that it was avoidable. Securing our borders is a federal problem that was, and is, solvable. Unfortunately, the will to act in Congress and at the White House is simply not there. The best illustration of our federal government’s commitment to inaction on border security, despite the risks it poses for American citizens, comes from President Obama’s Secretary of Homeland Security, who would remark during her days as governor of Arizona, “Show me a 50-foot fence and I will show you a 51-foot ladder.”

But my response to such ill-conceived logic remains the same today as it was back in 2004: “Show me a guy carrying a 51-foot ladder and I will show you one lonely, tired hombre.”

Now, after the fact as far as Mr. Krenz is concerned, we are beginning to hear calls from congressional leaders to put troops on our southern border. It is my hope these calls will not fall again on deaf ears in Congress and at the White House, nor be used merely as election-year tools of political gamesmanship. When our National Guard has been sent to the border previously, they were deprived of a clear mission, actual authority to enforce the law, and the ammunition needed for their success.

In the past two years, drug and gang violence has soared along America’s southern border. Let us honor the memory of Mr. Krentz by doing all we can to assure this tragedy is never repeated.

(Randy Pullen is the Chairman of the Arizona Republican Party)

George Will on Ending Birthright Citizenship

2010-03-29T14:38:00.002-07:00

By George Will;

WASHINGTON -- A simple reform would drain some scalding steam from immigration arguments that may soon again be at a roiling boil. It would bring the interpretation of the 14th Amendment into conformity with what the authors of its text intended, and with common sense, thereby removing an incentive for illegal immigration.

To end the practice of "birthright citizenship," all that is required is to correct the misinterpretation of that amendment's first sentence: "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside." From these words has flowed the practice of conferring citizenship on children born here to illegal immigrants.

A parent from a poor country, writes professor Lino Graglia of the University of Texas law school, "can hardly do more for a child than make him or her an American citizen, entitled to all the advantages of the American welfare state." Therefore, "It is difficult to imagine a more irrational and self-defeating legal system than one which makes unauthorized entry into this country a criminal offense and simultaneously provides perhaps the greatest possible inducement to illegal entry."

Writing in the Texas Review of Law and Politics, Graglia says this irrationality is rooted in a misunderstanding of the phrase "subject to the jurisdiction thereof." What was this intended or understood to mean by those who wrote it in 1866 and ratified it in 1868? The authors and ratifiers could not have intended birthright citizenship for illegal immigrants because in 1868 there were and never had been any illegal immigrants because no law ever had restricted immigration.

If those who wrote and ratified the 14th Amendment had imagined laws restricting immigration -- and had anticipated huge waves of illegal immigration -- is it reasonable to presume they would have wanted to provide the reward of citizenship to the children of the violators of those laws? Surely not.

The Civil Rights Act of 1866 begins with language from which the 14th Amendment's Citizenship Clause is derived: "All persons born in the United States, and not subject to any foreign power, excluding Indians not taxed, are hereby declared to be citizens of the United States." (Emphasis added.) The explicit exclusion of Indians from birthright citizenship was not repeated in the 14th Amendment because it was considered unnecessary. Although Indians were at least partially subject to U.S. jurisdiction, they owed allegiance to their tribes, not the United States. This reasoning -- divided allegiance -- applies equally to exclude the children of resident aliens, legal as well as illegal, from birthright citizenship. Indeed, today's regulations issued by the departments of Homeland Security and Justice stipulate:

"A person born in the United States to a foreign diplomatic officer accredited to the United States, as a matter of international law, is not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. That person is not a United States citizen under the 14th Amendment."

Sen. Lyman Trumbull of Illinois was, Graglia writes, one of two "principal authors of the citizenship clauses in 1866 act and the 14th Amendment." He said that "subject to the jurisdiction of the United States" meant subject to its "complete" jurisdiction, meaning "not owing allegiance to anybody else." Hence children whose Indian parents had tribal allegiances were excluded from birthright citizenship.

Appropriately, in 1884 the Supreme Court held that children born to Indian parents were not born "subject to" U.S. jurisdiction because, among other reasons, the person so born could not change his status by his "own will without the action or assent of the United States." And "no one can become a citizen of a nation without its consent." Graglia says this decision "seemed to establish" that U.S. citizenship is "a consensual relation, requiring the consent of the United States." So: "This would clearly settle the question of birthright citizenship for children of illegal aliens. There cannot be a more total or forceful denial of consent to a person's citizenship than to make the source of that person's presence in the nation illegal."

Congress has heard testimony estimating that more than two-thirds of all births in Los Angeles public hospitals, and more than half of all births in that city, and nearly 10 percent of all births in the nation in recent years, have been to illegal immigrant mothers. Graglia seems to establish that there is no constitutional impediment to Congress ending the granting of birthright citizenship to persons whose presence here is "not only without the government's consent but in violation of its law."

FORGING NEW CHAINS FOR AMERICANS

2010-03-23T13:09:00.002-07:00

FORGING NEW CHAINS FOR AMERICANS　

By Helaine Chersonsky;

The current administration is forging chains of taxation and future misery to be wrapped around the neck of each and every man, woman and child, so that we will be burdened for over a hundred years with fees and taxes and regulations. We will never again be able to raise our heads for pride in our country; we will never be able to again sing, “Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, free atLast.”

What freedom we had prior to today has turned to dust in our mouths and we are choked with the bile of lies, hypocrisy and corruption.Our nation’s flag should be lowered to half mast as we salute ourEmbattled nation. We have sold our precious freedom for a mess of bitter pottage. Let those who still revere freedom gird their loins, callupon the true Founder of our Freedom and do what we must in the service of true freedom.We will not forget those Congress people and others who have forged these new chains for the American people. We will repay you in kind and in like manner.

Congressional Caucus to Focus on Illegal Workers

2010-03-20T16:43:00.002-07:00

From Federation for American Immigration Reform

New Congressional Caucus to Focus on Illegal Workers, Unemployed Americans

Three true immigration reformers in the U.S. House of Representatives have announced the formation of a new caucus to focus on the nexus between illegal immigration and unemployment in America. Headed by Reps. Lamar Smith (R-TX), Sue Myrick (R-NC), and Gary Miller (R-CA), the Reclaim American Jobs Caucus consists of 40 Members from both sides of the aisle who will work to highlight the link between illegal immigration and record unemployment in the United States.

As the official unemployment rate hovers around 10 percent and the underemployed rate around 25 percent, these members hope to take concrete steps to get American citizens and legal immigrants back to work by advocating immigration enforcement policies to free up jobs currently held by illegal aliens.

Click here to see Reps. Smith, Myrick, and Miller introduce their new Caucus. Click here to read Rep. Smith's press release on the new caucus.

Amnesty Forces Prepare for D.C. Rally

2010-03-16T09:34:00.003-07:00

Amnesty Forces Prepare for D.C. Rally

From; the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR)

On Sunday, March 21, amnesty supporters from across the country will convene in Washington, D.C. to demand that the U.S. Congress pass legislation granting amnesty to the approximately 11 million illegal aliens currently residing in the United States. Billed the “March for America,” the event is being spearheaded by “Reform Immigration for America,” a coalition of “individuals and grassroots organizations” that support amnesty. (March for America Home Page; About – Reform Immigration for America).

According to the Reform Immigration for America website, the marchers will “demand immigration reform and economic justice for all Americans.” The coalition claims that its “vision of reform includes immigrants and native-born U.S. citizens working shoulder to shoulder to achieve better wages, working conditions, and labor protections, and of an American that’s back to work, with a fair balance between main street and wall street.” (March for America – What March?). Reform Immigration for America lists a number of notorious amnesty proponents as sponsors of the march, including big labor special interest groups, such as the AFL-CIO and the SEIU; liberal think thanks, such as the Center for American Progress; and ethnic interest groups, such as the National Council of La Raza and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). (March for America – Whose March?).

The march comes as pro-amnesty organizations are harshly criticizing President Obama for failing to deliver on his campaign promise of signing amnesty legislation into law during his first year in office. On Monday, March 8, the heads of several pro-amnesty coalitions held a press conference to express their frustration. LULAC executive director Brent Wilkes said that the members of his organization feel “angry” and “betrayed.” In addition, amnesty proponents stated that they would rebuke Congressional Democrats at the polls in the 2010 midterm elections if they fail to pass an amnesty bill. As Emma Lozano of Centro Sin Fronteras said: “No legalization. No reelection.” Responding to the criticism, White House spokesman Nicholas Shapiro stated that the president’s “commitment to fixing our broken immigration system remains unwavering.” (The Washington Post, March 9, 2010).

In response to the march, FAIR is encouraging supporters of true immigration reform to make their voices heard by:

Adding your name to a list that will be presented to each Member of Congress with a message that we need to enforce our immigration laws and secure our borders by signing up for FAIR’s Virtual March;

Visiting their elected officials’ local offices on Friday, March 19; and
Calling their elected officials on Monday, March 22.

Stay tuned to FAIR for more on how you can make your voice heard in support of true immigration reform! For more information see FAIR's Action Alert.

The 3 M Candidates Missing Answers

2010-03-13T13:05:00.003-07:00

By Bob Haran,

American Conservative Republican

Martin, Mills and Munger should be called the 3 M candidates, all three are Missing an answer to Arizona's financial crisis.

How does Arizona balance its budget without cutting essential services? All the 3 M's can say is cut.

The people of Arizona deserve some specifics, what else would they cut that hasn't been cut already?

Martin, Mills and Munger are just Making promises they can't keep.

Governor Jan Brewer has the answers and has been right from the beginning.

Arizona can't cut its way out of this mess. The 3 M's that Arizona needs are to Make More Money not Martin, Mills or Munger.

God Wins Again

2010-03-13T11:20:00.003-07:00

God Wins Again

Atheist Loses Again On Pledge

From Traditional Values Coalition;

March 12, 2010 – God-hater Michael Newdow was dealt a defeat by the 9th Circuit Court in San Francisco today.

In 2002, a 9th Circuit panel ruled in favor of Newdow in his claim that the words “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance were a violation of the separation of church and state.

Now, in a 2-1 panel ruling, Judge Carlos Bea has determined that the Pledge, with “under God” is constitutional.

The 2002 ruling reached the Supreme Court in 2004. The Court ruled that Newdow had no legal standing to bring the lawsuit in the first place – slapping down the 9th Circuit ruling.

Newdow went back to work and found disgruntled atheist parents who claimed they were offended by the words “under God” in the Pledge.

He convinced a federal judge in 2005 that the Pledge, as written, was unconstitutional and argued his case before the 9th Circuit in 2007.

Newdow is defeated once again. When Newdow learned of the decision, he responded: “Oh, man, what a bummer.”

In addition, the 9th ruled yesterday that the words “In God We Trust” on our coins is constitutional.

“We can expect Newdow to start over again,” said Traditional Values Coalition Executive Director Andrea Lafferty. “He’s not going to go away. But, today is a good day for religious liberty in America. His hatred of God has been rebuffed by the very court that ruled in his favor in 20

Judge Allows God Back in Public School

2010-03-07T11:55:00.005-07:00

From the Thomas More Law Center;

Roger T. Benitez, a Federal District Court Judge in California ruled recently that the Poway Unified School District in San Diego, violated math teacher Bradley Johnson’s constitutional rights when it ordered him to remove two patriotic banners from the walls of his classroom because they “over-emphasized” God. [Decision attached]

The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, filed a federal lawsuit on Johnson’s behalf, after the school district ordered him to take down his banners in January 2007.

The two banners are approximately seven feet wide and two feet tall and contain phrases that highlight our Nation’s history and religious heritage. One banner with red, white, and blue stripes hung on the wall for twenty-five years and displayed the famous patriotic phrases: “In God We Trust,” “One Nation Under God,” “God Bless America,” and “God Shed His Grace on Thee.”

The second banner, which had been displayed for seventeen years, contained an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence: “All Men Are Created Equal, They Are Endowed By Their Creator.”

One school official justified the ban by claiming a Muslim student might be offended by the slogans.

That school officials banned Johnson’s patriotic displays while permitting other teachers to display personal posters and banners promoting partisan political issues such as gay rights and environmental causes, including global warming, played a crucial role in the Judge’s decision.

These displays included: a 35 to 40 foot string of Tibetan prayer flags with images of Buddha; a poster with the lyrics from John Lennon’s song “Imagine,” which starts off, Imagine there’s no Heaven; a poster with Hindu leader Mahatma Gandhi’s “7 Social Sins;” a poster of Muslim leader Malcolm X, and a poster of Buddhist leader Dali Lama.

Judge Benitez’s 32-page opinion was strongly worded and critical of the Poway school districts aversion to mentioning God: “[The school district officials] apparently fear their students are incapable of dealing with diverse viewpoints that include God’s place in American history and culture. . . . That God places prominently in our Nation’s history does not create an Establishment Clause violation requiring curettage and disinfectant for Johnson’s public high school classroom walls. It is a matter of historical fact that our institutions and government actors have in past and present times given place to a supreme God.”

Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel for the Law Center, commented, “Many school officials exhibit hostility towards our nation’s Christian heritage. Yet, these same officials see no problem in actively promoting atheism or other religions under the guise of cultural diversity and tolerance. Hopefully, Judge Benitez’s decision will help put an end to this double standard.

It is the responsibility of our public schools to educate students on the crucial role Christianity played in our Nation’s founding.”

In his ruling, Judge Benitez acknowledged that public schools provide students with a healthy exposure to diverse ideas and opinions. He then went on to rule, “Fostering diversity, however, does not mean bleaching out historical religious expression or mainstream morality. By squelching only Johnson’s patriotic and religious classroom banners, while permitting other diverse religious and anti-religious classroom displays, the school district does a disservice to the students of Westview High School and the federal and state constitutions do not permit this one-sided censorship.”

In response to the school district’s claim that Johnson’s patriotic banners might make a Muslim student uncomfortable, Judge Benitez stated, “An imaginary Islamic student is not entitled to a heckler’s veto on a teacher’s passive, popular or unpopular expression about God’s place in the history of the United States.” And the judge flatly rejected the school district’s argument that Tibetan prayer flags were permissible because they were decorative, describing the argument as “a transparent pretext.”Judge Benitez concluded that Johnson was entitled to a declaration that the school district violated his individual rights protected by the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution, and the California Constitution. He ordered the school district to pay nominal damages and Johnson’s attorney’s fees and costs. And he ordered the school district “to permit Johnson to immediately re-display, in his assigned classroom, the two banners at issue in this case.” Johnson returned the displays to his classroom that same day.

Robert Muise, the Thomas More Law Center Senior Trial Counsel handling the case, commented, “Judge Benitez’s strong opinion sends a clear message to school districts across the country that hostility toward our Nation’s religious heritage is contrary to our constitution. Indeed, it was refreshing to read an opinion that does justice to our Nation’s history, rather than rewrite it.”

Investigation of Dean Martin called for

2010-03-04T21:53:00.002-07:00

According to gubernatorial candidate Steven Slaton, at the February 27th 2010, Cobre Valley Republican Club's Lincoln Day Dinner in Globe, Arizona Treasurer Dean Martin, who is a candidate for governor, said he saved the State of Arizona millions upon millions of dollars by not reported the revenue collected to then Governor Janet Napolitano back in 2007. Slaton claims that Martin said that he informed his staff to withhold deposit so that the governor would not know how much money came into the treasury, thus stopping her from spending it!

Andrei Cherny, a former Arizona criminal prosecutor and candidate for state treasurer said, "This is a very serious accusation that should rise above political sparring." Cherny explained that if Martin did "cook the state's books," it would not only be an illegal act of fraud, but also a violation of his constitutional oath of office.

"Only a timely investigation can show what Treasurer Martin said and did. The billions of dollars managed by the State Treasurer are the people's money and they have the right to know what is going on," Cherny said.

Cherny has called on the Fraud and Public Corruption Unit of the Criminal Division of the Attorney General's Office to open an investigation into whether Martin did indeed make that statement and did indeed fail to report state revenue.

Employer Sanctions Opponent Holds Fund Raiser for McCain

2010-03-04T15:44:00.003-07:00

Employer Sanctions Opponent Holds Fund Raiser for McCain

By Bob Haran,
American Conservative Republican

If you think Sen. John McCain has finally gotten the message that the people of Arizona want illegal immigration controlled, you might be mistaken.

I came across a invitation to a fundraiser, paid for by "Friends of John McCain," the Arizona senator's campaign committee.

The flyer for the fundraiser says, "Jim Click and Donald Diamond cordially invite you to a Reception with U.S. Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts In support of the reelection of U.S. Senator John McCain."

Now if you don't know who Jim Click is you haven't followed the employer sanctions against hiring undocumented workers issue in Arizona. Jim Click is a Tucson auto dealer and big time campaign contributor who along with; Mac Magruder, James LeVecke, Mary Rose Wilcox and others formed the group, Wake Up Arizona coalition, back in 2007 to oppose any sanctions by the state of Arizona against employers who illegally hire undocumented workers and they vowed to defeat any legislator or candidate that supported employer sanctions.

Russell Pearce was the architect behind Arizona's successful employer sanctions law which has resulted in thousands of illegal aliens leaving Arizona. Pearce was also the target of a very nasty campaign in 2008 to oppose his state senate bid orchestrated by political consultant Nathen Sproul and financed by members of the Wake Up Arizona coalition.

Donald Diamond is a Arizona real estate developer and long time major campaign contributor to McCain with a history of shady real estate deals, see
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/22/us/politics/22diamond.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

If you want to help John McCain and illegal immigration, the fund raiser will be on Saturday, March 6, 2010 at the Arizona Inn at 2200 East Elm in Tucson, VIP Roundtable is only $2,400 per person and the Reception is only $1,000 per person.

I don't think I will attend, hope you don't either.

Schweikert Gets Important Endorsement.

2010-03-03T16:00:00.002-07:00

The Political Action Committee of Concerned Women for America (CWA) has announced its endorsement of David Schweikert for Congress in Arizona's 5th Congressional District.

CWA is the nation's largest public policy women's organization with more then 500,000 members.

The incumbent Member of Congress from CD 5 is Harry Mitchell. The CWA Legislative Action Committee says that Mitchell's rating with them is poor, having voted against their position on 25 out of 36 votes in congress.

Penny Nance, the CEO of CWA's Political Action Committee said, "David Schweikert is a stark contrast to liberal Congressman Harry Mitchell."

She pointed out that Harry Mitchell, whose voting she said matched House Speaker Nancy Pelosi 80 percent of the time, "suggest that he would prefer to listen to her than to his much more conservative district which voted for John McCain in 2008."

"My hunch is that David's personal story of adoption as a child and his strong pro-life legislative credentials will make him an irresistible choice over a partisan politician like Harry Mitchell," Nance said.

Concerned Women Political Action Committee's mission is to elect solid pro-family, pro-life conservatives to Congress. Concerned Women PAC sends out a monthly letter to members encouraging them to financially support candidates like David Schweikert.

This is an important endorsement for Schweikert which you probably wont read about in the mainstream press.

Gun Owners of America Blast McCain - Endorse Hayworth

2010-02-24T23:55:00.003-07:00

The Gun Owners of America Political Victory fund put out a statement that not only endorsed former Congressman and radio personality J.D. Hayworth for the U.S. Senate, it eviscerated the incumbent senator and 2008 GOP presidential nominee, John McCain.

The pro-Second Amendment, Gun Owners of America (GOA), called the McCain-Feingold law McCain's crowning legislative achievement, pointing out that the law put the muzzle on the First Amendment rights of groups like GOA.

In their statement the GOA says, "McCain's bill prohibited the most important form of speech the Founding Fathers meant to protect with the First Amendment - political speech."

The group claims that McCain may have started out as a "pro-gun legislator," but has become a "gun control maverick."

The GOA statement points out that in 2000 McCain became the spokesman for a gun control group called Americans for Gun Safety, that advocated licensing and registering all gun owners and ran radio and TV ads with McCain in Colorado and Oregon.

In their statement the GOA says, "John McCain may pretend to be pro-gun (especially in election years) but he has plunged his dagger deep into the back of gun rights supporters."

In their endorsement of J.D. Hayworth, GOA points out that Hayworth has consistently supported the Second Amendment and that is "just the type of leadership gun owners in Arizona will vote for in November."

The full statement from GOA follows.

###

Arizona - -(AmmoLand.com)- John McCain has gone out of his way to earn the ire of conservatives and gun owners in his 20-plus years as a U.S. Senator from Arizona.

Perhaps his crowning legislative achievement was so-called campaign finance reform, or the McCain-Feingold law. This law put the muzzle on organizations such as GOA, prohibiting any broadcast advertisements within 30 days of a primary election and 60 days of a general election that even mention the name of a candidate for federal office.

Not surprisingly, there is frequently a flurry of activity in Congress in the months right before an election, as politicians try to ram bills through at the end of a session. Forbidding criticism of sitting legislators during these crucial times (although media corporations were exempt) made McCain’s bill the perfect “Incumbent Protection” act.

McCain’s bill prohibited the most important form of speech the Founding Fathers meant to protect with the First Amendment — political speech — so it was welcome news when the Supreme Court recently repudiated much of the McCain bill as an assault on liberty.
But it should not come as a surprise that McCain does not want voters hear about what he’s up to in Washington, because the same person who holds the First Amendment in contempt would also like to run the Second Amendment through a shredder.

John McCain may have begun as a pro-gun legislator, but when he decided to become a gun control “maverick,” he went all out.

Since his conversion to a gun control advocate over the last ten years, McCain has favored a ban on small and inexpensive handguns and considered a ban on certain semi-automatic firearms (so-called assault weapons).

In what was his boldest move against American gun owners, however, McCain authored a bill to that could only have been designed to close down gun shows. In addition to regulating all private sales at gun shows, his bill would have placed onerous licensing requirements on gun show promoters and would essentially have registered the millions of people who attend gun shows. Under the burdens of the McCain bill, no promoter in the country would put on a gun show and, if they did, gun owners would likely not attend.

Thanks to McCain, the inaccurate and misleading phrase “gun show loophole” became a part of the anti-Second Amendment crowd’s lexicon.

The truth is, there is no gun show loophole; firearms transactions are conducted the same inside a gun show as they are anyplace else.

In 2000, McCain became a spokesman for a gun control organization (now defunct) called Americans for Gun Safety, a group that advocated licensing and registering all gun owners. The group ran radio and TV ads with McCain supporting ballot initiatives in Colorado and Oregon that would impose McCain’s favorite restrictions on gun shows.

These ads were a way for McCain to “stick it” to gun owners, after a gun show bill stalled in the Congress.

“I think that if the Congress won’t act, the least I can do is support the initiative in states where it’s on the ballot,” McCain said in an interview.

In 2001, the group ran advertisements in movie theaters featuring McCain urging people to keep their guns locked up “for the sake of the children.” In the ads, he greatly exaggerated the risks of children gaining access to firearms in the home, and at the same time completely ignored the danger of having guns locked away if they are needed to thwart a criminal attack.

After the 2001 terror attacks, when Gun Owners of America and tens of thousands of commercial airline pilots were pushing legislation to arm pilots as a defense against terrorism, McCain prepared an amendment that would have replaced “firearms” with “stun guns.” GOA pointed out at the time how stun guns would not be effective against the type of attacks that could occur in a cockpit.

John McCain may pretend to be pro-gun (especially in election years) but he has plunged his dagger deep into the backs of gun rights supporters. He may fancy himself as a “maverick” in shining armor, riding to rescue the American people, but all the while he has trampled the Bill of Rights underfoot.

Thankfully, this year gun owners have a choice. Former Rep. J.D. Hayworth, who was “A” rated by Gun Owners of America in his twelve years in the House of Representatives, is challenging McCain in the 2010 Republican primary.

J.D. respects the Constitution and understands that the Second Amendment was put there by the Founding Fathers to always ensure that the people would have the means to preserve their liberty.

During his time in the Congress, J.D. Hayworth did not vote one way in election years and another way when in nonelection years. J.D. consistently supported the Second Amendment, and that is just the type of leadership gun owners in Arizona will vote for in November.

Gun Owners of America Political Victory Fund is proud to endorse J.D. Hayworth for U.S. Senate and urges gun owners and sportsmen from across America to help defeat anti-gunner McCain.

Please visit J.D. on the web at http://www.jdforsenate.com to make the most generous contribution possible. Working together, we can win this fight and gain a Second Amendment ally in the U.S. Senate.

Sincerely,
Tim MacyVice Chairman
Gun Owners of America8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408http://www.gunowners.org

Time for McCain to Retire and go Fishing

2010-02-22T10:52:00.002-07:00

By Bob Haran;

Interesting article in today's Arizona Republic http://www.azcentral.com/ by Dan Nowicki.

Sen. John McCain, the Republican nominee for president in 2008 and four term senator from Arizona, claims that he was "misled" into supporting the massive bailout of the financial system known as Troubled Asset Relief Program, (TARP).

McCain, who is being challenged for the 2010 GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate by Jim Deakin and J.D. Hayworth, said that he was misled by then Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke that the $700 Billion bailout would focus on what was seen as the cause of the financial crisis, the housing meltdown.

At a meeting with The Republic's Editorial Board, McCain said "obviously, that didn't happen,"

McCain claims that President George W. Bush called him off the campaign trail, saying a worldwide economic catastrophe was imminent and that he needed his help. On Sept 24, 2008, McCain temporarily suspended his campaign for president to confront the economic crisis.

Henry Paulson in his book, "On the Brink," in regard to McCain's response to the crisis claims that, "when it came right down to it, McCain had little to say in the forum he himself had called." Paulson called McCain's decision to return to Washington without a plan, "impulsive and risky," even, "dangerous."

The entire article can be linked at http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2010/02/22/20100222mccain-tarp0222.html

I'm no fan of John McCain but I would expect something more from a former Naval officer then passing the buck by claiming that he was, "misled." Spending $700 billion of the people's money is no small decision and something that a four term U.S. Senator and candidate for president should not take lightly or allow himself to be, "misled."

McCain is known for moving from one side of an issue to another, as the political situation requires. Pander to the right to win conservative support, pander to the left to get liberal support. It has been said that the most dangerous place to be in Washington D.C. is between John McCain and a TV camera. This is a decision McCain spun into an image of the hero rushing to rescue the world's economy, to now claim that he was misled is to say the least, very disturbing. I would rather have a senator who would take responsibility for his decisions and either defend his actions or admit that he made a mistake.

Public office should be about doing the best of your ability to do what is in the people's best interest, not doing whatever it takes to get elected. Leadership is putting the greater good before your own self interest. Character is taking responsibility for your own actions.

If John McCain is going to pass the buck on one of the most important decisions he made in public office, then he has not the character nor the leadership to serve in public office and it is time for him to retire and go fishing.

AZ SEN Candidate DUI confirmed.

2010-02-18T17:09:00.002-07:00

By Bob Haran,
American Conservative Republican

A rumor that Arizona Senate hopeful Lori Klein of LD 6 had a DUI arrest has been circulating in political circles for the past couple of weeks but not confirmed and therefore not published by the American Conservative Republican (ACR) until now.

Last week an anonymous comment to ACR claimed, "Klein has a DUI," the following link was also provided, http://www.superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/docket/JusticeCourtCases/caseSearchResults.asp?lastName=Klein&FirstName=Lori&bName=

This link is for Maricopa County, Justice Court Case History and included the names of 9 parties named Lori Klein. Of the 9 parties named Lori Klein, two had a date of birth in 1970, five had DOB: N/A, and two had the exact DOB as the Lori Klein who was nominated by Arizona Treasurer Dean Martin and endorsed by CD 3 congressional candidate Sam Crump and LD 6 Representative Carl Seel to fill the vacancy in the Arizona Senate caused by the resignation of Pam Gorman, who is also a candidate for congress from CD 3.

The information that was available via the internet did not include the specific charges or the disposition of the case, but it did provide the case number, case type and which justice court adjudicated the case. One case was classified "Criminal Traffic" and the other as "Civil Traffic." I decided to investigate the Criminal Traffic, adjudicated at Dreamy Drew Justice Court, Case Number TR2008-162210.

After obtaining a copy of the court records for case number TR2008-162210, In the Matter of State of Arizona V. Lori Agnes Klein, it was verified that Ms. Klein was arrested on 10/02/2008 and charged with violating: ARS 28-701.02A3, (EXCEED 85 MPH); ARS 28-1381A1, (DUI-LIQUOR/DRUGS/VAPORS/COMBO); ARS 28-1381A2, (DUI W/BAC OF .08 OR MORE). Court records indicate that the first two charges against Ms. Klein, who was represented by former Arizona Representative David Burnell Smith, were dismissed but a plea of guilty was entered for the last charge of DUI W/BAC OF .08 OR MORE.

Court records indicate that Ms. Klein was sentenced to: 3 years probation; 1 day in jail, which was served in the Town of Paradise Valley Jail on 8/17/09; Alcohol Education, which was completed on 10/28/2009 with DUI Education, Treatment & Counseling with Court Support Services; Ignition Interlock Device per MVD order and; Penalty Fees totaling $1,460.00, which was paid on 8/10/2009.

Klein was one of the three individuals, along with Dave Braswell and myself, nominated by the Legislative District 6 Republican Committee on February 1st to fill the vacancy in the Arizona Senate caused by Gorman's resignation. Braswell was selected by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors as Gorman's replacement.

Prior to her being nominated with the strong support of Sam Crump, Representative Carl Seel, and Arizona Treasurer Dean Martin, who is a candidate for the Republican nomination for governor, it was discovered that Ms. Klein had contributed money to the pro-abortion WISH list.

Klein, who is not a precinct committeemen, has indicated that she will be a candidate for the Republican nomination for the Arizona Senate in 2010 from LD 6.

Senator Dave Braswell has indicated that he will also run for a full term in 2010 and newly appointed Representative Amanda Reeve along with LD 6 Precinct Committeemen Steve Kaiser, who were both nominated by the LD 6 precinct committeemen to fill the vacancy caused by Mr. Crump's resignation from the Arizona House, have indicated that they will be running for the two Arizona House seats from District 6 in 2010.

Why Martin, Crump, Seel and others are supporting Klein is unclear.

Another DEM Bits the Dust: Sen. Bayh not seeking re-election

2010-02-15T12:07:00.002-07:00

From the Associated Press;
INDIANAPOLIS - Media reports say that Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana has decided to not seek re-election.

The Indianapolis Star reports that Bayh is attributing his decision to excessive partisanship that makes progress on public policy difficult to achieve as the motivation for his decision.
Bayh scheduled a Monday afternoon news conference in Indianapolis. The Associated Press left messages seeking comment at his Senate office and for state Democratic chairman Dan Parker, whois Bayh's campaign manager.

KEVIN TYNE BACK WITH BREWER

2010-02-12T10:06:00.002-07:00

The Arizona Republic has reported that Governor Jan Brewer's first chief of staff, Kevin Tyne, who has been an aide to her since she was a member of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, is back on board. Yesterday, Tyne was named director of the Arizona Department of Weights and Measures. Less then four months ago, Tyne resigned as Brewer's chief of staff to become an advisor with the Republican Governors Association.

DAVE BRASWELL APPOINTED TO AZ SENATE

2010-02-08T17:08:00.003-07:00

By Bob Haran;

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors met this morning in an informal meeting and selected Republican Legislative District 6 Committee Chairman Dave Braswell to fill the vacancy in the Arizona Senate from District 6 caused by the resignation of Pam Gorman, who is running for Congress to fill the open seat caused by the incumbent Congressmen John Shadegg's announcement that he will not run in 2010.

At a special election held by the LD 6 GOP Committee on February 1, Braswell was the first of three to be nominated by the elected Republican Precinct Committeemen of the District. Of the three candidates running for the nomination, Braswell, myself and Lori Klein, Braswell was the only candidate nominated on the first ballot with 64% of the total vote, ( 50% plus one was necessary for nomination ).

On the second ballot, I beat out Klein with 65.6% of the total vote to Klein's 59.6%, both myself and Klein were therefore also nominated. Braswell, having been nominated on the first ballot was not a candidate on the second.

As a now former opponent to Braswell for the appointment, I have no regrets and believe that both the Committeemen form District 6 and the Board of Supervisors made a good selection. Dave Braswell is a good man and should make a fine Arizona Senator. I may have told people too many times that I would have no problem with Dave Braswell as my senator and that is exactly what I got.

I wish Dave success in his new position.

Klein was being backed by candidate for governor and Arizona Treasurer Dean Martin, who preceded Gorman as the LD 6 state senator, Sam Crump, who resigned on February 1 from the Arizona House to run for the U.S. House and LD 6 Representative Carl Seel.

Klein ran into some major problems in her quest for the senate appointment. The first problem was that not being a Republican Precinct Committeemen in LD 6 and having never run for office before, she was unknown by the District 6 Committee. In addition, having never attended a district meeting or making her intentions known, until the last moment, she came on the scene late and was considered an outsider by many of the rank and file.

She may have faced an even more challenging problem for a Republican when it was discovered by this writer that she had contributed to the pro-abortion Wish List, thou she claims to be pro-life.

The last I heard from Braswell and Klein, they both intend to be candidates for the Republican Nomination for the Arizona Senate from LD 6 in the 2010 primary.

I do not plan on running for the senate in 2010.

STATEMENT BY BOB HARAN CONCERNING SENATE APPOINTMENT

2010-02-03T18:04:00.002-07:00

BOB HARAN
4201 West Union Hills Dr. # 3071, Phoenix, AZ 85308

NEWS RELEASE
Feb 3, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
contact Bob Haran;
602-442-6806, cell 602-696-3281

STATEMENT BY BOB HARAN CONCERNING SENATE APPOINTMENT

Many people have called me thinking that I have removed my name from consideration for appointment to the Arizona Senate to fill the vacancy caused by Pam Gorman's resignation, I have not.

Today, I want to make it perfectly clear, I have not withdrawn my name from consideration for appointment to the Arizona Senate and out of respect to the precinct committeeman who voted for my nomination, I would respectfully ask the Board of Supervisors to appoint me to the Arizona Senate.
Since I released a statement on Tuesday regarding the vacancy from District 6 caused by the resignation of Pam Gorman, I have been overwhelmed with an outpouring of support and phone calls from the Precinct Committeemen who voted to nominate me for the Arizona Senate. Between the ballots that were cast that evening, I received just short of two-thirds, 65.6% of the vote of the Precinct Committeemen from District 6. As a former District Chairman, it is clear to me that the majority of the Precinct Committeemen support my nomination. I recognize that I have a responsibility to the precinct committeemen who voted for me and the Republicans they represent.
I am honored by the faith the district has in my abilities and would be honored to serve as their next State Senator.

January 26, Announcement of Candidacy

Bob Haran 58, of Phoenix; Marine Corps Vietnam Veteran, Conservative Republican activist, and one of the original members of the Minuteman Project in 2005, has announced that he will be a candidate for appointment to the Arizona Senate fill the vacancy caused by Sen. Pamela Gorman's resignation in the North Valley Legislative District 6.

Bob Haran enlisted in the United States Marine Corps 12 days after his seventeenth birthday in 1968 and served in combat in Vietnam as an infantry squad leader with the First Marine Division and is a holder of the Navy and Marine Corps Combat Action Medal.

He attended Brooklyn College under the G.I. Bill as a pre-law student with a political science major. A graduate of the New York City Police Academy , he worked as a civilian police administrative aid with NYPD.

Haran served four years as a Republican Legislative District Chairman, 1994-98 and as a Housing Commissioner for the City of Glendale, 1995-99. He has been a Republican Precinct and State Committee since 1989, when he first moved to Arizona. He is currently serving as the Second Vice Chairman of District 6 but will be resigning because of his candidacy.

In 2000 Haran was the Republican Nominee for the Arizona House of Representatives and was endorsed by; Trent Franks, John Shadegg, the late Congressmen Bob Stump, Arizona Right to Life, Fraternal Order of Police, The National Rifle Association, and Gun Owners of America with a 100% rating.

He is the father of one daughter, Ann Marie, of Staten Island, NY.

If appointed to the Arizona Senate by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors for the reminder of Gorman's term, which ends in January 2011, he will not be a candidate for election in 2010 in order to give the position all his attention and to make what may not be very popular decisions in regard to the current budget crisis.

Mr. Haran feels that the problem in the legislature is lack of cooperation and a, "my way or the highway," attitude by some legislators, he has vowed to cooperate with both Senate Republican leadership and the governor in resolving Arizona's current fiscal crisis.

Haran said the Republican Party must show the people of Arizona that they have the, "Guts to Govern."

###

IS LORI KLEIN PRO-LIFE OR PRO-ABORTION

2010-02-02T20:39:00.003-07:00

IS LORI KLEIN PRO-LIFE OR PRO-ABORTION

By Bob Haran;

Is the Lori Klein, the mystery candidate for the Arizona Senate from District 6 pro-life or pro-abortion? I have no way of reading her heart or mind so I can only go on the facts.

Many of Ms Kleins supporters, anonymously of course, have accused me of telling lies about Lori Klein. No lies have been told about Ms. Klein, only the facts have been reported. As Harry Truman said, "I just tell the truth on them and they think it is hell."

These are the facts concerning Lori Klein regarding the issue of abortion.

FACT 1-
According to Schedule C2 - Individual contributors of the Post-Primary Election Report covering 8/19/2004 to 9/27/2004 for WISH LIST, The (Women in the Senate and House) on page for a Lori Klein, Address: ( I will not publish her home address) same address as the Lori Klein candidate LD 6, Anthem, AZ 85086, Occupation: CONSULTANT,SELF on 9/10/2004 contributed $65.00 to WISH LIST.

Those of you from district 6 might remember some years back, around 2004, a candidate for district chairman was eviscerated by some of the same people now supporting Lori Klein, such as Dean Martin, for making a contribution to WISH LIST, the only difference was that candidate didn't claim that she didn't know WISH LIST was a pro-abortion fund to elect pro-abortion Republican women.

FACT 2, WISH LIST is a well known pro-abortion group, at least by those of us in the pro-life community and the Republican party. There Mission, according to their web site http://www.thewishlist.org/ is,

OUR MISSION "The WISH LIST raises funds to identify, support and elect pro-choice Republican women at all levels of government - local, state and national."

There Vision is, also according to the WISH LIST web site,

OUR VISION for the 21st Century, "Our vision is to create a powerful force of Political Partners whose financial support ensures the continuous election of pro-choice Republican women to positions at all levels of government across America."

Now Ms Klein with over 30 years political fund raising and consulting experience claims she didn't know WISH LIST was a pro-abortion organization, somehow she got it mixed up with the charitable Make a wish foundation.

Ms. Klein, my job with the New York City Police Department was to interview crime victims and to try to ascertain the truth, frankly, your explanation of why you made your contribution to WISH LIST is like a deer in the headlights. Just like the auto theft suspect caught driving a stolen vehicle and when asked where he got the car claims he bought it from some guy named Mike and he doesn't know where Mike lives or works or his phone number. Your story is a deer in the head lights story. After 30 years in politics, you didn't know WISH LIST was a pro-abortion group, I find that incredulous. You would be better off to tell the truth or remain silent, anything you say may be used against you in the court of public opinion.

Its interesting that thou Ms. Klein claims to be pro-life and is a big contributor to political causes, there is no record of her ever giving a penny to Arizona Right to Life.

Lori Klein shouldn't worry however, her supporters will not let the truth get in the way of their support.

PS. When the American Conservative Republican does publish wrong information we will not hide the fact but will readily admit to our mistake on line. There are no errors in the post, only people that can't handle the truth.

PRO-ABORTION CANDIDATE SEEKS TO FILL SENATE VACANCY

2010-01-31T20:40:00.003-07:00

By Bob Haran;

A candidate for appointment to the Arizona Senate to fill the vacancy caused by Pamela Gorman's resignation is found to be not the "Proven Conservative" she claims to be, unless being pro-abortion is now considered Conservative. Lori Klein, who listed her political views on face book as Libertarian/Conservative, seems to be more Libertarian then Conservative.

When I first heard that a Lori Klein was interested in the LD 6 Senate seat my first question was, who is Lori Klein. She is not a Precinct Committeemen from LD 6, not active in the district, never been to a district meeting that I know of. So who is this person Lori Klein?

Time to do some old fashioned research. What did I discover about this Lori Klein, whom both LD 6 Representatives Sam Crump and Carl Seel have been pushing as a replacement to Pam Gorman, a conservative Republican and certainly pro-life. I discovered she is what we conservatives used to describe as a RINO, a Republican In Name Only.

Oh, Ms Klein is for less government, what Republican isn't? Lori Klein is also for the right of a woman to kill her unborn child and backs it up with her money.

Looking at where people put their money politically can tell a lot about where they stand politically. Take for example Lori Klein, according to the Arizona Secretary of State's web site, on 9/10/04, she contributed to WISH LIST (Women In The Senate and House). On the WISH LIST web site, http://www.thewishlist.org/ they describe their MISSION with these words, "The WISH LIST raises funds to identify, support and elect PRO-CHOICE Republican women at all levels of government - local, state and national" Under the title "OUR VISION for the 21st Century" WISH LIST says, "Our vision is to create a powerful force of Political Partners whose financial support ensures the continuous election of PRO-CHOICE Republican women to positions at all levels of government across America." Sounds like a very militant PRO-ABORTION group to me.

You can also find Ms. Klein's contribution to the Pro-Abortion movement by going to the WISH LIST post-primary Election Report for 2004, her name is on page 4 just above Beth Meyer of Planned Parenthood.

So why is Sam Crump endorsing this supporter of abortion, saying that he, "believes her to be a strong conservative voice for our district and our state." Could it be Crump is supporting her because she owns a consulting firm specializing in fund-raising. By the way, Sam Crump will be resigning from the Arizona House to run for Congress.

Seems like some people will believe anything, if the price is right.

CRUMP SUPPORTS WISH LIST CANDIDATE FOR SENATE

2010-01-29T12:57:00.003-07:00

Sam Crump, the first to announce for retiring Congressmen John Shadegg's seat, before the ink was even dry on Shadegg's announcement, has shown that he is ready for Congress by telling the Precinct Committeemen of Legislative District 6 who to support as a replacement in the Arizona Senate for Pam Gorman, who was to first of the "I Want to be in Congress" legislators to dump her responsibilities to the state of Arizona and resign.

It seems that Mr. Crump doesn't trust the Precinct Committeemen of his own district, who represent the Republicans in District 6, to be capable of deciding for themselves who should represent them in the Arizona Senate. In fact, he doesn't feel that anyone from the District 6 Republican Committee should represent the district.

Mr. Crump has decided that when it comes to representing conservative values and the people of District 6, if you are running for Congress, it's best to support someone who makes campaign contributions. Crump is therefore not supporting one of the District officers, (thank you for your hard work), not supporting a Member of the Republican State Committee, not even supporting a Republican Precinct Committeemen. No, Crump has decided to support someone who is unknown to the district committee, who never attended a district meeting, but she does make campaign contributions so she must be the best qualified, right? Or is that left?

Congressional wannabe Crump, who jumped over the Colorado River from California in 2002 to try his hand at Arizona politics after failing to win election to the California Assembly has decided that the best person to represent District 6 would be a person with very strong Libertarian roots, who supported ,five day Republican, Tony Bouie in 2008. You may remember that Bouie was also supported by the, "Wake Up Arizona Coalition" of greedy business people opposed to employer sanctions and Russell Pearce.

Campaign contributions can tell us a lot about what a person stands for. Take the case of Lori Klein, the person Crump is trying to get the Republicans in District 6 to support. After looking through the Secretary of State's Web Sit www.azsos.gov/ , I discovered that, thou she claims to be pro-life, she contributed to WISH LIST, (Women in the Senate and House), a pro-abortion group of Republican Women. Gee, now we know why Ms. Klein didn't attend the annual Arizona Right to Life March. Libertarians don't believe that the government should stop women from killing their children, only us nasty conservative Republicans want that.

Now, before we lowly grassroots people decide who to support for Congress, maybe the candidates should clarify their position on abortion before they get into that lifetime position we call Congress.

Thinking about it, maybe us grassroots people shouldn't be making decisions, after all, we all at one time supported these people who have no integrity or loyalty to anyone but themselves, who put their personal ambition first and we the people last.

Republican Job Recovery Bill approved by AZ House

2010-01-29T08:22:00.003-07:00

WITHOUT A SINGLE DEMOCRAT VOTE, BILL MOVES TO SENATE FOR PASSAGE
STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX (January 28, 2010) –

The Arizona House of Representatives passed House Bill 2250, the Arizona Economic and Job Recovery Act, on a 34 to 25 vote. The bill now goes to the Arizona Senate.

HB2250, sponsored by Speaker of the House Kirk Adams and 29 other Republican members, provides for a fairer tax structure and puts Arizona on equal footing with those states that have better weathered the current economic downturn.

Specifically, the Arizona Economic and Job Recovery bill addresses four key areas:

Job creation and training programs

Incentives to attract new base industry companies to Arizona

Tax relief for large and small businesses

Economic development programs

Not one Democratic House member voted for the legislation geared to attract new business to Arizona and help grow Arizona out of the worst fiscal crisis in the state’s history.

“This legislation comes at a critical time,” said House Speaker Kirk Adams. “We must broaden Arizona’s economic base and create jobs. That’s what the Arizona Economic and Job Recovery bill does. We urge our colleagues in the Senate to move speedily on the bill’s passage so we can get Arizona on the right track in creating jobs and building our economy now.”

In yesterday’s Appropriations hearing, House Democrats failed to present a budget alternative or solutions. “While site selectors are continuing to bypass Arizona because of our non-competitive tax structure and lack of highly-targeted economic development programs, Democrats continue to use class warfare while refusing to offer any budget solutions of their own,” said Rep. Steve Yarbrough.

According to Representative Steve Court, “This legislation is a great step in growing our way out of this budget crisis while creating higher wage jobs for Arizona citizens. We must improve our quality of living on an individual level for each Arizonan. This bill will increase economic output.”

ROE v WADE at 37 - LET US NEVER FORGET

2010-01-22T14:43:00.002-07:00

Thirty seven years ago today, on January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court in the landmark Roe v Wade case, decided that unborn children may be aborted or killed, for any reason, up until the point at which the unborn child becomes viable outside the mother's womb. In other words, seven jurist overruled the right to life that was granted to all human beings by God, as expressed in our Declaration of Independence, to the unborn child.

The Court rested their opinion on what they determined to be a constitutional right to privacy they believe emanated from the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution. By this judge made law they denied the unborn child not only the right to life but the right of due process of law.

Pro-life supported have taken the position that life begins at conception, after all the definition of conception (according to Webster's College Dictionary) is; the originating of something, as; the beginning of pregnancy. therefore, the human fetus, from the moment of conception, is a human being entitled to the God given right to life and the Constitutional right to due process of the law.

Opponents of Roe have also pointed out that the decision is without a valid constitutional foundation because the Constitution is silent on the issue of abortion.

Laws have been enacted in response to Roe v Wade in many states to limit or regulate abortion, such as; requiring parental consent for minors to obtain an abortion, parental notification, requiring that abortion can only be performed in a safe hospital setting and not at a clinic, requiring a waiting period and time to reflect before an abortion, laws banning state funding of abortions, and laws barring the barbaric practice of intact dilation and extraction which is also known as partial birth abortion. In 1976, Congress passed the Hyde Amendment, barring federal funding of abortion through Medicaid.

Two justices dissented from the Roe decision, Byron White and William Rehnquist.

Justice White asserted that the Court, "Values the convenience of the pregnant mother more than the continued existence and development of the life or potential life she carries." He also criticized the Court for involving itself in the issue by creating, "A constitutional barrier to state efforts to protect human life and by investing mothers and doctors with the constitutionally protected right to exterminate it."

In his dissent Justice White wrote,

"I find nothing in the language or history of the Constitution to support the Court's judgement. The Court simply fashions and announces a new constitutional right for pregnant mothers and, with scarcely any reason or authority for its actions, invests that right with sufficient substance to override most existing state abortion statutes."

Justice Rehnquist felt that, "the drafters did not intend to have the Fourteenth Amendment withdraw from the States the power to legislate with respect to this matter."

In his dissent Justice Rehnquist wrote,

"To reach its result, the Court necessarily has had to find within the scope of the Fourteenth Amendment a right that was apparently completely unknown to the drafters of the Amendment."

Every year on the anniversary of the Roe v Wade decision, which has resulted in the killing of millions of unborn children, supporters of the pro-life movement have demonstrated outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington DC, determined to keep the issue alive.

In Arizona we have the annual March and Rally for Life.

The 37th Annual March and Rally for Life will take place this Sunday, January 24. The March will begin at 12:30 PM at Brophy College Prep, 4701 N Central in Phoenix about a half mile north of Indian School Road. The Rally will start at 1 PM at Indian Steel Park located north of Indian School Road between Central and Seventh Street behind the Veterans Hospital.

Confirmed speakers include;

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, Bishop Thomas Olmsted, Senator Jon Kyl, Congressmen John Shadegg and Trent Franks, along with Arizona Senator Linda Gray and Arizona Representative Nancy Barto.

The colors will be proudly presented by the local U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, Bulk Fuel Company, Color Guard.

BREWER ENDORSED BY ARIZONA MAYORS

2010-01-22T10:41:00.003-07:00

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer received the endorsement from some people who know something about running a government and balancing a budget, the mayors of some of Arizona's largest cites. Included on the list are: the mayor of Arizona's second largest city, Tucson; Arizona's third largest city, Mesa; Arizona's fourth largest city, Glendale; and the mayors of Buckeye, Chandler, Litchfield Park, Maricopa, Payson, Sierra Vista, Surprise, Wickenburg, Wilcox, and Yuma, and the vice mayors of Goodyear and Scottsdale

The release from the Brewer campaign follows.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 21, 2010
Governor Jan Brewer’s campaign receives boost from Mayors of Cities and Towns
throughout the state from Sierra Vista to Payson

PHOENIX –– Mayors from Cities and Towns throughout Arizona joined together today to announce their support for Governor Jan Brewer in her bid for a second term as the Governor of the State of Arizona. Glendale Mayor Elaine Scruggs, Mesa Mayor Scott Smith, and Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup were announced as the campaign co-chairs of “Mayors for Brewer.”
Scruggs, Smith, and Walkup were joined by the Mayors of Buckeye, Chandler, Litchfield Park, Maricopa, Payson, Sierra Vista, Surprise, Wickenburg, Willcox, and Yuma as well as the Vice-Mayors of Scottsdale and Goodyear in supporting Brewer.

Mayor Elaine Scruggs, who represents Brewer’s home town, has been a longtime supporter of the Governor. “Governor Brewer has fought to help the state fix its own financial problems, without balancing the state’s budget on the backs of the cities and towns,” she said.

Mayor Bob Walkup served on Brewer’s Transition Team last year and commended her on her leadership in these difficult times, “Brewer took the helm as Governor a little more than a year ago in the midst of Arizona’s record financial crisis. She pledged to make the tough choices and while serving the people of Arizona – and she has done just that.”

Mayor Scott Smith commended Brewer on her ability to balance fiscally responsible cuts with a desire ensure Arizona’s long-term economic viability. He explained, “Governor Brewer understands that while the state must live within its means, we must make sure we are taking care of the core services that Arizona must provide. She knows that the state must focus on both tax and education reform if we want to create more business opportunities and a highly skilled workforce.”

Brewer announced all of the following endorsements to her campaign:

Mayor Jackie Meck, Buckeye
Mayor Boyd Dunn, Chandler
Mayor Elaine Scruggs, Glendale
Vice Mayor Georgia Lord, Goodyear
Mayor Thomas Schoaf, Litchfield Park
Mayor Anthony Smith, Maricopa
Mayor Scott Smith, Mesa
Mayor Kenny Evans, Payson
Vice Mayor Bob Littlefield, Scottsdale
Mayor Bob Strain, Sierra Vista
Mayor Lyn Truitt, Surprise
Mayor Bob Walkup, Tucson
Mayor Kelly Blunt, Wickenburg
Mayor Gerald “Sam” Lindsey, Willcox
Mayor Alan L. Krieger, Yuma

“I want to thank these outstanding elected officials for their support,” said Governor Brewer, “I am humbled by their confidence in me, and look forward to working together closely with them as we build a better Arizona.”
####

BREWER DOES COURAGEOUS THING, DEMOCRATS DO POLITICAL THING.

2010-01-20T08:20:00.002-07:00

Yesterday, former Arizona Attorney General Grant Woods issues a press release urging Arizona House Minority Leader David Lujan to either produce a realistic, concrete proposal for solving the state's fiscal problems or admit that he does not want to be part of the budget solution.

Woods said, "Rep. Lujan continues to offer manipulation and political calculation when the people he serves need authentic service."

David Lujan is a candidate for Attorney General and Woods said that, "Despite his title and his ambition for higher office, his calls for leadership will continue to ring false, until he stops playing games and makes a positive contribution toward resolving the situation that he helped to create."

Lujan claims that his "line-by-line" proposals for balancing the budget can be found at his website, however, his website had not been updated since last September and holds no specific proposal for a budget solution according to Woods. "He might as well refer us to the Magna Carta, it probably has more direction for solving the budget crisis than his website, " Wood said.

At a press conference last Monday, Lujan was asked by reporters to introduce his ideas as budget bills. Lujan responded that House Democratic leadership will only put their budget proposals in bill form if they have 31 votes in the Arizona House.

Woods responded that, "Governor Brewer has proposed a way forward which has displeased some in her own party; perhaps Rep. Lujan and other Democratic office holders could show good faith by doing the same, and then we could take them seriously."

Legislative Democrats have complained that they have been "frozen out" of budget discussions. Woods said, "That is nonsense. They have simply decided to put politics ahead of public service and refused to help the current governor protect education and public safety through this downturn. She has done the courageous thing; they continue to do the political thing."

UPDATE, Race for Shadegg Seat & other North Valley News.

2010-01-17T00:24:00.004-07:00

Gordon considering run for Shadegg’s U.S. House seat
From the Phoenix Business Journal - by Mike Sunnucks

Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon could be eyeing a run for U.S. Rep. John Shadegg’s congressional seat.

Shadegg said Thursday he would not seek another term in the district that includes north Phoenix, Anthem and Paradise Valley.

That has sparked speculation on who might seek the job.

Gordon has been mentioned as a possible Democratic candidate in the Republican-oriented district.

The Phoenix mayor said Friday he would be looking at the lay of the land in the race.
“There’s no doubt that Phoenix needs another strong advocate in Washington who can make sure we get our fair share of federal resources while creating an environment where the private sector can thrive, and I've received dozens of calls encouraging me to look at the race. Nevertheless, my focus remains creating jobs and economic opportunity in the city of Phoenix, so it makes sense to let the political dust to settle for a few days before spending any time looking at this,” said Gordon.

Democrats would have an uphill climb in winning Shadegg’s seat. Shadegg defeated Democratic attorney Bob Lord in the most recent election, and first won in 1994.
A number of Republicans are also looking at running for the seat. State Sen. Pam Gorman, R-Phoenix, told the Phoenix Business Journal Thursday night she’s considering a run.
Other potential GOP candidates include State Sens. Jim Waring and Barbara Leff as well as State Reps. Sam Crump and Jim Weiers.

Shadegg announced his retirement the day after State Treasurer Dean Martin announced he was running for governor. Martin had been eyeing Shadegg’s seat.
Paradise Valley Mayor Vernon Parker also lives in the district but is also making a bid for governor this year.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Update and Comment from American Conservative Republican.
By Bob Haran

According to both Sam Crump and Jim Waring, they will be candidates for the GOP CD 3 Congressional nomination, this is confirmed by me after speaking with both directly. Two indirect sources have told me that Pam Gorman has also entered the field but this has not yet been confirmed. Barbara Leff and Thayer Verschoor are both running for Arizona Treasurer to replace Dean Martin, who's campaign for the GOP governor's nomination is in full swing. I have no information regarding Jim Weiers throwing his hat into the ring in CD 3. I never did ask Vernon Parker if he had any interest in running for congress, however, he also seems to be fully engaged in seeking the GOP nomination for governor.

Based on conversations I had both before the Maricopa County Republican Committee meeting Saturday in Tempe and during it, both Crump and Waring seem to be the favorites in the Republican political community, with Crump slightly ahead of Waring, but both very acceptable to almost everyone I spoke with. Actually I don't recall any negative comments regarding any of the names mentioned as possible candidates.

Contrary to predictions by some political commentators, minus a major event, John Shadegg's congressional seat looks to be safely Republican in 2010, even if Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon were to obtain the Democrat nomination.

In the best interest of my country, I have no plans to run for congress but I have been asked to run for Sam Crump's Arizona House seat from LD 6. More on my plans and LD 6 on a later post. I'm truly overwhelmed by the positive response to a possible Haran candidacy however. Steve Kaiser, an Army reserve captain and Afgan veteran has resumed his campaign for the Arizona House from LD 6 and so far, he seems acceptable to me and because he is younger and prettier then me and also vetted by the U.S. Army, I would probable not obstruct his gaining the nomination by running myself, that is not final however at this time. Hopefully my plans will be announced early next week.

A Message from a Marine in Iraq to All Vietnam Vets

2009-12-25T18:49:00.004-07:00

A Pal sent this to me, even though it is a bit long it is worth passing on.

Please Send to all Vietnam Vets you know.

Listen up. Your care of today’s military folks is being recognized and appreciated.

Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 8:01 PM

A Thank You to Vietnam Vets from a Marine in Iraq

A guy gets time to think over here and I was thinking about all the support we get from home. Sometimes it's overwhelming. We get care packages at times faster than we can use them. There are boxes and boxes of toiletries and snacks lining the center of every tent; the generosity has been amazing. So, I was pondering the question: "Why do we have so much support?"

In my opinion, it came down to one thing: Vietnam. I think we learned a lesson, as a nation, that no matter what, you have to support the troops who are on the line, who are risking everything. We treated them so poorly back then. When they returned was even worse. The stories are nightmarish of what our returning warriors were subjected to. It is a national scar, a blemish on our country, an embarrassment to all of us.

After Vietnam, it had time to sink in. The guilt in our collective consciousness grew. It shamed us. However, we learned from our mistake.

Somewhere during the late 1970's and into the 80's, we realized that we can't treat our warriors that way. So, starting during the Gulf War, when the first real opportunity arose to stand up and support the troops, we did. We did it to support our friends and family going off to war. But we also did it to right the wrongs from the Vietnam era. We treated our troops like the heroes they were, acknowledged and celebrated their sacrifice, and rejoiced at their homecoming instead of spitting on them. And that support continues today for those of us in Iraq. Our country knows that it must support us and it does. The lesson was learned in Vietnam and we are better because of it.

Everyone who has gone before is a hero. They are celebrated in my heart. I think admirably of all those who have gone before me. From those who fought to establish this country in the late 1770's to those I serve with here in Iraq. They have all sacrificed to ensure our freedom. But when I get back, I'm going to make it a personal mission to specifically thank every Vietnam Vet I encounter for their sacrifice. Because if nothing else good came from that terrible war, one thing did. It was the lesson learned on how we treat our warriors. We as a country learned from our mistake and now treat our warriors as heroes, as we should.

I am the beneficiary of their sacrifice. Not only for the freedom they, like veterans from other wars, ensured, but for how well our country now treats my fellow Marines and I. We are the beneficiaries of their sacrifice.

Semper Fidelis,

Major Brian P. Bresnahan

United States Marine Corps

reply;

Thank you Major but we were just doing what you are doing now, paying our dues to our great nation.

Merry Christmas and Semper Fidelis,

Bob Haran,

USMC 1968-71

A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FROM RONALD REAGAN

2009-12-25T15:30:00.003-07:00

A Christmas message was eloquently delivered to the American people by an American president in December 1981, that president was a former movie actor and Republican governor of California who went on to become one of America's greatest presidents, his name was Ronald Reagan.

December 23, 1981

Good Evening,

At Christmas time, every home takes on a special beauty a special warmth. And that’s certainly true at the White House where so many famous Americans have spent their Christmases over the years. This fine old home—the people’s house—has seen so much, been so much a part of all our lives and history.

G.K. Chesterton once said that “The world would never starve for wonders, but only for the want of wonder.” At this special time of year we all renew our sense of wonder in recalling the story of the first Christmas in Bethlehem nearly 2,000 years ago.

Some celebrate Christmas as the birthday of a great and good philosopher and teacher. Others of us believe in the Divinity of the child born in Bethlehem, that He was, and is, the promised Prince of Peace.

Yes, we’ve questioned why He, who could perform miracles, chose to come among us as a helpless babe. But maybe that was His first miracle; His first great lesson that we should learn to care for one another.

Tonight, in millions of American homes the glow of the Christmas tree is a reflection of the love Jesus taught us. Like the shepherds and wise men of that first Christmas, we Americans have always tried to follow a higher light—a star if you will. At lonely campfire vigils along the frontier, in the darkest days of the Great Depression, through war and peace, the twin beacons of faith and freedom have brightened the American sky.

At times our footsteps may have fallen, but trusting in God’s help we’ve never lost our way. Just across the way from the White House stand the two great emblems of the holiday season: a Menorah, symbolizing the Jewish festival of Hanukkah and the National Christmas Tree, a beautiful towering blue spruce from Pennsylvania.

Like the National Christmas Tree, our country is a living, growing thing planted in the rich American soil. Only our devoted care can bring it to full flower. So let this holiday season be for us a time of re-dedication. Christmas means so much because of One special child.

But Christmas also reminds us that all children are special; that they are gifts from God; gifts beyond price that mean more than any presents money can buy. In their love and laughter, in our hopes for their future, lies the true meaning of Christmas.

So, in a spirit of gratitude for what we’ve been able to achieve together over the past year, and looking forward to all that we hope to achieve together in the years ahead, Nancy and I want to wish you all the best of holiday seasons.

As Charles Dickens, who said it so well in A Christmas Carol, “God bless us, every one.”
Good night.

***

ACR;

At this time in history, when our country is facing war by an enemy who has no love, let us show love for all.

We ask the one true God to watch over our best patriots, who are now defending our great nation at great sacrifice to themselves, let them return home safely and in return for the time they spent in war, let them have lives of peace.

Let us remember this day is to celebrate the coming into the world of our savior Jesus, let us remember to pray to him for forgiveness of our many sins and his guidance in all we do.

Have a Merry Christmas,

Bob Haran,

American Conservative Republican

A MESSAGE FROM OUR GOVERNOR

2009-12-16T18:12:00.002-07:00

Last March I proposed to the Arizona Legislature a comprehensive, multi-year solution to address our massive state budget deficit. But many of the important components of that plan have yet to be adopted by the Legislature. This year I have implemented the largest state budget reductions ever in our state’s history. Further budget reductions will certainly be necessary, but much more work remains to rescue the finances of our state. Reality about the depth of this deficit and fiscal crisis must set in.

We, who have taken an oath to steer this Arizona ship, cannot now refuse to take the helm. Arizonans expect us to do our duty. That’s what they deserve. They are entitled to our very best – our courage to confront difficulties in the pursuit of solutions, not political points or partisan gamesmanship. The time has come to put aside temptations to run from what this moment in Arizona history demands of us. The time has come to place our hands on the wheel and do what we all know is right.

As Governor, I ask that we confront our financial plight with the strength of a united purpose. That is our commitment to Arizona. Let us fulfill it.

GOP Governors want a Kinder, Gentler Party

2009-11-21T13:21:00.003-07:00

From Politics Daily,
Melinda Henneberger,
Editor in Chief

AUSTIN – Here's what I did not hear at the annual confab of Republican governors held here this week: The words socialist, extremist, or government takeover. With the focus on jobs, jobs and jobs, the only red meat was the Texas barbecue. And by design, there was no Obama-bashing.

The surest sign that leaders of the post-George W. Bush, post-Karl Rove GOP really might feel as optimistic as their talking points sound is that they are not only moving away from the last decade's focus on wedge issues and personal attacks, but are explicitly repudiating them. Rhetorically, at least, they have ditched the whole Rove approach – that the party with the angriest base will have the greater turnout, and thus will win. They see independent voters as the way to win in 2010.

"When Bush became president,'' Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour said from the podium, "there was a hardening of partisanship" that worked in the Republicans' favor in '02 and '04, but against them in '06 and '08. He spoke approvingly of voters moving now towards a post-partisan moment in which "people will say 'I vote for the woman, not the party.' ''
Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle followed up on that politically correct happy talk: "I hope it does go in a direction where people can work together,'' she said, and ended the session with a pacific "Aloha!''

Barbour cautioned Republican candidates to refrain from attacking the president, period: "People want the president to succeed; good Lord, they want the country to succeed, and particularly the first African-American president has a lot of goodwill. . . . We need to be careful, we need to treat the president respectfully, we need to make this about policies, not personal. . . . This is a guy people like.''

Asked later whether he meant to suggest that tea-party rhetoric was hurting his party with the independent voters it needs to win, he said no: "I'm talking about winning candidates being prudent at what they talk about.'' In the recent gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia, it was the losing Democratic candidates who were relentlessly negative. Barbour called Virginia's Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell a "master'' at the new model of candidate he'd like to recruit more of: "He never got off on personalities, and winning candidates don't; they're not shrill, they're not accusatory.''

So, is the party moving away from a focus on social issues like gay marriage and abortion?
Barbour said that smart politicians talk about whatever is on the minds of voters, and right now that's not social but economic issues.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty said that even when social issues are broached, they should be discussed in a way that's "thoughtful, civil, respectful and a tone that's not condescending.''
It's not surprising that party leaders said they like their chances in '10, when 37 gubernatorial and 37 Senate races will be on the ballot. But Barbour went so far as to predict a 1994-style Republican blowout next year: "I was chairman of the party 16 years ago when we were similarly situated'' – having just won gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia in 1993, a year into a new Democratic administration and energized by the victories of Christie Todd Whitman and George Allen. The two moments are a lot alike, he said – only "this feels better.''

GOD Bless our Veterans

2009-11-11T11:27:00.001-07:00

It is the veteran, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the veteran, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the veteran, not the campus organizer, who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.

It is the veteran, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the veteran, like you, who salutes the flag, who served under the flag, and whose coffin will be draped by the flag.

GOD Bless our Veterans!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

2009-11-10T00:42:00.002-07:00

To all past and present Marines and members of the Marine Corps family, happy 234 years of service to our great country.

The Marine Corps dates from 10 November 1775, the day the Continental Congress authorized the formation of two battations of Marines.

The first Marine recruiting rendezvous opened at Tun's Tavern in Philadelphia, which is considered the birth place of the Marine Corps.

By early 1776, before the Declaration of Independence was signed, the Marines were ready to take the fight to the enemy and 234 Marines sailed from Philadelphia in Continential Navy warships. The mission was to take a British fort in the Bahamas and capture large supplies of munitions for General Washington's army and on 3 March 1776, for the first time in American History, the Marines had landed and the situation was well in hand.

Since the birth of the Corps, as the Marines's Hymm says,

"We have fought in every clime and place
Where we could take a gun.
In the snow of far-off northern lands
And in sunny trobic scenes,
You will find us always on the job-
The United States Marines."

And so to my brother and sister Marines, we few who have earned the title of Marine, as the end of our hymm proclaims, I offer this toast on our Corps birthday.

"Here's health to you and to our Corps
Which we our proud to serve;
In many a strife we've fought for life
And never lost our nerve.
If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven's scenes,
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines."

Semper Fidelis

Bob Haran,
USMC 1968-71

Once a Marine, always a Marine

"The Axis of Idiots"

2009-11-08T12:41:00.002-07:00

"The Axis of Idiots"

By J. D. Pendry,

Retired Sergeant Major,

United States Marine Corp

Jimmy Carter, you are the father of the Islamic Nazi movement. You threw the Shah under the bus, welcomed the Ayatollah home, and then lacked the spine to confront the terrorists when they took our embassy and our people hostage. You're the "runner-in-chief."

Bill Clinton, you played ring around the Lewinsky while the terrorists were at war with us. You got us into a fight with them in Somalia and then you ran from it. Your weak-willed responses to the USS Cole and the First Trade Center Bombing and Our Embassy Bombings emboldened the killers.. Each time you failed to respond adequately, they grew bolder, until 9/11/2001.

John Kerry, dishonesty is your most prominent attribute. You lied about American Soldiers in Vietnam. Your military service, like your life, is more
fiction than fact. You've accused our military of terrorizing women and children in Iraq. You called Iraq the wrong war, wrong place, wrong time, and the same words you used to describe Vietnam. You're a fake! You want to run from Iraqand abandon the Iraqis to murderers just as you did to the Vietnamese. Iraq, like Vietnam, is another war that you were for, before you were against it.

John Murtha, you said our military was broken.. You said we can't win militarily in Iraq. You accused United States Marines of cold-blooded murder without proof and said we should redeploy to Okinawa. Okinawa, John? And the Democrats call you their military expert! Are you sure you didn't suffer a traumatic brain injury while you were off building your war hero resume? You're a sad, pitiable, corrupt, and washed up old fool. You're not a Marine, sir.. You wouldn't amount to a good pimple on a real Marine's ass. You're a phony and a disgrace. Run away, John.

Dick Durbin, you accused our Soldiers at Guantanamo of being Nazis, tenders of Soviet style gulags and as bad as the regime of Pol Pot, who murdered two million of his own people after your party abandoned Southeast Asia to the Communists. Now you want to abandon the Iraqis to the same fate. History was not a good teacher for you, was it? Lord help us! See Dick run.

Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Carl Levine, Barbara Boxer, Diane Feinstein, Russ Feingold, Pat Leahy, Barack Obama, Chuck Schumer, the Hollywood Leftist morons, et al, ad nauseam: Every time you stand in front of television cameras and broadcast to the Islamic Nazis that we went to war because our President lied, that the war is wrong and our Soldiers are torturers, that we should leave Iraq, you give the Islamic butchers - the same ones that tortured and mutilated American Soldiers - cause to think that we'll run away again, and all they have to do is hang on a little longer.. It is inevitable that we, the infidels, will have to defeat the Islamic jihadists. Better to do it now on their turf, than later on ours after they have gained both strength and momentum.

American news media, the New York Times particularly: Each time you publish stories about national defense secrets and our intelligence gathering methods, you become one united with the sub-human pieces of camel dung that torture and mutilate the bodies of American Soldiers. You can't strike up the courage to publish cartoons, but you can help Al Qaeda destroy my country. Actually, you are more dangerous to us than Al Qaeda is. Think about that each time you face Mecca to admire your Pulitzer.

You are America's 'AXIS OF IDIOTS.' Your Collective Stupidity will destroy us. Self-serving politics and terrorist-abetting news scoops are more important to you than our national security or the lives of innocent civilians and Soldiers. It bothers you that defending ourselves gets in the way of your elitist sport of politics and your ignorant editorializing. There is as much blood on your hands as is on the hands of murdering terrorists. Don't ever doubt that. Your frolics will only serve to extend this war as they extended Vietnam. If you want our Soldiers home as you claim, knock off the crap and try supporting your country ahead of supporting your silly political aims and aiding our enemies.

Yes, I'm questioning your patriotism. Your loyalty ends with self. I'm also questioning why you're stealing air that decent Americans could be breathing. You don't deserve the protection of our men and women in uniform. You need to run away from this war, this country. Leave the war to the people who have the will to see it through and the country to people who are willing to defend it.

Our country has two enemies: Those who want to destroy us from the outside and those who attempt it from within.

Semper Fi,
J. D. Pendry - Sergeant Major, USMC, Retired

This is a savvy man. He has nailed it down pretty good. Too bad it won't do any good. There won't be 1 in 10 that receive it who will forward it.

It's Official, Brewer is Running

2009-11-06T01:20:00.005-07:00

November 5, 2009,
Phoenix, AZ
By Bob Haran

Early today Arizona Governor Jan Brewer submitted the initial paperwork with the Secretary of State to run for election in her own right as Governor.

Brewer inherited the Governor's office in January when former Governor Janet Napolitano, a Democrat, resigned in order to become U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security in the Obama administration.

The duties and responsibilities of the office of Governor were not the only things Brewer inherited from Napolitano. Brewer said that she inherited a budget deficit created from years of overspending and living beyond our means.

To reduce spending and manage the budget Brewer and the Republican controlled Legislature made the largest spending cuts in Arizona history, around $1 billion.

Brewer admitted that some of those cuts were not easy to make but also said that, "tough times call for a tough leader."

In August Governor Brewer and the Republican leadership of the Arizona Legislature reached an agreement which was praised by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) as an alternative to tax, spend, and tax again. Designed to entice more employers and high-income taxpayers to Arizona and to stimulate the economy by putting more money in the hands of consumers, instead of trying to tax their way out of a huge budget deficit, Arizona would grow its way out by repealing the hated business property tax, reducing the state corporate income tax rate from 6.97% to 4.86%, and in addition, cutting all personal income tax rates by 6.6%. In exchange for the tax cuts the legislature would allow the voters to decide if they were willing to temporarily pay an extra one cent on the dollar in sales tax for two years and a half cent for a third year.

The WSJ article pointed out that economic studies have shown that states have more jobs and higher income growth when they tax consumption rather than savings, investment and business profits.

The tax and spend Democrats called the agreement a tax giveaway to big business and voted as a block against it. The package past however in the Republican controlled House but ran into trouble in the Republican controlled Senate when two extremist, anti-government senators, Pam Gorman of LD 6 and Ron Gould of LD 3, broke ranks with the Republican party and voted with the Democrats against the sales tax referral to the voters, defeating it by one vote, thereby killing the agreement and forcing the governor to veto the tax cuts. Later Gorman resigned as Senate Majority Whip, citing philosophical differences with the Republican Caucus and went on a mid-west vacation.

Jan Brewer is a conservative Republican from Glendale who was first elected to the Arizona House in 1982 and to the Arizona Senate in 1986 were she also served as Majority Whip for two terms. In 1996 she was elected to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and went on to become Chairman of the Board.

First elected to statewide office in 2002 as Arizona Secretary of State and re-elected in 2006. Brewer has been a Republican Precinct Committeemen since 1970 and has always been a stalwart, hard working Republican who has never lost an election.

After taking office as governor, Brewer told the Arizona Daily Star; "First I was worried, then I was concerned, and now I'm just angry to see what has happened and the irresponsible management that has led us to the brink of bankruptcy."

It seems that Napolitano knew when to abandon a ship in trouble, thankfully Brewer is made of sterner stuff and will not abandon ship because Brewer has the Right Stuff.

Bob Haran,
American Conservative Republican

Bob Burns, "Let the Voters Decide"

2009-11-04T12:13:00.002-07:00

Burns on budget: We’re out of gimmicks and time
November 3, 2009 by azsenaterepublicans

In today’s Arizona Republic, Senate President Bob Burns says let voters decide what they’re willing to do to help our state recover:

Your state government is in trouble. The money we collect in taxes and fees from you, your neighbors and your employers has declined sharply during this economic crisis. The money the state spends to educate our children, provide healthcare and welfare benefits and public safety services, is far outpacing the money we’re taking in.

The latest estimate of our current budget deficit is $2 billion. There are really four major components to that number. The first is that plummeting revenue that caused last year’s budget to fall short by $500 million. That’s money we already spent. Whether we like it or not, we will have to find the revenue for it in FY 2010.

Another factor affecting the deficit is the aftermath of the governor vetoing significant parts of the budget package the Legislature sent her last summer – the Department of Economic Security (welfare) and K-12 education budgets, and the bill containing budget provisions relating to taxation and revenue. That added another $500 million to the deficit.

The remaining $1 billion of the $2 billion deficit stems from a number of projections that are considered highly likely: that our tax revenues will continue to fall ($700 million) and that demand for healthcare for the poor will grow and other provisions of the FY 2010 budget will not generate the savings we had hoped for ($300 million).

Meanwhile, the overall public message to the Legislature has continued to be “Don’t raise taxes and don’t cut spending.” The previous governor, despite clear signs of economic stress and dropping revenues, insisted on significant increases in spending. While I think we should have been much more aggressive in our effort to control or decrease spending, the fact of the matter is that we are essentially budgeting the same spending level as when the recession began.

To maintain a general fund budget of about $10 billion over the last few years of this recession, your state government – Republicans and Democrats alike – have depleted our savings, delayed payments, swept funds from other accounts, used one-time federal stimulus dollars, and gone deeper into debt. Our projected ongoing revenues are only $6.4 billion, meaning the budget has a structural deficit of $3.6 billion that will plague us in the future until we enact permanent solutions.

Now we’ve hit the wall on short-term budget maneuvers and gimmicks. Those options are no longer available. We will have to cut spending or increase taxes, or both. There is very little else of substance we can do at this point.

Many of you know that I have a reputation as a fiscal conservative from my many years as chair of the appropriations committees in both the House and Senate. When it comes to making decisions on how to spend taxpayer dollars, I have always seen my role as that of a gatekeeper, not a gift-giver.

Over the years I have come to the opinion that many people tend to exaggerate the restrictions on the Legislature’s legal authority to reduce spending. Nevertheless, there are real limits that come in various forms: federal, constitutional, judicial, and electoral.

We need to act decisively, and time is not on our side. It won’t be long before state employees won’t be able to cash their paychecks. This insolvency of state government will affect more of you than you might think.

I surprised many people when I announced earlier this year my support for putting a one-cent sales tax increase on the ballot. Do not misunderstand me. The revenue generated from such a tax increase (less than $900 million in current economic conditions) will not entirely solve the problem. I also recognize the distinct possibility that voters may reject any such proposal. In either case, I will continue to advocate for more reductions in state spending to balance the budget.

I will support putting the referral to a vote in the Legislature whenever and as many times as we need to in order to get the question to the voters. But I will not be supportive of higher state spending as a price to get those votes.

We have lost enough precious time already. The question needs to be asked: Are you willing to pay, in addition to your current tax burdens, another penny on the dollar in sales tax in order to provide more revenue for your government? There may not be an official declaration that Arizona is in a state of emergency, but in my view, we’re in one.

Brewer Honored with Achievement Award

2009-10-24T14:05:00.003-07:00

Brewer Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
By Helaine Chersonsky
　
Congratulations and kudos to Governor Jan Brewer, who will receive the 2009 John F. Long Lifetime Achievement Award on November 5 at the Renaissance Glendale Hotel and Spa. The Phoenix Business Journal described the award being given to the governor in spite of the recent “nail-biting legislative session.” As I see it, the award is actually an acknowledgment of Governor Brewer’s political courage in the face of the U.S. tanked economy and the reality of lower revenues for states because of the on-going recession-depression.
Governor Brewer has always displayed a combination of political courage and common sense as she has served the state of Arizona in her capacity as Arizona’s Secretary of State. I want to remind the citizens of Arizona about the financial debacle former governor Janet Napolitano left the state of Arizona in when she became head of the Department of Homeland Security under our “dear leader” President Barack Obama.
Napolitano’s spending spree during her years as governor put the state of Arizona on a deficit footing with increased expenditures for the state on a three-year average of 13.25 percent (these figures are taken from the Arizona 10-year budget history from 2000 to 2009). Napolitano was also warned by the treasurer about the budget-busting expenditures. Think about one of Napolitano’s pet projects: day care for children under five years old; now think about how much that one little item cost per year and you will have a small idea of Arizona’s budget deficit and the reason for the budget deficit in 2009.

Pullen on the fall of ACORN

2009-10-23T10:58:00.002-07:00

"One too many nuts have fallen from this tree," said Arizona Republican Party Chairman Randy Pullen, as public outcry mounts for a transparent and accountable investigation into the activities of Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN.)

Widely reported in the national news media, ACORN employees were recently filmed giving two individuals posing as a pimp and prostitute, illicit financial advice encouraging them to scam the Internal Revenue Service. This comes on the heals of nearly a dozen arrest warrants being issued in Miami for ACORN workers suspected of falsifying information on hundreds of voter registration cards last year, and States from coast to coast clamping down public funding to the corrupt organization.

"Over the years, we've all suspected that ACORN was involved in nefarious activities," said Chairman Pullen. "Now we can see exactly what they are up to, and it is as disturbing as it is appalling. ACORN officials would have you believe that the actions of a few employees are not representative of their organization, but a few poisoned apples makes me suspicious of the whole barrel. I suspect the more people look into the ACORN's activities, the more irregularities they will find. I think that this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg."

"Ironically, they are appointing someone to oversee an internal investigation who already has a criminal record," the Chairman continued. "Henry Cisneros, who may be best known for being caught lying to the FBI prior to being named as Clinton's Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, will participate in the probe into ACORN's practices. I can think of no better person to advise ACORN on legal issues than someone who had a mistress convicted of bank fraud and obstruction of justice," he said. "This man also sat on the board of Countrywide Financial which was roundly criticized for their dubious mortgage practices which allowed borrowers to buy homes without down payments, income verification and who allowed monthly payments that didn't even cover the interest. This is the guy they want looking into their misdeeds? You couldn't make this up if you tried."

"More troubling is the media's coverage and President Obama response," said Chairman Pullen. "All but one of last Sunday's talk shows failed to address the issue, but when they did, the President brushed it off as if he was vaguely aware of the controversy. President Obama has evidently seems to be suffering from have short-term memory loss when it comes to his involvement with ACORN. He worked with ACORN for 20 years. He was a community organizer, Director of Project Vote in Chicago, and even served as their attorney. But I guess we shouldn't be surprised by this approach towards his involvement with ACORN. During the campaign he denied had been an ACORN trainer until the New York Times proved he was. We all know that the President has a soft spot in his heart for ACORN, but these recent revelations warrant a strong and immediate response from President Obama."

"Some Democrats like the New York Attorney General have launched full investigations and we need more to follow the lead of Republican Governors from Georgia, Louisiana and California who have already halted ACORN's funding. Even the nonpartisan Census Bureau has severed ties with the group. The question is, 'Who will be the last person left on this sinking ship'?"

Pearce Demands End to Sanctuary Cities.

2009-10-22T14:21:00.005-07:00

Arizona State Senate

1700 W. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 85007

Sen. Russell Pearce, R-18
Chair, Senate Appropriations Committee
602-926-5760

NEWS RELEASE

Oct. 21, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Pearce Demands End to Sanctuary City and “Catch and Release” Policies

Legislation would crack down on these illegal practices

(STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX) – State Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, J.D. Hayworth, Phoenix Law Enforcement Association President Mark Spencer and others today demanded the end to sanctuary city and “catch and release” policies and pledged to deal with recent attempts by the federal government to erode the progress made in Arizona in combating this problem. Pearce announced he will file a citizen’s initiative and has the support of the Governor’s Office to eliminate these illegal practices.

“We pledge to work with the governor to end these ‘catch and release’ policies and remove the political handcuffs on our law enforcement. Enough is enough,” Pearce said. “The Governor’s Office has assured me they will work with us to end these illegal policies and support our law enforcement and our Hometown Heroes.”

Pearce points to the federal government and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano for trying to erode the progress made in Arizona with our tough and effective laws.

“If our leaders want to address the growing disdain, they must first restore trust with the American people. If you say you are going to secure our borders, then secure them, if you say you are going to enforce the law, then enforce it. If you take an oath of office then keep it,” Pearce declared.

Pearce unveiled his legislation, the “Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act,” that would crack down on illegal immigration in the following three ways:

1. Outlawing sanctuary city policies by prohibiting cities and towns in Arizona from limiting or restricting enforcement federal immigration laws to less than the full extent of the law. This state has seen and continues to see various open border special interests groups constantly apply pressure to give illegal immigrants a pass. Outlawing sanctuary cities makes sure the dedicated men and women in Arizona law enforcement are not handcuffed by bureaucrats who would turn a blind eye to the illegal immigration crisis.

2. The second provision would make it a Class 1 misdemeanor for an illegal alien to enter into or be on any public or private land in Arizona if they are in violation of federal immigration law. The charge is elevated to a Class 4 felony if someone is convicted, deported and they return to Arizona. The charge would rise to a Class 2 felony if this person violates this section of the law while committing other crimes involving illegal drugs, weapons or terrorism.

3. The third provision puts some needed teeth in the state’s employer sanctions law. It would give civil subpoena power to prosecuting agencies enabling them to question witnesses and obtained needed documentation. That’s the same type of authority that is used by the Arizona Insurance Department and the Department of Liquor License and Control. This authority will give prosecutors the ability to more efficiently and more quickly investigate claims. It will essentially open the second half of the employer sanctions law that up until now has dealt primarily with criminal complaints against employees.

“We have seen sharp decreases in both crime and illegal immigration, which demonstrates that enforcement works. What we need to do now is safeguard that enforcement by making some much needed changes in state law. Illegal immigration creates one of the greatest hardships on working families who live in neighborhoods impacted by kidnappings, home invasions, gangs, drugs and drop houses. They see their wages depressed by greedy business owners who exploit an illegal work force. This law will also have a deterrent effect. Until the federal government wakes up to the crisis, illegal border crossers will at least be on notice to stay out of Arizona,” Pearce said.

County Attorney Andrew Thomas said “I greatly appreciate Sen. Pearce’s continuing efforts to reign in illegal immigration by giving law enforcement and prosecutors the tools they need to address this crisis. By strengthening our employer sanctions law, outlawing sanctuary city policies, and making it a crime to illegally immigrate into Arizona, this legislation would send a strong deterrent message to would-be illegal immigrants and the people who hire them.”

Sheriff Joe Arpaio stated, “This new legislation is very important given the fact that the federal government has moved to restrict my authority to enforce illegal immigration laws. Their recent action in doing so makes this legislation even more critical to ensure that state laws are in place so I can continue to do my job.”

Officer Mark Spencer, president of the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association stated, “It’s never wrong to support the rule of law. Phoenix Police officers see a clear connection between illegal immigration and the quality of life in the city of Phoenix. When it comes to illegal immigration, rank and file Phoenix police officers have paid a heavy price protecting our communities. Over 80 percent of PLEA members are supportive of legislation that gives them the discretionary ability to enforce immigration statutes.”

Pearce shifted his plan to address this crisis from a call for an immediate special session to filing a citizen’s initiative and letting the voters decide. He remains open to tackling it in a special session or in the regular session that begins in January. He is pleased to have the support of the Governor’s Office to end these illegal practices.

Supporters of this legislation include the following members of the Arizona Legislature:

Rep. Frank Antenori

Rep. Cecil Ash

Rep. Ray Barnes

Rep. Andy Biggs

Rep. Judy Burges Rep. Steve Court

Rep. Rich Crandall

Rep. Sam Crump

Rep. Doris Goodale

Rep. David Gowan

Rep. Laurin Hendrix

Rep. John Kavanagh

Rep. Debbie Lesko

Rep. Lucy Mason

Rep. Nancy McLain

Rep. Steve Montenegro

Rep. Rick Murphy

Rep. Warde Nichols

Rep. Franklin Pratt

Rep. Michele Reagan

Rep. Carl Seel

Rep. David Stevens

Rep. Andy Tobin

Rep. Jerry Weiers

Rep. Jim Weiers

Rep. Vic Williams

Rep. Steve Yarbrough

Sen. Sylvia Allen

Sen. Bob Burns

Sen. Ron Gould

Sen. Linda Gray

Sen. Jack Harper

Sen. John Huppenthal

Sen. Al Melvin

Sen. Jonathan Paton

Sen. Steve Pierce

Sen. Thayer Verschoor

Sen. Jim Waring

Additional supporters of the “Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act” include:

Latest poll: 89 percent of the public
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio
Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas
Mark Spencer, president, Phoenix Law Enforcement Association
Ed Tuffly, Local 2544 president, National Border Patrol Council
Brian Fieros Thomas Hardie, Local Union No. 394 Plasterers' and Cement Masons
Arizona Republican Party by a unanimous resolution
Rob Haney, Maricopa County Republican Party Chairman
Tom Husband, Maricopa County Republican Party executive director
Sandy Doty, member-at-large, Maricopa County Republican Party
Pinal Co. Sheriff Babeu
Mohave Co. Sheriff Sheahan
Yavapai Co. Sheriff Waugh
Cochise Co. Sheriff Dever
Gila Co. Sheriff Armer
Navajo Co. Sheriff Clark
Graham Co. Sheriff Allred
Greenlee Co. Sheriff Tucker
The Maricopa Deputy's Law Enforcement Association
Arizona Highway Patrol Association
Bryan Stoller, Arizona Fraternal Order of Police
Col. Albert Rodriguez , president of You Don't Speak for Me
Arizona African American Republican Club
Arizona Republican Assembly
Anna Gaines, president, American Citizens United
NAILEM
The Pachyderms
9-11 Families for a Secure America
United Sovereign America (USA)

Pearce Calls for Special Session

2009-10-21T07:14:00.004-07:00

Pearce calls for special session to address illegal immigration crisis

WHAT:

Advocates of tougher illegal immigration laws will hold a press conference Wednesday urging Gov. Jan Brewer to call a special session to address the immigration crisis and recent attempts by the federal government to erode Arizona’s progress in combating this problem.

"If our leaders want to address the growing disdain, they must first restore trust with the American people. If you say you are going to secure our borders, then secure them, if you say we are going to enforce the law, then enforce it. If you take an oath of office, then keep it," declared Sen. Russell Pearce.

Surrounded by more than 200 police officers and other supporters, Sen. Pearce will unveil legislation that would outlaw all sanctuary cities policies and toughen sanctions on people in the country illegally. Specifics of the bill and a list of 35+ legislators and additional proponents will be distributed.

“We have seen sharp decreases in both crime and illegal immigration, which demonstrates that enforcement works. What we need to do now is safeguard that enforcement by making some much needed changes in state law,” Pearce said.

WHO:

Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio
Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas
J.D. Hayworth, talk radio show host, KFYI
Mark Spencer, president, Phoenix Law Enforcement Association
Arizona Fraternal Order of Police members
Hundreds of members of state and federal law enforcement, citizen groups, victims of violent crimes and other supporters

WHEN:

10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009

WHERE:

Arizona State Capitol, Senate lawn
1700 W. Washington St., Phoenix, Ariz.

###

AZ FACING MORE CUTS

2009-10-16T16:08:00.002-07:00

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, a conservative Republican, inherited, as a result of the housing slump and a spending spree by Democrat former Governor, Janet Napolitano, a state government spending more then it was taking in. Hard, responsible, decisions had to be made and Brewer made them. She made the greatest cuts in state spending in Arizona history.

Brewer accepted reality however, budget cuts alone would not solve the budget crisis and let the Republican controlled legislature know that nothing was off the table, including the need for increased revenue to provide government services.

The governor sponsored a plan that was hailed by the Wall Street Journal as a budget breakthrough for state government and an alternative to the California tax and spend model. The plan would have repealed the hated tax on business property, would have provided one of the largest state corporate income tax cuts in the nation, from 6.97% down to 4.86% and cut all individual income tax rates by 6.6%. In exchange, the legislature would allow a one cent temporary sales tax increase to be referred to the voters. The temporary sales tax referral would have given the people of Arizona a say in how much they wanted to spend on government and would have only taken effect if they approved it.

Former U.S. Treasury economist Robert Carroll of the Tax Foundation claims that states with lower corporate tax rates have higher wages and more productivity. Small business also would have benefited from the lower rates, which would have allowed them to reinvest in their business.

Governor Brewer's plan was a, win-win, for Arizona and an agreement was reached with the Republican Caucus of both the House and the Senate to repeal the business property tax and cut the corporate and individual income tax rate in exchange for a referral to the voters of a temporary sales tax increase of one cent.

The Arizona House approved the agreement but two extremist in the Republican controlled Senate, Pamela Gorman and Ron Gould, who both claim to be Republican, broke ranks and voted with the Democrats against the sales tax referral and therefore killed the agreement.

Arizona now faces a $1,5 billion deficit for the FY 2010 and possibly a $3 billion deficit next year unless draconian cuts are made in state spending.

The governor's office has asked state agency directors to submit plans for a possible additional 15% cut in their budgets.

Some state agencies have reported what they would have to cut if budget cuts of 15% were required of their agencies because extremist in the legislature insist on cuts to close the state budget deficit.

According to a report in today's Arizona Republic.

The Arizona Department of Corrections would be forced to reduce its budget by $153 million. which would require;

* Early release of 13,000 prisoners.

* Reducing mandatory time served by 50 percent for most serious felonies,

* Closing the Arizona State Prison Complex at Douglas and the prisons at Globe, Fort Grant, and St. Johns,

* Laying off 1,500 employees.

In his letter to Brewer's budget director, Eileen Klein, DOC Director Charles Ryan explained, "Rewriting the criminal code and releasing thousands of prisoners is neither realistic nor in the best interest of public safety," and that , "Releasing thousands of prisoners because of the budget deficit will place the public at risk and is akin to turning our back on the law-abiding citizens of Arizona."

Arizona Department of Environmental Quality warned of increased noncompliance at landfills and bio-hazardous medical waste treatment facilities and reduced monitoring of pesticides entering the water systems in Arizona.

Arizona's universities, ASU, UofA and NAU, have already cut $231 million, or 21% of their state funding this year and estimate that a 15 % cut would equal an additional $135 million is cuts.

Regents President Ernest Calderon reported that, "We'd have to look at everything." Calderon explained that 15% was the equivalent of $1,300 in additional annual tuition charges per student or the elimination of 2,200 jobs.

The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, (AHCCCS), would be forced to reduce its budget by $44 million and would have to eliminate its Kids Care program, which currently covers 46,957 children, who would lose their health insurance coverage.

The Department of Public Safety, (DPS), Director, Roger Vanderpool, during a radio interview today said he would have fever officers, resulting in longer response time to emergencies. He estimated 570 to 600 employee cuts.

We may have to suffer further cuts that may turn Arizona into a third world state and seriously hurt the Republican party in future elections for the legislature and the governor's office, but Senator Pamela Gorman, who is eyeing a Congressional seat and Senator Ron Gould, can always say they never voted for a tax increase or referral and are therefore champions of the taxpayer, of course what is good for Gorman and Gould comes first before; country, state, community or party, at least according to Gorman and Gould.

Bob Haran,
American Conservative Republican

Hayworth Considering Run Against McCain

2009-10-05T21:07:00.002-07:00

According to a report in the Washington Post by Chris Cillizza, "former representative J.D. Hayworth is weighing a candidacy against Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) in 2010, according to sources familiar with his thinking. Hayworth, a former sportscaster who spent more than a decade in Congress before he was defeated in 2006 by Rep. Harry Mitchell (D), is a popular figure among grassroots conservatives -- a status McCain has never courted or achieved. McCain already faces a primary challenge from Chris Simcox, a founder of the Minutemen -- a leading anti-immigration group. While there is considerable resentment from some grassroots conservatives toward McCain, it's not clear that he is vulnerable to a primary challenge. McCain ended June with $4.65 million in the bank."

GOP NEEDS BUCKLEYS Not BIRTHERS & GLENN BECK

2009-10-01T13:48:00.003-07:00

OPINION

By Will Munsil - ASU

I begin by clarifying objectives: Like you, I desire a vibrant, intellectually serious, politically ascendant conservatism.

In political debates, we are often grateful for aid, from wherever it may come. But in the current struggle — a necessary one, I hasten to add — against the political agenda of President Barack Obama, too many conservatives have fallen to the temptation to find no enemies to the Right.

This has meant we have accepted, tacitly or explicitly, the aid of Glenn Beck, Orly Taitz, Michael Savage and the thousand anonymous lunatics called “Birthers” who maintain, clear evidence to the contrary, that Obama was born elsewhere, and serves in violation of the Constitution.

We have accepted, tacitly or explicitly, the Godwin’s Law-flaunting ravings of those who would compare the president, with clever ambiguities, to certain historical dictators.

We have accepted the metaphor of politics as war, and we have accepted that we must fight, as in war, with whatever weapons are at hand.

It’s easy enough to denounce the insane ranting of the Birthers, and we should. They destroy our credibility and damage our better arguments against the president’s agenda.

But we must also realize that many of the voices that have led conservatism in the past are not the voices that must lead it into the future.

William F. Buckley, the man most responsible for creating the intellectual movement that flounders today, was once faced with a familiar choice. Before Bush, before Reagan, and even before Goldwater, he was confronted with the dilemma of the John Birch Society.

The members of the society, to draw an easy modern comparison, were the Birthers of the 1960s. They were convinced that 60 to 80 percent of the American government was communist, that Eisenhower had been their agent and that anyone who did not accept these arguments was a willing accomplice to the Soviets.

Buckley treated them like the menace they were, writing what he termed a “five thousand word excoriation” of them in National Review.

We can cast out our Birchers, but where are our Buckleys?

Unlike in the 1960s, there is an intellectual void in conservatism. The market has spoken, and in many ways we have the leaders we deserve. Our side of the debate is driven by Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, the aforementioned Beck and by whichever congressman has most recently insulted the president. This is not to say these are bad people, or even that they’ve never contributed to the movement.

It is simply to say that a vibrant, intellectually serious, politically ascendant conservatism needs new voices, and that a modern American conservatism must take a new shape.

True conservatism, winning conservatism, is not afraid of argument. It is not angry or shrill. It does not call names. It does not denigrate the intellect. It is calm and measured. It is passionate in defense of great truths, yet reasonable in small differences.

We will discover new voices, ones that speak the language of our changing country instead of shouting at it for changing.

Until then, we race into uneasy exile when our country needs us most.

Reach Will at wmunsil@asu.edu.

TRENT FRANKS UNDER ATTACK

2009-10-01T12:18:00.002-07:00

By Helaine Chersonsky
　
Liberal blog, Huffington Post, attacked Congressman Trent Franks (R-AZ)
for comments Franks made at last weekend's "Take Back America" conference held in St. Louis, MO. The conference was sponsored by the American Family Association.

Franks criticized President Barack Obama's first act as president when he sent taxpayer money to fund abortions in other countries "in the middle of a financial meltdown."

The blog has posted a video on its site showing Franks' remarks about Obama.
Franks, who is staunchly pro-life, said if a president would prioritize abortion to that extent "there's almost nothing that you should be surprised at after that."
　

AZ Judge Blocks Pro-Life Laws

2009-09-30T13:32:00.002-07:00

From the Center for Arizona Policy.

September 30, 2009

State Court Stops New Abortion Measures from Taking Effect!

Late Tuesday, Maricopa County Judge Donald Daughton agreed with Planned Parenthood and decided that key provisions of Arizona's new abortion laws should not go into effect as scheduled on September 30. The judge gave no reasons for his decision but simply accepted Planned Parenthood's assertion that portions of the law should not be enforced while the lawsuit continues. Judge Daughton further denied our motion to intervene in the lawsuit.

For now, the judge's ruling has the following result:
Non-doctors like nurse practitioners may continue to perform first trimester surgical abortions.
Women do not have a right to an in-person consultation with a doctor 24 hours before having an abortion.
A parent's consent to their minor daughter's abortion does not have to be notarized.
Arizona's law granting rights of conscience protection does not cover abortion medication or pharmacists and pharmacy owners.

Judge Daughton's ruling, however, does allow these provisions to go into effect:

24-hour waiting period after the woman is provided information by a "qualified staff member" (although not necessarily in person), including the name of the doctor performing the abortion, the nature of the procedure, its risks and alternatives.
Women cannot be coerced into having an abortion.
Women cannot be forced to pay for an abortion before the 24-hour waiting period.
Women have a right to sue if the information is not provided.
Parents have a right to sue if the abortion clinic violates the parental consent statute.

In contrast, U.S. District Judge David Campbell in the federal case filed by Center for Reproductive Rights issued a 23-page ruling that abortion advocates had not met the legal standard for him to keep the law from being enforced.

We are very disappointed that Judge Daughton appeared to give little consideration to the needs of women considering an abortion. The blocked provisions are common sense regulations intended to protect the rights of women, parents, and health care professionals. Yesterday's rulings, however, are only "Round 1" in what promises to be a long legal battle.

CAP and our allies will continue to work to defend and protect these laws in their entirety. Now is not the time to grow weary or faint. Rather, it is the time to persevere. We very much appreciate your partnering with us to defend these laws.