The Washington Post exposes the duplicity of Jon Kyl, et al

While the rest of us eat turkey during Thanksgiving week, the Washington Post does a fine job exposing the pork on which Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl and his D.C. cohorts prefer to feast.

Within three days of Republican senators — along with incoming senators-elect — renounced earmarks, Kyl slipped in a $200 million gift to settle claims by black farmers and American Indians against the federal government. The measure was added by Kyl to a larger bill sought by none other than President Barack Obama and supported by Democrat senators Max Baucus, (MT) and Jeff Bingamon (NM).  In all, black farmers will get about $1.2 billion to settle fraud-laden claims that the Agriculture Department’s local offices discriminated against them.

And, Jeff Flake, the ever-grinning, self-absorbed pinup boy congressman from the East Valley who has made his political career a mantra of his abhorrence of earmark “pork” was all too happy to go along with this taxpayer funded excess. His willingness to spend exorbitant amounts on programs for illegals, as he routinely partners with one of the most radically liberal members of congress and skipped out on the highly significant Cap & Trade bill exemplifies what he is actually about.

The knowledge that talk is cheap, and no one holds your feet to the fire, is the glue that forges the bond between AZ Sens. Kyl and McCain and U.S. Rep. Flake.

In fact, the Obama administration’s Interior Department sought only $56 million for Indian land and water claims in Obama’s proposed budget for this year and no money for Kyl’s project, or those sought by Baucus and Bingaman.

But, what the hay, it’s all in the holiday spirit and we the taxpayers are footing the bill.

2010 Thanksgiving wishes to our readers

We take a moment to reflect today on the many blessings we enjoy as citizens of this great land, and wish the abundant bounties of this uniquely American holiday to each and every one of our readers.

Do yourself a favor and read this inspiring Thanksgiving Proclamation by President George Washington.

Liberal daily feigns concern re: AZ GOP

Yes, today’s editorial is correct. The Arizona Republican Party has a major rift. But the battle for control to which the lone and lengthy editorial devotes much space and anxiety, is not quite as portrayed.

The state party made historic gains in the recent November general elections, as evidenced by the stunning upsets in Congressional Districts One and Five, where liberal incumbents were turned out and replaced by conservative newcomers. In two other districts, Democrat tensions ran high as liberal incumbents teetered on the brink of defeat.  Republicans also swept into the new legislature with super majorities in both chambers and a Republican attorney general, while retaining the governor’s office, secretary of state, treasurer, superintendent of public instruction and control of the corporation commission. On the county level, the new county attorney is a Republican, supported by Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

If these impressive wins are indicative of a weakened party, it’s news to the Republicans who worked diligently to ensure such massive victories — reflected under the able, two-term leadership of state party chairman Randy Pullen.

The rift within the Arizona Republican Party shows itself through intra-party wrangling over leadership, as evidenced by the power plays in district elections for state committeemen, who in turn elect the state chairman and officers at the January state convention.

There is no vague malady here. The source of the internal woes has a name: John McCain. It is McCain, who along with surrogates Jon Kyl and Jeff Flake have done their best to guarantee the fissures. McCain, with the acquiescence of his willing cohorts, is the polarizing virus affecting the Arizona Republican Party. The potent contagion is the costly and divisive issue of illegal immigration advocacy, which McCain obscured by veering right as he waged his $22 million campaign against conservative and tea party favorite J.D. Hayworth.

The newspaper disingenuously gives cover to off-the-reservation Republicans and those who conspire with Democrats, such as Grant Woods, who endorsed a liberal Janet Napolitano clone for Attorney General. The editorial states such actions can be viewed as less than heretical in this “environment.”

The newspaper is wrong.

Failed CD 3 candidate Vernon Parker to unite AZ GOP?

Vernon Parker has announced his intent to run for chairman of the Arizona Republican Party.

Despite the stunning GOP upsets in Congressional Districts One and Five and near wins in two other congressional districts, Parker has declared that he is the candidate who can unite the Arizona Republican party. Republicans also swept into the new legislature with super majorities in both chambers.

“That’s been the problem with the party,” Parker said regarding factions within the AZ GOP. “I have a vision for where the party should be going, and that is to work with all facets of the party, and more importantly to make sure we maintain our core values.”

Parker, a onetime appointed Paradise Valley Mayor, is actively pursuing endorsements, saying he would announce several next week.

Just this year, Parker briefly campaigned for Arizona governor.  He abruptly left that race to mount a campaign for Congressional District Three. Parker lost in the August primary garnering only 17 % of the vote, and is now moving to his third campaign this year.

Here is Parker’s most recent announcement.

Dissatisfied with Republican sweep? Blame those old, rich, honkys

The lefties at the fishwrapper known as the Arizona Republic must have been thrilled to get this feed from their McClatchy News server. Given that the daily works with a skeleton crew and has lost a good chunk of its subscribers, this article saves Linda Valdez, and the remaining arch-liberals from having to manufacture their own boogey-men.

Now they can simply direct their ire at Grammy and Gramps.

Hull takes another crack at politics

 No, it’s not Jane tossing a chapeau into the political ring

Jumping her own political gun via a premature press release, LeAnn Hull has sent out this message: “The policies of the Mayor and City Council have dealt a blow to small business in Phoenix.  With less than a 25% occupancy rate in commercial office buildings and the highest unemployment rate in decades, it is time to change course and leadership. We need to put free enterprise first with a pro business leadership team.”

Although she states she will hold a formal press conference to publicly announce her candidacy for Mayor on December 1, 2010 at Club Entrepreneur at their 5:00 pm meeting, it will be an anti-climatic event, since she has expended whatever element of surprise she might have had with this early missive.

Citing her experience as a small business owner and entrepreneur, Hull continued, “Facing the failure of the current Mayor to provide real leadership to address the need to stop the spending as well as his failure to represent the people, I couldn’t sit on the sidelines and watch the city that I love continue to decline.”

Getting off to a shaky start, the press release came equipped with the misspelling of “publically,” which we gents generously corrected. At this early stage, Judith Allen, Hull’s flack, needs to pay attention to details. The rough and tumble hasn’t even begun.

In Hull’s previous venture as a candidate for a Third Congressional District seat during the August 2010 Republican primary, she hauled in a grand total of 1,044 votes (1.3 %) out of  a total 78,917 votes cast.

Prescott Superior Court judge selected as AZ Supreme Court Justice

Prescott attorney and judge, Robert Brutinel, has been selected as the newest Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court, filling the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Michael Ryan.

In announcing the appointment, Gov. Jan Brewer stated. “Judge Brutinel has served on the Yavapai County Superior Court with distinction and is known as a man of high honor and integrity. He will make an excellent addition to our already outstanding Supreme Court.”

Robert Brutinel, 52, is the Presiding Judge of the Yavapai County Superior Court. He was appointed to the Yavapai County Superior Court by Governor Fife Symington in 1996 to fill a vacancy, and was then elected to four subsequent terms by the voters of Yavapai County. He graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelors Degree in Economics in 1979, and received his law degree from the University of Arizona College Of Law in 1982. He was admitted to practice law in Arizona in 1982.

Judge Brutinel has presided over cases involving civil, criminal, juvenile, mental health, drug courts, probate and domestic relations matters. He currently handles juvenile dependency, delinquency, severance and adoption cases. Prior to serving as a judge he practiced law in Prescott focusing on Indian law and business and real estate matters. He is the past-president of the Arizona Judges Association and the Yavapai County Bar Association.

Notably, Judge Brutinel is reflective of Governor Brewer’s continuing effort to identify and appoint judges who share her philosophy that judges should strictly interpret and apply the laws as written by the Arizona Legislature.

“Judge Brutinel is one of the most distinguished and accomplished jurists in our State,” said Governor Brewer. “Although it will be difficult to fill the void left by the retirement of the Honorable Michael Ryan, I am certain Judge Brutinel is up to the challenge and will help the Arizona Supreme Court as it continues to lead the country in judicial excellence.”

Brutinel, like Ryan, whom he replaces, will now be the only Arizona Supreme Court Justice to have experience as a trial court judge. All of the other justices came to the bench from either private practice or the Court of Appeals.

Dem Wilcox’s weave wily web

Linda Bentley, the Sonoran News’ ace investigative reporter, does a bang-up job for the Phoenix Examiner, providing behind-the-scenes details on Maricopa County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox and her hubby, Earl — a former state representative and Janet Napolitano operative.

Names of the Democrat duo — practiced at profiteering on the backs of Arizona taxpayers — pop up whenever back door deals are discovered. Bentley’s report, Isn’t it high time citizens demand Maricopa County Supervisor Wilcox resign? is so chock full of damning information there appears to be little room for the Supervisor and Earl to slither out of this steaming cauldron.

It’s a never ending saga. Read more here, here, here, here.

Rumors abound that a recall of Mary Rose could be in the works.

Michael Chertoff and George Soros: TSA scanning device profiteers

The Washington Examiner exposes the left-wing, politically-connected lobby for the controversial TSA naked body scanners, noting that a company called Rapiscan received a $165 million contract for the new body image scanners four days after the underwear-bomber incident last Christmas.

And who surfaces behind the scenes? None other than the billionaire funder of the country’s liberal political infrastructure George Soros — who owns 11,300 shares of OSI Systems Inc., the company that owns Rapiscan. Not surprisingly, OSI’s stock has soared over the course of the year, as Soros reveals his skills as a savvy investor, aided by friends in high places.

And former Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff? As a consultant for the industry, he, too, is financially benefiting, representing the company which sells these scanners to his former department. Watch this:

Yesterday Seeing Red AZ wrote about the public outcry over the invasive screening practices.

Adding to the outrage are the TSA tactics. The Detroit Free Press reports that retired teacher Thomas Sawyer, a bladder cancer survivor, endured a pat down that ultimately broke his urostomy bag, leaving him humiliated and soaked in urine as he boarded the plane. A flight attendant who is a breast cancer survivor was forced to remove and show her prosthetic breast to another TSA agent, as reported by CBS News.

Flying public yells “Uncle!”

Is there really anyplace you have to fly to worth the risk of radiation exposure, a flagrant body pat-down search by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees or a fine up to $11,000 and possible arrest.?

Read this account in the Florida Sun Sentinel.