Shadegg rumored to be eyeing retirement — again

This interesting entry from HumanEvents.com states there is considerable speculation that Arizona Congressman John Shadegg (R-CD3) will retire in 2010.

Shadegg surprised many on February 11, 2008, with his abrupt retirement announcement. Within days, he reversed himself and “unretired,” amid calls by his congressional colleagues for him to reconsider. This time the rumors are widespread and persistent.

If he does step down, there are several folks who have shown an interest in running for the vacant seat, not the least of whom is State Rep. Sam Crump  (R-Dist 6).  Other names being mentioned are State Sens. Pamela Gorman (R-Dist.6) and Jim Waring (R-Dist.7) a one-time McCain staffer.

Crump has filed an exploratory committee for Attorney General. But would he choose to run for Congress if Shadegg announces his retirement? 

Stay tuned.

Former AZ Congressman Jim McNulty has died

Former Rep. Jim McNulty a Democrat who was elected in 1982 from Arizona’s 5th Congressional District to the U.S. House of Representatives, has died at 83 from complications related to Parkinson’s Disease.

McNulty represented the rural counties of Graham, Greenlee and Cochise — where he lived and practiced law. He was appointed to many boards and commissions and held a post on the Arizona Board of Regents which oversees Arizona’s universities.

Read more in the Arizona Daily Star report here.  Seeing Red AZ sends our condolences to the McNulty family.

Strange bedfellows: The Republic becomes apologist for Jeff Flake

In an editorial today, A dad’s tough call on historic vote, Doug MacEachern, struggles to give cover to Congressman Jeff Flake. MacEachern does his best to explain away Flake’s absence from the crucial vote on the American Clean Energy and Security Act – better known as the Cap-and-Trade bill, intended to restrict carbon emissions by imposition of exorbitant penalties against the U.S. which other nations are able to skirt.

The bill passed by a slim margin, 219-212. The legislation is often called “historic” since its effects are far reaching and disastrous to American manufacturing.

Juxtapose the immense proportions of that against the fact that Flake’s 18-year-old daughter Alexis, was a contestant in a beauty pageant in Mobile, Alabama.  Flake opted to attend the pageant, although the contest finals were not held until the weekend. He attempted to put a fatherly face on his egregious action, writing on his site: “I’ve let my daughter down enough over the years, and I felt I just couldn’t let her down again.”

It might have been a good opportunity to teach young Alexis a lesson about the seriousness of responsibility — while still showing up for the main event.

The vote was on the most sweeping environmental bill in U.S. history — an expansive measure that aims to undercut American industry by placing severe restrictions on carbon-emitting fuels which liberals blame for the questionable science of global warming. China, our largest debtor nation, and India, among a host of other countries, have no such restrictions, allowing them to further hamstring the United States in the competitive global marketplace.

The final vote total is here. 

As we noted on Friday, syndicated columnist Michelle Malkin lists the eight turncoat Republicans and calls out the two Republicans who weren’t available to vote: Arizona’s own Jeff Flake and John Sullivan of Okalahoma, who is undergoing alcohol rehab. Dem. Rep. Patrick Kennedy was pulled out of rehab to cast his vote.

Really, Senator?

Appearing on CBS’ “Face the Nation” Sunday, Sen. John McCain said his opponent in last year’s presidential campaign, Barack Obama, has “done well” in his first five months in the White House.

The Arizona Republican says that using a legislative scorecard to judge the presidency so far, Obama has achieved all his legislative goals.

On the down side, McCain says that Obama’s successes in Congress have come with little or no Republican support.

We would hope that would be the case, Senator.  Obama is quickly attempting to socialize the United States of America.  There are still some Republicans who do not revel in being “bi-partisan mavericks,” and actually stand for conservative principles.

McCain criticized Obama for setting a date for closing the detainee facility at Guantanamo Bay without first developing a comprehensive plan for what to do with its prisoners.

And, Arizona’s senior senator did concede Obama should “speak out more” in support of protesters in Iran, myway news reports.

AZ Republic calls for amnesty action from McCain

A “job not for the faint of heart”

The daily is back to it’s promoting amnesty for illegals.  Today the newspaper’s sole editorial is on what they obliquely term “Immigration Reform” and declare McCain’s voice must be part of the reform effort.

Lavishing him with praise for his position that even illegals are “God’s children,” the editorial calls upon him to use his bipartisan clout, the courage of his convictions and to “spend his political capitol to help advance his former opponent’s [Obama] agenda.”

Advance his opponent’s agenda?  And all along we thought he claimed to be a Republican.

McCain, who has consistently given short shrift to Arizona’s grassroots Republican party activists, carried his home state in the 2008 presidential match-up by less than 9 percent. It’s well to remember that such a close race does not provide a mandate for the “maverick” senior senator.  In fact, he was unable to carry four of the state’s 15 counties in a state that has only supported a Democrat presidential candidate once since 1948’s election of Harry Truman.

But the editorial goes on, saying McCain will have to take up a cause that’s important to Hispanic voters, even though those voters did not support his presidential bid.

In attempting to decipher that convoluted reasoning, it’s not a giant leap to understand why the Arizona Republic is hemorrhaging subscribers. 

 The editorial concludes with praise for Sen. Jon Kyl and Rep. Jeff Flake, whom they commend for offering “extraordinary support in the past,” and they “anticipate they will rise to the occasion again.”

And if the editorial isn’t enough for you, the pages of today’s paper also carry a piece by ASU professor and obvious career liberal, Doris Marie Provine, titled Migrant issue needs a blend of compassion, law. Her reasoning is that “our legal traditions have always incorporated forgiveness in their operation.” Using that rationale, we should consider disbanding our law enforcement apparatus and courts and begin tearing down penal institutions for lawbreakers.  A good dose of compassion should do the job.

This past year, Provine burnished her left-leaning credentials as a Fulbright Scholar at the Centro de Investigaciones sobre America del Norte.

Desirous of national security? Be prepared to be called “intolerant, shrill, and xenophobic”

U. S. Rep Jeff Flake (CD6), declaring his support for the old canard of Comprehensive Immigration Reform, claims the Republican party’s reputation has been marred by the immigration debate.

“…..The tone and tenor of the debate drives people who would otherwise be Republicans out of the party. And it’s not just Hispanics. I’m talking about others as well who just don’t want to be associated with a party that is seen as intolerant or shrill.”

“Intolerant or shrill?”  President Ronald Reagan warned us, “A nation without borders is not a nation,” Mr. Flake. In this post-9/11 era, our porous borders are a recipe for disaster on countless levels beginning with an invasion of those who disrespect our laws with their first step into our country.

The five-term congressman, who suffered a severe case of amnesia when it came to honoring his term-limits pledge, is taking a page from his mentor John McCain’s play book on opening the floodgates to unsustainable and costly illegal immigration. Flake’s bizarre partnership with Illinois Congressman Luis Gutierrez, a man described by GovTrackUS as far-left, gets little play in his home district.  But East Valley residents remember his central role in the state senate campaign of his immigration lawyer brother-in-law, in an effort to oust then Rep. Russell Pearce. 

Kevin Gibbons sunk to the lowest depths in his challenge, even hiring the disreputable Nathan Sproul to sling mud that became so vicious the Arizona Republic — no fan of Pearce’s — condemned the underhanded endeavor.  The voters saw through the scheme, and presented a solid victory to Pearce.

Like Flake, Congressman John Shadegg (CD3) previously accused his constituents of “intolerance and xenophobia.”  Shadegg, however, took a more convoluted path to insult his fellow Arizona Republicans who believe in the rule of law and orderly, legal immigration. Shadegg used the pages of the New York Times to hurl his invectives.

As to the question of immigration, we suggest you watch this mesmerizing video with Roy Beck of NumbersUSA.  Nothing you can read or view presents the situation with more clarity.

Rep. Trent Franks steps up for sensible legislation

Arizona’s U.S. Rep. Trent Franks (R-CD 2) was among 40 original co-sponsors when Rep. Nathan Deal (GA) recently introduced the Birthright Citizenship Act of 2009 (H.R.1868),

The Birthright Citizenship Act of 2009 would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act. Under the bill, a person born in the United States gains citizenship if one of the person’s parents is:

- A citizen or national of the United States;

- An alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States whose residence is in the United States; or

- An alien performing active service in the armed forces.

NumbersUSA gives Rep. Trent Franks  a career grade of an A-.  Franks was elected to the House in 2003.

The Birthright Citizenship Act of 2009 is one of five immigration reform bills endorsed by NumbersUSA during the 111th Congress. A full list of the bills and sponsors can be viewed on this comparative chart located on the Proposed Bills page.

Best exchange of the evening at District 11 Republican forum

Arizona Sen. John McCain opined that unless Republicans attract more Hispanics into the party, the GOP will become a permanent minority political party.

To which activist Anna Gaines replied, “When are the politicians going to stop pandering to Hispanics? We do not appreciate being called the “Hispanic vote” — we are Americans.

No one speaks about the “German vote,” the “Italian vote” — and all the rest. I want politicians to know we are Americans first and nothing else.”

In response to McCain’s faux pas, her words were rewarded with a rousing applause.

Shadegg urges big tent, ouster of current state and county GOP leadership

Rep. John Shadegg, the U.S. Congressman representing Arizona’s Third District, was the featured speaker at a political forum hosted by the Arizona Chapter of the Republican Jewish Coalition. His topic was rebuilding the Republican Party.

Shadegg surprised the audience by urging them to get involved in GOP politics at the grassroots level, but to steer clear of involvement in the State or County Republican Party organizations because, in his opinion, they were being poorly led and were at the lowest level since Ev Mecham was governor of Arizona.

Shadegg stated that the Arizona State and Maricopa County leadership used the illegal immigration issue to create conflicts in the Republican Party. Instead, he said, GOP leaders should focus on the “big tent” approach, welcoming people with both liberal and conservative views on immigration and life issues into the Republican Party.

In response to a question, Shadegg backpedaled on his recommendation that people not get involved with the Republican Party. Instead he declared that people should get involved in order to remove the current Arizona and Maricopa County Party Chairmen. GOPUSA AZ editor Howard Levine noted in his report that Shadegg’s newly appointed Deputy Chief of Staff, Lisa James, was in attendance. She has twice run for State Party Chairman with Rep. Shadegg’s backing and lost both times to the recently re-elected chairman Randy Pullen.

Many will recall that Shadegg gave a particularly divisive interview on the same topic to the New York Times last October. At the time, he said Arizonans desirous of lawful and orderly immigration were “xenophobic” and “intolerant” in their attitude toward the illegal aliens who enter the United States in violation of our law and sovereignty.

A little travelin’ music, please

USAToday finds the comings and goings of some of Arizona’s congressional delegation interesting enough to engender a report.

A click on the headline in this article on the Hong Kong page provides a local link — giving a rundown of whether our congress members and senators are opting to stay closer to their districts or engage a bit of exotic travel — on behalf their constituents, of course.