Laurie Roberts champions GOP traitors & update

In her lavish praise of the GOP turncoats who joined the unified Democrats in voting for passage of Gov. Brewer’s Medicaid/ObamaCare expansion taxation package, sap monger columnist Laurie Roberts highlights the principled stand taken by Seeing Red AZ.

Listing the turncoat Republican posers deserving of “DeKookification” in the upcoming election, Roberts writes, “A big round of applause goes out to Rep. Heather Carter of Cave Creek who engineered this week’s democratic revolution. Also, to Reps. Bob Robson of Chandler, Kate Brophy McGee of Phoenix, Jeff Dial of Chandler, Frank Pratt of Casa Grande, Doug Coleman of Apache Junction, Ethan Orr of Tucson, Doris Goodale of Kingman and T.J. Shope of Coolidge. Also, to Sens. Steve Pierce of Prescott, John McComish of Ahwatukee, Bob Worsley of Mesa, Rich Crandall of Mesa and Adam Driggs of Phoenix.”

Then she laments,” They will have targets on their backs in 2014.”

Roberts no doubt familiarized herself with that bulls-eye technique through associations with her RINO ally Kathy Petsas who went to great lengths attempting to oust conservative Republicans from GOP Legislative District 28.

In an attempt to marginalize Seeing Red AZ, which Roberts says is rife with “party kooks” seething about “colluders” and “traitors,” she identifies this site as “the right-wing blog that railed at length on Thursday about ‘Enemies Domestic.’”

That we did!

It’s a good bet our readers take pride in being so described by the far-left wing publication we refer to as the Periódico de la República de Arizona (Arizona Republic).

Expecting Republicans to represent their constituents and those who worked to get them elected, is not unrealistic.  Those who campaign for office on specific platforms intended to generate conservative support and then collude with the Democrats, are deserving of scorn — and the fitting descriptive identifiers, “colluders” and “traitors.

We don’t recall Ms. Roberts getting huffy about this target, complete with trigger crosshairs. In this instance, smears and dirty tricks were being played by a liberal against a completely exonerated conservative, which was enough to keep her lips buttoned up and her fingers stilled on the keyboard.

Robert’s diatribe brings to mind the quote of President Harry Truman. During a speech a supporter yelled out “Give ‘em Hell, Harry!” Truman replied, “I don’t give them Hell. I just tell the truth about them and they think it’s Hell.

The Democrat president’s truism serves as our comeback to Laurie Roberts.

This video illustrates the true conservatives. They make us proud. The list that Robert’s declares deserving of a  “a big round of applause” are indeed traitorous. They have betrayed the Republican voters who put them in office and their own caucus members. In turn, their legislative seatmates expose their despicable actions:

H/T American Commitment for video

“Enemies Domestic” openly operating in Arizona & Update

Treacherous Medicaid expansionists

Yesterday’s treachery at the legislature was totally predictable. Gov. Brewer’s creation of an alliance of Democrats and complicit Republicans betrayed the Republican Party and the state of Arizona. The signs of this Arizona Day of Infamy were clearer than the signs that foretold the actions on December 7, 1941.

Last night the Brewercrats in the Senate — Crandall, Pierce, McComish, Worsley and Driggs — who hold the bottom five rankings for senators in the Arizona Conservative Coalition (ACC) evaluations lived up to their dismal scores.

Michele Reagan, the sixth lowest ranked, now a candidate for Secretary of State, obviously listened to her political sense telling her she had no chance at higher office if she stayed with these long-time cohorts. She is now a politician without a base.

No surprise that on the House side their nine like-thinking comrades racked up the lowest ACC rankings. From the bottom up are: Brophy-McGee, Carter, Robson, Goodale, Shope, Coleman, Orr, Pratt, and Dial. Two of the lowest ranked eleven House members who did not join their session-long chums were Speaker Tobin, who harbors congressional aspirations — and like Reagan is now distrusted by both sides — and Paul Boyer, who put his ear to the political ground and shrewdly decided to abandon Brewer’s Medicaid expansion over the mandated taxpayer funding of abortions.

The question on many minds is what constitutes the appropriate response to these colluders as we look to the future? Should we fight for our Constitution and way of life as America did in the 1940s or implement the Neville Chamberlain/Barack Obama policies of appeasement and concession allowing our great state to devolve into a replica of New York or California?

Republican members in the Senate and House should exile the Brewercrats from Republican Caucus meetings. McComish and Driggs should immediately be removed from their Senate leadership posts. To allow them to remain in their current positions would be tantamount to placing Benedict Arnold in charge of the defenses of West Point and having Janet Napolitano as Director of Homeland Security.

Will there be “fallout” from such actions? Without a doubt. Taking the courageous path of valor requires determination. Appeasement paves the footpath of the coward. Brewercrats who bow to the Ninth Floor as a source of power should experience consequences for their indefensible actions as the 2014 election cycle approaches.

All one needs to do is follow the money. Chuck Coughlin and Peter Burns who worked together 2 decades ago have long had Brewer’s ear on health, budget and political issues. Coughlin, a trusted advisor, ran her gubernatorial campaign. Burns was Gov. Fife Symington’s state budget director. He now has a lucrative contract with Brewer’s office to provide an analysis of the federal heath-care overhaul’s impact on Arizona. Burns will be subcontracting through Coughlin’s business (High Ground) to fuse a coalition that will benefit them mightily. Meanwhile their efforts will be sending the rest of us to the poor house when the tax dollars that Brewer thinks are endless and coming from sources other than taxpayers, run out. This article in the daily is from August 2012, but it provides the backdrop to the current scenario.

Petulant Brewer holds legislators hostage

Surprise special session!

Early this evening, in an unprecedented move reminiscent of a reigning monarch issuing decrees, Gov. Jan Brewer, issued this proclamation, unexpectedly calling state legislators into a special session. Her move is aimed at forcing through her issue of paramount importance — Medicaid expansion — to which she is inextricably bonded.

In the proclamation, she declares a single subject. That was accomplished by rolling the pesky state budget in with what she refers to as “supplemental appropriations related thereto such as funding for the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System and any mechanisms for the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System to secure enhanced federal financial participation to support and maintain its programs.”

In other words, Brewer believes a tooth fairy named Barack Obama will stop by and drop money under her pillow.

Her move came on the heels of  House Speaker Andy Tobin, (R-LD1), adjourning the legislative session for two days.

US Rep. Schweikert nixes AZ Medicaid expansion

Citing the fiscal risks and structural problems with the plan, Arizona’s 6^th Congressional District Congressman David Schweikert has announced his opposition to the proposal to expand Medicaid currently being debated in the Arizona Legislature:

“While I understand the desire of some of our state leaders to address uncompensated medical care, this proposal is simply too fiscally risky and should be voted down,” he said.

In explaining his opposition, Republican Schweikert said, “Specifically, this proposal relies upon a provision of federal law that allows states to effectively double-dip when collecting the provider tax, the first time from hospitals and then again from the federal government during the reimbursement process. Unfortunately, this provider tax reimbursement provision is currently being eyed by members of both parties to either be eliminated or substantially reduced. Should this happen, and there are indications that it will, Arizona taxpayers would be on the financial hook for the shortfall.”

“That fact drives my opposition to this proposal. Unfortunately, this proposal is not a ‘freebie’ for Arizona taxpayers as some have claimed. It is structurally flawed and will very likely become actuarially unsound in the very near future. I would strongly encourage legislators considering this proposal to fully understand the financial implications of what passage would mean for our state and more importantly for Arizona taxpayers.”

The Arizona native and small businessman knows a thing or two about fiscal issues. Prior to his election to Congress, Rep. Schweikert served as Treasurer of Maricopa County — one of the largest counties in the United States. He was responsible for protecting billions of taxpayer dollars and earned over $300 million in investment income while never showing a deficit despite a tough economic environment. He holds an undergraduate degree in Finance as well as an MBA.

Congressman David Schweikert’s opposition to this unsustainable governmental overreach is based in expertise and intellectual acumen, combined with a good dose of common sense. Seeing Red AZ applauds his strong, conservative voice in opposition to Gov. Brewer’s efforts to expand Obama’s Medicaid into our state.

For additional clarity on this Medicaid expansion monstrosity, check in with the Heritage Foundation’s The Foundry. Amy Payne’s “Don’t Take the Money and Run,” explains that Medicaid, which is already so overloaded that the number of people on the program exceeds the population of France, Britain, or Italy — is substandard health care that is losing doctors every year. It comes with increasing and unsustainable costs that will be passed on to already overburdened taxpayers. Payne’s article links to the dire scenario laid out in “Expanding Medicaid, Shrinking Wallets,” by Byron Schlomach, director of the Center for Economic Prosperity at the Goldwater Institute.

We urge you to read them both.  Knowledge is power.

Republican Chairs condemn votes of 6 GOP Senators

McComish, Crandall, Driggs, Pierce, Reagan and Worsley subject of GOP scorn

Former state Senators, Republicans Frank Antenori and Ron Gould are united as foes of Gov. Brewer’s Medicaid expansion. In the event the controversial measure is approved in the legislature, the duo is pushing for a 2014 ballot measure that will send the issue to the voters, in hopes overburdened taxpayers will reject the proposal.  The State of Arizona allows for referendums to reverse legislation not supported by the people.

The Executive Guidance Committee of the Maricopa County Republican Committee (EGC) met last night.  The EGC overwhelmingly reasserted its opposition to this massive governmental expansion by a voice vote — with only a single dissenting vote out of 28 cast. Further, the resolution condemned the six Republican senators who voted in collusion with the unified senate Democrats: Republican Majority Leader John McComish (LD-18) shamefully jumped ship to join them. Other collaborators voting with the Dems are Rich Crandall (LD-16), Adam Driggs (LD-28), Steve Pierce (LD-1), Michele Reagan (LD-23) and Bob Worsley (LD-25).

Medicaid expansion has been the subject of previous EGC meetings, and has not fared well with Republican party leadership. 

Christine Bauserman, Chair of United Republican Alliance of Principled Conservatives and Frank Antenori spoke at last night’s meeting.  Bauserman is putting together an effort to gather the necessary 120,000 signatures needed to qualify this critical issue for the ballot. Time is short. Signatures must be collected within 90 days of the end of the session. Make a commitment to join this major endeavor. There will be no second chances.

Bauserman’s message containing all pertinent information, along with contact info can be read here. This is too important to put off. Sign up here.

AZ Republic: Medicaid expansion, agenda-driven “news”

The search is on for advocates of Medicaid expansion

At first blush the Sunday article on Dr. Pearl Tang appeared to be a nice puff piece filled with Arizona history, recounting the medical career of the Maricopa County health care pioneer. The 92-year old widow of Judge Thomas Tang was a Shanghai-born immigrant who made great strides in her profession. 

The 3-page article/interview with the Paradise Valley resident is replete with five oversized photographs, along with those on one jump page actually covering more space than the print describing Dr. Tang. That was the initial clue there was more to this piece than just a happenstance opportunity to focus on her noteworthy career.

Yep.

Near the conclusion of the “report’ was this actual ‘pearl’ — the well-timed reason for the multi-page coverage:  “At 92, she isn’t particularly interested in being drawn into public debates about health care. But she has opinions as she sees the federal expansion of health care buck up against the will of Arizona lawmakers. “I think Governor Brewer is correct in wanting to expand Medicaid,” she said. “Many people have lost their jobs, and they need health care. The expansion of Medicaid is the proper thing to do.” Like with the programs she instituted 60 years ago, Tang said. “The benefit of expansion will be seen through the lens of passing time.”

Get it?

National Review explains “Brewer’s Tantrum”

The editors at National Review have done a superb job of explaining Gov. Jan Brewer’s desire to force Medicaid expansion on Arizonans. “It is predicated,” they write, “on a particular kind of economic illiteracy (link is to previous article titled “Brewer‘s Price“) –- to wit, the belief that there is such a thing as “free money” from the federal government, as though Arizona taxpayers were not also federal taxpayers.”

Read the National Review’s latest editorial, “Brewer’s Tantrum” here.

Last week, the state of California claimed that its version of ObamaCare’s health insurance exchange would actually reduce premiums. “These rates are way below the worst-case gloom-and-doom scenarios we have heard,” boasted Peter Lee, executive director of the California exchange. But the data that Lee released tells a different story: ObamaCare, in fact, will increase individual-market premiums in California by as much as 146 percent. Avik Roy writing for Forbes has the actual facts here.

California’s experience of dramatic increases in health insurance premiums is a precursor of what we can expect in Arizona if the Medicaid expansion plan being pushed by Gov. Brewer — and given a stamp of approval by Republican state legislators colluding with Democrats — becomes reality.

Yesterday the sales tax pushed by Gov. Brewer expired. As Prop. 204, it was approved by voters who were convinced via scare tactics the earth would spiral out of orbit without the $900 million cash infusion.  Brewer’s current pressure tactics on behalf of expansion of ObamaCare — threateningly exemplified by a petulant resolve to veto bills she actually supports – will raise taxes on hapless Arizonans indefinitely. There will be no “sunset” date, there will be no relief. The “free money” she foolishly envisions is merely a carrot with far-reaching strings that will hold us hostage permanently.

This appalling situation brings back the inanity of liberal Nancy Pelosi, who spoke these foolish words regarding ObamaCare:  “But we have to pass the [health care] bill so that you can find out what is in it.” 

LA Times’ farcical editorial reaches into AZ

The liberal LA Times newspaper is obviously no fan of Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer. Here at home, conservatives castigate the Republican for what has become a decidedly left-wing bent. Our opposition to her push for Obamaesque Medicaid expansion remains unequivocal.

But in Mexifornia, the Times editorial board rudely hands Brewer her head on a platter for not being liberal enough.  Blatant dishonesty, AP style-book Orwellian Newspeak and name-calling mark the piece. We take her to task when she disappoints the base. This editorial, rife with leftist dishonesty, claims she does “further damage to Arizona’s reputation.”

How amusing that a state that has twice elected ACORN-praising, tax-raising, aged hippie radical leftist Jerry Brown as governor, has record numbers of people on the government dole, and bankrupt cities dotting the state, has the temerity to mock Arizona’s “reputation.”

Message for Gov. Brewer: No matter how far you deviate from your core principles and the values of the people who elected you, it will never be enough to satisfy the loony left.

AZ Dems get walloped, no woodshed for RINOs

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has launched a mobile billboard campaign targeting Democrat U.S. Reps. Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-CD1) and Ron Barber (AZ-CD 2) for their support of ObamaCare. The campaign kicked off at a press conference in Phoenix Tuesday morning and then headed to Tucson.

Both Kirkpatrick and Barber are committed liberals, supported by, and supportive of, Barack Obama. Their positions on the massive federal overhaul of our American health care delivery system should come as no surprise. They were straightforward in their support as they campaigned on behalf of this fundamental Democrat pillar.

What was a stunner, however, was the  recent defection of six Republican state Senators disgracefully joining with the 13 unified Democrats in supporting Arizona’s ObamaCare Medicaid Expansion.  Somehow missing out on a trip to the GOP woodshed are liberal colluders: Rich Crandall (LD-16), Adam Driggs (LD-28), John McComish (LD18), Steve Pierce (LD-1), Michele Reagan (LD-23) and Bob Worsley (LD-25).

Although the Congressional Democrats were derided as “hypocrites,” the actions of the genuine hypocrites — those six elected Republicans shamefully conspiring and voting with Democrats –  were greeted with silence at yesterday‘s press conference conducted by GOP state chairman Robert Graham.

The movable billboards encourage Arizona voters to contact Ron Barber and Ann Kirkpatrick, over their long acknowledged support of ObamaCare. A more constructive use of  time would be spent contacting those who ran as Republicans and then conspired against freedom with Democrats. The main number for the front desk at the Arizona Senate is available here.

The six errant sheep are following a bad shepherd leading Arizonans into a pack of wolves — the federal bureaucracy that will unconstitutionally and at trillions of dollars in costs, control our health care delivery system.  Their actions violated the 2012 Republican Party Platform position against this massive governmental overreach, which begins on page 32 under the title “Repealing Obamacare.” Before the AZ GOP points out the splinter in the eyes of the Democrats, they should remove the plank from their own.

E-mail invasion: Brewer’s surrogates pimp expansion

We all get Spam.  It’s a fair bet none of us like it. If you’re a conservative not keen on the Obama-endorsed Arizona expansion of Medicaid, having your inbox violated by Governor Brewer’s pals promoting her plan to increase taxpayer debt by over $2 billion, makes the intrusion even more loathsome.

The promotion refers to the “courageous senators who chose people over politics,” neglecting to inform that six RINOs voted with the unified Democrats to push this massive federal expansion on the state‘s citizens. These collaborators are deceptively described as “putting hard-nose politics aside.” Also omitted is the fact that the Medicaid expansion contains no prohibition of taxpayer funding to abortion providers. The unconscionable hospital bed tax goes unmentioned.

The e-mail opens to a website exposing a deep pocket campaign. It’s difficult to miss their noxious commercials that have been flooding the airways replete with tales of woe.

Recipients of the e-mail are encouraged to “stand with the governor,” via selections they can click to “take action to directly contact your state legislators.”  The folks at Restoring Arizona thoughtfully provide the language for the ill-informed to contact their State Representative, Senator and even the Gov herself. 

The website touts “overwhelming support for Medicaid in Tucson,” the reliably leftist bastion of the state. It includes graphs showing the high “percentage of costs that will be paid by the federal government.” Omitted is the fact that government doesn’t generate a thin dime. It functions through confiscatory taxation of the working public. 

Restoring Arizona actually has the nerve to call this expansion, a “relatively minor tweak to populations already covered by Arizona voters,” and fallaciously claims due to “enhanced federal matches expansion is 100% federally funded.” Left out is the fact that when the feds withdraw funding, which is sure to occur, Arizona taxpayers will be on the hook.

Gov. Brewer’s own office website says her “Medicaid Plan comes at NO COST to the General Fund,”  and calls this liberal scheme “the conservative choice for Arizona.”

Meanwhile, acting on her threat, the petulant governor has been busily vetoing bills, five so far, until she gets her way. We can do without new laws, but we can’t live with this one.

For more information on this disastrous and unsustainable scheme, we recommend Arizona Director of Americans for Prosperity Tom Jenney’s fact-filled Medicaid Expansion: Been There, Done That.  The Goldwater Institute’s Christina Corieri has written States Can Impose Fiscal Discipline on Washington, providing an excellent cost analysis.