Tick, tock: Here comes 2009

Seeing Red AZ sends best wishes for a happy, safe and healthy new year to our readers.

McCain bit the dust but another “Maverick” emerges on the horizon

Valley conservatives were surprised to read that they have a new political savior to rescue them from despair. The Arizona Republic writes it, so it must be true.

Dan Nowicki, the reporter who was assigned to deferentially tail John McCain throughout his presidential campaign, glowingly describes Rep. Jeff Flake as having “star power.” Flake is mentioned as a possible candidate for everything from U.S. Senator to governor, with his finger newly interjected into the state political intrigues as he supported Rep. Kirk Adams’ (R-Dist.19) successful bid over Speaker Jim Weiers (R-Dist.10) for the House leadership position.

Flake, who had no problem breaking his term-limit pledge to district voters, characterizes himself as a Republican straight-shooter, but veers off course frequently. It was Flake who encouraged his immigration lawyer, brother-in-law, Kevin Gibbons to challenge Rep. Russell Pearce during the last election cycle. Pearce, a strong advocate of laws to constrain illegal hiring, earned the wrath of the business community favoring a stream of low-wage illegal workers. In a repudiation of Flake’s behind the scenes activities, the voters who have the final say in elections, gave Pearce the overwhelming victory.

Because Flake has made his reputation cutting congressional “earmarks,” (the policy of elected Representatives directing federal dollars to their home districts) few of his constituents are aware of Jeff Flakes’ co-sponsorship of liberal legislation with Illinois Democrat Luis Gutierrez that would actually cost the taxpayers millions in giveaways to illegals in this country, through the “Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy Act” or STRIVE Act — the sole focus of which was granting tuition and other benefits while extending amnesty for illegal aliens living in our country. Watch this Lou Dobbs CNN video interview with Rep. Gutierrez, who is a master of the duck and dodge.

Read the AZ Republic’s sycophantic coverage of Flake here and prepare for more to come since the newspaper has obviously anointed its successor to Sen. McCain. There is bound to be fallout as Congressman John Shadegg, who is also thought to desire the job, angles for similar puff coverage. Shadegg has already insulted Arizonans who support border security in the liberal New York Times, calling them “xenophobic and intolerant,” for desiring immigration to be orderly and lawful.

It’s Caroline Kennedy, ‘ya know?

Sounding more like a teeny-bopper than a U.S. Senate aspirant, Caroline Kennedy (Schlossberg?) peppered her brief comments to Associated Press with nearly two dozen “‘ya knows.”

Kennedy says she will have to work twice as hard if appointed to Hillary Clinton’s seat representing New York — an idea that was pooh-poohed by former New York Rep. Geraldine Ferraro — who is among those urging New York Gov. Paterson to appoint an experienced member of Congress for the job, according to the AP report.

“I think it’s great she understands she will have a tougher time,” Ferraro said. “I don’t know if she can work twice as hard because having been a member of Congress I know they work 24-7. They already work hard.”

Kennedy has been criticized for lacking experience,  and having a spotty voting record, missing numerous elections since registering in New York City in 1988, including in 1994 when Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan was up for re-election for the seat she now hopes to occupy. A review by The NY Daily News found that of the 38 contested elections since 1988, Kennedy skipped about half, almost all of them primaries.

“I was really surprised and dismayed by my voting record,” she said. “I’m glad it’s been brought to my attention.”

Her positions on illegal immigration, abortion, same-sex marriage, gun control and school vouchers are all far-left, liberal as reported by the New York Times, which ran her prepared responses to a series of questions.

Among them: “Caroline believes all undocumented workers should be required to legalize their presence in the United States and that we must create a way for them to do so.”

‘Ya know?

Defiant Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has named Obama’s U.S. Senate replacement

 

Bingo!!

Chicago Breaking News reports that scandal-plagued Democrat Gov. Rod Blagojevich has appointed former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris to fill Barack Obama’s Senate seat, in defiance of Senate leaders who said they would not admit anyone he selected.

Blagojevich’s move seemed designed to trump fellow Democrats who control the U.S. Senate and have unanimously warned him against making the appointment because of the pending criminal charges against him. His choice of Burris, Illinois’ first African-American elected statewide, presents senators with the dilemma of saying no to a replacement for Obama, who was the nation’s only black senator.

A Democrat giving the gift of a political conundrum of this magnitude to his own fellows is a rare sight indeed.

Read the complete article here.

Get out your screwdriver: New license plate law goes into effect Thursday

A new law, A.R.S 28-2354(B), goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2009 stating “a person shall maintain each license plate so it is clearly legible and so that the name of this state at the top of the license plate shall not be obscured.”

The fines for violating this new law vary throughout the state, ranging from $110 to $200, depending on the jurisdiction, with fines in the greater Metropolitan Phoenix area averaging about $136, advises the Sonoran News.

It takes less than a minute with a Phillips-head screwdriver to either remove a noncompliant frame altogether or replace it with one that is.

The article shows a license plate in compliance and one that is not.

What a surprise

What do J.C. Penney, Saks Fifth Avenue and Petsmart have in common?

At first blush, it would seem very little. Penney’s is a mid-line retailer, Saks a high-end name with a fashionista following, and Petsmart, is — well, you know — the place for doggie biscuits and tick dips.

According to the Wall Street Journal the National Retail Federation, the country’s largest trade association representing the retailers, has asked President-elect Barack Obama for three periods of sales tax-free shopping that would last 10 days each in March, July and October 2009. The trade group estimates that it would save consumers about $20 billion, or $175 per family.

The retailers want a stimulus package, too.

What a Tripp!

FOX News reports that 18-year-old Bristol Palin, daughter of the GOP VP nominee, has given birth to 7 pounds, 4 ounces Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston.

The new father, Levi Johnston, 18, a hockey player from Wasilla, Alaska, who dropped out of high school to take a job as an apprentice electrician — was by Bristol’s side throughout the campaign and even displayed a “Bristol” tattoo on his ring finger at the GOP convention.

Gov. Sarah Palin and her husband, Todd, have five children ranging in age from Trig, 7 months, to Track, 19. In between are Willow, 14; Piper, 7; and Bristol.

The governor’s office said it would not release information because it considers the baby’s birth a private family matter.

The complete article can be seen here.

Newspaper’s tolerance of plural marriage conceals actual motive

A letter to the editor in this morning’s paper raises some cogent points about the maverick (Gawly, that word has suddenly been AWOL from its daily usage) FLDS church which received lengthy coverage last week. (“The Jessops: An FLDS family in pictures.”)

Among the normalizing, descriptive phrases were: The Jessops have a rich, dynamic family life and because of the number of people in the home, meals in the Jessop home are not unlike holiday meals in other homes.

The church, not to be confused with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints or LDS Church, is a polygamist offshoot that has been repudiated by Mormon adherents. But the newspaper’s softball coverage replete with photos, normalizing the families and practices should be noted. Thanks to letter writer Mitch Keiper of Chandler for bringing up the impact this sect has on the taxpaying citizens who unsuspectingly support the practice of plural marriage and the appalling situation of boys raised in the abnormal communal setting where young girls are given in marriage to older men.

The Arizona Republic’s tolerant coverage of the polygamist group, long the subject of government raids when the community was known as Short Creek, affirms the daily’s push for alternatives to traditional marriage. The Republic has been relentless in its advocacy of same-sex “marriage.” The warm handling of the Jessops family and plural marriage is another means of bolstering their argument that there are many kinds of families.

The Republic has also dealt harshly with the LDS Church after the marriage amendment supporting traditional unions of one man and one woman, won overwhelmingly in the November 4^th election. Seeing Red AZ has addressed the ‘camel’s nose under the tent’ incrementalism of the daily paper and it’s Editor and Vice President of News, Randy Lovely, who moved to Phoenix with his ‘partner’ when he assumed his duties.

Immigration policy in forefront with legislatures across the country

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) has compiled a report titled: State Laws Related to Immigrants and Immigration 2008. Released this month, it covers the time span between January 1 – November 30, 2008.

State legislatures continue tackling immigration issues in a variety of policy arenas at an unprecedented rate. As of November 30, 2008, no fewer than 1305 pieces of legislation related to immigrants and immigration had been introduced. In 41 states, at least one law or resolution was enacted, with a total of 205 laws and resolutions enacted nationwide. Three bills were vetoed by governors, according to the NCSL.

The 2008 level of activity is comparable to last year, when 1,562 bills were introduced and 240 laws were enacted. As in recent years, the top three areas of interest are identification/driver’s licenses, employment and law enforcement.

Check out the report.  It’s an interesting document.

2008: The year man-made global warming was disproved?

Forget climate change. We now need to make sure we have enough energy, says Christopher Booker of the London Telegraph.

Booker writes that all over the world, temperatures have been dropping in a way wholly unpredicted by all the computer models which have been used as the main drivers of the scare. Last winter, as temperatures plummeted, many parts of the world had snowfalls on a scale not seen for decades. This winter, with the whole of Canada and half the US under snow, looks likely to be even worse. After several years flatlining, global temperatures have dropped sharply enough to cancel out much of their net rise in the 20th century.

His complete and fascinating article is available here.

There is no scientific consensus on this issue. More than 500 scientists have published evidence refuting the current man-made global warming dire predictions, according to an analysis of peer-reviewed literature by the Hudson Institute, as reported last year by WorldNetDaily.  More here.