2015: A New Year comes with opportunities

Seeing Red AZ sends sincere best wishes for a satisfying, productive, safe and healthy New Year to our readers.

As we embark upon this New Year, there is no better time to renew our acquaintance with America’s founding documents: The Declaration of Independence, our U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

They have served us well. The least we can do is stay familiar with what they contain, hold our newly elected Republican House and Senate majorities accountable and ensure that our children know what blessings we have been given as a nation.

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Tillman resigns local NAACP top job, unusual replacement named

After nearly three decades as president of the Maricopa County Branch of the NAACP, Rev. Oscar Tillman is retiring.

In the news account of his torch passing, the 69-year old Tillman was quoted as saying, “I’m an old-school person who knows when to let someone else step up to the plate. Somebody else gave me that chance.”

For that reason we imagined a young black leader would have been chosen to lead the organization. Instead, his replacement will be Donald Harris, a local lawyer, with a libertine bent. At age 76, Harris is seven years older than the retiree. He is also white.

That fact should be enough to drag Al Sharpton protégé, Rev. Jarrett Maupin, II, out to hurl racially charged insults. Instead he was busy with a Tuesday press conference to announce his latest campaign, “Black Lives Matter,” which Maupin says ‘addresses the violence of systemic racism in America and Arizona.” Maupin says, “Black communities throughout America suffer untold violence at the hands of aggressive police. His not-so-veiled threat, “We are counting down to the Super Bowl, but who’s counting down to the next police killing? There are consequences.”

In January 2013, covering the Phoenix City Council race we noted that race-baiter Maupin reprehensibly referred to then-candidate Kate Gallego, a Harvard grad with an MBA from the Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania, as “a white political patsy.”  He also called her “a power-hungry white…who not is openly campaigning as white.”

Maupin, who we still expect to hear from regarding the Harris appointment to the local NAACP post, momentarily dipped his toe into the congressional race in 2014, to replace retiring CD-7 Democrat Congressman Ed Pastor. But Maupin would have been unable to vote for himself due to a felony conviction.

Kate Gallego, the subject of Maupin’s vile invectives, had the last laugh.  She won the District 8 council seat and her husband Ruben has been elected to congress in the same race Maupin had a yen for. Both Gallego’s are Democrats.

As to Donald Harris, who has served on the NAACP executive board, the Gamma-Rho Chapter of the U of A Kappa Sigma fraternity has this bio of the Brooklyn-born Democrat. In 2004, the Phoenix New Times gave the loose cannon lawyer some less than flattering coverage during his unsuccessful bid for County Attorney. He had previously been a short timer heading that office in the 1970’s when he was appointed interim county attorney to complete the term of Moise Berger, who resigned.

Just days ago we posted, NYC officers murdered, Maupin crawls out of Phx rat hole. Of particular significance is the comment from ‘State Delegate,’ following the post, containing a letter from Rev. Clyde Bowen, Chairman of the Arizona American African Republican Committee (AAARC). exposing Maupin —- referred to by Rev. Bowen as “Kid Sharpton.”

Illegals warned ID theft, other crimes can impact driver’s license

Criminals told prior bad acts will be revealed to MVD

Tucked away at the bottom of page 3B in USA Today‘s insert in the daily, was this one-state-away glimpse into the madness —- via a federal judicial decree —- that has grasped Arizona, now issuing driver‘s licenses to so-called D.R.E.A.M.E.R.S. In the news report, California boldly acknowledges the widespread criminality of those they embrace. 

In August we wrote Have you heard? The USA is “the other Mexico” after Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto described the United States in that manner as he stood beside the agreeing leftist California Gov. Jerry Brown. (Watch this shocking one minute video.)

Notice that the news report uses the words “migrant,” “immigrant” and “immigrants,” when referring to what is claimed to be nearly a million-and-a-half driving age illegal aliens who have invaded the single state. Actual immigrants arrive legally, comply with our laws and apply for citizenship.

CALIFORNIA GEARS UP FOR MIGRANT DRIVER’S LICENSES

While tens of thousands of immigrants living in the country illegally are gearing up to apply for a long-sought driver’s license in California starting Jan. 2, others are being urged to think twice.

Immigrant advocates say the vast majority should be able to get licensed without trouble but they want anyone who previously obtained a driver’s license under a false name or someone else’s Social Security number to speak first with a lawyer.

The same applies to immigrants with a prior deportation order or criminal record because federal immigration officials and law enforcement can access Department of Motor Vehicles data during an investigation.

The state expects 1.4 million immigrants to apply for the licenses over the next three years.

Readers might benefit from accessing our popular glossary, “Lingo,” as a reading aid.

Chamber of Commerce threatens GOP on amnesty

Breitbart reports on the muscle-flexing threats issued by the left-of-center U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which now takes responsibility for the mid-term GOP sweeps and thinks it controls the agenda of the Republican Party.

What the Chamber does control are the bundles of money it dumps into campaigns, nationally and locally, through its state organizations.

A sensible rule for any conservative voter is to watch closely which candidates flaunt Chamber endorsements and use that as a red flag to get satisfactory answers as to the association or withhold your votes.

The Chamber views the expanded Republican majorities though its skewed lens of an “enlarged moderate GOP wing” it feels will make it easier for congressional leaders to negotiate with Obama. It’s clear by his bypassing of congress and issuing unilateral executive actions, fast tracking the vast illegal population that has invaded our nation, that Obama is not interested in dealing with anyone other than the face he sees in his mirror each morning.

For its part, the Chamber’s main thrust is pushing amnesty, to provide low wage workers for their members, which the group’s Chief Executive Thomas Donohue calls a ‘business priority.”

This past August we noted that Donohue favored raising the gas tax on American drivers,  referring to the U.S. Chamber as a massive liberal entity —- not a benign business group —- displaying an immense disregard for Americans, many still struggling in a sagging economy.

In a platitude-laced screed, the Chamber remained supportive of a continued flood of illegals to compete with American citizens for fewer jobs, advocating for earned “lawful status for the undocumented with no future bar to citizenship.”

We previously posted, “Continued U.S. joblessness? Chamber’s answer: import workers.”

It’s no secret the Chamber desires a continued flood of low-cost labor, regardless of the consequences to American workers. In May, Donohue issued a threat and ultimatum to the Republican Party: Either pass amnesty or don’t bother fielding a presidential candidate in 2016.  Rick Moran covered Donahue’s blatant, partisan extremism for PJ Media.

The Chamber’s post election wish list may end up flying in the face of what those same Republicans campaigned on. Few, if any, of them were singing the praises of Obama’s unilateral action on immigration, Dan Riehl writes. But damn the voters, apparently; the Chamber seems to want what it wants, and the voters who elected Republicans can go hang. Perhaps those same voters will let the GOP go hang next election if they turn out to be little more than shills for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

On a related issue, Arizona’s minimum wage will increase from $7.90 to $8.05 on Jan. 1, 2015, pursuant to yearly increases indexed to the cost of living imbedded in state law, passed in 2006 as Prop. 202 — the Arizona Minimum Wage Act.  Scroll through the link to see who supported and opposed this job killing measure. The minimum wage works for the entry-level jobs it was intended to cover. Raising the minimum wage has proven to a job killer for low skilled workers, according to this recent study by Jeffrey Clemens and Michael Wither at the University of California, San Diego.

Leftist Linda Valdez undone by intellectual armed with facts

Linda Valdez, the Arizona Republic’s one-dimensional leftist zealot and editorial writer, cranks out her fanatical spew in what the newspaper previously called a “Quick Hit, but now simply titles “Opinions.” These are encapsulated droppings intended to cement the wayward bent of the editorial board.

Here is her latest inanity, titled, “Good economic news will challenge Obama haters.”

The Blame Obama for Everything crowd will have to work to spin the latest economic news. Or maybe they can just admit things are going rather well under the president’s leadership. In the third quarter, the U.S. economy grew at its fastest pace since 2003. Consumer and business spending were up. Job growth in November was at a two-year high. It’s been slow — what with the GOP government shutdown and all — but things are getting better. Admit it.

Stephen Moore, chief economist at the Heritage Foundation, provides the above-her-head answer in the Dec. 22 edition of the Weekly Standard magazine. His article, “The Democrats Double Down,” is brilliant in its analysis and definitely worth taking the time to read.

It’s been a tough year under Emperor Obama. Do yourself the favor. You deserve it.

GOP poised to cave on Obama USAG nominee, Loretta Lynch

So-called “Charm Offensive” is offensive

Politico reports on the one-on-one private sessions Loretta Lynch, Obama’s choice for U.S. Attorney General, is having with members of the U.S. Senate. Lynch, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York is the hand-picked successor to Eric Holder, who is resigning from the administration’s top law enforcement post after a tumultuous term. 

Reports of the preliminary meetings sound like an effusive gush-o-ramas with smitten senators pledging their support.

Although Republicans vowed to use the nomination process to take on Obama over his executive actions nomalizing million of illegal aliens, in which he flagrantly bypassed congress, Lynch’s success serves as an early indicator she will sail through the confirmation hearings. This comes despite revelations of her controversial background which includes membership in a radical, anti-Semitic and pro-terrorist group while at Harvard Law School. The activities of the Black Law Students Association were condemned by the Harvard Crimson.

“I want to see what happens in the hearings,” Sen. John McCain unconvincingly droned. His following words were more honest, as he said, “But certainly I’m supportive.“  McCain and his senate doppelganger Jeff Flake said they have met with Lynch privately and are inclined to vote in favor of her nomination.

What a surprise. Don’t expect any tough questions from the always eager to acquiesce to the Left Arizona senators.

This Aug. 2012 post is a reliable remainder of the numerous liberals whose nominations John McCain and senate seatmate, Jon Kyl previously supported. They were solidly onboard voting to confirm leftist federal judges, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder (senate roll call vote) and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (senate roll call vote). The duo was likely in the tank for Janet Napolitano as Secretary of Homeland Security, although there was a sly omission of an on-the-record roll call vote for that contentious vote.

After the November shakeup in which Democrats were soundly defeated, Senate Republicans pledged to make their mark when they take control of the chamber in January. Making good on their pre-election promises appears unlikely given the current warm climate surrounding Loretta Lynch.

When immigration issues surfaced during her meeting with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Lynch told him she agreed with an opinion from the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel that found Obama’s executive action on immigration was legally sound, telling the senator the opinion was “well-reasoned.”

“We didn’t get into the details, but she’ll have to explain what that means,” Graham said. But “I’m not going to just say that anyone who disagrees with me about a particular legal issue is not qualified to serve.”

Get it?

Good news for Kyrsten Sinema! Her Green Party is back

The Arizona Green Party (AZGP) announces it’s back on the ballot for the 2016 and 2018 elections, regaining status after a two-year decertification hiatus due to too few registered Greenies and not enough of their claimed 5600 statewide members voting for the party’s candidate in the last presidential election. According to its website the far leftist group, founded in 1990, has achieved ballot status five times —- in 1992, 2000, 2008, 2010 and 2012. 

U.S. Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ CD 9) made her first foray onto the political scene in 2002, when she ran for the state House of Representatives in LD 15 as an “independent” candidate linked to the Green Party. She came in dead last —-grabbing only 8 percent of the vote —- in a field of five candidates vying for two seats.

By 2004 Sinema, a radical leftist with communist ties, had wised up and ran as a Democrat in the same district. She swept into office with the highest vote margin. As a newly burnished Dem, she was subsequently re-elected three times. Unlike conservative Republicans who determinedly expect candidate commitment to constitutional values, Democrats are willing to give their votes to anyone sporting a “D’ after their name.

As a 2012 candidate for congress in the newly created CD 9 Kyrsten Sinema faced no incumbent, veered right and magically characterized herself as a moderate. She stopped bashing our military and using vulgarities to describe stay-at-home moms, while vigorously courting registered Independents and unaffiliated voters —- groups that outnumber the two major parties in that district. Her radical fans were unfazed by her transformation. The liberal Arizona Republic endorsed her, despite (or perhaps due to) her yearly “Cinco de Mayo greeting” in the Communist People’s Weekly World.

Although Sinema made a point of declaring herself as the first openly bisexual member of the U.S. Congress and refused to be sworn into office with a bible, the only member to officially describe her religious affiliation as “none,” those brazen career killing moves were overlooked by the voters as quirky eccentricities.

Facing reelection, she transformed herself yet again in Nov. 2013, breaking ranks with the majority of Dems as she tried to separate herself from the Obamacare debacle by voting with the GOP on H R 3350 (roll call vote) Keep Your Health Plan Act of 2013.

The good news is that Sinema can finally be an honest broker. With the Green Party recertified and ready for the ballot, her political contortions can come to an end and she can replace that “D” with a “G.”

 Go for it, Kyrsten!

2014: Joyous Christmas Wishes

With sincere best wishes for a Merry Christmas to all of our readers.

May the peace and goodwill of this season be with us all. We express our gratitude to our service personnel, many stationed far from their own families, who ensure our countless freedoms.

We fervently pray that God will continue to bless America.

Seeing Red AZ

T’was the night before Christmas….

This charming image is of Clement Clarke Moore’s original handwritten poem, “A Visit From Saint Nicholas,” written in 1822 as a gift to his children. Here is the full, easier to read version.

 Enjoy Christmas Eve.

Bill Montgomery, dead dogs & the Flakes: We got it right the first time

 All felony and misdemeanor charges dropped against Jeff Flake’s son and daughter-in-law. Single fraud charge remains against her parents

In what is being characterized as a “surprise move,” Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery has dropped charges of animal cruelty against all four defendants in the deaths of nearly two dozen dogs at the Green Acre boarding kennel. His equivocal press release is filled with legal double talk in an effort to explain away the unexplainable.

It was clear from the June 20 onset, when the dead and dying dogs were found, Bill Montgomery was loath to touch this case. He dillied and dallied, even after Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s extensive three-month examination of facts which included veterinarian performed necropsies. The sheriff’s office recommended numerous felony charges of animal neglect and cruelty in connection with horrific abuse of the pets. The dogs died agonizing heat-related suffocation deaths after being crammed in a small laundry room overnight without air-conditioning, food or water.

When found in the morning they were hosed down in a crude attempt to cool them, then callously dumped in a shed and stacked like cordwood by the caretakers. No veterinarian was ever summoned.

But these were not just run-of-the-mill folks. Defendants Austin and Logan Flake, the son and daughter-in-law of U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake, were each charged with 21 felony counts and 7 misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals. Todd and MaLeisa Hughes, Logan Flake‘s parents were also charged.

The politically ambitious Bill Montgomery is cunning but still exhibited raw insensitivity to the grieving pet owners as he provided insight as to his bent during a Sept. 10 press conference. “This isn’t to cheapen or minimize the loss of the pets to the families,” Montgomery said. “But we’re not talking about the deaths of 23 children.” 

On Oct. 15, a Maricopa County Grand Jury indicted both couples. At the time, Montgomery solemnly stated, “Today’s indictment is the result of a thorough review of the extensive investigation into this incident and a decision to seek charges based on objective facts. We now look forward to the next step in seeing that justice is served in this case,” he said.

Then POOF! In a cloud of smoke capable of concealing  dead rabbits in a magician’s top hat (yes, there were also a couple of dead rabbits) the charges magically disappeared. A single count of fraud remains against Todd and MaLeisa Hughes. When the deaths occurred, they were vacationing in Florida, leaving the aptly named Flakes in charge of the pets.

The newspaper, referring to the deaths as a “tragic accident, not a case of intentional cruelty,” prefers to lay blame on their longtime foe, Sheriff Arpaio for having the temerity to recommend charges. Bill Montgomery, who would rather chew on rancid chops than refile this case says, “Our motion to dismiss the charges without prejudice reflects our ethical and professional duty as prosecutors to review information presented to us by the defense and to assess what impact, if any, it has on our case.”

What a load of horse pucky. After reviewing the facts, a Grand Jury found sufficient evidence to indict on multiple charges. But none on the panel have the same political aspirations as Montgomery.

Back in September we prophetically posted “Bill Montgomery: Between a Flake and a hard place.”

We got it right.