Our world has changed: Anonymity no longer an option

Did you ever wonder how law enforcement was able to link the Tsarnaev brothers to the April 15, 2013 Boston Marathon bombings so quickly?  One of the most important eyewitnesses to the horrific bombing never took the stand and never said a word to the jury. It was a camera. But Bob Leonard, the skilled photographer snapping 10 to 20 photos a minute with his Nikon that ill-fated day, likely gave no thought to the ubiquitous and invasive technology now becoming the norm.

This photo was taken in Canada and shows about 700,000 people. With the increased use of innovative technology, it’s virtually impossible to disappear in a crowd. Pick a small portion of the crowd — even in the distance, double-click a couple of times — wait — click a few more times and see how clear each individual face becomes. Using the wheel on your mouse also works. The images are incredibly sharp!

The pictures were taken with a 70,000 x 30,000 pixel camera (2100 Mega Pixels.) These cameras are not sold to the public and are being installed in strategic locations. The camera can identify an individual face among a multitude of people.

It’s not so easy to hide in a crowd anymore. In this photo* of Barack Obama delivering his Jan. 2009 inaugural address, Bill Clinton had to show up with Hillary. They’re a few rows behind and to the left of Obama and his teleprompter. The Supreme Court Justices are directly behind Obama. Wander around. You’re sure to recognize more than a few faces in the vast grouping.

* Photo by David Bergman

Phx City Council meeting: Satanists to deliver prayer

Will Mayor Greg Stanton bow his PC head in reverence?

Political correctness is in full bloom in Phoenix. The blue city in a red state has struggled under liberal Democrat mayors since the embarrassing Phil Gordon held sway at City Hall from 2004  — until the equally left-wing Greg Stanton was elected in 2012.

Phoenix city government promotes the sham of non-partisan elections though it’s always been clear where political allegiances lie.

In typical liberal fashion, Stanton, who led the 2014 “gay pride” parade and officially recognized the Greater Phoenix Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, has now approved representatives of a local Satanic group delivering the invocation — previously known as the opening prayer — at the Council’s Feb. 17 meeting.

Read the Fox News coverage, which includes a reassuring claim from one of the Satanists who refused to disclose what the group was planning for the invocation, but said, “We don’t intend on doing anything offensive.”

By whose standards?

Eden-like wisdom dispensed by John McCharlatan

There it was, hanging like juicy, ripe fruit on the tree of Breitbart. Missing was the beguiling temptress to provide the enticement, but the forked-tongue serpent was fittingly portrayed by Arizona’s senior Sen. John McCain. And his message encompassing all political wisdom? John McCain, who spectacularly lost the White House to Barack Obama in 2008 — barely carrying Arizona by 8+ percent — now has the audacity to opine on why Republicans lose elections.

John Nolte, writing for Breitbart makes no bones about the fact that McCain knows a thing or two about losing big. Editor-at-large Nolte correctly noted that McCain lost the 2008 presidential election even before it began. Additionally as we have pointed out, he has few friends outside of the Republicrat establishment and the Democrats he regularly colludes with. For his career-long transgressions, he’s been repudiated by elected Republican state and county committeemen who have repeatedly censured him. Both John McCain and his doppelganger Jeff Flake have been the object of their jeers and backs turned to them in disgust.

Embarrassingly unable to generate a crowd, even with a cringe-worthy suspenseful build up, John McCain chafes at Donald Trump’s ability to draw thousands as he has done during his Phoenix and Mesa visits. When the Arizona senators do hold “town halls” the meetings are frequently closed-door events with hand selected attendees.

In the Breitbart article, McCain absurdly expounds on the integrity of journalists, as if they have that rare commodity in abundance — or that he would even recognize integrity if it looked him squarely in the eye.

SRAZ recommends you take a few minutes to read, Why We Lose: John McCain Blasts Trump For ‘Destruction of the Press.’ It’s definitely worth your time — and reassuring for Arizona conservatives, who are fed up with the decades of John McCain’s arrogant deceit, to know we are not alone.

GOP debate tonight Jan. 28, 2016: 5 to 8 (AZ)

Unpredictable, petulant Trump, ignores voters, grabs headlines,  risks alienating base

Parents have long known it’s the agitating kid demanding attention, who challenges the adults to react. Now the presidential candidate tantrum thrower is not even going to show after pitching a fit and engaging in derisive name calling.  Donald Trump has referred to close rival Ted Cruz as a “liar,” mockingly declaring, “Nobody likes him.”  Accusing Fox News of “playing games” with him, GOP frontrunner Trump is boycotting tonight’s Fox News/Google debate after referring to moderator Megyn Kelly as a “lightweight and third-rate reporter.”

Here we go again. Either by widely publicized inaction or roaring bravado, Trump becomes the news as the seriousness of the prime time debate is pushed to the back burner.

The Fox News/Google main event is set for 6 P.M. (9 p.m. ET) tonight, Thursday, Jan. 28,  in Des Moines, Iowa and marks the first GOP presidential primary debate that is Trumpless. Instead he’ll host an event in Iowa to raise money for Veterans and Wounded Warriors — a noble gesture indeed, but one he could do on any other night. Americans want to hear from the candidates tonight.

Participants include Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, John Kasich, and Rand Paul.

Those qualifying for the earlier, 5 p.m. (AZ time) second tier debate are: Carly Fiorina, Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum, and Jim Gilmore.

Both debates will be moderated by Fox News anchors. The earlier one will feature Martha MacCallum and Bill Hemmer.  Prime time honors go to Megyn Kelly, Bret Baier and Chris Wallace.

The candidate lineup was decided based on the results of national, New Hampshire and Iowa polling  To qualify for the prime-time debate, candidates had to place in the top six in an average of recent national polls, or in the top five in an average of recent Iowa or New Hampshire polls. The earlier  debate features candidates who received a minimum 1 percent in at least one recent national poll.

This debate will be the candidates’ last before the Monday, Feb. 1, 2016 Iowa caucuses – which kick off the Republican presidential nominating process.

Access the debate on Fox News Channel (cable TV). Streaming at FoxNews.com and Fox News mobile apps. Live stream at KFYI-AM 550 radiol.

Alex Meluskey revealed as McCain operative?

Self identified “principled conservative” previously registered as PND – Party Not Designated                  

To call the U.S. Senate candidacy of Alex Meluskey a “long shot” is being extraordinarily kind. After reading, Will Meluskey “principles” re-elect John McCain? a stellar report on the newly minted conservative by author William Heuisler posted in the Arizona Daily Independent, it’s clear Meluskey actually warrants scorn.

Using deceptive tactics, it appears Alex Meluskey is working double time to assure the reelection of John McCain — the man he farcically alleges to be challenging. Meluskey is uncovered as helping fulfill McCain’s promise to purge conservative elected precinct committeemen from the Arizona Republican ranks.

The establishment and career politician he claims to disdain is actually the one he is helping by splitting the vote. John McCain, who will be 80 by Election Day has good reason to be running scared for his sixth six-year term. Physician and former state Senator Kelli Ward, is mounting a vigorous and fearless campaign for the Arizona Senate seat.

Meluskey’s most recent FEC quarterly report makes interesting reading with few contributors and even fewer who live in Arizona. Operating expenditures are high, donors sparse.

Dr. Kelli Ward is a principled conservative who has vowed to “shake up Washington.” Tell your friends and neighbors about her. Make sure you vote. U.S. Senate terms are six years long. We can do better than the dinosauric and Republicrat status quo who has repeatedly turned on us with nostrils flared and spewing flames.

Last November, in a historic upset, the Republican voters of Virginia replaced RINO House Majority Leader Eric Cantor with David Brat, a conservative college economics professor. Cantor had a 26-to-I cash advantage, but the die had been cast and the people spoke.

Arizonans are no  less riled than Virginians were. We also have an excellent option. Bucking the establishment is the new political reality. Meet Dr. Kelli Ward:

Jon Kyl gives Rubio what he wouldn’t want from McCain

Since Marco Rubio has entered the presidential sweepstakes, he’s spent an inordinate amount of time running from his job in the senate and attempting to disavow his collusion with John McCain, Chuck Schumer, Jeff Flake, Dick Durbin and the throng of leftists and RINOs who comprised the infamous Gang of Eight amnesty pushers. Fortunately, their efforts failed — again.

Supportive words regarding Rubio’s candidacy emanating from the lyin’ lips of John McCain would amount to a political kiss of death for the amnesty proponent. Enter former Arizona senator Jon Kyl — now toiling as a DC lobbyist.  He was brought in to lavish praise on the obedient establishment clone Marco Rubio.

Rubio exemplifies the same duplicity Kyl and McCain perfected (deceitful campaign ads under links) —  talk tough about the border, win re-election — then immediately reverse course and advocate for amnesty. 

Rubio has taken hits trying to explain away his senate absences by arguing that the votes he would have cast are meaningless. “A lot of these votes don’t mean anything. They’re not going to pass, and even if they did, the President would veto them.”  It’s the old “dog ate my homework” ruse and works about as well.

Florida’s junior senator not showing up for work doesn’t phase Kyl. Politico carries Kyl‘s compliment:

“He didn’t shy away from the [amnesty] issue. People looked to him for leadership, and he provided it,” Kyl said. “Not everybody was happy with the proposals that he actually supported, but there’s an old saying in politics: ‘You can’t get something without giving something.’ If you want to just have it your way all the time, you’re never going to get anything done.”

There’s also an old saying among principled conservatives that Marco Rubio and Kyl obviously missed: “If you stand for anything, you stand for nothing.” 

Trump tramples intelligence of supporters

Donald Trump is so confident of the loyalty of his supporters that he recently boasted, “I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose voters.” 

He delivered his crass message at a weekend campaign rally in Sioux Center, Iowa. The Feb. 1 Iowa caucus is less than a week away, making the timing of hurling insulting comments at his base all the more odd.  Though the caucus is widely regarded as crucial to the 2016 presidential race, this list of previous winners exposes the fallacy of it as an accurate predictor of future White House occupants.

At stake are 30 Republican and 52 Democrat delegates.

Severe storms keep Congress out of D.C.

Weather or not we want them, they’ll be baaack

Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy has put out the following Important Schedule Announcement, making us think there’s at least a small upside to the blizzards affecting Washington, D.C.

“Members are advised that due to the severity of the winter storm in the D.C. area, and its adverse impact on travel, we no longer expect votes in the House on Tuesday, January 26 and Wednesday, January 27.

Next votes in the House are scheduled at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, February 1. This is a change from the previously announced calendar.

Members are further advised that we expect to postpone consideration of two items originally planned for this week – H.R. 3662, Iran Terror Finance Transparency Act and the Veto Message on H.R. 3762, Restoring Americans’ Healthcare Freedom Act. These two items will now be considered the week of February 1st.”

American confidence in Congress has been in steady free fall mode for several years. According to this 2010 Gallup Poll, Congress came in lower than organized labor, newspapers and television news, HMOs and banks. By June 2014, the news was even more dismal, with Gallup reporting “historic lows,” as only 7 percent of Americans said they have “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in Congress.

In July, 2015, Rasmussen Reports found most voters believe their own representatives have sold their vote and think congressional elections are rigged to benefit the incumbent. Just 14% think members of Congress almost always get reelected because they do a good job representing their constituents. Sixty-five percent (65%) think it’s because the election rules are rigged to benefit incumbents.

It wasn’t much better when Rasmussen Reports conducted another survey in Dec. 2015. Only nine percent (9%) of all voters think the average member of Congress listens to the voters he or she represents. Seventy-seven percent (77%) think the average member listens mostly to party leaders in Congress. It seems that pesky term “representative” is open to question.

The severe weather conditions have made life miserable for Americans across large swathes of the U.S.  We are not making light of the dire circumstances many in the affected areas face. It is, however, worth noting that less damage is done when congressional members are furloughed.

AZ GOP poised to pass censures of McCain, Graham

Graham’s parliamentarian rules censures out-of-order

The Arizona Republican Party Mandatory meeting took place Saturday. Elected delegates from around the wide expanse of the state traveled to Tempe to vote for party officers. For many of the 1187 attending in person or by proxy, the meeting also presented the opportunity to vote on resolutions censuring Sen. John McCain and state chairman Robert Graham.

Instead the delegates were greeted with platitude-filled, campaign-styled speeches, that mostly insulted the intelligence of those in attendance. Gov. Doug Ducey, slated to give the opening remarks was otherwise occupado, as were John McCain and Jeff Flake. But U.S. Reps. Matt Salmon, Paul Gosar, David Schweikert and Trent Franks didn’t disappoint. Salmon told us he returned to Congress, not just to be against Obama, “but to get congress back on track.” He also congratulated Graham on the bang up job he’s been doing. Franks called Graham’s efforts “amazing.” Though they touted their own conservative credentials, none of them addressed the fact they voted to gift Barack Obama his every desire in the bloated budget they passed, blaming it all on the senate when they had the power of the purse to defund. Franks said he opposed shutting down the government — which never would have happened.

Chairman Graham, who boasts about his communication skills, failed to communicate critical information to the state committeeman — as required by AZ GOP bylaws — as to when the nominations committee, bylaws committee and resolutions committee would meet prior to the state meeting. As a consequence, those attending had no idea who was running for the offices nor did they have an opportunity to run themselves.

It was obvious to everyone that Robert Graham’s intent was to allow only candidates, resolutions and bylaws that he  favored to be presented at the meeting

To insure the outcome of any points of order raised, Graham brought in his own Parliamentarian straight from the RNC to replace the previously selected Parliamentarian who, at recent meetings, ruled against Graham’s wishes. The only incumbent officer who had opposition was Second Vice Chair Gabby Saucedo Mercer, who was the sole anti-establishment name on the ballot — clearly indicating she had been targeted for elimination. They also cut her mic when she began to talk about RINOs within the party. No other person suffered that indignity. Fortunately, she won.

This was a strong indication how the censure resolutions would have fared, had Graham’s Parliamentarian allowed them to be heard. Graham abdicated his chairmanship to the imported RNC honcho during the presentation of the floor resolutions, never reclaiming his authority  even to the point of adjournment.  Breitbart Big Government also covered the meeting.

Last Saturday, elected precinct committeemen attending the Maricopa County Republican statutory meeting in Phoenix voted 921 to 582, easily passing the “Anyone But McCain” resolution. 

The AZ Congressmen regaled the delegates with their conservative credentials by reminding them that they had formed the Freedom Caucus to oppose the establishment Republicans who were leading us in the wrong direction. John McCain is universally recognized as the Number One Villain in the GOP hierarchy, yet not a word was mentioned about him.  Amnesty, the issue that has propelled Donald Trump to the forefront of the presidential pack nationally, is still their hallmark.

From the onset, the fix was in. Chicago politics now reigns in Arizona.

McCain, Flake and Obama’s judicial confirmations

Aided by Republicans, Obama is remaking the federal bench

While they thought you weren’t paying attention, Arizona’s slippery and lowest regarded U.S. Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake, were busying themselves on the banks of the Potomac with the confirmation of Obama’s liberal picks for federal judges.

On Jan. 11, the Arizona duo voted with the Democrats to confirm Luis Felipe Restrepo, of Pennsylvania as U.S. Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit. The Columbian-born Restrepo became a citizen in 1993. Obama is fast tracking the former ACLU prisoners’ rights lawyer up from a district court post to which he was confirmed in 2013.

Then on Jan. 19, Wilhelmina Marie Wright, was confirmed as U.S. District Judge for the District of Minnesota. Running for his sixth six-year term, candidate McCain who will be 80 by Election Day, shrewdly backed off of that confirmation, though Jeff Flake once again abandoned the Republicans to approve her nomination. The vote can be seen here. Wright’s confirmation brings the total of appellate judges appointed by Obama to 56.

In his Conservative Review commentary, Senior Editor Daniel Horowitz writes “Senate GOP Must Not Confirm Any More Obama Judges.”

“The notion that Republicans would vote to confirm more Obama judges defies logic on so many levels.  This is one of the few areas where they have no excuse or lack of power to actually use their control of the Senate for good purposes.  Moreover, by confirming more Obama judges, they will not only further exacerbate the growing judicial time bomb of anti-constitutional case-law, but will also prevent the next Republican president from filling those vacancies.” 

Horowitz‘ piece on Wilhelmina Marie Wright refers to her as the ‘Property Rights are White and Racist’ Judge, explaining the derivation of the fitting title.

This history of Arizona’s Republican senators endorsing or confirming Democrats is a long and twisted one.

Ask yourself…if the Democrats controlled the senate, would they be voting to confirm conservative federal court nominees the way liberals get a pass from Republican senators? You know the answer.  It’s time to clean house…er…senate.