Randy Parraz closes shop, trades one scheme for another

Latest scheme is $5 million Democrat registration campaign

Were Arizona conservative Republicans given an assignment of compiling radical provocateurs, the name Randy Parraz would top many lists.  The hard-left, amnesty-for-illegals ideologue was behind the effort to unseat state Senate President Russell Pearce and shows up in the most unlikely of places.

In March 2013, open-borders and anti-enforcement extremists Parraz and his failed candidate wife Lilia Alvarez (video) were forced to admit their deceptively misnamed effort “Respect Arizona,” an attempt to recall Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio was doomed.  In addition to coming up short on cash to pay petition circulators, he was unable to energize rational citizens to engage in his trickery. 

Parraz, a pro-illegal, self-described “community activist,” has made a career of extremism rather than the practice of law in which he holds a degree.

But it appears Parraz’ vocation of deception has come to an abrupt end. According to the leftist Modern Times magazine, which glowingly refers to Parraz as “charismatic,” the agitating rabble-rouser is calling it quits. He recently sent out an email statement telling of his bogus handled Citizens for a Better Arizona closing shop.

“After considerable thought, reflection and debate, CBA has decided to: Cease operations as a 501 C 4 organization (effective March 1, 2015); and Initiate the formation of a $5 million fund called the Arizona Blue Campaign to register over 200,000 Democrats by October 1, 2016.”

His message caused nary a blimp on the “aw shucks” meter.

AZ House Republican majority release 2015 agenda

Republicans in the Arizona House of Representatives, led by House Majority Leader Steve Montenegro, released an ambitious seven-part policy agenda and accompanying video. “We want to make sure we are doing the business of the people,” Montenegro explained. “The House Majority Agenda helps us to stay on track. We want to conduct our work in a way that makes Arizona proud.”

“These seven guideposts give us a roadmap to prioritize the work of the House,” added House Speaker David Gowan.

We’ll keep our fingers crossed and hope for conservative victories among the budget battles.

Tony Bouie scores cushy post: Establishment takes care of its own

Newly elected Arizona Governor Doug Ducey isn’t letting any grass grow under his feet as he repays establishment favors.

In this accolade-filled press release, Ducey announces the appointment of accomplished charlatan Tony Bouie as the new director of the Arizona State Lottery.

This post, “Tony Bouie: Problematic candidate is baaack,“ dated Jan. 30, 2012, contains links to numerous articles we’ve written about Bouie’s brazen attempts to deceive the voters in two separate districts where he sought legislative seats.  “It’s time to stop the embarrassment, Tony“ contains links to a dozen other articles about the duplicitous Tony Bouie.

A man with an abundance of personal problems, Bouie is best known for registering as a Republican after being a lifelong Democrat, and then opportunistically lying about it when running in a GOP heavy District. He shamelessly filed his intent to run within FIVE short days of changing his registration status. Then the newly-minted Republican had the temerity to refer to himself as a “conservative leader.” After his con was exposed he went so far as to send out a press release declaring that he “became a Republican in his heart,” but neglected to reregister — with the new party that meant so much to him. 

Until his lies were exposed, opportunistic imposter Bouie remained so insistent touting his longtime Republican credentials that he told the Capitol Times, “In fact, I’ve been a Republican half of my voting life.”

The lottery —- state sanctioned gambling —- is taking a pointless gamble with Tony Bouie.

In an arena where integrity must be the paramount consideration, Gov. Ducey and his advisors have fallen far short of the mark in replacing principled former state lawmaker Jeff Hatch-Miller, who has held this position since 2009.

Departing candidate Mitt gets it right with Jeb jab

Bush fatigue coupled with Jeb Bush’s notorious amnesty stance make his candidacy unacceptable

In his Friday morning announcement that he will not be running for president, Mitt Romney lobbed a less than subtle parting shot at 61-year-old Jeb Bush.  Though cloaked, conservative politicos got his message loud and clear —- and Romney was right on target.

“After putting considerable thought into making another run for president, I’ve decided it is best to give other leaders in the Party the opportunity to become our next nominee,” Romney, 67, said, as he underscored the need for a fresh face for the GOP.

“I believe that one of our next generation of Republican leaders, one who may not be as well known as I am today, one who has not yet taken their message across the country, one who is just getting started, may well emerge as being better able to defeat the Democrat nominee,” he told supporters on the conference call during which he announced his decision. “In fact, I expect and hope that to be the case.”

We join Mitt Romney in that hope.

Here is Jeb Bush calling the invasion of the United States by illegal aliens, “an act of love.” 

“Yes, they broke the law,” Jeb Bush acknowledges, “but it’s not a felony. It’s an act of love. It’s an act of commitment to your family. I honestly think that that is a different kind of crime. It shouldn’t rile people up that people are coming to this country to provide for their families.”

Same-sex issues: A confusing religious smorgasbord

Faith-based courage retreats as political correctness takes major leap 

On Tuesday the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints loosened the reins on teachings about homosexuality via this rare news conference in which church leaders called for a “fairness for all” approach “that balances religious freedom protections with reasonable safeguards for LGBT people — specifically in areas of housing, employment and public transportation.”

Couching this change of attitude as an issue of “housing, employment and public transportation,” and glib use of the acronym LGBT, appears to be acceptance of the camel’s nose under the tent, since these issues were already addressed in 2009 as the LDS Church endorsed two Salt Lake City ordinances barring housing and job discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Nearly 20 Utah cities and counties have passed similar ordinances.

This Salt Lake City Tribune report contains information on pending legislation to protect religious individuals’ ability to refuse to marry same-sex couples, but even the sponsor is unsure it will pass.

In July 2013, it was Pope Francis who uttered the stunning words, “Who am I to judge?” when speaking with reporters about homosexuality within the Catholic Church.

In the words of the Catechism, the Church teaches that homosexuals “must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity” and that “every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.” But the Catechism also describes a “homosexual inclination” as “objectively disordered” and homosexual acts as “intrinsically disordered,” because sexuality is “an integral part of the love by which a man and a woman commit themselves totally to one another until death.”

Biblical teachings have remained consistently clear on the topic of homosexuality. Leviticus 20:13 leaves no doubt that homosexual relations are against God’s law. In Romans 1:24 Paul preached to the Romans that homosexual behavior was sinful.

The Bible is a sacred book of scripture that serves as an important pillar of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

As overreaching courts have legitimized same-sex marriages in dozens of states, including those with large Mormon populations such as Arizona, Idaho, Nevada and Utah, a growing number of churchgoers have pushed the conservative church to become more accepting of homosexual members —- a considerably altered  position since the church’s involvement as one of the leading forces behind California’s 2008 ballot measure  known as Proposition 8, prohibiting such unions.

This Dec. 2012 Pew Research Center report provides an overview of the official positions on same-sex marriage held by 16 religious groups in the U.S.

AZ GOP election: Slime campaign reaches new depths

Robert Graham is hard at work as he runs for a second term as Arizona Republican Party Chairman. While he amasses conscripted endorsements and accolades, daily emails arrive in the in-boxes of state committeemen heralding Graham as a “defender of conservative principles” who has “delivered tremendous success.”

Confidence building is a requisite campaign tactic. What is troubling is the growing unsavory aspect of having surrogates send 11^th hour messages disparaging the Conservative Team running in opposition to the current chair and his slate.

It was not our desire to enter this fray, but the unrelenting attacks against party chair candidate Lori Urban and first vice chair candidate A. J. LaFaro have reached a point where conservatives can no longer turn a blind eye. Not only are they coming at breakneck speed in the final days before the biennial meeting of the State Committee, but the level of animus has exceeded the bounds of decency. LaFaro is the immediate past Maricopa County Chairman.

When viewed by most reasonable people, mudslinging has a far worse effect on the originators of the attacks than the recipients. In a tactic reminiscent of John McCain, Graham’s hands appear to be clean. The dirty work is done by often nameless sycophants who somehow have access to statewide email addresses.  Reports of manipulative push polls, conducted on behalf of the “Republican Party” attempting to influence recipients, reward the undesired answers with gossip contrived to make uninformed newcomers fall into line. Dare we say the honey-voiced woman reading the alternative script, reminds us of John McCain in drag?

In addition to the attacks there are shenanigans relating to petition collections. Traditionally, gathering petition signatures to get a resolution to the floor of the statutory meeting is done in the parking lot as state committeemen arrive.  However, just days ago an AZ GOP restrictive directive was sent out that reads: “As the state committeemen are checked in with their credentials, they will be referred to the room for the purpose of signing your resolutions if they choose to do so.  NO RESOLUTIONS PETITIONS CAN BE CIRCULATED TO STATE COMMITTEEMEN IN ATTENDANCE BEFORE THEY ARE CHECKED IN WITH THEIR CREDENTIALS.”  Further, there will be no mixing of counties on a single page.

This is obviously a preemptive maneuver designed to prevent state committeemen from ever again forwarding another nationally reported, embarrassing censure as previously happened to John McCain at both the Maricopa County meeting and the state GOP meeting.

This meeting of the AZ GOP State Committee will be held tomorrow, Saturday Jan. 24, at the Grace Community Church in Tempe. Registration opens at 7:30 am. If you are a voting state committeeman, arrive armed with truth and eyes clear of the smoke and mirrors intended to deceive.

We support the actual CONSERVATIVE SLATE:

 Chairman:  Lori Urban  

1st Vice Chairman:   A. J. LaFaro 

2nd Vice Chairman:  Gabby Saucedo-Mercer

Secretary:  Lynne Breyer

Treasurer:  Ardith Hildebrant

A Christmas gift from Sheriff Joe Arpaio

Inmates in Maricopa County jail facilities are getting a thoughtful holiday treat from Sheriff Joe Arpaio. By signing up here 24 hours in advance —- beginning Tuesday, Dec. 23rd at midnight —- their friends and family members can visit free online, from the comfort of their own home, on Christmas Day.

Visit the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office website to learn more about the office.