Jeb finds few friends at Conservative Conference

Jeb Bush, the wanna-be Number 3 in his family’s presidential dynasty, encountered protests at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Friday in National Harbor, Maryland.

The amnesty and Common Core supporter stands by his scheme to give drivers’ licenses to illegals. When he was governor of Florida, Bush also pushed for in-state tuition for children of illegal aliens. Few can forget when he referred to illegal immigration as “an act of love.”(video)

The Washington Times reported that conservatives who resent the GOP establishment foisting yet another squish Republican into prominence were organizing a protest of Jeb’s conference speech. In anticipation of such an embarrassing walkout, Slate reported Bush’s team resorted to importing supporters from downtown Washington, D.C. Chartered buses were scheduled to depart from K Street, the heart of the lobbying industry.

The walkout began shortly after Bush strolled on stage. As he continued to finagle answers to questions posed by Fox News’ Sean Hannity, greater numbers of attendees booed and then filed out. (video)

As the brother and son of the last two Republican presidents, Jeb Bush appears to think the presidency is now his due.  He’s obviously spent too much time listening to RINO strategist Karl Rove. Conservatives have been down this GOP Establishment path previously with mediocre or unrepresentative of the grassroots candidates —- Bob Dole, John McCain and Mitt Romney.

This time winning is more important than ever. In fact, it may well be crucial to our very survival. After two terms of Barack Obama and with Hillary Clinton looking likely to snag the Democrat nomination, there is no room for Republican blunders such as Jeb Bush.

AZ 2016 U.S. Senate race takes bright, right turn

Supporters of AZ State Sen. Kelli Ward put together ‘KelliPAC’  hoping to encourage challenge to John McCain

The news that John McCain is revving up for yet another bite at the senate apple, is of the ho-hum variety.  After decades in Washington, he knows no other life, though he rates abysmally low on the home popularity meter as does junior senator Jeff Flake. Just last month the often censured McCain was greeted with boos and turned backs (video) by elected delegates at the annual Arizona Republican Statutory meeting.

In the wake of such nationally reported embarrassments, McCain and his allies have expended considerable resources and energy attempting to purge conservatives from precinct committeemen positions and party leadership posts. But the hostility directed toward him has even deeper roots, as articulated so well by Tom DeLay, (video) former House Majority Leader.

Arizona U.S. Reps. David Schweikert and Matt Salmon have each been rumored to be mulling a challenge to the senior senator who is looking his 79^th year squarely in the eye. Ultimately, neither will take him on. His $1.54 million war chest is too large and his notorious retaliatory rage too great for decent sorts to desire to engage him in this last battle of his career.

Schweikert has already said his wife isn’t onboard, which nixes his entry into the race. Salmon is also unlikely to move forward.

But another name gaining momentum has the ring of a winner. State Sen. Kelli Ward, a Lake Havasu conservative Republican, has a stellar résumé making her an exceptionally strong contender against the unpopular and repeatedly censured McCain. In addition to representing Legislative District 5 in the Arizona senate, Kelli Ward is a medical doctor. Her perspective on health care would be invaluable as Obamacare’s negative impact grows. The Havasu News asks a single question in its recent poll: “Should State Senator Kelli Ward of Lake Havasu City run against Arizona’s U.S. Senator John McCain if he seeks re-election in 2016?” Votes in the affirmative are overwhelming.

Now fans of Kelli Ward’s have independently put together KelliPAC an Independent Expenditure Committee. In its Mission Statement, describing the reason for forming the PAC, are these words: “If Sen. Ward decides not to run, KelliPAC will use the funds collected to advance a conservative candidate against John McCain.

If Sen. Ward agrees to run, we will work tirelessly to see that she has a fair and equal opportunity to return that seat to whom it rightfully belongs…The People.”  

Laurie Roberts: The “kook” pot calling the kettle….

Right on the heels of a column earlier this week “Brnovich not the guy to investigate APS-Corp Com links” in which Laurie Roberts actually sounded like the investigative sleuth she purports to be —- she reverts back to her infantile “Kook” name calling.

In the earlier column she points out that Attorney General Mark Brnovich is too beholden to Arizona Public Service Co. to investigate major corruption claims against the utility made by a whistleblower (Letter here courtesy of 12 News) regarding cozy deal making between then-Corporation Commission chairman Gary Pierce and the company’s CEO as the utility was seeking a rate increase. APS, the largest electric utility in the state is regulated by the Arizona Corporation Commission. Arizona Public Service’s parent company, Pinnacle West, dumped $425,000 into Brnovich’s campaign coffers last year which raises the question why the power provider was so keen to influence the Attorney General’s race.

Just weeks ago, Roberts was loathe to mention Brnovich’s name. Now it’s headline material.

Yet it’s her fixation on conservatives she deems “Kooks” that continues to grasp her attention. Now she has gone even further than her usual derogatory snipes at individuals, by deeming the entire state of Arizona “Kooksville.”  In Roberts’ extremist view, legislative leaders are hard at work “to declare our independence from federal gun laws, from the Affordable Care Act, from the Environmental Protection Agency, from the Department of Justice, from Barack Obama and from just about anything else associated with the state’s most detested f-word. Federal, that is.”

There’s a slew of legislation rattling Roberts, including House Bills 2055, 2058, 2368, 2643, (Committee on Federalism & States’ Rights) and  Senate Bill 1330 (Public Safety, Military & Technology Committee) along with 2014’s Proposition 122.

Watch for Roberts to begin providing cover for soon-to-be 79-year-old John McCain as he gears up for another 6-year senate term. She’s already going after state Sen. Kelli Ward (R-LD5). The Lake Havasu lawmaker/physician is only rumored to be considering a challenge to McCain, but the status quo wagons are already beginning to circle.

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.

Jeb a sure loser for GOP: Reject Bush imperial dynasty

The Sunday news programs parade a panoply of potential GOP presidential candidates, giving each their obligatory sound bites followed by analysis by the panelists gauging their viability. Each in turn is weighed as to suitability to run against the  already anointed Democrat—- a problem-plagued,  Cher-like candidate known far and wide by a single name.

Although the list of potential Republican candidates is long, the party establishment powerbrokers, strategists and the eager media, appear to have already selected their donor-amassing candidate. But for multitudes of “Bush weary” conservatives, Jeb Bush is a dynasty too far.

Phyllis Schlafly, still going strong at age 90, has long argued that the American conservative movement’s purpose is to influence, not echo, the Republican Party. In this column in the Washington Times, she warns against letting the party’s “kingmakers,” the Wall Street elite and their acquiescing political consultant class coronate former Florida governor Jeb Bush.

Mincing no words, Mrs. Schlafly makes her case in a 2015 update to her landmark book a half-century ago titled “A Choice, Not an Echo,” which in 1964 became the motto of Barry Goldwater’s grassroots movement.

In her update, Mrs. Schlafly -— founder of the Eagle Forum —- argues that her party too often picks losers as candidates because of a stranglehold by the political consultant-big business-Wall Street crowd, which makes a bundle from championing moderates over conservatives.

She warns that may be happening again in 2016 in the persona of Jeb Bush, noting “closed-door events have been held for Republican mega-donors to select who will get the big money that went last time to Mitt Romney,” and that the mainstream media already are cheering on Jeb Bush. Read the complete article by Ralph Z. Hallow here

Then carve out the time to acquaint yourself with Mexico-born Columba Bush, Jeb’s wife. The revealing article, “Bush Spouse Backs Jeb, but Is Wary of Family Business,”  in the New York Times is written by  Patrick Healy and Sheryl Gay Stolberg.  It’s easy to see why it took a trio, including researcher Kitty Bennett, to compile this informative piece.

Today we ask our readers to share who your “2016 Dream Ticket’ would be —- and why? We can do better than what’s being shoved our way by the Karl Rove elites.

Common Core: Making news for all the right reasons

The Arizona House Education Committee voted 5-2 approving a proposal that would scrap the state’s imposition of Common Core “standards” and strip the Board of Education’s ability to adopt new ones. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Mark Finchem, (R-LD 11), now moves to the House floor.

Read the amended version of H.B.2190, which was approved after testimony from those on both sides of this contentious issue. A video of the hearing can be viewed here.

Seeing Red AZ has frequently covered the various incarnations of the Common Core back story and deceptive name change —- once it became too toxic. In the end, it comes down to the GOP establishment, with John McCain yet again playing the manipulator behind the curtain vs. the grassroots conservatives who put the underestimated Diane Douglas in office.

When Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas acted within the purview of her office, she was hammered by a Hamer. The establishment view is summed up by this obnoxious comment by obliging tool Glenn Hamer, president and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce. “It’s bizarre and outrageous and offensive and she should apologize to all she’s offended,” Hamer is quoted in the New York Times. “Her comments and behavior aren’t necessarily following a linear pattern at this point.”

In other words, for having the temerity to disagree with the elites, Diane Douglas can deliberately be deemed nuts by the diminutive, insult-hurling Hamer.

The superintendent’s remarks were “intense even for Diane Douglas,” blasted Lisa Graham Keegan, who had previously called Superintendent Douglas “erratic.” Name calling has become commonplace among Common Core proponents. John Huppenthal, the troubled man replaced by Douglas referred to opponents as “barbarians.”  Like newly elected Gov. Doug Ducey, Keegan is closely tied to the McCain faction.  A RINO-turned-Independent who supported Douglas’ radical leftwing educrat opponent, Keegan served as McCain’s education policy advisor during his failed presidential campaign.

The conservative base of the Republican Party supported Diane Douglas. As the establishment choice, Doug Ducey had the backing and financial network of the GOP hierarchy.  He was also the beneficiary of scattered votes in a 6-way Republican primary field. A Libertarian and Americans Elect candidate further diluted the pool. 

Ducey needs to reassess his victory and realize he is the governor. He owes John McCain and his political kneecapping cronies nothing more than a courteous greeting when they meet at public functions. They don’t belong in his office and when they call, his secretary can honestly tell them he’s busy.  After all, he’s got a cash-strapped state to run. By virtue of her election, Diane Douglas is already in charge of the Arizona Department of Education.

McParty time: Frosh class femmes frolic

Joni Ernst, the newly elected Republican U.S. Senator from Iowa blew into office with an impressive record. A former state senator, she campaigned as a conservative and won praise for her service as a company commander in Kuwait and Iraq. She soundly defeated an incumbent Democrat Congressman running for the senate seat.

Now we find her name oddly linked with John McCain’s for a swank Phoenician resort fundraiser to benefit McCain’s 2016 reelection campaign. Right up there with wife Cindy are freshman U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-CD2), Cheryl Flake, and the previously unknown in political circles, Angela Ducey —- wife of Arizona’s newly elected governor Doug Ducey —- a McCain and Flake confidant.  The men stumped the state together in the final hours prior to Election Day ginning up votes for Ducey. “We’ve got a lead, but we can’t take that for granted,” McCain said. His possessive words indicated a strange ownership role. 

For those keeping track, just a few more dots to connect.