Saturday, July 28, 2012

Bill Ponath, conservative candidate for JP, urgently needs your help!


Friday, July 27, 2012

Rothenberg Political Report: Salmon v. Adams campaign is all but over

5th District
In the end, the primary to succeed Rep. Jeff Flake (R) may have been the race that really wasn’t much of one.

While initially a competitive primary field had whittled down to former Rep. Matt Salmon (R) and former House Speaker Kirk Adams (R), virtually no one in Arizona even expects this race to be close. Salmon is
heavily favored to win the August primary easily.

Salmon started out with a built-in name ID advantage that was already near-impossible for Kirk to overcome, according to several GOP sources. Salmon had held true to his three term-pledge and stepped aside in 2000 (Flake succeeded him), and two years later he narrowly lost the gubernatorial race to Democrat Janet Napolitano.

Still, Salmon remained well-known and incredibly well-liked in the district -- but also well-liked among conservative groups. When he announced he was running again for the open seat, the Club for Growth quickly got behind him.

That translated into quick cash for Salmon, and the former congressman built an early advantage Adams could never overcome. Salmon ended June with $336,000 in the bank, while Adams had just $162,000.

Adams comes across as more of a pragmatic conservative, and in an interview with the Report in April, noted how he had worked across the aisle. Still, he was no squish, and he led a rebellion to overthrow the speaker during his tenure.

But Adams’ willingness to compromise has not translated into primary support or money. Republicans say Adams wasn’t aggressive enough initially and let Salmon pad his early, expansive lead. In the past week, Adams tried to argue Salmon’s firm had lobbied for the health care bill, but those charges fell flat.

Read the full article on Arizona's Congressional races here (subscription required)

Rothenberg Political Report: Schweikert v. Quayle update; 49-33 poll

6th District
Republicans in the state have a unanimous warning in the remaining weeks of this member vs. member contest -- it’s going to get even bloodier.

When redistricting drew freshman Rep. Ben Quayle’s home only blocks outside of the 6th District, his fellow freshman Dave Schweikert quickly announced he’d run in the 6th District, staking his claim. While it took weeks for Quayle to make it official, there was no doubt among anyone in DC or in Arizona that this clash was inevitable despite attempts to stave it off.

As the primary has intensified, the challenge for both congressmen has been to differentiate themselves from each other, since they disagree on few policy positions or key votes. Instead, this has become more of a battle of style -- as well as a subtle proxy war between the establishment and Tea Party wings of the GOP that has yet to fully materialize.

The former vice president’s son may have more of a famous profile by virtue of his last name, and has tapped into his father’s financial connections, but Schweikert has more local ties. A former state legislator and Maricopa County Treasurer, Schweikert had been running for office in this district for more than two decades, while Quayle only narrowly won his 2010 GOP primary even after his ties to a salacious website surfaced.

It’s no secret that Schweikert is the Club for Growth’s favorite candidate in the race. After Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s Young Guns PAC got involved in the member vs. member race between Rep. Don Manzullo and Rep. Adam Kinzinger earlier this year to back Kinzinger, the Club issued a warning shot -- if the establishment got in for Quayle, they wouldn’t hesitate to jump in full force for Schweikert. For now, both are sitting on the sidelines, but if one pulls the trigger, there will be a domino effect for several outside groups.

Quayle has sought to use the endorsements and national profile he’s built to his advantage in the race, and just this week debuted an ad featuring retiring Sen. Jon Kyl (R), talking directly to camera. "David’s been in politics almost as long as I have," Kyl quips -- a not-so-subtle dig at the 20 year age gap between the two men. "Ben Quayle is our future," says Kyl.

Outside groups are coming in now for Schweikert too, with a state-based super PAC, National Horizon, launching an ad hitting "Prince" Ben Quayle, brutally painting him as an entitled carpetbagger.

Quayle has piled up endorsements, from Kyl to John McCain and Condoleeza Rice, but that hasn’t seemed to faze Schweikert. In fact the endorsements only plays into the tea party vs. establishment narrative Schweikert prefers. Schweikert has gotten more local endorsements, including some more moderate leaders, which shows the ties he’s cultivated over the years.

"There’s not much difference at all when you come down to policy," said one GOP consultant. "If you look at them on paper, it really comes down to who you like personally."

Like other member vs. member races this year, turnout will win, and GOP sources agree across the board that Schweikert has the edge.

A National Research poll from Schweikert’s campaign this week confirmed that, showing him with a 49 percent to 33 percent lead over Quayle.

The full article on Arizona's House races can be found here (subscription required)

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Citizens United poll: Schweikert up double digits over Quayle

Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) has a 13-point lead over Rep. Ben Quayle (R-Ariz.) in their member-vs.-member primary, according to a poll commissioned by Citizens United, a group backing Schweikert in the race. Schweikert leads Quayle with 47 to 34 percent, according to the poll. The two will face off on Aug. 28. Polls done on behalf of a group with an interest in a race should always be viewed with a bit of skepticism — but those numbers are unquestionably good news for Schweikert, who has run to Quayle's right in the race. The poll of 794 likely Republican primary voters from was conducted from July 24-25 and has a 3.45-point margin of error.

Reprinted from The Hill

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Arizona-focused super PAC hits 'Prince Ben' Quayle


National Horizon, the super PAC with a focus on Arizona races, is up with this anti-Ben Quayle spot tomorrow.

It's not every day you get a storybook and a British accent in a GOP primary spot.

The race between Quayle and Rep. David Schweikert is one of the highest-profile GOP primary fights in the House, and one that's already featured the tensions between establishment Republicans and conservative groups that we've seen elsewhere.

Months ago, the Club for Growth said it wanted to stay neutral in the race an urged a super PAC run by former aides to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor to do the same. If one side here blinks and comes to Quayle's defense, it's easy to see that laying-down of arms ending.

Reprinted from Politico

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Fitness model Joan Stewart-Ponath sings the national anthem

Am very proud to post this video of my good friend Joan Stewart-Ponath singing the national anthem at a fitness competition in Arizona. She went on to place 2nd in the competition! Amazing considering she only started working out for this a few months ago. Go JOAN!

The pros and cons of bankruptcy

Q: I have been unemployed for about a year and still have not gotten a job. I was paying my credit cards until a couple of months ago. My unemployment benefits stopped, and my savings are now gone. I have spoken with my credit card companies and most of them understand my situation. When I could make a partial payment, I did. But I received a collection agency notice yesterday on one of my accounts even though I made some payments to them.

Should I file for Chapter 7? The total amount I owe is about $50,000.

Read the answer at The Chicago Tribune

The Alexander Bankruptcy Law Firm provides low low cost Chapter 7 and 13 personal bankruptcies. $995 Chapter 7 or $2500 Chapter 13 bankruptcies plus court filing fee. Free consultation with a compassionate attorney who will handle your case personally. Call 24/7, available to meet with you around your schedule. 602-910-6812. Conveniently located in Central Phoenix along the Camelback corridor. AlexanderBankruptcyLawFirm.com

Saturday, July 21, 2012

David Schweikert: We could save $4.4 billion by dropping paper $1 bill for coin

Great article by Thomas A. Schatz, president of Citizens Against Government Waste. Rep. David Schweikert is leading the fight to replace the paper $1 bill with a $1 coin instead, which will save taxpayers billions of dollars. Entrenched lobbyists in Washington are fighting back hard.

Continued use of $1 bills an egregious federal waste

Every few years, another iconic example of government waste captures the public's attention. Most Americans know about the "Bridge to Nowhere" in Alaska and the "Big Dig" in Boston. Others may recall the Pentagon's $436 hammer and $640 toilet seat. But one classic example of the government's wasteful ways is not as well-known, yet it has been in everyone's pockets for 160 years. It is the $1 bill. The Government Accountability Office has been beating the drum for more than two decades, pointing to the billions that could be saved by transitioning to a dollar coin. In its latest of six reports released in February 2012, the GAO estimated that the government would save $4.4 billion over 30 years by making the switch. Unfortunately, like every special interest, the $1 bill has its entrenched constituency in Washington. The paper and ink lobbies have a huge stake in the $1 bill, and it takes a lot of political courage to stand up to them and call the $1 bill corporate welfare. Two Republican members of Arizona's congressional delegation, Rep. David Schweikert and Sen. John McCain, are standing with hardworking Arizonans to fight the status quo. Both have sponsored bipartisan bills to phase out the $1 bill and save taxpayers billions in the process.

Read the rest of the article

Friday, July 20, 2012

Can you get the filing fee waived when filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Arizona?

I am a bankruptcy attorney in Phoenix ($995/Chapter 7) and our clients frequently have difficulty coming up with the money to pay us and file. In addition to our $995 fee, there is a $306 court filing fee. Sometimes that fee can be waived if someone makes very low income. The guidelines in order to qualify are on the bankruptcy court website here. If your annual income is less than $16,335, which is 150% of the official poverty level, you should be eligible to have the fee waived. That amount increases by family size. If you are a family of four, that level is $33,525. You will need to fill out an application to have it waived, then a judge will decide whether you qualify. For someone who has lost a job, not having to pay that additional fee can be a great relief.

The Alexander Bankruptcy Law Firm provides low low cost Chapter 7 and 13 personal bankruptcies. $995 Chapter 7 or $2500 Chapter 13 bankruptcies plus court filing fee. Free consultation with a compassionate attorney who will handle your case personally. Call 24/7, available to meet with you around your schedule. 602-910-6812. Conveniently located in Central Phoenix along the Camelback corridor. AlexanderBankruptcyLawFirm.com

Sheriff Joe Arpaio - Cold Case Posse Obama Investigation Press Release 7-17-2012


Tea Party Tribune video tape of Sheriff Joe Arpaio Press Release July 17th, 2012. - Sheriff Joe's Cold Case Posse Obama document fraud investigation report on new findings since the March 1st, 2012 press release.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Here's why you shouldn't pick fights with people that buy ink by the barrel, or radio hosts like Barry Young.  Especially if you like to play fast and loose with the truth while working for liberal Democrats like Richard Carmona.


TARP Banks Caught Falsifying Interest Rates in LIBOR Rate-Setting Scandal

One of the few issues which both the political left and the right agree upon is rooting out financial corruption by the banking industry. The latest banking scandal involves big banks submitting falsified data in order to keep their borrowing rates low. As many as 16 banks worldwide have been submitting false information to LIBOR, the London interbank offer rate. LIBOR is considered one of the most crucial interest rates in finance. It is the average interest rate the world's largest banks pay when they borrow money from each other, and affects the rate of interest borrowers pay on everything from student loans to credit cards to corporate debt. It is the benchmark for three-quarters of a quadrillion dollars in financial dealings.
16 banks contribute daily estimates to LIBOR of what interest rate they would have to pay if they borrowed money. Banks borrow from each other on occasion when they find that more withdrawals have been made in a day than deposits by customers. By submitting artificially low interest rates, the banks were able to disguise their financial troubles. This heavily contributed to the subprime mortgage meltdown. Subprime mortgage lenders preferred using the LIBOR index to tie adjustable rate mortgages to due to their overly rosy picture.
The New York Fed, which was headed by TARP bailout architect and now Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner,knew in 2007 that banks were rate rigging. Although Geithner offered suggestions to increase transparency, nothing was done and the rate rigging continued. Evidence of the rate rigging goes back to 2005.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

ALRA OPPOSES JUNGLE PRIMARY VIA THE VOTER INFORMATION PAMPHLET‏

PRESS RELEASE
Arizona Latino Republican Association
PO Box 31514 l Mesa, Arizona l 85275
 PHONE: (480) 788-2572

ALRA has taken an early lead in the struggle to save our system of candidate evaluation and selection, from the ravages of the “jungle” or “top 2” primary system. Our first of many steps was the submission of a formal opinion to be included in the election information booklet that is sent to all voters in the state. Here is the text of the opinion we submitted.
“TOP 2” PRIMARY: HARMFUL TO THE FUTURE OF ARIZONA’S ELECTORAL PROCESS

If passed, the “Top 2” Primary will adversely and irreparably alter Arizona’s electoral process to the detriment of the citizens of our state.

It will limit choices. Under the current system, political parties are free to field as many candidates as they wish with the understanding that only one of them will proceed to the general election. Under the new system, only one candidate will be nominated for fear that support would be split preventing any of their candidates from making it to the general. This will effectively exclude a significant amount of potential candidates from seeking public office which will leave voters with fewer options when selecting their representatives.

It will hurt ethnic minorities. Under the current system, Arizona’s ethnic minority voters may join whatever party best represents their political leanings, thus assuring representation in the general election. Under the proposed system, minority voters will be at a disadvantage when trying to advance their candidate of choice to the top two. In Arizona, the effect will be an institutionalized suppression of Latino candidates and votes.

It will decrease voter turnout. As we saw the “Top 2” Primary dramatically reduce voter efficacy in California, it has been proven that this system yields a remarkably lower turnout. This makes logical sense as the first and second finishers are likely to have similar or even indiscernible political platforms. With no significant policy or philosophically based differences between the two candidates, the desire of voters to participate in the general election will be considerably diminished.

Respectfully submitted by: The Arizona Latino Republican Association (ALRA) Reymundo Jiménez Torres, President Jose N. Borrajero, Communications Director P O Box 31514, Mesa, AZ 85275 P O Box 31514, Mesa, AZ 85275 480-570-5818 602-402-5932

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Tuesday: Special event with Bill Ponath, candidate for Desert Ridge Justice of the Peace



Arizona should adopt Calif. law on foreclosures

"Dual-tracking" will be outlawed. The law bans banks from pursuing foreclosure while a borrower is seeking a loan modification, a process known as "dual-tracking" that has led to countless foreclosures -- even as homeowners were attempting to stay in their homes.

Lenders cannot give borrowers the runaround. Homeowners will no longer have to speak to a different person every time they call their lender and resubmit the same mountain of paperwork to different people at the same bank. The new law requires banks to assign borrowers a single point of contact, or they can be taken to court.

Borrowers will be able to sue their banks. California homeowners will now have the right to sue banks for "significant, material" violations of the law. Homeowners will also have a clearly defined right to access the courts to protect themselves from violations.

Read the rest of the article at AZ Central

The Alexander Bankruptcy Law Firm provides low low cost Chapter 7 and 13 personal bankruptcies. $995 Chapter 7 or $2500 Chapter 13 bankruptcies plus court filing fee. Free consultation with a compassionate attorney who will handle your case personally. Call 24/7, available to meet with you around your schedule. 602-910-6812. Conveniently located in Central Phoenix along the Camelback corridor.

Friday, July 13, 2012

Ben Quayle continues to pull in more establishment endorsements like John McCain

The Arizona Capitol Times is reporting that Ben Quayle has gotten the endorsements of Sen. Jon Kyl and Sen. John McCain. It's rumored that his father Dan Quayle is arranging for him to get all of the old GOP establishment endorsements. The last thing Republicans need right now is more of the big government George W. Bush and John McCain taxpayer-funded bailouts. Whereas David Schweikert is being endorsed by Tea Parties, grassroots, and fiscally conservative organizations. AZ Project 2012 and other Tea Parties are going with Schweikert, and the Daisy Mountain Tea Party switched their support from Quayle to Schweikert. Quayle lost a lot of support when he co-sponsored SOPA and CISPA, two privacy invasion bills that would trample our constitutional rights. But he will get large campaign contributions from Google and Facebook! Quayle also lost support when he flip-flopped on amnesty recently. The race comes down to this: do you want more of the establishment and big government, or do you want a conservative who has the guts to stand up to big business and buck the establishment in Congress? Schweikert won't be on Speaker Boehner's Christmas card list any longer. For more about the race between Schweikert and Quayle, read my article at Townhall.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

JP Candidate Bill Ponath Helping People with Foreclosures


Bill Ponath, the only conservative running for Justice of the Peace in the Desert Ridge precinct, helps people rescue their homes from foreclosure as a bankruptcy attorney. When someone files bankruptcy, an automatic stay goes into place. Bill has helped countless people on the verge of foreclosure file bankruptcy sometimes within minutes of their house going up for sale at a foreclosure auction. Last week, Bill helped someone who had filed Chapter 13 save their home within minutes of the sale. He found out about the foreclosure at 9:30 am, just half an hour before the home was to go up for sale. Bill was able to work within bankruptcy rules to stop the sale by 10:00 am, giving the homeowner a month's reprieve to try and work on getting a loan modification to save his home.
Bill said, “This is the best part of being an attorney, helping people save their homes and property. I like being on the side of the law that helps people. A lot of Arizonons have been hit really hard in this economy and don't deserve to lose their homes.”
Bill has 28 years of experience practicing law; primarily in bankruptcy and family practices. He has been a pro tem judge for eight of the ten years since 2001 for the Maricopa County Justice Courts. He is the author of the critically acclaimed book, “Verdict for America,” which contains solutions to our nation’s most pressing problems that are crucial in the presidential election. Bill was profiled in the Sonoran News in April: http://www.sonorannews.com/archives/2012/120411/frontpage-justice.html and again in June: http://sonorannews.com/archives/2012/120620/frontpage-DesertRidge.html#.T-JTr6fsl6U.facebook
Bill is running on a platform of reform for the judicial administration to avoid unnecessary, drawn out delays during criminal trials; simplification of eviction actions to ensure that both landlords’ and renters’ rights are protected; and uniformity of pleadings and procedures to enable the average citizen to understand what his/her rights and responsibilities are to each other and to the court. To get involved in the campaign and see what is happening, check out Bill's website at ponath4jp.com.

Paid for by William Ponath for Desert Ridge JP

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Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Governor Jan Brewer Endorses Steve Chucri

Steve Chucri for County Supervisor



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 11, 2012
Contact: Tyler Hudgins tyler@dc-london.com


Governor Jan Brewer Endorses Steve Chucri


MARICOPA COUNTY - Today, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer has proudly announced her endorsement of Steve Chucri for Maricopa County Supervisor District 2. The Governor joins the ranks of many supporting Steve’s campaign in this very important election for the county. "Steve Chucri is the real deal - a trusted conservative, a beloved husband and father, a problem-solver not a bomb-thrower, and the grandson of Arizona business pioneers. Steve’s faith, wisdom and leadership are reflected in his beautiful family, and successful career in the private sector. I firmly believe that Steve Chucri is the right person to lead Maricopa County on the Board of Supervisors," stated Governor Brewer.

In addition to this latest endorsement, Chucri was recently endorsed by U. S. Senator Jon Kyl, Congressman Jeff Flake, Congressman Ben Quayle, Congressman David Schweikert, Congressman Paul Gosar, Congressman Trent Franks, State Senate President Steve Pierce, Speaker of the House Andy Tobin, State Treasurer Doug Ducey, Maricopa County Supervisor Andy Kunasek, Gilbert Mayor John Lewis, Mesa Mayor Scott Smith, Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane, Chandler Mayor Jay Tibshraeny, and Paradise Valley Mayor Scott LeMarr.

Chucri has served as the President & CEO of the Arizona Restaurant Association since 2002. Under his leadership, the ARA and restaurant industry in Arizona has enjoyed a substantial growth in sales. As President and CEO of the ARA, Chucri represents business owners and sees firsthand how the actions of local, state, and federal governments can positively or negatively impact restaurants and other small businesses in Arizona. Chucri’s experiences as a businessman, husband, and father have given him invaluable insight into the needs of his community, and ensure that, as county supervisor, he will always put people before politics.


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Paid for by Steve Chucri for County Supervisor

Rep. Schweikert "At $969 Billion, 'Farm bill' A Mammoth Waste"

Investor's Business Daily
by David Schweikert

Although our friends in the U.S. Senate routinely dismiss commonsense solutions to our fiscal crisis, they have shown little resistance in considering an expensive 1,010-page farm bill.

Dubbed the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2012, this $969 billion monstrosity speaks to exactly why the American people sent us to Washington: To stop the spending, waste and corruption.

Only in Washington could this bill be considered fiscally responsible.

Despite the fact the Senate cosponsors claim this farm bill could save $23.6 billion over the next decade, the actual 10-year cost of this bill dwarfs the 2008 farm bill at a CBO-projected $604 billion.

 It does not take an economist to note that a 62% increase in spending while we approach $16 trillion in debt is simply unsustainable.

In addition to its bloated numbers, this bill includes an endless parade of special interests.

Washington is picking winners and losers through a combination of price controls, import restrictions, subsidies and cash payments; and it reeks of corporate welfare in an era of record-high farm incomes and record-low debt ratios.

Loser Subsidies

Compounding these problems, the Senate has proposed a new crop insurance subsidy known as "shallow loss" that effectively creates a 90% revenue guarantee. What other industry gets a 90% revenue guarantee?

With that kind of safety net in place, it would not be hard to envision a scenario where the system is abused. What incentive would farmers continue to have to work hard and contribute to the food supply when their risk is removed and their profit ensured?

 Moreover, a government safety net removes private competition from the marketplace and with it any hope of fostering economic growth.

Government intervention in the mortgage industry, the real estate industry, in health care, and in farming has sapped the ability of private enterprise to compete with a massive organization that has millions of taxpayers to generate revenue from, not to mention the freedom to take out unsustainable loans and print its own currency.

This administration has made a habit of doling out corporate social welfare, and robbing our economy of the chance to heal. That said, the most egregious problems with the farm bill have absolutely nothing to do with farming.

Eighty percent of farm bill spending goes to the Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps.

And like most programs that have their roots in the New Deal and the Great Society, this one has grown exponentially.

 In the 1970s, just one in 50 Americans received food stamps. Today, that number is one in seven, or more than 46 million Americans — that is 15% of the U.S. population.

The cost of the program doubled between 2001 and 2006 and again from 2008 to 2012. Taxpayers now spend $80 billion a year on food stamps, a level the Senate bill would lock in for the next decade.

 Culture Of Dependency

Thanks to the stimulus, misaligned incentives for states, and a consistent weakening of eligibility criteria, we are in the midst of a dependency crisis.

This is a huge victory for liberals. By inserting food stamps into an agriculture bill, it makes it nearly impossible to pass common sense reforms to either.

The first step in long-term farm bill reform is to split agriculture away from food stamps and let each provision stand or fail on its own merit.

In 2010, Americans sent reinforcements like me to the people's House to ensure we did not repeat the mistakes of the past.

While our friends in the Senate do not appear to have learned that lesson, the House must stand firm and unequivocally oppose any farm and food bill that does not restore free market principles to our agriculture system and rein in America's bloated food stamp program.

 • Schweikert, a Republican, represents Arizona's 5th congressional district. 
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Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Governor Jan Brewer Endorses Matt Salmon for Congress

Brewer Touts Salmon's integrity and commitment to keeping his word
EAST VALLEY - Today, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer announced her endorsement of former Congressman Matt Salmon in his bid to return to Congress and restore fiscal responsibly and accountability in Washington. Governor Brewer released the following statement regarding her endorsement:

"I had the pleasure of serving with Matt Salmon in the Arizona State Senate. Over the years, I have come to know him as an honest, hard-working, family man who is deeply committed to public service. I am proud to endorse his candidacy for the United States Congress. His record of serving our country is distinguished by his commitment to always keeping his word and putting the people of Arizona first in his public service. I am proud to support Matt Salmon for Congress."

"It is a true honor to receive the support from our state's courageous leader, Governor Jan Brewer," stated former Congressman Salmon. "I served side by side with her in the state senate and witnessed firsthand that she means what she says and says what she means. Like me, Governor Brewer believes it's her duty to always fight for what is right, no matter the political consequences. I look forward to working closely with her to stop the infringement on state's rights by the federal government and creating a better and more prosperous Arizona."

About Governor Jan Brewer
Janice K. Brewer took the oath of office as Governor of Arizona on January 21, 2009, upon the resignation of then-Governor Janet Napolitano, inheriting one of the worst fiscal crises in the country for any state. And, she was again sworn in on January 3, 2011, following a convincing election in her own right, in November, 2010.

She took decisive action to turn the situation around with a keen grasp of state budget issues from her past service in the Legislature, including in Senate leadership. And, this was not the first time she was called upon to turn around a fiscal mess.

As a newly elected member of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors in 1997, she encountered a local government bogged down so deep in debt that it was using short-term borrowing just to meet cash flow. At the end of Brewer's tenure in 2002, Maricopa County's financial turnaround was so dramatic that Governing Magazine proclaimed it as "one of the two best managed large counties in the nation."

Governor Brewer has laid a firm foundation for Arizona's comeback. Commenting in her 2010 State of State address, she said difficult times "are filled with hope and opportunity. We are a young state. Arizona's best days are still to come if we make the right decisions. They are what the future requires."

About Matt Salmon
Matt Salmon was first elected to the United States Congress in 1994 and served until 2000, honoring his term limit pledge. A proud conservative, Salmon was rated in the top five among all 535 members of the House and Senate by Citizen's Against Government Waste for all six years he was in office. He is a lifetime member of the NRA with an A+ rating and also earned a 100% rating by the National Right to Life. He was also the proud recipient of the American Cancer Society's "Top National Elected Official" award.

Matt Salmon has received endorsements from Arizona Congressmen Trent Franks and David Schweikert, former Arizona Congressman John Shadegg, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Mayors Scott Smith (Mesa), Jay Tibshraeny (Chandler), Hugh Hallman (Tempe), John Insalaco (Apache Junction) and Gail Barney (Queen Creek), fourteen (14) Arizona state senators and fifteen (15) Arizona state representatives. Salmon has also been endorsed by South Dakota Senator John Thune, Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn, Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey, Utah Senator Mike Lee, Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-49), and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

I'm Siamese, YOU'RE NOT

The contemptuous cat Buckley knows how to look aristocratic, just like his namesake.

Tea Party hiring bloggers

 
Dear Patriot,

We have some very exciting news for you! We are launching the new historic Tea Party News Network soon and are looking for many bloggers nationwide to write daily stories for us. You must support the principles of limited government, free markets and personal responsibility of the tea party movement. The Tea Party News Network will consist of a vast network of bloggers, daily email breaking news and live stream television to bring the real news to the American people.

Bloggers will compensated for each blog they write that we use. Compensation will be based on the bloggers experience and other factors. The best bloggers can eventually be given a full time position based on the quality of their previous work.

If you are interested, please send a cover letter why you believe you would make a good blogger for the tea party movement and a history of your experience and background to info@theteaparty.net. Please also send a sample of some of your blogs and/or writings. New bloggers will be considered also.

Together we will help save America.

Sincerely,

Todd Cefaratti
Freedom Organizer
TheTeaParty.net

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Agenda 21 expose in Tucson - July 14

From: Bill Bennett  
Sent: Monday, July 02, 2012 8:47 PM
Subject: U.N. AGENDA 21 - Presentation and Training Session Begin Jul 14, 12 @ 2:30 PM for Tucson

Friends Against Agenda 21,

This is our first meeting and training session to learn about U.N. Agenda 21 (Sustainable Development/Smart Growth) and will focus on I.C.L.E.I ( formally International Counsel for Local Environmental Initiatives) new term: Local Government for Sustainability. ICLEI's attachment in Tucson/Pima County, and how do we want them to withdraw from ICLEI? What will be the next step?

I will provide on CD Training material; I will also have supporting document on that same CD the only cost to you is the CD itself $1.00 each.  I have already occurred the cost of training material.  This meeting is for serious minded people who really want to stop this movement.  I do urge you to consider joining, we will have fun as well as we grow on knowledge with our success.  We need people who know people in the City Hall and be able to work the system. Invite others that can help us on this journey, we will need as many as we can get.  The agenda for the meeting attached.  Thank you Patriots.  In Liberty Bill

RSVP is required:  return email would be appreciated.  (for count of materials)

Meeting Place: Himmel Park Library; Address:  1035 N Treat Ave. Tucson 

Date: Jul 14, 2012;  Time: 2:30 PM 

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AFP's 2012 rankings of Arizona state legislators are out

Header
Dear Arizona Taxpayer:
Governor Brewer and many members of the Arizona Legislature earned low scores on the 2012 Legislative Scorecard released today by the Arizona chapter of Americans for Prosperity. The scorecard is the 28th annual report card released by AFP-Arizona, which was formerly the Arizona Federation of Taxpayers.
A majority of Legislators lost big points on the Scorecard by failing to sign the Arizona Health Care Freedom Pledge. By doing so, they failed to commit to stopping Governor Brewer from setting up an ObamaCare insurance exchange in Arizona. For her part, Governor Brewer solidified her status as a Friend of Big Government by earning a score of 42 percent on the Scorecard.
AFP-Arizona was also disappointed by the continuing failure of the Legislature and Governor to pass a meaningful spending limit. Arizona’s deficit crisis was caused by out-of-control state spending during the Napolitano years, but the Legislature and Governor have thus far failed to take effective measures to prevent future spending binges.
Low scores for House Republicans were mainly due to their collective failure to put adequate pressure on House Speaker Andy Tobin of Prescott. Tobin, who earned the designation of Friend of Big Government for his efforts, was largely responsible for killing several important pieces of legislation that passed the Senate -- reforms such as Paycheck Protection -- that would have reined in the power of government employee unions.
The very few bright spots in the 2012 session included: banking $450 million to cushion the fiscal drop when the Brewer Tax expires in the summer of 2013; passing a bill to restrain the power of city government employee unions by moving municipal elections to November; passing a phased-in reduction of the state's capital gains tax; and, enacting some modest expansions of school choice.
For the second year in a row, the Scorecard’s top scorer was Senator Andy Biggs of Gilbert. Senators Lori Klein of Anthem and Ron Gould of Mohave County had the highest cumulative averages for the legislative sessions since 2005.
AFP-Arizona graded over 150 tax, budget and regulatory bills from the 2012 regular session, giving weight to bills according to their projected dollar impact to taxpayers, consumers and producers in Arizona. To view AFP-Arizona’s 2012 Legislative Scorecard and legislators’ cumulative averages since 2005, click HERE.
TAKE ACTION!
Arizona's 2012 Legislative Session is officially over, but our Legislators' work is not yet done
With the failure of the U.S. Supreme Court to protect the Constitution, the federal takeover of health care will march onward, making health care more expensive and less accessible, and stifling medical innovation through huge new tax and regulatory burdens.
Unfortunately, Gov. Brewer is feeding the bureaucratic beast of ObamaCare by spending $30 million of your federal tax dollars to set up an ObamaCare health insurance exchange in Arizona. The exchange is a new bureaucracy that will soon require tens of millions of dollars annually in new surcharges, fees and/or taxes on Arizona families and businesses.
To learn more about the Arizona ObamaCare insurance exchange, start by reading Fraudulent Claims, our quick guide to the misinformation the insurance company lobbyists are telling your Legislators. And be sure to visit ArizonaHealthCareFreedom.com. Finally, please take 90 seconds to watch AFP-Arizona's web ad about Arizona's ObamaCare Czar.
Please urge your Legislators to sign the Arizona Health Care Freedom Pledge and commit to stopping the Arizona ObamaCare exchange.

For Liberty, Tom
Tom Jenney
Arizona Director
Americans for Prosperity
www.aztaxpayers.org
tjenney@afphq.org
(602) 478-0146

SCHWEIKERT: Obama and Napolitano scorch Arizona

The Washington Times
by Congressman David Schweikert
July 4, 2012

Ostensibly in response to last week’s Supreme Court ruling on S.B. 1070, the Obama administration announced that it was terminating Arizona’s
287(g) agreements and would no longer provide the immigration status of the majority of illegal immigrants detained by Arizona law enforcement.
This means that most of those in our state illegally no longer have to fear federal immigration authorities because the Obama administration effectively is no longer enforcing immigration laws in Arizona.
It is not, mind you, doing this in other states. In fact, all other 287(g) agreements remain in place, but Arizona, ironically, bears a disproportionate brunt of illegal immigration in the United States.
Make no mistake about what the Obama administration, through its decision, is telling the people of Arizona:
First, the administration is not serious about enforcing immigration laws. Second, it doesn’t care about the rule of law and our system of government.
It is not a coincidence that the decision to stop working with Arizona law enforcement was timed to follow the Supreme Court’s decision upholding the most important aspect of S.B. 1070 - the right of state and local law enforcement to inquire about an individual’s immigration status when there is probable cause to do so.
Good people can disagree on what the solution is to the problem of illegal immigration both here in Arizona and across the United States. I happen to support strong enforcement of our existing immigration laws, strong border security and no amnesty.
Regardless, there is one thing we all should agree on: The president should not be able to pick and choose which laws to enforce and most certainly should not be able to sidestep a ruling by the Supreme Court.
This is exactly what the Obama administration is doing with its decision in Arizona - a political decision that has real consequences for Arizonans.
Illegal immigration has cost my state billions in additional government spending. It has done incalculable environmental damage to some of the most pristine desert territory in the world. It has cost several law enforcement officers their lives.
The consequences of illegal immigration are real, and the people of Arizona have paid a real price.
It was these consequences and the epic failure of the federal government to do something about it that brought about S.B. 1070 and other laws passed by the Arizona legislature.
These pieces of legislation were not driven by malice or a desire to gratuitously punish illegal immigrants, as some on the left believe. Instead, they were an attempt to address a real crisis taking place in Arizona - a crisis that the federal government was turning a blind eye toward and that this administration seems all too willing to let continue.
It is time for President Obama to open his eyes to the situation in Arizona. Now is not the time to play politics with an issue for which a failure to enforce the law has real repercussions for our state.
Solving the problem of illegal immigration will not be easy. Any time you have such economic disparity between two countries as you have between the United States and Mexico, illegal immigration is going to be a real problem. However, a lawless Arizona cannot and should not be the solution to this problem.
Yet the decision of the Obama administration to effectively cease enforcement of immigration laws in Arizona is tantamount to asking Arizona to cease law enforcement as well.
This situation is untenable and must change. I call on the Obama administration, and in particular our former governor and current Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, to put politics aside and work hand in hand with state and local law enforcement officials in Arizona to vigorously and fairly enforce our federal immigration laws.
It is what is best for Arizona and best for America.

Rep. David Schweikert is an Arizona Republican.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Sonoran News: Desert Ridge JP candidate Bill Ponath saves disabled vet from eviction

Sonoran News
by Linda Bentley
July 4, 2012

Ponath hopes his reforms will enable the average citizen to understand his rights and responsibilities under the law Richard Chadwick (l), a disabled veteran, is pictured thanking Attorney Bill Ponath for his pro bono representation that resulted in securing Chadwick an extension to his eviction until he can find someplace else to live.

 PHOENIX – Attorney Bill Ponath, a Republican candidate running in the primary election for Desert Ridge Justice of the Peace, offered his services, pro bono, to Richard Chadwick, a disabled veteran who served in both the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Army from the early 1970s to the mid 1980s, upon learning Chadwick was being evicted from his home.

After his landlord died mid lease, Chadwick faced eviction by the bank that took over his lease and was unsympathetic to the terms of that agreement.

Chadwick, who suffers from severe Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSS), was promised a peaceful place to live but due to months of unexpected loud construction, his former landlord agreed to waive some of his rent.

The bank had no desire to honor that agreement and served Chadwick with an eviction notice.

Ponath accompanied Chadwick to the Encanto Justice Court, where, after speaking to the judge and opposing counsel, he was able to secure an extension for Chadwick’s eviction until he is able to find someplace else to live.

Running on a platform of judicial administration reform, simplification of the eviction process and uniformity of pleadings and procedures, Ponath hopes to avoid unnecessary delays during criminal trials, ensure both landlords’ and renters’ rights are protected, and enable the average citizen to understand his rights and responsibilities under the law.

In his book, “Verdict for America,” Ponath outlines solutions to some of the nation’s most pressing problems that will be crucial during the upcoming presidential election.

Ponath, who has been practicing law for 28 years, primarily in the areas of bankruptcy and family law, has also served as a judge pro tem since 2001.

The Desert Ridge Justice Court serves Cave Creek, Carefree, New River, Rio Verde, Desert Hills, and areas in North Phoenix, North Scottsdale and unincorporated Maricopa County.

Visit verdictforamerica.com/blog/3 to read snippets from or to purchase Ponath’s book, which covers his positions on abortion, health care, education, immigration, oil, the federal budget and more.

Bill was profiled in the Sonoran News in April: http://www.sonorannews.com/archives/2012/120411/frontpage-justice.html and again in June: http://sonorannews.com/archives/2012/120620/frontpage-DesertRidge.html#.T-JTr6fsl6U.facebook
Visit his campaign website at ponath4jp.com