Narcissism Nation

We have become a nation of relentless self-promoters. Every day I check my email inbox and find it full of messages like “my media availability this week is…”, “I will be on TV or radio…”, “I am available for interviews,” or “my new book is available…” The onslaught of people promoting themselves makes it extraordinarily difficult for editors, funders and media to sift through potential talent, there is simply too much. Everyone wants to be a star, and the advent of YouTube and social media has made it appear to be readily attainable. The Internet’s democratization of access to publicity makes everyone feel like they are on the level of a celebrity; able to tweet their favorite stars, put up a website about themselves, and post photos of themselves on social media.

Many of these self-promoters don’t have real jobs, but live on welfare so they can spend all day long promoting themselves. Many have no real resume or accomplishments to speak of. Even some that make it onto television, like Octomom, can’t figure out how to make money from their embarrassing fame. These self-promoters brazenly ask others to help promote themselves - apparently blissfully unaware that publicizing themselves is costly and there is an entire industry of public relations firms that charge thousands of dollars for this service. Asking others for help promoting yourself has become the new norm.

 Read the rest of the article at Townhall

In case you missed it, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker endorsed our campaign on Thursday! I wanted to forward the email below to make sure you saw his endorsement. Election Day is Tuesday, so please help our campaign finish strong by making a donation today. Click here to make a secure online donation. Thank you for your continued support. – Sal "An all-too-familiar scene is playing out in Arizona right now, where public-sector unions are unleashing their fury at a Phoenix city councilman for daring to raise the issue of the crippling cost of public employee pensions in the city. It's a reminder that the fight we won to protect Wisconsin taxpayers goes on around the country. We need more leaders like Councilman Sal DiCiccio willing to take on these issues if we ever hope to put our fiscal house in order."                                    – Gov. Scott Walker

Paid for by DiCiccio for City Council

Campaign kickoff for Andrew Thomas for Governor this Saturday

A m e r i c a n  P o s t - G a z e t t e Distributed by C O M M O N  S E N S E , in Arizona Friday, August 23, 2013

Arizona’s Conservative Grassroots Leader Endorses Andrew Thomas for Governor

A m e r i c a n  P o s t – G a z e t t e

Distributed by C O M M O N  S E N S E , in Arizona
Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Rob Haney, immediate past chairman of the Maricopa County Republican Party, has endorsed Andrew Thomas for Governor. Rob is widely known as the chief conservative grassroots leader in Arizona. He explains why we need a Governor who will stand up to a Republican establishment that has given us Obamacare, broken borders, and disregard of our immigration laws, and why Andrew Thomas is the only candidate who will do this. Why My Vote Is for Andrew Thomas for the Next Governor of Arizona Seventeen years experience dealing with the “Top-Down” direction imposed nationally by the Republican Party elites and in Arizona chiefly by Senators John McCain and Jon Kyl, is why I support Andy Thomas for Governor. Andy Thomas has a proven track record of supporting and defending the U.S. Constitution and the Republican Party Platform, and he carries the arrows and battle scars that come with that fight. I have served as a precinct committeeman, State and County Member-at-Large, two terms as Legislative District 11 Chairman and two terms as Maricopa County Chairman. When I stood up and exposed elected Republican officials for not following the Republican Platform or the U.S Constitution, I was attacked by the McCain-led Republican establishment. No effort was spared by this group to silence me and others who dared to challenge the McCain ruling cabal. This cabal consists of the politicians, Chambers of Commerce (business owners who depended on the cheap labor of illegal aliens to staff their operations while we pay through our taxes for their benefits), columnists, radio hosts, lobbyists, bloggers, the “Interfaith-Social Justice” liberal class, and the agenda driven liberal lawyerclass. More here. What I experienced was nothing compared to what the McCain cabal had in store for their primary targets: Senator Russell Pearce, Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. These were the three stalwarts who stood for the “rule of law,” represented the Republican grass roots, and most significantly for the McCain surrogates, opposed the illegal alien invasion. These three had to be stopped or the rest of the country would be tempted to replicate the Arizona actions that addressed the illegal invasion. Have you ever known a more direct campaigner than Andy Thomas? I have not. Andy tells you his core beliefs, what he represents and the actions he will take once in office to correct government failings. Others will equivocate about the issues, lie about their true beliefs, and avoid addressing the issues once in office. Andy Thomas will not prevaricate. From my experience, I know who the good guys are in the Republican Party and who the bad guys are. Andy Thomas wears the whitest of the white hats. In the Republican Party, we have a large quantity of “bipartisan” joiners with the Democrats. We have very few fighters for the conservative side of an issue. Even Rubio and Christie, whom we believed were with us, have shown their true colors when they flipped using the “patented” McCain Flip-Flop. We know that Andy Thomas is a fighter representing the base of the party and there will be no flip from him and his record proves it. It is clear to me that our judicial branch of government no longer fulfills the original intent of our Founders in interpreting the law while being the least powerful branch of government. They are now not only the most powerful, but hold veto power over all conservative initiated legislation when their liberal friends in the ACLU file suit to stop conservative passed legislation. They wield this power with a liberal bent worthy of their liberal education and the liberal dominated American and Arizona Bar associations to which they belong. Judges are selected from this liberal dominated class of lawyers. It is no surprise to me that theselawyers attacked Thomas where they could dominate the proceedings. It is also no surprise that everyone from the Maricopa County Republican Committee to conservative columnist Michelle Malkin to even liberal writers at the Arizona Republic denounced the attack on Andy Thomas. A panel from the Arizona Bar pulled Andy Thomas’ law license. However, the federal Grand Jury (which is so noted for the ease of securing an indictment on minimal evidence that the term “they would indict a ham sandwich” refers to the Grand Jury) which looked at the same case at the request of the Obama Justice Department refused to indict him or Sheriff Joe Arpaio for lack of evidence. The Grand Jury is made up of the non-lawyer class and rejected as insufficient the same evidence the lawyer class used to pull his license. What does that tell you about how out of touch, liberal and dishonest our courts have become? The Republican and Democrat ruling class consider Thomas dangerous because they know that once elected he will keep his campaign promise to attack corruption by both the Republican and Democrat office holders. The “cabal” will devote a great amount of money and effort to defeat him. They have started with “He can’t win” (because of all the baggage from their charges). The Republican establishment also stated that Senator Cruz of Texas was not able to win. But he did, and now is our most effective conservative advocate in the U.S. Senate. Andy Thomas won the only straw poll in the race so far, by ten points over his closest competitor. The poll was done by a web site that opposes Andy’s candidacy. He is picking up signatures and $5 Clean Elections contributions from voters with amazing ease. I know because I have been at the meetings collecting them for him. We are not going to reverse the slide into oblivion by the Republican Party by selecting the same type of liberal leaning, milquetoast Republicans for our candidates. If we do, we will get promises to seal the border, enforce immigration laws and oppose Obamacare. But we would only continue to see their promises reversed and conservative principles abandoned while they surrender to Democrats and yet claim victory through bipartisan legislation. This legislation always moves the political spectrum to the left. Don’t you think fifty years of this process is enough? Which is easier to take, a dagger to the chest from a Democrat governor or one to the back from another McCain-supported Republican governor? But there is another choice. That is why I will vote for Andy Thomas as governor, secure in the knowledge that our laws will be upheld. You will recall that Andy supported legislation to force judges to deny bond to criminal illegal aliens, he followed the law and prosecuted employers who knowingly hired illegal aliens and he prosecuted illegal aliens as co-conspirators in human trafficking cases. Do you really believe there are only 11 million illegal aliens in the country, that there is very little inflation, that the border has never been more secure, and that the expansion of Medicaid under Obamacare will save us money? Where do our leaders come up withthis malarkey? It is from all the people I described in the second paragraph. Andy has assured me that he will faithfully consult the conservative grassroots of the party as he has in the past. They have been ignored too long and the party has suffered enormously because of it. In our hearts, we all know that Andy Thomas would do the best job as governor. Let’s make sure he gets there. He is running as a “clean election candidate.” You can reach Andy through Facebook (search: “Andrew Thomas Republican” in Facebook to find it) and volunteer to carry petitions and get five dollar donations for him. Please email me at r_b_haney@yahoo.com and volunteer to carry a petition and get $5 donations for him. The Thomas Kick-Off event flyer is linked here. Rob Haney Immediate Past Chairman Maricopa County Republican Party

What's going on with Western Shooting Journal on Twitter - check out this cool video

Without Sal DiCiccio, Phoenix could become Detroit

James Keating: Rallying against unions will keep city vibrant

The decision that voters in Phoenix City Council District 6 make on Aug. 27 will determine whether we remain a great city for generations or embark on the path of decline already laid out by cities like Detroit.

Cities become and remain great when voters elect responsible, independent leaders. The opposite is also true. Great cities decline when voters elect candidates more beholden to public-sector unions than to the people they were elected to serve.

We will either vote for responsible fiscal management and opportunity under Councilman Sal DiCiccio, or we will choose union-dominated decisions and decline under Karlene Keogh Parks.

The recent recession has made it abundantly clear that union-driven spending commitments and poor planning, coupled with unreasonable investment expectations, also union driven, will wreak havoc on even the best managed city budgets. In those cities where public-sector unions have been left unchecked by leaders like Sal DiCiccio, the result has been disaster.

The story goes like this. Unions influence voters to elect their chosen candidates to public office (in this case, Keogh Parks). Those candidates, now in office, reward that support by voting to increase public-sector employee salary, health and pension benefits.

The city spends more and more on public-employee commitments and less and less on schools, vital infrastructure and other pro-growth investments. Eventually, tax rates are raised to fill the ever-deepening hole. Finally, industry and talent flee to better managed climates, employment rates drop and overall tax revenue declines.

The dominoes are already falling: Detroit, Harrisburg, Penn., and Stockton and San Bernadino, Calif., are just a few early examples of what happens to cities run by union-dominated officials.

Phoenix is no exception. According to the 2012 Phoenix Annual Financial Report the total unfunded liability for city pensions, including public safety, is more than $2.5 billion.

If the unions are successful in defeating Sal DiCiccio in this election, current and future council members will almost certainly be less willing to stand up to them. Over time, our liabilities will outpace our tax revenues, and Phoenix will begin its journey down the path of decline.

Phoenix needs Sal DiCiccio. He is committed to ensuring that the city your children inherit will be more vibrant and full of opportunity than the one we are fortunate to share today. He has shown both the foresight to recognize our challenges and the courage to speak out on them.

We all say we want honest politicians who are willing to do what is right even if it may not be easy or in their own best interest. We all know we must be able to trust our elected officials to responsibly manage our city's -- and our children's -- future.

The responsible District 6 vote is for Sal DiCiccio. If not, we will get what we deserve. Just ask Detroit.

James Keating is CEO of The Keating Group, which is based in Phoenix's District 6.

Crooked Unions Try to Take Out Bravest City Councilman in the U.S.

Phoenix City Councilman Sal DiCiccio, one of the most aggressively pro-freedom city councilmen, is under siege from the unions in one of the most corrupt local elections in the country. Along with a few other government officials around the country, which include Wisconsin’s Republican governor Scott Walker, he tried to reign in the out-of-control and unsustainable increasing costs of government employees, particularly their pensions. Up for reelection this year, DiCiccio is being challenged by union-backed Democrat insurance executive Karlene Keogh Parks. The unions unsuccessfully attempted to recall him in 2011.

DiCiccio wants to cut $79 million in government waste from the City of Phoenix. The unions are furious that he exposed their "food tax for pay raises scheme.” The unions want to extend an “emergency” food tax that was implemented temporarily to keep government going. It was not intended to provide extras like raises and bonuses. Many cities don’t even have a food tax. DiCiccio discovered that since the food tax was implemented, the City of Phoenix has brought in $145 million extra, coincidentally almost the same amount the city has paid out in pay raises and bonuses during that same period. City of Phoenix staff admit that if they hadn’t spent the money on pay raises and bonuses, they could have “hired over 350 new police officers, restored all after school programs, restored senior programs or reinstated library hours.” DiCiccio worked hard to persuade his fellow city council members to vote in May to phase out the tax, beginning in January 2014.

It angers the unions that DiCiccio wants to “drain their slush fund for pay raises and bonuses” – at a time when most Americans in the private sector are seeing stagnant-level paychecks and salary cuts. Public-safety pension benefits for City of Phoenix  retirees are higher than the state average, because of pension spiking. The city lets retiring public safety officers cash in their unused sick leave, vacation time and even fringe benefits such as a uniform allowance, in order to increase their pensions. Consequently, the average pension for a retired Phoenix firefighter is $62,082 a year, and the average pension for a retired police officer is $58,016. The statewide average public-safety pension is only $49,480. The city’s public-safety retirement cost skyrocketed to around $129 million in 2014, compared to only $7.2 million in 2003. Some employees become millionaires in their first few years of retirement, and the typical retirement payout to a public safety employee now exceeds Arizona’s average wage. The Arizona Republic ran a full expose on the shocking statistics earlier this year. The Goldwater Institute filed a lawsuit against the City of Phoenix over pension spiking earlier this month. 

Read the rest of the article at Townhall 

Vote for Luis Rodriguez for Phoenix City Council District 8

The only conservative in the race!

Soem basics on hunting...and why you can go helicopter hog hunting in Texas

I'm learning quite a bit about hunting due to running Western Shooting Journal. Here's my editor's note for our September issue. 

R.I.P. Tom Buggeln

A m e r i c a n  P o s t - G a z e t t e

Distributed by C O M M O N S E N S E , in Arizona

Monday, August 12, 2013

 

It is with the deepest sorrow we report the passing of one of our true champions of conservative principles. Tom Buggeln passed on to new life Saturday after suffering a massive heart attack in his home. Services will be this week:

Tuesday he will be at Messinger Mortuary on Indian School in Scottsdale, 7601 E Indian School Rd. Scottsdale 85251 for visitation from 6:00 - 8:00 pm. A Rosary will be said.

The funeral is on Wednesday Aug 14 at 10:00am at Our Lady of Sorrows, 750 E Baseline Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85042.

Interment will be at the VA Cemetery in Cave Creek.

Following the burial, there will be a wake at the Buggeln home, 8556 E Kalil Dr, Scottsdale 85260

Please join us in saying good bye to a great American patriot.

T. Paine

Why the RNC Chair is Right to Ditch NBC and CNN Hosting Debates

Reince Priebus, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, sent shockwaves throughout the media and both political parties last week by threatening to pull the rights of NBC and CNN to broadcast the 2016 Republican presidential primary debates. If the networks don’t cancel their pro-Hillary Clinton TV specials, which are little more than free political ads for her, Priebus will have the RNC vote on August 15th to “neither partner with you in 2016 primary debates nor sanction primary debates which you sponsor.” Priebus said on Bloomberg TV’s Street Smart, “I just want their presidents and their chairmen to know that if they want to move forward and spend millions of dollars promoting one particular candidate before the 2016 election, then we're going to do what we want to do, and we're just going to shut them out of our debates.” Hillary Clinton is the leading front runner in Democratic polls for president in 2016.

NBC is producing a miniseries called “Hillary,” featuring the beautiful actress Diane Lane playing Hillary, no doubt selected to portray the frumpy Clinton as attractively as possible. CNN is planning on airing a documentary about Clinton produced by Charles Ferguson, who appears to be the second coming of Michael Moore. Ferguson is known for his anti-Wall Street documentary, Inside Job, and anti-war documentary, No End In Sight: The American Occupation of Iraq.

CNN has responded and said it will not back down. At first glance, this seems like it might be irresponsible on Priebus’s part. The GOP will lose valuable media coverage reaching millions of viewers  if the networks refuse to back down. Or will it?

Read the rest of the article at Townhall

Sen. Dick Durbin launches witch hunt among press corps

By M.D. Kittle | Watchdog.org

MADISON, Wis. – U.S. Sen. Richard “Dick” Durbin has some questions for Watchdog’s parent organization, asking who we know, what we know, and when we knew it.

In a letter to the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity, Durbin asks the nonprofit news organization whether it has given money to or ever been affiliated with the American Legislative Exchange Council, the model legislation think tank that liberals — and journalism experts like Durbin — love to hate.

“What is it he thinks he’s doing here?” asks Jason Stverak, president of the Franklin Center. “Does he think he has the authority to oversee state legislatures? Is it his job to tell citizens and groups what sort of policies they may advocate? What about tracking down all the members of that group?

“Why not just ask it: are we now or have we ever been members of the American Legislative Exchange Council?”

 Read the rest of the article at Watchdog.org

GOLDWATER INSTITUTE RESPONDS TO SEN. DICK DURBIN'S INQUIRY ON RELATIONSHIP 

Earlier this week, U.S. Sen Dick Durbin (D-Ill) contacted the Goldwater Institute to inquire about the private organization's relationship to the American Legislative Exchange Council--most notably, whether the Institute has supported ALEC in the past or endorsed the group's "Stand Your Ground" model legislation. The following is a response by Goldwater Institute senior staff to Sen Durbin's office, and this letter (pasted below) will be sent to the office of Sen Durbin today.

ATTN: THE OFFICES OF SENATOR RICHARD DURBIN

We are in receipt of your letter dated August 6, 2013 requesting information about the Goldwater Institute’s relationship with the American Legislative Exchange Council and whether or not we support the “Stand Your Ground” legislation adopted as a model bill by that group.

"Have You No Sense of Decency?"

That was the question posed by attorney Joseph Welch that historians credit with ending the Senator Joseph McCarthy’s witch-hunt.

It is the same question we pose to your office today in response to your effort to intimidate us for daring to associate with the free market, limited government organization known as the American Legislative Exchange Council.

Simply put, especially in the wake of IRS intimidation and harassment of conservative organizations, your inquisition is an outrage.

We refuse to answer whether we are or ever have been a supporter of ALEC or its model legislation. We refuse to answer not because we disavow ALEC—far from it. We refuse to answer because as free Americans, that is our right.

Your attempt to silence your fellow Americans through threats and intimidation because they don't share identical political beliefs is disgraceful and not worthy of the title you hold.

Thank you for your attention,

Darcy Olsen

President, Goldwater Institute

Clint Bolick

Vice President for Litigation, Goldwater Institute

 

Nick Dranias

Director for Policy Development, Goldwater Institute

Today is Gun Appreciation Day at Starbucks!

Stop by and show your appreciation for Starbucks permitting this event (please be sure to abide by any state laws regarding open or concealed carry).

From the Facebook page -
Starbucks is allowing us to lawfully carry firearms in their store. Recently, they have been the target of unjust attacks from certain groups that do not support our right to bear arms. We will thank Starbucks for standing up for our right to bear arms by going there on Friday, August 9th.

We ask that if you choose to carry a firearm during this event that you follow all local, state, and national laws; and if you choose not to carry that you wear pro-gun rights apparel. Read more at the Seattle Times

Phyllis Gross of http://arizonafemalefirearmcompetitors.com loves her Starbucks as much as her guns; I know because I used to meet her at Starbucks before church every Sunday!

Join the AZGOP Social Media Committee and become a Social Media Warrior!

GAME ON!

This week the AZGOP used Social Media to force the Arizona Democratic Party and their candidate for governor into a defensive "no comment" zone when the reporters asked them a simple question we raised using social media. Please join us in or efforts to continue this battle for victory in 2014.

Most of us know the power of being a PC for the GOP. But not everyone knows the power of social media (have a look at the video above it you are a skeptic!).

Right now the Democrats are working hard and we need to meet and exceed their efforts on every front. That's why the statewide AZGOP Social Media Committee (SoComm) needs you.

Join us to learn and use:

• Strategy: Where to post, how often to post, what to post, when to post
• Content: Controlling your tone and content, knowing your audience, being effective
• Tools: We have new and exiting tools to make our work easier!
• Time: It will NOT be a big time commitment.

There's two levels of participation: Novice and Advanced and WE NEED BOTH!

• Novice: Even if you have no time or no experience with social media, this is perfect. Anybody (and we mean ANYBODY) can do this.
• Advanced: If you already have social media experience and want to put a little time into it please offer your expertise to your Legislative District Chairman.

TAKE ACTION NOW:

Social Media NOVICES: Reply to this email with your full name and Legislative District and we'll send you a brief training video and a schedule of upcoming training sessions. Let us know you are in the NOVICE category.

Social Media ADVANCED users:Reply to this email with your full name and Legislative District and that you are in the ADVANCED category and we'll contact you. Please also contact your Legislative District Chairman and let them know you may be interested in helping at the District level.

Robert Graham
Chairman, Arizona Republican Party

Radical Environmentalists Have Blood of 19 Arizona Firefighters on Their Hands

Nineteen firefighters died fighting a forest fire in Arizona earlier this summer. Curiously, almost no one is talking about why it happened, only that it was a tragedy. Arizona Deputy State Forestry Director Jerry Payne has been the only one to speak out about the cause, and he backtracked immediately afterwards, apologizing for what he said. He claimed that the superintendent of the Granite Mountain Hotshots violated wildlife safety protocols while fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire on June 30th, 2013, 60 miles north of Phoenix.

According to Payne, the superintendent’s violations allegedly included not knowing the location of the fire, failing to have a spotter serve as a lookout, and leading his crew through thick, unburned vegetation near a wildfire. There wasn’t a proper escape route in case the fire changed direction; the firemen would have to bushwhack through thick brush to retreat. The firefighters lost their lives when the fire suddenly changed direction and came at them, traveling 12 miles an hour. The fire destroyed more than 100 of the roughly 700 homes in Yarnell, burning 13 square miles. Flames shot up to 20 feet in the air.

The account given by Payne is not the whole picture. Firefighting today is not what it was 20 years ago. Fires 20 years ago moved slowly, at 2-3 mph. Today they move at speeds of 10-12 mph. There are three reasons for this. First, people are building more homes near or within forests. In the past, no one dared to build a house in the forest, because there weren’t fire departments everywhere. As one retired firefighter told me, “Try to find a photo of a house in the middle of the forest from 100 years ago. You can’t.”

Read the rest of the article at Townhall

SALMON VOTES TO HOLD THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE TO YOU Votes to Keep IRS away from Obamacare

Washington—Today, Rep. Matt Salmon (AZ-05) released the following statement regarding his vote on a few key bills that passed the U.S. House of Representatives this week aimed at reducing federal government intrusion into the lives of Arizonans.

“Now more than ever, Americans need their lawmakers to pass policies that will finally unshackle the chains of government regulation, and create an economy where the private sector can flourish, create more jobs and spur more investment.  As Ronald Reagan once said, ‘government is not the solution to our problems – government is the problem’.

                                                            

“With President Reagan’s words in mind, I voted for a series of bills that puts an end to government abuse and reduces the federal government’s intrusion in our families and businesses.”

“Because we’ve already seen over 45,000 pages of regulation created in just 2013, I voted in favor of H.R. 367, the Regulations In Need of Scrutiny Act (REINS Act). This legislation states that economically significant regulations estimated to have an economic impact greater than $100 million are required to have the approval of Congress.

“In keeping my pledge to eliminate Obamacare and all its harmful rules and regulations, I was proud to vote for H.R. 2009, Keep the IRS Off Your Health Care Act. With the IRS and its government bureaucrats set to create an office solely dedicated to control nearly 50 aspects of Obamacare’s implementation, it’s critical we keep them away from this harmful piece of legislation.

“Finally, I was proud to support H.R. 2879, Stop Government Abuse Act, which targets government bureaucrats and officials who abuse their power. Sadly, we have seen this abuse by agencies like the IRS, EPA, and the NSA.

As Congress returns to their districts for the August work period, I look forward to talking with my constituents on ways we can further hold the government accountable to the American people.”

Rep. Matt Salmon (AZ-05) serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs as Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. He is also a member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

Update from Arizona GOP

Travis Angry: "Most Importantly, I am a Republican" Travis Angry of Peoria, Arizona shared his story with us this week and the video of him talking about his life and experiences in overcoming incredible challenges has become extremely popular with over 15,000 recent views. He is genuine, sincere, and offers an important perspective that everyone can take to heart.

AZ Democrats Delete Their Own Official Meeting Files Earlier this week the Yellow Sheet Report published a story prompted by the Arizona Republican Party issuing this press release, and the reporter noted the response from the Democrats was to delete not just the file in question but an entire section of various meeting minutes from their website a few hours later. The Yellow Sheet Report journalist apparently tried to contact the Democrats, but their phone calls were not returned.

AZ Dems Fast-Track Obama's Carbon Tax AZ Democrats Kirkpatrick, Sinema and Barber today gave the Obama Administration the power to unilaterally impose a carbon tax on millions of Americans and the GOP pushed back. “With millions of families struggling, the last thing we need is a carbon tax,” said the NRCC's Andrea Bozek. “...support of fast tracking such a tax will hurt job creation and middle-class families across the country.” Vote tally here.

Arizona Teenage Republicans Attend DC Conference The Arizona Teenage Republican (TARS) Leadership just returned from their national conference in Washington, DC. These young leaders visited the national monuments and learned plenty of American history first-hand. They were at center stage as the largest and most dynamic in the country. Foster Morgan of the Mountain Ridge TARS introduced Sen. Rand Paul and Arizona TARS Chairman Lilia Dashevsky introduced Sen. Jeff Flake to the 80 TARS from around the country.

Did Your Vote Count? The legislature passed an important new election reform bill that the Democrats are still trying to fight. At issue is the new law's prohibition on groups canvassing neighborhoods and confronting voters to ask for their ballots (even though they are postage-paid and simply need to be mailed). If you gave your ballot to someone you don't know and you live in Maricopa County, please visit this Maricopa County website to see if your ballot was actually turned in and counted. If not, please call the AZGOP at 602-957-7770.

AZ DNC Committeewoman: Stop Spending on White Men When Democrats learned last November that all their statewide candidates were unsuccessful and they had failed to capture majorities in either chamber of the state legislature, longtime Democrat leader Carolyn Warner publicly demanded that Democrats "stop spending money on white men." Her comments were placed in the official minutes of their meeting and published on the website of the Democratic Party of Arizona (they have since disappeared). There is a copy here so you can read more.

GOP to IRS: Hand Off Our Healthcare! Watch this month for TV ads informing voters about the dangerous relationship between the IRS and the administration of Obamacare. U.S. House Republicans just voted to ban the IRS from having a role in the implementation of Obamacare. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor reminded Americans that “Given that this same agency has illegally disclosed protected taxpayer information, the privacy concerns raised by many are legitimate. This is nothing short of a big government overreach into the most personal aspect of our lives.” News report here.

Rep. Gosar: AG Holder Disregards Supreme Court Congressman Paul Gosar spoke on the House floor today to denounce Attorney General Eric Holder’s disregard for the Supreme Court’s ruling in Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder. This floor speech is the fifth in a series of speeches highlighting the violations of the law made by the Attorney General. Earlier this year, Congressman Gosar re-introduced his Resolution of No Confidence (H.Res. 35), which expresses no confidence in Attorney General Holder and calls for his resignation. The resolution currently has 137 cosponsors in the House of Representatives. News release and transcript here.

Democrats' Only Active Candidate for Governor Doctors His Own Image to Appear Hispanic In a bizarre response to a simple comment that he's "uninteresting," the presumed Democrat nominee for governor tried to fix that this week when he photoshopped himself to appear to be Latino. He digitally morphed himself to resemble the person pictured on the right, put the doctored image out on Twitter and hand-delivered a printed copy to the AZGOP. Painful attempts at humor, especially with racial overtones, usually backfire on candidates. Tell us what you think on Facebook.

Arizona State Candidates Here The Arizona Secretary of State's Office maintains the database and filings of state candidates here.

Arizona Federal Candidates Here The Federal Election Commission lists federal candidates: Click ARIZONA on the map.