Arizona's state government has clearly demonstrated in grandiose terms its inability to match revenues with expenses. In fact, under current legislative leadership, state government has shown an addiction to reducing, eliminating or ignoring potential revenue streams while at the same time exhibiting gross negligence when it comes to delivering minimal services to its constituents.
The centerpiece of Gov. Jan Brewer's grand budget balancing scheme is to disenfranchise nearly 280,000 Arizonans from health care, not to mention those who are awaiting critically needed transplants only to be told that they must sacrifice their lives for the state budget. Now those are recallable offenses!
Of course, the irony here is that Brewer and her compadres need President Obama's approval for an exception to move forward with their disenfranchisement plan. It doesn't appear likely that Brewer's request is consistent with Obama's commitment to providing more Americans with health care coverage - not less. What's that old saying: "What goes around comes around"? Maybe Brewer & Co. shouldn't have gone to war with the federal government over SB 1070 or, as we saw last week, introduce bills that would allow Arizona to nullify federal laws at the whim of our right-wing legislative leaders.
The need for a strong federal government is more important today than ever. Witness the amazing job that Presidents Bush and Obama along with Congress did by saving our country from a certain depression by enacting the bank bailout and stimulus plans. That's exactly the role that the federal government should play when our national economy is at risk and the private sector incapable of "carrying the water."
Many of the services provided by state government are either mandated, approved or funded by the federal government.
Arizona's state government is currently dominated by national player "wannabes." These pretenders don't have either the pedigree or the money to win a seat at the federal table so they are using our state government as their bully pulpit. Sheriffs Joe Arpaio and Paul Babeu along with State Sen. Russell Pearce and State Rep. John Kavanagh are leading examples.
Do these people really believe that each state should have the inalienable right to determine the citizenship status of newborns? Last I checked, I was a citizen of the United States of America and a resident the state of Arizona - not the other way around. In the unlikely event that the courts would side with Pearce and Kavanagh, I would suggest that we make their interpretation of the Constitution retroactive. In that case, only those of Indian or Mexican descent would actually be conveyed the rights of citizenship, especially here in the state of Arizona. We are all immigrants. I'm not thinking that the first Europeans off the boat carried citizenship applications.
What's next? Each state decides its own foreign policy? Who to declare war upon?
Brewer and the legislature would be better served to focus on growing our revenue base, reducing spending responsibly, creating jobs and helping people stay in their homes vs. wandering aimlessly into areas such as immigration and citizenship reforms which are clearly the dominions of the federal government. Illegal immigrants are not responsible for our Great Recession nor would their eradication accelerate our recovery.
—
Jon Beydler is a 32-year Valley resident and the former mayor of Fountain Hills who now lives in Chandler
Freethinker posted at 7:33 am on Wed, Feb 9, 2011.
Jon wrote:
" In that case, only those of Indian or Mexican descent would actually be conveyed the rights of citizenship, especially here in the state of Arizona. We are all immigrants. "
You might want to brush up on your history, Jon. The last sentence in that phrase is correct - we are ALL immigrants. And yes, that includes anyone of Indian or Mexican descent...Google "Bering strait land bridge" if you are still confused.
But at least we ARE immigrants...which means we and/or our families came here LEGALLY.
"Illegal immigrants are not responsible for our Great Recession nor would their eradication accelerate our recovery."
Jon, you are either delusional or dishonest.
I dare you to say that to someone's face who lost their job, identification, credit rating, and 3 year old granddaughter to illegal alien felons.
mlimberg posted at 8:39 am on Wed, Feb 9, 2011.
Spoken like a true PotHead Jon.... Go smoke a bowl, worship your idle, and pack your bags and move to Europe....
Leon Ceniceros posted at 9:06 am on Wed, Feb 9, 2011.
America's Founding Fathers laid it all out in the Preamble to the Constitution.."We the People...OF... the United States".
It didn't say....IN....the United States. The Preamble further refers to "posterity". What does "posterity" mean. The dictionary defines it to mean; future generations, the off-spring of one progenitor. The Constitution clearly stated that American Citizenship was not to be given to "ALIENS". Now that had always meant people that were not "subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Are Ilegal aliens allowed to vote = NO. Are Illegal Aliens allowed to be drafted in the Military = NO. Are Illegal Aliens allowed to be given an American Passport = NO.......so tell me....HOW IN THE HECK CAN CHILDREN OF ILLEGAL ALIENS BE GIVEN AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP ?????
The other premise that was made about ..LEAVING GOVERNMENT TO BIG BROTHER...well that to me is a Dictatorship. We live in a Republic. American started as a Confederation of States which allowed for "LIMITED" Central Government. Are we to abolish "STATES' RIGHTS" now?? = have the Democrats gone completely out of control?
T.A.R.P. was a fiasco. $560 Billion dollars paid out that we had to borrow from Communist China because America is Broke. We have a $10 TRILLION dollar...DEBIT.
The STIMULUS Program was a disaster from day one. In Florida it spent $232,241.00 ..PER JOB.....PER JOB...and most of those jobs that were created or saved in Florida were State of Florida "government" jobs. When they investigated where Florida's Stimulus money had gone....they found that the money went to create jobs in so-called "PHANTOM ZIP CODES" that never existed. The Liberal/Left-wing "darlings of the afternoon TV", Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert....HAD A BALL TALKING ABOUT THESE PHANTOM ZIP CODES. This was some serious money, Folks. More than $6.4 BILLION dollars were discovered so far going to 440 of these "OBAMA ADMINISTRATION....PHANTOM ZIP CODES".
This is just mere pittance compared to the financial disaster that "OBAMA-CARE" will visit on the States. In California almost 2 million more of it's residents will go on Medicaid. The State of California is almost "BANKRUPT" but it will still have to come up with $2-$3 BILLIONS of dollars to cover the "NEW" enrollees every year and more to be added later. The State of Florida's Medicaid costs will jump from $7 BILLION to $9-$10 BILLION dollars.
Everday Citizens across America could see the state of our Nation. That is why on November 2nd, 2011...the repudiated the Democrat's "BIG BROTHER KNOWS ALL" agenda...from one corner of America to the other...from one Coast to the other...from towns, cities, counties and States across our great Nation....DEMOCRAT "BIG BROTHER" politicians were swept out of Office. In 2012...Americans are going to....FINISH THE JOB OF .....TAKING BACK OUR COUNTRY.
zcwilkins posted at 9:07 am on Wed, Feb 9, 2011.
So you rag on AZ for its budget, and suggest that the feds have done a better job? Have you looked at the budget deficit and national debt lately? Relying on the feds for everything only throws more cash down the crapper, more pet projects, etc. Most politicians only have two things in mind, getting theirs and getting re-elected. You're delusional if you think that fed politicians are any different than state.
I think mlimberg is right, smoke another and leave the political writing to someone who can think clearly. We don't need a stronger (bigger) federal government, in fact we truly need the opposite.
mnjcpa posted at 10:11 am on Wed, Feb 9, 2011.
You need to check your history Jon. Thomas Jefferson understood that there is a rightful remedy to federal power grabs - that each state were meant to be checks against federal tyranny. And why the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution reinforces the rights of states to nullify unconstitutional laws.
Last I checked- illegal means forbidden & enforced by law. It doesn't mean, break the rules and we allow it anyway.
You want Brewer to focus on creating revenue? There's little economic justification for companies to create full time employees. Start-up businesses have been the main engine of the economy for 20 years and our government has all but killed the incentive to start a business. And the jobs that are available are barely worth having.
Turn America in to a value creation economy rather than penalizing the ones who produce and we will see positive changes.
abimopectore posted at 10:28 am on Wed, Feb 9, 2011.
mnjcpa,
"And why the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution reinforces the rights of states to nullify unconstitutional laws."
Not true. Nullification is a legal theory that has been repeatedly been shot down by the Supreme Court of the United States with the cases that have come before it. The Tenth Amendment explicitly states the Constitution's principle of federalism by providing that powers not granted to the federal government nor prohibited to the states by the Constitution of the United States are reserved to the states or the people. There's no mention of nullification in there.
Secondly, James Madison, the Father of the Constitution, states something that doesn't support the theory of nullification from his own writing:
A political system which does not contain an effective provision for a peaceable decision of all controversies arising within itself, would be a Govt. in name only. Such a provision is obviously essential; and it is equally obvious that it cannot be either peaceable or effective by making every part an authoritative umpire. The final appeal in such cases must be to the authority of the whole, not to that of the parts separately and independently. This was the view taken of the subject, whilst the Constitution was under the consideration of the people. It was this view of it which dictated the clause declaring that the Constitution & laws of the U. S. should be the supreme law of the Land, anything in the constn or laws of any of the States to the contrary notwithstanding.
You can read this above statement here:
http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/a6_2s43.html
Historically, there's never been a case where nullification has been upheld by this country.
Cerulean posted at 10:32 am on Wed, Feb 9, 2011.
'immigrant workers ARE NOT responsible for our Great Recession'
Freethinker, lets review some history from the Los Angeles Times headlines:
1992
While Bush's plan may boost first-time purchases, . . .
A strong surge in apartment building leads the way, . . . .
1993
Housing Slump Finally Ending?
It's a Buyer's Market. . . Younger families are taking another look at an area that was once beyond their economic grasp.
1994
Lenders scramble to keep housing comeback alive . . .
1995
Home Sales Rise 10.5% in State,. . . .
Home sales surge 19% in May, . . . .
1996
Ready to fly? Region's housing prices on rise,
1997
Home Sales Are Unseasonably Hot Real estate: October sales were 46.5% higher than last year.
(http://www.rntl.net/history_of_a_housing_bubble.htm)
The US actually allowed buses in to and out of Mexico with recruit labor to make all of this expansion possible.
And the rest of the story ends with the second largest Recession in US history.
Cerulean posted at 10:34 am on Wed, Feb 9, 2011.
Our legislature should be 'focused, focused, focused' on new energy technology and industry that Arizona is so well suited to take advantage of.
And why the State out sources prison detention to CCA headquartered in Nashville Tennessee sending millions of our tax dollars to support a research team, facility support centers, etc, etc . . . in Tennessee is beyond me.
mnjcpa posted at 10:57 am on Wed, Feb 9, 2011.
Abimopecture - the point is there is a movement to restore the proper constitutional limits of the federal government - not expand it as Beydler offers.
The states as envisioned by our founding fathers were meant to be checks against federal tyranny. Until we do, ordinary Americans will continue to suffer the effects.
Leon Ceniceros posted at 11:02 am on Wed, Feb 9, 2011.
Folks, don'tcha just love the old PEACE SYMBOL. I thought that they were "extinct" ..............THE FOOTPRINT OF THE AMERICAN CHICKEN.......................LOL
abimopectore posted at 11:13 am on Wed, Feb 9, 2011.
mnjcpa,
Wrong again. The states are not checks against federal tyranny as you suggest or as others have. There are proper channels by which complaints should be addressed and not through state laws that will most likely be thrown out when they are challenged within the courts. The onus is on our "federally" elected officials, meaning the Congress which are the members of the House of Representatives and the members of the Senate which are elected by the people from each state. This is where the change must come from and not our elected state officers. The Supreme Court of the United States is the final adjudicator if these laws are challenged and determines whether the changes advocated by the Congress and signed by the President or overridden by Congress are constitutional or not. The people can actually impact this change by voting for these federally elected representatives. There is no such thing as "states being a check against federally tyranny."
EmperorSmith posted at 11:39 am on Wed, Feb 9, 2011.
going to take me a while to take this all in but the Fed is on the finger to printer of coin.
VofReason posted at 1:07 pm on Wed, Feb 9, 2011.
This guy is just a joke Perfectly articulates the exact opposite of the general concensus. Stimulus saved us? The prevailing thought is it was a waste of money and just added to the deficit. SB 1070 bad idea. Majority of Arizonans and Americans believe that Arizona did the right thing. I know the Trib has made a few cuts to stay afloat, but maybe you can get move him into his own- comic- section.
Cerulean posted at 3:37 pm on Wed, Feb 9, 2011.
Jon, This is a good column. [smile]
Leon,
I am pleased that my avatar gives you a laugh. laughing is good for your heart.
gilbertgrandma posted at 4:37 pm on Wed, Feb 9, 2011.
Every time I read a Beydler article, I think just the opposite is true....
Rich posted at 6:19 pm on Wed, Feb 9, 2011.
About the only service I get from the state of Arizona is that they cash my checks for their taxes and don't demand cash. Of course they are going to pass a law about bedbugs, I wonder if the bugs will listen? As to the feds, they get more money and manage to do even less for me. My medicare, that I've been paying for since it's inception is now going to you for your pre-existing condition and your daughter, who is old enough to pay her own way. All you're advocating here is that I exchange one set of thieves for another. Where's the profit?
Dale Whiting posted at 6:35 pm on Wed, Feb 9, 2011.
Awh yes Jon, your summary sums things up nicely.
"Brewer and the legislature would be better served to focus on growing our revenue base, reducing spending responsibly, creating jobs and helping people stay in their homes vs. wandering aimlessly into areas such as immigration and citizenship reforms which are clearly the dominions of the federal government. Illegal immigrants are not responsible for our Great Recession nor would their eradication accelerate our recovery."
Arizona would be better served if our legislature focused on things within their preview. But where doing so requires making hard and unpopular choices, and where casting stones at the Feds wins re-election [SB1070, etc.] the smart Neo-con will throw stones and the stupid electorate will keep voting them back in. As Forest Gump said, "Stupid is as stupid does." And where we keep re-electing these people, we are the stupid ones!
Freethinker posted at 6:57 pm on Wed, Feb 9, 2011.
Cerulean wrote:
'immigrant workers ARE NOT responsible for our Great Recession'
No one, especially myself, ever blamed immigrant workers for anything.
But ILLEGAL FELON INVADERS are not immigrants.
Both the author of this article and Dale Whiting believe this state is full of idiots. I have a simple suggestion for both of them. ;)
Rich posted at 7:25 pm on Wed, Feb 9, 2011.
"ILLEGAL FELON INVADERS" they're not felons, it's not a felony. If all you're talking about is those that commit felonies, They are only a problem because we have sheriffs like Arpaio and Babeu who let them get away with it because they are harder to catch than a dishwasher. Do your homework before you spout off.
EmperorSmith posted at 7:50 pm on Wed, Feb 9, 2011.
Rich you can not deny the violence. Talking is not going to solve.
Rich posted at 10:40 pm on Wed, Feb 9, 2011.
C'mon Emp we both go out where the dreaded cartels are invading. How many have you seen? By actual statistics the violence is decreasing. It's just reported more often and bombastically. Jacon Riis and Lincoln Steffens did it New York once, turned a decline in violence into a crime wave. It's more hype than fact. You know, you've been there watching the AK-47 armed cartel columns bring in the dope (they have these really cool javelina disguises),
Leon Ceniceros posted at 8:10 am on Thu, Feb 10, 2011.
I am constantly amazed at some of the bloggers here who would let a citizen of another Country come into America and abuse our Health System, abuse our Social Security System, abuse our Education System and still call themselves "AMERICANS".
A "real" AMERICAN....not just an '"AMERICAN IN NAME ONLY" would want our Laws respected, would want our Borders secured, would want our tax-payers hard earned funds going to the aid and assistance of "LEGAL AMERICANS". I remember seeing on the TV news in the 1960's and 70's..the hippies and flower children of the East and West Coast spitting in the faces of returning Viet Nam soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen returning to the Nation that they had protected with life and limb...day in and day out. I would see these same hippies and flower-children throwing blood and "WORSE" at these same Military men, National Guard and Law Enforcement officers and I would wonder what will these people be like when they are senior citizens........will they still have the same "HATE AMERICA" attitudes and social values............well now I have my answer.......YES...the still hate values that make America strong...they still want to destroy Capitalism and replace it with Socialism.........they are still with us today. If they can't love and support America then why do they continue to live in a State or a country that they find so repugnent.....maybe because deep down past all the Left-wing/Liberal/Socialist/Democrat Party ideology...in their heart of hearts...they know that ...AMERICA IS THE GREATEST NATION ON EARTH.
EmperorSmith posted at 11:28 am on Thu, Feb 10, 2011.
I have seen car convoys rolling north twice. I had border patrol roll up on my camp site asking what I was doing (I could easily be mistaken for intermediate transporter) then told me to be careful. That time I had 2 guns on me rifle and handgun, but it worried me so I got no sleep. Then at times you could see choppers flying.
Rich posted at 12:45 pm on Thu, Feb 10, 2011.
Seen the border patrol, choppers and some off-roaders, once a bunch of people in army surplus gear. As far as I've seen if the cartels are there they're disguised as javelinas.
EmperorSmith posted at 12:52 pm on Thu, Feb 10, 2011.
it's really not the drugs, I would be hypocrite to say other wise, I have done them all. It is the violence.
EmperorSmith posted at 1:14 pm on Thu, Feb 10, 2011.
Did you like the unnerving experience?
EmperorSmith posted at 1:48 pm on Thu, Feb 10, 2011.
shall we go for trip there and take up a concealed place and watch. It has a been over a few year since I have been there. Would invite Dale but I'm not sure he knows witch end of the gun a bullet comes out of.
Rich posted at 2:19 pm on Thu, Feb 10, 2011.
Season ended two weeks ago. I'm hopeless with a gun, be better off throwing the (darn) thing. Practice with your bow and next January I'll go with you. Dale too if he wants, There are a couple nice recurves in the mall in AJ if you need one and Four Peaks in Mesa has a bunch. Gives you eleven months, and I'll teach you to stalk if you don't know how. About the only thing out there that scares me is running into a Sheriff Kojak theatrical production. Don't really want to an 'extra.'
EmperorSmith posted at 2:53 pm on Thu, Feb 10, 2011.
All political and such BS aside that sounds like fun. I just need a string for my bow, some arrows also. Been thinking about ordering some from Cabelas. The new, not to anymore, chandler park has a archery range.
EmperorSmith posted at 2:56 pm on Thu, Feb 10, 2011.
No I only hunted Dove ounce, I can not stalk
Rich posted at 3:50 pm on Thu, Feb 10, 2011.
Try Four Peaks in Mesa, he has tons of stings and will fit one for you that's likely to be better and cheaper. also he can advise you on arrows which Cabela's can't. Bass is worse, but they don't do any traditional stuff well. I use Port Orford Cedar, but the old gamegetters are just about as good. Fitting them is more important than what they are. Stalking isn't hard unless you're the impatient type. I shoot in Papago Park except in the dead of summer then I go to the indoor range at Archery Headquarters on Chandler Blvd. Love to have company for javelina, my hunting buddy is Jewish and won't hunt what he can't eat, so pigs are out.
EmperorSmith posted at 4:57 pm on Thu, Feb 10, 2011.
lol, I'm not inpatient not Jewish either but will eat what I take.
Freethinker posted at 7:11 pm on Thu, Feb 10, 2011.
Rich wrote:
"ILLEGAL FELON INVADERS" they're not felons, it's not a felony."
News Flash! Human smuggling, and conspiring with human smugglers are both FELONIES in the State of Arizona. Deal with it.
"Do your homework before you spout off."
Learn what you are talking about before spewing false claims.
Rich posted at 8:22 pm on Thu, Feb 10, 2011.
That has about nothing to do with it. It is a different law and a different issue, most of it fantasy. If you have two grand or more to hire a coyote you could just go to a travel agency, get a tourist visa, stay a night in a luxury hotel and stay here. People who want to immigrate don't have to sneak across a border, broke migrant workers who plan on going home might. But they're not the invaders you're talking about. Basically that's migrant workers ferried across by labor contractors. And they aren't invading, just commuting, as they have been for about three centuries. Please ILLEGAL FELON INVADERS are about as real as INVADERS FROM MARS.
Masterrogue666 posted at 9:03 pm on Thu, Feb 10, 2011.
Jon: Thanks for not playing the "race card", although I think you hinted at it. Don't forget, SB1070 defense funds come from DONATIONS made by US citizens. How much have you donated to help the poor in Mexico, or other countries? Why can't they try to have their country take care of them, instead of demanding our country take care of them. There's one word you (and ALL other supporters) entitlement minded people don't use: "ILLEGAL".
Rich posted at 9:48 pm on Thu, Feb 10, 2011.
Emp.
We'll keep in touch they give us a month, you can get tags at Bass. Warning, I don't do tents, Motels in a pinch, usually drive in and out 5 AM to dusk, but if I'm too far out and I'm too tired I do Motel Six.
EmperorSmith posted at 11:46 am on Fri, Feb 11, 2011.
You can use my air mattress in the back off my 99 ram with top on the bed. Better then motel 6 I think.
EmperorSmith posted at 11:51 am on Fri, Feb 11, 2011.
That is (of) not so redneck. I have not chopped a truck apart.
Freethinker posted at 7:04 pm on Fri, Feb 11, 2011.
Rich wrote:
"Please ILLEGAL FELON INVADERS are about as real as INVADERS FROM MARS."
When a person engages in human smuggling, they are engaged in a felony.
With me so far, Richie?
EVERY SINGLE ILLEGAL ALIEN IN ARIZONA IS A FELON BY LAW. They either smuggled themselves or conspired with a "coyote" - both of which are FELONIES.
Are we keeping up?
Just because our local law enforcement are spineless jellyfish when it comes to enforcing the law, doesn't make the law go away.
EmperorSmith posted at 3:27 pm on Sat, Feb 12, 2011.
I understand where you come from Rich but answer the brutal killing in Mexico?
EmperorSmith posted at 5:31 pm on Sat, Feb 12, 2011.
Jon grow a beard not look like a happy commey