Arizona has spoken. The Republicans will decide our future for the next 2-4 years. As an active Democrat, I am afraid.
The Republicans have made it clear that education and health care are not inalienable rights for all citizens. Thus, those programs will be cut until no one can be guaranteed to receive a quality education, access to health care or a job.
We are already 49th in the nation for funding education. Our new Superintendent of Public Instruction (a non-educator) and our legislators prefer to eliminate public education rather than improve it. Where will the jobs come from if we cannot guarantee there will be high school or college graduates trained to perform those jobs?
As for SB 1070, it was a quick fix attempt to solve the complicated issue of illegal immigration. Some say it worked and some say they are being illegally harassed because of it. We need a better solution than what I expect from this state’s leaders. If you can prove me wrong, I will rejoice.
Instead, I believe Democrats will be called on to fix the mess the Republicans will make with more of the same from SB 1070.
In the meantime, I will work to ensure public education is funded, better ideas on immigration are pursued, and will pray that no one loses everything just because they got sick.
Sandra Fischer, Mesa
—
Letters policy: Click here to submit a letter. Please be brief (no more than 300 words) and type or print name, address, city and phone number for verification. Comments may be edited for clarity and length.Your chance to sound off: E-mail Vent submissions to vent@evtrib.com
Mike1200 posted at 10:59 pm on Mon, Nov 8, 2010.
I didn't mean the democratic party with the words democratic rule. I meant the democracy definition when I made the comment above. Just wanted to be clear.
Mike1200 posted at 9:46 pm on Mon, Nov 8, 2010.
Who said anything about longevity. I'm talking about quality of life . And like I said above, I stated that for the last 234 years or so this country has been under democratic rule and things have gone pretty well. I know obama socialism isn't the answer. Sure we have had our share of problems but even with that being said I'm sure glad I was born in this country versus anywhere else.
I think the reason obama lost is he's so far left he couldn't go much farther. Heck i'd be happy to have slick willie back in office versus this guy. Like I said before the majority of voters agreed this time to give the republicans another chance to stop obama rule, if they blow it i guess they'll get booted out again too. And if that happens I sure hope we don't get another far left radical like Barack Hussein Obama who likes cramming policies that the majority of people don't want down our throats.
Dale Whiting posted at 10:07 am on Mon, Nov 8, 2010.
Hey Gang,
Rich is correct. Neither party has all of the answers. And those of us stupid enough to pick one over the other deserve what we are going to get, what we have gotten over the last 16 years. Reaganomics was a farce. Clinton was expert at maneuvering toward the middle, and fortunate to catch the economy on an up swing, and Bush 43 was too stupid to know what needed to be done.
Cut government spending, you say? How about ending the War on Terrorism? Read all of the McCrystal article in Rolling Stone and you will understand why Stan gave up and got himself kicked up. He was not about to oversee another faiure, one worse than Vietnam.
Cut taxes and the trickle down will float all boats? The trickle down is likely to be in some off shore harbor!
Deregulate certain industries? How may more BP's are you willing to suffer?
Loosers are we all, until we all wise up and start working and pulling together.
Rich posted at 11:03 pm on Sun, Nov 7, 2010.
Actually if longevity is your yard stick, the Byzantine Empire lasted about 1000 years. Of course if you you just want a political institution, the Roman Catholics have lasted about 2000. Under 500 is a bagatelle only democratically based political systems are that short lived.
Mike1200 posted at 9:41 pm on Sat, Nov 6, 2010.
One thing I'm certain about is this country has survived over 200 years and things have gone pretty well under the democracy defintion. We live in the greatest country on earth and I voted for it to stay that way. When I voted tuesday, I voted to get away from one party rule (and socialism by barack obama) the majority of americans agreed as show by the election results. If i'm not mistaking that's part of the explanation for democracy, we rule through electing our representatives.
Rich posted at 8:58 pm on Sat, Nov 6, 2010.
The argument is between the individual and the group. You see the best thing, the best way to do it, is that people of their own free will get together and do it. That works best. The problem is when the group forces the first dissident to act like they do, then it goes from being the best system, to being the worst. You can exhaust dictionaries all you want. But that is the basic conflict. We can produce more than we can consume. Physically we live in paradise, and we can't get along well enough to realize it. It doesn't matter whether you are a Democrat, Republican, Socialist, Communist or purple striped unicorn. If you aren't YOU first, so we can get together and work out paradise without some jerk imposing 'rules' then you haven't got it. The only person who is ALWAYS wrong is the person who's certain.
Mike1200 posted at 8:26 pm on Sat, Nov 6, 2010.
Bingo for your information i was the one that said socialism doesn't work not yarbles.
democracy definition
A system of government in which power is vested in the people, who rule either directly or through freely elected representatives.
socialism definition
An economic system in which the production and distribution of goods are controlled substantially by the government rather than by private enterprise, and in which cooperation rather than competition guides economic activity.
The second definition is the one your hero Big O is trying to set up the USA to live under. But unfortunately for you Big O's plan crashed and burned last tuesday.
You better study these definitions a little better before you say socialism and democracy are synonymous with each other. If you favor socialism I think your living in the wrong country.
dragonwyk711 posted at 8:21 pm on Sat, Nov 6, 2010.
........as well you SHOULD be. The fascist Repugs have only begun to make Arizona the FIRST Nazi state in America. They will lay down the carpet for the next president who will be the first Fascist dictator. Bush dreamed about it and his dream may well become a reality and SOON.
You will know that it has begun when they start arresting "dissidents". They are already painting "illegals" as subversives.They are calling anyone who supports the Democatic party " Taliban sympathisers" and the stupid American lemmings just follow along.
America is in for one HELL of a future and Arizona is the start of it.
Rich posted at 5:49 pm on Sat, Nov 6, 2010.
The Republicans got caught. we called in the Democrats, they got caught. So now we've called on the Republicans again. Aside from the fact that it is near brain dead to bounce between two groups who are, at this point little more than criminal cartels, corrupted by power into useless sound bites to cover their theft what's to fear? You say you're a Democrat. When you decide you're an American, and you can actually vote for someone who isn't a member of one of the two cartels, you'll stop being a part of the problem.
Bingo6 posted at 3:48 pm on Sat, Nov 6, 2010.
Sister Sara and Yarbles, I'm sorry you drank the poison, but already your tea-party heroes like Ron (John Galt) the uber objectivist, has been calling for the elimination of the Dept. of Education for months, along with your buddies in our own state, As for Arizona I've been here for 43 years and believe me even with the few Democratic governors we have had its always been your boys in charge, and now they are about to destroy it all.
As for Yarbles tired old "Socialism doesn't work" nonsense, Socialism and Democracy are basically synomonous with each other and exisat side by side within all worldwide democratic states, just depends who gets the most the people like you and yours with social security, va benefits, medicare, and unemployment, (all insurance contributions) or of course the most who benefit and that is the rich, and priviliged with their tax shelters, schemes, and corporate,/military industrial welfare.
So don't take the low road anymore, this is your problem now and I predict that when your heroes refuse to fund the deficet (like Ron Paul has promised and Russell Pearce defunds unemploment and ACHSSS in this state, and and when this nation goes into default because it won't even fund the interest on our outstanding debts, this country an the world will be plunged into the a worlwide depression of epic proportion.
When that happens President Barack Obama will be re-elected in a landslide.
Of course you Tea-Partiers will be eating out of dumpsters by then.
Mike1200 posted at 1:15 pm on Sat, Nov 6, 2010.
Well Sara, I'm afraid too. I'm afraid of what this president is doing to the country. If he had his way he'd turn us into the United States of Europe with his spread the wealth mentality, government run health care and all the other policies he was cramming down our throats. Some day you libs will get it SOCIALISM DOESN'T WORK.
I'm sorry but it looks like with the beating your party took tuesday night the majority of americans agree and we did what is best for the country.
Yarbles posted at 10:54 am on Sat, Nov 6, 2010.
SisterSara,
The only problem with your argument is that there is no "team" left. Republicans swept everything, and for the sake of this state, I hope they can work towards solving some of our problems. My prediction though is that Pearce will be allowed to do whatever he wants and drive this state into the ground. Unless of course, the republicans who truly stand for the qualities you mentioned stand up and do something. The only problem with that though is that then they will have to stand against their tea party handlers.
Goddard 2014
SisterSara posted at 9:45 am on Sat, Nov 6, 2010.
You Democrats should be afraid! You have been discovered for the mess you have made to our state and our country. You sling your mud and lies about what Republicans are for and don't look at what you have done. If your politicians wake up and look at what could help, next election they could be the better candidate. I have met no Republican candidate, who wants to take away public schools, they are for better education, better health care, less taxing, You Democrats have left such a big mess, maybe you should look at helping work as a team with the Republicans for a better country. Why does it have to you or them. The SB1070 still in the courts, so quit blaming and telling bogus stories on the discrimination from that bill. You are afraid of anything that might work. While you guys tremble, I will be out there working for whoever is for change for the betterment of our country, OUR CITIZENs.
Bingo6 posted at 6:36 am on Sat, Nov 6, 2010.
Your right to be afraid Sandra, when our defacto Governor, Russell Pearce takes over he is going to shove his racist agenda down our throats.
As for education, it is no secret that the GOP's intention nationally and locally is to eliminate ALL public education and force you to enroll your children into mostly evangelical religious schools, (sort of like the GOP's version of "Shariah" brainwashing schools) where you children will reduced to brainless, Orwellian goose stepping sheep.
When they defund all healthcare programs in Arizona we will lose some 7billion dollars in Federal funding, people will die and the emergency rooms will be flooded beyond capacity, but good ole Russell Pearce and his hate mongering clones will smugly look down from their high and lofty thrones and laugh at the misery that they will cause.
Arizona is at a precipice and wil no be known as the most racist, bigoted, haven for the most uncaring and destructive people in America.
Oh, by the way to all you white seniors who voted for these criminals, you better see about moving in with your kids, because they are going to try their best to eliminate all those "Socialists" entitlement programs that you love the most, your Social Security, your Medicare, and of course if your a Veteran, you VA benefits.
TheGOP's advice for you old folks, GET A JOB.