Posted on 01/24/2004 8:23:06 PM PST by Spiff
By a margin of nearly 3-1, the Arizona Republican Party on Saturday endorsed a resolution in support of the Protect Arizona Now ballot (PAN) initiative. The vote of 317-109 in favor of the resolution -- a 74-percent majority -- took place at the annual state Republican convention in Mesa.
Despite the overwhelming support, AZ GOP chairman Bob Fannin called for a vote of the precinct captains in attendance after he could not decipher a clear majority by voice vote.
A citizen’s grassroots effort, PAN is an attempt to ensure integrity at the voting booths of Arizona while protecting taxpayers from the burdensome social costs associated with illegal aliens. Hospitals in the Southwestern states have closed down because of overwhelming expenses incurred due to illegal aliens. Home invasions in Phoenix are up 140 percent. Nearly a third of prison inmates are illegal aliens. AHCCCS costs have quintupled, from $200 million a year to $1.2 billion annually. The petition aims at guarding “against abuses of the elective franchise” and “against the abuse or fraud of our public benefit system.” If the initiative goes on the November ballot and gets passed by voters, proof of citizenship would be required in order to vote or receive some social services.
State and national Republican leadership is opposed to the Protect Arizona Now initiative. But virtually all the polling on the issue (by GOPUSA/Arizona, KAET-TV, ProjectUSA, News/Insight, and FrontPage Magazine) indicates support levels of 85 percent or higher. It’s a story of disconnect between party leadership and citizens.
Among those speaking in favor of the resolution were PAN senior advisers Randy Graf and Russell Pearce, both conservative members of the Arizona House of Representatives, District 18 House candidate J.T. Ready, Joseph Sweeny of Eloy and State Rep. Karen Johnson.
Rep. Graf said, “This initiative protects the sacred right of voting in this state. This has nothing to do with any federal law or guest worker program. It is simply about protecting citizens.”
Pearce and Johnson said that PAN aims to uphold the rule of law.
The lone voice of dissent during debate came from liberal State Sen. Carolyn Allen of District 8, who said endorsement of PAN would hurt George Bush’s chances of re-election. District 7 precinct captains were the only congressional unit voting against the PAN endorsement. Much of the opposition also came from Legislative District 11, including former AZ GOP executive director Ann Lynch, who yelled out in opposition.
“We want to re-elect George Bush and Dick Cheney in this state,” Sen. Allen said. “If this passes, we will suffer. The White House is very concerned about this initiative. This is not going to help our president in this state.”
Ready encouraged Republicans to view PAN from a different angle -- from the people’s perspective.
“Going against this resolution will only help (Mexico’s) Presidente Fox,” Ready said. “Why shouldn’t we pass this? After all, Blockbuster Video requires two forms of ID to rent a video. I support the president, but the question is if he supports the U.S. Constitution.”
Ready’s inference was to President Bush’s proposed -- and highly unpopular -- Temporary Worker Program. Cong. Jeff Flake and Jim Kolbe and U.S. Sen. John McCain have also introduced a similar bill for a guest worker program.
A congressional district by district breakdown of the vote on the resolution went as follows:
CD1 -- 59-12, in favor
CD2 -- 50-9, in favor
CD3 -- 16-13, in favor
CD4 -- 8-0, in favor
CD5 -- 24-16, in favor
CD6 -- 95-4, in favor
CD7 -- 35-11, opposed
CD8 -- 54-20, in favor
Earlier in the meeting, U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl addressed the topic of illegal immigration, and Rep. Pearce found merit with his remarks. Kyl said he has spent a lot of time discussing the issue with President Bush, Vice-president Dick Cheney and Attorney General John Ashcroft.
“My suggestion,” Kyl said, “is as Republicans, we take a breath, gather the facts and not criticize the president other than in our opinions. I have seen the polls, and virtually all Americans oppose amnesty. The problem is how you define it. We try hard on the border to keep illegal immigrants out. We could do a better job, but we are winking at those hiring illegals. There is a disrespect for the rule of law. It’s not good for everybody or the taxpayers who end up subsidizing lower wages.”
In response to Kyl’s remarks, Pearce said: “He talked about the rule of law and no amnesty. He could not have done more for our issue. He codified our position.”
Fannin and other speakers encouraged Republicans not to divide over the immigration issue.
Ha Ha...that is really funny, but seriously, is there anybody running against Flake and Kolbe? You live in AZ, help me out please.
Maybe I'm missing the point of the ping. I have already posted to this thread. You responded to that post. Why are you pinging me?
Uh, no it hasn't. Not in 1964, when Barry and F. Clifton White sent the dogs home. The Rockefeller Wing stabbed Barry in the back, but they didn't call the shots on the nomination for a change.
Ditto in 1980, when Bush and the Bagmen couldn't stop Reagan from taking the nomination.
Politics is the art of the possible. Barry and Dutch showed us that it's possible to have a conservative party run on conservative principles that isn't crawling with the corporate-welfare locusts and Old Money-repping lawyers of the industrial Second Estate.
Maybe this guy needs to take a memo back to George Bush:
It ain't about you, podner!.... It's about the People!!!
Princeling Albert was gonna take us over the cliff and deliver us to the Globalists at 180 mph.
Princeling George would take us over the cliff, delivering us to the Globalists at 120 mph.
Obviously neither one gives a rats ass about our National Sovereignty or upholding the U.S.Constitution and Rule of Law.
Good. This'll hurt then. Let's hope it hurts bad enough to make them take notice.
They wrote off CA years ago, so nothing we do out here is going to get much attention.
Well, they've certainly done a good job of keeping everyone in CA stirred up. We are waiting for another "driver's licenses to illegals" proposal.
I hope they are VERY nervous. They should be.
Unfortunately, their overblown egos make that difficult to accomplish, even with the recall election we just had. They are more careful, here now, but I think the shock is starting to wear off.
We need to recall more of them, do it again and again, until they get over that "it can't happen to me" attitude.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.