Arizona GOP Defies Bush, Calls For Accountability on Illegal Aliens

Talon News Service ^ | 27 January 2004 | Jimmy Moore

[Spiff]

Arizona GOP Defies Bush, Calls For Accountability on Illegal Aliens

By Jimmy Moore
Talon News
January 27, 2004

MESA, AZ (Talon News) -- In direct response to President George W. Bush's recent call for a temporary worker program for illegal aliens in the United States, the Arizona Republican Party overwhelmingly supported a resolution that would protect Arizona taxpayers from the financial impact this would place on them.

During the Arizona Republican Party convention on Saturday, delegates voted 317-109 for the Protect Arizona Now (PAN) petition, which was drafted to help protect taxpayers against the consequences of granting amnesty to illegal aliens including overcrowded hospitals, increased crime rates, rise in prison populations and escalating health care costs, among other things.

The petition itself states that it wants to prevent "abuse or fraud" by illegal aliens of the government services paid for by Arizona taxpayers.

Supporters of the PAN petition are hoping to get the initiative on the November ballot. If the measure is voted into law by Arizonians, then it would require proof of citizenship to be shown prior to receiving government support and benefits.

However, despite the immense support for the PAN petition by most Arizona Republicans, it is not favored by either state or national GOP leaders.

Regardless, state Rep. Randy Graf, a PAN supporter, said voting for this measure equates to upholding the rule of law by ensuring the rights of all Arizona taxpayers and voters.

"This initiative protects the sacred right of voting in this state," Graf stated. "This has nothing to do with any federal law or guest worker program. It is simply about protecting citizens."

However, state Sen. Carolyn Allen expressed her concern that supporting PAN would ultimately be detrimental to the Bush campaign.

"We want to re-elect George Bush and Dick Cheney in this state," Allen explained. "If this passes, we will suffer."

Allen added that the Bush administration is not happy with this proposal.

"The White House is very concerned about this initiative," she said. "This is not going to help our president in this state."

State House candidate J.T. Ready said concerned Republicans should realize that PAN is a common sense approach to dealing with the problem of illegal aliens.

"Why shouldn't we pass this?" inquired Ready. "After all, Blockbuster Video requires two forms of ID to rent a video."

Ready is extremely concerned that Bush appears to be circumventing the law with his proposal to allow for a temporary worker program for illegal aliens.

"I support the president, but the question is if he supports the U.S. Constitution," Ready expressed.

Sen. John Kyl (R-AZ) told the GOP activists in remarks made early in the convention that his meetings with Bush, Vice-President Dick Cheney and U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft helped educate him on the proposed national Temporary Worker Program.

"My suggestion is as Republicans, we take a breath, gather the facts and not criticize the president other than in our opinions," Kyl instructed.

Kyl admitted that while "virtually all Americans oppose amnesty," Bush's proposal would actually help minimize the continued influx of illegal aliens by holding employers more accountable for who they hire.

"We try hard on the border to keep illegal immigrants out," Kyl stated. "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."

Arizona Republican Party Chairman Bob Fannin even expressed his concern that the rift between conservatives and GOP leadership over illegal immigration should not be divisive and encouraged the state executive committeemen to support Bush's plan.

Yet Fannin's call for unity was met with criticism and disgust by the committeemen. They believe Fannin should be addressing their sincere concerns with the Temporary Worker Program with the Bush administration directly.

GOPUSA Arizona Editor Dennis Durband warned national GOP leaders to listen to the concerns of the base or else risk losing them as voters in November.

"The lesson to the story is that the Republican Party needs to take in opinions and information from below and give rank and file Republicans legitimate consideration -- as opposed to dictating unpopular policy on an unwilling constituency," Durband wrote.

He continued, "The White House had better start listening to the people and re-thinking its position, because a lot of Republicans are saying Bush will not get their vote as things currently stand. The White House can choose this day whom it will serve. If the White House gets behind PAN, Arizona is in the bag for the president's re-election chances. It's that simple."

Talon News will continue to follow developments in this story.

Copyright © 2004 Talon News -- All rights reserved.

[Spiff]

ping

[StoneColdGOP]

Good for the Arizona GOP!

The California Republican Party convention is next month in Burlingame. Hopefully, someone has submitted a similar proposal for us to consider.

[jmcclain19]

what was especially noteworthy was Chairman Fanin's tacit "Please don't support this" repeated over and over again. Guess some folks at the top aren't paying attention to the grassroots.

[Lael]

BTTT!!!

[Bikers4Bush]

Do they ever?

[DMCA]

Since they aren't supporting Bush does that make them traitors?

:->

[junta]

Too much democracy going on in Arizona, gonna have to put a stop to it and soon. These same kool-aid drinkers who chant the mantra of Bush, Bush and yet more Bush are the same types that insisted we vote for that idiot Ford. If he would have beat Carter in 76 the commies would still run the USSR and President Ted Kennedy would see to it that they were subsidized so that they stay afloat. So the moral of the story is that a RINO gets dumped and conservatives take over.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

He continued, "The White House had better start listening to the people and re-thinking its position, because a lot of Republicans are saying Bush will not get their vote as things currently stand. The White House can choose this day whom it will serve. If the White House gets behind PAN, Arizona is in the bag for the president's re-election chances. It's that simple."

The White House and the RNC cannot say they weren't provided fair warning on how things stand. Big corporations may give a lot of campaign money, but as individuals those making the donations have no more or less power than anyone else with their one vote. If enough conservatives get turned off from unpopular policies Bush will lose.

[StoneColdGOP]

Since they aren't supporting Bush does that make them traitors?

Of course, they want Howard Dean to win. Haven't you been paying attention to FR?

Anything less than 100% commitment to Bush and his agenda is as good as a vote for Dean.

[WOSG]

Good idea. We can do the same thing here in Texas too.

[Standing Wolf]

I won't vote for Bush this November if he continues to advocate amnesty for the millions upon millions of illegal aliens that infest our nation like a cancer. I'm thoroughly sick and tired of voting for the lesser of two evils, especially when the lesser isn't much less.

[Az Joe]

Nice work AZ!

[AD from SpringBay]

If this makes it - a judge will unconstitutionally veto it from the bench.

[RiflemanSharpe]

Anything less than 100% commitment to Bush and his agenda is as good as a vote for Dean.

That is what they keep telling me. I am not drinking the koolaid.

[RobRoy]

"Why shouldn't we pass this?" inquired Ready. "After all, Blockbuster Video requires two forms of ID to rent a video."

What a great line. It also sez it all. Apparently, Arizona does not want to follow the path of California. Who knew?!

[ClintonBeGone]

However, state Sen. Carolyn Allen expressed her concern that supporting PAN would ultimately be detrimental to the Bush campaign. "We want to re-elect George Bush and Dick Cheney in this state," Allen explained. "If this passes, we will suffer."

Carolyn, it doesn't matter. These people WANT him defeated.

[AuntB]

From the article: "The White House can choose this day whom it will serve."

[ought-six]

Bush will not get my vore in November if he continues to push for this amnesty. Sorry, but the destruction of America, whether in one grand swipe (which the Dems are likely to do) or incrementally (as the Bush amnesty will do), still results in the end of my country. And I will not sit idly by to witness it.

[JustPiper]

There are about a handful + reports out like this all over the country since yesterday. We should start organizing something a bit more fluid and each of us email, fax, call our local RNC and news outlets with our disgust!