Thursday, May 31, 2012

Somewhere In A Galaxy Far, Far Away......



Darth Vader wasn't the only one who was seduced by the dark side of the Force.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Worsley Is Getting Canvassing Help From Leftist Agitator, Randy Parraz!

Mesa Office Update: Thank you all who have come in to make calls. We will continue to make calls tonight, tomorrow and Saturday (May 23rd, 24th and 26th). Our office hours our (sic) Mon.-Thurs. 5:00PM-8:00PM and Saturday from 9:30AM-1:00PM. This Saturday we need your help to talk to independent voters about the upcoming race for Senate involving Pearce and Worsley. Please join us! 628 N Center Street, Mesa.


Jerry Lewis and his wife with Carmen Guerrero, a member of Parraz's CBA who helped Lewis during the recall election.  Her comment under the picture was
"We all look fabulous when we work together." 

You can see how well they work together here.







And here --------------->
Between getting help from radical leftists and a few Republican tools as well as speaking with groups who are affiliated with radical leftists, (like IAF affiliate, the Mesa Education Association), it appears that Worsley is following  Randy. Parraz's   Jerry Lewis' playbook rather nicely. 

(Lewis hugging Todd Landfried on election night) 



We can't wait to see what the campaign finance report reveals.


Monday, May 28, 2012

More On Steve Chucri, In Case You Didn't Get The Memo Before

We vetted Steve Chucri before.

Steve Chucri is running for one of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisor positions, along with Randy Parraz's wife, Lilia Alvarez.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out which way the Board would lean should they both win the election. 

We've learned by now that the Board of Supervisors meetings is where Randy Parraz and his ilk like to go and stage their feigned anger protests against people like Russell Pearce or Joe Arpaio.  You know, because they create and enforce laws that crack down on illegals.

Like this time.

And this time.

And this time.

And who can forget one of the FIRST times?



( Don Stapley caught at the Parraz Election night party at the Wright House in Mesa either before or after he showed up at Lewis' party.)

Did we mention that while Chucri was the President of the Arizona Restaurant Association, the ARA PAC donated to Jeff Flake's brother in law, Kevin Gibbons, when he attempted to run against Russell Pearce in 2008?

And that he is on the board of the Arizona Tourism Alliance who came out with an official statement on SB1070:

The Tourism Industry is deeply concerned about the repercussions that will result from the debate around Senate Bill 1070. Arizona tourism is currently in a very fragile state of recovery and the negative perceptions surrounding this legislation are tarnishing Arizona’s image and could easily have a devastating effect on visitation to our state.

The Tourism Industry was not part of the development of this legislation, but unfortunately is certain to experience the unintended consequences of the economic backlash. As we’ve seen many times in recent years, tourism is being used as leverage for a political issue with no direct connection to our industry.
Instead of driving our state’s economy even further into decline and punishing the 200,000 families who rely on tourism for their livelihoods, we proudly ask all Arizonans’ to support the diverse and global workforce that comprises the Tourism Industry and to invite friends, family, associations and businesses to visit and experience Arizona firsthand.


Chucri then went on record as having said this about SB1070:

"The Arizona Restaurant Association says business was better than expected in 2010 -- up more than $80 million over the previous year. But, President Steve Chucri wondered if it could have been better without 1070."


And this:

"Similar fears are being expressed in the restaurant industry. Steve Chucri,  president of the Arizona Restaurant Association, said some local restaurants are already feeling the affect of the new law.
"I can tell you I know that there have been cancellations of conferences," he  said, adding that that has an indirect impact to local restaurants.
Even though those who work in the restaurants are likely to be legal  immigrants, Chucri said "there's always been a sense of uneasiness since 2007,"  when the state passed a law that cracks down on employers who hire undocumented  immigrants.
"To take one's business license is serious action. When you saw that in 2007,  so many things happened. There is one thing clear: there is a need for  immigration reform in the nation," Chucri said. "When is Washington going to  wake up and answer the call?"


 (What about if our own state Senator, Raul Grijalva, hadn't called for a BOYCOTT on HIS OWN STATE? Where was his outrage over Grijalva's instigations and potential damage to the industries he represented?)
It also sounds like Mr. Chucri is still dwelling on the lawsuit he filed as President of the Arizona Restaurant Association against the State of Arizona over E-Verify in 2008.  Which is funny because just recently, Chucri said of Don Stapley, who is embroiled in legal troubles of his own,

"It's hard to ask for someone's vote, all the while suing them.  I think there's a fundamental disconnect."

Exactly how much of our tax dollars were spent defending the lawsuit Chucri filed against the state?  And now he's asking for us to vote for him too?

Shortly after E-Verify passed, Chucri alluded that the law created an increase in race-based attacks:

But other restaurant owners also have seen an increase in race-based attacks, said Steve Chucri, president and chief executive of the Arizona Restaurant and Hospitality Association, one of several business groups suing to block the employer sanctions law from taking effect on the grounds that the law is unconstitutional.

Adding it all up, it's pretty clear that Chucri isn't too fond of E-Verify and it's not looking like he's a big fan of SB1070 either.  Again, how will he be able to stand up to the pressure that awaits him should he win the election?  Will he agree to the leftist propaganda if they parade the "Arizona Accord" in front of the board?  Will he pacify the Parraz groupThe DREAM activists?  Will he vote to deny funding for our Sheriff that is intended to go towards illegal immigration enforcement as was already done by the board?


Chucri said,

"When is Washington going to wake up and answer the call?"

Is Washington the sole authority on how we can protect our citizens from those who choose to enter our country illegally?  That sounds like the same argument that the leftist "Comprehensive Immigration Reform" crowd takes.  Which sounds an awful lot like the shameless argument the DOJ used in front of the Supreme Court over the constitutionality of portions of SB1070.  It's WASHINGTON'S fault!  States don't have the authority to enforce immigration law!

We'll, we'll just have to see about that next month when the Supreme Court rules in favor of Arizona and SB1070.


Sunday, May 27, 2012

Memorial Day

"These are the times that try men's souls.  The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country, but he that stands it NOW deserves the love and thanks of man and woman."

-Thomas Paine





Spirit, that made those heroes dare
To die, and leave their children free,
Bid Time and Nature gently spare
The shaft we raise to them and thee.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Friday, May 25, 2012

Why Rep. Jones "Struggled Mightily" About SB1070

Arizona Representative, Russ Jones, stood to explain his "yes" vote for SB1070.  He clearly was conflicted about voting in support of the bill.  Let's look at his explanation as to WHY he struggled mightily to do so.



"As you know, Mr. Speaker, I have struggled mightily with this bill.  The district I come from along the AZ-Mexico border...it's not broken.  That district along the border has the highest REDUCTION in illegal immigration along the entire US-Mexico border.  That's because our local law enforcement and ICE work well together, hand in hand, effectively...I still have problems with this bill...Frankly, my community is NOT a sanctuary city.  I can't think of one community in the State that is truly a sanctuary city.  It's unfortunate we are using that term...I don't see this as a problem and wonder what it is we're fixing."


Let's break it down:

"The district I come from along the AZ-Mexico border...
it's not broken"


Smugglers and immigrants link up in San Luis Rio Colorado
(2006)


Study: Illegal immigration costing border counties millions

Cost to Yuma may total $49.2 million since 1999

(March 2008)


Illegal immigrants: SB-1070 will not stop us
(May 2010)


Mexican Children crossing border in San Luis, AZ to attend US SCHOOLS
(2010)

Unfinished drug tunnel found in San Luis Rio Colorado   
(Feb 2011)

San Luis CBP Officers Seize Ammunition
(Feb 2012)


"our local law enforcement and ICE work well together, hand in hand, effectively"

The 287(g) program is an agreement between the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) within the Department of Homeland Security and state and local law enforcement which allows local law enforcement to receive delegated authority for immigration enforcement within their jurisdictions. "The cross-designation between ICE and state and local patrol officers, detectives, investigators and correctional officers allows these local and state officers necessary resources and latitude to pursue investigations relating to violent crimes, human smuggling, gang/organized crime activity, sexual-related offenses, narcotics smuggling and money laundering."

While it may be true that the local law enforcement and ICE in Mr. Jones' district worked effectively together prior to SB1070 (although the above links paint a different picture than that of a district that wasn't "broken"), it is known that President Obama has since begun to shut the 287(g) program down. 

The fact of the matter is, the 287(g) program is only set up to crack down on those who are arrested after committing a secondary crime and does not do anything to curtail those who are committing the primary crime of entering our country illegally.  

"Frankly, my community is NOT a sanctuary city.  I can't think of one community in the State that is truly a sanctuary city.  It's unfortunate we are using that term..."


Sanctuary Cities
Arizona

  • Chandler, AZ   (Added 5/30/07, Congressional Research Service Report, 2006 )
  • Mesa, AZ  (Added 10-18-09, Sources: Judicial Watch; East Valley Tribune article,1-4-2008)
Mesa, Arizona has been added as a sanctuary city list because of its reported "don't ask don't tell policy" and criticism by the local sheriff that the city is not enforcing the law. The sheriff has arrested illegal aliens working in city buildings (as contract workers for a private cleaning company), reportedly after the city police department refused to investigate complaints of illegal hires by a whistleblower. 
  • Phoenix, AZ
  • Tucson, AZ   (Added 11-12-07, Source: 11-11-07 story by Brady McCombs, Arizona Daily Star.)
Tucson Arizona has been added to the sanctuary city list because the Tucson police have instituted a new policy which prevents their officers from calling Immigration and Customs Enforcement to schools and churches. 

" don't see this as a problem and wonder what it is we're fixing."


Illegal Immigration Costs U.S. $113 Billion a Year, Study Finds


Illegal Immigration Costs Arizona Taxpayers $1.3 Billion Annually
(Arizonans fork out nearly $1.3 billion annually to pay for all of the costs incurred from illegal immigration; around $810 million for education, $400 million for health care related expenses, $80 million in incarceration costs, and the remainder in welfare benefits.)

http://www.immigrationcounters.com/


I think we can see why Rep. Jones "struggled mightily" to vote for SB1070.

Here.

Here.

Here.



Thursday, May 24, 2012

Arizona Border Security Committee

In 2010, with some tweaks to SB1070, House Bill 2162 established the formation of a Joint Border Security Advisory Committee designed to discuss the critical border issues for our state.  The committee is created from the appointments by the Speaker of the House, the Senate President and the Governor, and includes Sheriffs from border counties.


When reviewing the meeting minutes for the JBSAC, it was interesting to note that the Speaker Of the House, Kirk Adams, was listed as one of the members of the committee, yet he never actually attended any of the meetings prior to his resignation.  He chose, rather, to send someone to "represent" him instead.

It was also interesting to note that half of the bills which the committee discussed that were critical to border issues, were ones that Mr. Adams was not present to vote for as a member of the Rules Committee.  Mr. Adams was absent on March 8th to vote for SB1546 and again on March 14th for SB1495.  I think we can guess what he was busy focusing on those first couple of weeks in March.

A summary of the meeting minutes for 2011 can be viewed here.

We've discussed Rep. Russ Jones before.  Mr. Jones was one of Kirk Adams' appointments to the JBSAC just a few months before Adams resigned.  After reading the minutes as well as viewing video of the meetings, it was clear what Mr. Jones' main issue was with the border.  His biggest concern is the need to see a quicker response at the border for trucks and more funding for Customs and Border Protection Agents.  This isn't a big surprise since his own, personal company deals with the trucking and manufacturing industries in shipping goods across the US/Mexico border.  Reducing the "bottleneck" would allow his company to transfer more goods back and forth which obviously helps his bottom line.  Conflict of interest?

Mr. Jones is also a Treasurer for the Executive Committee and Board of Directors for a group called the Border Trade Alliance.  His company, RL Jones, is also a contributor to the BTA.  The BTA has been pushing for more Customs and Border Protection agents in order to facilitate trade.  While it is certainly understandable to want to have more personnel at the border in order to man the newly built lanes, one has to wonder if the "border protection" part of the Customs and Border Protection agents is really what the BTA, and Rep Jones, is concerned about.

Alan Bersin, is a former California Secretary of Education (who must have been so knowledgeable about border security that he had to be appointed while Congress was in recess in March 2010).  He is currently Obama's "Border Czar".  Mr. Bersin spoke at a BTA conference in the fall of 2010 and said:

I want to offer an alternative vision.  We have to start thinking about the border in a much more holistic and broad way than simply a line on the map between Mexico and the United States...Canada and the United States...We have to start thinking about the borders not only as juridical lines on a map, which they are, and ports of entry that we build, and the infrastructure...we have to think about the border and the flows of goods and people...and this notion of flows is much more consistent with where the WORLD is in thinking of borders as flows of goods and people, capitol and ideas.  Because, we limit ourselves if we think about juridical lines and physical ports of entry and we have to get more efficient at the physical lines, yes we do, no question about it.  And we need more resources at the physical line, but we actually have to think differently about what a border is and what an inspection is...

That sounds an awful lot like an "open borders" mentality.  Remember, he is Obama's border Czar!  Since when does our country have to prescribe to and be "consistent" with the same (faulty) notions of what a border is in the eyes of the world?  How is that notion working out for Arab countries?  North and South Korea?  In fact, try and tell Israel that they should have free flowing borders with their neighbors who want to wipe them off of the face of the earth.

Mr. Bersin's complete remarks can be seen here.

We don't begrudge Rep. Jones for wanting to speed up traffic at the border to help increase and grow his business.  We just question his motives and whether he can participate on a Border Security Advisory Council (as well as be appointed to attend the Legislative Border Conferences) with an open mind.



The wrap-up on Rep. Jones, border security and SB1070 will be in our next installment.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Pizza, Por Favor?

Pizza Patron

Dallas Pizza Chain Giving Free Pizza For Ordering In Spanish

A local pizza chain that made waves in 2007 for accepting Mexican Pesos for payment has come up with a new way to generate some buzz for itself, offering free pizza to anyone who orders in Spanish.  Dallas-based Pizza Patron will be offering free pizza on June 5 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. to anyone who places their order in Spanish.
The promotion was announced in a company press release as a way to honor the “positive force of change immigrants have made in communities throughout America.”


Ah, yes.  Jason LeVecke, owner of the Pizza Patron and Carl's Jr. franchises.  Friend of Steve Chucri and other open borders groups.  Donor to Jeff Flake, his brother in law, Kevin Gibbons, and Kirk Adams.

We've discussed LeVecke before.

Jason LeVecke is the grandson of Carl Karcher, founder of Carl's Jr. restaurants. You may have recognized his name from the previously discussed Arizona Marcha website. Along with Jeff Flake, (who LeVecke donated $4600 to his 2008 campaign) LeVecke was also a speaker at the Arizona Employers for Immigration Reform forum on May 30, 2007. You can listen to his arguments for supporting amnesty (aka- "comprehensive immigration reform") here. He encouraged those in attendance to call or email their federal state representatives and tell them "you want comprehensive immigration reform but not with employer sanctions". He also encouraged them to become supporters of AZEIR.
The current spokesman for AZEIR is Todd Landfried. 

LeVecke is another "Republican" who has testified and fought against E-Verify in 2007/2008. As the owner of over 150 fast food restaurants, one might guess that not being able to hire illegals at low wages probably affects his bottom line.

Not only did he fight against the employer sanctions law enacted in 2008 but he also actively campaigned against Russell Pearce.

In more ways than one.

1. LeVecke was behind the PAC Wake up Arizona! which was organized alongside Mac Magruder (owner of McDonalds franchises in Arizona) to fight the newly enacted employer sanctions laws. LeVecke's group MJKL alone donated $9500 along with Wake Up Arizona's over $38k contribution to a PAC called Stop Illegal Hiring which was set up to help pass the proposed "Stop Illegal Hiring Act" or prop 202 back in 2008. Its name is intended to confuse. It was actually a law which would lessen the already enacted employer sanctions laws and required Arizona to wait until the Federal Government took action first against an employer before the state would be allowed to do anything. Prop 202 failed at the ballot box. Because Wake up Arizona is a 501 (c)6, they are not required to file campaign finance reports.

Wake Up Arizona was also a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed against the State of Arizona (Napolitano, Goddard and Garriott) in an effort to stop the employer sanctions law. Other plaintiffs included:

Chicanos Por La Causa, Somos America, Arizona Employers for Immigration Reform (AZEIR), Chamber of Commerce of the US, Arizona Chamber of Commerce, Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Arizona Farm Bureau Federation, Arizona Restaurant and Hospitality Association (Steve Chucri), Associated Minority Contractors of America, Arizona Roofing Contractors' Association, Arizona Landscape Contractors' Association and Arizona Contractors Association.


2. He also contributed to other PACs who would then fund Pearce's challenger, Kevin Gibbons (Jeff Flake's brother in law). Sound like a familiar strategy?

LeVecke donated to the Mesa Deserves Better PAC which exclusively donated for the purpose of "advocating defeat against Pearce".

Other political contributions which LeVecke made went to:
Kirk Adams
Rich Crandall
Kyrsten Sinema 
Phil Lopes (outspoken former progressive member of the state legislature)

In June 2009, LeVecke attended an ImmigrationWorks USA Conference in Washington DC to speak about immigration. In his speech he said,

They will tell you it is entirely appropriate for states and local government
to enforce national immigration laws. If it was intended that states enforce
national immigration laws then why is it states do not have the
right to issue visas, or allow more people in legally, or institute their own
guest worker programs? If we continue down this path of states and local governments passing immigration laws and getting involved in enforcement, we will have a patchwork of different laws across this country making it
impossible for multi state employers to manage.

That certainly sounds familiar. 

"President Obama says it would be chaotic for states to create their own immigration policies...."
Jerry Lewis:  "We cannot be the federal government's agents in doing the job that they have to do."
Chuck Schumer:  If the Supreme Court upholds the Arizona law, Schumer said, he will introduce legislation to bar Arizona and other states from enforcing immigration law without the direct consent and supervision of the federal government.


Jeff Flake:  "The federal government puts local officials, whether they are law enforcement, city council or the mayor's office, in a horrible position, having them choose between setting up a day labor center so you deal with local concerns about property values and whatever else, or trying to enforce federal immigration law when you don't have the training and resources, and in some cases, the authority to do so. It's really a difficult problem and I don't think it's going to be solved in a piecemeal fashion. That's why I advocated a comprehensive approach."


Lisa Navarrete, spokeswoman for the advocacy group National Council of La Raza, says "For people to get offended or upset at this seems a little bit silly. It doesn't preclude anybody. Anyone can say, 'por favor.'"

La Raza?  "The RACE".  Telling US not to be offended?

It's not the words 'por favor' that is offensive.  It's the deep-seeded intention behind it that is the problem. 



Monday, May 21, 2012

Speaking Of Endorsements...

But first, a story of what happened to
Congressman Schweikert over the weekend.

Dear Schweikert supporters,

Earlier this week, for reasons unknown to our campaign, individuals presumably from our opponent's campaign, decided to visit our headquarters and place signs on both the front windows and sidewalk of our office.

The signs were on the property of the Schweikert campaign office and were removed.

Rather than throw them away, we held them in hopes that someone from our opponent's campaign would recognize the error of their way and come and retrieve the signs. To their credit, they did and they were given their signs back promptly and undamaged.

Strangely enough, they then decided to call the police department and make a false claim that the signs were somehow "stolen" despite being left on Schweikert campaign property.

To the credit of the Phoenix Police Department, the officers who responded to the complaint made by our opponent's campaign refused to file a police report since our campaign had every right to remove them from our property.

That said, we have seen indications that our opponent’s campaign seems to want to engage in this type of behavior. That is their prerogative to do so and it's not for us to tell them how to run their campaign.

With that in mind, I wanted to take a moment and ask all of our supporters to remember that, notwithstanding these kind campaign antics, we want to continue to treat our opponent's campaign and their supporters with courtesy and respect as we move on to victory on Election Day.

Thank you,
David and Joyce


Just another friendly reminder

Saturday, May 19, 2012

McCain's Big Treat

It's LOADED with "goodies"


Congratulations Mr. Adams! 
A McCain endorsement is the cherry on top of the sundae!


The Perfect Adams Sundae Includes:

1 waffle cone
Rocky Road
Frosted flakes sprinkles
Fluff
Bananas
Snickers
Nuts


Enjoy it! 
We hear it's just so good, it will be done before you know it! 


Friday, May 18, 2012

Border Legislative Conference

The Border Legislative Conference began in 2002 and is comprised of legislative representatives from states along the US/Mexico border.  Members meet regularly to discuss issues relating to the border.

In 2003, the BLC declared:

Whereas, the goal of the Border Legislative Conference is to empower border state legislators to engage in the binational agenda and provide input and direction in the development of policy between both countries;
 

On the subject of  IMMIGRATION:  (pay attention to the number of immigration buzz words)

The members of the Border Legislative Conference conducted an open and passionate discussion on the topic of immigration. Participating legislators strongly reaffirmed their call on the federal governments of the United States and Mexico to work towards the implementation of a comprehensive immigration accord that addresses the United States’ demand for workers and the border security needs of both countries.

Some of the concepts which were adopted at the conference included:






    • Limited state resources should not be diverted to support policies and initiatives that tolerate or result in racial profiling in border communities;

    • It is the United States government’s obligation to fund and oversee a well-trained Border Patrol acting consciously of basic human rights of immigrants;

    • Legislation, or any acts that violate the human rights of immigrants, documented or undocumented, should be condemned. Law enforcement agencies, both federal and state, must treat all immigrants with respect and dignity and adhere to the legal rights they are entitled under state, federal or international treaties, especially the rights of minors through the utilization of procedures and programs that protect them;

    Legislation that focuses solely on enforcement will be ineffective. Border legislators support fair and comprehensive immigration legislation that balances border security concerns with recognition of the U.S. demand for workers in the numerous sectors of the U.S. labor force, including agriculture, construction, and the service economy;

    • Border legislators support laws that offer a path to citizenship, under clearly defined guidelines, to immigrants who have demonstrated citizenship, paid taxes, and birthed children and grandchildren;

    • A temporary worker program that allows employers to sponsor low-skilled immigrant workers to obtain residence status should be supported. Undocumented students under the age of 21 should be able to satisfy the requirements under such a program by attending an institution of higher education or a secondary school full-time;

    • Border legislators support legislation that provides a larger number of employment and family-based residency cards to promote family unification and reduce backlogs in application processing;

    • The ongoing implementation of the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America between the U.S., Canada and Mexico, aimed at establishing a common security strategy, competitiveness, quality of life, and to promote economic growth by streamlining the secure movement of low-risk traffic across our shared borders, should be supported;

    • Border legislators support legislation that authorizes additional federal funds to states and local governments for reimbursement of the indirect costs relation to the incarceration of undocumented immigrants should be supported; as well as for the health and educational needs of immigrant populations;

  • Discourage state legislation aimed at taxing immigrants' remittances; and border legislators recognize and respect signed international immigration agreements between United States and Mexico.

  • Remember 2003?  Jeff Flake, John McCain and Jim Kolbe were trying to push through their idea of "Comprehensive Immigration Reform".  It was so much to the liking of immigration activist, Frank Sherry, that his response was,



    Fast Forward to 2008:






  • Legislators from the State of Sonora presented members of the Border Legislative Conference a resolution expressing strong concerns regarding the adoption and implementation of an employer sanctions law in the State of Arizona. The law imposes penalties on employers that knowingly or intentionally hire undocumented immigrants in Arizona. The resolution was unanimously supported by Mexico members of the Border Legislative Conference. Mexico members requested the Chair and Vice Chair of the Border Legislative Conference that the document be included in the meeting minutes to ensure the expressions and concerns of the Mexico delegation regarding this law are recorded.

  • So, we are not allowed to pass laws and create policy unless they are first approved by other nations?  Sounds like one of the excuses the US attorney used when he argued recently in front of the Supreme Court over portions of SB1070.  What happened to sovereignty?  What are we even doing agreeing to resolutions with other countries that are not in our nation's best interest?

    The Mexican BLC representatives were upset by the E-Verify bill which passed the Arizona legislature in 2007.  The same bill which sparked a lawsuit against the state of Arizona and which one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit was  Maricopa County Board of Supervisors candidate, Steve Chucri.

    (Chucri, President of the Arizona Restaurant Association, is seen standing on the far right, next to Jason LeVecke, Carl's Jr. franchise owner, and Mac Magruder who owns several McDonalds franchises in the valley.  Businesses that depend on cheap labor).

    There was another BLC conference held in San Diego around the same week in April 2008.  According to the minutes, they also discussed immigration:



    The members of the Border Legislative Conference unanimously adopted Resolution 2005-
    01 urging the federal governments of the United States and Mexico to accelerate discussions
    on the topic of immigration. The resolution also expresses concerns over the current impasse
    in the United States Congress on immigration reform, as well as a lack of progress on
    practical and comprehensive legislative solutions to address this important matter.


    They also appointed then Representative, Amanda Aguirre to the BLC Health Committee.  She certainly knows all about how to take advantage of   utilize healthcare resources at the border.


    Jeff Flake was again trying to push through comprehensive immigration reform around the same time.



    In 2011, the BLC claimed they supported immigration policy that included:

    • ...fair and comprehensive immigration legislation that balances border security concerns with recognition of the U.S. need for workers in certain sectors, and that does not preclude them from consideration from eventual citizenship;

    • A comprehensive, bipartisan immigration approach that is endorsed by immigrant advocates, and other important stakeholders such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Service Employees International Union, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the Western Growers Association, as well as their counterparts in Mexico. Additionally, the Utah Compact, which was recently adopted, should be seriously considered by the U.S. Western States.

    • ...supports a more humane and appropriate family-friendly system aimed at the legal residency of young people who were involuntarily taken to the U.S. when they were children, who attended school, and who are currently attending an institution of higher education in the U.S.;

    • Increase the quotas of employment and increase family based green cards to promote family unification and reduce waiting times for the consideration of their application;


    US Chamber of Commerce? 

    (Director of US Chamber of Commerce in 2007 giving Flake an award at the Arizona Employers for Immigration Reform conference)


    SEIU? 


    (Eliseo Medina is a representative of the SEIU seen here at the Supreme Court Hearing on Arizona's immigration bill)

    US Conference of Catholic Bishops?  The same group who has ties to radical organizations such as the Center for Community Change who promotes abortion and gay marriage?  (Jerry Lewis should be familiar with CCC.  They donated at least $9000 of "in kind" donations to Promise Arizona during the recall election and who then canvassed on Lewis' behalf. They also were represented at the Supreme Court hearing.)



    Western Growers Association?
    The same group who signed off on the Arizona Accord along with groups like Chicanos por la Causa, IAF affiliated organizations, and Jerry Lewis?  The group that bemoans any kind of enforcement legislation to combat illegal immigration?

    Did we mention that Rep Russ Jones is one of the members of the BLC appointed to represent Arizona?
    Stay tuned for more connections....

    Wednesday, May 16, 2012

    Affiliates And Their Affiliated Affiliates

    A lot can be deemed about one's leanings when digging into the groups with which they are affiliated.


    Take, for example, Arizona Representative, Russ Jones (R).  Mr. Jones is on the advisory board and council for the Arizona Community Foundation (Yuma sector).  He is also a donor.


    Initiatives for the ACF reads like the Democratic propaganda platform:

    Black Philanthropy Initiatives  ("The mission of the Black Philanthropy Initiative is to advance equity, health, education, leadership, and SOCIAL JUSTICE for African-Americans in Arizona.")


    Education Reform (The ACF partnered with the Ellis Foundation on a report about the Education system in Arizona.  One of the partners of the Ellis Foundation is the Creighton School District.  The Creighton Elementary school is an affiliate of the IAF.  The ACF also gave a grant to STAND FOR CHILDREN which then campaigned in Arizona for the Prop 100 "temporary" sales tax increase.)


    Affordable Housing

    Latinos Unidos

    VISTA- AmeriCorps (Obama's personal recruiting arm)

    What piqued our interest was the Latinos Unidos initiative.

    The website states:


    The Arizona Community Foundation's Latinos Unidos initiative is the natural evolution of the highly successful Hispanics in Partnership program and the Arizona Hispanic Funders' Collaborative launched in 2005. With matching funds from the national Hispanics in Philanthropy organization, Arizona's HIP program granted $620,000 to the following 10 Latino-led nonprofits in 2006:
    • Border Action Network
    • Borderlands Theatre
    • Florence Immigration Project
    • It’s a Baby’s Life
    • La Sociedad Mutualista de Obreros Mexicanos
    • Pinal Hispanic Council
    • Pirtleville Community Action Network
    • Regional Center for Border Health, Inc.
    • The Way of the Heart: The Promotora Institute
    • Xico, Inc.
    The grants were paid over a three-year period to boost the capacity of these organizations in several areas.

    Let's look at just a few of these groups who received funding and what exactly they were doing during that three year period to "boost their capacity":

    1.  Border Action Network (BAN).  A leftist open borders group whose activist leader, Jennifer Allen, is closely tied to people like Sal Reza, Randy Parraz, Raquel Teran, Isabel Garcia etc.


    Anti-SB1070 video showing Allen, Reza, etc.
    BAN and Citizens for a Better Arizona
    BAN 2008 Year in Review Video
    2009 at the Legislature showing Allen, Teran, AILA lawyer and ACLU representative

    2.  Borderlands Theater
    "Border people, in the best sense of the word, are citizens of the world.
    Borderlands Theater has also benefited from the legacy of the artists/activists who performed with an earlier theater, Teatro Libertad, a collective and outgrowth of the early Chicano civil rights movement."

    3.  Florence Immigration Project
    "The Florence Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing free legal services to men, women, and unaccompanied children detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Arizona."

    4.  La Sociedad Mutualista de Obreros Mexicanos
     
    5.  Xico, Inc
    One of the board members is Martin Quintana from Chicanos por la Causa. Another familiar board member is Brian Barabe, one of the founders of Parraz's first organizations created to fight illegal immigration legislation called the East Valley Patriots for American Values. He was one of the many who paraded the Utah-style Compact in front of both the Chandler City Council and most recently, the Mesa City Council.  Barabe donated to both Jerry Lewis' campaign as well as to Citizens for a Better Arizona.

    6.  Regional Center for Border Health?  The same RCBH whose CEO is former Arizona Senator, Amanda Aguirre from the same district as Rep. Russ Jones?  The same organization that receives almost all of its funding from the Alinsky IAF which receives THEIR funding from the TAXPAYERS?


    Two of the Arizona Hispanic Funders' Collaborative organizations who help contribute funds included:

    I think we're beginning to understand why Rep. Jones had "struggled mightily" about voting for SB1070.  He himself claimed,

    ...he intends to represent all people in his district, and thus will not sign on to any type of voting pledge. “We narrow ourselves down and make ourselves less flexible,” he says. “It’s more important for a constituent to try and understand the candidate’s core values that make the person who he is; that’s the best a candidate can possibly do.”



    We'll explore more of Mr. Jones and his core values in our next installment.