Pullen for the Party

WSJ and Immigration

Daniel Henninger wrote a piece called "How About Amnesty for the Market?" in today's Wall Street Journal

Chairman Pullen responded to tha article via e-mail:

Dear Mr. Henninger,

I read your column in the Thursday WSJ and agreed with your conclusion that the new immigration bill is bad but for different reasons. As a Republican, I take umbrage at your trying to use a free-market argument against Republicans. Based on the latest statistics from the DOL, the unemployment rate for unskilled workers with no high school diploma is 7.2%, while the rate for those with a high school diploma or higher is 3.1%. We do not appear to have a shortage of unskilled uneducated workers. Add to this number the illegal aliens out of work and it makes a bad situation even worse for those in our country who are at the bottom rung of the economic ladder.

What is clear is we need more educated and skilled workers in the U.S. A guestworker program that increases the number of such workers would be good for the U.S. at all levels: social, economic and political. This is certainly a Republican free-market idea that is opposed by labor unions and Democrat party leaders. Unfortunately for us, Democrats in Congress are holding such free market ideas captive to their demands to legalize an underclass of unskilled and uneducated workers and their families.

I also watched the video on your editorial board meeting and agreed with much of what John Fund and Steve Moore were saying. Maybe it takes two bills or maybe three. One to commit to securing the border. The vast majority of Americans want this accomplished for a number of good reasons which are well known. A second bill to deal with the need for more skilled, educated guestworkers whether permanent or temporary and a third addressing how to deal with those who are illegally here. These bills do not have to be part of a grand compromise and would allow all Americans to see where their elected leaders are on these issues.

Sincerely,

Randy Pullen
Chaiman, Arizona Republican Party

SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM CHAIRMAN RANDY PULLEN

Dear Friends,

This past week has seen some of the most tumultuous political activity in Arizona and around our nation in recent memory with the introduction in Congress of bipartisan legislation aimed at reforming our nation’s immigration laws. Here in Arizona, where cross-border traffic is among the heaviest, this issue is especially important. It is safe to say that every resident of our state has, in some way, been affected by illegal immigration.

From drugs to gangs to the trafficking of people – and even to the threat of terrorism – Arizona voters of all partisan and political persuasions have very strong opinions about this issue. What unites a vast majority of voters in our state – Republicans, Democrats and independents alike – is our desire for border security first and foremost. That is the message we received from voters in all fifteen counties, young and old, rich and poor, across every demographic and from every walk of life..

When this compromise legislation, the Border Security and Immigration Reform Act of 2007 was announced late last week, Arizona voters were quick to react, as did grassroots-minded Republicans in states across the nation. Here at Arizona Republican Party HQ, the calls we received were very lopsided: Over 1,600 callers opposed the legislation; while only 8 supported it.

For the first 48 hours, Republicans came in to re-register as independents. Another tore his voter card up in our office and discarded the pieces on our floor. Another simply left his Republican registration cards on our desk and said he wouldn’t need them any longer.

Far too often in politics, we fail to give our grassroots their due voice. We call on them each election year to work for our party and our candidates, and then they are all too often ignored until the next election cycle. That’s not the type of Republican party we want in Arizona. We understand our voters and our Precinct Committeemen and our volunteers and our local parties are the foundation of our coming victories.

In the past 48 hours, since we engaged on this issue, by stating the Arizona Republic Party does not support the Border Security and Immigration Reform Act of 2007, our phone calls, emails and faxes at the office have remained just as firmly in opposition to this legislation, but they now include thank-you notes and contributions from individuals who haven’t donated to the party in years. We’ve even had people come into HQ to re-register as Republican after leaving the party just days ago because they felt their voices were not only heard but amplified.

But conversely, I’m very concerned about the direction that some criticism has taken, most especially toward U.S. Senator Jon Kyl, who has served our state and our nation with great dedication for two decades now. I was forwarded an email today containing a letter from Congressman Trent Franks who addressed this issue so eloquently that I would like to quote directly from his letter:

“I understand that some people may disagree with Senator Kyl's position on immigration reform. However, I believe that the vitriolic rhetoric recently used by some to condemn Jon Kyl is highly inappropriate and shameful. I urge anyone who may disagree with Senator Kyl to do so respectfully and to refrain from attacking the personal integrity of this honorable man,” wrote Congressman Franks, according to the email.

Over the course of his distinguished career, Senator Kyl has earned a lifetime “A” rating from the National Rifle Association. He has frequently earned near-perfect or even 100 percent ratings from such organizations as the American Conservative Union, Americans for Tax Reform, National Right to Life, National Federation of Independent Business, US Chamber of Commerce, Americans for Prosperity, and the list goes on.

Senator Kyl is considered one of the ten most effective US Senators in Congress today. From protecting our paychecks to protecting our families to protecting our nation, Jon Kyl has been Arizona and America’s most dedicated patriot for decades. He has fought our tough battles time and again, and tomorrow he will be there fighting just as hard with just as much pride. More than once I’ve heard Senator Kyl referred to as a statesman, not a politician.

As a party, we must remain committed to our principles each and every day. We must engage the Democrat majority in Congress each and every day for the benefit of our nation, our state and our party. But in our vigilance in defense of our liberty and our rights, we must not allow ourselves to deteriorate into the politics of hate or personal destruction which all-too-frequently characterize the Democrats’ attacks on our candidates at election-time.

We are at an important time here in Arizona when a reenergized grassroots can play a tremendous role in our hopes and aspirations for victory next year. To the more than one million men and women who make up the Arizona Republican Party, I am still humbled each day to serve you as chairman. Together, we can – and will – accomplish great things.

Sincerely,

RANDY

Election “Reform” Bill would be a Disservice to our Disabled Voters

By Janice K. Brewer, Arizona Secretary of State

Earlier this month, a U.S. House Congressional Committee gave its approval to a so-called election reform bill (H.R. 811) that – if given final approval – would be among the most colossal wastes of taxpayer money in history, and worse still, would severely diminish the ability for visually impaired and other disabled voters to participate in the election process.

This bill, ironically entitled “the Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2007”, does absolutely none of what its title promises. It will force our State to trash at least $15 million of brand new voting devices for disabled voters – all of which produce a paper record – and replace them with voting technology that does not exist and may not be available to market until 2016.

Arizona has made significant progress in the area of election reform. In 2002, Congress appropriated approximately $3.6 billion to the states in part to rid the country of punch card and lever voting devices (no more “hanging” or “pregnant chads.”) Within a year we replaced our State’s antiquated punch card voting devices with proven optical scan technology, we procured voting devices for the disabled community, we mandated that all voting devices produce an auditable paper record of the votes cast, we required a post-election manual audit be conducted after the election to assure the machines worked properly, and we drafted strict security protocol during all handling and transportation of voting machines and ballots.

In the end, H.R. 811 could cost Arizona taxpayers $15 million to replace perfectly good machines that were used successfully during the 2006 statewide elections. More troublesome, is the fact it will outlaw the very machines that are currently used by the disabled in Arizona, thus taking away these voters’ rights to vote in private for at least another decade. I have no doubt this is why national disability group leaders oppose this bill. The only group that stands to benefit the most from this ridiculous legislation is the voting equipment vendors.

Some in Congress seem bent on moving this unnecessary and costly legislation forward, including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Congressman Harry Mitchell, and Congressman Raul Grijalva, who have all unfortunately signed on as co-sponsors. Hopefully, when learning this bill will disenfranchise Arizona’s disabled voters while wasting millions of tax dollars unnecessarily, they will change their minds.

I urge Congress to reject this bill or at the very least change its name to the “Disenfranchisement of Disabled Voters Act” or “Waste More Tax Dollars and Line the Pockets of Voting Equipment Vendors.” Either way, H.R. 811 will have no positive effects here in Arizona.

CHAIRMAN PULLEN TO APPEAR ON HARDBALL WITH CHRIS MATTHEWS AND SPECIAL REPORT WITH BRIT HUME TODAY

Tune into MSNBC today at 2:00PM local time and catch Chairman Pullen talk about the Senate's immigration bill with Chris Matthews. The show repeats at 4:00PM and 12:00AM. Then check out Special Report with Brit Hume on Fox News at 3:00PM and see another segment with Chairman Pullen on immigration reform.

More on Mitchell and Murtha...

From the NRCC...

Mitchell Votes to Give Murtha a
Pass on Ethical Breach

Voting in lock-step with the Democrat leadership, Mitchell’s so-called commitment to reform goes by the wayside

WASHINGTON – In his first opportunity to put partisan politics aside for the sake of cleaning up the mess in Washington, Harry Mitchell went back on his word today by voting to give John Murtha a pass on a significant ethical breach. Last week, Murtha threatened to cut off earmarks for not ONE, but TWO members of Congress who voted against a Murtha-sponsored project that has been deemed wasteful and a “boondoggle.”

MITCHELL FLASHBACK:

"A growing sense of corruption and distrust in our nation’s capitol has undermined our confidence in our federal government. The people deserve to have leaders in Washington that they can trust."

(Press Release, 3/26/2006)

Today, Mitchell voted to KILL a resolution that called for the reprimand of Murtha’s actions.

The Associated Press has the story:

“Murtha has not disputed a Republican claim that he stormed across the House floor May 17 to confront Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich. Rogers had tried unsuccessfully to strike a $23 million Murtha earmark…”

“In a House speech Monday, Rogers said Murtha threatened him by saying, ‘you will not get any earmarks now and forever.’” (AP, 5/22/07)

Harry Mitchell was given an opportunity to stand up to unethical behavior in Washington, but instead he chose to advance the interests of John Murtha, Nancy Pelosi and the Democrat leadership.

Giffords, Mitchell Give Murtha a Pass

Gabrielle Giffords and Harry Mitchell both voted to give fellow Democrat Jack Murtha a free pass on threatening fellow members of Congress. The National Republican Congressional Committee put out this great video highlighting Murtha's antics and showing how the Democrats continue to cover for him.

AZGOP GRASSROOTS ACTION ALERT

Dear Friends,

It appears that a grassroots movement to stop this legislation may be working. Yesterday, I expressed disappointment on behalf of the Arizona Republican Party at the Senate legislation addressing Comprehensive Immigration reform. Minutes ago, the U.S. Senate delayed further action until at least next month. What happened in the last 24 hours? Your calls, letters, emails and faxes! What seemed to be at first our potentially darkest moment has the potential to become one of our finest hours!

According to the latest press reports, there are now just 20 US Senators committed to supporting the immigration bill and there are nearing 40 US Senators “already opposed or having serious concerns” to the bill. If that 40 gets to 50, then the calls of our Republican Party faithful will have worked and you can take a bow because the people in Washington will have listened to our collective voices.

I have said since being honored to serve you as chairman that Arizona Republicans work hard and dream big. That has certainly been the case these past few days. Thousands of phone calls. Thousands of faxes. Thousands of emails. Our grassroots mobilized because they believed so strongly in something that they could not sit back and accept a bad solution. There can be no amnesty from the will of the American people, nor can there be amnesty for those who knowingly break the law.

Please, continue to call all Senators from across the country. For your convenience, I have supplied the numbers for all United States Senators at the bottom of this e-mail. I truly believe that your voices have made a difference these past several days, and will continue to be the difference as this debate moves forward.

In your service,

RANDY

U.S. SENATE CONTACT NUMBERS

First-Last-Party-Address-Telephone--FAX

AK Ted Stevens R 522 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-3004; 202-224-2354

AK Lisa Murkowski R 709 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-6665; 202-224-5301

AL Richard Shelby R 110 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-5744; 202-224-3416

AL Jeff Sessions R 335 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-4124; 202-224-3149

AR Blanche Lincoln D 355 Dirksen Senate Office Building 202-224-4843; 202-228-1371

AR Mark Pryor D 257 Dirksen Senate Office Building 202-224-2353; 202-228-0908

AZ John McCain R 241 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-2235; 202-228-2862

AZ Jon Kyl R 730 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-4521; 202-224-2207

CA Dianne Feinstein D 331 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-3841; 202-228-3954

CA Barbara Boxer D 112 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-3553; 415-956-6701

CO Wayne Allard R 521 Dirksen Senate Office Building 202-224-5941; 202-224-6471

CO Ken Salazar R 702 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-5852 ;202-228-5036

CT Christopher Dodd D 448 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-2823 ;202-224-1083

CT Joseph Lieberman D 706 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-4041; 202-224-9750

DE Joseph Biden D 201 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-5042; 202-224-0139

DE Thomas Carper D 513 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-2441; 202-228-2190

FL Bill Nelson D 716 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-5274; 202-228-2183

FL Mel Martinez R 317 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-3041; 202-228-5171

GA Saxby Chambliss R 416 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-3521; 202-224-0103

GA Johnny Isakson R 120 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-3643; 202-228-0724

HI Daniel Inouye D 722 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-3934; 202-224-6747

HI Daniel Akaka D 141 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-6361 ;202-224-2126

IA Chuck Grassley R 135 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-3744 ;202-224-6020

IA Tom Harkin D 731 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-3254 ;202-224-9369

ID Larry Craig R 520 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-2752 ;202-228-1067

ID Mike Crapo R 239 Dirksen Senate Office Building 202-224-6142; 202-228-1375

IL Richard Durbin D 332 Dirksen Senate Office Building 202-224-2152; 202-228-0400

IL Barack Obama D 713 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-2854 ;202-228-1372

IN Richard Lugar R 306 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-4814; 202-228-0360

IN Evan Bayh D 463 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-5623; 202-228-1377

KS Sam Brownback R 303 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-6521; 202-228-1265

KS Pat Roberts R 109 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-4774 ;202-224-3514

KY Mitch McConnell R 361A Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-2541; 202-224-2499

KY Jim Bunning R 316 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-4343 ;202-228-1373

LA Mary Landrieu D 724 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-5824 ;202-224-9735

LA David Vitter R 516 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-4623 ;202-228-5061

MA Edward Kennedy D 317 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-4543; 202-224-2417

MA John Kerry D 304 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-2742; 202-224-8525

MD Barbara Mikulski D 503 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-4654 ;202-224-8858

MD Benjamin Cardin D B40B Dirksen Senate Office Building 202-224-4524 ;202-224-1651

ME Olympia Snowe R 154 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-5344; 202-224-1946

ME Susan Collins R 461 Dirksen Senate Office Building 202-224-2523; 202-224-2693

MI Carl Levin D 269 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-6221; 202-224-1388

MI Debbie Stabenow D 133 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-4822 ;202-228-0325

MN Norm Coleman R 320 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-5641; 202-224-1152

MN Amy Klobuchar D C4 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-3244; 202-228-2186

MO Christopher Bond R 274 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-5721; 02-224-8149

MO Claire McCaskill D 825A Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-6154; 202-228-1518

MS Thad Cochran R 113 Dirksen Senate Office Building 202-224-5054; 202-224-9450

MS Trent Lott R 487 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-6253; 202-224-2262

MT Max Baucus D 511 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-2651; 202-224-0515

MT Jon Tester D B40E Dirksen Senate Office Building 202-224-2644; 202-228-6363

NC Elizabeth Dole R 555 Dirksen Senate Office Building 202-224-6342; 202-224-1100

NC Richard Burr R 217 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-3154;202-228-2981

ND Kent Conrad D 530 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-2043 ;202-224-7776

ND Byron Dorgan D 322 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-2551; 202-224-1193

NE Charles Hagel R 248 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-4224 ;202-224-5213

NE Benjamine Nelson D 720 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-6551; 202-228-0012

NH Judd Gregg R 393 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-3324; 202-224-4952

NH John Sununu R 111 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-2841 ;202-228-4131

NJ Frank Lautenberg D 324 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-3224; 202-225-4054

NJ Robert Menendez D 502 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-4744 ;202-228-2197

NM Pete Domenici R 328 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-6621; 202-228-3261

NM Jeff Bingaman D 703 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-5521; 202-224-2852

NV Harry Reid D 528 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-3542 ;202-224-7327

NV John Ensign R 356 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-6244 ;202-228-2193

NY Charles Schumer D 313 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-6542; 202-228-3027

NY Hillary Clinton D 476 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-4451; 202-228-0282

OH George Voinovich R 524 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-3353 ;202-228-1382

OH Sherrod Brown D C5 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-2315;202-224-6519

OK Jim Inhofe R 453 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-4721 ;202-228-0380

OK Tom Coburn R 172 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-5754 ;202-224-6008

OR Ron Wyden D 230 Dirksen Senate Office Building 202-224-5244; 202-228-2717

OR Gordon Smith R 404 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-3753; 202-228-3997

PA Arlen Specter R 711 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-4254 ;202-228-1229

PA Bob Casey D B40C Dirksen Senate Office Building 202-224-6324; 202-228-0604

RI Jack Reed D 728 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-4642; 202-224-4680

RI Sheldon Whitehouse D B40D Dirksen Senate Office Building 202-224-2921 ;202-228-6362

SC Lindsey Graham R 290 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-5972; 202-224-3808

SC Jim DeMint R 340 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-6121 ;202-228-5143

SD Tim Johnson D 136 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-5842 ;202-228-5765

SD John Thune R 383 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-2321 ;202-228-5429

TN Lamar Alexander R 302 Dirksen Senate Office Building 202-224-4944; 202-228-3398

TN Bob Corker R B40A Dirksen Senate Office Building 202-224-3344 ;202-228-1264

TX Kay Hutchison R 284 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-5922 ;202-224-0776

TX John Cornyn R 517 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-2934 ;202-228-2856

UT Orrin Hatch R 104 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-5251; 202-224-6331

UT Robert Bennett R 431 Dirksen Senate Office Building 202-224-5444 ;202-228-1168

VA John Warner R 225 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-2023; 202-224-6295

VA James Webb D C1 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-4024; 202-224-5432

VT Patrick Leahy D 433 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-4242; 202-224-3479

VT Sanders Bernard I C2 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-5141; 202-228-0776

WA Patty Murray D 173 Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-2621; 202-224-0238

WA Maria Cantwell D 717 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-3441; 202-228-0514

WI Herb Kohl D 330 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-5653;202-224-9787

WI Russell Feingold D 506 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-5323 ;202-224-2725

WV Robert Byrd D 311 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-3954 ;202-228-0002

WV John Rockefeller D 531 Hart Senate Office Building 202-224-6472 ;202-224-7665

WY Craig Thomas R 307 Dirksen Senate Office Building 202-224-6441 ;202-224-1724

WY Mike Enzi R 379A Russell Senate Office Building 202-224-3424;202-228-0359

The Border Security and Immigration Reform Act of 2007

On behalf of the more than one million registered Arizona Republicans who care very deeply about this state and have a tremendous love for our great nation, I am very disappointed in this new legislation about to be introduced in the U.S. Senate next week. The bill would allow all 12 million plus illegal aliens to remain in this country indefinitely and provides them, as well as their immediate families, a path to citizenship. This is amnesty, as they will be working and living in the United States, while those who have applied legally for Visas are still awaiting entry.

Furthermore, the bill does not require certification that our borders are secure. Instead, enforcement “triggers” such as building 370 miles of fence along a 2,000-mile border and increasing our Border Agents from 14,000 to 18,000 are to be certified. There are no requirements that theses triggers be shown to be effective before the granting of sweeping amnesty. If Senator Kennedy and his Democratic friends were serious about securing the border, they would have agreed to real standards for border security in the bill.

Over the past several days, the Arizona Republican Party has had hundreds of calls from activists, voters of all partisan persuasion, precinct committeemen and women, and even chairs of legislative districts and county committees questioning the judgment of our elected officials in Washington, D.C.

We here in Arizona are living each day on the front lines of the immigration debate because it’s our children who are subjected to the drugs first coming across the border and appearing in our schools. It’s our hospitals here in Arizona that treat the millions who have crossed the desert to get here illegally and our Arizona taxpayers who foot the bill. It’s our Arizona communities that have become the battlegrounds for the thousands of gang members who traffic in people, drugs, weapons and stolen vehicles.

To Congress we say: this proposed law with 790 pages of new bureaucracy and window-dressing will not solve the immigration problem. This legislation is an over complicated answer to problems it’ll never adequately address and will do more to encourage illegal immigration than to discourage it. Instead, prove your commitment to securing our borders by finishing the fence, adding border security technology, letting Border Patrol do their jobs and authorizing more National Guard to assist the Border Patrol.

Posted by Randy

29% Approval Rating for Congress

Well it looks like the Democrat Congress has managed to land itself a 29% approval rating according to Gallup. Of course when you're raising taxes, surrendering in Iraq, and spending pork like it is going out of style, it's only a matter time before the American people will reject you. For the whole story, go to http://www.galluppoll.com/content/default.aspx?ci=27589

Harry Reid's Financials

MSNBC and the AP are reporting on Harry Reid's own land woes and his other convoluted financial statements. According to the story, he devalued 160 acres of property he owns in Arizona.  From the story:

The annual form, released by his office Wednesday, assigns a value of $250,001-$500,000 to the property in Bullhead City near the Nevada-Arizona border. In years past, Reid valued the property at $500,001-$1 million.

A Los Angeles Times story earlier this year questioned how Reid acquired full control of the property. The story noted that Reid had owned it jointly with a pension fund until 2002 when he paid $10,000 for the equivalent of 60 acres - less than one-tenth the assessed value of the property at the time - and got full control.

It kind of brings new meaning to the phrase: "Fuzzy Math." More from the story:

On another financial disclosure issue, Reid has not yet filed revised financial disclosure forms with the secretary of the Senate to account more fully for a Las Vegas land deal that allowed him to collect $1.1 million for property he hadn't personally owned in three years.

Well, it's nice to know that the Democrat leadership has such honest, upstanding citizens at the helm.  Message to Democrats: Those who live in glass house should not throw stones.

For the whole story go to : http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18716420/

Posted by Brett