Pullen for the Party

AZGOP GRASSROOTS ACTION ALERT - JUNE 28, 2007

Dear Friends,

From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Thank you for standing up for what you believed in. Thank you for proving that our grassroots voices can be heard. Thank you for supporting our party with your emails, letters, calls, and even contributions and support.

Here in Arizona, we are pro-legal immigrant. We very strongly believe in the American dream and the hope and blessings of liberty for all legal immigrants. We are, after all, a nation of immigrants who came to this land in search of a better life, prosperity, freedom, security and peace. But we also believe in the Rule of Law and hope our Congress will begin by securing the borders. Only then can we seek to reform our immigration system by not having made more unfulfilled promises to the American people, but having actually gotten the job done.

Today, because of you, we can begin to talk about real border security and urge Congress to pass legislation that will truly secure our borders and make America safe and free from gangs, drug dealers, human traffickers, and terrorists. Together, we will continue to work to keep America’s families safe, secure, and free.

Friends, while we’ve taken time over the last several weeks to have a healthy discussion and debate over immigration policy, it’s time for our great party to come together and stop Janet Napolitano, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Gabrielle Giffords, and Harry Mitchell from enacting their extreme left wing agenda on the American people. On the horizon we see taxes hikes, uncontrolled pork spending, limits on free speech, and socialized medicine. YOUR Arizona Republican Party stands as the last, best hope to stop the Democrat’s liberal march in its tracks!

Today, I am calling for the party to stand together and fight the Democrats on the local, state, and national level. We have a tremendous amount of work ahead, but with your enthusiasm, support, and most importantly, your voice; our great party will win election after election in every corner of Arizona. Together, we can elect a veto-proof majority in the state legislature. We can win important mayoral, council and county offices around the state. We can play an important part in retaking control of Congress in 2008. And, we can make sure that Arizona votes to send another Republican to the White House next year.

So join me as we prepare to fight in the Democrats in every precinct, in every town, and in every county across Arizona. We have 501 days until Election Day 2008… Let’s make them count!

Sincerely,
RANDY

LOPES, DEMOCRATS STILL HAVE WRONG PHILOSOPHY

AZGOP chief critical of House Dem leader’s remarks

PHOENIX, AZ – The Democrats’ true colors were shown today at the Greater Phoenix of Chamber of Commerce 13th Annual Legislative Wrap Up Breakfast, where Democrat House Minority Leader Phil Lopes was critical of tax relief for Arizona businesses. Arizona Republican Party chairman Randy Pullen said he was disappointed that Lopes and other Democrats were continuing to reject smart and fiscally sound ideas, instead relying on the failed ideas of the past. “Democrats have welfare and big government down pat, but they simply refuse to understand what our economy needs to create jobs, what business needs to create opportunity, and what families need to prosper,” Pullen said.

“Arizona is the fastest growing state in the country and Phoenix has just passed Philadelphia as the nation’s fifth most populous city,” said Pullen. “Yet Arizona Democrats from Janet Napolitano to Phil Lopes to their rank and file candidates refuse to accept recent decades of proof that lower taxes and limited government create growth and prosperity.

“If Mr. Lopes wants Arizona to mimic other states, where taxes are high, government is big, and the environment is anti-business, then he should continue to advocate tax hikes and more government spending. However, I prefer, and most Arizonans prefer creating a business friendly environment with lower taxes and less regulation that foster job creation and a higher quality of life.

“Today’s Republican Party is working with business, community and political leaders to develop economic policies that will create new jobs, create new growth, increase income, reduce government regulation, reduce taxes, and make this state more business friendly.” concluded Pullen.

For more information, please contact Brett Mecum at 602.957.7770 or at bmecum@azgop.org.

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Bruce Ash's Weekly Commentary

Here is AZGOP National Committeeman Bruce Ash's weekly commentary. This week is a Fourth of July Salute. I really enjoyed this weeks commentary and I think you will too.

Download bruce_ash_commentary_4th_of_july_legend.mp3

FROM THE MICHIGAN GOP...

Immigration: Hispanics & Mexican-Americans belong in the Republican Party

Hispanics and Mexican-Americans belong in the Republican Party.

Much is getting lost in this so called “immigration” debate. Many are trying to play this up as being anti-Hispanic or anti-Mexican…nothing could be farther from the truth. Or at least it shouldn’t be.

Yes, there are extremists on both sides of this argument who are poisoning the waters. Very few argue that we should round everyone up and ship them back. At the same time, “amnesty” as the first act of becoming a citizen, in a country that is based on the rule of law - is a problem as well.

I come from a first generation family that emigrated from Lithuania. I didn’t learn to speak English until I was about 6 or 7 years old. I am very proud of my heritage, my children have learned the language, I go to a Lithuanian language Catholic Church, I’m the scoutmaster of a Lithuanian-American Boy Scout troop…but I am an American!

We are a country of immigrants…but legal immigrants…primarily patriotic immigrants who came here because they wanted to live the American dream. They wanted to get their piece of the American promise.

Republicans also represent the values, the work ethic, and the dreams that are embodied in most immigrants. Hispanics and Mexican-Americans find the Republican Party the “natural” home for their values, their belief system and what they want for their children. We must work to ensure we don’t let the rhetoric of this debate lose that natural connection. And this my friends, will be a tough job.

Republicans support immigration. With open arms, some of the brightest and most gifted people from around the world have settled in this great country of ours. And there will be millions more. We have also accepted the poor, the sick and those seeking asylum.

We find it not only acceptable, but natural to protect our “homes”, lock our doors and do what it takes to secure our families future. Why are we debating the idea of securing our “homeland”, controlling our borders, knowing who is in our “house” and for what reason?

See what Americans think:

http://migop.blogs.com/blog/2007/06/rasmussen-poll-.html

http://migop.blogs.com/blog/2007/06/rasmussen_poll_.html

I have posted several logical and practical approaches to “immigration reform” that the likes of Newt Gingrich or Pete DuPont have described. We should enforce the existing laws, secure our borders and then logically come up with a way to “register” every foreign national coming into this country for whatever reason.

http://migop.blogs.com/blog/2007/06/pete-dupont-has.html

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=21184

This has as much to do with the war on terror as it has to do with the rule of law. We owe it to our country and it’s citizens to be honest with what is happening and how we will solve the problems we have. If you are convicted of a crime and an illegal or legal immigrant, without the proper status you should be deported immediately. We should provide for the work visas necessary to fill the jobs we need. We should encourage those who come and learn at our universities and institutions of higher learning to stay and become citizens. These are the folks we want…yet we have a perverse set of priorities as to who should come and who should go.

Bobbie Eberle in an article below says: “Yes, we do need to reach out to Hispanic voters, and there are many ways to do so — but we don’t do it by granting amnesty… we don’t do it by printing more and more signs, labels, and instructions in Spanish. We do it by showing that the American dream applies to all who will work, obey the law, and embrace American culture.” He happens to be part Hispanic.

There is a very good discussion about immigration and what could happen in the United States if we don’t “manage” our immigration policy. It uses “gumballs” to illustrate an eye opening example about the problems we could face. Check it out:

http://migop.blogs.com/blog/2007/06/immigration-pol.html

This is the greatest country in the world for a reason…and everyone is welcome…that is who comes here for the American way of life. However, that has to mean legal, planned, patriotic immigration, based on a rule of law and not amnesty…especially for the criminal elements and gang members that are here now.

It’s the ONLY country in the world where people are willing to risk their lives in order to get in! Think about that.

AZGOP CHIEF LAMBASTES GODDARD FOR RETALIATORY TACTICS

AG’s decision reeks of corruption, impropriety, and unethical behavior

PHOENIX, AZ – Randy Pullen, chairman of the Arizona Republican Party, said Democrat Attorney General Terry Goddard was clearly abusing his power as payback against political opponents by transferring criminal cases outside their rightful jurisdiction. “Once again, we see an elected Democrat abusing his power and influence to retaliate against his political enemies,” said Pullen. “If Democrats spent even half as much time doing their jobs as they did abusing their jobs, our state would be in a much better position.

The Attorney General has moved an important gambling case that should have been tried in Maricopa County to Pima County so that the millions of dollars in civil forfeitures fees would not go to Maricopa County.

“Mr. Goddard’s petty retaliation of Sheriff Arpaio and County Attorney Thomas and Goddard’s office’s alleged acceptance of a $1.9 million bribe raises serious questions about his integrity and fitness to hold office,” said Pullen.

Pullen continued, “While County Attorney Thomas and Sheriff Arpaio are executing their job responsibilities ably and effectively in their investigations of Mr. Goddard, it seems the Attorney General would rather turn the situation into a political circus.”

“It’s this arrogance of power and complete disregard to the rule of law that will be Terry Goddard’s downfall. It’s too bad that because of Goddard’s political temper tantrum, the taxpayers of Maricopa County will be the big losers,” concluded Pullen.

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OOOPS….GIFFORDS PRESS CONFERENCE ON FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY…POSTPONED

House Democrats have amnesia on passing huge tax hike

PHOENIX, AZ – Randy Pullen, chairman of the Arizona Republican Party, mocked Gabrielle Giffords’ announcement that her press conference on fiscal responsibility was going to be postponed until the week of July 9th.

“It seems like Ms. Giffords and her Democrat pals were going to tout their record on fiscal responsibility then suddenly realized they lacked anything to tout,” said Pullen. “With leadership like Giffords, it’s no wonder why congressional approval ratings have hit their lowest point ever.”

“Gabrielle Giffords has failed to exercise fiscal responsibility in Congress and seems unwilling to start now. In her short tenure in office she has already voted for one of the largest tax increases in U.S. history and has supported the liberal extremist wing of her party as they tried to create a secret slush fund for earmark spending. Gabrielle Giffords protects our tax dollars about as well as Ted Kennedy protects our borders.”

For more information, please contact Brett Mecum at 602.957.7770.

AZGOP GRASSROOTS ACTION ALERT - JUNE 27, 2007

Dear Friends,

As you are probably already aware, the Senate was able to pass a vote of cloture by a margin of 64-35 yesterday. Like you, I was very disappointed with allowing the “Kennedy Amnesty Bill” to proceed. It is clear that this legislation is weak, unfair, and expensive. I am still very optimistic about the defeat of this bill as it moves through the legislative process.

We still have ample opportunity to stop the “Kennedy Amnesty Bill,” below you will find a list of the 64 U.S. Senators that voted for cloture yesterday. I urge everyone to call, e-mail, and fax these Senators and urge them to reconsider their vote.

Beyond that, if this bill makes it through the Senate, we still have an opportunity to defeat this bill when it moves to the House. Already a coalition of Republicans, led by Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) and supported by several key Republicans including Arizona’s own John Shadegg and Trent Franks, as well as House Republican Leader John Boehner are working to derail and defeat this bad piece of legislation once and for all. Yesterday, the House Republican Conference voted on a resolution simply stating “Resolved the House Republican Conference disapproves of the Senate immigration bill.” The resolution passed by an overwhelming margin, 114-28. This vote is the first step in having a unified Republican front in the House to stop the Kennedy Amnesty Bill.”

The fight continues and the Arizona Republican Party will remain on the front lines of the immigration debate. Remember, your voice is our voice. It was your voices that rose up and stalled this legislation and now I truly believe it will be your voices heard from coast to coast that will ultimately send the “Kennedy Amnesty Bill” to the ash heap of history.

As always, it is honor to serve as your state chairman.

Sincerely,

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

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 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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

From the Sonoran Alliance Blog

URGENT ACTION NOTICE!
Posted by AZGOPInsider under Illegal Immigration , Border , Government

Word from Capital Hill is that the House Republicans are holding a special Conference meeting at 5:30 p.m. today (2:30 AZ time) to vote on the following resolution: “Resolved the House Republican Conference disapproves of the Senate immigration bill.”

In a Conference meeting this morning, a quorum was not present, so when Intelliegence Committee Ranking Member Peter Hoekstra (MI) introduced the resolution, they debated it, but no action was taken. Insiders say that the Hoekstra, Arizona’s own John Shadegg and Indiana’s Mark Souder spoke in favor of the resolution. You can reach any member of Congress by dialing (202) 225-3121 and asking for their office.

Following the conference meeting this morning, Hoekstra, Shadegg, Souder and some other House Republicans held a press conference and were joined by Senators Tom Coburn (OK) and Jim DeMint (SC), both of whom have been leading the fight in the Senate against the bill.

Politico.com covers the story here.

You action needed now!

http://sonoranalliance.com/?p=1174

PULLEN LAUDS SENATE REPUBLICANS FOR DEFEATING UNION CARD CHECK

PHOENIX, AZ – Randy Pullen, chairman of the Arizona Republican Party, was elated that the entire Republican Conference held together and defeated a cloture vote on the so-called Employee Free Choice Act, which Pullen dubbed “the Democrats egregious anti-business, anti-jobs payback for unions who funded Democrats’ campaigns in 2006.”

“This sends a strong message to the American people that the Republican Party will continue to defend your right to a secret ballot and will continue to protect American workers from union threats and intimidation.”

Pullen continued, “I think that US Senate Republican Leader McConnell along with our own Arizona Senators, John McCain and Jon Kyl, did a tremendous job of derailing this anti-worker and anti-American bill.”

The motion for cloture on the “Employee Free Choice Act” failed in the senate by a vote of 51-48 with all Republicans voting against the measure. The measure had previously been passed by the House of Representatives by a vote 241-185 on March 1, 2007.

During passage in the House, Arizona’s two freshmen Democrat members, Harry Mitchell and Gabrielle Giffords, voted with Nancy Pelosi and the liberal extremist wing of the Democrat Party to approve this anti-jobs legislation.

For more information, please contact Brett Mecum at 602.957.7770 or at bmecum@azgop.org.

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U.S. SENATE VOTES FOR CLOTURE ON COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM LEGISLATION

Will of the American people ignored

PHOENIX, AZ – The U.S. Senate today voted 64-35 to invoke cloture on the comprehensive immigration reform legislation.

Randy Pullen, chairman of the Arizona Republican Party, was disappointed by the Senate’s move. “Anyone who voted yes on cloture on this legislation is essentially voting its final passage,” said Pullen. “It has been shown time and again that this bill is fatally flawed. The latest Rasmussen polling data suggests that only twenty-two percent of the American people support passage of this legislation.

“This is certainly not representative of the will of the people of Arizona, and I don’t believe it is in the best interests of our nation,” concluded Pullen.

The bill is now headed for debate and final vote in the United States Senate.

For more information, please contact Brett Mecum at 602.957.7770 or at bmecum@azgop.org.

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