A Federal Grand Jury has been investigating Sheriff Joe Arpaio for abuse of power in Maricopa County, Arizona since January 7th, 2010.
The investigation is in regards to Sheriff Joe’s actions against those in Maricopa County that disagree and/or criticize him.
Sheriff Joe and his close friend, the County Attorney General Andrew Thomas have filed criminal charges against two county supervisors; dozens of other county workers are under investigation and the pair have filed a federal racketeering lawsuit accusing the entire county political structure of conspiring against them.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-arpaio9-2010jan09,0,4194465.story?track=rss
Sheriff Joe has also been investigating Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, State Attorney General Terry Goddard, County Manager David Smith, and Presiding Criminal Judge Gary Donahoe, and their staffs.
December 9th, 2009, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office filed a criminal complaint against Superior Court’s criminal division chief, Judge Gary Donahoe.
County Attorney Andrew Thomas spokesperson, Michael Scerbo stated in a news release that Donahoe is being accused of three felony counts consisting of bribery, obstructing a criminal investigation, and hindering prosecution.
Judge Donahoe was the judge that ordered a sheriff’s deputy to jail for taking a defense attorney’s notes during a hearing and making copies.
Sheriff Joe has a long history of abusing his power, but the Grand Jury investigation is not considering other abuses such as: questionable immigration sweeps, shackling women prisoners while giving birth, terrorizing psychotic inmates, breaking a Hispanic woman’s jaw, and the deaths of at least six people while incarcerated in his jails.
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/arpaio/
http://www.hispanictips.com/2010/02/15/judge-finds-grounds-to-sanction-arizona-sheriff-arpaio/
41 million dollars in lawsuits have been paid out so far by the taxpayers of Maricopa County.
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2007-12-20/news/inhumanity-has-a-price
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/specialReports/view/1166737
February 13th, 2010, a federal judge found grounds for sanctioning the sheriff’s office for its acknowledged destruction of records in a lawsuit that accuses deputies of racially profiling countless Hispanics in immigration patrols.
Sheriff Arpaio has issued thirteen immigration and crime sweeps starting in 2008 and consisting of deputies and posse volunteers that converge on areas – some in Latino areas – to seek out traffic violators and arrest other offenders.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/13/AR2010021303669.html
District Court Judge G. Murray Snow has ordered sanctions in the big Melendres v. Arpaio racial profiling lawsuit still ongoing in federal court. The sanction addresses in a very measured way the systematic destruction of documents by members of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, even after all documents pertaining to the planning and execution of Sheriff Arpaio’s notorious anti-immigrant sweeps were requested again and again by plaintiffs’ lawyers beginning July 21, 2008.
http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bastard/2010/02/joe_arpaio_sanctioned_by_judge.php
Sheriff Arpaio’s Chief Deputy David Hendershott was deposed February 18th, 2010 and testified under oath before the grand jury.
Deputy Chief David Hendershott runs the day-to-day operations of Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s office, and both men blame the agency’s troubles – including a U.S. Department of Justice civil-rights investigation announced last March – on a left-wing conspiracy among the White House, civil-rights organizations, attorneys and Valley media.
“I believe that the Obama administration has a political agenda that involves some form of either amnesty or something that does not comport or is not convenient to the current law,” Hendershott said. “The high-profile nature of the sheriff has become a concern, and therefore we are dealing with this.”
http://www.azcentral.com/12news/news/articles/2010/02/21/20100221hendodepo0221-CP.html
http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bastard/2010/02/joe_arpaios_chief_deputy_david_2.php
Meanwhile, the state’s legislature has been busy working on bills, some of which are an effort to fix the state’s budget crisis.
Here is a sample:
1.) The Arizona Senate voted to make it illegal to sell a weapon at gun shows without verifying that the purchaser is an American citizen.
2.) Saying the minority must be tolerant of the majority; Republicans who control the Senate Appropriations Committee voted to require that a copy of the Ten Commandments be erected in front of the old state Capitol.
3.) Republican Frank Antenori has submitted a bill that would limit the items a person on welfare could buy with their own money. Persons on welfare would not be allowed to buy expensive items like TV’s over $300.00, have cars worth more than $5,000 and can’t buy alcohol and cigarettes. Welfare recipients would be allowed to purchase basic cable, though, and citizens would be needed to monitor people on welfare using food stamps and reporting abuse. Neighbors would be asked to report neighbors on abuse.
4.) State lawmakers are moving to make couples who have decided their marriage isn’t working to wait four months longer to divorce. Those with children would first have to go through education programs telling them about alternatives to divorce and the resources available to improve or strengthen their marriage. Critics fear for women in abusive relationships being forced to remain married to a man that could potentially kill them before a divorce is granted. Also, requiring couples to pay for two counseling classes creates undue financial burdens.
5.) A House panel has voted to allow Arizonans to make their own guns and bullets and offer them for sale without having to comply with federal regulations. Arizona has also passed bills allowing citizens to carry concealed weapons without permits including into restaurants that serve alcohol and bars.
6.) Without debate, the Senate approved a measure that gives police more power to stop and arrest those they believe are in the country illegally. The police and Sheriff Joe’s deputies would have the power to stop anyone without due cause and demand proof of citizenship and if a person fails to comply, they can be arrested. (wonder if a cop might use this against gays or any others they find as undesirable)
7.) The House voted to allow Arizonans the right to buy guns without the government knowing, but only if the weapons are manufactured in the state. Lawmakers gave preliminary approval to legislation that would say that Arizona-made firearms and ammunition are subject only to state laws. HB 2307 would specifically exempt these items from any federal regulation, including registration.
8.) The legislature has approved a measure for a 1-cent increase in sales tax to be sent to the voters in May.
9.) Close down all of the state’s juvenile detention centers and release them back into their communities.
10.) Eliminate KidsCare, which provides health insurance for 47,000 children from families with incomes up to twice the federal poverty level.
11.) Close state funded institutions that house severely mentally handicapped people and sends them back to their communities.
12.) If President Obama runs for re-election he would need to produce proof of both his U.S. birth and citizenship and the secretary of state would need to verify, independently, that the information is accurate to get on the ballot in Arizona under a measure being pushed by a state legislator.
13.) The governor’s budget plan has eliminated funding for training medical students, freezing or reducing rates paid to health providers, and cutting an estimated 310,000 low-income adults from the state’s Medicaid rolls. DHS will provide fewer services to Arizonans with substance abuse problems; reduce funding for Alzheimer’s research and end a lunch program that serves 13,700 seniors.
14.) The governor has signed legislation that cuts taxes on corporations by 28% and eliminates corporate property taxes, which places the burden on Arizona homeowners to make up the 940 million-dollar annual loss in revenue.
http://www.azcentral.com/
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/
Orly Taitz campaigning for JD Hayworth.
But the best of the article is in the comments –
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/02/25/20100225birther-hayworth-mccain-politico.html
Update – Pima Judge rules against County AG Thomas –
http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2010/02/andrew_thomas_total_defeat_on.php
http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2010/02/andrew_thomas_drops_cases_agai.php
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOhhh!!!
Leave it to the Arizona legislature to turn away a lucrative solar energy company to protect current electric companies from competition –
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/02/24/20100224-goodyear-solar-factory.html
Just found another interesting story about Sheriff Joe shackling women during birth –
Have you seen any news about the Grand Jury? What the H is taking them so long?
No, I haven’t and check everyday, but I’m not sure they convene everyday, though.
Oh, I do hope this bill passes. I mean, golly-gee, why should the poor fellows have to wait a whole year before they get to make the big bucks? Just doesn’t see fair.
Don’t you just love the name of the bill?
Nothing surprises me anymore.
Hey, Javaz, I saw your comment and had to post this under it, because, DANG! this surprised me.:
Wow, that is surprising!
I mean, what the hell was that all about in the first place?!
This is really from The Onion, isn’t it?
Nope 🙂 But it should be.
From the paper down here today:
http://azstarnet.com/news/opinion/editorial/image_75abd24e-1b30-11df-b602-001cc4c002e0.html
I saw it and thought of this.
Oh, Fitz is gonna get some nasty letters on that one . And he will love it! 😆
He always does! A proud socialist, who puts the ‘red’ in the Daily Star! I love this man. 😆
By the way, I thought the guy who wrote about the 10 Commandments went overboard. Just my opinion.
Love it!
Isn’t that the truth?
You do know that Brewer is trying to sell AZ rest areas to a private company?
No, but I was just joking that this would be their response. Rest Areas are just too socialistic.
Lord, after visiting one prior though, they might as well have been shut down. I cannot adequately describe how disgusting it was.
Well done javaz, which leads me to the obvious question of how 2 racists lunatics have gained the power to misuse that power to terrorize a whole county, especially since the Sheriff has been told that what he is doing is illegal and he should cease rounding up and incarcerating illegal immigrants. If he has been warned on several occasions then someone who does have the power to make him stop, is not doing their job. If it reaches all the way to the Senate, something stinks to high heaven and needs to be exposed.
I saw this pos on CNN last year arguing with a Hispanic civil rights lawyer, his demeanor towards her accusations was unpleasant to witness and I remember thinking that this arrogant guy needed to be taught a lesson.
I find it hard to believe that this sick bully can’t be removed from his position. This is 2010 after all, the town is not Tombstone and the Sheriff is certainly no Wyatt Earp,
It’s more than 2 racist lunatics, Kalima, and I am sorry to say it, but it’s the voters in Arizona that keep electing him.
Arizonans are racist bigots – not all of us – but the majority.
For instance, very good friends and neighbors that we dog-sit for when they go on vacation, they hate Mexicans, and I mean hate.
They also hate liberals and Democrats, and it really is quite amazing that we are friends, but we learned long ago to never discuss politics.
They are actually very good and nice people, but they are currently involved in a feud with another neighbor, and we’re very good friends with that neighbor, too, and it strains our friendship with them.
But the neighbors they are feuding with are right wingers, too.
My God, you just would not believe it where we live, but I’ve written about that before.
Our neighbors hate Mexicans, and not only illegals, and yeah, they can’t stand the fact that a black man is in the White House.
We’re in a tough spot, because all the people are basically very good people, but . . . we never talk politics.
Could you imagine?
They all know that we are liberal and they assume we are Democrats, well, what a mess.
All we try to do is get along with everyone, and we do, and never talk politics.
The other day when we were walking our dog, we saw a neighbor dismount her horse, and her horse’s name is Bonita, and isn’t that a Spanish name?
Bonita was in distress, and we hurried our steps to help, but a lawn service truck stopped, and 3 Mexicans got out to help her, and thank God they did.
The horse kept trying to lay down, and the Mexicans checked her legs and hooves, because it did appear as though one of Bonita’s legs was hurting her, but that wasn’t it.
Val has MS, and she couldn’t keep her horse from wanting to lie down, so the Mexicans, and they could barely speak English, they kept the horse upright and got it home.
The minute the horse was in the corral, one of the men removed the saddle and then Bonita rolled around on the ground.
I am not against illegals that come here to work, because they do shit jobs for shit pay, and they do jobs that not many Americans would do.
I am against the criminal element, but as for Mexicans that come here to work, I’m not against.
Who are we to deny them the right to come here and work?
They walk across the desert in the heat of the summer, and so many die on their trek.
That is an awful state of affairs javaz. I know it’s not an option for you but I think that if I thought that change could not be fought for by using legal means, I would consider moving instead of banging my head against a wall, I couldn’t live this way.
I’ve had problems with neighbour here in the last 20 years and the only things which stopped me from moving were the cats I take care of outside, I maybe couldn’t find a place with a garden to keep them and would never leave them behind or stop caring for them. The other reason is that our business is just 5 minutes by bike and since I can’t get out under my own steam anymore, our staff do my shopping.
I feel sorry for all those who live in the area who disagree with what is going on, I so hope that this investigation is thorough, that people will lose their fear and come forward with more information against him and that he is found guilty if brought to trial for corruption. That place needs a new Sheriff and pronto.
We did consider moving, but how, since we would have a very hard time selling our home, and we’re older, and it’s not as easy as when you’re young.
We just don’t want to go through the finding new doctors and a dentist, and we’ve been there, done that, and when you’re younger, it’s all an easier thing to do.
Plus, when we set aside the politics, we do live in a very beautiful area, and we do have so many friends, and my husband’s family is here.
His mother is 87 years old, and we just cannot leave.
I’ve probably told this story before, heck, what did I have for breakfast?
I used to be anti-illegal-Mexican, too, but I changed my mind from one experience.
We used to live in East Mesa, and there used to be orange groves there.
It’s sad that they are gone now, but where we used to live was all orange groves and that meant in the spring, the blossoms would emit a smell that was almost overpowering.
We used to walk along the canal banks along the groves, and see the migrant workers that lived outside and rigged up showers to bathe.
We used to walk to the local grocer, and there would always be migrant workers in that store buying meat, vegetables and big bottles of wine.
One time, there was a Mexican that wanted to buy a pack of cigarettes, along with his meat, vegetables and wine, but he was short by ten cents.
The cashier was so downright rude and hateful to him, and he knew it, and so I reached in my wallet and tossed a dime out, and the cashier glared at me, but I will never forget the expression of that man.
He was so shocked and he turned his head and looked at me, and he thanked me profusely in Spanish, and it had to be good karma for me.
I didn’t toss a dime out for good karma, but give me a break.
That cashier treated that man so horribly, and talked to him like he was lower than dirt, I had to step up, because I cannot bear anyone treating a person like that.
I’ll never forget that experience, or the shock on that man’s face and his gratitude, and for me, that was all worth it and more for a dime.
That’s such a wonderful story javaz and just goes to prove how a little kindness goes a long way and can change both parties concerned forever. Sometimes just doing something unexpectedly can produce a smile from another human that is more rewarding than anything we experience in a very long time.
I’ve said it here before, kindness to others costs us nothing. everyone should try it, the whole world might benefit from it. Every country should have a “National Kindness Day” it will bring more smiles than frowns for sure. 🙂
It’s amazing, isn’t it? I myself do little things, because I admit it, it makes me feel a little fuzzy, in javaz’ case, it was the just thing to do — but most are just so wrapped up in their own resentments or whatever, apparently the thought never dawns on them. Even just smiling to someone passing you by can make a dreary day.
It makes me feel “fuzzy” too.
Tokyo is a very crowded city and the street in front of our house like many other streets all over Tokyo are very narrow. I’ve made it a habit to greet every person that passes my house when I’m outside in the early morning, whether I know them or not. Why not, almost everyone is on their way to another dreary day at work or the elderly out for a little exercise and most of them greet me back and smile, which in turn puts me in a pleasant mood for most of the day, so I benefit too.
The Dalai Lama has a quote about the selfishness of unselfishness, but I’m too lazy to remember which one of his books it was in. In any case, he came down for selfish motives in this case!
“I believe that the very purpose of life is to be happy. From the very core of our being, we desire contentment. In my own limited experience I have found that the more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being.”
— Dalai Lama
Cher, this was in my profile over at the “dark side” since June 07.
“People take different roads seeking fulfillment
and happiness.
Just because they’re not on your road doesn’t
mean they’ve gotten lost.”
Dalai Lama
I’ve found it very hard to apply this thought to your Repubs and now the teabaggers.
Kalima– finishing laundry, but that quote makes me realize how unevolved I am!
I will have to admit that unfortunately, I feel the same, it’s hard, oh so very hard to try to be perfect and forgiving, I fall short on so many levels. I’m hoping to improve myself in the next life but have a nagging feeling that I’m an old soul who has lived out all the lives that were intended. I hope not, I still have so much to learn. 🙂
Kalima– even the Dalai Lama probably struggles once in a while, and as far as I can see, you are one of the most compassionate and kind people there are.
We all have a lot of work to do, but I believe we have many, many more lives in which to do so before nirvana. Darn!
Thank you for your kind words, I’m limited to what I can do these days but I continue to try to do what I can. If I’m no longer on a return ticket when I leave, then there will be active, kind and concerned people like you to carry on the good work and get people involved.
Yesterday I was looking up “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” for some reason about the HCR bill and realize that this is indeed a right of every human being and felt such sadness for the millions who will never have this in their lives because of corrupt governments making bad decisions which lead to poverty, hunger, despair and eventual death to so many. *sigh*
For all of those who are feeling oppressed around the world including the good people in javaz’s post who fight against this corruption, here is my favourite song, from my favourite singer, singing a favourite message.
Listened to that twice, Kalima— wonderful! Thanks for that.
You are welcome. On the right there on youtube is also his “In the Ghetto” song, his music was very much a part of our lives in London and our early years here. A great loss to music and to his many fans. Sing it Donny!!
I’ve another story, but it was when we lived in France.
Europe, in my opinion, are much better at giving than Americans, and especially the French.
We had gone out to the ‘fete de musique’ in Paris, and somehow my husband and I lost each other – we were drinking wine as wine was pouring freely from the streets – and my gosh, was that a good time, so I sat down near a bus station, figuring he’d find me.
I was dressed nicely, but crying, hey, I was drunk and lost my husband, but so many French people came up and tried to give me money!
LMAO
I couldn’t take their money, but wasn’t that sweet?
My husband obviously found me, but could you imagine the money I could have made that night?
When we lived in France, we always gave, too, to the subway and train artists, and beggars.
One of my favorite memories, and I have so many, but it was Christmas Eve, and we rode the trains around Paris to see the lights, and what a beautiful thing that was.
We gave all our coins to this man on a train that was playing the accordion, and singing carols.
I miss France and Europe.
It really is the ‘old country.’
We are taught good manners from a very early age. When I was a kid and even now, the boys bowed when they shook hands with strangers or older people and the girls (me) would curtsey as we shook hands. My grandfather tipped his hat for every woman who passed us on our Sunday walks after Mass and greeted friend and stranger alike.
Boys and men offered their bus or tram seats to women, it was the normal thing to do.
Living here in Japan was a real eye opener for me the first time some guy let a door slam in my face or stole my seat on the train, I never got used to it and spent the rest of my train journey giving dirty looks to men who would steal the seat of an elderly person, sometimes even telling them off in public about parking in a “Silver” seat intended for the infirm and elderly. I still complain at bad manners rather loudly when I get out, this time in perfect Japanese.
Kalima, you need to write that story on Japan. That just blew a few stereotypes I had of Japan (even if it is Tokyo).
Ok Khirad, I’m thinking about it. Without my years of written notes, I’m a little like a fish out of water. I’ll see what I can remember and put something together soonish.
Now that was ‘muy bonito’!
What’s sad is when I was in Las Cruces, where they had a wonderful morning breakfast in the hotel (really, I know it’s hard to believe). The main woman in charge was a Hispanic (I use the term intentionally, it being New Mexico). We were asked where we were from and all she heard was Arizona (we didn’t bother going into the difference between Pima and Maricopa counties). She went on profusely how much she loved Sherrif Joe, and here was me nodding my head politely. A real nice lady, real hospitable and friendly, but I guess my point here is that I couldn’t help but think that the people who support him the most would take one look at her and not realize that her family has likely been living in New Mexico for over 300 years and speaks only broken Spanish.
New Sheriff? They’d fast-track him to sainthood if they could.
We have a quip in Tucson. In 1885 the Territorial government granted Tucson the first University, and Phoenix, the mental asylum. So, you see, historical imprints are important! 😆
Mental asylum, perfect, they can build a few more for the sick Republican “Faux” Christians and Bachmann can have her notion of “internment” camps become a reality.
Or, reopen Yuma Prison (there’s a good Western reference), and quietly cede it to Mexico. They’re your problem now!
The AZ lege. did entertain (last year?) sending prisoners to Mexico, it would cost 1/3 as much.
Drats!! Damn feds said it was illegal!
Unfortunately I thought that was just for Mexican nationals. I don’t think it involved taking our national embarrassments.
I’d like to see Sheriff Joe in one of those facilities. Talk about poetic justice.
Kh, Sheriff Joe in a Mexican prison!! Oh, that would be too much to ask.
When that’s full there is always Alcatraz and a room with a view of the bay.
Bito,
“Kh, Sheriff Joe in a Mexican prison!! Oh, that would be too much to ask.”
That would be “true” justice,
javaz – I so agree! Are they not the precise people we once were? We were proud of our unrelenting work ethic, our willingness to tough out hard times. We admired immigrants, were the immigrants once, who drove themselves to build not just their own lives but the very life of the nation.
And that’s the same today. Our office has a gardener who is the sweetest man alive. He workd incredibly hard and is probably not here legally. But I’d trade him in a nanosecond for all the lazy suburban people I know who think the world owes them a living. Who would not want our gardener in exchange for every slacker kid or won’t-do-it refusenik who thinks every job outside a corporate suite is not good enough for them? We have a huge number of unemployed here, and I’ve offered jobs to many of them, but they “don’t want to do that” or “won’t work for $8 and hour” or are “too good to lower myself” – and these are OFFICE jobs I’m providing!
I so admire the people who will risk their lives to cross the border to work. And then they get hit with two things: “They are taking OUR jobs” and “They are shiftless and lazy.”
Huh? How can those both be true?
In CA undocumented people get nothing but emergency medical care. That’s it. Their children can go to school (gasp – how awful) but most of them are citizens.
We have so lost sight of what this nation is all about. I know historically it’s not the first time, but it is damned depressing. The only difference between these immigrants and my grandparents is that we have taken away the port of entry. No Ellis Island. No one who came here before the immigration crackdowns of the Cold War ever had to have paper, and I know many a person who will laugh about the fact their forebear was a crook, draft dodger, con artist – and then revile the new immigrants.
And then you get this sheriff, whose family MY family probably did not want (we were so very WASP), and he makes immigrants his targets of hate, and forgets his own family’s roots. Disgusting.
America. Land of the forgetful.
Reminds me of Gov. George C. Wallace
let’s see if I can try to explain. Phoenix is the largest city (3.5+ million people.) Tucson, the next largest is less than 1 million. Phoenix and Maricopa County dominate the rest of the state. What they say goes, and they are very conservative. What is good for commerce in Phoenix is good for the rest of the state. (they even change election laws for Tucson (which the Tucson voters have rejected.) They control the purse stings, the legislature, all state-wide offices. Whether it is good or ill for the rest of the state, they do it.
In the south of the state (Tucson), you have many Mexican, (I can go to many stores and hear more Spanish than English). Many Indian Reservations around the state.
If you wold take all the “libruls”, Mexicans and Indian voters together, they still wouldn’t match Phoenix/Maricopa.
That is not a good job of explaining, but I hope that it is a glimpse. Patsy, Khirad and j’avaz amy be able to do a better job and add to this
(hello, Kalima, stay warm, Dear One.)
Good evening bito and I’m wrapped in my bright red Snuggie with my behind waving to the elements, silly idea. 🙁
If they have that much control, all the more reason to smoke them out and expose them to the rest of the country. I’m sure that most Americans have no idea what is going on and they need to know all of it.
Since when, in this day and age can a State revert to religious “communism” without the rest of the country or the government knowing about and trying to improve the everyday life of the citizens, I don’t get it, they are going backwards.
B’ito, did Goddard actually resign though?
I can find several sites demanding he resign, but cannot find out if he actually did, and if he did, who replaced him?
And shouldn’t the same law be applied to Thomas?
j’avaz,
http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2010/01/az_candidates_r.php
Most of the articles were about his “exploratory committee.” That is a very gray area in AZ.
Thank you for the link.
Oh dog, the idea of Dean Martin gives me chills and not in a good way.
At least he has name recognition to the ‘rat pack!’
Thank you to the administrator(s) of the site for fixing my links!
The least I could do for such a terrific article!
Thank you.
You know, I’ve written articles here whereby I thought, “OMG, I’ve written the best article ever in my life” and it sucked.
And this one, well, I tried to take my time and it did take a good 6 hours after watching ‘Inglorious Basterds’, because for some reason Inglorious and Basterds reminded me of Sheriff Joe, but I did not think this was my best work.
LOL
Fantastic article, javaz! Well done!
The mix of corruption and extremist, inhumane legislation is the stuff that is usually the domain of fiction.
How can things have run off the tracks in AZ so horribly and continue to be supported by AZ residents in elections?
You’ve mentioned that population is declining, there is naturally a brain drain as those graduating college want a better life than AZ’s destructive course could provide.
What’s the end game here? AZ becomes a police state with the mentally ill on the streets, thousands of children getting ill and dying from a lack of health care, guns everywhere, minorities harassed…this is the vision for a Republican America?
Alabama 1950?
Hatred, corruption, oppression, violence, loss of rights…all codified by laws and officials?
The Federal government is indeed needed to get involved more in the state’s violation of constitutionality.
Since when can a state circumvent national laws on guns, the 4th Amendment and other basic civil rights?
This is a travesty. Thank you javaz for writing this article, I hope other members will feel as motivated as I am to share this article around and try to get more people enlightened about what’s going on in this state.
Thank you, Adlib!
I would think that the ACLU would step in to stop the harassment of people the police deem illegal, because it is a far-reaching measure with broad implications.
Voters have supported Arpaio for years and he’s very popular because, sadly, Arizonans are against illegal immigrants and against anything and everything Mexican, even legal Mexicans or American Mexicans.
They keep trying to pass English as the state’s official language.
It’s just racist bigotry, pure and simple, that keeps Joe in office.
I posted a link below about another challenge to the Federal Gov’t regarding incandescent lightbulbs.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/02/21/20100221lightbulbs0221.html
At least that might create jobs here if that were to go through.
The majority of people who have left the state are construction workers, imho, because as with Nevada, the housing market fueled AZ’s economy for years.
As for more corporations moving here because of relaxed tax laws, there’s been debate on that.
Some scholars say that corporations would not move to Arizona because the state is facing a budget crisis, plus with cuts in education, there is less of an educated population for them to hire.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/02/21/20100221lightbulbs0221.html
This is only an introduction. Wait for j’avaz to do parts 2-3-4-5….She could have written a book! She has many stories and links , am I right , j’avaz?
Great job, j’avaz.
Hey B’ito!
Thanks for your support and kind words.
I added the parts about Hendershott this morning and did include the concealed weapon bills, too.
I think the cuts listed on #13 are part of the closing state funded hospice care centers and scaling back on state funded vehicles that transport people to clinics.
Thanks again for your support!
I do hope to follow this up when the grand jury is finished and am hoping that Arpaio and Thomas and their henchmen are removed from office.
One can always hope!
This week (I think) Thomas Is going to resign to run for State AG. He is threatening to take The Board of Supes. to court, if they replace him! The state constitution states that is their obligation. He a piece of…….er, work!
j’avaz, I will be collecting more stories/links for you.
Thanks for collecting more links!
Would you say that Tuscon is more liberal than Phoenix, or just as RED or redder?
Goddard is running for governor, but did he resign as AG?
I can’t remember and will have to look that up.
Tucson is bluer. One of the small islands in the state. I don’t think Goddard has resigned yet, waiting for the last minute?
I asked, because I thought that certain Republicans were demanding Goddard resign since he’s running for governor.
Isn’t it ironic then, that the same people remain silent about Thomas running for state AG?
I’m hoping Thomas is removed from office or forced to resign so that he cannot run, but then again, look at JD and his involvement with Abramoff, yet he’s running against McCain.
j’avaz, according to this Goddard resigned 1-22-10.
The fight was over him starting an “exploratory” committee.
http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Terry_Goddard#Resign-To-Run_violation
Who is behind #12, by the way?
http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2010/01/representative_judy_burges_pro.php
The RW seems to labor under the illusion that their whim trumps the Constitution. Federal election rules cannot be altered locally.
I am beginning to think that we never should have tried to keep the South in the 1860s, that we should have an easy way out of the US for states that do not respect democracy. Let them leave! I think we could survive as a nation much better without these people. Of course we would also need a liberal and flexible immigration policy for those wishing to leave those states and remain in the US and function with the rest of us in democratic ways.
They want a banana republic? Let them BE a banana republic. Alone. By themselves. No foreign aid.
Whoa, that’s a radical idea, and I bet you’re not the only person who has suggested that, but I disagree with it.
But is a fun thing to imagine.
C’Lady. AZ can hardly change any election laws or redistricting. We are still under Federal review for civil rights violations.
I’ve thought the same thing. It would really be a tale of two states, a progressive, thriving North and an oppressive, religiously controlled South.
Thing is, there would eventually be a reckoning of some kind.
Citizens from the North visiting the South, being victimized because of their race or beliefs, conflict would be endless.
And all the Progressives stuck in the South would be trapped economically.
Ever seen the movie, “Confederate States of America”? It humorously and sharply satirizes what America would have been like if the South had won the Civil War.
Hmmm, also part of the 10th Amendment movement.
Besides the Goldwater Institute, there is another RW group involved (who I can’t remember). About 90-95% of all republicans have signed the Nordquist-no-tax-pledge. They would rather the whole state fail than break their pledge and lose their $$ from the RW lobbyists .
Here’s another piece of legislation that I forgot – but the House Commerce Committee just approved of a bill that would cut minimum wage from $7.25/hr to $5.44/hr for people 22 years old and younger.
What about young people who have to support a child?
Younger people working to pay for college tuition?
http://www.azstarnet.com/business/local/article_f6087cba-8a0e-579e-9660-8cbf4ffe2f48.html
I think it’s only a matter of time before they bring back child labor, too. With the numbers of mining companies doing business there, you could have kids come back as “breaker boys” at pennies per ton. You could put those lazy, shiftless kindergarteners to work – what’s this NAP time thing for anyway? Clearly coddling them, that’s the problem. Any family claiming it needs public assistance first has to send all its kids out to earn a living. Any family with a wage earner asking hard=pressed embattled corporations for a raise have to do the same. Why should corporations have to pay to raise these rug rats? Let them earn a living like anyone else!
Forward to the Past. The Republicans are leading the way in Arizona!
That would be a funny antithesis to write as a seemingly straight forward proposition, “Make Our Children Competitive (with the 3rd World)”.
It would fight child obesity, cut down on tv watching and get them out in the fresh air (using respirators in mines only when absolutely necessary), make them appreciate the value of a full day’s work ($3 in Chuck E. Cheese tokens)and teach them everything they need to know about capitalism.
Equality for our Children! They should have the right to earn a living too! This is the civil rights issue of our generation! Give kids the right to work now!
This Message Paid for by The Fortune 500 and donations from Teabaggers like you.
AdLib, have you ever tried to get a job on Jon Stewart or Colbert? Or are you really Jon Stewart? ❗ That’s it!! AdLib IS JON STEWART ❗
Oh, that means he got to kiss the Nanny – Fran Drescher – do you remember that show or watched it?
I used to love that show and watched all the repeats on our channel 61, which is part of FOX?
They took those repeats off and replaced them with the 700 Club.
Argh.
Excellent Javaz, just excellent. Number 2 has the rightwing religious written all over it and number 4 has Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council in Louisiana written all over it. He proposed the same program in Louisiana. Can’t remember if it has been passed in to law yet. Your candidate for McCain’s seat has past ties with Jack Abramoff. What I cannot figure out is why they are unleashing alledged wrong doers back in to the communities ie, Juvenile Hall unless they are giving vigilantes the open door to hunt these kids down. Your homeless population is going to explode if the mentally challenged are let out on the street, ask any Californian who is not a fan of Ronald Ray-Gun.
All of this is a formula for lawlessness in the streets. People will take it out on the minorities which is exactly what these guys want. Of course they will never look to the very corporations who hire the illegals for less pay than a US citizen will take. Perhaps when their work is done, they are marked and Sheriff Joe goes out on his tours of duty. All in all it is a bleak situation and I am amazed this has not received nationwide coverage, wait, no I am not, our media is owned by the corporations.
Thank you, Sue!
Several newspapers and online sites from all over the country have written about Sheriff Joe and PBS NOW did do a story on him.
The closing of juvenile detention centers is not going over well with the general public, because some of these kids are violent gang members and more deadly than some in the state prison.
I think somehow, the governor believes that it’ll be up to the local communities to handle these kids, but with cutting back on police and firefighters, I don’t see how that’s possible.
And forcing the mentally ill out onto the streets is criminal and I sure hope charities or religious organizations help these people with shelter and meals.
Something that I didn’t mention is that the city of Mesa wants taxpayers in Mesa to pay for a 84 million dollar stadium for the Chicago Cubs Spring Training team, because the current Cub stadium is old and doesn’t seat enough people.
84 million dollars for 6 weeks of spring training.
The current Cub stadium isn’t all that old and was just redone a few years back and is one of the nicer stadiums for spring games.
Plus, the governor wants the state taxpayers to pay for another 80 or so million dollars to refurbish ASU’s Sun Devil football stadium.
I don’t mind paying higher taxes to help people, but to build stadiums for billionaire owners and millionaire players just seems wrong.
No offense to Cubs fans, but they are not worth it. 84mm for a spring training facility? No way, if the Cubs organiation needs it, they can pay for it. I have to agree with you 6 weeks is not justification.
When Ray-gun let all the patients in the state facilities here go, our homeless problem swelled exponentially. They are in those facilities because their families cannot manage them, if let out, they will be unmanageble. Some will be victims of crime and some without monitoring their meds will be the criminals themselves. Jebus, what a sad state of affairs.
Hi Sue – love the Cubs, totally agree. How did we get the mindset that profitpearning corporations need public support? Capitalism is supposed to reward with profit for the risks the company takes. Where are the risks if WE pay for everything? In Buffalo, they got heavily into “naming rights” for stadiums etc. giving the corporate name in exchange for the corporate payment. However, when taxpayers redid the Bills’ stadium, they named it for the team owner when CLEARLY it should have been “Citizens’ Field”. Apparently when the public pays, the naming rights do not apply. And therein hangs the tale of why America is in the toilet.
Part of the deal to pay for the new Cub’s stadium was an increase in taxes on all spring training game tickets, higher taxes for hotels and car rentals.
Bud Selig – is that the commissioner of baseball? – stepped forward and said it was unfair to tax all spring training games for other teams, and we have quite a few teams here, and he was also against the higher taxes on hotels, rental cars and taxes on the public.
WTF?
Here’s what I think is going on – the Indians, Pimas?, built a new stadium on the reservation for the Diamondbacks, and that did not incur taxes on the citizens or increase surtaxes on anything else.
Am actually a Cub fan, too, but only for spring training games.
Am a Tiger fan first and always, just as I am a Red Wings fan, and sadly Lions, but I do root for Arizona’s teams unless they play against teams from Detroit.
Hey, the cubs can have the ball field here in Tucson (that the Diomondbacks abandoned.) we are still paying for that empty stadium. They can have it for just taking over payments. 🙂 Oh, that’s right, billionaires don’t pay for stadiums. Taxpayers do.
OMG!
I’ve been to that stadium for the D-backs down there, and that is an awful stadium, no offense.
But the steps were steep and short, the stadium all concrete and hot, even in the spring, and it sucked.
Did Tuscon build that stadium for the D-backs training games?
I thought it was an existing stadium that the D-backs rented for spring training.
They built it for the Dbacks/White Sox. The Rockies played in another park across town. We now have two empty parks, three teams gone and still paying off for them.
when are cities going to learn that ball teams with their new toys is a suckers bet?
One of my favorite stadiums was the Brewers out in Chandler, and that one sits empty, too, since Glendale built them a new one and I’ve been to the new one, and it is awesome, but too far away.
I liked the old Brewer’s stadium though, because it was cheaper and the beer was sold by the Boy’s Club people and the beer was cheaper!
LMAO
But it was a beautiful stadium out in the middle of nowhere in Chandler, and that’s where we saw Michael Jordan play baseball in a fall league.
It’s a damn shame that one closed.
P.S. I wonder if the Mayans are not correct about the end of the calendar. These types of things make me really wonder.
This is an article in today’s Arizona Republic about state’s rights and incandescent lightbulbs!
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/02/21/20100221lightbulbs0221.html