BY BECKY FENGER | SEPTEMBER 28, 2011
An inquiring mind
There are some burning questions that I would really like to have answered. To wit:
Now that Mark Flatten at the Goldwater Institute has uncovered that Phoenix taxpayers spend millions of their dollars unwittingly to pay full salary and benefits for city employees to work exclusively for labor unions, are the power elites and the Arizona Republic going to quit pretending the Phoenix mayoral race doesn't hinge on who will reign in the rogue public unions?
If Dennis K. Burke, former U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona, became sick to his stomach when he was testifying in front of Congress on the Fast and Furious gunwalking scandal, so urpy that he had to flee the scene, does that speak to his level of involvement? Should we be sickened also? Should U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Homeland Security honcho Janet Napolitano be on the hot seat next?
Which is worse: the Pima County Republicans auctioning off a Glock pistol to raise money for their party, or the Boston City Council holding a hearing with the intention of licensing the sale of knives in the city of Boston? What's next? Ropes?
If Teamsters Union President James Hoffa shouts to a fizzed audience of union workers, "Let's take these son of a bitches out" (meaning the Tea Partiers), should I take the man with a family history of mob violence seriously?
Now that hundreds of Longshoremen stormed the Port of Longview in Washington state, overpowered security guards and held them hostage for hours, should we be grateful that the thugs only damaged railroad cars and produce instead of lives? Should we be worried that union activists warn that "this is only the start?" Or should we push even stronger for Congress to pass the "Freedom from Union Violence Act"?
Since the inaugural Gabe Zimmerman Public Service Awards, named after Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords' community-outreach director, are given to those officials who reflect civic engagement, should we be offended that Ron Barber, Giffords' district director, received one even though he threatened a political opponent with violence after a public panel discussion to discuss the need to reduce violent rhetoric in politics?
Does the fact that President Barack Obama's uncle, Obama Onyango, who is an illegal immigrant and had been ordered to be deported back to Kenya, was driving drunk and almost hit a police car in Framingham, Massachusetts, last month, bother you? Are you even more disturbed when you learn that he has had a valid Social Security number for at least nineteen years? Are you tickled pink that Barack's aunt, Zeituni Onyango, was granted amnesty after living here illegally for decades with the aid of thousands of dollars of welfare money? Do you ever wonder why President Obama, whose ears she said she could get away with pinching, doesn't care for his auntie with some of the millions of his own personal wealth?
Why do you suppose the Mexican government gave Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon the prestigious Ohtli Award during a very private dinner at Phoenix City Hall the night before Mexico's Independence Day, even though the honor is usually given to one of Mexican or Latino descent? "Ohtli" means "pathway" in Nahuatl and features footprints on the medallion. Could those symbolize the footprints of the thousands of illegals who cross into Arizona each day? Why did Mayor Gordon refuse to respond to a request from the press about this award? Why did his office refuse to say how much money they charged the Mexican Consulate for rent of City Hall, to which the public was denied admittance?
If some voters in the Phoenix City Council election were angry that they had to wait in line up to thirty minutes to cast their votes, since this was the first time out of the chute for the new voting-center system, what in the world would they do in countries where they have to dodge bullets to make it to the polling places?
Regarding U.S. Rep. John Dingell's remark about Solyndra – "I'm still waiting to see something that makes me concerned,"– are you concerned yet, Congressman? Were you lying or were you just dense when you thought they were a good bet to get a half a billion of our dollars?
Why has Governor Rick Perry refused to return his National Association for Gun Rights Presidential Survey, even after receiving thousands of phone calls to do so?
