Short note to Barto
Rep. Barto: Congratulations on being elected to represent the people in this district. Unfortunately your recent votes make it appear that you have decided that the opinion of a majority of the people in your district has no weight in your voting process.
I would hope that you make an effort to do what you were elected to do and not oppose what the voters mandate!
The people of Arizona and the people in your district have made it very clear what our desire is when it comes to immigration reform.
And contrary to some misguided (being kind) propaganda, we are not against immigration, we are against ILLEGAL immigration and being taxed to pay for things that should never have been allowed to happen. So do the job we elected you for! (I probably shouldn't hold my breath on this one.)
Bill Warner | Cave Creek
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To Arizona State Senators: Barto, Crandall, Driggs, Gray, McComish, Nelson, Pierce, Yarbrough
After yesterday's defeat of all illegal immigration bills by your siding with Democrats, I was wondering if any or all of you recall what happened in 2004 with Arizona Proposition 200? The Arizona Chamber of Commerce put up $2 million dollars to have convicted immigration law criminal Grant Wood head a TV campaign of the biggest lies ever perpetrated on the people of Arizona. Using actors dressed as police and firemen, they fronted a scare campaign of untruths to line their pockets from cheap illegal labor and retail sales to the illegal invaders. They managed to pull support for Prop 200 from about 85 percent to 57 percent on election day. And although they LOST, they bragged later that if they would have started earlier, they would have defeated 200.
This is the same group of pro-illegal filth that sent the now infamous "CEO letter" (see list below) to Russell Pearce before all of you voted yesterday. By siding with the Democrats, you have demonstrated that business interests and illegal profits come before protecting the citizens of Arizona from crime, blight, and an unsustainable social services financial burden that is costing every Arizona household an extra $1,000 per year in taxes. DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND THE TACTICS OF THE ARIZONA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND ITS MEMBERS ARE WHY WE HAVE THE PROBLEM TO BEGIN WITH??? THE MAGNET THAT DRAWS ILLEGALS HERE?
You have also demonstrated that Republicans turn on a dime AFTER they are elected to office and that their election campaign rhetoric is absolutely worthless. You KNOW that the Democrats, as insane as they are, do NOT have this reputation riding their coattails.
The concept that the state needs to take a "vacation" from illegal immigration is totally idiotic. You know damn well if we had not been saddled with six years of the joke – Janet Napolitano – we would not be in the mess we are right now – not only with illegal immigration but the crippling deficit mess as well. We are literally fighting the biggest powers in the U.S. to save our state from the fate of California, and you have just betrayed us worse than any Democrat that ever lived.
All of you will be targeted in your reelection bids. If we are repeatedly betrayed by the like of lying Republicans and are doomed to hand our state over to Mexico, we will vote for Democrats all day long. Shame on all of you. You have betrayed the citizens of Arizona, and you have betrayed the future of your children and grandchildren as well. I pray that each of you will be out of office after the next election.
Greg Farley | Phoenix
List of CEO signatures in the infamous Chamber of Commerce letter:
A.T. Still University Craig Phelps, Provost
Adreima Constance Perez, Chief Executive Officer
Arizona Hotel & Lodging Assoc Debbie Johnson,
President/CEO Arizona Lodging & Resort Assoc Alan Klein, oard Chair, So.
Arizona Republic John Zidich, CEO/Publisher
Atrium Holding Company Ronald Brown, President
Banner Health Peter Fine, President/CEO
Blood Systems Daniel Connor, President/CEO
Blue Cross Blue Shield of AZ Marty Laurel, Vice President
Campus Research Corporation Donald Pitt, President
Carondelet Foundation Janice Cox, Retired CEO
Community Tire & Auto Repair Howard Fleischmann, Owner
Cox Communications Stephen Rizley, Sr. Vice President/General Mgr.
DMB Associates, Inc. Drew Brown, Managing Director
DHR International David Bruno, Vice Chairman, Managing Director
Denise Resnik & Associates Denise Resnik, President
Ernst & Young Ronald Butler, Arizona Managing Partner
Empire Southwest LLC Jeff Whiteman, President/CEO ExhibitOne Corporation Kevin Sandler, President/CEO
Flagstaff Forty J.R. Murray, Chairman
Gallagher & Kennedy P.A.Michael Kennedy, President
Geddes and Company F. Michael Geddes, Chairman, President
GenSpring Richard Dozer, Chairman, Family Offices
Greater Phoenix Chamber Steven Wheeler, Chairman
HR Choice Susan Williams, President/Founder
Helios Foundation Vince Roig, Chairman/CEO
Hensley Beverage Company Robert Delgado, President/CEO
Holualoa Companies Michael Kasser, President
Horizon Moving Systems, Inc. Bruce Dusenberry, President
ILX Resorts, Inc. Nancy Stone, President
Intel Corporation Shelly Esque, Vice President, Legal/Corp Affairs
Jim Click Automotive Jim Click, Jr., President
Kitchell Corporation William Schubert, Chairman
Loews Ventana Canyon Brian Johnson, Managing Director
Nestle-Purina, Flagstaff Bill Calloway, Plant Manager
Off Madison Avenue David Anderson, President
PetSmart Philip Francis, Executive Chairman, Chairman, GPL Quarles & Brady LLP Jon Pettibone, Managing Partner
Research Corp for Science Adv.James Gentile, President/CEO
SALC Bruce Beach, CEO, BeachFleischman PC, Chairman
St. Joseph's Hospital Linda Hunt, Area President, President/CEO
Scottsdale Healthcare Thomas Sadvary, President/CEO
Sunbelt Holdings John Graham, President
Sundt Construction, Inc.J. Doug Pruitt, Chairman/CEO
TMC Healthcare Michael Duran, Vice President, Chief Dev. Officer
Team BeachFleishman PC David Cohen, Executive Vice President
The Chanen Corporation Herman Chanen, Chairman/CEO
The Leona Group William Coats, Chief Executive Officer
The Rodel Foundations Don Budinger,Chairman/Founding Director
U.S. Airways Group W. Douglas Parker, Chairman, President/CEO
Underwood Brothers, Inc. Robert Underwood, Chief Executive Officer
University of Arizona Peter Likins, President Emeritus
Vante Medical Technologies Roger Vogel, Chairman, President/CEO
Vestar Development Company Lee Hanley, Chairman/CEO
Viad Corporation Paul Dykstra, Chairman, President/CEO
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Statement on a teacher's letter read on the Senate floor
“On March 17, Sen. Lori Klein read on the Senate floor a letter written to me by a teacher in the West Valley. The letter described the challenges he faces in his classroom, with defiant students ignoring their school assignments, refusing to say the Pledge of Allegiance and showing utter contempt for the United States. The letter gave a great first-hand perspective of the difficulties our outstanding school teachers face on a daily basis.
I am shocked that Members of the Minority are so quick to defend the actions of these troublemakers, and mock the frustration many teachers feel in bringing order to the classroom. Some Members even questioned the letter writer’s existence, suggesting this was all fiction, and there was no teacher.
I’ve spoken with the teacher who wrote this letter. He stands by all he wrote. This is happening in our classrooms. The behavior by these students cannot and will not be condoned. Teachers have the right and the duty to keep control of their classroom.
Some Members of the Minority are now calling for me to apologize, and calling for Sen. Klein to apologize for reading it. We will not apologize. A teacher has a First Amendment right to express themselves, and we have an obligation to our citizens to keep them informed on what is happening in our schools.”
Russell Pearce | Arizona State Senate President
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Take our state constitution at face value
Oh, those nasty folks at the Goldwater Institute! They read the words of the Arizona State Constitution which said that taxpayer money must not be given to private entities and had the nerve to take our state constitution at face value. Shocking! The Goldwater Institute certainly roused The Arizona Republic to foot stamping indignation. (“Come Down From Mount Olympus” lead editorial March 22, 2011).
The Arizona Republic blasted the Goldwater Institute for threatening to sue the City of Glendale to prevent Glendale’s politicians from handing over a large pile of money to a private party in order to keep the Phoenix Coyotes hockey team from leaving town. If the Coyotes leave Glendale, the team will leave behind a big, expensive, empty white elephant of a sports stadium, called the Jobing.com Arena. And this would leave Glendale in a financial mess.
Nowhere in the editorial did the Arizona Republic bother to quote the relevant portion of the state constitution. Had you done so, the reader would easily have concluded that Glendale’s proposed give-away to the Coyotes’ potential buyer was a clear violation. The constitutional text is so unambiguous that the greatest legal minds of the Arizona bar and bench will be profoundly challenged to twist the wording to allow Glendale to get away with giving taxpayer money to the man who had promised to keep the Coyotes here in the Valley of the Sun if Glendale comes through with the moolah.
What’s the point of having a state constitution if Arizona’s political class can ignore it whenever one of its provisions is felt to be inconvenient?
William O. Sumner | Scottsdale
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Shores of Tripoli
As Americans we have a short memory and apathy for learning from history. Our fight with Islamic terrorists dates to the 18th century. In 1801 President Thomas Jefferson was threatened by Tripoli's Yusuf Karamali demanding tribute and ransom or he would declare war on the U.S.; Thomas Jefferson sent in the Marines. Black Jack Pershing rid the Philippines of Islamic terrorists in 1911 by introducing them to U.S. military might. Ronald Reagan subdued Libya's belligerent Colonel Gadhafi for thirty years with one well placed airborne strike. George H.W. Bush swiftly halts Iraq's aggression against her neighbors with U.S. military action. His son, George W. responds with strength and determination in the aftermath of the attacks of 9/11.
Somali pirates capture and murder four Americans on a world cruise to distribute bibles; Muammar Gadhafi slaughters his own country men in a desperate attempt to hold his dictatorial power, what does Barack Hussein Obama do; shouts, 'Step Down," handicaps NCAA basketball and leaves on vacation. Only after being pressured by the international community does he make a limp-wristed response with the promise not to stay involved. This president is more likely to storm the beaches of Santa Monica to enforce Obamacare than the shores of Tripoli to advance freedom in the world.
Speak loudly and wave your little stick Barack.
Randy Edwards | Cave Creek
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Senator Barto
Thank you for the introductory time spent yesterday down at the Capitol. I, like so many others, am trying to digest your voting “NO” on 4 out of 5 anti Illegal Immigration bills last week.
In our very brief discussion, you pointed to the burden on employers as a consequence of voting “Yes.” I’m perplexed. To which bill (SB1308. SB1309, SB1405, SB1407, SB1611) were you referring? SB1405 is the only one requiring admissions officers of hospitals to determine a person’s citizenship before admission for a non-emergency. The other bills do not involve such a requirement. The bill outlines 11 alternatives to verify citizenship or legal status. Beside the very obvious need to take care of our own, hospitals have the right to protect their bottom line (they are not charities), and U.S. citizens who seek medical care should not have to subsidize the care of people who have knowingly broken our laws and now feel entitled to benefit from our services. As I mentioned to you also, there is E-verify and as of yesterday, E-verify self check. I am not understanding your opposition to these effective programs and the 11 identifiers mentioned in SB1405. Please explain.
You asked me if I, as a constituent, want a legislator to evaluate bills and conclude the right direction and exercise a vote accordingly regarding that bill. Time was short and I did not have the opportunity to respond. As a constituent, I do not want a Senator to determine Constitutionality because they are not Constitutional scholars. That needs to be left to the judicial branch of government. And unintended consequences? Besides being an over-used phrase, Senator Barto … breathing air has unintended consequences. That is why Congress often must go back and repair bills.
As a constituent, I want my representative to represent the prevailing will of the district to which he/she was elected. LD7 is a Conservative district that indeed would’ve wanted you to vote “Yes” on all 5 anti-Illegal immigration bills. To do otherwise is not to represent your constituency. You would then be unilaterally imposing your interpretation on your district. No, Senator Barto, that is not what I want from someone representing me in state congress. When in doubt, vote the will of your constituency or dialogue with us (via town hall?) to gain a consensus. That, to me, is governing.
I am also troubled by a letter written by the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce representing CEOs of businesses and employers and circulated to members of the Senate. CEOs making a plea to legislators who only benefit from cheap labor make me suspicious. And the talking points in the letter are eerily similar to your talking points made in response letters to your constituents. Therefore, Senator Barto, I can only conclude that perhaps you feel your coffers would run dry if you voted the will of your constituents rather than the likes of Peter Fine (Banner Health), Thomas Sadvary (Scottsdale Healthcare), Marty Laurel (Blue Cross Blue Shield of AZ) or Robert Delgado CEO of Anheuser-Busch wholesale beer distributors (owned by Cindy Hensley McCain?). This, sadly, is the only conclusion I can draw once I have studied the bills, reviewed your votes, read the letter from the Chamber, looked at the signees and cross referenced your donor support.
I strongly encourage you to reassess your vote if any or all of these five bills come up again for reconsideration. I, of course, would like to dialogue with you as well. I think we could have an honest and respectful back ‘n forth. I look forward to your response.
Jayne Friedman | Maricopa County
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