AZ News & Blogs 6/5/2010

• AZ Does Financial Gimmickry for Elections 
• This means that the state is spending a lot of overtime money shifting income by 21 days just to make its current period look better — just like RJR or any other dynsfunctional [sic] private company....But what makes this even more short term is that it only works once — the first time.  It will make the first year this trick is applied look better, but then every year after will go back to being the same, with July losses to the prior year offset by June gains from the forthcoming year.
• My Thoughts:  Fascinating article on the shenanigans of AZ policy, it's definitely worth reading the whole article.  It would be nice to have real leadership in the AZ legislature.
• White House Gibbs wants the old John McCain back 
• “John McCain was very instrumental in getting immigration reform to the point that it was in 2005, 2006 and 2007,” he told reporters during Thursday’s briefing. “I doubt we’re going to get comprehensive immigration reform if we don’t have John McCain doing — doing what he believed in, in those years.”
• Memo to Robert Gibbs: The White House will get the old John McCain back if he gets re-elected.
• Early History of the Prescott Arizona Elks Opera House 
• My Thoughts:  Interesting 7 part series on Elks Opera House (up to part 3 is finished)
• Arizona sets 2nd phase in sale of buildings 
• More state buildings go up for sale next week, as officials hope to raise $300 million by selling and then leasing back the schools for deaf and blind children, more state prisons and other structures.
• My Thoughts:  More financial gimmickry by our state.  According to Goldwater Institute this is illegal, i.e., it's against the AZ constitution which states AZ can't go into too much debt.
• The Dark Heart of the US Government: Did McCain Betray 600 POWs? 
• Six days ago, we released our cover story presenting Sydney Schanberg's stunning account of the American abandonment of hundreds of POWs in Vietnam, their presumed later death at Communist hands, and the decades-long governmental cover-up which thereafter ensued.
• See also commentary by the Southern Avenger 

AZ US Senate Primaries

• Reports used for national politicians
• The Freedom Index 
• "The Freedom Index" rates congressmen based on their adherence to constitutional principles of limited government, fiscal responsibility, and a traditional foreign policy of avoiding foreign entanglements.
• Congressional Scorecard 
• We conducted a comprehensive examination of each lawmaker’s record on pro-growth policies and computed an Economic Growth Score on a scale of 0 to 100. A score of 100 indicates the highest support for progrowth policies. Those lawmakers scoring 90 or higher receive the Defender of Economic Freedom award.
• Republican Candidates
• Jim Deakin 
• Deakin hasn't worked as a public employee so I will look at his issues to see how he appears.
• Interstate Commerce
• It appears he is for limiting the powers of congress with regards to the interstate commerce clause which has been abused by congress in the past.
• Pro-life
• It appears he would like to get the federal government out of abortion funding.
• Limited government
• It appears he is for congress only operating in its limited realm.
• America is not a conquering nation and our forces should only be used to protect our interests and direct threats against our allies.  We are not the world police and we need our men and women to protect our freedom.
• Native Americans
• Sovereignty and Freedom do not belong only to the immigrants of this continent. Native American Tribes can control their own trust funds and lands. They do not need our federal government interfering with their lives and traditions.
• Taxes
• Simplification of the tax laws must be a priority. One example is the Fair tax and repeal of the 16th amendment to the Constitution. Other options are possible, the goal is to simplify the taxing process and empower states by giving control of cash flow to State Government.
• Immigration
• We have so much opportunity that immigrants from all over the world have flocked to our shores. All of that changed starting in 1965 with the Immigration and Naturalization Services Act. The failed policies must be revoked.
• Health Care
• Federal Government should be hands off. The current federal regulations restrict the rights and freedoms of state regulatory agencies, individual insurance providers and individuals. Federal Government interference is the cause of the problems.
• J.D. Hayworth 
• Freedom Index
• 110th Congress (January 3, 2007, and January 3, 2009)
• 40% Vote Record, 40% Score 
• 110th Congress was used since it reflects the beliefs of the congress person during a republican president, which shows their true colors, not their bipartisanship.
• Congressional Scorecard
• 2005/2006
• Rank 40/30 Score 86/81 
• 2005/2006 was used since those years covered Hayworth also (for some reason Hayworth doesn't appear in the other years. 
• John McCain (Incumbent)
• Freedom Index
• 110th Congress (January 3, 2007, and January 3, 2009)
• 60% Vote Record, 44% Score 
• 110th Congress was used since it reflects the beliefs of the congress person during a republican president, which shows their true colors, not their bipartisanship.
• Congressional Scorecard
• 2005/2006
• Rank 29/29 Score 76/76 
• 2005/2006 was used since those years covered Hayworth also (for some reason Hayworth doesn't appear in the other years.
• It should be noted for 2009 McCain had a perfect record.  It could be because he knew he was coming up for election and an unpopular (for republicans) democratic president was elected.
• My Thoughts:
• From looking at the data it appears John McCain and J.D. Hayworth are pretty much the same.  Their freedom indexes are both poor.  I wouldn't want either of these guys to represent me.
• Jim Deakin seems to be the most pro freedom candidate.  Unless someone can give me good reason not to vote for him then I'm for Deakin.