Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has continued her summer push advancing her Arizona Promise Agenda enacting legislative programs, issuing Executive Orders designed to make life easier, healthier, affordable, and safer for Arizonans, and promoting food assistance drives to help people get greater food security.
At the beginning of the month, the Governor announced at a press event that Operation Desert Guardian, the mainly Arizona program to provide “a coordinated effort between local, county, state and federal law enforcement leveraging shared resources and intelligence to combat cartel operations throughout the state” has resulted in the “seizure of over 971 pounds of drugs, resulting in 622 arrests, and apprehension of ten fugitives.”
Commenting on the latest results, Governor Hobbs stated:
“Operation Desert Guardian is what’s possible when we put politics aside and work hand-in-hand with sheriffs and federal law enforcement to take on the cartels and secure our border. I’m proud to report how this statewide, intelligence-driven operation is turning our vision into action.”
On social media, she posted:
“Six months into Operation Desert Guardian, Arizona’s first-of-its-kind statewide task force has seized drugs with a street value of over $77M and made 622 arrests—proof that intelligence-led, cross-agency collaboration is disrupting cartels, dismantling networks, and keeping our communities safe.”
Hobbs’s efforts compliment those of Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes whose office has spent resources prosecuting and convicting drug traffickers.
It should be noted that the Trump Homeland Security Department under Kristi Noem, in its zeal to grab anyone off the street that looks Latino and make America whiter, has pulled, according to Senator Ruben Gallego, personnel from two border checkpoints where fentanyl is routinely confiscated, leaving the stations unattended.
So much for border security from Mr. Trump.
On September 11, while Robert F. Kennedy and his clique of vaccine denying kindred spirits were working on designing restrictions on access to the COVID 19-Coronavirus vaccination, Governor Hobbs issued an Executive Order guaranteeing access to the medication if they want it.
Commenting in a press release, the Governor stated:
“We are taking action to protect the health care freedom of Arizonans. Vaccines are critical tools that safeguard public health and prevent serious illness. Arizonans and their doctors deserve the freedom to access the COVID vaccine if it is right for them. With this Executive Order, we are following the science and ensuring that Arizonans have access to vaccines to keep themselves and their families safe.”
The Executive Order, according to the Governors press release:
“Directs the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) and Board of Pharmacy (BOP) to make vaccines, including the recently approved COVID vaccine, broadly accessible and available to Arizonans who want them.
Allows ADHS to issue a “standing order” that serves as a prescription for pharmacists and health care providers to administer COVID vaccines in accordance with nationally-recognized professional clinical guidance that ensures broad access in accordance with state law.
Directs BOP to provide guidance and clarity on administering ADHS-issued standing orders to qualified pharmacists.
Directs ADHS to continue providing guidance to the public, health care providers, payors, and pharmacists on vaccine access, safety, efficacy, and effectiveness.
Directs the Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions to coordinate with and encourage health insurance plans to continue to cover COVID vaccines.”
In a follow up Executive Order following Mr. Kennedy’s vaccine panel vote to limit access to the COVID vaccine, Governor Hobbs directed the “Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) issued a standing order ensuring access to the 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine for all Arizonans ages six months and older.”
In a press release, the Governor conveyed:
“We are securing Arizonans’ health care freedom. The health and safety of Arizonans are my top priority. That’s why I took action to expand access to COVID-19 vaccines and give Arizonans who want one the ability to get one. I applaud the Department of Health Services for working quickly to ensure broad access to the COVID vaccine and for continuing their efforts to educate Arizona about the public health benefits of vaccines.”
Thanking the Governor, Representative Greg Stanton relayed:
“Thank you for putting public health above politics. Seniors and immunocompromised Arizonans should not have to worry about accessing lifesaving vaccines.”
The Governor also promoted the recent budgets investments in food security and assistance with $10 million toward free school meals, $80 million toward summer food aid, and protecting people on food stamps-SNAP, appearing with Democrats at a food drive at St. Mary’s Food Bank.
At the same event, Democratic House Leader Oscar De Los Santos posted:
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and Representative Yassamin Ansari also spent time at St. Mary’s Food Bank, touting the importance of these life saving food assistance measures.
Sadly, these Democratic put people first-Arizona’s Promise efforts are at a time when the Trump government is cutting off food assistance programs in this country and around the world, letting foodstuff rot in warehouses while people starve and die globally.
As Arizona Senate Democratic Leader Priya Sundareshan wrote in a post:
“Talk about government waste. The Trump Admin willing to waste product people want and need, just because of ideology.”
Finally, while Mr. Trump and his science denying-Project 2025 loyalists like Lee Zeldin at the Environmental Protection Agency do everything they can to stymie clean energy projects like wind and solar and raise utility prices for consumers, Governor Hobbs issued another Executive Order to:
“Cut red tape, unlock Arizona’s energy potential, and deliver lower energy costs for Arizonans, directing State Land to develop a report within 30 days outlining proposals to streamline and expedite processes for energy infrastructure development on state land. State Land will also be directed to identify and accelerate energy-related projects already underway.”
Furthermore:
“The Executive Order also establishes the Arizona Energy Promise Taskforce, which will develop plans to facilitate large-scale growth while preventing significant increases in Arizonans’ energy costs, expand Arizona’s clean energy economy, and identify opportunities to streamline processes to site and develop energy infrastructure projects.”
In the press release, the Governor offered:
“Arizona is on the frontlines of the American power resurgence, creating the affordable energy future. We have incredible potential to deliver affordable energy to every business and family who needs it. We just need to unleash it. We’re going to cut away the bureaucracy and red tape that too often holds our economy back and increase costs. With this Executive Order, we will put common sense before outdated policies and procedures and build the energy infrastructure Arizona needs.”
Later in a social media post, the Governor wrote:
“Arizona is on the frontlines of America’s power resurgence. I’m cutting red tape, unleashing Arizona’s energy potential, and lowering costs for families & businesses—while building the infrastructure needed for a stronger, more affordable energy future.”
What Governor Hobbs and Arizona Democrats are doing is the exact opposite of Mr. Trump and his MAGA-MAHA-Project 2025 Know Nothing sidekicks like Marco Rubio at State, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at Health and Human Services, Kristi Noem at Homeland Security, and Lee Zeldin at the Environmental Protection Agency.
Hobbs and the Democrats are trying to feed people, make sure they are vaccinated, helping to take illegal drugs off the street, and have easier and cheaper access to clean energy sources.
Mr. Trump and his MAGA-MAHA-Project 2025-Know Nothing loyalists are clearly not.
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