Tag Archives: Vince Leach

GOP is a Cancerous Entity that is Reactionary, Undemocratic, and Xenophobic

Posted on July 24, 2018 by | Comments Off on GOP is a Cancerous Entity that is Reactionary, Undemocratic, and Xenophobic

It has come to this. Today’s America (and Arizona)  is the result of 40 years of conservative southern strategizing, negotiating Faustian bargains with segregationist Democrats and the evangelical community. It is the result of dog whistle ads like the “Willie Horton” ad in 1988, obstructing two Democratic administrations on issues like infrastructure, healthcare, raising wages, and immigration that the people wanted. It is the result of gerrymandering congressional districts that give them majorities when the Democrats win the national vote, and embracing underhanded tactics with domestic and (in the case of 2016) foreign sources that “stole” the election from the people’s choice for President.

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Posted in Abortion, Arizona Congressional Races, Arizona State Legislature, Ballot Referendas and Initiatives, Budgets, Campaigns, Congress, Corruption, Crime, David Gordon, Economics, Education, Election Integrity, Elections, Ethics, Gender Equality, Governor, Gun Policies, Healthcare, Housing, Immigration, Justice, Maricopa, Mexico Border, Party Politics, President, Primaries, Propositions, Racism, Redistricting, Religion, Science, Veterans, War, Water

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AZ’s Worst Legislator: Don Shooter Disgraces the LD 13 Senate Race

Posted on June 16, 2018 by | Comments Off on AZ’s Worst Legislator: Don Shooter Disgraces the LD 13 Senate Race

Expelled LD 13 State Representative Don Shooter, one of the worst examples of public servants in Arizona.

Over the last week, the GOP which regularly touts its commitment to inclusion and family values has nominated a self-admitted white nationalist and Confederate supporter to run for the Senate in Virginia and a brothel owner to run for a Congressional seat in Nevada.

With examples such as these, it should be no surprise that an individual expelled from the Arizona State House of Representatives for sexual harassment would think he would have an opportunity to elevate himself to the Arizona State Senate.

Like many reactionary and self-absorbed members of his party, Don Shooter is one of the worst examples of public servants in Arizona.

In some ways, Democrats should hope he gets the nomination. Shooter, along with “let’s take away your rights” Vince Leach,  “ISIS is going to invade us from Mexico” Mark Finchem and “There are not enough white kids” David Stringer are poster candidates for why the Democrats need to return to power. However, decency prevails and the residents of LD 13 should not reward bad behavior and allow Shooter to run for the State Senate.

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Posted in Abortion, Activism, Arizona State Legislature, Ballot Referendas and Initiatives, Budgets, Campaigns, Civil Rights, Commentary, Community, Corruption, Counties, Courts, David Gordon, Drug Policy, Economics, Editorial, Education, Elections, Gender Equality, Gun Policies, Healthcare, Immigration, Justice, Labor, Law Enforcement, Legislation, Maricopa, Mexico Border, Military, Party Politics, Political Calendar, Political Events, Primaries, Propositions, Scandals, Taxes

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AZ’s Worst Legislator: Vince Leach, not a Servant of the People in LD 11

Posted on May 27, 2018 by | 1 comment
State Representative Leach favors dark money and subsidizing the rich.

State Representative Leach favors dark money and subsidizing the rich.

State Representative Vincent Leach of Legislative District 11 and other reactionary zealots like him sure act like big government promoters when it comes to their anti-democratic agenda.

Leach has sponsored ideas such as:

  • Protecting Dark Money contributors.
  • Overruling local election results and ballot initiatives, such as whether local towns can prohibit plastic bags in stores.
  • Opposing a woman’s right to choose.
  • Allowing taxpayer money to help students choose private religious schools.

LD11 spans from Maricopa in the north to the tip of Tucson in the south.

A self-described conservative, Leach has an A rating from both the Oliver North led National Rifle Association and the American Conservative Union, yet poor marks with the Sierra Club, Planned Parenthood, and the Children’s Action Alliance. A SaddleBrooke resident, Representative Leach has been in the Arizona State House since 2015. He is now the chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety, Infrastructure, and Resources and Vice Chairman of the House and Ways Committee.

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Posted in Activism, Arizona State Legislature, Ballot Referendas and Initiatives, Budgets, Campaigns, Civil Rights, Commentary, Community, Corruption, Counties, David Gordon, Debates, Economics, Editorial, Education, Elections, Endorsements, Energy, environment, Ethics, Gender Equality, Healthcare, Immigration, Infrastructure, Justice, Law Enforcement, Legislation, Maricopa, Mexico Border, Pima, Political Calendar, Political Events, Poverty, Propositions, Taxes, Tucson

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AZ Senate Candidate Ralph Atchue Advocates for Families and Small Businesses of LD 11

Posted on May 27, 2018 by | Comments Off on AZ Senate Candidate Ralph Atchue Advocates for Families and Small Businesses of LD 11
Ralph Atchue sees himself as an open-minded problem solver

Ralph Atchue sees himself as an open-minded problem solver

A former Air Force veteran, union steward, and postmaster from the Chicago area, LD 11 State Senate Clean Elections Candidate Ralph Atchue has launched a grassroots campaign pledging to be a consensus builder.

Atchue advocates a robust forward-looking program that includes investments in public education, comprehensive tax reform, green energy, and transportation innovations like a high-speed rail line from Tucson to Phoenix and later Las Vegas.

Gaining perspective on the competing positions from both labor as a union steward and management as a postmaster general, Atchue sees himself (unlike his opponent for the State Senate, Vince Leach) as a problem solver who can forge inclusive consensus among all stakeholders by bringing them together, discussing the issues, and arriving at compromise solutions that will be agreeable to all parties.

By prioritizing progress, individuals, families, and small businesses, Atchue believes that the residents of LD 11 will be better served that way rather than emphasizing the reactionary and obstructionist interests of the Dark Money groups that Leach subscribes to. (See AZ’s Worst Legislator: Vince Leach, not a Servant of the People in LD 11)

Seeing himself as an open-minded problem solver rather than being tied to any ideological program, Atchue’s campaign looks to attract all parties: Democrats, Independents, and Republicans who want common sense solutions that provide for the greater long-term good of the district. Independents and Republicans have joined Democrats in volunteering to help his campaign as they strive to knock on 2,000 doors a month to bring the candidates inclusive message.

Atchue’s positions on the issues are as follows: Continue reading →

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Posted in Activism, Announcement, Arizona State Legislature, Ballot Referendas and Initiatives, Budgets, Campaigns, Charter Schools, Civil Rights, Commentary, Community, Corruption, Counties, David Gordon, Debates, Economics, Editorial, Education, Elections, Endorsements, Energy, environment, Ethics, Gender Equality, Gun Policies, Healthcare, Housing, Immigration, Infrastructure, Justice, Labor, Law Enforcement, Legislation, Lobbying, Media, Mexico Border, Party Politics, Pima, Political Calendar, Political Events, Polling, Poverty, Propositions, Racism, Taxes, Transportation, Tucson, Water

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Update: Senate Passes Bill to Hide Dark Money in Local Elections

Posted on March 29, 2018 by | 1 comment

Dark Money Vote 3-29-18Update: Arizona lawmakers (again) sided with dark-money special interests instead of voters. The Senate passed HB 2153 by a 17-13 (party–line) vote. The bill now goes to the desk of Governor Doug Ducey to sign or veto.

HB 2153, sponsored by ALEC member Rep. Vince Leach (R-11), blocks local governments from enforcing their own dark money disclosure requirements.

Now’s the time to call his office at 602.542.4331 and tell him to stand with voters, instead of dark-money special interest groups and VETO HB 2153.

One of the worst pieces of legislation ever produced by the Republicans in the state legislature is nearing a vote that would lock away the source of dark money in local Arizona politics.

HB2153, introduced by right-wing Rep. Vince Leach of Saddlebrooke, bans any city or county from requiring nonprofit political groups to identify campaign contributors.

The bill is a direct response to a city charter amendment in Tempe to require such disclosures. 91 percent of Tempe voters said “yes” to the political campaign transparency measure.

Leach’s HB2153 would throw a greater cloud of darkness over dark money political campaign contributions now made in secret by out-of-state contributors and notorious right-winger donors like the billionaire Koch brothers. Continue reading →

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Posted in Activism, Arizona State Legislature, Ballot Referendas and Initiatives, Election Integrity, Elections, Larry Bodine, Legislation

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Hollace Lyon Sounds Alarm Over Redistricting Threat

Posted on March 22, 2018 by | 2 comments
Candidate Hollace Lyon points out that SCR1034 overturns the voters' will in a 2000 ballot initiative to take away redistricting power away from the Legislature

Candidate Hollace Lyon points out that SCR1034 overturns the voters’ will in a 2000 ballot initiative to take away redistricting power from the Legislature

Arizona could be Gerrymandered into mostly Republican voting districts because of a dangerous GOP bill — SCR1034 — which has passed the AZ Senate and is awaiting action in the state House.

“Write and call your representatives that you want to stop SCR 1034 because it’s incompatible with citizen rights,” said Hollace Lyon, a Democratic Candidate for House in LD11. “If it were to pass, we would really be at peril,” she says.

The bill would pack the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (“AIRC”) with three additional people, handpicked by the majority Republicans with no proper screening or nomination process.

The AIRC draws voting district boundaries following the law, which requires equal populations, respect of communities of interest, geographic compactness and contiguity, respect for visible geographic features like highways, and competitive districts.

Lyon, a retired Air Force Air Force Colonel, spoke at Gerrymandering? Let’s call it what it is: Cheating! sponsored by The Arizona Ground Game civic organization. Continue reading →

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Posted in Arizona State Legislature, Elections, Larry Bodine, Legislation, Pima

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