Sick of AZ legislators running us into the ground? Go here.

[lonestarnot]

http://standupforarizona.com/home/Video_Blog

http://standupforarizona.com/home/take_action/email_your_legislator

Read email from Jim Pederson below.

After 5 months of talk and posturing about the budget, we have come to a last-minute scramble and game of brinkmanship between the Governor and the Legislature. The Governor has finally, grudgingly, come up with a budget; in response, the Legislature has declared it dead on arrival and is passing its own, which the Governor in turn says she will veto.
They are giving us gridlock and tantrums while the clock runs down towards serious hardship for our state.
I think that by anybody’s standard, the Governor and Legislators have failed to lead us responsibly - especially since June 30th is the constitutionally mandated deadline for having next year’s budget in place. That means Arizona is likely to make its most serious decisions on the quick, with little consideration by the full body of elected legislators and even less opportunity for public comment and involvement.
Several newspapers have already editorialized about the poor planning and lack of scrutiny that led to the lay-off of employees charged with collecting taxes: the state saved $9 million and lost $400 million. The fact that the jobs lost by Arizonans were outsourced to foreign countries simply adds insult to injury. http://westernmail.lyris.net/t/8304/1798638/45/0/
Arizona families are the voices that have been left out of the discussion at the Capitol, but that can stop today. I’m calling on all Arizonans to contact your legislators and let them know how you feel. You can do that through this site right here if you want, or record your message for them on our video blog here. We will be compiling all of your comments to a disc that will be distributed to each and every legislator and to Governor Brewer.
The alternative to standing up and speaking out today is silence in a time of crisis. With schools, jobs, and our state’s future on the line, that’s just not an alternative we can afford.
Sincerely,
Jim Pederson

TAKE IT AWAY DU'ers!

[Catshrink]

1. This is how one is likely to respond:

LTTE:

When enough is enough
Spectrum Parent-Teacher-Student Organization recently hosted a meeting to discuss the budget situation relating to Gilbert public schools and the state. This meeting was attended by Rep. Laurin Hendrix, R-Gilbert. This representative proved to me, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the Republican Party is so incredibly out of touch that I can no longer in good conscience support them.

This person made it abundantly clear, with statements to the effect of, “I receive so many e-mails that I only read the first few lines and if it is negative e-mail I read no further. I only read e-mails with positive and helpful suggestions.” You have to be kidding. He came across as completely out of touch.

It was pointed out that Arizona ranked 51st in 2007-08 for expenditures per student (straight from the National Education Association Web site). To which Hendrix’s only reply was that he questioned the statistics. I could not be more disappointed in this elected official.

I give him credit for having the guts to show up at all, especially since he did not seem to have even one supporter at this particular meeting. His pet project, however, seemed to be water quality as opposed to our children’s quality of education. Disgraceful, especially since the cornerstone of his last campaign and quotes attributed to him such as, “I support across-the-board cuts with the exception of education, public safety and technology,” were widely publicized. Clearly if this is representative of the Republican Party, we should fight them tooth and nail. I have been a Republican all of my life, but enough is enough. No wonder no one has any respect for politicians if this is what is representing us.

XXXXX
GILBERT

[lonestarnot]

2. bwwwa ha ha ha ha ha.

"I have been a Republican all of my life," not on your life or mine! :rofl:

[Catshrink]

3. OH..

Sorry, I hope you weren't left with the impression that that was my LTTE. It was one I received in an email from our district chair. I assure you, I've been a Dem since junior high school when my BIL was drafted during the Vietnam War.

[lonestarnot]

4. New one up today from last week. Just getting to it this a.m. busy busy busy!

:evilgrin: