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Sonoran Alliance has printed their traffic report. They've had their best month ever and are approaching 20,000 visits.
If they continue at this rate, they will pass Espresso Pundit, but they aren't there yet.
Of course, if you count the people who read Espresso Pundit twice a day, the number goes way up.
"After much thought, and encouragement from fellow residents and community leaders I am excited to announce the formation of an official exploratory committee for my potential candidacy for Arizona's Fifth Congressional District.
It has become increasingly clear that the “change” of 2006 quickly became “business as usual” in 2007. And 2008? Well, it's an election year – nothing will get done. What will the Washington DC talking points be this year?
We were told last year and will be told again, that immigration reform, balancing the budget and ending our dependence on foreign oil were and are the top priorities of our current Congressman. Predictably, nothing has happened on those fronts, except an increase in deficit spending.
We don't need any more rehashed talking points from Washington DC – we need action points. The challenges facing the Fifth District require action, and leadership.
As a second-generation Arizonan, I can remember when we were a “small” state. It took great leaders to fight for Arizona's interests on the national stage. We are fortunate that our small state was blessed with true, larger-than-life leaders like Barry Goldwater, Carl Hayden and John J. Rhodes. My introduction to Washington politics came as an intern for Republican Minority Leader Rhodes. It was a different time in Washington and in our country, but leadership is timeless.
As a tax-cutting member of the Scottsdale City Council; a consolidation advocate on a local school board; and a steward of our most precious Arizona resource as the President of the Central Arizona Water Conservation District Board, my record of leadership on vital Arizona issues is clear.
Over the next month I will explore within the framework allowed to determine if my brand of leadership and action are right for the Fifth District. I invite voters to share with me their ideas about how to make sure our interests are best represented in Washington DC."
Mesa— David Keene, Chairman of the American Conservative Union (ACU), announced his endorsement today for State Rep. Mark Anderson who is running for the GOP nomination to challenge Harry Mitchell, the Democrat incumbent in Arizona’s 5th District.
“I am proud to give Mark my full support,” Keene said. “He is a man who has a track record of putting principle above politics and being a proven leader who will fight to restore fiscal sanity to our government and those values that strengthen our families, economy and nation,” Keene stated.
Founded in 1964, the American Conservative Union is the preeminent, leading national organization of conservatives in America. The ACU also hosts the annual Conservative Political Action Conference that was recently attended by 6,000 conservative activists that also featured President George Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Sen. John McCain, Governors Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee, and many other prominent members of Congress as conference speakers.
Republican Professionals (RP) announced today that they will be hosting Mark Finelli, a 9/11 World Trade Center survivor who gave up a 6-figure job with Morgan Stanley to enlist in the Marines and fight in Iraq and AZ State Representative Jonathan Paton, a ”rising star” in the Republican Party and Iraq war veteran. Both speakers will appear at the organization’s upcoming March 6, 2008 free networking event at 6 Lounge in Scottsdale.
“We are pleased to have Mark Finelli speak at our event. He is a true American hero and the only 9/11 World Trade Center survivor to enlist in the marines and fight in Iraq. His story is an inspiring tale of honor, courage and steely leadership. It will be insightful to learn about his ‘in the trenches’ account of his experiences in Iraq and his assessment of the current situation,” said RP President Charles A. Jensen.
Mark Finelli has been a featured guest on Fox, CNN and “Hardball with Chris Mathews” on MSNBC. He’s also appeared on popular radio programs, such as “The Sean Hannity Show” and been written about in major publications like Newsweek and National Review. Finelli will also be appearing in a documentary by two-time Oscar winner and trooper supporter John Voight.
Jensen also expressed his enthusiasm for hosting Jonathan Paton, a popular member of the Arizona House of Representatives and Iraq war veteran: “Representative Paton is a gifted public speaker and admired public servant. We look forward to hearing about his background and recent experience in Iraq.” (Paton volunteered for active duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from September of ‘06 until February ‘07.)
Doors open at 6:00 P.M. at 6 Lounge, a chic and atmospheric Scottsdale nightclub. Given the popularity of past events and limited space available, Republican Professionals highly encourages all interested in attending the March 6th event to RSVP at www.republicanprofessionals.org
Republican Professionals hosts its free networking events the first Thursday of each month at 6:00 P.M. at the Six Lounge in Scottsdale. Between 150 and 270 professionals consistently attend RP events. For more information about Republican Professionals, please contact Charles Jensen at 602-403-5535 or charles@republicanprofessionals.org
Senate Appropriations Chairman Bob Burns is playing the role of Cassandra in this year's budget negotiations. Read his column, but focus on these two statistics.
The state's historical revenue growth is about 7 percent or approximately $700 million per year;
The debt service in (the Governor's) plan will add as much as $215 million annually to state spending, which will be added to the already $500 million to $600 million annual increase that takes place without any legislative action.
Burns has been making this speech for months. Unless the legislature is willing to make some actual cuts the budget is heading for a train wreck. The legislature can balance this year's budget by using the rainy day fund, accounting gimmicks and new debt. But every $100 million that the state borrows costs nearly $10 million a year in interest. Next year the formula-driven increases and the debt service will use the entire normal revenue increase--without any increases to any other program in state government.
In 1992, the Legislature--at Governor Symington's request--changed the process of filling a Senatorial vacancy from special election to appointment.
However, the Republic's Linda Valdez interviewed Terry Goddard about his future plans and the article included the quote below. She and Goddard are claiming that McCain could time his resignation in a way that forces a special election. Could that possibly be right? Someone help me out here.
If McCain wins the White House without first resigning his Senate seat, it will be filled by a Republican appointed by Napolitano. But if McCain decides to resign his Senate seat in the next few months -- something Goddard says he might do if he wants to exert influence over who his successor will be -- then a special election could bypass a Napolitano appointment.
Gannett hit another 10-year low this morning. Here's a chart for the last four years. If it was a ski run, it would be double diamond. (Golly, I'm feeling positively gleeful.)
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