It’s been a busy week for the Arizona Democratic Party and our new chair, Andrei Cherny. It’s also been an important week as we set the tone for the party’s new direction and provide a strong message to counter the Russell Pearce Republicans who run the state Capitol.

One of the things Andrei has asked us to do, based on conversations with many of you, is to help Democrats be more assertive in getting our message out. We need your help – at backyard BBQs, in the grocery store aisle, in talking to your friends. So, moving forward, we will begin providing weekly talking points to statewide PCs every Friday, in order to help unify and strengthen our message as Arizona Democrats. Here are some basic talking points for this week:

On what Arizona Democrats stand for:

• Today in Arizona, Democrats represent Arizona’s mainstream, while the Russell Pearce Republicans represent only the extreme.
• Just this week, while Arizona’s economy keeps sinking, the Russell Pearce Republicans introduced a so-called “birther bill,” cited Roe v. Wade as a cause of the Tucson attacks, and are seeking to undermine the basic idea that everyone born in America is equal to anyone else.
• The Arizona Democratic Party is now the “big tent” party where Democrats, independents and fed-up Republicans can work together to move our state forward.
• Arizona Democrats are focused on what really matters to Arizonans — a stronger economy, safer streets, and better schools.
• The Russell Pearce Republicans are stuffing more kids in each classroom and kicking kids off healthcare. They’re taking cops off our streets and letting criminals out of jail and back into our communities. They’ve sold our state Capitol to big banks in New York, and they haven’t lifted a finger to help create jobs.

On the 14th Amendment bills:

• First of all, Arizona Democrats believe illegal immigration is wrong and are in favor of strong measures to crack down on the smuggling rings and cartels that are driving this problem.
• At a time when Arizona should be fighting for a stronger future, the Russell Pearce Republicans want to refight the Civil War. When we should be striding into the 21st century, their motto seems to be “Bring Back the Worst Ideas of the 19th Century.”
• These GOP bills are un-American and go against the very idea of America — anyone born here is as American as anyone else.
• This legislation is a waste of taxpayer money and it solves nothing. It’s also a glaring example of the wrong priorities of the Russell Pearce Republicans.
• Their obsession with frivolous legislation is an insult to all those Arizonans who are losing their jobs, their homes or their health care.

I want to thank everyone and encourage everyone moving forward.  Thirty-eight days before an election, we pulled together this event on top of every other walk, conference, fundraiser, political action and during the midst of all that we are being bombarded with on the national scene–rush to bailout like the rush to war. Dr. Phillips was an interesting speaker. He was passionate about what he found, and I am looking forward to hearing him on Cynthia’s show today. Dr Phillips started his efforts downloading election results using a dial-up modem.His message was clear, citizen activism and honest political leaders helped dig out the truth in Ohio.

Problems that he discovered:

* Prepunched ballots

* Tampering using stickers on optical scan ballots

* Anomalies in the ballots with people voting distinctly contradictory ways on the same ballot–in favor of gay marriage and a Bush supporter

* Married couples in the same household voting in different precincts.

* Electronic votes fading away

* Uncounted provisional ballots because they were cast in the wrong precinct

* Hacking the vote in Miami County and elsewhere

* Homeland security alert in Warren County that barred reporters and others from watching the vote count

Dr Phillips Conclusions:

* The ballots need to be paper and hand counted at the precincts on election night in full public view

* The Democratic Party was an accessory to the Republican crime and is unwilling to challenge the system that sustains them as well when they are in power, making the major political parties obsolete

* The Libertarian and Green parties challenged the Ohio election

* We have an illegitimate government because our elections are unverifiable. Gerrymandered districts, and outrageously expensive campaign financing compound the problem.

At the event:

* He proposed an election day holiday or weekend voting but did not think vote by mail was the answer due to the long chain of custody issue.

A number of us worked several weekends to develop the workshops.   Cathy, Judy, Randall, and Dan worked especially hard on workshop material and getting materials printed.  Toby, Doris, Virginia, and Cynthia worked on printing and getting the word out with websites and flyers.  We had the technical expertise of Barry, Fran and Dan. John and Jim have been working hard to bring transparency to Pima County Elections and export their expertise and resources to Maricopa County.   Thank you all.

As Cathy Kladis always ends her emails.

PEACE

Keep the faith and keep up the good fight!!!
Carol