Final Tally and Editorial on Stop Brewercare

[Arizona Freedom Alliance]

From URAPC, a partial publishing of the official Press Release sent September 11, 2013.  If you gathered petitions, you got the full release directly from URAPC:

Press Release                                     September 11, 2013   The United Republican Alliance of Principled Conservatives has collected 81,349 signatures to put the Referendum on the Obamacare Medicaid Expansion on the ballot falling just thousands short of the 86,405 necessary to make it on the ballot.   Governor Brewer’s Team can declare a victory against the Republican Precinct Committeemen and the Principled Conservatives across the entire state of Arizona that stand on the Republican Party Plank: Repeal Obamacare. An unprecedented $364,000 was spent to cause confusion amongst voters and to hire professional blockers to intimidate petition signers and ensure a victory for big government.

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AFA commends Christine Bauserman for having the guts and the will to launch this gargantuan effort to give the people of Arizona the right to vote whether to raise taxes on workers/voters. We all know that the Governor imposed what is surely an illegal "hospital bed tax" on sick people in Arizona. She did it just like all the Democrats do it.... at 3:00 am with the help of 100% of the Democrats in the House and Senate and 15 liberal Republicans.

Is this what we elected this Governor to do? Did the people of Arizona elect a registered Republican to govern like a Democrat?

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Musings on the project:  somewhere between 600-1000 patriots in Arizona donated a full summer, their time and treasure to help Arizonans avoid yet another tax, an expanded welfare program, putting hundreds of thousands of people under the heavy thumb of the government.  These people put up with abuse from the Governor of the State of Arizona.  Here's the reality of how that went down:

Let's draw a contrast between the Democrats' effort to challenge HB2305 at the ballot box and the Conservatives effort to challenge an expansion of government at the ballot box.

1.  The Democrats were dedicated to their cause.  The Democrat leadership and the wealthy Democrats around the country donated the money needed to gather 146,028 signatures to be able to continue voter fraud in Arizona.  It is estimated that they spent in the neighborhood of $400,000 or more to do that.  The Dems know they can't win if they have to compete on ideas in order to win.  They fail at competing fairly, the way the system was designed to work, and they are more than willing to throw everything they have at keeping a fraudulent voting system in place.  That is the Democrat platform and they follow it religiously!

2.  The Republicans were NOT dedicated to adhere to the Republican platform: less government intrusion, lower taxes, adherence to the Constitution.  The Republican leadership did not support these principles that were all violated in the medicaid expansion debacle.  Not at the National level, not at the State level and not among wealthy Republicans who could have donated.  The Governor spent $364,000 to thwart her own party.  THAT is where the private money went!!  The AZGOP Chairman, Robert Graham, defied the very precinct committeemen who put him in office by refusing to help with this petition drive.  No state money.  No supportive emails encouraging these PCs to get in the battle.  No press conferences called in support of the efforts of grassroots Republicans.  And most of the precinct committeemen who are also charged with the responsibility of upholding the principles of the party platform also did not help.  Score 1 more for the Democrats!

3.  We seem to have a one party system in Arizona: the Liberal Party.  It would be good to just put their courage behind their views and all get together to have a kumbaya moment and form a formal Liberal Party.  At least, that would be the honest route to take instead of hiding behind a mantle of conservatism or even moderation!  At least the Democrats are honest enough to come right out and say they are in the business of taking over the people and put them under the control of government!

4.  If the state of Arizona is going to be a conservative state, we, the grassroots, must draw the line between these two-for-one philosophies.  And then we must get out and fight for what is needed to have a conservative state.  The Democrats do it but the Republicans and conservatives take a hands-off approach.  The 10% of people in Arizona who are activist grassroots cannot do it alone.  It's time to join the side you are on!

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Reports on the ground:  no one wants to go on the record - so take this report for what it is worth:

It has been reported that the counting of the petition signatures was "sloppy" at best.  AFA did not participate in that effort so we report, you decide.  It is clear that it was not done scientifically and it was happening on the fly.  Mistakes occur under these circumstances.  That's a given.  Arizona Freedom Alliance is disappointed that the petitions were handled in what many have called "a casual way" and were not sufficiently checked and re-checked for accurate numbers.  To be sure, it's a difficult process and it requires people to do that properly.  However, URAPC organizers told us time and again that this was a one person operation.  We question the wisdom of that type of management.  These petitions were not turned in to the Arizona Secretary of State.  Reasons were given for that and those reasons were disputed by others.  We question the wisdom for that as well.

What AFA does know for an absolute fact is this: people worked very hard to gather these signatures.  99% took that job seriously and could not have done anything more than they did. THEY are the real heros of this petition drive!!! 

But, 1% took a casual approach and did not turn in their petitions in time to be counted!  That may well have been the number of signatures that would have put this drive over the top.  That is a moral violation of what they pledged to do when they had citizens sign the petitions.

Nonetheless, this was likely one of the most successful citizen's referendum petition drives in the history of Arizona because it was a citizens, grassroots effort.  So all of you who were so dedicated, take a well deserved bow! 

Disclaimer: This is the opinion of the editor and does not necessarily represent the views of the membership.

[Angie Anderson]

Reported today that Goldwater will file a lawsuit against Governor Brewer regarding among other things, the methods used to pass the Medicaid expansion. Thank you for a thoughtful analysis. I am proud of Christine Bauserman, Frank Antenori and Ron Gould. Thank you, patriots, for giving us the fight! We fight on.

[J Sipes]

 

      What happened to getting signatures at Chase Field ?? That place is really big. I thought that would have been the bulk of getting enough signatures needed .

[Angie Anderson]

Were you there? Wish I could have been!

Many days outside the Green Valley library gathering signatures left me with a sore butt which relieved the pain in the butt I got from Governor Brewer!

[Joanne Daley]

LOL---two thumbs up Angie!! thank you!!!

[Joanne Daley]

Your analysis is spot on.  When the party will not adhere to their own platform you do not have a legitimate party.  This effort was totally grassroots and it is a huge victory for the boots on the ground but it is revealing about the Republicans.  It is time to pick a side and take a stand.  If you want to get the message across do the only thing the AZGOP recognizes--numbers! Re-register IND or NPD and step down as a PC.

Robert Graham showed up at the East Valley Meeting last Thursday and got up with the Tea Party Leaders and Activists spouting how the grassroots needs to get together on the same page and become PC's to change the party..........   REALLY??  where was he during this petition drive??  where was he when the LD's were all condemning the actions of the Gov??    like I said   re-register and step down.

[jfreden]

Your article is spot on.  We needed to know 2-3 weeks out what the tally was so we knew what we needed to do to succeed.  I had heard the goal was 120,000 to ensure we made the 86,000 required.  I never heard a word about 'progress' - just 'we're meeting our goals'.  Apparently not.  It could have been done....with good information. 

 

Same sentiment GRASSROOTS all the way!