Arizona Governor Race 2010

[dalej42]

With the federal government suing Arizona over the immigration law, will that take illegal immigration away as a hot button issue? I'm sure it will fire up the tea party folk, but they're voting R anyway.

Republican Jan Brewer used the immigration issue as a way to run to the right while simultaneously supporting a sales tax increase. The city of Phoenix has also rammed through an unpopular 2% tax on food and will begin charging for parking at local parks as well.

Brewer had nothing to do with the City of Phoenix tax increases, but I wonder if the anti incumbent mood will make the Arizona governor's race a lot more interesting. Democrat Terry Goddard has been pretty much invisible this summer, but as we move into fall, I wouldn't be surprised to see his campaign pick up momentum as the immigration bill is locked up in courts and residents have been hit with all the tax increases and service cuts.

[Really Not All That Bright]

Sales tax increases shouldn't be a problem for Republicans; they're regressive.

[Randvek]

Sales tax increases shouldn't be a problem for Republicans; they're regressive.

I don't know if the average voter can tell the difference between a progressive and a regressive tax, though.

[2ply]

Wasn't the sales tax increased passed by a referendum? I don't see how she is going to face a problem from voters for supporting a tax increase most voters approved.

[The Understander]

Wasn't the sales tax increased passed by a referendum? I don't see how she is going to face a problem from voters for supporting a tax increase most voters approved.

Yeah, but the voters will now pay that tax, repeatedly, and it's months to the election. You think the body politic is gonna remember their vote? The body politic doesn't even remember that they supported massive change in health care policy once the punditocracy and poll wizards began their work.

The calculus is thus:

What happened? Taxes went up. Who's the governor? Jan Brewer. That's all we need to know.

[PackLeader]

What would happen if nobody voted at all? What would happen if everyone simply stopped recognizing the government as an authority? I wager actual freedom and personal responsibility would become reality.

[Cisco]

The city of Phoenix will begin charging for parking at local parks as well.
Wait, WHAT?

Link?

I haven't heard a word about this. I take my kid to parks all over town all the time.

[Really Not All That Bright]

What would happen if nobody voted at all? What would happen if everyone simply stopped recognizing the government as an authority? I wager actual freedom and personal responsibility would become reality.
Translation: we'd descend into anarchy and lots of people would be murdered.

[Simplicio]

What would happen if nobody voted at all? What would happen if everyone simply stopped recognizing the government as an authority? I wager actual freedom and personal responsibility would become reality.

Yea, if there's one thing that stands in the way of freedom and personal responsibility, its....people participating in democratic elections?

[dalej42]

Wait, WHAT?

Link?

I haven't heard a word about this. I take my kid to parks all over town all the time.

Story (http://www.azcentral.com/community/ahwatukee/articles/2010/07/10/20100710phoenix-park-preserve-parking-fee.html)

[Cisco]

Story (http://www.azcentral.com/community/ahwatukee/articles/2010/07/10/20100710phoenix-park-preserve-parking-fee.html)

God damn that frosts my ass. What kills me is that I always bring up hiking Camelback and Squaw as awesome things to do for free in Phoenix. :mad:

[dalej42]

This race just got a whole lot more interesting. I wonder how far Brewer is likely to go in her campaign ads now that the courts have temporarily struck down SB 1070. She'll have to turn the general election into a referendum on SB 1070. That should work but I wonder how the bill's supporters are going to react? A few more stories like Pinal County sherrif Paul Babeu calling up white supremacists or other such acts could turn off the moderate Republicans.

[Cisco]

I know a woman whose husband is managing Brewer's campaign. She's ridiculously confident of victory, but she admits that a lot of Brewer's likely voters are extremely pissed about Prop 100 (a penny sales tax to fund police, schools, and fire depts-- if you're pissed about that you should be claw-punched in the balls by an angry Kodiak bear.)

It seems to me that Goddard's only prayer (and it's a small one) is for the Tea Bagging idealogues to stay home.

[Merijeek]

What would happen if nobody voted at all? What would happen if everyone simply stopped recognizing the government as an authority? I wager actual freedom and personal responsibility would become reality.
Translation: we'd descend into anarchy and lots of people would be murdered.

Translation: Join Date, July 2010.

-Joe