# Arizona official may keep Obama off the ballot **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 19, 2012, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arizona-official-may-keep-obama-off-the-ballot/622398 "2012-05-19T05:06:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2012, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arizona-official-may-keep-obama-off-the-ballot/622398/21 "2012-05-20T01:06:52Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Oh no you don’t! > > The Phoenix area I live does have democratic representation and they show sanity (unfortunately they are usually in the minority in the Arizona congress), now if you could find a way to ship all the red areas to Mexico with the exception of a good chunk of Phoenix and Tucson you will be welcomed. Your in _Arizona_? You poor thing. I spent a wee bit of time there (studying at the Biosphere) and fell in love with the geology and in disgust of most of the people. Well, like you said parts of Tucson were mellower (Fourth street area I think) but overall it was one giant desert of intelligence. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2012, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arizona-official-may-keep-obama-off-the-ballot/622398/22 "2012-05-20T01:18:39Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Your in _Arizona_? You poor thing. I spent a wee bit of time there (studying at the Biosphere) and fell in love with the geology and in disgust of most of the people. Well, like you said parts of Tucson were mellower (Fourth street area I think) but overall it was one giant desert of intelligence. Well, it is getting better, even the Republicans did kick out the troglodyte Russell Pearce, the main jerk that sponsored SB 1070. In an historical recall, Jerry Lewis (R) (and that is no joke, that is his name) defeated him with lots of help from democrats, what I do see is that many business owners that are Republicans are indeed getting tired of the troglodyte mentality and their so called “help” that is affecting the bottom line: to attract business to Arizona. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2012, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arizona-official-may-keep-obama-off-the-ballot/622398/23 "2012-05-20T01:35:18Z")
Either way, you’re still not 'merkin enough if you don’t agree to cede from the Union. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arizona-official-may-keep-obama-off-the-ballot/622398/24 "2012-05-21T00:52:39Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Oh no you don’t! > > The Phoenix area I live does have democratic representation and they show sanity (unfortunately they are usually in the minority in the Arizona congress), now if you could find a way to ship all the red areas to Mexico with the exception of a good chunk of Phoenix and Tucson you will be welcomed. Is this the same Phoenix area that keeps electing Joe Arpaio again and again? ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arizona-official-may-keep-obama-off-the-ballot/622398/25 "2012-05-21T05:24:58Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > Is this the same Phoenix area that keeps electing Joe Arpaio again and again? I said that it is getting better, not that it is cured… of course there is a lot of medicine that is needed. Maricopa county is virtually where most of the population of Arizona resides, and there are many that still like to have a sheriff that tells them how good citizens they are even if they support an ignorant racist expensive liability as Joe is: > **[Is Joe Arpaio Beatable?](https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/is-joe-arpaio-beatable-6638259)** > > Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is 79 years old. He's also running for a sixth term as sheriff, as he announced yesterday."For all those critics that demonstrate in front of my office for three years, calling me every name in the book, I'm going... > [@](#): > > These are only a few of Arpaio’s many humiliations in 2011 (according to a poll we ran Tuesday, The Sex Crime Follies are what New Times readers find to be the most embarrassing). > > Let’s not forget the more than $50 million Arpaio’s cost Maricopa County taxpayers to defend him in lawsuits since America’s priciest sheriff took office in 1993, according to the County Risk Management Department. Or the roughly $100 million he “misspent” over the last eight years. > > To a rational person, voting for Arpaio – given his endless baggage – would be absurd. However, this is Maricopa County, where Arpaio’s been elected five times already – despite the lawsuits, the political witch hunts, the corruption, etc. As a commenter said, the cloud of stupid is still thick in Arizona, but as I said, it is just getting better, is just that in many areas it still needs to hit bottom, right now it is clear that Arpaio is beatable (latest polls on Arpaio show that in this subject Arizona \*\*is \*\*getting better), but it will be hard to find an opponent that would be willing to withstand the expected investigations and false accusations that the sheriff has used in the past to keep winning, the current federal investigation against Arpaio is very welcomed indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arizona-official-may-keep-obama-off-the-ballot/622398/26 "2012-05-21T05:26:59Z")
BTW, you _are_ writing the occasional letter to the editor down there, right? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arizona-official-may-keep-obama-off-the-ballot/622398/27 "2012-05-21T05:36:23Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > As a commenter said, the cloud of stupid is still thick in Arizona . . . And I was thinking of moving there for the air quality . . . ☹ (No, seriously, I’ve spent my whole life trying to get away from my hayfever. Too many oak trees in Florida.) ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arizona-official-may-keep-obama-off-the-ballot/622398/28 "2012-05-21T05:43:29Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > BTW, you _are_ writing the occasional letter to the editor down there, right? Well, let me put it this way: that is still very risky, even more when I’m Hispanic, you should be aware that even the the editors of the weekly independent magazine _The New Times_ who are critical of Arpaio were recently arrested on pumped or made up up charges (that were later dismissed) by Arpaio’s henchmen. My economical situation is getting better but it is not excellent yet. I would also need to get the support of local rights organizations, what I’m saying here is that I will do it with my name and in the open once I’m capable of affording a good lawyer or I manage to get local support. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arizona-official-may-keep-obama-off-the-ballot/622398/29 "2012-05-21T06:01:30Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Well, let me put it this way: that is still very risky, even more when I’m Hispanic, you should be aware that even the the editors of the weekly independent magazine _The New Times_ who are critical of Arpaio were recently arrested on pumped or made up up charges (that were later dismissed) by Arpaio’s henchmen. > > My economical situation is getting better but it is not excellent yet. I would also need to get the support of local rights organizations, what I’m saying here is that I will do it with my name and in the open once I’m capable of affording a good lawyer or I manage to get local support. . . . Just to write a letter to the editor?! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arizona-official-may-keep-obama-off-the-ballot/622398/30 "2012-05-21T06:04:54Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > . . . Just to write a letter to the editor?! :eek: Yes, specially when even editors are not safe from him… ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arizona-official-may-keep-obama-off-the-ballot/622398/31 "2012-05-21T06:19:24Z")
BTW, according to [_Mother Jones,_](http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/05/alec-unions-think-tanks) in a story about the relationship between hard-right think-tanks and ALEC, the [American Legislative Exchange Council](http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Alec) and their anti-union efforts: > [@](#): > > Before the union bills were approved at ALEC’s conference last weekend, some of them were sponsored in the Arizona and Michigan legislatures by ALEC members. “Arizona is a petri dish for extreme legislation,” says John Loredo, a Democrat and former minority leader in the state House of Representatives. > > The Arizona Legislature has one of the largest contingents of ALEC legislators in the country. The last eight Arizona Senate presidents have been ALEC members, including former Sen. Russell Pearce, who sponsored the SB 1070 immigration bill, which later became ALEC model legislation and is currently under review by the US Supreme Court. > > In the last legislative session, which ended May 3, the Phoenix-based Goldwater Institute advocated for a package of bills targeting public-sector unions that was sponsored by ALEC member Sen. Rick Murphy. The bills included the two introduced by Goldwater at ALEC’s Charlotte conference to prohibit paid union leave and require employees to authorize the deduction of union dues. > > None of the bills, though, became law in Arizona. Goldwater and union representatives squared off in testimony while the Legislature considered the bills. At a Senate committee hearing on SB 1485, which would have ended bargaining for public employees, Nick Dranias, the director of the think tank’s Center for Constitutional Government, said “collective-bargaining laws threaten the very foundation of our republic.” The committee recommended the bill for passage, but it did not come to a vote before the full Legislature. > > “We believe these bills are just a balancing measure,” says Goldwater president Darcy Olsen. “It doesn’t take away the voice of public employees, it just puts them on a par with the rest of the taxpaying citizens of Arizona.” > > A separate bill to restructure hiring and firing practices for public sector workers became law in May. Gov. Jan Brewer had vowed to make it a legislative priority at a Scottsdale ALEC summit in 2011. Sponsored by an ALEC member, Rep. Justin Olson, the law allows state employers to fire public-sector employees “at-will,” with no right to appeal. Today [Wisconsin,](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=633063) tomorrow Arizona . . . ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arizona-official-may-keep-obama-off-the-ballot/622398/32 "2012-05-21T06:59:49Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Well, let me put it this way: that is still very risky, even more when I’m Hispanic, you should be aware that even the the editors of the weekly independent magazine _The New Times_ who are critical of Arpaio were recently arrested on pumped or made up up charges (that were later dismissed) by Arpaio’s henchmen. You’ve got to be shitting me! And no one has sued him, or got HIM on charges of false arrests or anything like that? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arizona-official-may-keep-obama-off-the-ballot/622398/33 "2012-05-21T07:15:49Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > You’ve got to be shitting me! And no one has sued him, or got HIM on charges of false arrests or anything like that? Dunno about that incident in particular, but, [Arpaio has been sued](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=651579) (by the Justice Department) and one of [the counts](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/10/justice-department-joe-arpaio-lawsuit_n_1507098.html?ref=politics) is: > [@](#): > > **MCSO Arrests Arpaio Critics Expressing Their First Amendment Rights** > > The suit claims on multiple occasions that people were arrested for merely applauding against the office’s immigration policies. The judge presiding over the case of the arrestees found that the deputy who made the arrest “believes it is his role to make uncomfortable anyone who express[es] views that disagree with the sheriff” and that he had “trampled” over the First Amendment. The court acquitted them. Of course, this federal persecution is only retaliation for Arpaio [investigating Obama’s claims as to his birthplace . . .](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/01/joe-arpaio-investigation-obama-birth-certificate_n_1315022.html) ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arizona-official-may-keep-obama-off-the-ballot/622398/34 "2012-05-21T07:16:58Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > You’ve got to be shitting me! And no one has sued him, or got HIM on charges of false arrests or anything like that? Of course, that is where the more than 150 million dollars in legal costs to the government come from (with many lawsuits settled, AFAIK the New Times lawsuit is ongoing in the courts now); even with that cost, many do not care, that is why I mentioned before that many over here do not worry about cutting their noses to spite their faces. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arizona-official-may-keep-obama-off-the-ballot/622398/35 "2012-05-21T11:31:58Z")
I think a better question is “You’ve got to be shitting me. And no one has killed him?” I’m not suggesting someone should of course, but I’m flummoxed that no one has. Also, someone please correct me if I’m wrong, but if Arizona were to keep Obama off the ballot, wouldn’t they just forfeit their electoral votes? ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arizona-official-may-keep-obama-off-the-ballot/622398/36 "2012-05-21T12:25:42Z")
The AG of Arizona said he was making the birth certificate request because he had received 1200 emails asking him to do so. Perhaps the good people of Arizona should question the birthplace of everyone on their ballot. Maybe investigating the origins of all candidates would keep the AG busy enough so as to not cause trouble in other, actually important areas. And, if he declined to do so, would make good fodder for getting him out of office- provided there are enough reasonable people left in Arizona to vote him out. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arizona-official-may-keep-obama-off-the-ballot/622398/37 "2012-05-21T12:32:54Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > I don’t understand why the mainstream media is so quiet about all the voter suppression techniques the Republicans are using. Trying to keep Obama off the ballot is pretty blatant, but no less insidious than requiring driver’s licenses (which many students and seniors don’t have) and the like. No state requires driver’s licenses. Some states require voter ID. This requirement is perfectly constitutional, at least with respect to the federal constitution. And it’s a great idea. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arizona-official-may-keep-obama-off-the-ballot/622398/38 "2012-05-21T12:37:05Z")
As to the OP. Wow. Maybe there’s something I am missing about the AZ law. Maybe this official is truly powerless to refuse to act once, say, 1,000 e-mails have arrived. But c’mon. This is absurd. He doesn’t need to (again) contact the state officials in Hawaii. They have already answered this question 56 bazillion times. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arizona-official-may-keep-obama-off-the-ballot/622398/39 "2012-05-21T12:44:30Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Well, let me put it this way: that is still very risky, even more when I’m Hispanic, you should be aware that even the the editors of the weekly independent magazine _The New Times_ who are critical of Arpaio were recently arrested on pumped or made up up charges (that were later dismissed) by Arpaio’s henchmen. Are you referring to the 2007 arrest of Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin? How was this either pumped or made up charges? They admitted what they did. They called it an act of civil disobedience: > [@](#): > > It is, we fear, the authorities’ belief that what you are about to read here is against the law to publish. But there are moments when civil disobedience is merely the last option. We pray that our judgment is free of arrogance. Can you explain what you mean? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arizona-official-may-keep-obama-off-the-ballot/622398/40 "2012-05-21T17:29:09Z")
**Bricker** , I wonder if you could link to the source of the quote above? Thanks. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arizona-official-may-keep-obama-off-the-ballot/622398.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arizona-official-may-keep-obama-off-the-ballot/622398.md?page=3)