Do you miss the days of Ronald Reagan and Tip O’Neill where our political leaders used to be able to work in a bipartisan fashion? Indeed it would be nice going back to the good ol’ Reagan and Tip O’Neill days and breaking partisan gridlock to do the jobs Americans voted and pay them to do.

More than ever we need to go back to working on solutions….shedding the partisanship. We need to go back to the Ronald Reagan and Tip O’Neill days. We are hungry for that. We can no longer support the Tea Party and those who chant Hell No to everything. Americans want politicians to do what they are paid to do and work with each other across the political aisle for what is in the best interest of the United States. More Tea Party supporters have proven to be divisive with their “Hell No” to everything approach and it is destroying the unity message we yearn for because a house divided will not stand.

One of the great modern rivalries in American politics was between President Reagan and the then Speaker of the House, Tip O’Neill. If Reagan believed that government was the problem—O’Neill, an unreconstructed New Dealer—believed it could be the solution. Yet these two very different politicians—from rival parties and with opposing philosophies of government—were able to bridge the gulf between them, often with cordiality—and always with civility.

Reagan summed up their relationship when—after one of their famous St. Patrick Day lunches—he wrote in his diary: “Tip is a real pol…[he can] be a friend while politically trying to beat your head in.”

These days, it appears our Nation has gone to the extreme and to the fringe groups.

Here is why you should support prop 121:

Prop 121, the Open Elections Open Government citizen’s initiative, will establish a “Top Two” election system in Arizona.

Arizonans, indeed ALL Americans, are clamoring for change to our current election process that seems to yield little these days beyond partisan sniping and gridlock. Most voters feel our government is broken because our election system is broken.

Prop 121, the Open Elections Open Government Act, will do away with current partisan primary elections in Arizona in which only a limited number of voters now participate and are only permitted to cast ballots for the candidates from one party.

In its place there will be a primary election open to ALL voters and ALL candidates. The top two candidates from that election—regardless of political party—will then face off in the November run-off election. Prop 121 will affect county, state and federal elections (except presidential) and candidates will be permitted to indicate party preference on the ballot if they so choose.

The result of Prop 121 is a “Top Two Primary” in which every voter will be permitted to vote in both the Primary and General Election. Voters will have real choices, with candidates who better represent all the people of Arizona rather than just the extreme views of narrow interests, the political bosses, and lobbyists. Forms of the top two election system have already been successfully established in several states.

Prop 121 is opposed by political bosses and lobbyists who like things just the way they are, and who fought, but fortunately failed, to prevent you from voting on this important amendment.

We urge you to join with respected community leaders from across our state who are tired of hyper-partisanship and want our government to work for us.

Vote YES on Prop 121.

Read the full text of the initiative to learn more and provide feedback.

Arizona is infamous for being extreme, and this is precisely why I believe power should be taken from both Party bosses and more power should be given to the People via independent voters.

The Arizona Republic Recommends a “Yes” Vote on Prop 121

Editorial Opinion – The Arizona Republic – 10/11/2012

Barbara Coe is a nativist who is vitriolic, conspiracy-minded and just plain mean, Coe routinely refers to Mexicans as “savages.”

The OC Weekly has the pulse of anti-immigrant activists in California and in their below story they discuss Barbara Coe’s ‘barbaric’ stance when she said this of

Nativist Barbara Coe

Joaquin Luna (DREAM Act student) who took his life the day after Thanksgiving Day.

“….This is just another PR stunt promoting an Illegal Alien AMNESTY…if this illegal alien kid was so mentally deranged he could not not live without American taxpayer ‘freebees’, so be it.” — Barbara Coe

It’s unfortunate for Barbara Coe to refer to the Joaquin’s suicide as a PR stunt.

She thinks this is a stunt?  Oh really?

Wow.  Just wow.

I’m certain the Joaquin Luna family is suffering enough as it is, and instead of Barbara reaching out to the Joaquin Luna family, she would rather get her panties in a bunch and launch horrendous and false accusations against this hurting family.

The reality is this:  The Joaquin Luna family goes beyond their own family’s grief.  It is their wish to prevent any further deaths of American DREAMers which is why we are asking Congress to pass an emergency DREAM Act before they take their “Merry” vacations filled with sugar plums at the end of this year and in the memory of Joaquin.

Senators who supported the DREAM Act under the Bush administration but not now under the Obama administration ought to be ashamed of themselves for  using immigration as a political game.  They have blood on their hands and may the memory of Joaquin Luna haunt them into doing the right thing.  We are tired of seeing a Republican majority Congress drag their feet when a Democratic President is in power, and we are also tired of seeing a Democratic majority Congress drag their feet when a Republican President is in power.  On a side note, this would be a good time for the Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison to take a compassionate female lead on this issue and right the wrong particularly when the suicide occurred in her state.  It is not wrong to show compassion to infants, children and our youth.  How ’bout going back to the good ol’ Reagan and Tip O’Neill days and breaking partisan gridlock to do the jobs Americans voted and pay them to do.

Joaquin Luna’s family states:

“As the family of Joaquin Luna, we want the DREAM Act to pass so we can help a lot of people that want to go to school and become somebody.  We are all the same in God’s eyes. ” -Marie Ana Mendoza

My suggestion to Barbara Coe is for her to reach out the Joaquin Luna family and find out how she can help her fellow mankind rather than spit on Joaquin’s grave.

From OC Weekly:

Barbara Coe Ridicules Suicide of Undocumented High School Student Despondent Over His Legal Status

<snip>

Good people in this country were shocked that Luna–an 18-year-old high school student from Texas–committed suicide recently andd left behind a note stating the reason: because he faced next-to-no future as an undocumented youth in country that refuses to accept such Americans as, well, Americans.

Read entire article here:  http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2011/12/joaquin_luna_barbara_coe.php

The Russell Pearce Special Elections is historic and crucial to what will set the direction of our country beginning Tuesday night, November 8, 2011.  Russell Pearce sponsored the very fist anti-immigrant law via SB 1070 that sparked similar state laws across the nation. If Pearce loses tomorrow, this will decrease the anti-immigrant and anti-Latino momentum as the anti-immigrant crowd continues to get seen for their bigotry.

Here is my prediction.  Republican Candidate Jerry Lewis will beat Russell Pearce by 7 points.

Right now the City of Mesa, Arizona, is divided.  Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS)  recently caught up with the Utah LDS news regarding how the Mormon or LDS church views the immigration issue.  In fact, the LDS Church issued a statement for their support of the Utah Compact.   The Church regards the declaration of the Utah Compact as a responsible approach to the urgent challenge of immigration reform.

In addition to the Utah LDS news catching up with the Mesa LDS community, we saw Russell Pearce experience a financial scandal via the FIESTA BOWL.   He refused to answer the questions the public had of him with regard to the shady under-the-table financial dealings and what possible political perks he received with that.

When Pearce thought he was above the law with regard to the nasty financial scandal, the community started to pay attention and scrutinize him more carefully.

Next came the infamous Olivia Cortes scandal in which Russell Pearce supporters and Tea Party supporters took advantage of a fellow Latina and Mormon.  Cortes by her own testimony confessed that she was not politically educated on how to run campaigns.  She turned over her campaign and relied upon a Tea Party Chairman, Greg Western, where they were able to get her name on the ballot in an effort to siphon votes from Latinos.

Using Olivia Cortes was extremely frowned upon within the LDS community in Mesa, and the dirty tactics of the Pearce supporters ripped Mormon relationships further.  Good members of the LDS Church were beginning to see the Tea Party and Pearce supporters’ divisiveness.

Now fast forward to what occurred this past weekend before the November 8, 2011 — days before Tuesday night election day.

Russell Pearce was invited by the largest Hispanic Republican group in the nation to attend a FIRESIDE ON IMMIGRATION  and the ARIZONA COMPACT debate with a fellow member of the LDS Church.  Not only did Pearce not show up to the fireside in Mesa, he did not have the courtesy to respond to multiple emails and requests.  In fact, a letter was hand delivered to the State Senate Capitol offices and the Security Officer ensured that Senator Pearce’s office would be in receipt of it.  Without Russell Pearce attending, the FIRESIDE ON IMMIGRATION discussion continued at the Mesa Public Library  on November 5th, 2011,  and the video can be seen here.  Daryl Williams is a prominent commercial trial lawyer and he gave an attorney-like presentation with regard to why Pearce stands on the wrong side of American history.  Folks like Daryl help to repair bad images that Pearce has created within the  GOP and the LDS community. In fact, Daryl believes there should be no room for restrictionists and isolationists within the Party that claims to be for free markets and capitalism.

The plot thickens, as Russell Pearce supporters decide to target more Hispanic Democratic/Independent voters in a last ditch attempt to siphon more Latino votes away from Jerry Lewis.   A robocall instructing Mesa voters to “protest” the Russell Pearce/Jerry Lewis Senate election has many Latinos claiming “voter deception”.  The robocall was blasted on ABC Phoenix News and this brought more attention to dirty election tricks by the Pearce supporters.  The LDS Community continued to pay close attention to this because Pearce is one of their own.

There is a clear and consistent common denominator throughout this Russell Pearce political mess:

1. Pearce refuses to address the FIESTA BOWL financial contribution(s) scandal.
2. Pearce supporters have proven themselves to be the type of people that enjoy stepping on Latinos with their constant disrespect of us.  It is no surprise particularly when Pearce is on record for welcoming Operation Wetback, and Hispanics are tired of being taken advantage of.

Perhaps all of this could have been avoided had Pearce not taken us back to a period that predates the Civil Rights era.  We told him to avoid ethnic slurs such as “Operation Wetback“, but he doesn’t think the term “Wetback” is demeaning.

We cannot wait until tomorrow’s results.

It’s been long and grueling for many of us who have worked in front of the scenes and behind the scenes.  We long for the days when Ronald Reagan and Tip O’Neill were both able to work across the aisle solving tough issues.

In fact, Reagan and O’Neil served as a model to break partisan gridlock.

We miss those days.  Unity is the American way.

Many of us want to put partisan politics aside and fix issues, but the only way we can do that effectively is by learning how to work with each other across the aisle.

The Arizona Republic gave a good explanation in a story today with regard to how the Russell Pearce Recall and Special Elections climate evolved into what it is today.  Take note because tomorrow will record an important day that will be marked down in our history books as we continue to defend that Shining City on a Hill for many of us who believe immigrants have made and will continue to make this nation great.

Then, in January, two groups launched efforts to force Pearce into a midterm recall election. One, Arizonans for Better Government, was allied with Somos Republicans, which represents Latino Republican interests.

Their reasons? Pearce’s “overt disdain for the United States Constitution” and “history of action on immigration issues.”

In time, that group allied itself with Citizens for a Better Arizona.

To force a recall, the organizers needed 7,756 valid petition signatures from registered voters in District 18. Few pundits gave them a chance; no Arizona lawmaker, and no Senate president anywhere in the country, had ever been recalled.

But throughout the winter and spring, Pearce’s political problems mounted.

- The Senate rejected five new immigration bills that he was pushing.

- An internal investigation revealed that Pearce received $39,347 worth of trips and game tickets from the Fiesta Bowl, which was enmeshed in a scandal over political contributions and financial misconduct. As of July, Pearce had repaid $1,417, but he said the trips were necessary to help promote Arizona’s football industry.   <snip>On Tuesday, it ends.

After all the court action, after all the bickering over campaign signs and all the accusations and insinuations, the voters in Mesa’s District 18 will have their quiet say at the ballot box.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/articles/2011/11/07/20111107mesa-recall-lewis-recall-election-preview11052.html#ixzz1d3BzB7OR