Tucson Citizen Endorses Failure.
The Tucson Citizen, in a 466-word editorial, endorsed failure; in other words, they endorsed Janet for re-election as governor.
Let's look at their "reasoning" for this stunning endorsement.
“Education has been Napolitano's signature issue during her four years at the state's helm.”
Yep, Janet said she would give us her best on education. Unfortunately, she did. And her best took AZ education from 44th to 50th in the nation. With another four years, who knows how low she can take us. Is 51st out of the question?
“She is a stalwart supporter of increased funding for higher education and has played a key role in establishing the Phoenix campus of the University of Arizona College of Medicine.”
Yep, because more money is ALWAYS the answer. Have a problem? Have a Democrat throw more at it. When was the last time you heard a Liberal/Democrat/Progressive say, “no, we have enough money?” Sorry, did I miss hell freezing over? Nope, didn’t miss it.
“It is tempting to wonder what more Napolitano could have accomplished had she been working with a Legislature that was tuned in with her progressive thinking.”
Tempting? No frightening. One can only imagine how much damage she could wreck upon the AZ taxpayers’ finances with a tuned in Legislature. Heck, she had a tuned out Legislature and we still got stuck with a 20%+ budget increase.
As for “her progressive thinking”, that is just code for LIBERAL that Liberals/Janet/Democrats hide behind because they know that their LIBERAL philosophy isn’t accepted by the AZ voters. I am a conservative who believes in limited government, economic freedom and personal responsibility. What is Janet afraid of so that she hides her beliefs? Just the Truth and AZ’s voters.
“She has had to fight hard for everything she has wanted and it is testament to her political acumen than she has won more than she has lost.”
Yep, she’s a great politician. Like we need more of that. How about some leadership? Not from this Governor.
“legislators crammed a limited voucher program down Napolitano's throat. It is a camel's nose under the tent that we strongly oppose”
Oppose? Of course, Janet knows better than parents how to spend their money and what constitutes a better education. Her Government always knows best.
“Munsil also wants to cut the state income tax by 10 percent a year until it is eliminated. That sounds swell on the surface. But the income tax brings in one-third of the state general fund. What spending would Munsil cut? Education? Health care? Prisons? Most discretionary spending goes into one of those areas.”
Won’t mention that the Munsil plan to eliminate taxes takes longer than he could conceivable serve as Governor. But as to the possible spending cuts in Education, Health care, and Prisons, how about all them! The Citizen’s premise is based on the LIBERAL fallacy that all government spending is spent wisely, appropriately, and necessarily.
“Munsil also hammers Napolitano for not doing more to battle illegal immigration. He would use state funds for border radar, more National Guardsmen and forming a special border unit of the state police.”
Won’t mention that the Munsil plan sounds like Barry’s plan that was published months before Munsil proposed any solutions. And this is just more of Janet talking about a problem and not doing anything about it other than wringing her hands and passing the buck. “Oh, woe is me” is not effective leadership, but it is what we get from Janet, and not just on the border either.
“Also running is Libertarian Barry Hess, who sought the office four years ago. Hess is intelligent and sincere. But we can't agree with his ideas.”
What ideas? It’s not like the Tucson Citizen covered Barry’s ideas and fulfilled their civic and moral duties as journalists to present the facts, all the facts, to their readers so that Arizona’s voter would be an informed electorate.
“He wants to eliminate the income tax immediately and replace it with "smaller government." That's too vague an idea for anyone to realistically buy into.”
I’m sorry, what part of immediately does the Citizen not understand? Guess they don’t know what the meaning of “is” is either.
In endorsing Janet, and through their “rationale”, it can only be concluded that The Tucson Citizen does not understand the role of a limited government as constrained by the Bill of Rights under the United States and Arizona Constitutions.
Here is the entire flawed article:
Our Opinion: Arizona needs Napolitano's vision and ideas
Janet Napolitano has been a strong supporter of education and has the knowledge to lead Arizona for the next four years.
There are some political races this November in which an endorsement is difficult because both candidates are qualified.
The race for governor is not one of those contests.
There are three people running. But only one - Democratic incumbent Janet Napolitano - has the qualifications, the understanding of state government the knowledge of Arizona and, most important, the vision to be governor.
Education has been Napolitano's signature issue during her four years at the state's helm. She battled a recalcitrant Legislature to win state funding for all-day kindergarten.
She is a stalwart supporter of increased funding for higher education and has played a key role in establishing the Phoenix campus of the University of Arizona College of Medicine.
It is tempting to wonder what more Napolitano could have accomplished had she been working with a Legislature that was tuned in with her progressive thinking. She has had to fight hard for everything she has wanted and it is testament to her political acumen than she has won more than she has lost.
Vouchers is one of the defining issues that separate Napolitano's vision from that of the Legislature - and from her chief opponent, Republican Len Munsil.
As part of this year's budget negotiations, legislators crammed a limited voucher program down Napolitano's throat. It is a camel's nose under the tent that we strongly oppose - but one that Napolitano said she swallowed to avoid a protracted budget fight.
Munsil supports vouchers, and if he is elected governor, he and legislators would go on a voucher binge that would be devastating to public schools, not to mention questions about its constitutionality.
Munsil also wants to cut the state income tax by 10 percent a year until it is eliminated. That sounds swell on the surface. But the income tax brings in one-third of the state general fund. What spending would Munsil cut? Education? Health care? Prisons? Most discretionary spending goes into one of those areas.
He brings up the unspecified "waste and duplication" chestnuts and says he is confident the economy will grown fast enough that new state tax revenues from other realms will replace it. We doubt that.
Munsil also hammers Napolitano for not doing more to battle illegal immigration. He would use state funds for border radar, more National Guardsmen and forming a special border unit of the state police. We don't think Arizonans should pay twice for this - federal and state taxes.
Also running is Libertarian Barry Hess, who sought the office four years ago. Hess is intelligent and sincere. But we can't agree with his ideas.
He wants to eliminate the income tax immediately and replace it with "smaller government." That's too vague an idea for anyone to realistically buy into.
The Tucson Citizen endorses Janet Napolitano for re-election as governor.
