Whew, I'm still running around doing interview after interview, debate after debate... and that isn't counting the hours of planning and hard work behind the scenes.
Here are a few of the many radio interviews that were done recently:

Joe Crummey of KFYI - visit him for more!

Todd Hartley of PHXNews - visit them for more!

For Immediate Release

Hess Raising Funds To Combat Media Bias in the Arizona Republic 

The Hess for Governor campaign today announced a new fund raising effort to purchase radio and print ads specifically attacking the blatant and shameless media bias of the Arizona Republic, the newspaper of record in Arizona.

Proceeds from this fund raising drive will be used to purchase spots in reputable media sources that have fulfilled their civic and moral duty to completely, accurately, and fairly report on the race for Governor of Arizona.  These funds will not be used to attack the position or programs of Janet Napolitano (D) or Len Munsil (R).   The ads will specifically target the media bias and the way the Arizona Republic has abused the right the public has to all of the facts about all of the candidates, and not just those that support the Republic's editorial biases and desire to steer government policy and public opinion.  

Donations will be collected via the website at http://hessforgovernor.com/donate.

Political Corruption

Americans of all backgrounds are sick and tired of the growing problem of political corruption and abuse. Every day more and more examples of the abuse of power by elected and appointed officials hit the newsstands. These problems are epidemic in both the Democratic and the Republican parties.

 

The House Bank -- set up with bipartisan support -- was supposed to be a convenient way for busy congressmen to cash their paychecks. What it turned out to be was a scam for many congressmen -- a way to write bad checks often totalling more than a congressman's pay. If you or I did this at our local bank, we would be subject to criminal prosecution and fines in most states. Why should congressmen allow themselves to do something wrong? Should we be surprised that a group of people who cannot balance their own checkbooks cannot balance our national budget?

This nebulous has been touted as an issue. But do not be fooled, it is an issue without definition. I believe that we must first define the problem, the goals we seek to achieve and finally to implement a strategy reasonably assured of success. If our goal is to insure the fair and honest election of representatives for the people, then we absolutely must remove the possibility of intervention of foreign interests and the incentives for artificial entities to seek influence. This demands that we treat all persons the same without exception. This concept goes hand-in-hand with special interest and lobbyist problems.

“Sham”paign Finance Reform, Just Another Dirty Trick It was just another patronizing softball interview on the local Clear Channel station by the nearly forgettable host, but something made me stay tuned in. Though I wanted something more substantive I held off on slipping in a favorite Bob Dylan CD. The familiar double-tongued babble of a seasoned career politician came across the airwaves. His mutterings were made all the more difficult to hear because of the constant glutial smooching the interviewer engaged in at every lull. The subject of the interview was trying to make his Senate bill, The Incumbent Protection Act, sound necessary in order to ‘clean up’ politics—even if it meant squelching a fundamental right to free speech.

I had to go to countless forums, symposiums, panel discussions and rallies, both for and against Arizona’s Clean Elections law, to get a grip on the major mis/perceptions, good intentions, justifications and motivations of those involved, but I think I finally have.

At an event at the (Barry) Goldwater Institute, I got the final piece of the puzzle from the head honcho of the bureaucracy created to implement and oversee this new function of government.  I needed to know the justification for continuing on with a program that did not show us the immediate and substantial improvements in candidate choices we were told we would see by its original promoters. 

Keeping my campaign money clean

Mar. 9, 2006 12:00 AM

It was more than a little disturbing to have supporters call to ask if I was going to accept money stolen from the people of Arizona to fund my campaign.

The confusion stemmed from the recent article "50 parties in 50 hours for election cash" (Political Insider, Monday).

For the record, I am not even considering trying to con the public into believing that as a candidate I will lessen their burdens by taking their money.

Unfortunately for Arizona, it would seem that both of the other parties have abandoned all pretense to principles, and I remain (as far as I know) the sole "Cleaner-ist" candidate who is running on the issues, not stolen, so-called Clean Elections money.

Barry Hess, Phoenix


The writer is running for governor as a Libertarian.