GUEST POST--Jan Brewer, Tom Horne and Diebold vs. The M&M Show and Air America

Don't take bets on the 'right' this time:

Well, yesterday (1/5/06) moms d'arts witnessed the underbelly of the "compassionate conservative republicans who apparently supported Jan Brewer at her re-election announcement for Secy. of State (more info about Jan below). These legislators were apparently happy to act as Jan Brewer's military muscle to shut down free speech at her announcement event.

This witness got there just after 11am and joined 8-10 guys already there protesting with big signs. One protester just in front of me had a battery operated bullhorn, small enough to fit in the palm of his hand. He was chanting, "all we want is all the votes counted". Within minutes, State Senator Robert Blendu, R-Dist.12 forced his way in front of the man and began pushing him backward. When the man said (fairly calmly), "stop pushing me", the Senator turned around and said, "how'd you like to be charged with pushing a State Senator". (Of course, the State Senator forgot the fact that he works FOR the protestor not the other way around).

At that point, Tom Horne, AZ Dept. of ED Chief, joined in the pushing of two of the protesters. Another protester had a video camera and went up behind Blendu with camera pointed at him and asked his name. The man with the camera was jostled around. By then, it was a minor ruckus and the police began separating the two groups. They put up the yellow police tape and told us that we had to stand behind it because as a group we didn't have a permit to protest.

Fred McChesney, one of our local Air America talk show hosts, was not at all pleased with the free-speech zone, and demanded to see whatever permit was executed on behalf of the Secretary of State to find out if anyone was excluded from the event. About 15 minutes later, he came back with permit in hand showing that NOBODY was excluded from the event. Even so, the police made us stay behind the tape - maybe for our own safety?

In the meantime, the Brewer people got what they needed: the protesters in a "free-speech zone" while she was facing the TV cameras.

Afterwards, the young republicans were milling about trying to find out what group we were with. None of us knew any of the others, and we weren't with any "group". I can only surmise that they were looking for the name of a "group" to exclude from future meetings. Unfortunately the only group we could all be considered a part of is that of tax-paying American citizens. Fair enough that they would want to exclude US!!

And Tom Horne, our AZ Schools Chief, he confronted McChesney and called him a facist! When McChesney asked him just how he defined a facist, Horne replied, "someone who won't let others speak." Well, isnt' that the pot calling the kettle black? Horne agreed to be on McChesney's show this weekend, so if you want to hear the face-off, just tune in to 1010KXXT.com on the web.

That 'ole Constitution, it's just a 'damn piece of paper' anyway!

For those not familiar with Jan Brewer, she's the AZ Secy. Of State. Last Friday, she signed an $11M order for the same Diebold voting machines that were in use in FL and CA and OH in '04. The same ones that just failed a very simple hack test
performed by an average computer guy and reported by blackboxvoting.org in late December. $11M in taxpayer dollars and voting integrity seem like two pretty big reasons for taxpayers to be out protesting, don't you think?

Just a bit more about Jan. Did I say she also served as the vice-chairman of the AZ Bush/Cheney '04 campaign? Sounds eerily familiar, like Ken Blackwell in OH - guaranteeing that he'd "deliver" OH for Bush in '04! I guess she's getting a
head-start in delivering AZ to the republicans (can you say McCain?) in '08!!

Another contribution to this story came from someone in our meetup worked for County Administration on 3rd ave for 5 years and stated that he knew Jan Brewer to be the most self-interested, self-absorbed supervisers out of the 5 who service from 1998 to 2001 at the county.

Ciao!

Thanks for that from Pete Cerchiera. Pete organizes the local Democratic Meet-up group as a volunteer--among other activies.

This Saturday's M&M Show details from the KXXT Air America website:

We’re breaking our tradition of not having guests, to understate the case: First, comedian and political satirist Chris Bliss is going to give us the update on his efforts to get the Bill Of Rights into every statehouse.

Then, at 5 PM, Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne will call the show to debate whether or not Fred McChesney is a “fascist”, as Mr. Horne said at a political rally this week. We can’t wait for Mr. Horne’s explanation. Then, at 6, the new Executive Director of the Phoenix ACLU, Alessandra Soler-Meetz comes on to discuss civil liberties and the first amendment. Sunday’s show may include another guest on the voting issue, and will likely be more like our regular shows.

Listen in or stream the show from the website. Be There or Be Bare!!! (Don't ask. I can't be pithy all the time)...