In an age of instant communications ...

... it appears that someone [Paul Eckerstrom, to be specific] who lives in Tucson will not be allowed to Chair the Arizona Democratic Party ... or could it be subversion of another type by some Arizona pseudo-Dems who don't believe in elections (you know, the kind of Dems who are really Thugs at heart).

This article 'hints' that Jim Pederson may be one of the culprits. Jim Pederson is the Democrat (Republican-lite, really) who ran such an un-energetic campaign against Senator Jon Kyl.

There's so much wrong here ...

Airport 'security' thugs can make you take off your shoes, feel you up in front of everyone, make you drink your baby's breast milk and steal your belongings.

Now I learn that hospitals are in the business of kicking people out of the country when the patients' financial status doesn't suit them. (via The Sideshow)

You might think that the people they decide to kick out of their hospital and the country are here illegally. Not so, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona is trying very hard to kick a very sick woman who is in the US legally out of the country and into a hospital that has agreed to take her in Honduras but that has made it clear cannot care for her properly. The patient has no family in Honduras, her family is here and she has lived here for more than 17 years.

Evidently St. Joseph's Hospital regularly kicks people out of their hospital and sends them to another country. About 8 a month. I don't know how may to places that can't care for them properly (is that called murder?) or how many of them against their will.

The family has taken the issue to court. The article isn't very clear but it doesn't sound like the court is much concerned about a patient's right not to be deported at a hospital's whim.

Whatever the case I wouldn't expect much compassion out of St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

McCain needs Bush to raise money for him ...

Update added to end of post.
George Bush and John McCain will be together again -- in Phoenix, on May 27th.

McCain doesn't want to seem too close to the most unpopular president in US history but at the same time he does want the money the unpopular George Bush is able to entice from his like-minded cohort of world destroyers.

McCain Taps Bush's Money-Raising Ability, Posted May 20, 2008

President Bush is planning to ride to John McCain's rescue, at least when it comes to collecting money.

Bush will headline a fundraising event with McCain in Phoenix May 27 and is expected to do two more funders for McCain and other GOP candidates May 28 at events in Utah hosted by former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

The last time Bush and McCain appeared publicly together was March 5 in the White House Rose Garden, when Bush endorsed his former rival from the 2000 campaign. Since then, McCain has kept his distance from the unpopular incumbent.

Update May 24, 2008:
Bush doesn't appear to be giving McCain much help ...

McCain/Bush Fundraiser Moved To Smaller Quarters Due To Poor Ticket Sales/Fears Of Protest

Phoenix has a Police Chief with a brain ...

Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris doesn't think the job of the city's police should be hunting down people who have entered this country illegally.

"Do you want me to take the people that were working the Goudeau case and have them chase corn vendors? Don't think so," Harris said, referring to Mark Goudeau, the Baseline Killer suspect who was arrested in September 2006 in connection with nine murders.

"If you were in my position, would you take those very limited resources and divert them to go after landscapers and dishwashers because they're in the country illegally? Sorry. I've been a cop for 36 years. I disagree with that concept."

Arizona 'cell phone industry' makes threats ...

... Last week, when the Phoenix City Council passed an ordinance banning texting while driving, the Arizona cell phone industry promptly countered by announcing its intent to write a proposed state law that would ban all activities that could be considered "distracted driving."

That could be eating, fiddling with the radio or yelling at the kids in the back seat. ...

So because there is obviously no safe way to write text messages while driving and Phoenix had the temerity to pass an ordinance about such activity, my cell phone company threatens me with a law that would make sipping my drink or tuning my radio against the law.

Corporate hypocrisy and interference in our lives only gets worse and worse thanks to BushCo's rule.

There's a blog for everything ...

The Housing Doom Housing Bubble Blog has an blurb and some comments about Arizona's mortgage fraud legislation.

Commenter 'ducksface' writes:

I’ve read the bill. It has a basic ring of truth to it but it simply duplicates laws already on the books but specifically mentions the word mortgage in it.
The head of the AZDFI will use it to punish appraisers. Right now appraisers are not under the AZDFI but this bill will allow easier unilateral investigations and punishments outside of the specific enforcing agency much like a drug task force sometimes uses animal control laws to get more charges to stick.

More rosy news in Phoenix May Home Sales Are Slow- And This Is Rush Hour -- a title that I initially considered a form of dry humor but now categorize as the reverse.

Bomb threat at Arizona state Capitol in Phoenix ...

UPDATE: State Capitol reopens after bomb threat by Matthew Benson, The Arizona Republic
Apr. 20, 2007 11:25
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A bomb threat at the state Capitol in Phoenix early Friday prompted an evacuation of the Senate, House and governor's tower in central Phoenix. Matthew Benson, The Arizona Republic, Apr. 20, 2007 09:20 AM

Big money in smuggling, drugs or people ...

First came the war on drugs and the militarization of our police forces. Now we have the war on undocumented immigrants. Step by step we are heading for a police state.

Authorities broke up what they call a 'human smuggling' ring involving travel agencies. Six Phoenix-area travel agencies were involved.

The agencies arranged for one-way travel to destination cities across the nation, in many cases through McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. Goddard said the year-long investigation uncovered ticket sales worth about $2 million.

I am glad they caught these people but I would prefer that we would approach our border problems in a more rational manner. One that didn't make smuggling drugs and immigrants such profitable enterprises that they corrupt our society at all levels.
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Arizona Republic: Major Ariz. human smuggling operation broken up by Jacques Billeaud, Associated Press