Entitled to his opinions, but not his own facts

RE: Tea-Party Republicans are not a fringe.

The writer is entitled to his opinions, but not his own facts. He claims “tea-party fringe Republicans” comprise a majority in the House of Representatives. As of January 2013, there were 49 members of the Tea Party Caucus in the House. That’s 11.26%, NOT a majority. He also claims they represent a majority of the American people. [i] A September 2013 Gallup poll found (with Independents indicating which way they “lean”), 41% identified as Republicans and 47% as Democrats. Given that, that there is no way Tea Party Republicans represent the majority of Americans.[ii]

I am incredibly tired of people vocalizing their discontent when they have no idea what they are talking about. The government shutdown is not a protest of the people, by the people, for the people. It is a desperate political ploy intended to subvert the will of MOST Americans and hold our economy hostage at the expense of all Americans.

[i] En.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_Party_Caucus

[ii] http://www.gallup.com/poll/15370/party-affliliation.aspx

Posted by

Linda Lyon

Posted on

July 17, 2013

Posted under

AZ Legislature, Education, General Arizona

Comments

Senator Melvin Can’t Rewrite the Facts

First, I’d like to laud Ms. Grimes for her editorial for holding our elected officials to task. She may have a bully pulpit as the editor of the Explorer, but she is also a private citizen. She was not only entitled to, but as each of us is, was responsible to share her viewpoints where she felt our politicians were not properly representing us.

In Senator Melvin’s response to Ms. Grimes, he said she was wrong to infer that he is “not working to represent, support, and make lives better for ALL the people” in his district. When it comes to representing me, Senator Melvin falls incredibly short. I live in SaddleBrooke, where he is well know for not wanting to hear from, or respond to, Democrats. Keep in mind this is the legislator that said he could tell where the Republicans live because they are the ones flying flags out front.

Senator Melvin once again claims that he helped restore/protect funding for education. This is absolutely false. Arizona has had the highest cuts in per pupil funding in the Nation since 2008. Not sure how this gets spinned into “restored funding.”He discusses the need for legislators to say “NO” to bad ideas. Don’t suppose he is referring to his bad idea to store all the Nation’s nuclear waste in Arizona. Not only did he propose this action, but he got the legislature to pass his resolution to the Federal government requesting Arizona’s selection as the dumpsite.

As for his assertion that “the majority of his district wants more liberty so that they can live their lives free from oppressive levels of government”, I suspect he is only referring to those liberties he deems important. On June 29, 2013, following the Supreme Court decision on the unconstitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act, Senator Melvin tweeted: “The Left is making a frontal assault on traditional marriage & families, mainline churches, Boy Scouts & all conservative entities.” I surmise from this that he does not support my right to marry my partner of 11 years. So much for his belief in liberty and his constituent’s freedom to be free from oppressive levels of government. Personally, I can’t imagine anything much more oppressive than legislating who someone can marry.

Senator Melvin is entitled to his opinions, but he is not entitled to rewrite the facts. He is a Tea Party Republican who will do whatever is necessary to toe the party line…even if it isn’t in the best interest of the people of his district. Thank you Ms. Grimes for sticking up for the little guy!