11. Comment by Tom D. (Tommy D) — January 19,2009 @ 5:54AM
Ratings: -59 +61
Hey Gov Brewer; I have lived here all but 2 months of my 55 years, pd taxes etc etc.
My employer does not offer health Insurance. I would be willing to pay for MY self but I cannot afford 600-800 per month for the Insurance policy.
I make to much to qualify for AHCCCS thus I wish I was 1 out of 6 eligible for AHCCCS.
So give us a break with that politician rah rah stuff
17. Comment by Ken R. (purist) — January 19,2009 @ 6:22AM
Ratings: -32 +55
#11, Tom D., Tom, I feel really, really bad for you. However, I must say that I do not understand why it becomes my RESPONSIBILITY to provide your healthcare because of the choices you have made over your 55 years of life.
What many fail to understand is that inflation is a result of the actions of Congress. Congress has chosen to involve itself in many areas and they are the cause of inflation; therefore, healthcare and higher education has become too expensive for many to afford. And think, these are too areas where government has involved itself the most.
Not only that, look at all the advancements that have been made in healthcare over the past couple of decades. These advances do not come cheap and these costs must be passed on to the consumer.
51. Comment by Pamela C. (85652) — January 19,2009 @ 8:19AM
Ratings: -24 +13
- However, I must say that I do not understand why it becomes my RESPONSIBILITY to provide your healthcare because of the choices you have made over your 55 years of life.-
Why is it my employers responsibility to provide healthcare? I pay taxes and I want my taxes to go towards healthcare. Period.
I wonder why I'm paying for social security that I'm never going to see in my lifetime, for a bunch of old people who never bothereed to invest in a retirement program....so there!
68. Comment by Meg B. (DesertDawn) — January 19,2009 @ 9:34AM
Ratings: -5 +20
#51 "Why is it my employers responsibility to provide healthcare? I pay taxes and I want my taxes to go towards healthcare. Period.
I wonder why I'm paying for social security that I'm never going to see in my lifetime, for a bunch of old people who never bothereed to invest in a retirement program....so there!"
Your kidding right? You employer isn't responsible, but in order to attract good employees they offer good health care. And it's alot cheaper to have a private company pay for health care than have the gov't do it. Have you ever been on Cobra? Talk about sucking the $$$$$.
70. Comment by charlie a. (treehugger) — January 19,2009 @ 9:40AM
Ratings: -9 +18
AHCCCS saved my son’s life. He was diagnosed with a tumor on his pituitary gland. He was a surveyor working for a small company with no employer provided health care available. He made the decision to eat and pay rent rather than to spend 75% of his income for private health care insurance (some here have suggested this was somehow an option). He was forced to quit his job and become indigent and penniless so that he could qualify for AHCCCS. This process took nearly a year. Fortunately the tumor did not grow fast or he would be dead. If he had health coverage when he was diagnosed he could have returned to work and become a taxpayer again a year sooner. He would not have required the food stamps and other State aid he got during the time he was indigent. His care could have cost less if the tumor had been treated earlier. In the end the State spent more for his care than it should have. At least he lived.
88. Comment by Chris B. (Chris B.) — January 19,2009 @ 11:33AM
Ratings: -4 +11
Here's an update for everyone. The labels of conservative, liberal, democrat and republican are pretty much meaningless these days.
You look at the budget deficits that the "conservative"/republican president has given us year after year and it seems ludicrous to call out democrats/liberals for not being fiscally responsible.
Then you have the suposedly liberal/democrat Obama saying that religion should play a bigger part of government than most in his party.
All I am saying is that it is just stupid to attack one party or the other. Or one ideology or the other. You can only really attack one candidate or office holder.
In this case, as a Democrat, I think Brewer is being much more realistic than Napolitano concerning our statewide economic difficulties. Just as I think Obama will be better than Bush at handling the federal economic crisis.
Or am I only allowed to like the office holders of one party or the other?
105. Comment by Michelle M. (Michelle M) — January 19,2009 @ 2:11PM
Ratings: -5 +9
One major difference between Janet Napolitano and Jan Brewer is that Janet Napolitano was twice elected by the voters of Arizona to serve as our governor.
Jan Brewer, on the other hand, was not elected to this post.
It seems to me that she is speaking as if the people of this state elected her. She is speaking as if we have actually given her permission to aggressively force her extreme ideology on us. And she does have this power, structurally speaking.
But she was not elected to the role she was in. (online forums, by the way, are not the same as democratic elections).
So myself personally, I would think that someone in that situation -- located as governor but not elected to the position, with an election coming up in a couple of years -- would be better off showing some humility and being positioned more to listen to the people of this state.
Instead, Ms. Brewer announces right away that she knows best, that her ideology is the best ideology, that she is going to use that ideology to govern, and that listening to us, the people of the state, is not a priority for her.
That's a lot of arrogance for someone who was not even elected to her post! Power without permission or accountability ... I suppose that's part of her ideology too?
I think it's a good thing that this is democracy and we have elections. This un-elected governor can't do this for more than 2 years without actually seeking the permission of the people. Given the mood of this nation and what is to come, I suspect that the 2010 elections won't go so well for her if she keeps this up.
111. Comment by tony k. (CharleyBucket) — January 19,2009 @ 3:46PM
Ratings: -4 +7
Can't we sell Janet Brewer to another state? We could raise money and find someone with a heart AND a bean counter's mentality all wrapped into one
118. Comment by Rude S. (W Dejavu) — January 19,2009 @ 6:54PM
Ratings: -0 +0
#11 Tom, no one will read this it is too late in the evening, but I will right this anyway.
you know I am almost 60, and have lived in Arizona all but about 4 months, not including a couple of vacations to California and such. When I was young we did not go to deep into Mexico, even when we lived within 5 miles of the border because my dad was afraid of the situations there. We went to Nogalas and Naco, but now I would not even go there.
But that is not the reason am writing. I was fortunate that I could work in the mines when I was in my late teens and that paid for me to go to University. I was fortunate that In worked for a big company and had health care.
But I will tell you, that things are different now, the state expects everyone to go into debt and supports nothing. If you want to go to college, the state does not help, but will sell your debt for student loans to the highest bidder.
As for medical care, let's just say that business get tax breaks but no incentives to take care of their employees.
So with that said, lets hope they stop thinking so much about bankers and more about people on the street, people working and doing no harm.
Monday, January 19, 2009
the Brewer article
PHOENIX — Arizona's next governor said she's prepared to do what she believes the incumbent is not: say "no." Jan Brewer said one reason Arizona is in its current financial mess is that the state kept expanding the services provided even as tax collections could not keep pace.
"That is the result of the governor and the Legislature not being realistic," she said. "Irresponsibility and mismanagement has got us into this problem," with policymakers apparently unwilling or unable to tell constituents that the state just can't afford what they want.
Brewer is set to become governor Wednesday afternoon, assuming incumbent Janet Napolitano is confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the head of the Department of Homeland Security. Brewer has promised to sketch out her vision for the state in an inaugural speech.
But in an interview with Capitol Media Services, the governor-in-waiting provided a glimpse of her principles.
"I'm a fiscal conservative," Brewer said.
"I don't believe government should be huge," she said. "And I don't believe that government should do things for us that we can do ourselves."
Brewer takes office with $1.6 billion in red ink this year and projections of a $3 billion deficit next year out of a $9.9 billion budget. Yet various groups are lining up to keep their programs alive.
Arizonans "in total denial"
Brewer said they're not being realistic.
"I think the people of the state of Arizona, the people of the business community, the people in general, including some legislators, are in total denial of what this problem is and just how big it is," Brewer said. She said someone needs to tell voters that cuts are going to have to be made, even to popular programs.
"We would be in denial if we sat here and said we're going to solve this without making cuts in education," she said. State aid to schools currently consumes about $4.2 billion.
That is in sharp contrast to the policies of Napolitano, whose budget proposes adding more than $200 million.
The difference, Brewer said, is that she has a more limited image of what government should be doing than the woman she will replace.
Brewer said government has "certain responsibilities" to provide services that are generally not left to individuals. That includes educating children, building and maintaining roads, and public safety.
And it does include health care, "in some instances."
That's one contrast between Brewer and Napolitano that shows up in high relief.
As a state legislator in 1993, Brewer complained about the growth of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, the state's Medicaid program. At that time, the program had about 470,000 people enrolled, or one in nine residents.
"It just keeps eating at us like a cancer, almost," she said at the time. "It will never be satisfied."
AHCCCS enrollment now exceeds more than 1.1 million, close to one out of every six residents.
At least part of the reason for that, though, is voters expanded eligibility, providing free care to anyone below the federal poverty level. That comes out to about $21,200 a year for a family of four.
Brewer declined to say whether she believes that AHCCCS had grown too big, calling that "a loaded question."
But Brewer said she opposes Napolitano's efforts to expand a related program known as Kids-Care, which provides nearly free care to the children of parents who make up to twice the poverty level. Napolitano sought not only to push that to three times the poverty level but also backed proposals to have the government provide coverage for all children, as well as some form of universal health care. Won't borrow our way out
"The bottom line is that we cannot provide all kinds of health care to all the people of the state of Arizona," Brewer said. "We cannot afford it."
Brewer said she's not saying Arizona must do everything on a pay-as-you go basis.
As a legislator, for example, she backed borrowing for construction of the new west campus of Arizona State University. "That was good for the state," said Brewer, who represented the Glendale area.
But Brewer said she's not willing to do short- or long-term borrowing — concepts in Napolitano's budget proposals — solely to keep programs alive.
"If you're thinking that we're going to borrow ourselves out of this crisis that we're in, that isn't going to happen," she said. "It's borrowing that got us into the crisis that we're in."
Brewer said she's not absolutely wedded to her limited register of what government should do.
"After good policy and good debate, then I think we can add things to that list, if it's necessary — and we can afford it," she said
"That is the result of the governor and the Legislature not being realistic," she said. "Irresponsibility and mismanagement has got us into this problem," with policymakers apparently unwilling or unable to tell constituents that the state just can't afford what they want.
Brewer is set to become governor Wednesday afternoon, assuming incumbent Janet Napolitano is confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the head of the Department of Homeland Security. Brewer has promised to sketch out her vision for the state in an inaugural speech.
But in an interview with Capitol Media Services, the governor-in-waiting provided a glimpse of her principles.
"I'm a fiscal conservative," Brewer said.
"I don't believe government should be huge," she said. "And I don't believe that government should do things for us that we can do ourselves."
Brewer takes office with $1.6 billion in red ink this year and projections of a $3 billion deficit next year out of a $9.9 billion budget. Yet various groups are lining up to keep their programs alive.
Arizonans "in total denial"
Brewer said they're not being realistic.
"I think the people of the state of Arizona, the people of the business community, the people in general, including some legislators, are in total denial of what this problem is and just how big it is," Brewer said. She said someone needs to tell voters that cuts are going to have to be made, even to popular programs.
"We would be in denial if we sat here and said we're going to solve this without making cuts in education," she said. State aid to schools currently consumes about $4.2 billion.
That is in sharp contrast to the policies of Napolitano, whose budget proposes adding more than $200 million.
The difference, Brewer said, is that she has a more limited image of what government should be doing than the woman she will replace.
Brewer said government has "certain responsibilities" to provide services that are generally not left to individuals. That includes educating children, building and maintaining roads, and public safety.
And it does include health care, "in some instances."
That's one contrast between Brewer and Napolitano that shows up in high relief.
As a state legislator in 1993, Brewer complained about the growth of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, the state's Medicaid program. At that time, the program had about 470,000 people enrolled, or one in nine residents.
"It just keeps eating at us like a cancer, almost," she said at the time. "It will never be satisfied."
AHCCCS enrollment now exceeds more than 1.1 million, close to one out of every six residents.
At least part of the reason for that, though, is voters expanded eligibility, providing free care to anyone below the federal poverty level. That comes out to about $21,200 a year for a family of four.
Brewer declined to say whether she believes that AHCCCS had grown too big, calling that "a loaded question."
But Brewer said she opposes Napolitano's efforts to expand a related program known as Kids-Care, which provides nearly free care to the children of parents who make up to twice the poverty level. Napolitano sought not only to push that to three times the poverty level but also backed proposals to have the government provide coverage for all children, as well as some form of universal health care. Won't borrow our way out
"The bottom line is that we cannot provide all kinds of health care to all the people of the state of Arizona," Brewer said. "We cannot afford it."
Brewer said she's not saying Arizona must do everything on a pay-as-you go basis.
As a legislator, for example, she backed borrowing for construction of the new west campus of Arizona State University. "That was good for the state," said Brewer, who represented the Glendale area.
But Brewer said she's not willing to do short- or long-term borrowing — concepts in Napolitano's budget proposals — solely to keep programs alive.
"If you're thinking that we're going to borrow ourselves out of this crisis that we're in, that isn't going to happen," she said. "It's borrowing that got us into the crisis that we're in."
Brewer said she's not absolutely wedded to her limited register of what government should do.
"After good policy and good debate, then I think we can add things to that list, if it's necessary — and we can afford it," she said
comments to the article below about az budget problems
Comments on this Story
People must accept cuts, Brewer says PHOENIX — Arizona's next governor said she's prepared to do what she believes the incumbent is not: say "no."
Filter Profanity Don't Filter
1. Comment by Arthur W. (Diogenes) — January 19,2009 @ 3:12AM
Ratings: -38 +85
Thank you Governor Brewer! I trust you would also never approve the funding of "grafitti classes"!
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2. Comment by jersy g. (jersygirl) — January 19,2009 @ 3:33AM
Ratings: -50 +84
A real conservative at the helm that has the guts to make the tough choices and deal with the real problem.Too bad our federal goverment will not do the same.
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3. Comment by SJ R. (****) — January 19,2009 @ 3:45AM
Ratings: -48 +85
"The bottom line is that we cannot provide all kinds of health care to all the people of the state of Arizona," Brewer said. "We cannot afford it."
What a novel concept. Kudos to Jan Brewer.
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4. Comment by SJ R. (****) — January 19,2009 @ 3:48AM
Ratings: -56 +70
p.s. The contrast between the conservatives in Arizona with Brewer at the helm and Congress with the Dems in control and Obama at the helm will be stark indeed. The Dems will try to spend us into oblivion while Brewer will hopefully bring some badly needed fiscal restraint to the State.
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5. Comment by Jeffrey H. (flibber) — January 19,2009 @ 3:50AM
Ratings: -31 +75
Brewer realizes the important differences between the state and federal governments. The state cannot print money while the federal treasurer can and is. The state can only tax for the money it needs, and if it borrows it cannot pay itself back, we must.
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6. Comment by Laurent C. (laurentc) — January 19,2009 @ 4:13AM
Ratings: -83 +51
#4 Why will the Dems try to spend us into oblivion when Bush and the Republicans already did that successfully.
#2 You said, "A real conservative at the helm that has the guts to make the tough choices and deal with the real problem." Too bad your real conservative, G.W. Bush can't even solve ANY problem. He can't even capture an old sick guy living in a cave. He's a big time loser. Everyone knows that!! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Sorry folks! The Real Conservative Information Propaganda has reached it's statute of limitation and credibility. They are reduced to comedic entertainment. Everyone, enjoy the Real Conservative Comedy Club
Happy Martin Luther King Day!! (a holiday the Real Conservative's DON'T recognized)
7. Comment by Bret F. (bretf1) — January 19,2009 @ 4:30AM
Ratings: -72 +47
...And here comes the slew of mulitple thumbsdown and comments courtesy of the Karl Rove Internet Squad!!
Happy Martin Luther King Day #6. Let's celebrate the U.S.A's diversity - a trait the 'Real Conservative' don't practiced and believe in.
Debbie Kornmiller, please make this commentry a pleasant place to debate
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8. Comment by Catherine C. (5158) — January 19,2009 @ 4:56AM
Ratings: -22 +58
And as Arizona tries to dig itself out of this fiscal hole it is in, we want to thank Gov. Napolitano and former Senate President Tim Bee. It took a bipartisan effort to put us here.
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9. Comment by mary j. (maryjaneaz) — January 19,2009 @ 5:22AM
Ratings: -66 +43
Why not release all the people in prison for drug offenses & save some $$?
BTW ,how many pardons will Bush issue today - Think he will try to pardon himself & Cheney for war crimes?
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10. Comment by joel t. (harperman) — January 19,2009 @ 5:33AM
Ratings: -38 +66
Tax the rich,Feed the poor,'Till there are, No rich no more.-Alvin Lee of Ten Years Arter
Anybody see the problem with this scenario? Tax the rich owners of businesses (read that employers) feed the poor (read that stimulus checks) 'till there no employers no more. Yup that'll fix our problems.
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11. Comment by Tom D. (Tommy D) — January 19,2009 @ 5:54AM
Ratings: -59 +60
Hey Gov Brewer; I have lived here all but 2 months of my 55 years, pd taxes etc etc.
My employer does not offer health Insurance. I would be willing to pay for MY self but I cannot afford 600-800 per month for the Insurance policy.
I make to much to qualify for AHCCCS thus I wish I was 1 out of 6 eligible for AHCCCS.
So give us a break with that politician rah rah stuff.
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12. Comment by Lynne G. (5981) — January 19,2009 @ 5:55AM
Ratings: -62 +55
Why is it always the most needy who need to give up before the rich do???
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13. Comment by Alan C. (azalan) — January 19,2009 @ 5:57AM
Ratings: -16 +72
Can both sides give it a bit of a rest today?
I'm happy we are having a transition at the federal level...it's long overdue...but I'm willing to give Brewer a chance. Let's see what both her and Obama can do being thrown into difficult positions.
I'm not a conservative (or liberal) today. And I've never been a Dem or Repub. I just want to be an American for a while...
Anybody with me?
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14. Comment by Levi R. (Raff) — January 19,2009 @ 6:12AM
Ratings: -62 +49
I hear what you are saying, Alan. But, we know what Brewer is going to do. We need more revenue in this state to keep education and basic heath care for children off the chopping block.
Some suggestions:
Increase the taxes on tabacco and distilled spirits
Impose an excise tax on auto sales of vehicles costing over $30,000
Impose a real estate transfer tax on sales over $1,000,000
Create another tax bracket in the state income tax over $350,000 and tax at 5%
Encourage clean energy technologies and work to attract those industries. This could be a real boom for Arizona.
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15. Comment by Ken R. (purist) — January 19,2009 @ 6:15AM
Ratings: -21 +65
Finally, some honesty and common sense from a politician. I wish you my best Jan Brewer; however, I will reserve congratulations for when you have earned it.
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16. Comment by Tom H. (taharding) — January 19,2009 @ 6:21AM
Ratings: -34 +46
GO JAN GO!
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17. Comment by Ken R. (purist) — January 19,2009 @ 6:22AM
Ratings: -32 +55
#11, Tom D., Tom, I feel really, really bad for you. However, I must say that I do not understand why it becomes my RESPONSIBILITY to provide your healthcare because of the choices you have made over your 55 years of life.
What many fail to understand is that inflation is a result of the actions of Congress. Congress has chosen to involve itself in many areas and they are the cause of inflation; therefore, healthcare and higher education has become too expensive for many to afford. And think, these are too areas where government has involved itself the most.
Not only that, look at all the advancements that have been made in healthcare over the past couple of decades. These advances do not come cheap and these costs must be passed on to the consumer.
Report this comment
18. Comment by miller m. (miller) — January 19,2009 @ 6:22AM
Ratings: -41 +37
"Irresponsibility and mismanagement" is at the root of the problem for sure. Not to mention fraud and malfeasance. But these things occurred in the corporations, not the government. We are in a potentially catastrophic situation that can only be addressed by government intervention, not by government dissolution. The "fiscal conservatives" got us into this fiscal trap by encouraging the corporations to rip us off while cutting away at the tax base during the bubble. Now they are planning to pull the rug out from under us by cutting away what little safety net there is left.
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19. Comment by Ken R. (purist) — January 19,2009 @ 6:25AM
Ratings: -29 +51
#14, Levi R., more of the same I see. Take from one group to give to another. Isn't that what they do in Communist countries? When did we change our form of government and suspend the Bill of Rights?
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20. Comment by J T. (Tuttle) — January 19,2009 @ 6:33AM
Ratings: -13 +57
"If you're thinking that we're going to borrow ourselves out of this crisis that we're in, that isn't going to happen," she said. "It's borrowing that got us into the crisis that we're in."
Anyone who thinks that borrowing is going to solve the problems needs only look at our neighbors to the west. They are out of money.
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21. Comment by Bret F. (bretf1) — January 19,2009 @ 6:35AM
Ratings: -45 +43
#19 The Republikan Communist Party did that. Take the money from the middle class and poor and give it to the rich. Oh yes, due to the 'Patriot Act', the Republikan C.P. pretty much suspended the Bill of Rights.Bush, the ideologue (purist), has a utopian world view much like the Communist, unfortunately, when reality sinks in, it's always the poor/middle class that gets taken advantage of. Get real.
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22. Comment by sandra f. (azrabbit) — January 19,2009 @ 6:36AM
Ratings: -39 +49
WOOHOO!
Arizona has just won the Superbowl of Governors, and with God's help, we will be among the first to dig our way out of this depression. Godspeed, Jan!
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23. Comment by Robert B. (PostTime) — January 19,2009 @ 6:37AM
Ratings: -45 +26
#12 - Because the rich give dollar contribution to the politicians...
#19 - When Mr Bush was sworn in...
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24. Comment by Ron J. (RonJeremy) — January 19,2009 @ 6:37AM
Ratings: -20 +60
A good start would be putting DPS officers or other law enforcement people in the ER's to dissuade the illegals from coming on in and helping themselves to a large portion of the state budget.
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25. Comment by joel t. (harperman) — January 19,2009 @ 6:43AM
Ratings: -24 +42
Re # 14 Levi R. Dollars to donuts that Levi doesn't fall into any of the new tax catagories he wants to create.
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26. Comment by John S. (itsahudson) — January 19,2009 @ 6:49AM
Ratings: -43 +37
Anyone willing to look at the facts must realize that without a national health care plan such as most other civilized countries have adopted to their particular needs, we're never going to get out of the financial hole that a decent level of health care digs for us.
A national health care system works wonderfully well in other countries such as Canada and most of the European countries. It's not socialism and it's not nearly as expensive as our present system of commercial health care. Let's check it out without prejudice.
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27. Comment by Trail R. (Smooth Trail Rider) — January 19,2009 @ 6:51AM
Ratings: -25 +46
Thank goodness. Brave lady since she knows that the AZ Republic and ADS will demonize her for it.
First thing she can do is uphold fully Prop 200 we passed a few years back. We voted with over 66% majority to withold ALL state services for non US citizens. Gov Napolitano decided to exclude Medicaid for that, and a few other programs.
That should cut things a bit.
The problem is the ER and public schools. Those are "free lunches" to anyone.
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28. Comment by Ralph A. (6505) — January 19,2009 @ 6:55AM
Ratings: -33 +25
Gee, Ms. Brewer, what got the USA in such a big debt if the Republican have all the answers. Are you saying the Arizona Republican are different than the national Republicans? Are you saying Ms. Brewer, your wiser than the average? If so, that will be good for Arizona.
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29. Comment by Levi R. (Raff) — January 19,2009 @ 6:55AM
Ratings: -40 +29
Dang. I go make myself a 2nd cup of coffee and return to find that critism of my proposals I expected.
But, Robert and Bret beat me to the counterpoint. Good work, gentlemen.
Brewer's "people must accept cuts" is doublespeak for the cons waging of class warfare. The top 5 percent will be unaffected by the cuts while most working families who have seen their income fall during the last eight years will be bearing the brunt of the proposed cuts.
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30. Comment by Ron J. (RonJeremy) — January 19,2009 @ 6:56AM
Ratings: -27 +44
26...I've been stationed in countries where they have "Universal Healthcare". the taxes are sky high,the waiting lists VERY long,and it's our Government policy of medicaid and cost shifting that has driven the cost of health insurance up for working people. All this would do is dig us even deeper into debt and allow more illegals to ride the taxpayer funded gravy train.
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31. Comment by Al K. (amkirk86) — January 19,2009 @ 6:57AM
Ratings: -18 +33
Despite the conventional images both the Republican and Democratic parties have, as “we the people” have seen, things don’t always pan out the way us voters would have hoped. Our last Republican administration re-defined deficit spending in direct contrast to the party platform. Personally, I don't feel wholly represented by any party. Let’s hope that Jan Brewer will be able to slash spending.
I’m not a socialist, so I don’t believe government should pay for healthcare. However, government can regulate the health care crisis by addressing tort reform, capping tort awards, redefining when lawsuits are appropriate or not, and mandating insurance premium cuts (both patient and practitioner) commiserate with those caps. The drug prices could be addressed by changing the patent process. I compare the current patent processes with a greedy monopoly. A patent holder should be able to charge a capped percentage to others to produce a drug, so research costs could be recovered and profited from, but this ability to exclusively price a drug for a time period is unfair.
Ms. Brewer has a mess to unravel. Good luck.
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32. Comment by Ralph A. (6505) — January 19,2009 @ 7:00AM
Ratings: -8 +32
More revenue for this state means more jobs, an environment that will bring jobs to AZ. We need more companies to move to AZ, which may mean some tax breaks too. We cannot continue to tax the unemployed. We need some new ideas that will attract new high tech companies to this state. Arizona cannot balance a budget from new cameras covering the state either. So revenues for the state and cities, need to come from new corporations moving here, creating new jobs, paying a decent wage. Does Arizona have anyone recruiting new jobs?
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33. Comment by Joseph C. (wildman53) — January 19,2009 @ 7:04AM
Ratings: -26 +29
People have to realize that governm,ent cannot pay for everything. SOmeone above mentioned that they could not afford health care. Remember that is a choice. You make money, you choose to buy what you want . If healthcare is one you don't want ot pay for, its your choice. Don't complain because of your choices. Be a responsible adult and accept responsibility for your actions... One other point, taxing the rich is a bad choice, How many poor people have created a job a recently that you know of???
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34. Comment by William W. (Gunner) — January 19,2009 @ 7:05AM
Ratings: -17 +33
We all know what the problem is and we all know how to solve it, so do it Jan.
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35. Comment by ralfie 1. (ralfie12) — January 19,2009 @ 7:06AM
Ratings: -27 +37
Canadas health care system? Don't make me laugh.
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36. Comment by serena l. (BTW) — January 19,2009 @ 7:13AM
Ratings: -22 +33
No!!! to a national system. They are not a panacia like many claim. Just wait until the government starts to "ration" health care by denying you the services that you need because they will need to "spread the wealth" of tax dollars to cover millions more, thus the older population and special needs patients will be denied.
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37. Comment by Robert B. (PostTime) — January 19,2009 @ 7:14AM
Ratings: -23 +13
#34 - Help me out here....What is the problem and how do we solve it. ????
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38. Comment by William W. (Gunner) — January 19,2009 @ 7:17AM
Ratings: -16 +22
#37 If you have been reading this forum for any length of time, the answer to that should be obvious.
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39. Comment by sandra f. (azrabbit) — January 19,2009 @ 7:21AM
Ratings: -22 +37
Anybody here use the VA system? That is the template we could expect for national health care. My dad is a combat veteran of two wars, who first couldn't get care because the VA couldn't locate his records (funny, he can still locate his uniform!). Once they got him qualified, he gave up on them because they refused to provide a doctor who spoke intelligible English! National health care? Yeah, that'll work!
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40. Comment by Ron J. (RonJeremy) — January 19,2009 @ 7:32AM
Ratings: -16 +42
40. Sandra-thank your dad for his service. I'm a disabled OIF veteran and the VA,especially this VA needs a lot of work.But illegals and their anchor babies are allowed to drain the public trough while the veterans get screwed. Something is VERY wrong with this system
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41. Comment by Diane E. (dianee) — January 19,2009 @ 7:34AM
Ratings: -20 +31
#26 John S. Do you know Canadians who like their health care system. Do you know others involved in national health care? They come HERE for their health care if they have the funds. Do your research. The wait there has people dying before they even see a doctor. Don't talk National Health care to me. We have friends in other countries and they warn us not to let it happen here.
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42. Comment by Matt P. (Mpiorkow) — January 19,2009 @ 7:36AM
Ratings: -21 +30
Ah Common sense. Something that has been missing in AZ for the past 6 years under Nappy.
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43. Comment by Guy R. (Combat Guido) — January 19,2009 @ 7:37AM
Ratings: -24 +25
So we cut out all these people (many working poor) on access. Then what? They get sick, go to the emergency room. Go broke. Don't pay, Then we pay twice as much long term as insuring them. There are lots of people on this page that would throw them out and let em die. Happly we're too decent a people to do this (I hope) Of course if this state wasn't at the bottom of education funding list, we might not have so many people below the poverty line
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44. Comment by Izzy S. (smithizzy5) — January 19,2009 @ 7:48AM
Ratings: -20 +18
41. They also only pay a small preminum for the service as a supplement to their existing coverage.
Furthermore, nobody is aware of any national health care proposal, only instead to increase the pool of insured and thus lowering preminums to everybody else because a greater pool can be created among various private insurance companies.
I suggest you get your facts straight and get off the propaganda machine.
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45. Comment by Jerome G. (Too Handsome) — January 19,2009 @ 7:54AM
Ratings: -16 +19
Let's hope she doesn't seek the balance the budget by increasing those pesky photo radar vans on the interstates!
I go to Phoenix weekly and two times I've had "close calls" with accidents, as people ahead of me hit their brakes, while others changed lanes. It was like a domino effect and when I saw all the cars slamming on their brakes, I KNEW a photo van had to be ahead. Sure enough!
I'm all for a DPS officer sitting in the median with his radar taking out those yahoos that go 85, 90+ on I-10. But thee mindless "Robo Radar" vans sit on the side of the road, surprise people with bright flashes, and generally are more of a traffic hazard than the occasional leadfoot.
I fully support the red light radar, as it's a passive system that doesn't affect traffic. I'd even support photo radar to catch speeders if it were a passive system, mounted up on a pole beside an exit sign, or something, and was not sitting right alongside the highway causing drivers to react, often rashly.
Someday there's going to be a big pile-up of cars caused by a photo radar van, and perhaps then the state will do a body count and see if the extra dollars are worth it.
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46. Comment by Edward C. (#4218) — January 19,2009 @ 8:00AM
Ratings: -4 +21
Joel T, (10,25) You are in good form today. Well stated and succinctly put.Joseph C (32) We have had many high tech companies here in Tucson; unfortunately they have left. Off-Shoring to take advantage of lucrative tax incentives in other countries have claimed some, high union wages killed off a few, others just died. However what troubles me most is the shift I have been seeing from "running a business" to "maximizing stock prices" along with a bonus program that benefits management. Greed is problematic, but when accompanied by selfishness, wrecks great havoc as we can all recently attest to. Our own selfishness further erodes our community by robbing us of a collected effort for the common good. Wow, I'm wordy today... I'll shut up now.
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47. Comment by fred f. (ffischer76) — January 19,2009 @ 8:01AM
Ratings: -18 +10
#41 and in america you can go broke spending on health care.
no provisions NOT TO WIPE YOU OUT FINANCIALLY.
Then at 75 you have zero, nada, zilch to live on.
ward of the state coming your way soon.
OTOH we will see deep cuts in govt services.
To bad the simple idea of across the board pay cuts of 25% won't fly for those making over $75,000
maybe a 25% tax hike would be better?????
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48. Comment by Jerome G. (Too Handsome) — January 19,2009 @ 8:10AM
Ratings: -5 +26
First cut, the size of the Governor's staff!
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49. Comment by Roger D. (truthsayer) — January 19,2009 @ 8:14AM
Ratings: -21 +16
#36 We ration health care here by only providing it to those that can afford it or get it from their employers!
Why do we want to balance our budget on the backs of the poor and our already "bottom of the barrel" education system?
Levi, you are right in saying we need more taxes on luxury items and the transactions of the ultra-wealthy, they need to start paying their fair share. We wouldn't be in this crisis if not for the greed of the corporations and their CEO's and the fraud they perpetuated to get their profits. Not to mention the obscene waste of billions for the unnecessary and illegal war on Iraq!
Place blame where it is due not on a few hapless immigrants seeking medical care!
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50. Comment by Robert B. (PostTime) — January 19,2009 @ 8:15AM
Ratings: -11 +13
#38 - Sorry, I just may be slow, but you're going to have to point it out to me just what the problem and what the solution is. Stop being so coy.
#45 - If people we actually driving near the speed limit, they wouldn't have any reason to slam on the brakes when they see a van now would they ?
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51. Comment by Pamela C. (85652) — January 19,2009 @ 8:19AM
Ratings: -24 +13
- However, I must say that I do not understand why it becomes my RESPONSIBILITY to provide your healthcare because of the choices you have made over your 55 years of life.-
Why is it my employers responsibility to provide healthcare? I pay taxes and I want my taxes to go towards healthcare. Period.
I wonder why I'm paying for social security that I'm never going to see in my lifetime, for a bunch of old people who never bothereed to invest in a retirement program....so there!
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52. Comment by billy m. (5807) — January 19,2009 @ 8:24AM
Ratings: -8 +9
Have you noticed that each vote...pro or con, is generating a vote on the other side. This skews the voting.
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53. Comment by Joe J. (Joe N) — January 19,2009 @ 8:27AM
Ratings: -17 +10
Joesl T says: "Tax the rich owners of businesses (read that employers) feed the poor (read that stimulus checks) 'till there no employers no more"
If there was any evidence that the rich were getting poorer instead of richer because of taxes you'd have a point, but real life does not support that argument.
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54. Comment by Lloyd W. (Windle) — January 19,2009 @ 8:29AM
Ratings: -20 +15
And the fiscal conservatives will try to starve us so they can spend our money.
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55. Comment by Diane E. (dianee) — January 19,2009 @ 8:30AM
Ratings: -10 +20
Lynne G #12. The "rich" pays for the health care of the poor. They are giving up. And, if you are working and paying taxes, Lynne, YOU are the rich the people are referring to.
#44. I was responding to someone else wanting national health care. I know there are no specific proposals floating around right now. BUT, I do know the folks up north come to Washington State for a lot of their health care and pay for it when they can. They literally have to wait months and months to see a dr - even for a drastic medical need. Why would we want to nationalize health care when we could not successfully nationalize the post office.
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56. Comment by Diane E. (dianee) — January 19,2009 @ 8:32AM
Ratings: -3 +22
#23 Robert B - the rich who are spending 3 Xs on the inauguration ball as in previous years?
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57. Comment by andrea s. (tucsonbutterfly) — January 19,2009 @ 8:36AM
Ratings: -18 +15
So bascially this woman thinks its ok to cut parts of the education programs and health care programs, BUT its OK to borrow for construction to a new wing of ASU... How does that make sense? If were cutting these programs how do we expect kids to get to a university if there sick or dont have the proper education!! this doesn't make sense too me.
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58. Comment by Peter V. (Peter V) — January 19,2009 @ 8:40AM
Ratings: -6 +20
Think of available cash in the hands of citizens as a "Community Resource." A wise governor will husband that resource.
That means ALL expenditures by everybody are part of that Community Resource INCLUDING Utility Bills.
A Governor can put a leash on the three commissars in our new ACC before they successfully double and redouble every citizen's utility bills in the futile hope of saving the world from CO2.
CO2 is what makes all green things green. To say otherwise is to lie.
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59. Comment by Edward C. (#4218) — January 19,2009 @ 8:51AM
Ratings: -17 +6
"So bascially this woman thinks its ok to cut parts of the education programs and health care programs, BUT its OK to borrow for construction to a new wing of ASU... How does that make sense?"#57 Reread your sentence. Proper grammar helps us communicate effectively. Please rewrite your above paragraph so your thoughts can be understood. See... free education for all!
60. Comment by Jim S. (hoam skuled) — January 19,2009 @ 8:59AM
Ratings: -9 +16
Brewer said government has "certain responsibilities" to provide services that are generally not left to individuals. That includes educating children, building and maintaining roads, and public safety.
Lets hope that our state legislators get this message! They've already proposed cutting the education budget by almost $1 billion. If Arizona wants to attract high tech industries we'd better be able to offer an educated work force. I'll be watching to see how sincere she is in carrying out her policy of supporting education. I sure hope she is sincere. If she is she may end up vetoing more bills that Janet Napolitano did.
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61. Comment by andrea s. (tucsonbutterfly) — January 19,2009 @ 8:59AM
Ratings: -9 +18
funny how you #59 choose to point out my grammer, but did not argue my point!!!
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62. Comment by Liz D. (lizard51) — January 19,2009 @ 9:04AM
Ratings: -18 +17
#41, I do. My parents live in British Columbia, and their health care system is wonderful, and it works. They may have a wait for non-essential care, but we do too, even with insurance. We now have all the drawbacks of the Canadian system, with none of the benefits.
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63. Comment by Karl G. (Karl G) — January 19,2009 @ 9:08AM
Ratings: -9 +16
Minimal government expenditure on education and healthcare - just likein third world countries such as Mexico.
Maybe poor Arizonans will sneak across te border to enjoy the better services in Sonora.
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64. Comment by Edward C. (#4218) — January 19,2009 @ 9:13AM
Ratings: -11 +4
61- What point?
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65. Comment by Edward C. (#4218) — January 19,2009 @ 9:16AM
Ratings: -8 +4
[This comment has been removed]
66. Comment by Robert B. (PostTime) — January 19,2009 @ 9:17AM
Ratings: -12 +18
Interesting how some are saying that if we had national health care we'd have to wait to see a doctor. Made an appointmet with a doctor lately ? Or a specialist ? It takes, on average 3 to 4 weeks to get into see them, if, if you can get one to agree to see you.
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67. Comment by charlie a. (treehugger) — January 19,2009 @ 9:23AM
Ratings: -12 +15
Some random thoughts:
Brewer states “After good policy and good debate”. So we are waiting for the State Legislature to provide good policy and debate? We are in trouble folks.
But not to worry for Sandra in post #22 has the solution: “and with God's help, we will be among the first to dig our way out of this depression. Godspeed, Jan”.
So God is going to balance the budget for us. I feel better now.
And the improvements to ASU’s facilities were in Glendale, Jan’s district. Of course she supported funding for projects in her district.
And as for idiots slamming on their brakes on the freeway when they see photo radar vans. The poster seems to think they do not do this when they see patrol vehicles? The problem is speeding tailgaters, not enforcement efforts.
End of random thoughts. Enjoy the day folks.
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68. Comment by Meg B. (DesertDawn) — January 19,2009 @ 9:34AM
Ratings: -5 +20
#51 "Why is it my employers responsibility to provide healthcare? I pay taxes and I want my taxes to go towards healthcare. Period.
I wonder why I'm paying for social security that I'm never going to see in my lifetime, for a bunch of old people who never bothereed to invest in a retirement program....so there!"
Your kidding right? You employer isn't responsible, but in order to attract good employees they offer good health care. And it's alot cheaper to have a private company pay for health care than have the gov't do it. Have you ever been on Cobra? Talk about sucking the $$$$$.
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69. Comment by J s. (CMCM) — January 19,2009 @ 9:38AM
Ratings: -12 +7
7.2% on umemployment benefits, 13.5% total unemployed when one considers the total of those on benefits and those whom have exhausted them, during FDR's tenure unemployment ranged from a low of 14% to a high of 25%, we have 1/3 more people in America today, so statistically we have more unemployed today than in 1st great depression, guess one can debate whom is right or wrong on any issue, but seems to me, we as a nation are headed for some inevitable and unavoidable days ahead, of misery, poverty, homelessness on the scale we have not seen since the 1930's, guess many will be whining, moaning and groaning on right and left of the political spectrum as they stand in these unemployment, welfare, food stamp, section 8 housing application lines blaming one political party or another almost like people whom favor one sports team over another, it merely is whom they like the best, of course there will be those unlucky ones homeless living in the depression era type tent cities, and misery will not care if your a republican, democrat, conservative, liberal, socialist! In fact great irony is republicans came out of the closet as "socialists" in 2008 when they bailed out Wall Street with free money no pay back schedule, and exposed themselves once and for all as socialist for the rich tycoons on Wall Street and when the blue collar workers of auto industry sought help they got a loan, with pay back schedule, no free money for them, no bail out, only difference between a republican and democrat today is republicans believe in socialism for the rich, and democrats believe in socialism for the poor and middle class! As to the moaning and groaning on any internet site, it always has both sides views, one can take what ever side one wishes, but this 2nd great depression is already making millionares paupers as in the Madoff Ponzi scheme to the tune of $50 billion, and now a absconded Florida financier off with $350 million of his investors money, reports of up to 34 existing ponzi scheme tycoons on Wall Street making off with the rich folks money! We see the justice for rich and poor, a man whom steals $50 billion sits in his penthouse, and the poor thief who stole $100 sits in a jail! Some things never change and some people are just to blind to see it.
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70. Comment by charlie a. (treehugger) — January 19,2009 @ 9:40AM
Ratings: -9 +18
AHCCCS saved my son’s life. He was diagnosed with a tumor on his pituitary gland. He was a surveyor working for a small company with no employer provided health care available. He made the decision to eat and pay rent rather than to spend 75% of his income for private health care insurance (some here have suggested this was somehow an option). He was forced to quit his job and become indigent and penniless so that he could qualify for AHCCCS. This process took nearly a year. Fortunately the tumor did not grow fast or he would be dead. If he had health coverage when he was diagnosed he could have returned to work and become a taxpayer again a year sooner. He would not have required the food stamps and other State aid he got during the time he was indigent. His care could have cost less if the tumor had been treated earlier. In the end the State spent more for his care than it should have. At least he lived.
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71. Comment by Gary M. (whocares1) — January 19,2009 @ 9:51AM
Ratings: -8 +15
#26 Ask a Canadian how well their system works and you will find out that it is a disaster. Health care is rationed depending on your age and if you had a lifestyle that could have contributeed to your condition.
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72. Comment by Bill E. (Tucsondude) — January 19,2009 @ 9:52AM
Ratings: -12 +8
#1 since you have only read the AZ Daily Star Article about Spray Paint classes, you don't know the full story- since when do you trust a newspaper article for a full story these days? If you check out the Parks & Rec page for Tucson you will notice it provides school credit, delinquency prevention, and a place for teenagers to go. If you've attended even one performance of "Keepin' It Real" like I did, you would see these are not the kids who tag or graffiti where you and I normally see it on the street. These kids do it as an artform in private for sharing with friends, on pieces that moveable like cardboard or giant poster boards- not walls. Also if you attend or look into it, you will see this program offers kids poetry, dancing, and crafts which get them off the street- if it would attract the kids who are on the street tagging, then we would see a magical cure.
The COT offering classes for graffiti art isn't the problem. Kids already have access to tagging and spray paint long before these classes came around. They happen in almost every city in every state in the country. One writer bucking for an investigate, lopsided story in the Star does not equal a problem. Just spend an afternoon with those kids and you'll know.
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73. Comment by Lindsey S. (Lindsey TS) — January 19,2009 @ 9:56AM
Ratings: -12 +19
"I don't believe government should be huge," she said. "And I don't believe that government should do things for us that we can do ourselves."
Brewer is abolutely right - our federal government should take a lesson from her. Government is supposed to supply those things which we citizens cannot: highways, bridges, fire and police protection.
We got into this mess with too many wish-lists that we cannot afford. It's time to cut back and that means some education cuts as that's where most of our budget lies.
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74. Comment by Robert B. (PostTime) — January 19,2009 @ 9:58AM
Ratings: -9 +5
#71 - See #62...a Canadian speaks.
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75. Comment by Lindsey S. (Lindsey TS) — January 19,2009 @ 10:01AM
Ratings: -14 +13
#14
Just like a true liberal - never saw a tax he didn't like.
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76. Comment by Ken V. (kenV) — January 19,2009 @ 10:02AM
Ratings: -8 +14
Someone above said that sick uneducated kids gon't go to ASU.
I have two points here.
1. I went to college and graduated. There are lots of sick, uneducated people in college.
2. We have sick, uneducated people for a number of reasons but a big one is irreasonable and unprepared parents having children that they can't provide for. It isn't the goverments reasponsability to provide for parents that don't put their childs wellbeing and education above every other luxury or time commitment.
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77. Comment by Lindsey S. (Lindsey TS) — January 19,2009 @ 10:09AM
Ratings: -9 +14
#18
""Irresponsibility and mismanagement" is at the root of the problem for sure. Not to mention fraud and malfeasance. But these things occurred in the corporations, not the government."
Mismanagement of banks and other loan institutions created the housing-bubble mess. Pressured by mostly Dems since 1977 (when the CRA act passed), banks and S&Ls gave out housing loans (sub-prime loans) to those folks who couldn't afford to pay them back.
When questioned about the obvious problems with this, Barney Frank, et al stated there were no problems with subprime loans.
Yeah, right -
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78. Comment by Ken V. (kenV) — January 19,2009 @ 10:16AM
Ratings: -7 +3
That was supposed to be irreasponable not irresponsible and responsibility.
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79. Comment by Homer T. (john1963) — January 19,2009 @ 10:20AM
Ratings: -13 +20
The Republicans have run the State Legislature for how many years? Instead of putting away money in the Rainy Day Fund, they kept cutting taxes over and over again. Nobody likes taxes, but we pay little here in Arizona as compared to other states. If we had socked away more money in the Rainy Day Fund, Jan Brewer wouldn't be gutting healthcare for children and education funding.
I guess I am one of those awful liberals who think children should get to see a doctor for preventative care or when they are sick. I also think money spent on education is a worthwhile cause.
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80. Comment by Reggie R. (scrappy2) — January 19,2009 @ 10:32AM
Ratings: -10 +20
A mountain of education costs could be saved if we removed the politics from schools.
But with the NEA the dominant force in education the liberal indoctrination of our children will only continue.
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81. Comment by F G. (feg) — January 19,2009 @ 10:36AM
Ratings: -13 +20
Reply to # 73. Comment by Lindsey S. (Lindsey TS)
Lindsey, I have been an Arizonan 42 years now and this has been a republican state for as long as I can remember. If we are in trouble, we have the conservative republicans to blame. To say that education cuts are in order is crazy. Arizona is #49 in per student spending (and it shows).
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82. Comment by Lindsey S. (Lindsey TS) — January 19,2009 @ 10:58AM
Ratings: -12 +10
#81
"To say that education cuts are in order is crazy."
Really? Then where do you suggest we tighten our belts?
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83. Comment by Brenda J. (psiartist) — January 19,2009 @ 11:00AM
Ratings: -8 +16
I live in the state of Reality. Since the beginning of time humans have received the health care they can afford. The rich got all the health care in the world. As your income goes down so does the amount of health care you can receive go down. I have told my pet birds "you are no different than me, stay healthy or die". Canadians have to wait some time for health care? In America the reality is the poor wait forever for care and die. The VA for health care? My best friend's husband, a retired soldier, died of cancer because the VA would not run the tests to find out what was wrong until he got VERY sick, and it was too late. How different is that from the health care for profit plans you can sign up for? So it seems to me nothing in history has changed health care, make a lot of money and you will get good health care. Be poor and get none. I make no complaints about it, I live in Reality.
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84. Comment by andrea s. (tucsonbutterfly) — January 19,2009 @ 11:13AM
Ratings: -14 +10
"2. We have sick, uneducated people for a number of reasons but a big one is irreasonable and unprepared parents having children that they can't provide for. It isn't the goverments reasponsability to provide for parents that don't put their childs wellbeing and education above every other luxury or time commitment."
It is the governments responibility to give every child the chance at the best possible education is it not?? At the moment, our country is suffering. Many families are loosing everything. The one thing this govt can give is every child all the tools they will need as the are our future! So if you cut off vital programs or even worse funding for our health care system then what will these kids have!
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85. Comment by charlie a. (treehugger) — January 19,2009 @ 11:21AM
Ratings: -7 +8
Hmmmm….. four tds for my post # 70. I guess these fine fiscal conservatives would rather my son had died. Careful what you wish for folks, karma is a bitch.
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86. Comment by Ken V. (kenV) — January 19,2009 @ 11:21AM
Ratings: -7 +11
49th in per student spending. How many students go to our schools who's parents pay no Federal or State income taxes? I would venture to say we are probably near the worst in that too.
Who should contribute for the education of people who contribute nothing?
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87. Comment by Ken V. (kenV) — January 19,2009 @ 11:32AM
Ratings: -4 +10
84. The problem is that the goverment is not paying for anything. The taxpayers are. And those parents that can't provide for their children expect the taxpayers to provide for them.Read to your child. Challenge your child. Your child will go to school and be way ahead of the game.
Get a job that has health care. Even if that means less of a wage, the bennefit to you and your child far outways the loss. If an employer doesnt offer health care and they can't attract employees because the employees demand health care, eventually the employeer will offer it or go out of business.
Either way you, the taxpayer are paying for health care. I pay for health insurance, my employer pays for health insurance therefore I make less of a wage, I pay taxes therefore I pay for other's health insurance. I just would like a break from paying taxes to an entity (the government) who is woefully inadequate at running education or health care.
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88. Comment by Chris B. (Chris B.) — January 19,2009 @ 11:33AM
Ratings: -4 +11
Here's an update for everyone. The labels of conservative, liberal, democrat and republican are pretty much meaningless these days.
You look at the budget deficits that the "conservative"/republican president has given us year after year and it seems ludicrous to call out democrats/liberals for not being fiscally responsible.
Then you have the suposedly liberal/democrat Obama saying that religion should play a bigger part of government than most in his party.
All I am saying is that it is just stupid to attack one party or the other. Or one ideology or the other. You can only really attack one candidate or office holder.
In this case, as a Democrat, I think Brewer is being much more realistic than Napolitano concerning our statewide economic difficulties. Just as I think Obama will be better than Bush at handling the federal economic crisis.
Or am I only allowed to like the office holders of one party or the other?
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89. Comment by Joe Q. (3090) — January 19,2009 @ 11:44AM
Ratings: -11 +13
It's amazing how many people are still duped by the republicans.
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90. Comment by T S. (shado) — January 19,2009 @ 11:58AM
Ratings: -3 +7
"And I don't believe that government should do things for us that we can do ourselves."
And we dont' mind that as long as a way is provided. I don't think Arizonans mind biting the bullet and cinching up their chaps, we've been doing that for a few years now. But it needs to be reasonable and make sense. Cut the bullfeathers and keep the basics, some of the responses here are right on....why cut health care and kid care but keep superfluous crap going? Also...are the city managers willing to take a cut? We pay their income after all so if we skimp, they have to skimp.
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91. Comment by robert s. (gadep) — January 19,2009 @ 12:01PM
Ratings: -4 +8
this is simple to fix...spend what you make...the Democrat's love to spend...Nappy has spent like a woman on a purse fetish and the senate and house of reps have let her...so both parties are to blame..you are guilty of a crime if you witness one happening and do NOTHING...like our state gov has done since Nappy took over...
We need to cut services...AHCCS needs to get cut like a dead wood cancer that it has become...they need to enforce prop 200 as it was written and passed by the people of AZ...
MVD...needs to charge a convience fee to people that refuse to do business on the internet or mail who insist on writing checks at a window...make people use technology and save the state money...want to know why there are hour+ waits on the 15th and end of each month? Dozens of people who wait till the last day and insist on paying cash or writing a check for the registration..if they want to goto a window then they should be charged a $10 fee for that ability...the MVD cost the state tons in money to staff and run...along with AHCCS and DES....They need to modernize the technology to get folks in and out faster with issues...unemployment claims etc...
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92. Comment by charlie a. (treehugger) — January 19,2009 @ 12:22PM
Ratings: -7 +1
....They need to modernize the technology to get folks in and out faster with issues...unemployment claims etc
Uh Robert, wouldn’t this modernization cost a lot of money we don’t have right now?
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93. Comment by Dirigo M. (Dirigo) — January 19,2009 @ 12:27PM
Ratings: -4 +10
We can't support education but we can support football playoffs and golf tournaments.
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94. Comment by Lila S. (2245) — January 19,2009 @ 12:37PM
Ratings: -4 +6
With the unemployment rate spiraling out of control, layoffs, budget cuts hard working people who once paid for their own health insurance that no longer have jobs because "we need to tighten our belt" It just goes from one budget to another. The unemployed will need food stamps, healthcare, housing assistance. We need to come up with something else. We can blame Janet for our woes, but its our own fault people and Corporate greed.
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95. Comment by Clarence R. (obiwan57) — January 19,2009 @ 12:46PM
Ratings: -5 +4
Jan will have many ways to help fill the state's coffers, like traffic cameras, DUI task forces, mandator starter interlocks for first time offenders, and other insidious ways of making money.
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96. Comment by Jim S. (hoam skuled) — January 19,2009 @ 1:28PM
Ratings: -4 +7
We can't support education but we can support football playoffs and golf tournaments.
Your point is well taken. Who pays for all of those expensive stadiums? The taxpayers through bonds of course. Who makes the profits from their teams? The owners, those self reliant pillars of rugged individualism who have pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and are truly self made men:-) This is a perfect example of corporate welfare also known as socialism for the rich, i.e. socialize the costs and privatize the profits just like Haliburton, etc. and their ilk.
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97. Comment by Edward C. (#4218) — January 19,2009 @ 1:30PM
Ratings: -4 +4
Let's clarify...Sick means contagious. It is not the same as handicapped. Sick people who happily congrigate at work or school spread illness.Stupid means can't read, write, or do figures without shoes off. Social promotion generates stupid people.
I assumed you guys were able to differentiate. My bad.
Happily for you AZ Star agrees with you about social promotion and welfare for all.
Now report this if the truth scares you so much.
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98. Comment by merkel m. (merkel) — January 19,2009 @ 1:33PM
Ratings: -3 +3
dont tax youdont tax me
tax that fellowunder that tree!
Huey Long.
still true.
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99. Comment by Jim S. (hoam skuled) — January 19,2009 @ 1:34PM
Ratings: -2 +5
96 continued, I have nothing against sports, in fact I love sports. I just happen to think that the owners of the teams should shoulder their own expenses. If those huge amounts of money that are used to subsidize the sports industry were used elsewhere that would go a long way towards balancing the budget. I find it quite appalling that the budget is always balanced on the backs of the people who can't defend themselves, the young and the poor, by cutting education and health care. Wake up people our young people are our future! We do not want a permanent underclass of sickly, uneducated people.
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100. Comment by Edward C. (#4218) — January 19,2009 @ 1:37PM
Ratings: -4 +4
76- Ken1. I went to college and graduated. There are lots of sick, uneducated people in college.
And you feel this is good? Were they students or teachers?
2. Add to that screwball ideologies that promote perpetual welfare and mystic reasoning (i.e. if we say little Billy is smart when he's dumber than a bag of hammers, he will become smart).
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101. Comment by Edward C. (#4218) — January 19,2009 @ 1:44PM
Ratings: -1 +4
[This comment has been removed]
102. Comment by Ken V. (kenV) — January 19,2009 @ 2:02PM
Ratings: -3 +7
I never said it was good or bad to have sick stupid people in college.
The fact is people need to depend on themselves. The goverment should only come in as a security blanket not a means to an ends.
It seems what people are saying here is take what ever hand out you can get...Ahhh the Aerican way.
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103. Comment by Edward C. (#4218) — January 19,2009 @ 2:06PM
Ratings: -4 +5
102- I agree.101 - Censorship reigns on the liberal front.
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104. Comment by Edward C. (#4218) — January 19,2009 @ 2:10PM
Ratings: -4 +7
Due to the Star's policy to censor any reasonable rebuttal to their biased viewpoints, I will cease voicing future comments. I am sure the lack of debate will be heralded as progress by many who feel the only good opinion is one in agreement with their own.
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105. Comment by Michelle M. (Michelle M) — January 19,2009 @ 2:11PM
Ratings: -5 +9
One major difference between Janet Napolitano and Jan Brewer is that Janet Napolitano was twice elected by the voters of Arizona to serve as our governor.
Jan Brewer, on the other hand, was not elected to this post.
It seems to me that she is speaking as if the people of this state elected her. She is speaking as if we have actually given her permission to aggressively force her extreme ideology on us. And she does have this power, structurally speaking.
But she was not elected to the role she was in. (online forums, by the way, are not the same as democratic elections).
So myself personally, I would think that someone in that situation -- located as governor but not elected to the position, with an election coming up in a couple of years -- would be better off showing some humility and being positioned more to listen to the people of this state.
Instead, Ms. Brewer announces right away that she knows best, that her ideology is the best ideology, that she is going to use that ideology to govern, and that listening to us, the people of the state, is not a priority for her.
That's a lot of arrogance for someone who was not even elected to her post! Power without permission or accountability ... I suppose that's part of her ideology too?
I think it's a good thing that this is democracy and we have elections. This un-elected governor can't do this for more than 2 years without actually seeking the permission of the people. Given the mood of this nation and what is to come, I suspect that the 2010 elections won't go so well for her if she keeps this up.
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106. Comment by Ken V. (kenV) — January 19,2009 @ 2:19PM
Ratings: -3 +5
Actually Michelle it sounds like Jan Brewer is saying to every goverment agency, "Times are tough, for the time being no Filet Mignon. We will have to do with Top Ramon and micromavable burritos. If and when times get better you will enjoy the ability to eat top sirloin. We can't put everything you want on the credit card because we will never be able to pay it off." That sounds perfectly acceptable to me.
Goverment as become fat and complacent rarely serving the needs of the people but more catering to the loud chants of the few.
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107. Comment by robert s. (gadep) — January 19,2009 @ 2:19PM
Ratings: -6 +8
#105
better remember that Nappy choose to leave her job..so much for her looking out for the folks of AZ that were dumb enough to vote her into the job in the first place...she is looking out for her self 1st...pure and simple...
Brewer has been handed a clusterF&ck..pure and simple...and it is going to take lots of cuts to fix this...she has gone on record many times disagreeing with the spend happiness of out soon to be former gov...Now she probably will have to spend the last 1/2 of this term as gov fixing the problem...in 2 years the state will have a go and either will give her another term deeming on how the state is doing and how they deem her job preformance...
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108. Comment by Lindsey S. (Lindsey TS) — January 19,2009 @ 2:23PM
Ratings: -7 +7
#105
"So myself personally, I would think that someone in that situation -- located as governor but not elected to the position, with an election coming up in a couple of years -- would be better off showing some humility and being positioned more to listen to the people of this state."
Are you serious? You think it best to have this state led by someone "humble"? I'd much rather we had a leader who recognizes the problems we Arizonans are up against and then set about trying to fix said problems.
Jan Brewer will listen to us Arizonans, she has already done that and I sure don't want her to dither around for two years just to placate someone who didn't vote for her.
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109. Comment by Francisco B. (WeyeT) — January 19,2009 @ 3:24PM
Ratings: -3 +4
Gee, you can't borrow your way out of debt. If you live beyond your means you need to cut out unnecessary spending. Common sense the government doesn't seem to have. Can't buy votes without credit.
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110. Comment by bill s. (Iamright) — January 19,2009 @ 3:30PM
Ratings: -8 +6
Thank you Jan for what you are about to do.
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111. Comment by tony k. (CharleyBucket) — January 19,2009 @ 3:46PM
Ratings: -4 +7
Can't we sell Janet Brewer to another state? We could raise money and find someone with a heart AND a bean counter's mentality all wrapped into one!
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112. Comment by james g. (james72) — January 19,2009 @ 3:53PM
Ratings: -2 +5
The citizens of this country should have the same health care benefits that our Congressmen and Senators do - FOR LIFE. I'm willing to pay my part, just like I do for public education (needs to be improved) and national defense (needs to be streamlined).
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113. Comment by andrea s. (tucsonbutterfly) — January 19,2009 @ 4:29PM
Ratings: -3 +5
I am a tax payer, and I pay for my insurance as well. I do not have kids, but as far as I am concerned the kids of this nation will be our future. and i am willing to pay a little extra to see that they get the best possible. Ken V, as you probably know this whole country is in the worse shape possible with people loosing there jobs left an right. now how do you expect these people to put food on the table or keep there homes much less figure out about heath care?? everyone needs help one time or another, and this is america. if we can give help, then why not??? and yes every parent should be reading to there children and doing what they can at home to prepare them for school. but if we tax payers can help with programs such as Head Start then why not!
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114. Comment by Pat W. (pwalsh) — January 19,2009 @ 4:32PM
Ratings: -4 +4
Bush with the help of the GOP has spent us into a huge hole. Its going to take cuts in services and increased taxes both to dig us out again. At least getting out of Iraq will save Americans billions. That's a good start
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115. Comment by Rodney S. (rodshort) — January 19,2009 @ 5:59PM
Ratings: -0 +2
Pat, I like you separated Bush from the GOP. The last few years have been good for all politicians, they were able to spend like drunken sailors. Jan Brewer is a bit different. If we have $9b coming in next year and owe $3b from this year...guess what, we only spend $6b. Everyone should try to make it on 2/3 of what they once were, or in the alternative, everyone should pay 1/3 more in taxes next year.
A penny saved is a penny earned. I agree Ms. Brewer.
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116. Comment by d s. (Desert Sage) — January 19,2009 @ 6:34PM
Ratings: -1 +1
Ask anyone from a socialist country what it's like to wait on line for months or years for "elective surgery" like having your gallbladder out. Ask them where they go to get the best healthcare in the world (the U.S.A.). Ask them what it's like to be told "At your age, we're not willing to treat you because it's too expensive". Now, ask yourselves whether Big Government has ever run a program without Big Red Tape.
We need a flat tax & get rid of the IRS.
We need to build facilities to house the mentally ill people using the Emergency Rooms like a homeless shelter or simply can't take care of themselves or comply with treatment.
We need a closed border. Only those with a job who can and do pay for an insurance plan (for health and autos) and come via legal channels can immigrate. And yes, it is okay to shoot drug runners.
We need a law that gives automatic minimum sentences to gang-related crimes. Death penalty for gang-related murder with no red tape. Keep a list of known gang members for this purpose.
We need to call graffiti vandalism and prosecute - not call it "art" or "forms of self-expression". These are gangs marking OUR neighborhoods as their turf. Nothing less.
Anyone over 14 who commits murder or other heinous crime should be tried as an adult.
Boarding schools for kids who are truant or drop out of school.
Higher education is for those who earn it by getting good grades in rigorous courses - not dumbed down classes. It is not a right. If you messed up in high school, prove your worth by paying for one class at a time in Community College while you work.
A government give away should be free depoprovera shots or sterilization procedure. If you have more kids than you can pay for, too bad. Deal with it yourself.
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117. Comment by andrew h. (awh) — January 19,2009 @ 6:54PM
Ratings: -0 +0
WOOOHOOOO!!!!! way to go!
i am excited to see what she will do
this is a crazy concept to me...
she is not only talking about CHANGE, but she is saying HOW she is going to do it!!
good for her. stand your ground governor and do what you know is right!!
ps. take down the traffic cameras!!!
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118. Comment by Rude S. (W Dejavu) — January 19,2009 @ 6:54PM
Ratings: -0 +0
#11 Tom, no one will read this it is too late in the evening, but I will right this anyway.
you know I am almost 60, and have lived in Arizona all but about 4 months, not including a couple of vacations to California and such. When I was young we did not go to deep into Mexico, even when we lived within 5 miles of the border because my dad was afraid of the situations there. We went to Nogalas and Naco, but now I would not even go there.
But that is not the reason am writing. I was fortunate that I could work in the mines when I was in my late teens and that paid for me to go to University. I was fortunate that In worked for a big company and had health care.
But I will tell you, that things are different now, the state expects everyone to go into debt and supports nothing. If you want to go to college, the state does not help, but will sell your debt for student loans to the highest bidder.
As for medical care, let's just say that business get tax breaks but no incentives to take care of their employees.
So with that said, lets hope they stop thinking so much about bankers and more about people on the street, people working and doing no harm.
People must accept cuts, Brewer says PHOENIX — Arizona's next governor said she's prepared to do what she believes the incumbent is not: say "no."
Filter Profanity Don't Filter
1. Comment by Arthur W. (Diogenes) — January 19,2009 @ 3:12AM
Ratings: -38 +85
Thank you Governor Brewer! I trust you would also never approve the funding of "grafitti classes"!
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2. Comment by jersy g. (jersygirl) — January 19,2009 @ 3:33AM
Ratings: -50 +84
A real conservative at the helm that has the guts to make the tough choices and deal with the real problem.Too bad our federal goverment will not do the same.
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3. Comment by SJ R. (****) — January 19,2009 @ 3:45AM
Ratings: -48 +85
"The bottom line is that we cannot provide all kinds of health care to all the people of the state of Arizona," Brewer said. "We cannot afford it."
What a novel concept. Kudos to Jan Brewer.
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4. Comment by SJ R. (****) — January 19,2009 @ 3:48AM
Ratings: -56 +70
p.s. The contrast between the conservatives in Arizona with Brewer at the helm and Congress with the Dems in control and Obama at the helm will be stark indeed. The Dems will try to spend us into oblivion while Brewer will hopefully bring some badly needed fiscal restraint to the State.
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5. Comment by Jeffrey H. (flibber) — January 19,2009 @ 3:50AM
Ratings: -31 +75
Brewer realizes the important differences between the state and federal governments. The state cannot print money while the federal treasurer can and is. The state can only tax for the money it needs, and if it borrows it cannot pay itself back, we must.
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6. Comment by Laurent C. (laurentc) — January 19,2009 @ 4:13AM
Ratings: -83 +51
#4 Why will the Dems try to spend us into oblivion when Bush and the Republicans already did that successfully.
#2 You said, "A real conservative at the helm that has the guts to make the tough choices and deal with the real problem." Too bad your real conservative, G.W. Bush can't even solve ANY problem. He can't even capture an old sick guy living in a cave. He's a big time loser. Everyone knows that!! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Sorry folks! The Real Conservative Information Propaganda has reached it's statute of limitation and credibility. They are reduced to comedic entertainment. Everyone, enjoy the Real Conservative Comedy Club
Happy Martin Luther King Day!! (a holiday the Real Conservative's DON'T recognized)
7. Comment by Bret F. (bretf1) — January 19,2009 @ 4:30AM
Ratings: -72 +47
...And here comes the slew of mulitple thumbsdown and comments courtesy of the Karl Rove Internet Squad!!
Happy Martin Luther King Day #6. Let's celebrate the U.S.A's diversity - a trait the 'Real Conservative' don't practiced and believe in.
Debbie Kornmiller, please make this commentry a pleasant place to debate
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8. Comment by Catherine C. (5158) — January 19,2009 @ 4:56AM
Ratings: -22 +58
And as Arizona tries to dig itself out of this fiscal hole it is in, we want to thank Gov. Napolitano and former Senate President Tim Bee. It took a bipartisan effort to put us here.
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9. Comment by mary j. (maryjaneaz) — January 19,2009 @ 5:22AM
Ratings: -66 +43
Why not release all the people in prison for drug offenses & save some $$?
BTW ,how many pardons will Bush issue today - Think he will try to pardon himself & Cheney for war crimes?
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10. Comment by joel t. (harperman) — January 19,2009 @ 5:33AM
Ratings: -38 +66
Tax the rich,Feed the poor,'Till there are, No rich no more.-Alvin Lee of Ten Years Arter
Anybody see the problem with this scenario? Tax the rich owners of businesses (read that employers) feed the poor (read that stimulus checks) 'till there no employers no more. Yup that'll fix our problems.
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11. Comment by Tom D. (Tommy D) — January 19,2009 @ 5:54AM
Ratings: -59 +60
Hey Gov Brewer; I have lived here all but 2 months of my 55 years, pd taxes etc etc.
My employer does not offer health Insurance. I would be willing to pay for MY self but I cannot afford 600-800 per month for the Insurance policy.
I make to much to qualify for AHCCCS thus I wish I was 1 out of 6 eligible for AHCCCS.
So give us a break with that politician rah rah stuff.
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12. Comment by Lynne G. (5981) — January 19,2009 @ 5:55AM
Ratings: -62 +55
Why is it always the most needy who need to give up before the rich do???
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13. Comment by Alan C. (azalan) — January 19,2009 @ 5:57AM
Ratings: -16 +72
Can both sides give it a bit of a rest today?
I'm happy we are having a transition at the federal level...it's long overdue...but I'm willing to give Brewer a chance. Let's see what both her and Obama can do being thrown into difficult positions.
I'm not a conservative (or liberal) today. And I've never been a Dem or Repub. I just want to be an American for a while...
Anybody with me?
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14. Comment by Levi R. (Raff) — January 19,2009 @ 6:12AM
Ratings: -62 +49
I hear what you are saying, Alan. But, we know what Brewer is going to do. We need more revenue in this state to keep education and basic heath care for children off the chopping block.
Some suggestions:
Increase the taxes on tabacco and distilled spirits
Impose an excise tax on auto sales of vehicles costing over $30,000
Impose a real estate transfer tax on sales over $1,000,000
Create another tax bracket in the state income tax over $350,000 and tax at 5%
Encourage clean energy technologies and work to attract those industries. This could be a real boom for Arizona.
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15. Comment by Ken R. (purist) — January 19,2009 @ 6:15AM
Ratings: -21 +65
Finally, some honesty and common sense from a politician. I wish you my best Jan Brewer; however, I will reserve congratulations for when you have earned it.
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16. Comment by Tom H. (taharding) — January 19,2009 @ 6:21AM
Ratings: -34 +46
GO JAN GO!
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17. Comment by Ken R. (purist) — January 19,2009 @ 6:22AM
Ratings: -32 +55
#11, Tom D., Tom, I feel really, really bad for you. However, I must say that I do not understand why it becomes my RESPONSIBILITY to provide your healthcare because of the choices you have made over your 55 years of life.
What many fail to understand is that inflation is a result of the actions of Congress. Congress has chosen to involve itself in many areas and they are the cause of inflation; therefore, healthcare and higher education has become too expensive for many to afford. And think, these are too areas where government has involved itself the most.
Not only that, look at all the advancements that have been made in healthcare over the past couple of decades. These advances do not come cheap and these costs must be passed on to the consumer.
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18. Comment by miller m. (miller) — January 19,2009 @ 6:22AM
Ratings: -41 +37
"Irresponsibility and mismanagement" is at the root of the problem for sure. Not to mention fraud and malfeasance. But these things occurred in the corporations, not the government. We are in a potentially catastrophic situation that can only be addressed by government intervention, not by government dissolution. The "fiscal conservatives" got us into this fiscal trap by encouraging the corporations to rip us off while cutting away at the tax base during the bubble. Now they are planning to pull the rug out from under us by cutting away what little safety net there is left.
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19. Comment by Ken R. (purist) — January 19,2009 @ 6:25AM
Ratings: -29 +51
#14, Levi R., more of the same I see. Take from one group to give to another. Isn't that what they do in Communist countries? When did we change our form of government and suspend the Bill of Rights?
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20. Comment by J T. (Tuttle) — January 19,2009 @ 6:33AM
Ratings: -13 +57
"If you're thinking that we're going to borrow ourselves out of this crisis that we're in, that isn't going to happen," she said. "It's borrowing that got us into the crisis that we're in."
Anyone who thinks that borrowing is going to solve the problems needs only look at our neighbors to the west. They are out of money.
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21. Comment by Bret F. (bretf1) — January 19,2009 @ 6:35AM
Ratings: -45 +43
#19 The Republikan Communist Party did that. Take the money from the middle class and poor and give it to the rich. Oh yes, due to the 'Patriot Act', the Republikan C.P. pretty much suspended the Bill of Rights.Bush, the ideologue (purist), has a utopian world view much like the Communist, unfortunately, when reality sinks in, it's always the poor/middle class that gets taken advantage of. Get real.
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22. Comment by sandra f. (azrabbit) — January 19,2009 @ 6:36AM
Ratings: -39 +49
WOOHOO!
Arizona has just won the Superbowl of Governors, and with God's help, we will be among the first to dig our way out of this depression. Godspeed, Jan!
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23. Comment by Robert B. (PostTime) — January 19,2009 @ 6:37AM
Ratings: -45 +26
#12 - Because the rich give dollar contribution to the politicians...
#19 - When Mr Bush was sworn in...
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24. Comment by Ron J. (RonJeremy) — January 19,2009 @ 6:37AM
Ratings: -20 +60
A good start would be putting DPS officers or other law enforcement people in the ER's to dissuade the illegals from coming on in and helping themselves to a large portion of the state budget.
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25. Comment by joel t. (harperman) — January 19,2009 @ 6:43AM
Ratings: -24 +42
Re # 14 Levi R. Dollars to donuts that Levi doesn't fall into any of the new tax catagories he wants to create.
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26. Comment by John S. (itsahudson) — January 19,2009 @ 6:49AM
Ratings: -43 +37
Anyone willing to look at the facts must realize that without a national health care plan such as most other civilized countries have adopted to their particular needs, we're never going to get out of the financial hole that a decent level of health care digs for us.
A national health care system works wonderfully well in other countries such as Canada and most of the European countries. It's not socialism and it's not nearly as expensive as our present system of commercial health care. Let's check it out without prejudice.
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27. Comment by Trail R. (Smooth Trail Rider) — January 19,2009 @ 6:51AM
Ratings: -25 +46
Thank goodness. Brave lady since she knows that the AZ Republic and ADS will demonize her for it.
First thing she can do is uphold fully Prop 200 we passed a few years back. We voted with over 66% majority to withold ALL state services for non US citizens. Gov Napolitano decided to exclude Medicaid for that, and a few other programs.
That should cut things a bit.
The problem is the ER and public schools. Those are "free lunches" to anyone.
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28. Comment by Ralph A. (6505) — January 19,2009 @ 6:55AM
Ratings: -33 +25
Gee, Ms. Brewer, what got the USA in such a big debt if the Republican have all the answers. Are you saying the Arizona Republican are different than the national Republicans? Are you saying Ms. Brewer, your wiser than the average? If so, that will be good for Arizona.
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29. Comment by Levi R. (Raff) — January 19,2009 @ 6:55AM
Ratings: -40 +29
Dang. I go make myself a 2nd cup of coffee and return to find that critism of my proposals I expected.
But, Robert and Bret beat me to the counterpoint. Good work, gentlemen.
Brewer's "people must accept cuts" is doublespeak for the cons waging of class warfare. The top 5 percent will be unaffected by the cuts while most working families who have seen their income fall during the last eight years will be bearing the brunt of the proposed cuts.
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30. Comment by Ron J. (RonJeremy) — January 19,2009 @ 6:56AM
Ratings: -27 +44
26...I've been stationed in countries where they have "Universal Healthcare". the taxes are sky high,the waiting lists VERY long,and it's our Government policy of medicaid and cost shifting that has driven the cost of health insurance up for working people. All this would do is dig us even deeper into debt and allow more illegals to ride the taxpayer funded gravy train.
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31. Comment by Al K. (amkirk86) — January 19,2009 @ 6:57AM
Ratings: -18 +33
Despite the conventional images both the Republican and Democratic parties have, as “we the people” have seen, things don’t always pan out the way us voters would have hoped. Our last Republican administration re-defined deficit spending in direct contrast to the party platform. Personally, I don't feel wholly represented by any party. Let’s hope that Jan Brewer will be able to slash spending.
I’m not a socialist, so I don’t believe government should pay for healthcare. However, government can regulate the health care crisis by addressing tort reform, capping tort awards, redefining when lawsuits are appropriate or not, and mandating insurance premium cuts (both patient and practitioner) commiserate with those caps. The drug prices could be addressed by changing the patent process. I compare the current patent processes with a greedy monopoly. A patent holder should be able to charge a capped percentage to others to produce a drug, so research costs could be recovered and profited from, but this ability to exclusively price a drug for a time period is unfair.
Ms. Brewer has a mess to unravel. Good luck.
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32. Comment by Ralph A. (6505) — January 19,2009 @ 7:00AM
Ratings: -8 +32
More revenue for this state means more jobs, an environment that will bring jobs to AZ. We need more companies to move to AZ, which may mean some tax breaks too. We cannot continue to tax the unemployed. We need some new ideas that will attract new high tech companies to this state. Arizona cannot balance a budget from new cameras covering the state either. So revenues for the state and cities, need to come from new corporations moving here, creating new jobs, paying a decent wage. Does Arizona have anyone recruiting new jobs?
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33. Comment by Joseph C. (wildman53) — January 19,2009 @ 7:04AM
Ratings: -26 +29
People have to realize that governm,ent cannot pay for everything. SOmeone above mentioned that they could not afford health care. Remember that is a choice. You make money, you choose to buy what you want . If healthcare is one you don't want ot pay for, its your choice. Don't complain because of your choices. Be a responsible adult and accept responsibility for your actions... One other point, taxing the rich is a bad choice, How many poor people have created a job a recently that you know of???
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34. Comment by William W. (Gunner) — January 19,2009 @ 7:05AM
Ratings: -17 +33
We all know what the problem is and we all know how to solve it, so do it Jan.
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35. Comment by ralfie 1. (ralfie12) — January 19,2009 @ 7:06AM
Ratings: -27 +37
Canadas health care system? Don't make me laugh.
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36. Comment by serena l. (BTW) — January 19,2009 @ 7:13AM
Ratings: -22 +33
No!!! to a national system. They are not a panacia like many claim. Just wait until the government starts to "ration" health care by denying you the services that you need because they will need to "spread the wealth" of tax dollars to cover millions more, thus the older population and special needs patients will be denied.
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37. Comment by Robert B. (PostTime) — January 19,2009 @ 7:14AM
Ratings: -23 +13
#34 - Help me out here....What is the problem and how do we solve it. ????
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38. Comment by William W. (Gunner) — January 19,2009 @ 7:17AM
Ratings: -16 +22
#37 If you have been reading this forum for any length of time, the answer to that should be obvious.
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39. Comment by sandra f. (azrabbit) — January 19,2009 @ 7:21AM
Ratings: -22 +37
Anybody here use the VA system? That is the template we could expect for national health care. My dad is a combat veteran of two wars, who first couldn't get care because the VA couldn't locate his records (funny, he can still locate his uniform!). Once they got him qualified, he gave up on them because they refused to provide a doctor who spoke intelligible English! National health care? Yeah, that'll work!
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40. Comment by Ron J. (RonJeremy) — January 19,2009 @ 7:32AM
Ratings: -16 +42
40. Sandra-thank your dad for his service. I'm a disabled OIF veteran and the VA,especially this VA needs a lot of work.But illegals and their anchor babies are allowed to drain the public trough while the veterans get screwed. Something is VERY wrong with this system
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41. Comment by Diane E. (dianee) — January 19,2009 @ 7:34AM
Ratings: -20 +31
#26 John S. Do you know Canadians who like their health care system. Do you know others involved in national health care? They come HERE for their health care if they have the funds. Do your research. The wait there has people dying before they even see a doctor. Don't talk National Health care to me. We have friends in other countries and they warn us not to let it happen here.
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42. Comment by Matt P. (Mpiorkow) — January 19,2009 @ 7:36AM
Ratings: -21 +30
Ah Common sense. Something that has been missing in AZ for the past 6 years under Nappy.
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43. Comment by Guy R. (Combat Guido) — January 19,2009 @ 7:37AM
Ratings: -24 +25
So we cut out all these people (many working poor) on access. Then what? They get sick, go to the emergency room. Go broke. Don't pay, Then we pay twice as much long term as insuring them. There are lots of people on this page that would throw them out and let em die. Happly we're too decent a people to do this (I hope) Of course if this state wasn't at the bottom of education funding list, we might not have so many people below the poverty line
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44. Comment by Izzy S. (smithizzy5) — January 19,2009 @ 7:48AM
Ratings: -20 +18
41. They also only pay a small preminum for the service as a supplement to their existing coverage.
Furthermore, nobody is aware of any national health care proposal, only instead to increase the pool of insured and thus lowering preminums to everybody else because a greater pool can be created among various private insurance companies.
I suggest you get your facts straight and get off the propaganda machine.
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45. Comment by Jerome G. (Too Handsome) — January 19,2009 @ 7:54AM
Ratings: -16 +19
Let's hope she doesn't seek the balance the budget by increasing those pesky photo radar vans on the interstates!
I go to Phoenix weekly and two times I've had "close calls" with accidents, as people ahead of me hit their brakes, while others changed lanes. It was like a domino effect and when I saw all the cars slamming on their brakes, I KNEW a photo van had to be ahead. Sure enough!
I'm all for a DPS officer sitting in the median with his radar taking out those yahoos that go 85, 90+ on I-10. But thee mindless "Robo Radar" vans sit on the side of the road, surprise people with bright flashes, and generally are more of a traffic hazard than the occasional leadfoot.
I fully support the red light radar, as it's a passive system that doesn't affect traffic. I'd even support photo radar to catch speeders if it were a passive system, mounted up on a pole beside an exit sign, or something, and was not sitting right alongside the highway causing drivers to react, often rashly.
Someday there's going to be a big pile-up of cars caused by a photo radar van, and perhaps then the state will do a body count and see if the extra dollars are worth it.
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46. Comment by Edward C. (#4218) — January 19,2009 @ 8:00AM
Ratings: -4 +21
Joel T, (10,25) You are in good form today. Well stated and succinctly put.Joseph C (32) We have had many high tech companies here in Tucson; unfortunately they have left. Off-Shoring to take advantage of lucrative tax incentives in other countries have claimed some, high union wages killed off a few, others just died. However what troubles me most is the shift I have been seeing from "running a business" to "maximizing stock prices" along with a bonus program that benefits management. Greed is problematic, but when accompanied by selfishness, wrecks great havoc as we can all recently attest to. Our own selfishness further erodes our community by robbing us of a collected effort for the common good. Wow, I'm wordy today... I'll shut up now.
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47. Comment by fred f. (ffischer76) — January 19,2009 @ 8:01AM
Ratings: -18 +10
#41 and in america you can go broke spending on health care.
no provisions NOT TO WIPE YOU OUT FINANCIALLY.
Then at 75 you have zero, nada, zilch to live on.
ward of the state coming your way soon.
OTOH we will see deep cuts in govt services.
To bad the simple idea of across the board pay cuts of 25% won't fly for those making over $75,000
maybe a 25% tax hike would be better?????
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48. Comment by Jerome G. (Too Handsome) — January 19,2009 @ 8:10AM
Ratings: -5 +26
First cut, the size of the Governor's staff!
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49. Comment by Roger D. (truthsayer) — January 19,2009 @ 8:14AM
Ratings: -21 +16
#36 We ration health care here by only providing it to those that can afford it or get it from their employers!
Why do we want to balance our budget on the backs of the poor and our already "bottom of the barrel" education system?
Levi, you are right in saying we need more taxes on luxury items and the transactions of the ultra-wealthy, they need to start paying their fair share. We wouldn't be in this crisis if not for the greed of the corporations and their CEO's and the fraud they perpetuated to get their profits. Not to mention the obscene waste of billions for the unnecessary and illegal war on Iraq!
Place blame where it is due not on a few hapless immigrants seeking medical care!
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50. Comment by Robert B. (PostTime) — January 19,2009 @ 8:15AM
Ratings: -11 +13
#38 - Sorry, I just may be slow, but you're going to have to point it out to me just what the problem and what the solution is. Stop being so coy.
#45 - If people we actually driving near the speed limit, they wouldn't have any reason to slam on the brakes when they see a van now would they ?
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51. Comment by Pamela C. (85652) — January 19,2009 @ 8:19AM
Ratings: -24 +13
- However, I must say that I do not understand why it becomes my RESPONSIBILITY to provide your healthcare because of the choices you have made over your 55 years of life.-
Why is it my employers responsibility to provide healthcare? I pay taxes and I want my taxes to go towards healthcare. Period.
I wonder why I'm paying for social security that I'm never going to see in my lifetime, for a bunch of old people who never bothereed to invest in a retirement program....so there!
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52. Comment by billy m. (5807) — January 19,2009 @ 8:24AM
Ratings: -8 +9
Have you noticed that each vote...pro or con, is generating a vote on the other side. This skews the voting.
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53. Comment by Joe J. (Joe N) — January 19,2009 @ 8:27AM
Ratings: -17 +10
Joesl T says: "Tax the rich owners of businesses (read that employers) feed the poor (read that stimulus checks) 'till there no employers no more"
If there was any evidence that the rich were getting poorer instead of richer because of taxes you'd have a point, but real life does not support that argument.
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54. Comment by Lloyd W. (Windle) — January 19,2009 @ 8:29AM
Ratings: -20 +15
And the fiscal conservatives will try to starve us so they can spend our money.
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55. Comment by Diane E. (dianee) — January 19,2009 @ 8:30AM
Ratings: -10 +20
Lynne G #12. The "rich" pays for the health care of the poor. They are giving up. And, if you are working and paying taxes, Lynne, YOU are the rich the people are referring to.
#44. I was responding to someone else wanting national health care. I know there are no specific proposals floating around right now. BUT, I do know the folks up north come to Washington State for a lot of their health care and pay for it when they can. They literally have to wait months and months to see a dr - even for a drastic medical need. Why would we want to nationalize health care when we could not successfully nationalize the post office.
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56. Comment by Diane E. (dianee) — January 19,2009 @ 8:32AM
Ratings: -3 +22
#23 Robert B - the rich who are spending 3 Xs on the inauguration ball as in previous years?
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57. Comment by andrea s. (tucsonbutterfly) — January 19,2009 @ 8:36AM
Ratings: -18 +15
So bascially this woman thinks its ok to cut parts of the education programs and health care programs, BUT its OK to borrow for construction to a new wing of ASU... How does that make sense? If were cutting these programs how do we expect kids to get to a university if there sick or dont have the proper education!! this doesn't make sense too me.
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58. Comment by Peter V. (Peter V) — January 19,2009 @ 8:40AM
Ratings: -6 +20
Think of available cash in the hands of citizens as a "Community Resource." A wise governor will husband that resource.
That means ALL expenditures by everybody are part of that Community Resource INCLUDING Utility Bills.
A Governor can put a leash on the three commissars in our new ACC before they successfully double and redouble every citizen's utility bills in the futile hope of saving the world from CO2.
CO2 is what makes all green things green. To say otherwise is to lie.
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59. Comment by Edward C. (#4218) — January 19,2009 @ 8:51AM
Ratings: -17 +6
"So bascially this woman thinks its ok to cut parts of the education programs and health care programs, BUT its OK to borrow for construction to a new wing of ASU... How does that make sense?"#57 Reread your sentence. Proper grammar helps us communicate effectively. Please rewrite your above paragraph so your thoughts can be understood. See... free education for all!
60. Comment by Jim S. (hoam skuled) — January 19,2009 @ 8:59AM
Ratings: -9 +16
Brewer said government has "certain responsibilities" to provide services that are generally not left to individuals. That includes educating children, building and maintaining roads, and public safety.
Lets hope that our state legislators get this message! They've already proposed cutting the education budget by almost $1 billion. If Arizona wants to attract high tech industries we'd better be able to offer an educated work force. I'll be watching to see how sincere she is in carrying out her policy of supporting education. I sure hope she is sincere. If she is she may end up vetoing more bills that Janet Napolitano did.
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61. Comment by andrea s. (tucsonbutterfly) — January 19,2009 @ 8:59AM
Ratings: -9 +18
funny how you #59 choose to point out my grammer, but did not argue my point!!!
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62. Comment by Liz D. (lizard51) — January 19,2009 @ 9:04AM
Ratings: -18 +17
#41, I do. My parents live in British Columbia, and their health care system is wonderful, and it works. They may have a wait for non-essential care, but we do too, even with insurance. We now have all the drawbacks of the Canadian system, with none of the benefits.
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63. Comment by Karl G. (Karl G) — January 19,2009 @ 9:08AM
Ratings: -9 +16
Minimal government expenditure on education and healthcare - just likein third world countries such as Mexico.
Maybe poor Arizonans will sneak across te border to enjoy the better services in Sonora.
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64. Comment by Edward C. (#4218) — January 19,2009 @ 9:13AM
Ratings: -11 +4
61- What point?
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65. Comment by Edward C. (#4218) — January 19,2009 @ 9:16AM
Ratings: -8 +4
[This comment has been removed]
66. Comment by Robert B. (PostTime) — January 19,2009 @ 9:17AM
Ratings: -12 +18
Interesting how some are saying that if we had national health care we'd have to wait to see a doctor. Made an appointmet with a doctor lately ? Or a specialist ? It takes, on average 3 to 4 weeks to get into see them, if, if you can get one to agree to see you.
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67. Comment by charlie a. (treehugger) — January 19,2009 @ 9:23AM
Ratings: -12 +15
Some random thoughts:
Brewer states “After good policy and good debate”. So we are waiting for the State Legislature to provide good policy and debate? We are in trouble folks.
But not to worry for Sandra in post #22 has the solution: “and with God's help, we will be among the first to dig our way out of this depression. Godspeed, Jan”.
So God is going to balance the budget for us. I feel better now.
And the improvements to ASU’s facilities were in Glendale, Jan’s district. Of course she supported funding for projects in her district.
And as for idiots slamming on their brakes on the freeway when they see photo radar vans. The poster seems to think they do not do this when they see patrol vehicles? The problem is speeding tailgaters, not enforcement efforts.
End of random thoughts. Enjoy the day folks.
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68. Comment by Meg B. (DesertDawn) — January 19,2009 @ 9:34AM
Ratings: -5 +20
#51 "Why is it my employers responsibility to provide healthcare? I pay taxes and I want my taxes to go towards healthcare. Period.
I wonder why I'm paying for social security that I'm never going to see in my lifetime, for a bunch of old people who never bothereed to invest in a retirement program....so there!"
Your kidding right? You employer isn't responsible, but in order to attract good employees they offer good health care. And it's alot cheaper to have a private company pay for health care than have the gov't do it. Have you ever been on Cobra? Talk about sucking the $$$$$.
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69. Comment by J s. (CMCM) — January 19,2009 @ 9:38AM
Ratings: -12 +7
7.2% on umemployment benefits, 13.5% total unemployed when one considers the total of those on benefits and those whom have exhausted them, during FDR's tenure unemployment ranged from a low of 14% to a high of 25%, we have 1/3 more people in America today, so statistically we have more unemployed today than in 1st great depression, guess one can debate whom is right or wrong on any issue, but seems to me, we as a nation are headed for some inevitable and unavoidable days ahead, of misery, poverty, homelessness on the scale we have not seen since the 1930's, guess many will be whining, moaning and groaning on right and left of the political spectrum as they stand in these unemployment, welfare, food stamp, section 8 housing application lines blaming one political party or another almost like people whom favor one sports team over another, it merely is whom they like the best, of course there will be those unlucky ones homeless living in the depression era type tent cities, and misery will not care if your a republican, democrat, conservative, liberal, socialist! In fact great irony is republicans came out of the closet as "socialists" in 2008 when they bailed out Wall Street with free money no pay back schedule, and exposed themselves once and for all as socialist for the rich tycoons on Wall Street and when the blue collar workers of auto industry sought help they got a loan, with pay back schedule, no free money for them, no bail out, only difference between a republican and democrat today is republicans believe in socialism for the rich, and democrats believe in socialism for the poor and middle class! As to the moaning and groaning on any internet site, it always has both sides views, one can take what ever side one wishes, but this 2nd great depression is already making millionares paupers as in the Madoff Ponzi scheme to the tune of $50 billion, and now a absconded Florida financier off with $350 million of his investors money, reports of up to 34 existing ponzi scheme tycoons on Wall Street making off with the rich folks money! We see the justice for rich and poor, a man whom steals $50 billion sits in his penthouse, and the poor thief who stole $100 sits in a jail! Some things never change and some people are just to blind to see it.
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70. Comment by charlie a. (treehugger) — January 19,2009 @ 9:40AM
Ratings: -9 +18
AHCCCS saved my son’s life. He was diagnosed with a tumor on his pituitary gland. He was a surveyor working for a small company with no employer provided health care available. He made the decision to eat and pay rent rather than to spend 75% of his income for private health care insurance (some here have suggested this was somehow an option). He was forced to quit his job and become indigent and penniless so that he could qualify for AHCCCS. This process took nearly a year. Fortunately the tumor did not grow fast or he would be dead. If he had health coverage when he was diagnosed he could have returned to work and become a taxpayer again a year sooner. He would not have required the food stamps and other State aid he got during the time he was indigent. His care could have cost less if the tumor had been treated earlier. In the end the State spent more for his care than it should have. At least he lived.
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71. Comment by Gary M. (whocares1) — January 19,2009 @ 9:51AM
Ratings: -8 +15
#26 Ask a Canadian how well their system works and you will find out that it is a disaster. Health care is rationed depending on your age and if you had a lifestyle that could have contributeed to your condition.
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72. Comment by Bill E. (Tucsondude) — January 19,2009 @ 9:52AM
Ratings: -12 +8
#1 since you have only read the AZ Daily Star Article about Spray Paint classes, you don't know the full story- since when do you trust a newspaper article for a full story these days? If you check out the Parks & Rec page for Tucson you will notice it provides school credit, delinquency prevention, and a place for teenagers to go. If you've attended even one performance of "Keepin' It Real" like I did, you would see these are not the kids who tag or graffiti where you and I normally see it on the street. These kids do it as an artform in private for sharing with friends, on pieces that moveable like cardboard or giant poster boards- not walls. Also if you attend or look into it, you will see this program offers kids poetry, dancing, and crafts which get them off the street- if it would attract the kids who are on the street tagging, then we would see a magical cure.
The COT offering classes for graffiti art isn't the problem. Kids already have access to tagging and spray paint long before these classes came around. They happen in almost every city in every state in the country. One writer bucking for an investigate, lopsided story in the Star does not equal a problem. Just spend an afternoon with those kids and you'll know.
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73. Comment by Lindsey S. (Lindsey TS) — January 19,2009 @ 9:56AM
Ratings: -12 +19
"I don't believe government should be huge," she said. "And I don't believe that government should do things for us that we can do ourselves."
Brewer is abolutely right - our federal government should take a lesson from her. Government is supposed to supply those things which we citizens cannot: highways, bridges, fire and police protection.
We got into this mess with too many wish-lists that we cannot afford. It's time to cut back and that means some education cuts as that's where most of our budget lies.
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74. Comment by Robert B. (PostTime) — January 19,2009 @ 9:58AM
Ratings: -9 +5
#71 - See #62...a Canadian speaks.
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75. Comment by Lindsey S. (Lindsey TS) — January 19,2009 @ 10:01AM
Ratings: -14 +13
#14
Just like a true liberal - never saw a tax he didn't like.
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76. Comment by Ken V. (kenV) — January 19,2009 @ 10:02AM
Ratings: -8 +14
Someone above said that sick uneducated kids gon't go to ASU.
I have two points here.
1. I went to college and graduated. There are lots of sick, uneducated people in college.
2. We have sick, uneducated people for a number of reasons but a big one is irreasonable and unprepared parents having children that they can't provide for. It isn't the goverments reasponsability to provide for parents that don't put their childs wellbeing and education above every other luxury or time commitment.
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77. Comment by Lindsey S. (Lindsey TS) — January 19,2009 @ 10:09AM
Ratings: -9 +14
#18
""Irresponsibility and mismanagement" is at the root of the problem for sure. Not to mention fraud and malfeasance. But these things occurred in the corporations, not the government."
Mismanagement of banks and other loan institutions created the housing-bubble mess. Pressured by mostly Dems since 1977 (when the CRA act passed), banks and S&Ls gave out housing loans (sub-prime loans) to those folks who couldn't afford to pay them back.
When questioned about the obvious problems with this, Barney Frank, et al stated there were no problems with subprime loans.
Yeah, right -
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78. Comment by Ken V. (kenV) — January 19,2009 @ 10:16AM
Ratings: -7 +3
That was supposed to be irreasponable not irresponsible and responsibility.
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79. Comment by Homer T. (john1963) — January 19,2009 @ 10:20AM
Ratings: -13 +20
The Republicans have run the State Legislature for how many years? Instead of putting away money in the Rainy Day Fund, they kept cutting taxes over and over again. Nobody likes taxes, but we pay little here in Arizona as compared to other states. If we had socked away more money in the Rainy Day Fund, Jan Brewer wouldn't be gutting healthcare for children and education funding.
I guess I am one of those awful liberals who think children should get to see a doctor for preventative care or when they are sick. I also think money spent on education is a worthwhile cause.
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80. Comment by Reggie R. (scrappy2) — January 19,2009 @ 10:32AM
Ratings: -10 +20
A mountain of education costs could be saved if we removed the politics from schools.
But with the NEA the dominant force in education the liberal indoctrination of our children will only continue.
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81. Comment by F G. (feg) — January 19,2009 @ 10:36AM
Ratings: -13 +20
Reply to # 73. Comment by Lindsey S. (Lindsey TS)
Lindsey, I have been an Arizonan 42 years now and this has been a republican state for as long as I can remember. If we are in trouble, we have the conservative republicans to blame. To say that education cuts are in order is crazy. Arizona is #49 in per student spending (and it shows).
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82. Comment by Lindsey S. (Lindsey TS) — January 19,2009 @ 10:58AM
Ratings: -12 +10
#81
"To say that education cuts are in order is crazy."
Really? Then where do you suggest we tighten our belts?
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83. Comment by Brenda J. (psiartist) — January 19,2009 @ 11:00AM
Ratings: -8 +16
I live in the state of Reality. Since the beginning of time humans have received the health care they can afford. The rich got all the health care in the world. As your income goes down so does the amount of health care you can receive go down. I have told my pet birds "you are no different than me, stay healthy or die". Canadians have to wait some time for health care? In America the reality is the poor wait forever for care and die. The VA for health care? My best friend's husband, a retired soldier, died of cancer because the VA would not run the tests to find out what was wrong until he got VERY sick, and it was too late. How different is that from the health care for profit plans you can sign up for? So it seems to me nothing in history has changed health care, make a lot of money and you will get good health care. Be poor and get none. I make no complaints about it, I live in Reality.
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84. Comment by andrea s. (tucsonbutterfly) — January 19,2009 @ 11:13AM
Ratings: -14 +10
"2. We have sick, uneducated people for a number of reasons but a big one is irreasonable and unprepared parents having children that they can't provide for. It isn't the goverments reasponsability to provide for parents that don't put their childs wellbeing and education above every other luxury or time commitment."
It is the governments responibility to give every child the chance at the best possible education is it not?? At the moment, our country is suffering. Many families are loosing everything. The one thing this govt can give is every child all the tools they will need as the are our future! So if you cut off vital programs or even worse funding for our health care system then what will these kids have!
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85. Comment by charlie a. (treehugger) — January 19,2009 @ 11:21AM
Ratings: -7 +8
Hmmmm….. four tds for my post # 70. I guess these fine fiscal conservatives would rather my son had died. Careful what you wish for folks, karma is a bitch.
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86. Comment by Ken V. (kenV) — January 19,2009 @ 11:21AM
Ratings: -7 +11
49th in per student spending. How many students go to our schools who's parents pay no Federal or State income taxes? I would venture to say we are probably near the worst in that too.
Who should contribute for the education of people who contribute nothing?
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87. Comment by Ken V. (kenV) — January 19,2009 @ 11:32AM
Ratings: -4 +10
84. The problem is that the goverment is not paying for anything. The taxpayers are. And those parents that can't provide for their children expect the taxpayers to provide for them.Read to your child. Challenge your child. Your child will go to school and be way ahead of the game.
Get a job that has health care. Even if that means less of a wage, the bennefit to you and your child far outways the loss. If an employer doesnt offer health care and they can't attract employees because the employees demand health care, eventually the employeer will offer it or go out of business.
Either way you, the taxpayer are paying for health care. I pay for health insurance, my employer pays for health insurance therefore I make less of a wage, I pay taxes therefore I pay for other's health insurance. I just would like a break from paying taxes to an entity (the government) who is woefully inadequate at running education or health care.
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88. Comment by Chris B. (Chris B.) — January 19,2009 @ 11:33AM
Ratings: -4 +11
Here's an update for everyone. The labels of conservative, liberal, democrat and republican are pretty much meaningless these days.
You look at the budget deficits that the "conservative"/republican president has given us year after year and it seems ludicrous to call out democrats/liberals for not being fiscally responsible.
Then you have the suposedly liberal/democrat Obama saying that religion should play a bigger part of government than most in his party.
All I am saying is that it is just stupid to attack one party or the other. Or one ideology or the other. You can only really attack one candidate or office holder.
In this case, as a Democrat, I think Brewer is being much more realistic than Napolitano concerning our statewide economic difficulties. Just as I think Obama will be better than Bush at handling the federal economic crisis.
Or am I only allowed to like the office holders of one party or the other?
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89. Comment by Joe Q. (3090) — January 19,2009 @ 11:44AM
Ratings: -11 +13
It's amazing how many people are still duped by the republicans.
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90. Comment by T S. (shado) — January 19,2009 @ 11:58AM
Ratings: -3 +7
"And I don't believe that government should do things for us that we can do ourselves."
And we dont' mind that as long as a way is provided. I don't think Arizonans mind biting the bullet and cinching up their chaps, we've been doing that for a few years now. But it needs to be reasonable and make sense. Cut the bullfeathers and keep the basics, some of the responses here are right on....why cut health care and kid care but keep superfluous crap going? Also...are the city managers willing to take a cut? We pay their income after all so if we skimp, they have to skimp.
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91. Comment by robert s. (gadep) — January 19,2009 @ 12:01PM
Ratings: -4 +8
this is simple to fix...spend what you make...the Democrat's love to spend...Nappy has spent like a woman on a purse fetish and the senate and house of reps have let her...so both parties are to blame..you are guilty of a crime if you witness one happening and do NOTHING...like our state gov has done since Nappy took over...
We need to cut services...AHCCS needs to get cut like a dead wood cancer that it has become...they need to enforce prop 200 as it was written and passed by the people of AZ...
MVD...needs to charge a convience fee to people that refuse to do business on the internet or mail who insist on writing checks at a window...make people use technology and save the state money...want to know why there are hour+ waits on the 15th and end of each month? Dozens of people who wait till the last day and insist on paying cash or writing a check for the registration..if they want to goto a window then they should be charged a $10 fee for that ability...the MVD cost the state tons in money to staff and run...along with AHCCS and DES....They need to modernize the technology to get folks in and out faster with issues...unemployment claims etc...
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92. Comment by charlie a. (treehugger) — January 19,2009 @ 12:22PM
Ratings: -7 +1
....They need to modernize the technology to get folks in and out faster with issues...unemployment claims etc
Uh Robert, wouldn’t this modernization cost a lot of money we don’t have right now?
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93. Comment by Dirigo M. (Dirigo) — January 19,2009 @ 12:27PM
Ratings: -4 +10
We can't support education but we can support football playoffs and golf tournaments.
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94. Comment by Lila S. (2245) — January 19,2009 @ 12:37PM
Ratings: -4 +6
With the unemployment rate spiraling out of control, layoffs, budget cuts hard working people who once paid for their own health insurance that no longer have jobs because "we need to tighten our belt" It just goes from one budget to another. The unemployed will need food stamps, healthcare, housing assistance. We need to come up with something else. We can blame Janet for our woes, but its our own fault people and Corporate greed.
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95. Comment by Clarence R. (obiwan57) — January 19,2009 @ 12:46PM
Ratings: -5 +4
Jan will have many ways to help fill the state's coffers, like traffic cameras, DUI task forces, mandator starter interlocks for first time offenders, and other insidious ways of making money.
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96. Comment by Jim S. (hoam skuled) — January 19,2009 @ 1:28PM
Ratings: -4 +7
We can't support education but we can support football playoffs and golf tournaments.
Your point is well taken. Who pays for all of those expensive stadiums? The taxpayers through bonds of course. Who makes the profits from their teams? The owners, those self reliant pillars of rugged individualism who have pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and are truly self made men:-) This is a perfect example of corporate welfare also known as socialism for the rich, i.e. socialize the costs and privatize the profits just like Haliburton, etc. and their ilk.
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97. Comment by Edward C. (#4218) — January 19,2009 @ 1:30PM
Ratings: -4 +4
Let's clarify...Sick means contagious. It is not the same as handicapped. Sick people who happily congrigate at work or school spread illness.Stupid means can't read, write, or do figures without shoes off. Social promotion generates stupid people.
I assumed you guys were able to differentiate. My bad.
Happily for you AZ Star agrees with you about social promotion and welfare for all.
Now report this if the truth scares you so much.
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98. Comment by merkel m. (merkel) — January 19,2009 @ 1:33PM
Ratings: -3 +3
dont tax youdont tax me
tax that fellowunder that tree!
Huey Long.
still true.
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99. Comment by Jim S. (hoam skuled) — January 19,2009 @ 1:34PM
Ratings: -2 +5
96 continued, I have nothing against sports, in fact I love sports. I just happen to think that the owners of the teams should shoulder their own expenses. If those huge amounts of money that are used to subsidize the sports industry were used elsewhere that would go a long way towards balancing the budget. I find it quite appalling that the budget is always balanced on the backs of the people who can't defend themselves, the young and the poor, by cutting education and health care. Wake up people our young people are our future! We do not want a permanent underclass of sickly, uneducated people.
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100. Comment by Edward C. (#4218) — January 19,2009 @ 1:37PM
Ratings: -4 +4
76- Ken1. I went to college and graduated. There are lots of sick, uneducated people in college.
And you feel this is good? Were they students or teachers?
2. Add to that screwball ideologies that promote perpetual welfare and mystic reasoning (i.e. if we say little Billy is smart when he's dumber than a bag of hammers, he will become smart).
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101. Comment by Edward C. (#4218) — January 19,2009 @ 1:44PM
Ratings: -1 +4
[This comment has been removed]
102. Comment by Ken V. (kenV) — January 19,2009 @ 2:02PM
Ratings: -3 +7
I never said it was good or bad to have sick stupid people in college.
The fact is people need to depend on themselves. The goverment should only come in as a security blanket not a means to an ends.
It seems what people are saying here is take what ever hand out you can get...Ahhh the Aerican way.
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103. Comment by Edward C. (#4218) — January 19,2009 @ 2:06PM
Ratings: -4 +5
102- I agree.101 - Censorship reigns on the liberal front.
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104. Comment by Edward C. (#4218) — January 19,2009 @ 2:10PM
Ratings: -4 +7
Due to the Star's policy to censor any reasonable rebuttal to their biased viewpoints, I will cease voicing future comments. I am sure the lack of debate will be heralded as progress by many who feel the only good opinion is one in agreement with their own.
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105. Comment by Michelle M. (Michelle M) — January 19,2009 @ 2:11PM
Ratings: -5 +9
One major difference between Janet Napolitano and Jan Brewer is that Janet Napolitano was twice elected by the voters of Arizona to serve as our governor.
Jan Brewer, on the other hand, was not elected to this post.
It seems to me that she is speaking as if the people of this state elected her. She is speaking as if we have actually given her permission to aggressively force her extreme ideology on us. And she does have this power, structurally speaking.
But she was not elected to the role she was in. (online forums, by the way, are not the same as democratic elections).
So myself personally, I would think that someone in that situation -- located as governor but not elected to the position, with an election coming up in a couple of years -- would be better off showing some humility and being positioned more to listen to the people of this state.
Instead, Ms. Brewer announces right away that she knows best, that her ideology is the best ideology, that she is going to use that ideology to govern, and that listening to us, the people of the state, is not a priority for her.
That's a lot of arrogance for someone who was not even elected to her post! Power without permission or accountability ... I suppose that's part of her ideology too?
I think it's a good thing that this is democracy and we have elections. This un-elected governor can't do this for more than 2 years without actually seeking the permission of the people. Given the mood of this nation and what is to come, I suspect that the 2010 elections won't go so well for her if she keeps this up.
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106. Comment by Ken V. (kenV) — January 19,2009 @ 2:19PM
Ratings: -3 +5
Actually Michelle it sounds like Jan Brewer is saying to every goverment agency, "Times are tough, for the time being no Filet Mignon. We will have to do with Top Ramon and micromavable burritos. If and when times get better you will enjoy the ability to eat top sirloin. We can't put everything you want on the credit card because we will never be able to pay it off." That sounds perfectly acceptable to me.
Goverment as become fat and complacent rarely serving the needs of the people but more catering to the loud chants of the few.
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107. Comment by robert s. (gadep) — January 19,2009 @ 2:19PM
Ratings: -6 +8
#105
better remember that Nappy choose to leave her job..so much for her looking out for the folks of AZ that were dumb enough to vote her into the job in the first place...she is looking out for her self 1st...pure and simple...
Brewer has been handed a clusterF&ck..pure and simple...and it is going to take lots of cuts to fix this...she has gone on record many times disagreeing with the spend happiness of out soon to be former gov...Now she probably will have to spend the last 1/2 of this term as gov fixing the problem...in 2 years the state will have a go and either will give her another term deeming on how the state is doing and how they deem her job preformance...
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108. Comment by Lindsey S. (Lindsey TS) — January 19,2009 @ 2:23PM
Ratings: -7 +7
#105
"So myself personally, I would think that someone in that situation -- located as governor but not elected to the position, with an election coming up in a couple of years -- would be better off showing some humility and being positioned more to listen to the people of this state."
Are you serious? You think it best to have this state led by someone "humble"? I'd much rather we had a leader who recognizes the problems we Arizonans are up against and then set about trying to fix said problems.
Jan Brewer will listen to us Arizonans, she has already done that and I sure don't want her to dither around for two years just to placate someone who didn't vote for her.
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109. Comment by Francisco B. (WeyeT) — January 19,2009 @ 3:24PM
Ratings: -3 +4
Gee, you can't borrow your way out of debt. If you live beyond your means you need to cut out unnecessary spending. Common sense the government doesn't seem to have. Can't buy votes without credit.
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110. Comment by bill s. (Iamright) — January 19,2009 @ 3:30PM
Ratings: -8 +6
Thank you Jan for what you are about to do.
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111. Comment by tony k. (CharleyBucket) — January 19,2009 @ 3:46PM
Ratings: -4 +7
Can't we sell Janet Brewer to another state? We could raise money and find someone with a heart AND a bean counter's mentality all wrapped into one!
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112. Comment by james g. (james72) — January 19,2009 @ 3:53PM
Ratings: -2 +5
The citizens of this country should have the same health care benefits that our Congressmen and Senators do - FOR LIFE. I'm willing to pay my part, just like I do for public education (needs to be improved) and national defense (needs to be streamlined).
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113. Comment by andrea s. (tucsonbutterfly) — January 19,2009 @ 4:29PM
Ratings: -3 +5
I am a tax payer, and I pay for my insurance as well. I do not have kids, but as far as I am concerned the kids of this nation will be our future. and i am willing to pay a little extra to see that they get the best possible. Ken V, as you probably know this whole country is in the worse shape possible with people loosing there jobs left an right. now how do you expect these people to put food on the table or keep there homes much less figure out about heath care?? everyone needs help one time or another, and this is america. if we can give help, then why not??? and yes every parent should be reading to there children and doing what they can at home to prepare them for school. but if we tax payers can help with programs such as Head Start then why not!
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114. Comment by Pat W. (pwalsh) — January 19,2009 @ 4:32PM
Ratings: -4 +4
Bush with the help of the GOP has spent us into a huge hole. Its going to take cuts in services and increased taxes both to dig us out again. At least getting out of Iraq will save Americans billions. That's a good start
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115. Comment by Rodney S. (rodshort) — January 19,2009 @ 5:59PM
Ratings: -0 +2
Pat, I like you separated Bush from the GOP. The last few years have been good for all politicians, they were able to spend like drunken sailors. Jan Brewer is a bit different. If we have $9b coming in next year and owe $3b from this year...guess what, we only spend $6b. Everyone should try to make it on 2/3 of what they once were, or in the alternative, everyone should pay 1/3 more in taxes next year.
A penny saved is a penny earned. I agree Ms. Brewer.
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116. Comment by d s. (Desert Sage) — January 19,2009 @ 6:34PM
Ratings: -1 +1
Ask anyone from a socialist country what it's like to wait on line for months or years for "elective surgery" like having your gallbladder out. Ask them where they go to get the best healthcare in the world (the U.S.A.). Ask them what it's like to be told "At your age, we're not willing to treat you because it's too expensive". Now, ask yourselves whether Big Government has ever run a program without Big Red Tape.
We need a flat tax & get rid of the IRS.
We need to build facilities to house the mentally ill people using the Emergency Rooms like a homeless shelter or simply can't take care of themselves or comply with treatment.
We need a closed border. Only those with a job who can and do pay for an insurance plan (for health and autos) and come via legal channels can immigrate. And yes, it is okay to shoot drug runners.
We need a law that gives automatic minimum sentences to gang-related crimes. Death penalty for gang-related murder with no red tape. Keep a list of known gang members for this purpose.
We need to call graffiti vandalism and prosecute - not call it "art" or "forms of self-expression". These are gangs marking OUR neighborhoods as their turf. Nothing less.
Anyone over 14 who commits murder or other heinous crime should be tried as an adult.
Boarding schools for kids who are truant or drop out of school.
Higher education is for those who earn it by getting good grades in rigorous courses - not dumbed down classes. It is not a right. If you messed up in high school, prove your worth by paying for one class at a time in Community College while you work.
A government give away should be free depoprovera shots or sterilization procedure. If you have more kids than you can pay for, too bad. Deal with it yourself.
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117. Comment by andrew h. (awh) — January 19,2009 @ 6:54PM
Ratings: -0 +0
WOOOHOOOO!!!!! way to go!
i am excited to see what she will do
this is a crazy concept to me...
she is not only talking about CHANGE, but she is saying HOW she is going to do it!!
good for her. stand your ground governor and do what you know is right!!
ps. take down the traffic cameras!!!
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118. Comment by Rude S. (W Dejavu) — January 19,2009 @ 6:54PM
Ratings: -0 +0
#11 Tom, no one will read this it is too late in the evening, but I will right this anyway.
you know I am almost 60, and have lived in Arizona all but about 4 months, not including a couple of vacations to California and such. When I was young we did not go to deep into Mexico, even when we lived within 5 miles of the border because my dad was afraid of the situations there. We went to Nogalas and Naco, but now I would not even go there.
But that is not the reason am writing. I was fortunate that I could work in the mines when I was in my late teens and that paid for me to go to University. I was fortunate that In worked for a big company and had health care.
But I will tell you, that things are different now, the state expects everyone to go into debt and supports nothing. If you want to go to college, the state does not help, but will sell your debt for student loans to the highest bidder.
As for medical care, let's just say that business get tax breaks but no incentives to take care of their employees.
So with that said, lets hope they stop thinking so much about bankers and more about people on the street, people working and doing no harm.
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