Thread: AZ: United States Congress, District 7

Posting part of the article. Please click on the source link to read the remainder.
~~~

United States Congress, District 7
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 10.19.2008


A lot of candidates — including both of the presidential contenders — talk about "securing the border." But what does that entail? How will we know when it is secured?

Grijalva: Representing the border, I understand that there is not a silver bullet for addressing border security and immigration. If we are to gain control of our borders, we cannot continue to use a single-minded approach. Our country's economy and security requires comprehensive Immigration reform.
Arizona has been the victim of an "enforcement-only" approach and over the last 10 years, we have seen an increase of undocumented immigrants, human smuggling, and deaths in our desert. Border and Immigration reform needs to address our porous border and improve our immigration policy so that it is aware of the push and pull of migration between a developed country and a developing country.
The solution needs to have several components. A failure to include all will create another failed border and immigration policy for Arizona. In addition, the solution must work to make the estimated 10 million undocumented undergo a legal process in the U.S. and we must work on a foreign policy that works towards economic development in the Western Hemisphere. I support bringing the undocumented out of the shadows.
An enforcement-only mentality that solely increases agents or builds a fence will fail to address the majority of the problem of immigration and undermine our national, border, and economic security.

Petrulsky: The National Guard should be patrolling the border along with Border Patrol agents. I would also use private industry to help.

Sweeney: It's a cruel joke. It's been 30 years of nonsense. I support Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Let the feds step up internal enforcement. Let the citizen/taxpayer be represented on this issue; 75 percent do not want open borders and amnesty. You must enter a country legally and exit lawfully!

http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/262199

A small town in Hazleton Pennsylvania recently passed immigration reform. It is being held up in the courts. The Mayor of Hazleton said that he is willing to take this all the way to the Supreme Court.

Folks, if people in Pennsylvania are writing immigration policies than we are in big trouble!

Arizona should be at the forefront of immigration policymaking. We know this subject better than anyone. We need to lead this charge or the decision will be made for us. It all starts with common sense.

The first part is admitting that we have a problem. Then we can move on to bigger and better things.

Our National Guard must be deployed to conduct border sweeps. We must involve private industry. We should assist volunteer organizations and expand the size of our Border Patrol agents.

We must pressure the Mexican government to clean up corruption and greed along border towns and help build infrastructure for our neighbors to the South. There is as reason people are entering our country illegally. Lack of proper sewage systems and drinking water is some of the basic problems facing the poor. Drug Cartels have run rampant and people are fleeing for their lives.

We should encourage good behavior by expanding the cap on the number of Visa's from Mexico. We must start an identification process that creates incentives for illegal immigrants to come forward without fear of deportation. They can report to their local police precincts and be placed on a national registrar. We would at least know who they are and where they live. This will help our local governments plan accordingly.

We should give them benchmarks toward citizenship (i.e. No Felonies etc.). They must take their turn and go to the back of the line but, they can work in our country legally.

Finally, we must sit down with all parties and create sensible immigration reform. Regardless of how you feel on the issue, I hope you will agree that Arizona should lead this effort.


My name is Raymond Patrick Petrulsky. I was born on St. Patrick's Day in 1965. I have been living in Arizona for 19 years. I am a Byzantine Catholic. I grew up in a military household. My Grandfather, Anthony Petrulsky Sr., served in World War II. My Father, David Petrulsky Sr., served in Vietnam and I served in the United States Air Force from 1983-1988.

I am running for U.S. Congress in Arizona Congressional District 7 which includes all of Yuma County, in addition to parts of La Paz, Maricopa, Pima, Pinal and Santa Cruz counties. I am running against a former MECha member and current incumbent Raul Grijalva.

As Libertarians, we seek a world of liberty; a world in which all individuals are sovereign over their own lives and no one is forced to sacrifice his or her values for the benefit of others.

We believe that respect for individual rights is the essential precondition for a free and prosperous world, that force and fraud must be banished from human relationships, and that only through freedom can peace and prosperity be realized.

Consequently, we defend each person's right to engage in any activity that is peaceful and honest, and welcome the diversity that freedom brings. The world we seek to build is one where individuals are free to follow their own dreams in their own ways, without interference from government or any authoritarian power.

Libertarians believe in the American heritage of liberty, enterprise, and personal responsibility. Libertarians recognize the responsibility we all share to preserve this precious heritage for our children and grandchildren.

Around the nation there are Libertarian mayors, county executives, county council members and even a Libertarian sheriff! Libertarians also serve on school boards and in hundreds of local offices. In 2006 alone, over 13.4 million votes were cast for Libertarian candidates around the nation.

We are people like you. People who used to be Republicans, Democrats, and independents – from all walks of life. Folks have joined us because they realize that we’re the only political party working for their best interests.

The Libertarian Party is America's third largest political party, founded in 1971 as an alternative to the two main political parties. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party by visiting www.LP.org. The Libertarian Party proudly stands for smaller government, lower taxes and more freedom.



Famous Libertarian thinkers...

Ron Paul; Clint Eastwood; Kurt Russell; Tom Selleck; Drew Carey; Howard Stern; Milton Friedman; Mark Cuban; Denis Leary; P.J. O'Rourke; Russell Means; Neil Pert; James Buchanan;

Famous Libertarian-esque Quotes...

"Give me liberty or give me death!" – Patrick Henry

"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them. – Thomas Jefferson

"First they came for the Jews, but I did nothing because I'm not a Jew. Then they came for the socialists, but I did nothing because I'm not a socialist. Then they came for the Catholics, but I did nothing because I'm not a Catholic. Finally, they came for me, but by then there was no one left to help me." – Pastor Father Niemoller (1946)

"Rights belong to individuals, not groups. Property should be owned by people, not government. All voluntary associations should be permissionable -- economic and social. The government's monetary role is to maintain the integrity of the monetary unit, not participate in fraud. Government exists to protect liberty, not to redistribute wealth or to grant special privileges. The lives and actions of people are their own responsibility, not the government's." -- The Ron Paul Freedom Principles

"Western civilization is based upon the libertarian principle, and all its achievements are the result of the actions of free men." -- Ludwig von Mises in Economic Freedom and Interventionism (1990)

"A government that is big enough to give you all you want is big enough to take it all away."– Barry Goldwater 1964)

"I like the libertarian view, which is to leave everyone alone." — Clint Eastwood in USA Today (January 25, 2004)

"Don't hit other people, don't take their stuff and keep your promises." - David Boaz

"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys." – P.J. O'Rourke

"Liberals want the government to be your Mommy. Conservatives want government to be your Daddy. Libertarians want it to treat you like an adult." – Andre Marrou

"The Ten Commandments contain 297 words. The Bill of Rights is stated in 463 words. Lincoln's Gettysburg Address contains 266 words. A recent federal directive to regulate the price of cabbage contains 26,911 words." – The Atlanta Journal

"I never hurt nobody but myself and that's nobody's business but my own. – Billie Holiday

"American Indians are caught in the same dilemma as libertarians. We're neither left nor right. We're just for freedom." -- Russell Means in LP News, (July 1987)
..