Thread: Russell Pearce - Don't count him out

Russell Pearce's Comeuppance? Don't Count Him Out Just Yet By Stephen Lemons, Fri., Mar. 18 2011 @ 9:36AM/ They're practically singing hosannas in the streets, the pro-immigration folks, or just those who'd like to see an end to Arizona's tsunami of hate. This, over the defeat of five anti-immigrant bills on the state Senate floor yesterday, including Senate President Russell Pearce's "immigration omnibus" Senate Bill 1611, and the dual efforts to undermine birthright citizenship, Senate Bills 1308 and 1309.

As cynical as I tend to be, I agree that it is a victory. Pearce was handed his lunch pail Thursday. Think of it, he commands an overwhelming majority, usually with an iron claw. With only nine Democrats to his 21 Republicans. Pearce should be able to pass blank strips of paper, if he wanted.

But a pack of seven to ten tuskers went rogue on the bills, bucking the most powerful man in the state by voting down the anti-"anchor baby" legislation and 1611 as well as proposals to turn school and hospital workers into de facto ICE agents. (Not all of those Rs voted no on all five bills, hence the seven-to-ten range.)

For the most part, they were not motivated by concern for the plight of Latinos in this state. Oh, no. It was all about money, and the fact that the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry was outspoken in its opposition to all of this legislation.

Last year, the Chamber was neutral on Senate Bill 1070, and it was blindsided by a boycott that negatively impacted its members and the state as a whole. On the Chamber's Web site, Chamber president Glenn Hamer offered this gruesome metaphor for the "wreck" of 1070:

When I was a sophomore in high school, my driver's education teacher was a big believer in the "scared straight" method of preparing teenagers to get behind the wheel. He made it a point to show his classes accident scene photos to drill into our young brains the gravity of the responsibility of operating a motor vehicle.

My teacher would show us a photo full of mangled metal and broken glass and say, referring to the victims, "This accident wasn't their fault." And then after a dramatic pause he'd say, "And guess what: They're still dead."

Hamer sees the "victims" as Arizona's businesses, impacted by the crash and burn of the boycott of Arizona over 1070. His first concern is not for the undocumented, but rather that bigotry is bad for business.

Ditto the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, which weighed in with a letter from muck-a-mucks heading up such heavy hitting businesses as US Airways and Cox Communications.

"It is an undeniable fact that each of our companies and our employees were impacted by the boycotts and the coincident negative image," the letter stated, in an effort to wean legislators off Pearce's anti-immigrant Kool-Aid.

It's important to note that if groups such as the Phoenix civil rights group Puente, the California-based National Day Laborer Organizing Network, and other such groups across the nation had not championed the Arizona boycott, the business community would not have been as steadfast as they've been on these current bills.

In other words, the boycott hurt Arizona businesses, big and small, and those businesses reacted by jumping up and down when Pearce went back on his promise to put immigration on the backburner and focus on the economy.

Ultimately, this pressure from the business community worked, along with promises made, undoubtedly, for monetary help to those Republicans who may face a primary opponent hand-picked by Pearce.

That's Pearce's big stick -- the threat that he'll recruit a "Tea Party" alternative to battle a recalcitrant GOPer in a primary. And that threat, potentially, could still turn things around. If a motion to reconsider is offered on Monday, and it passes, then those bills can come up again during this session.

The concern from former, Democratic House minority leader John Loredo and others is that over the weekend, Pearce will try to "flip" one Republican who voted against the bill. That Republican would have the right to offer the motion under Senate rules, and Monday is the last day it can be done.

I wouldn't be surprised if Pearce even gives nativists the personal cell numbers of those he's targeting, so they can barrage the legislators with phone calls.

Should the motion pass, it will give Pearce time to try and flip other Republicans. Pearce apparently knew he didn't have the votes to pass the legislation on Thursday. But by outing the rebel Republicans via their no votes, he makes them targets of Pearce's allies.

Democratic State Senator Kyrsten Sinema told me she believes the bills are dead for the rest of the session.

"If there's a motion to reconsider Monday, it will fail," she told me.

She may be right. Sources indicate that neither House Speaker Kirk Adams, nor Governor Jan Brewer want the bills to pass, and that both have been working behind the scenes to kill them.
There are other ways Pearce can bring back the bills (as strike-everythings and/or putting them on the ballot), but if he lacks the votes, he lacks the votes. So Monday is a crucial day. Still, if he can't bring them back this session, there's always the next.

If Pearce's defeat on these bills is sustained this session, it could be the first crack in his facade of invincibility. But Pearce is like a shark, relentless, always on the move. And until he's removed from power altogether, the forces of reason can never sleep soundly. http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bastar ... nce_do.php

And until he's removed from power altogether, the forces of reason can never sleep soundly.

Russell Pearce is the epitome of reason on the issue of illegal immigration and what to do about it. Wolves in sheep's clothing should have their wool removed and their evil souls exposed. And yes, that includes you Arizona Chamber of Commerce whose members hire illegal aliens. The enemies of our country pull a stupid little boycott, and you drop your small cadre of remaining ethnics and respect for the law and turn and run from a fight to protect American Workers and the sovereignty of your state and our country?

Shame on you. Shame, Shame, Shame On You. Republicans in Arizona, do not fall for this ploy by the Chamber of Global Commerce With No Country. Push them back into the worm hole they crawled out of and stand up with the people of your state and our country and support the end of birthright citizenship for illegal aliens. What are you thinking?

And dear wonderful Russell Pearce, I know I don't need to say this but I'll say it anyway. Never quit. You're right. They're wrong. And all of US with 2 live brain cells still connected have got your back, always and forever.

Well, this is the mentality we are dealing with. This is the response I received from Senator Steve Pierce (Dist. 1) in reply to the email I sent this morning.

Obviously you have not read the bills but are taking someone's word that these were the fix all bills and the best way to fix our huge immigration issues. They weren't and they in fact did nothing to help secure our border, nothing. your letter is wrong and has misled you to thinking they were. I did not turn my back on anyone. I did not vote for corporations. I am a native Arizonan and I care as much as you or anyone else that is sending out misleading emails about this. I suggest you read the bills and correct whoever is telling you we did something wrong.

thanks for the note.

Steve Pierce

This is the email I sent:

Senator Pierce:

I am appalled that you have turned your back on the Citizens of Arizona who have elected you to represent them by voting against 5 of the most significant bills ever introduced in the Arizona Senate to combat illegal immigration in this state.

Your attempt to APPEASE the Pro-Illegal Immigration lobby clearly sends the message that your loyalty lies with Foreign Nationals and not with Arizonans.

The majority of United States Citizens and ARIZONANS want strict legislation designed to end this invasion and discourage further illegal entry into this state and country!

Pandering to the demands of Pro-Illegal Advocates will only defeat what Arizona has already accomplished. This State can have no hope of economic recovery until WE put a stop to the illegals who drain our school budgets, milk our welfare and health care systems, and take jobs from the Arizonans who want and need to work.


The "CEOs on Immigration Letter" to Senator Pearce is equally appalling. Americans overwhelmingly do not support "A Pathway to Citizenship!"


I urge you to reconsider your "no" vote on SB 1309, SB 1611, SB 1405, and SB 1407 and support Arizona and the Citizens who elected you. I do have reservations on SB 1308 since it defines "Dual Citizen" as "Natural Born Citizen" and would like to see the Natural Born changed to simply US Citizen.

Once again, please reconsider your vote. Should you fail to do so, I will support the Arizona Tea Parties and their efforts to recall each and every one of you.

Respectfully,

I HAVE READ THE BILLS!

If these bills do not get put back up, the pro-illegal crowd along with the illegals themselves will get exactly what they want. They will get exactly what they want in that this state will be run even further into the ground and ABSOLUTELY NOBODY will have a job!

And as for this so called "boycott," I have yet to see it out of average Americans. I have seen more out of state drivers plates riding around here this year than I have ever seen before. It is as if the out of staters feel for us all here in AZ and want to help by giving us their business. The problem is however, the illegals who consistently come up in here and bombard the state of AZ with their cheap labor, anchor babies, and illegal kids. These traitors go on about how they voted against the bills because they fear these bills hurting the "tourism" industry here in AZ. Well, we'll see how much their no votes are going to help the tourism industry here when more illegals rush this place and none of the out of staters want to come here anymore.

Originally Posted by AZres

Well, this is the mentality we are dealing with. This is the response I received from Senator Steve Pierce (Dist. 1) in reply to the email I sent this morning.

Obviously you have not read the bills but are taking someone's word that these were the fix all bills and the best way to fix our huge immigration issues. They weren't and they in fact did nothing to help secure our border, nothing. your letter is wrong and has misled you to thinking they were. I did not turn my back on anyone. I did not vote for corporations. I am a native Arizonan and I care as much as you or anyone else that is sending out misleading emails about this. I suggest you read the bills and correct whoever is telling you we did something wrong.

thanks for the note.

Steve Pierce

This is the email I sent:
[quote:3ka8hhij]Senator Pierce:

I am appalled that you have turned your back on the Citizens of Arizona who have elected you to represent them by voting against 5 of the most significant bills ever introduced in the Arizona Senate to combat illegal immigration in this state.

Your attempt to APPEASE the Pro-Illegal Immigration lobby clearly sends the message that your loyalty lies with Foreign Nationals and not with Arizonans.

The majority of United States Citizens and ARIZONANS want strict legislation designed to end this invasion and discourage further illegal entry into this state and country!

Pandering to the demands of Pro-Illegal Advocates will only defeat what Arizona has already accomplished. This State can have no hope of economic recovery until WE put a stop to the illegals who drain our school budgets, milk our welfare and health care systems, and take jobs from the Arizonans who want and need to work.


The "CEOs on Immigration Letter" to Senator Pearce is equally appalling. Americans overwhelmingly do not support "A Pathway to Citizenship!"


I urge you to reconsider your "no" vote on SB 1309, SB 1611, SB 1405, and SB 1407 and support Arizona and the Citizens who elected you. I do have reservations on SB 1308 since it defines "Dual Citizen" as "Natural Born Citizen" and would like to see the Natural Born changed to simply US Citizen.

Once again, please reconsider your vote. Should you fail to do so, I will support the Arizona Tea Parties and their efforts to recall each and every one of you.

Respectfully,

I HAVE READ THE BILLS![/quote:3ka8hhij] Good going AZres... You obviously struck a nerve. You dared to tell the truth and his response was to be expected.

Seems like our "traitor" senator got awfully defensive!

For the most part, they were not motivated by concern for the plight of Latinos in this state. Oh, no. It was all about money, and the fact that the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry was outspoken in its opposition to all of this legislation.

People will turn out in large groves to vote the year of 2012 in every State, all Counties.

"That's our AZres she could "Piss off the Pope!" that why we love her!"

Originally Posted by AZres

Well, this is the mentality we are dealing with. This is the response I received from Senator Steve Pierce

"He is Steven Pierce!" "Cause he ain't no "Steve!"

http://mothersagainstillegalamnesty.com/?p=1073

Yesterday, the Arizona Senate voted “NOâ€