(D) Rep. Kyrsten Sinema does not list immigration as a priority on her site though living in a border state.

We promised legal immigration reform activists we would identify and disseminate information as it relates to the 9 Democratic House Representatives who voted with the Tea Party Republicans in support of a government shutdown.

2 of the 9 representatives live right here in the good ol' State of Arizona and we are hawkish with Democrats who toe the tea party line because more than likely they have already committed themselves to playing games at the expense of our National Security instead of solving broken systems in a bipartisan fashion.

Independent registered voters are the key swing vote in elections.  We are a rising demographic, and we have had it with politicians who play games with our lives.   We are giving a signal to Mexican American Latino voters who are politically independent to vote out politicians who toe the extremist Tea Party ideology.

Below is the list of the 9 Democratic Representatives immigration activists ought to target and call to demand their immigration stances before legal immigration reform is discussed in the House of Representatives and controlled by the GOP. You can see the complete final results list here. Recently the Senate passed a comprehensive immigration reform bill and it is imperative for immigration activists to contact the below representatives.

Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (Arizona)

Rep. Ron Barber (Arizona)

Rep. John Barrow (Georgia)

Rep. Steven Horsford (Nevada)

Rep. Dan Maffei (New York)

Rep. Sean Maloney (New York)

Rep. Jim Matheson (Utah)

Rep. Mike McIntyre (North Carolina)

Rep. Raul Ruiz (California)

Via Haime Xvier Badillo in Spanish:

Lista de Democratas que votaron para shutdown el gobierno...devemos cuidarnos de ellos no nos vallan dar para abajo con la reforma...y hay que presionarlos en twitter....alguien sabe sus cuentas?

Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (Arizona)
Rep. Ron Barber (Arizona)
Rep. John Barrow (Georgia)
Rep. Steven Horsford (Nevada)
Rep. Dan Maffei (New York)
Rep. Sean Maloney (New York)
Rep. Jim Matheson (Utah)
Rep. Mike McIntyre (North Carolina)
Rep. Raul Ruiz (California)

In addition to (D) Rep. Sinema's weak stance on immigration, she got caught taking money from private prison industries who take advantage of immigrants who are sent to detention centers.

See story below by the Three Sonorans:

BUSTED: Kyrsten Sinema taking money from private prison industry!

GOP Tea Party Extremist vs. GOP Moderate

"...a team; lives, sleeps, eats, fights as a team. This individual heroic stuff is a lot of crap." - General Patton

Many folks believe the government showdown is just a Republican vs. Democratic situation, but it isn't. The Republican Party is still having trouble finding it's own soul. The RNC Chairman Reince Priebus has been mum lately on the government shutdown, and he has not spoken a word since he supported the Tea party Republican-led effort by junior Senator Ted Cruz against "Obamacare" on September 24, 2013. One has to wonder why the RNC would use a mere freshman, yet, Cruz is making extremist rookie-like moves that is not in the best interest of our national security for his own political expediency. Cruz proceeded though leaders believed that Republicans would be blamed for a shut down. Polling backed up their concern according to a recent CNN/ORC International Poll indicated that 51% of respondents would blame Republicans.

The politically astute understand Tea Party junior Senator Ted Cruz is the pawn-like force behind the government shutdown in an effort to defund Obamacare. Hell, even the Texans over at the Dallas Observer understand that. But Cruz's lust is doing so at the expense of services military veterans depend upon and the 800,000 federal employees who could not go to work this morning to serve fellow Americans.

Todd Gillman of the Dallas News writes: "Cruz's 21-hour overnight speech last week, the fourth-longest in Senate history, dramatized anti-Obamacare ardor. But it also made the freshman the face of GOP obstruction."

But it is Cruz's ambition that is getting in the way of what is in the best interest of our Nation and American morale. That said, it appears almost 70% of Americans believe that a government shutdown is bad for our Nation according to CNN. Unfortunately it appears the junior senator forgot we are still in war time and having a unified front still matters to Americans -- particularly veterans who have a certain stake and pride in our Nation.

Cruz weakens our National image for his own Tea Party political gain, and I'm afraid his obstructionism will backfire soon because as General Patton once said: "The Very Idea of Losing is Hateful to an American." Senator McCain understands the meaning of this. Countless times Senator McCain has jumped out into the forefront with regard to our National Security and there is an absolute purpose why McCain does not support shutdown.

Tom Tarantino, Chief Policy Officer, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, writes:

"....a government shutdown does not bode well for top priorities within the veterans' community."

Jon Soltz of Vote Vets writes:

"By now, the myriad of articles that examine how a Republican government shutdown would affect people has a lot of folks confused, even scared. The truth of the matter is, we know who will be impacted by a shutdown by Republicans, and we know it will be bad. The degree to which it will be bad is what is up in the air, as various government departments finalize their plans for the shutdown event. When it comes to troops and veterans, much of that holds true. We know they're going to be hurt. We know our national security will be hurt."

That said, the experienced Senator John McCain understands the negative fallout as a result of a government shutdown (junior Senator Ted Cruz supports), and Cruz has an awful lot of growing up to do with regard to the consequences of his political actions as a public official.

You see, McCain knows that a government shutdown does not help our unified front image Americans ought to maintain with regard to how the globe perceives us.

McCain knows that our National Security should always come to the forefront before all other issues and this is more important than toeing the Tea Party GOP line Cruz is guilty of.

McCain knows our enemies want our Nation to be divided, yet the junior Senator Ted Cruz has an agenda to be as extreme as he can in hopes of becoming the 2016 Republican Presidential candidate. Never mind the fact that it was Sen. Ted Cruz's father who worked for communist Fidel Castro. Never mind how Ted Cruz bribed an official to come to the United States.

McCain knows how the Tea Party leaders will eventually turn against Sen. Cruz after they use him as a pawn in light of Cruz being born in Canada after his Cuban immigrant father bribed an official to come into our Nation. But for now it appears the junior Senator chooses to relish being the political drama king at the Hill. McCain has been there and done that with the Tea Party rhetoric and he knows it is a matter of time before they turn on Cruz for being born in Canada just as the Tea Party people turned on him in Arizona for being moderate.

As an independent registered voter who has no party loyalty to either one of the 2 major party systems, and as a Gulf War I veteran who served honorably -- I am going to have to side with Senator John McCain on this issue, and it is unfortunate to hear Arizona Democratic Reps. Kyrsten Sinema and Ron Barber voted along with the Tea Party Republicans and the likes of Sen. Ted Cruz.

Below are more interesting stories with regard to the ongoing infighting between Senator John McCain and the junior Senator Ted Cruz.

From the HUFFPOST:

John McCain Rips Ted Cruz's Anti-Obamacare Speech, Criticizes Nazi Comparison (VIDEO)

From the NYT:

It's no secret that Senator John McCain doesn't much like Senator Ted Cruz, whom he once called a "wacko bird." His main grievance is that Mr. Cruz isn't interested in the business of governing, which requires compromise. If Mr. Cruz can't get what he wants, he'd rather muck up the Senate than give in. ... Mr. McCain was among those who felt Mr. Cruz was merely grandstanding, and earlier today he went so far as to suggest that Mr. Cruz's diatribe was fundamentally undemocratic.

I'd remind my colleagues that, in the 2012 election, Obamacare, as it's called -- and I'll be more polite, the A.C.A. -- was a subject that was a major issue in the campaign. I campaigned all over America for two months, everywhere I could. And in every single campaign rally I said "we had to repeal and replace Obamacare." Well, the people spoke. They spoke, much to my dismay, but they spoke and they re-elected the president of the United States. No that doesn't mean that we give up our efforts to try to replace and repair Obamacare. But it does mean elections have consequences and those elections were clear, in a significant majority, that the majority of the American people supported the president of the U.S. and renewed his stewardship of this country. I don't like it, it's not something that I wanted the outcome to be. But I think all of us should respect the outcome of elections, which reflects the will of the people.

The good ol' days "pre-Tea Party" days.

As an American Veteran who served during Gulf War I, I am disappointed in the Tea Party Congress for supporting government shutdowns that negatively impact Veterans who have served.

According to Tom Tarantino — Chief Policy Officer, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America:

While veterans may be more protected than other constituencies, a government shutdown does not bode well for top priorities within the veterans’ community.

…

Does that mean that I won’t get my benefits in November?

Possibly. The VA has not given any specifics on what will happen if the shutdown continues for the next few weeks, and they run out of cash on hand. IAVA will keep pushing for more information and get it to you as soon as possible.

I’m still waiting for the VA to process my claim. How will that be affected?

If you filed a claim before the shutdown, the VA will continue to process it, but expect there to be some delay. While the VA employees that are working on your claim are protected from the shutdown, many of the information sources that they use to develop your claim are not. This may slow the process down.

I was just about to file a claim? Should I wait?

No, go ahead and file but be aware that the VA won’t be processing any new claims during the shutdown. However, you should still file to protect your effective date. To reduce any confusion or to ensure that the VA doesn’t lose anything during the uncertainty of the shutdown, we recommend that you file your claim through a National Service Officer from the Disabled American Veterans. They can help guide you through the process and ensure that the VA is on top of it. You can locate a local service officer here.

New Post 9/11 GI Bill claims for next semester will also likely be delayed if the shutdown goes longer than a few weeks since they will not be processing new claims during a shutdown. The VA’s education hotline will be shut off during a shutdown as well. If you are experiencing problems with your GI Bill, you can visit www.NewGIBIll.org for assistance.

I’ve appealed my VA disability claim. Does this mean that I’ll be waiting longer?

Yes. All work on appeals will be halted during the shutdown.

I’m currently serving in the military. Will I still get paid?

Yes. Just before the shutdown, the President signed the bill passed by Congress that would ensure that the military continues to get paid during the shutdown.

What about on base services? How will those be affected?

Military hospitals and clinics should remain open. However, expect many MWR (Morale, Welfare, and Recreation) and community services (like commissaries) to be either closed or limiting operations. Your chain of command will have detailed information about what is happening on your local base.

Shutdown? I’m deployed to Afghanistan right now. What does this mean?

DoD has stated that combat operations will continue as planned. Be safe and keep driving on. Your chain of command will have any details you need to know and your unit’s FRG (Family Readiness Group) should be able to pass information to your families back home.

What about this whole debt ceiling thing? How will that work?

If America hits the debt ceiling and defaults on our existing bills, virtually all cash on hand will have to be diverted to paying the interest on the debt. This may halt virtually all pay and benefits and further shut down the government. Since the US has never defaulted before, there is not a lot of clarity on what will happen. IAVA will keep pushing for more information and update you as soon as we can.

How can IAVA help?

As Congress remains gridlocked and plays games with the budget, there remains a great deal of confusion and uncertainty for veterans.

IAVA’s case managers are trained to help veterans navigate all types of transition issues. If the government shutdown affects your benefits, livelihood, or wellbeing and you need support, contact us at 855-91-RAPID (72743). We can get you connected to resources and help minimize the disruption to your life.

 

Follow Tom Tarantino on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@tomtarantino

How do we solve and avoid government shutdown?

Easy -- we ensure that our US Representatives and Senators will not get paid while our government has been shutdown. 

We also ought to vote out the tea party extremists and inform the rising independent voters to participate more during off year election season.

Congress must not get a paycheck for their failure to work on a bipartisan level and conduct what is in the best interest of our Nation.  Their actions confirm why many are leaving the GOP and joining the ranks of other independent registered voters. 

Left: Rev. Warren Stewart — Right: Kate Widland Gallego

 

One thing I hate is when an official politician tries to exert his political influence over fellow Mexican-American / Latino peers.

Whatever happened to the politician who remembers he is a humble public servant working for the American tax paying people?

Do Arizona legislators really believe they are the “almighty and powerful” that negates grassroots efforts lending freedom to support who we want to support?  Perhaps that is what Harvard is teaching these days when Rep. Ruben Gallego appears to threaten the ‘old guard’ within our community in an email blast he sent out while soliciting for his wife’s campaign.

Sorry Gallego, but just because your wife is your wife – this does not mean we all have to accept her as our new leader at your insistence. And your letter below threatening the “old guard” is inappropriate with regard to your capacity as an Arizona legislator.

Here are some reasons why some in the Mexican American community will not give your wife the nod:

Your wife, Kate Widland is an SRP lobbyist.   Reverend Warren Stewart sits on the board of the National Immigration Forum – a group formed by Al Gore that is helping immigrants and the Mexican American community.

Rev. Stewart protested football during a tough time for minorities when Arizona would not support the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday to honor our Civil Rights. On the hand, minorities continue to go through tough times in your wife’s district with having to pay for high utilities and deposits despite the corporation she works for.  As you may already know, SRP donated $1 million dollars for Super Bowl football, while charging higher rates to low-income customers in District 8.

Your wife, Kate Widland is a carpetbagger and new to an area [as of January] that has a high brown and black population.   Rev. Stewart has lived in south Phoenix for a significant time with strong roots and knows the area better than your wife does.  He was one of the chief organizers during the 2005 and 2006 immigration marches when lawmakers were on the verge of passing the Sensenbrenner Bill during a crucial time.

Rev. Stewart displayed leadership and helped form the Black and Brown Coalition and has served on numerous boards and commissions.  In fact, he has played in an advisory capacity role for every Phoenix Mayor since 1977 in light of his considerable Civil Rights experience. It is disingenuous for Kate to say she is the only candidate with leadership experience.  Working at a utilities corporation that screws over low income people is not the leadership we are looking for.

Rather than showing leadership skills at her own corporation, your wife Kate Widland is complicit in funneling rate payer money to lure the Super Bowl to Arizona instead of fixing decrepit and hazardous transformers, power lines and canals that could make south Phoenix look better.  Meanwhile, Rev. Stewart rolled up his sleeves, took leadership and began a non-profit organization that feeds thousands of poor people for free every Wednesday.  He helped build hundreds of units and affordable housing in District 8 and throughout other parts of Phoenix.

In other words, Ruben, why would you insist and impose this sub-par candidate to confront the issues that Reverend Stewart has spent a lifetime preparing himself for?  By comparison the answer is clear: your wife is a carpetbagger outsider and what district 8 needs is one of their own to fix their own problems.
Indeed a pothole is just a pothole and it will continue to be empty until a man like Stewart fills it just as he has helped fill thousands of empty stomachs in poor communities.

That said, we encourage your wife, Kate Widland, to demonstrate real leadership by fixing the “potholes” of SRP policies with their hazardous lines and decrepit transformers and canals instead of using rate payer funds for Super Bowl programs.  We hope to see her garner a little more experience under her belt besides working for a greedy corporation.

I went over to Reince Priebus' Facebook Page to see why the Republican Party is avoiding the No. 1 issue that is important to the Mexican American Latino Voter  -- the legal immigration reform issue.  I did a bit of perusing and discovered he has not mentioned the immigration issue since 12 July 2013.   In fact,  the Republican Party has been trying to avoid the large elephant in the room.  The GOP will discuss Syria, Obamacare and everything else under the sun while avoiding what is most important to the people they claim to want to do some outreach with. 

Let me be clear, both Parties need to understand that they cannot take advantage of our vote. Mexican-Americans make up of almost 70% of the entire Latin population pie and we are the key swing voters.

We will be paying attention to politicians in 2014 and 2016 with regard to their actions on immigration reform. According to a 2012 USA Today/Gallup poll and POLITICO: “A slight majority of Hispanics in the country, 51 percent, identify as politically independent, according to the survey released Monday. About a third, 32 percent, consider themselves Democrats, while just 11 percent say they are Republicans.”

51% politically independent Mexican American Chicano / Latino voters  equate to a key swing vote.

And while the RNC Chairman criticizes Obama on immigration (even though Obama has promised to sign a fair and reasonable immigration bill) I see no real leadership from the RNC Chairman and/or House Republicans after the Senate passed a historic legal immigration bill via the Gang of Eight.

We will be keeping track of the RNC Chairman and the signals and direction he is sending.  Right now we see him avoiding immigration, and his lack of leadership on such which probably has to do a lot with the Tea Party stronghold he cannot seem to defeat.

Immigration is a federal issue -- thus it must be solved by Congress. House Republican Representatives are dragging their feet to fix the broken immigration system. Last I checked -- Obama isn't King ... he is the President and Congress should all work together to fix this tough issue. We know immigration policy is protected by the Supremacy Clause of our United States Constitution, and Congress has a responsibility to address this tough issue. The 2013 Legal immigration reform bill is a major step forward in securing our Nation because only after everyone is registered and documented will we know who is in our Nation and where we can find them. We know that once we fix the broken immigration system, and once we document all immigrants — then they can feel safe to help law enforcement agencies to target criminal activity without the fear of deportation when they report suspicious activity to the law enforcement authorities. Therefore, bringing the immigrants out of the shadows will only strengthen our Nation’s security.

51% is exactly where we ought to maintain.  Both Parties need to understand that they cannot take advantage of our vote.  Mexican-Americans make up of almost 70% of the entire Latin population pie and we are the key swing voters.

We will be paying attention to politicians in 2014 and 2016 with regard to their actions on immigration reform. 

According to a 2012 USA Today/Gallup poll and POLITICO:

A slight majority of Hispanics in the country, 51 percent, identify as politically independent, according to the survey released Monday. About a third, 32 percent, consider themselves Democrats, while just 11 percent say they are Republicans.

However, the poll found that the majority of Hispanics in the U.S., 52 percent, lean toward the Democratic Party, compared to 23 percent who lean toward the Republican Party.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0712/78065.html#ixzz2g2tj5Wyd