Arizona politics keeps the stupid people out of our State (Kingman: construction, schools)

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by stevek64

Shouldn't/should have/couldn't/could have on just about anything in life....then there's reality. What is. And btw, I've known many people from other states over the years and they gripe the same way on why their politics are just as "embarrassing", at least in their view.

Except many other states didn't almost lose or lose the SB over stupid policies, did you know we were the last state to recognize MLK Day as a National Holiday?

Originally Posted by stevek64

Well, you may indeed "hate" being asked to perhaps take a look at CA because they may have more of your taste politically, but I think it's a realistic/good suggestion. Why get worked up over what you can't control? Besides your one vote, or the possibility of you running for office, things are what they are.

CA is a state that has politics/approaches that I think most would agree overall are quite different than AZ and I think would most likely take the opposite approach on your "shouldn't" list above. And to see another side, look where that has got them with their own population over the decades:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/15/up...ia-exodus.html


"Over the last few decades, millions of Californians have left the Golden State for opportunities elsewhere.

According to census data compiled by my colleague Rob Gebeloff, the Pacific Northwest and fast growing Sunbelt states like Texas, Arizona and Nevada have attracted a disproportionate share of ex-Californians."

The point is many people are fed up with CA for certain reasons the same way you don't like many aspects of AZ. But instead of complaining, they moved on. And for them, escaping to AZ is enough of a relief for them to settle here.

And back to the main suggestion that I think is a good one to you.....if politics/the way things are handled in Phoenix or AZ as a whole are that much of an issue for you in a negative way, I don't think it's bad advice to suggest to someone like you to give serious thought to move on to another state with a better match in things that are important to you in your life.

Oh please, just because I view the dunderheads the Midwestern Snow birds have elected into office doesn't mean I shouldn't fight it and keep trying to make Arizona all that it can be. My views are far from California, this isn't a left vs right issue this is a "what's best for AZ issue" and frankly, many of the policies listed above are not best for Arizona, they have tarnished our national reputation and business reputation. They have earned us a reputation that is patently false, even the OP recognizes it, why would you praise this? Arizona is magical, but our elected officials do nothing positive for us.

We have been described as the "Meth Lab of Democracy", the West Coast Mississippi and many more because of ridiculous social issues. I am an Arizonan and that means that I will take my view of Arizona and do my part to ensure that we have a truly great future, and I don't think our current regime will do anything to promote that. It's too easy to see through what is happening here.

Are you proud of the education situation? the prison situation? the abortion bill that is trying to get passed? the boycotts over SB 1070? Arpaio's lawsuits? Glendale's dealing with the SB?

Please, if everybody just left because they didn't agree politically then what would we ever accomplish?

[DougStark]

Originally Posted by Ztonyg

As long as the Koch brothers are happy, that's all that matters.

Unfortunately, Arizona has miserable voter turnout (even though voting here is so easy with all of the mail ballots) and the people here that do vote tend to be most concerned with ending illegal immigration, continued tax cuts, and defeating Obama.

What's wrong with private prisons? Do you want us to have prisons like California where the prison guards run up the State budget with their huge pensions and salaries?

[new2colo]

Originally Posted by DougStark

As I see it, our State's conservative politics have the effect of keeping very stupid people out of our state. They reflexively think Arizona means "hate" and "bigotry", but they are sorely misled.

Who else feels uneducated, undesirable, and ignorant people are kept out of our State by our conservative politics?? Thank you.

We're near the bottom of many quality of life metrics (education quality, child poverty, poverty in general, educational attainment). We make negative national news often because of our politics. We almost lost the Super Bowl because of the legislature and our "conservative politics." We lost numerous conventions and numerous people boycotted our state because of our "conservative politics." Ignorance is bliss, I guess.

[new2colo]

When all else fails, blame Hispanics. Welcome to Arizona. Other states with very high Hispanic populations: Pew: Arizona lags Texas, California, other states in economic growth - Phoenix Business Journal Why are they doing better than Arizona? Let me guess, it's the Native Americans? It's Obama?

How do you defend all the other political stunts that have had an impact on our economy? Why did we lose the Super Bowl on one occasion while coming close to losing it again? Our politics. What a joke. I guess it's easier to live with your head buried in the sand than to accept actual facts.

[yukon]

What I find interesting is Texas is the current stupid political decision state, yet none of the corporations moving jobs there have threatened to pull out like the corporations did to Arizona. And the recent Texas decisions are even more stupid and embarassing than anything AZ has done. I mean really, call out the Guard to watch over Jade Helm? *snort* Makes me wonder how much money is being dealt under the table in those TX relo decisions.

AZ politics look positively intelligent compared to TX.

[stevek64]

Originally Posted by new2colo

We're near the bottom of many quality of life metrics (education quality, child poverty, poverty in general, educational attainment). We make negative national news often because of our politics. We almost lost the Super Bowl because of the legislature and our "conservative politics." We lost numerous conventions and numerous people boycotted our state because of our "conservative politics." Ignorance is bliss, I guess.

Yet AZ has consistently been one of the fastest growing states in the nation, pulling in full time people from other states that don't supposedly have "controversy". And taking lots of population from states like CA and other obviously not so desirable states to live in for various reasons that people want to leave and move to AZ, net net, steady population grown in AZ while many other states are losing people, some states losing LOTS of people. Take a look at fastest growing states and states with the most people leaving. As for "metrics", we have 3 high schools rated in the top 10 best in the nation. 2 are public school systems, right here in the Phoenix valley:

http://www.usnews.com/education/best...ional-rankings

The suburbs in the Phoenix valley have some very good school districts because their parents are involved in their education. And there are many middle to upper middle class families who live in the large suburbs around Phoenix who enjoy a very high quality of life.

The bottom line? Most people really don't care about politics/image. If politics, this, that, or the other thing in AZ really bothered people that much, they wouldn't be moving to AZ, especially in such large numbers and we wouldn't have an overall net growth in population over the decades. Frankly, $/jobs/weather speak much louder to the vast majority of people. Again, don't listen to me or anyone here.....see the population shift.

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

Except many other states didn't almost lose or lose the SB over stupid policies, did you know we were the last state to recognize MLK Day as a National Holiday?



Oh please, just because I view the dunderheads the Midwestern Snow birds have elected into office doesn't mean I shouldn't fight it and keep trying to make Arizona all that it can be. My views are far from California, this isn't a left vs right issue this is a "what's best for AZ issue" and frankly, many of the policies listed above are not best for Arizona, they have tarnished our national reputation and business reputation. They have earned us a reputation that is patently false, even the OP recognizes it, why would you praise this? Arizona is magical, but our elected officials do nothing positive for us.

We have been described as the "Meth Lab of Democracy", the West Coast Mississippi and many more because of ridiculous social issues. I am an Arizonan and that means that I will take my view of Arizona and do my part to ensure that we have a truly great future, and I don't think our current regime will do anything to promote that. It's too easy to see through what is happening here.

Are you proud of the education situation? the prison situation? the abortion bill that is trying to get passed? the boycotts over SB 1070? Arpaio's lawsuits? Glendale's dealing with the SB?

Please, if everybody just left because they didn't agree politically then what would we ever accomplish?

So since moving to another state isn't an option for you, and you do realize your vote is the only thing you can control, your "fix" for AZ on the issues you outlined is as follows........?????

Though on the vote thing, given I and many others feel our nationwide politics of everything on all sides is so messed up/bought off, I mention voting just as a way to pacify those who thinks it really makes a difference.

And as for controlling what other people think of AZ image wise or any other state for that matter(all states have lots of not so nice stereotypes btw if you're keeping record.), you can't do that either. I can think of a bunch of bad names people call various cities and states outside AZ but frankly, are you that thin skinned to really care? Or if it's something you think is inaccurate and you can't control their view regardless? I'm not that insecure to let it all get to me. I've found most people who have bad stereotypes drop them as soon as they get to know/visit of place. If they continue to feel that way, so be it.....it's not in my power nor my desire to control them to feel otherwise. People are going to believe what they want to believe. As for business, many major business have setup shop here in both the healthcare, technology, and other industries. It's a game of $. Look at a state like CA and see how many businesses there that are fleeing to other states.....and they have that illusive "we love everyone!" image. Go figure.

http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/articles...s-disappearing

http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertwo...s-get-in-line/

[GeneR]

As a conservative I denounce the use of name calling and labels such as "stupid", "ignorant" or "dunderheads". I realize the tendency now in national politics toward personal attacks but perhaps we on the more local level can do better.

[JRLudi]

Originally Posted by DougStark

As I see it, our State's conservative politics have the effect of keeping very stupid people out of our state.

Is it just me or does this statement seem a bit oxymoronic?

[observer53]

Moderator cut: The post you replied to has been deleted

Originally Posted by GeneR

As a conservative I denounce the use of name calling and labels such as "stupid", "ignorant" or "dunderheads". I realize the tendency now in national politics toward personal attacks but perhaps we on the more local level can do better.

I would hope so, but this thread suggests otherwise.

[WilmaWildcat]

Californians have always been the largest immigrant group to Arizona as long as I've been aware of it (30+ years). The recent exodus has to do with the extraordinarily high home values there; homeowners reached a point where they could sell their homes and buy two or three somewhere cheaper. People who could not afford them, such as young families, went somewhere cheaper. Arizona is cheaper, but Texas is dirt cheap; they have no zoning to speak of and don't require builders to do or guarantee much of anything.

Texas's economy could do a lot better; even with the mortgage crisis, which did not really effect Texas since they they were at rock bottom value already, Texas's economy still did not eclipse that of California. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o..._GDP#2015_data . California is still the #1 state economy by GDP. They are run by Democrats, and they are still the best and most innovative economy.

P.S. Arizona is #21, so that does not speak well for our conservative politics. IIRC, that is one step down from the previous list. Arizona politicians should be concentrating on moving up the list instead of on a plethora of useless baloney they keep busy with.