Friday, December 2nd, 2005...6:11 am
Delusions of Piety and Delusions of Popularity
Len Munsil is throwing his hat into the ring to get the chance to get flattened by Governor Napolitano. Munsil is the head of the Center for Arizona Policy, an organization for people that are angry that someone, somewhere, is sleeping with the wrong person.
I checked out their home page. It, of course, features two prominent pictures of Mr. Munsil. It also features a sort of “open letter” of Mr. Munsil announcing his imminent departure from the organization.
I never planned to leave; this has been the most difficult decision of my life. But God has a way of interrupting our plans and moving us out of our comfort zone when we least expect it. All I can say is that we serve an amazing and challenging God who leads us on marvelous adventures!
Yes, God told him to resign. The Lord works in mysterious ways; funny how His plans always coincide with the political aspirations of right wingers.
He also has a “prayer center.” He has a call for fasting to battle the materialism of our culture, I have to give him props for that. But, he also has a call for “intercessory prayer,” strange since I thought that was one of the things that we Catholics get criticized by Bible thumpers for. Munsil says:
CAP often stands alone publicly, taking on the multi-million dollar goliaths of the abortion, pornography and gambling industries, along with homosexual and liberal media groups. Public “persecution” and threats are common.
Yeah, those conservative evangelicals are so put down upon, with control of the presidency, congress and so many other institutions. They are the new Blacks.
There have been at least two stabbing incidents that I know of on Fourth Avenue in recent years directed at gays. I think this sort of “Public persecution” would rank a bit higher than whatever Munsil suffers from.
I checked out Jan Smith-Florez’s page. Once again, a Republican is talking about restoring “traditional values” to Arizona. I’m confused about how a party can claim to advocate for small government but…ah never mind.
On her “issues” page she says:
Unlike Napolitano, Jan Smith Florez will not hide from the challenges that Arizona faces. She will not allow future generations to be burdened with today’s problems. She will not routinely ignore the will of the people of Arizona.
Jan Smith Florez is Right for Arizona.
“Right” there is not a synonym for “correct.”
When has Napolitano “ignored the will” of Arizonans? There are lots of things that the Governor has done that can be criticized by conservatives, but are they going to argue that her policies are unpopular? Please.
Recent polling shows that the Governor is still very popular, which is why the Republicans have been having trouble recruiting a higher profile candidate. The Republicans, particularly those in the legislature, are living in some sort of bizarro world where their most neanderthal policies are supported by the vast majority of Arizonans, but a sensible moderate is a dangerous bolshevik. I guess they can keep convincing themselves of this, but they shouldn’t be suprised when they lose, again, next year.
19 Comments
December 2nd, 2005 at 8:27 am
They are the new Blacks.
Totally! The Ninth Circuit is keeping us all in chains, as well as expediting the Apocalypse. And professors! Practically grinding conservative students into the floor beneath their Birkenstocked heels!
December 2nd, 2005 at 12:47 pm
That Munsil guy looks a little swishy to me. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
December 2nd, 2005 at 5:21 pm
A couple of Len Munsil anecdotes for you.
When I was going to Arizona State in the mid 1980’s, Len was editor of the State Press, which sucked as bad then as it does now (New Times was started by ASU Students disgruntled with the rag).
Len would do things like send reporters into the few left-wing poli-sci professors on campus and use tactics that would have made Tail-Gunner Joe McCarthy proud (quoting them inaccurately, out of context, and even incorrectly citing the details of the story (like what class they were in), which then made it the following day on the front page of his useless little birdcage liner of a newspaper.
The best man at my wedding was a distant cousin of his (won’t say the name for the sake of my friend’s privacy). He perpetually referred to Len’s site of the family as the crazy ones. Born again in the worst sense of the word (and my friend’s parents were pretty devout Christians at the time, so that’s saying something), rabidly anti-choice, and misogynistic (as was also evidenced by his watch as editor).
As to his sexual preferences, nothing would surprise me. My friend’s description always painted him and his immediate family as pretty creepy.
December 2nd, 2005 at 5:25 pm
One other thing I forgot. If he’s anything like he was 20 years ago as editor, his campaign will be entertaining.
The gaffes alone should provide great fodder for the Republic’s snarky, if basically useless Political Insider columns.
December 2nd, 2005 at 9:37 pm
What gaffes? Start with his name, which is really Lynden Lee Munsil, not “Len” for starters. Next is his proposed marriage amendment to make sure same-sex marriages aren’t recognized in Arizona (PMAA), despite the state law (ARS 25-101 & ARS 25-112) which he drafted and was passed by the AZ Leg. and signed into law in 1996 and upheld by the courts in 2004. Next the countless statements Lynden has made this year to the idiot mainstream press, on exactly this proposed measure would do, with the more recent that it would prohibit bigamy, for which there is a state law dealing with that too! Then there is the group supposedly spearheading this, the Protect Marriage Arizona association, which is really a front for the chirsto-fascist organization Lynden fronts. How’s that for starters!
December 3rd, 2005 at 9:30 am
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December 3rd, 2005 at 9:14 pm
Judge Florez’s website says “Thank you for your help in restoring leadership, honesty, and traditional American values to our wonderful state.” Since you jumped only on the traditional American values I guess you are conceeding leadership and honesty?
I think most people believe that choice is a traditional American value and the fact that Napolitano opposes all school choice plans is just one of a number of examples. With the drop-out rate where it is we need real reform yet what has she done?
Surely you agree that limited government is a tradtional American value?
When has Napolitano “ignored the will” of Arizonans? How about Prop 200. Need I say more?
Napolitano is the veto governor. Her numerous vetoes are clearly not representative of the will of Arizona.
And lets hold off on using polls as the only defense of Napolitano. So far, the numbers have been all over the map with some polls showing her about tied with Goldwater. The truth is that polls are completely irrelevant until September of 2006 - and I promise you her poll numbers will not be what you think they are.
By the way, you say Napolitano’s policies are popular with Arizonans. Which policy? Can you name one?
December 4th, 2005 at 2:52 pm
Hey Anonymous:
The policy I know that a lot of people like outside of all day kindergarten would be the fairly easy, simple and major money saver CopperRx card.
Compared to the wasteful behemouth of the new Medicare drug act, it is simple, ease to use and it helps Arizona’s seniors.
What more could a person want?
Plus those vetos are to prevent Arizona from becoming worse as well as preventing a LOT of harm to the citizens. If you are in favor of making Arizona worse then by all means support her opponents.
She is a sensible, thoughtful and careful leader of Arizona and to say otherwise is to show that you have no interest in good policies but in power for power’s sake.
December 4th, 2005 at 5:54 pm
What utter nonsense. You are welcome to your beliefs and to support whomever you desire. But, where do you get off thinking that only your policies are good for AZ and all others are bad? Such arrogance!
The truth is that she is a lying, backstabing politician who has her eyes set on a VP slot or to be a Senator. She has lied to the Legislature so many times that there is not a soul up there that trusts her. Call up the Secretary of State’s office or the Speaker of the House’s office if you don’t believe me. Talk about power for power’s sake!
Those vetoes didnt prevent harm, they caused harm. They prevented real reform that is needed now like reforming our education system, which currently harms too many young students.
And after three years all you could come up with is all day kindergarten (which was already widely available) and the CopperRx card, LMAO. Hey our borders have 4000 illegals crossing a day and our schools are at the bottom of most ranking systems but she’s fantastic because of the Rx card.
And you really support her because of those two issues regardless of all the problems we now face? Maybe you just prefer a democrat and will ignore serious policy issues as long as your ‘guy’ is in power. How sad!
December 4th, 2005 at 10:41 pm
so.. I’m curious anonymous… is there more than one of you? and… you seem to hold such strong convictions…why go as anonymous? are you a political insider? at times you come off as sounding a bit more in the know than your average marginalized joe/jane? i find it interesting the timing of which your comments have began to appear. did you just discover this blog…or is there more to it? i think difference voices of opinion is healthy, and is good to keep eveeryone one on their toes, just wondering where you are coming from…
December 4th, 2005 at 11:57 pm
I went anonymous cuz it was easier than creating an account. I really don’t see how knowing more about my personal life affects anything but to help your curiosity: I am a Precinct Committeeman, have degrees in political science and history and am fairly knowledgeable regarding the current group of contenders. I found this blog about 2 weeks ago. Hope this helps. I’ll use the handle McTex from now on….
December 5th, 2005 at 10:16 am
So apparently s/he has a couple degrees, is a PC and claims to be fairly knowledgable…yet unlike me or many of the other people who can post their names on here (like a certain state rep) even without an account only goes by anonymous.
Plus I pointed out two programs (and when was All Day Kindergarten “widely availible”? Otherwise why would she have to demand it? Tempe and Ahwatukee is NOT widely availible) that she has helped create yet this Anonymous person only can say that her vetos and programs hurt people.
Prop. 200 was opposed by every Republican congressman in this state so saying that she was bad for opposing it also says that about them.
As for my “only two programs.” You wanted specific, I gave you specific. You want more, go elsewhere, I am sure you have heard of google and maybe you might learn a little more then “she hurts people!!! I know because my talking points say so!”
December 5th, 2005 at 11:37 am
JaneAZ
Birkenstocks have heels?
What gets me is about how people on the right are always talking about being persecuted for their religion. Now, I am not aware of any Christian in America (outside of some black congregations in the South during the ugliest days of the civil rights movement and segregation, or Mormons during the 1800’s) who have actually been persecuted for their religion (and at that, the persecutors in both cases were Christian fundamentalists).
I mean, Pat Robertson said a few years ago that there were gangs of gay people going around beating up Christians. But he couldn’t even name one single documented example (examples of the reverse, sad to say, are all too numerous).
But I think some of these people look for anyone who looks at them cross eyed so they can jump up and yell, ‘I’m being persecuted, I’m being persecuted!’ They wouldn’t know what real persecution is if it hit them in the face (which is generally where real persecution starts).
December 5th, 2005 at 12:33 pm
I have never posted to any blog or BBS using my own name nor will I. I think to do so is foolish and could lead to some kook trying to find out where I live etc. If you want to post using your own name then go for it and good luck!
BTW, I am not the first anonymous - I don’t think Munsil looks swishy, lol.
Re: Napolitano’s policies, you made my point - you have nothing to rally behind, she has no legislative success on anything of substance. All the real reform bills she killed because she is beholden to her base. Otherwise, she would have promoted real education reform.
And Prop 200 was not opposed by every rep. congressman, where did you learn that? Your talking points? And even if it had been, your point is moot. Once it was approved by the people it became law and it was after it became law that Napolitano UNCONSTITUTIONALLY prevented its application. Had she not backtracked at the last second she could have found herself in deep legal trouble, according to the Sec. of State that is.
-McTex
December 5th, 2005 at 11:33 pm
“I have never posted to any blog or BBS using my own name nor will I. I think to do so is foolish and could lead to some kook trying to find out where I live etc. If you want to post using your own name then go for it and good luck!”
Well run along now, you have proven to be nothing more then a troll. Have a nice day.
December 6th, 2005 at 2:12 am
“Well run along now, you have proven to be nothing more then a troll. Have a nice day.”
Such an incentive to stay!!!
Why dont you just cover your eyes so you wont see my posts?
Troll: An electronic mail message, Usenet posting or othe (electronic) communication which is intentionally incorrect, but not overtly controversial (compare flame bait), or the act of sending such a message. Trolling aims to elicit an emotional reaction from those with a hair-trigger on the reply key. A really subtle troll makes some people lose their
minds.
Is this me or you? lol Nah I doubt that you were intentionally incorrect - just dizzyingly confused!
December 6th, 2005 at 7:07 am
Hey guys and gals…could we keep this from being personal, please?
I keep the “anonymous” option open precisely because I want people to be able to post here without being members. I want the biggest group of people possible posting. I welcome comments from Republicans, even if they are full of it.
December 6th, 2005 at 7:35 pm
Yes to TEDSKI’s comment.
Throwing names at each other does NOTHING to promote any communication/understanding, something which is desperately needed if we’re to solve the real problems that we’re facing now.
All that name-calling does is promote HATRED and WILLFUL CLOSURE to another person’s point of view.
We have a $7-$8 trillion federal debt right now; we have jobs being outsourced and plants (GM–30,000 jobs) shutting down; we’re in a quagmire of a [civil] war in Iraq that is costing us in $$$$ and lives and the Iraqis in MANY MORE lives; we have an immigration problem that the politicians do not really want to deal with; etc…..
Why not stick to providing specific [I hope documentable]facts when stating your position or concern???? Why not state something that appeals to the reader’s reason???
Obviously part of the goal with the messaging is to have fun–but if you wish to influence someone else’s opinion–there must be transmission of facts and open, well-reasoned debate.
December 30th, 2005 at 12:57 pm
Anywhoo…..
I checked out the link to Smith-Florez’s site. It says she teaches Sunday school in Spanish at her Nogales church. I wonder if she checks the citizenship of her students???
Inquiring minds want to know.
Sincerely,
A new anonymous