Protesters take to street again opposing Giffords

Sierra Vista Herald/Bisbee Review ^ | Bill Hess

[SandRat]

SIERRA VISTA — Although there were no recall petitions at a Saturday rally seeking to oust Democratic U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords from office before her term is up in January 2011, that potential still exists, an organizer said.

Joanne Daley, who has helped put together three rallies in the past few weeks, said a lawyer continues to look into the issue. That’s occurring even though the Arizona assistant secretary of state said a 1973 state law allowing recall of a Congress member will not be accepted on Capitol Hill.

Noting that 17 other states allow for congressional recall, although none has successfully been accomplished, Daley said some Arizonans are approaching people in the other states to see if they would like to help test the constitutionality of not allowing such a recall.

Perhaps the 18 states allowing recall of congressional members could see if an amendment to the U.S. Constitution can be adopted, Daley said. She recognizes that’s a long process, requiring a super-majority of members of Congress as well as the approval of at least 35 states by a super-majority of those legislatures.

A couple of weeks ago, there were some recall petitions against Giffords at a rally outside the 8th Congressional District congresswoman’s office in Sierra Vista.

At that time, Daley and others said they wanted Giffords to either have a town hall meeting on national health care or resign, facing recall if she didn’t resign.

On Friday, after a few weeks of pressure, during which members of Giffords’ staff said although the congresswoman had a town hall meeting on the issue in May and a telephone town hall meeting recently, there were no plans for her to have one during Congress’ August break.

Now, Giffords will be holding three town hall meetings to discuss the health care issue, with one in Tucson, one in Green Valley and one in Sierra Vista.

Sierra Vista’s event is scheduled for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 31 at the Buena High School Performing Arts Center.

Reservations for the event in the auditorium that can hold more than 1,300 are required and can be made by calling Giffords’ Sierra Vista office at 459-3115.

When it comes to the state’s recall effort, Daley said she still believes it can be successful.

“It not clear what the law allows,” she said Saturday.

WHERE REPUBLICAN HOPEFULS STAND

A quartet of Republican congressional hopefuls talked Saturday at a Sierra Vista rally about why they should be the GOP candidate to unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Although none of the four has officially filed for the Republican primary — that can’t be done until after the first of the year — Tom Carlson, Andy Goss (through his wife, Mare), Jesse Kelly and Brian Miller all touted their military service and other credentials. Staff Writer Bill Hess reports.

TOM CARLSON

He said 22 years in the Army Reserve and his leadership as an officer make him the best person to go after Giffords.

He noted that whatever happens on the national health care issue will be decided by the current member of Congress. He said he sees the next Congress member as needing “to start the cleanup process.”

Saying his campaign is based on “let’s rescue the republic,” he said the “rah-rah speeches” of the other potential candidates are nice but it takes a leader who has both business and military experience, as he does, to get the job done.

“This government has gotten too big,” he said.

ANDY GOSS

Speaking for her husband, who is working as a contractor at Fort Polk, La., preparing soldiers to deploy, Mare Goss read a speech.

Noting the health care debate is prominent, Goss expressed concerns on other issues.

While he opposes taxpayer funding of abortion and high-cost health care issues, Goss, through his wife, noted that there should be no effort to reform health care until the nation’s tax code is fixed. For him, that means a flat tax. His speech added that 18 other nations have such a tax base and such a program is working well in those countries.

JESSE KELLY

Kelly, a former Marine combat veteran, made it a point to attack liberals, who he said are out of touch with values of most Americans.

He noted that his young son sleeps 14 hours a day and expects him and his wife to take care of him, and laughingly said, “I’m afraid I’m raising a liberal.”

On the health care plan, he said “if that monstrosity of a bill is passed, we will repeal it” after Congress is out of Democratic hands.

Kelly said the time is now to fight to regain control of Congress and the White House, and when it is done, “we are all going to be veterans.”

BRIAN MILLER

The Air Force fighter pilot who is in the Reserves said he resents that he and other conservatives have been declared “right-wing extremists.”

On health care, Miller said Giffords, like many other Democrats, is using scare tactics and not only is the congresswoman good at it — “she’s so slick.”

She does what House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tells her to, he said.

Miller said the expected $3.6 trillion budget will be enough to take $100 bills and pave a four-lane highway from Sierra Vista to California, up the West Coast, across the nation and back to Arizona.

The audience enthusiastically applauded each of the speakers, especially when attacks were pointedly against Giffords, Obama, Pelosi and liberals.

Herald/Review senior reporter Bill Hess can be reached at 515-4615 or by e-mail at bill.hess@svherald.com.

[SandRat]

Protesters lined Fry Boulevard voicing their concerns about the proposed health care reform during Saturday’s Nationwide Recess Rally. The event, which had 2010 congressional candidate hopefuls speaking, was coordinated by Smart Girl Politics and the 912 Project of Cochise County. (Mark Levy • Herald/Review)

Sierra Vistan Ruth Roush joined other protesters at the Nationwide Recess Rally along Fry Boulevard on Saturday. (Mark Levy • Herald/Review)'

Brian Miller, a Republican who is running for the Congressional District 8 seat, chats with Hereford resident Nancy Howard during Saturday’s Nationwide Recess Rally in Sierra Vista. Other congressional candidates also attended the rally. The event was held in coordination with Smart Girl Politics and The 912 Project of Cochise County. (Mark Levy • Herald/Review)

[OldNavyVet]

“Of the People, by the People, for the People” -— Isn’t that what America is about?

[freekitty]

The people don’t care what is accepted on Capital Hill unless it is the right thing which they certainly don’t do.

I, like many Americans are tired of being scammed by these crooks and no good scum.

[ThePanFromJapan]

3 of the 4 Republicans seem to be good (I’d throw out Andy Goss, he/his wife didn’t impress me).

Any one of them would be awesome to kick Giffords out of her office.

[SandRat]

I want Jesse.

[RoseofTexas]

NOT according to the EVIL RATS..there motto is

Of the People, by the People,SCREW the people"!

[mazda77]

From the Intra-Coastal Waterway of North Florida I stand in support of y’all in my adoptive home town. It was a sad day in my life when I had to leave there and it will always be my home. It does my heart good to see you taking your territory back.

[VeniVidiVici]

Never heard of her before so I had to go find Gabrielle Giffords website.

So typical of Democrats, the word DEMOCRAT is barely mentioned on her home page (once), let alone prominently featured, and her About page doesn't mention it at all.

[Liz]

THE TIDE IS TURNING---A TIDAL WAVE IS SWEEPING THESE PEOPLE FROM OFFICE

TAKE HEED DEMORATS A Delaware State Senate seat----reliably Democrat for forty years in a heavily Dem district----- was just won by a Republican by an unbelievable thirty (yep, that's thirty) percentage points.

[VeniVidiVici]

Giffords talks to some major campaign donors

[freekitty]

Wow

[freekitty]

Go for it Guys. No RINOS.