Safer AZ Feb. Report: The Truth About AZ's SB1122 - A You Tube Video

So often the things I want to share w the larger public are speeches I make to a specific public. Usually you get the script I was going to use or my recollection of how I wish it went. Here is the latest update on cannabis laws as of 2/25/14 exactly as I presented it.

Mohave County Democratic Central Committee Passes Resolution Condemning GOP Actions on HB2305

Bullhead, AZ – At their monthly meeting in Bullhead City Wed, Feb. 19^th, the Mohave County Democratic Party unanimously approved a resolution condemning the AZ GOP and the majority caucus at the statehouse for their continuing work at voter suppression regarding their controversial 2013 voter suppression bill, HB2305. The resolution drafted by county party secretary  (and congressional candidate) Mikel Weisser and county chair, Joe Longoria, was edited and approved by the party at the county party’s monthly meeting. The resolution reads as follows:

Whereas, the state Republican Party leadership have a track record of working against the interests of the voters' will and repeatedly taken action to thwart the will of the people and their ability to express that will, through various legislative trickery, and

Whereas, the Republican leadership at the statehouse has worked to limit the rights of voters through the original intent of their 2013 late session bill, HB2305, and that this bill was such an affront to Arizona voters that it was not only Democrats who rose up against it, and

Whereas, twenty-four organizations from around the state joined the Democrats in working to shoot down this potentially dangerous piece of legislation. If it were to take effect, it would have made it a crime to help elderly voters with their ballots. It would have thrown thousands off of the permanent early voter lists and it virtually would have eliminated other recognized political parties in Arizona. There would be no way those political parties could achieve the petition signatures required to even get a candidate on the ballot, and

Whereas, that coalition turned in over 146,000 signatures to repeal the bill, which clearly expressed the will of the people, and

Whereas, the GOP plainly announced their intention to once more thwart the will of the people by first repealing HB2305, so they can pass the same measures in new separate bills to further suppress the voice of the people, and true to their word, the GOP leadership at the statehouse voted in committee to repeal HB2305 and commenced step one of their expressed intentions, and

Whereas, the State Democratic party has actively challenged GOP efforts at every turn and Mohave County Democrats are proud and active members of the Democratic Party, therefore,

Be it hereby resolved, the Mohave County Democratic Central Committee condemns any attempt to revive the issue of HB2305, or any of its voter suppression components. We call on the state GOP to respect the will of the people and let the merits of HB2305 be judged by the citizens it will affect. Respect the voices of 140,000 Arizonans and leave the repeal of HB2305 to a vote of Arizona citizens.

Joe Longoria, Chair

Mohave County Democratic Central Committee
620 E. Beale St. Suite7
Kingman, AZ 86401
ph: 928-753-0006

http://mohavedemocrats.org/

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"Border Politics is Future Politics" Speech to Yuma County Democrats

Hello Yuma. I’m Mikel Weisser, candidate for US House of Representatives in Arizona congressional district 4, the left coast of AZ. That’s Yuma to Utah Parker to Payson, the central highlands and all the places in Maricopa County where the people are not. That’s Seven Counties, Nine Legislative Districts as red as the river is long. It’s the kind of battle no sane Democrat would want to take on.

That’s why you’ve got me.

Yes, you can laugh, I have been a political writer for about twenty-five years now and a lot of what I write I call humor. So if I say something that sounds oddly phrased or just plain weird and you wonder, did he think that was supposed to be funny?

… Yes.

Besides political writing, I am now the northern vice chair of the Arizona Democratic Party Progressive Caucus, Mohave County’s party secretary, on the state boards of DFA, AZNORML, & the state Poetry Society. I am one of the founders of Safer AZ, a cannabis reform group that is working day and night to change the Arizona for the better. I am particularly grateful to be in Yuma this weekend to thank your legislators for their continuing support of my work, our work.

How about a hand for Reps. Escamilla & Otondo and Senator Pancrazi?

Last week Senator Pancrazi helped introduce a bill that started in our offices, HB2474, to end felony sentencing for minor possession cases. One of 12 brave Democrats at the statehouse willing to put their careers on the line for the good of Arizonans. I can tell you more about that work later.

But Yuma is special to me for a different reason. They make a joke about Kennedy in Berlin: that when he tried to tell the people, ‘I am one of you,’ he called himself a donut. Well, I don’t know about that; but I know to my soul that I am a Yuman.

Now, when  I travel around the whole giant district, giving speeches, stirring up trouble and everywhere you go you need to say, “so-n-so is special to me because…” Because everyplace is special, truly, right?

Well, Yuma is special to me because it is a lot like where I grew up near the Rio Grande River in Texas. A river, a border, citrus everywhere and a lot of brown skinned people. Puro chicano. 85% in my home town.  Plus plenty of great food, yes, but it’s the people that excite me. I actually was hired from Illinois to move to Arizona because yo hablo poquito espanol. OK piquincito. But enough to get me here and I have been fighting por la gente every since.

I have lots of issues in my campaign, but here in Yuma, I know the reality of the border.  People border politics is future politics. We will have to get there as a nation or destroy ourselves in the process. As w everything, the old must adjust as the world keeps on changing. The future of America is all the colors of the rainbow. I want a country that cares about all people, that welcomes immigrants, economic refugees like my grandparents were a 100 years ago; a country that realizes what it holds dear is freedom of speech, not freedom of English. I want a country that realizes you don’t stare at your number one trading partner down the barrel of a gun. Like Ronald Reagan said, tear down the wall.

But, I didn’t come to Yuma to tell you my wishes, I came here to work for yours. I am not here to sing my own praises, I am here to make a difference. Arizonans can make a difference this round. The future is waiting for us. Let’s grab it--

--Mikel Weisser writes from the left coast of AZ