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Why The Mule News?
FIRST, WHY THE MULE AND NOT A DONKEY?
FIRST, WHY THE MULE AND NOT A DONKEY?
FIRST, WHY THE MULE AND NOT A DONKEY?
The Democratic Party donkey symbol needed an upgrade for this new online news service. The Mule is a bigger, stronger brand symbol to represent the challenges in getting more voters and victories all up and down the ballot in Maricopa County; and to honor our western and prospector heritage of stubborn determination to make our lives better.
Mission Statement
FIRST, WHY THE MULE AND NOT A DONKEY?
FIRST, WHY THE MULE AND NOT A DONKEY?
The Mule News is dedicated to educating Maricopa Democrats on issues and candidates to build a more accepting, inclusive and just governance from our elected officials. And to help party officials, district leaders and volunteers motivate voters to elect Democrats for every office up and down the ballot.
Advertising Supported online news Service
AFFILIATED with Turning Arizona Blue Podcast
AFFILIATED with Turning Arizona Blue Podcast
We offer periodic updates on people, issues, candidates and the Democratic community in Maricopa County, AZ. We publish articles, features and opinion editorials monthly or as needed.
AFFILIATED with Turning Arizona Blue Podcast
AFFILIATED with Turning Arizona Blue Podcast
AFFILIATED with Turning Arizona Blue Podcast
The Mule News is a subset of Turning Arizona Blue, LLC a registered business in Arizona. Advertising and donations to both are made through TAB. See Advertising Support section below.
Front Page Vol 2 Edition 8 2022
Not-So-Random Primary Election Thoughts
No Difference Between Republican Candidates
Not-So-Random Primary Election Thoughts
By Ron Williams, editor, The Mule News editorthemulenews.com
And the Honor Goes To
In this primary season across the US, no other state has nominated more Trump endorsed candidates to the top state-wide offices than – drumroll please – Arizona. Yes, in the past decades, we had right-wing conservatives who institutionalized “the-us-vs-POC” politics of SB 1070, the teachings of Joe Arpaio and redistricting minority communities out of political power.
But now, thanks to four years of the Trump presidency stoking: a class-warfare nationalism, election lies, political corruption and fundraising grift; Arizonans endure the worst of the extremists’ ideology that attacks our democratic foundations, rejects future election vote counts – not in their favor – and turns its back on education and science.
An Ideology for the Dark Ages
Rusty Bowers, the soon-to-be former Speaker of the AZ House of Representatives, was rejected by a two-to-one margin in his primary for a state senate seat by a Trump loyalist. Following the election, he was quoted in news reports that in the Dark Ages, before the Enlightenment, “rhetoric ruled in those times, much more powerfully than the truth. If the Republican slate is elected . . . aye-yai-yai.”
If the MAGA Republican extremists are elected and succeed to crush public education funding, over-turn credible election results and promote the decline of teaching science and history in our classrooms . . . the path to a modern “dark age” will take shape in Arizona.
Bowers, looking inside today’s Republican party concluded, “There’s a lot of people who will not vote for the extremism that we’ve seen.”
The Promise of a Democratic Renaissance in Arizona
As to the statewide, congressional and AZ legislative Democratic nominees for 2022: as a group, there has never been the depth of governing experience, focus on solutions rather than rhetoric, and an empathy for the struggles of everyday Arizonans instead of the “one-percenters.”
We know them as solid citizens and dedicated public servants with years of experience to actually move Arizona forward. Going back to the “old days” and reliving our past failures of governance by exclusion – are not an option.
Our state-wide nominees from the primary are Katie for Governor, Adrian for Secretary of State, Kris for Attorney General, Martin for State Treasurer, Kathy for Superintendent of Public Instruction and Sandra and Lauren for Corporation Commission. They are as familiar as their first names. They are our neighbors and friends who are undertaking – on our behalf – the change Arizona so desperately needs.
And, because they are doing it for us, not themselves, we owe them every ounce of time, talents and treasure we can muster. Success in the 2022 elections is on us. Own it!
Advice to Primary Winners and Losers
No Difference Between Republican Candidates
Not-So-Random Primary Election Thoughts
By Garrick McFadden, attorney and former vice-chair, ADP and former co-chair MCDP Black Engagement Committee
[Facebook post on Arizona’s Primary Day.]
Congrats to everyone who decided to get into the arena and run. To your loved ones, thank you for sharing your special person with the rest of us, I know firsthand the sacrifices candidates make.
To all of our wonderful candidates -- finish strong. Unfortunately, someone has to lose and losing sucks. I do not wish that on any of you. However, in those intense moments of anger, despair, shock, and sorrow, try to be mindful of why you ran. Hopefully, it was to improve the lives of others, to build stronger, more resilient and well-resourced communities. If those were your reasons for running, then the work continues, even in defeat. If you ran as a vanity project...then I guess the voters got it correct.
How you lose, will tell the voters and the rest of those watching more about you than any victory. I know that the solid blue areas, where the primary will ultimately decide who the eventual winner might not seem like there is any work to be done in the General, but those are typically our low-turnout areas. If you are truly a servant leader, you will dust yourself off, in due-time, and help get our voters out for the General so that we can win all of our statewide races.
To those who win, please follow Anita Malik example. She won with grace and humility (I am tearing up thinking of her kindness). She did not ask me to do much for her, but I owed it to the voters in my area to honor the promise I made that I would support the eventual winner and I did. When she asked me to speak at a rally, I was honored. When she asked me to host a canvass kickoff I did so gladly. Anita, thank you for respecting my dignity.
We will know by the end of the week who won and who lost. Our candidates are going to need your talents, treasure and time. We cannot take the House, but we can win the state Senate. We have so many amazing schoolboard candidates who are trying to protect our students from false and dangerous conspiracy theories. We can mitigate a lot of harm if we win the Governorship. America is counting on us to re-elect Mark Kelly.
Here in Maricopa County, we need to make sure Julie wins. I know it sucks and I know it is not fair. Some amazing candidates will lose for the wrong reasons. Instead, of blasting that out on social media, don't. I would recommend that you give your phone to a staffer or a loved one.
I hope that each of you are proud of the races you ran. You have made an impact. I am in politics because a candidate (Chris G.) came and knocked on my door and asked for my wife's vote and I was offended he did not ask for mine...LOL. Next cycle I ran for office. That is the impact your campaign has on this state.
Take some time, regroup, and let us all get after it TOGETHER and win big in November. The world is watching.
No Difference Between Republican Candidates
No Difference Between Republican Candidates
No Difference Between Republican Candidates
By Andrew March, Democratic Volunteer in AZ LD5
Arizona Senator John McCain's campaign slogan 'Country First,' is obsolete. Phil Boas puts party over country in his column. His greatest fear is that a Democrat may become governor and that the current poll leader for the Republican nomination, Kari Lake, is likely to lose the general election.
No mention of any policy differences between R's and D's. And more pointedly, no mention of any policy differences among Republican candidates. Lake and Boas' favorite, Karrin Taylor Robson, both support expanded school vouchers, tax cuts for the wealthy, stripping public health officials of the power to respond to pandemics and squandering half-a-billion dollars on a useless medieval wall on the Mexican border.
Neither one publicly accepts the scientific consensus on man-made climate change, and on the number one critical issue for Republicans each insists that the 2020 election was not fair to Donald Trump.
There's not a dime's worth of policy difference, just style points. Trump may endorse candidates, but there are no anti-Trump Republican candidates. Trump, Lake, Robson, Masters, Lamon, Brnovich, DeSantis, Younkin, Pence, Gosar, Biggs, Lesko, Schweikert and on and on.
The public supports Democratic positions on public schools, climate change, taxes, Roe v. Wade and voting rights. That's why Democrats have a good chance to win free and fair elections and why both Trump-loving and Trump-embarrassed Republicans favor voter suppression, gerrymandering, filibustering and legislatures overturning the will of the people.
Reprinted from the July, 24, 2022, Letter-to-the-Editors, The Arizona Republic, in repose to an editorial by Phil Boas, columnist.
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About Us
Digital Influencer
Through his two digital platforms, social media presence and event MC role, Ron Williams reaches thousands of AZ Democratic activists.
The Mule News
Ron Williams is the writer/editor and publisher of The Mule News, an online news service covering Maricopa County AZ Democratic politics.
Turning Arizona Blue Podcast
He is also the host of Turning Arizona Blue, a podcast dedicated to changing Arizona from a traditional Red State to a Blue State.
Background
Ron Williams spent decades as a public affairs and public policy communicator in Washington, D.C. and Arizona.
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