by Warren Petersen | Nov 1, 2025 | Opinion
By Sen. Warren Petersen |
Americans are fed up with the endless partisan chaos pouring out of Washington, D.C. For too long, radical extremists have hijacked our government—stalling progress, undermining confidence, and jeopardizing the American Dream for future generations.
Instead of restoring faith in our republic and passing a clean continuing resolution, Democrats have decided the best idea to survive the second Trump administration is to shut down the federal government, hurting families nationwide and risking our nation’s stability and security. Unfortunately, thanks to the Democrats’ obstinance, this shutdown is quickly becoming one of the lengthiest in our country’s history.
The Democrats’ shutdown, brought about by their pursuit of extremist policies is reckless. According to the Republicans on the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations, the Democrats’ counter proposal included free health care for illegal aliens, electric vehicle access to HOV lanes, taxpayer-funded criminal defense, liberal news programs, DEI projects in foreign countries, and Biden administration grant policies and COVID-era subsidies. These policies rank among the most radical ideas from the left—part of a broader plan to disregard the will of the American people in the General Election of 2024 and continue their transformation of our nation away from the principles that have made the United States the strongest and most prosperous in world history.
Their actions have jeopardized paychecks and services across the country. Families, small businesses, and seniors are being squeezed by the 2025 federal government shutdown. According to the White House Council of Economic Advisors, states would see a decline of billions of dollars of their gross state product each month during the shutdown, thousands of workers would find themselves unemployed weeks away from the holiday season, and Social Security benefits by check would be delayed.
It’s important to note these are just a few of the catastrophic issues facing everyday Americans due to the Democrats’ shutdown shenanigans. The Democrats have compromised pay to our brave men and women who serve in our military and on the front lines of our border. Rather than doing their job, most U.S. Senate Democrats, including Arizona’s own Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, have voted twelve times (and counting) to obstruct efforts to reopen the government. This is shameful, but Democrats feel no shame in their blindly partisan rampage to hurt their own constituents. U.S. House Democrat Whip Katherine Clark put her party’s position best when she said, “I mean, shutdowns are terrible and, of course, there will be, you know, families that are going to suffer…. But it is one of the few leverage times we have.”
Worse yet, though, America’s enemies are watching for any opportunity to exploit our weaknesses. China, Russia, and other adversaries are studying this shutdown as they look for ways to take down the world’s greatest superpower. The leaders of these nations see the Democrats’ extremist desires and how those policies conflict with efficient operations to keep America running. They read the stories about the family members of our troops wondering how they might pay bills and put food on the table the longer the shutdown continues, hurting the morale of our military in a critical time for the world. Our enemies are not stupid or ignorant. They are recalculating and recalibrating thanks to the radical left.
Despite these clear and present dangers, Democrats are doubling down on their decision to shut down the government, creating spectacles to distract from harms their antics impose on everyday Americans. One of the top sideshows Democrats have exploited this month is the election of Adelita Grijalva to fill her father’s seat in Arizona’s Seventh Congressional District. Because the U.S. House of Representatives has not been in regular session since her victory, House Speaker Mike Johnson has not had the opportunity to swear her in to office. These facts, however, have not stopped Democrats from harassing Speaker Johnson and other Republicans over this continued vacancy (for legitimate reasons they are alone responsible for). Even Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes got in on the “fun,” transmitting a letter to the Speaker to threaten legal action if Grijalva was not allowed to assume her position immediately. While Democrats know Grijalva will certainly be sworn in to office, her vacant seat has been used for political fodder.
Americans are not amused, nor are they fooled. A recent poll from YouGov/The Economist showed that more respondents than the week prior blamed Democrats for the shutdown, and that a majority trust Republicans for economic issues. Hardworking men and women around the nation are disgusted with the never-ending partisan games being played at their expense. They want results and the promise of a brighter future for their children and grandchildren—not one-sided political standoffs that jeopardize the happiness, safety, and security of countless families.
This shutdown is not about helping Americans; it’s about defending unpopular priorities like protecting welfare programs for illegal immigrants. It is time for Democrats—both in Congress and across the nation—to end the political games and put hardworking Americans first. Time is of the essence. Let’s open the government and get back to work!
Warren Petersen is the President of the Arizona State Senate and represents Legislative District 14.
by Dr. Thomas Patterson | Mar 15, 2025 | Opinion
By Dr. Thomas Patterson |
When Donald Trump assumed the presidency, two allies of the U.S., Israel and Ukraine, were mired in bloody wars with ancient enemies. Both desperately needed more military aid in the effort to defeat their heavily armed foes.
Biden had granted both only enough military aid to enable them to not lose, but not enough to win. Moreover, the arms they received came with the condition that they not be used to inflict serious damage to their enemy. Trump could have helped turn the tide, but instead he snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
The Oct. 7 surprise attack by jihadists on innocent Israelis was just the latest in a centuries long string of atrocities inflicted by Muslim terrorists who devote their lives to killing Jews. Bitter experience had taught Israelis that agreements with terrorists were essentially useless so, for the safety of his people, President Netanyahu resolved to destroy Hamas.
Soon after hostilities began, the Biden government and other erstwhile friends began demanding a cease-fire, thwarting the original war aims. Grief-stricken Israelis understandably became restive over their families and friends being held hostage and demanded negotiations to secure their release.
Yet for terrorists, hostages are a key tactic in waging successful warfare. Because of the sharp contrast in how the two sides value human life, jihadists are able to command one-sided hostage swaps of up to 100 terrorists returned to duty for each civilian exchanged, plus other concessions.
But help was on the way. Our new president posted that none of this would have happened had he been in office and that he would now personally end the conflict. Ignoring the established wisdom of not negotiating with hostage takers, he vowed to apply his famed dealmaking skills to the problem, earning short term praise while simultaneously ensuring that there would be more hostages in the future.
So far, the promises aren’t working out. The war hasn’t ended. Hamas shamefully cheated on the hostage swap, retaining live hostages to maintain pressure on Israel. Worse, the Israelis will almost certainly not be free from the threat of attacks by Hamas and other Iranian proxies.
Meanwhile, Ukraine had suffered an unprovoked attack three years earlier by Russian strongman Vladimir Putin, who correctly surmised that the fearful and weak Biden administration would not provide robust aid and that without U.S. support, “Ukraine could not win a prolonged war against Russia”.
When Trump was elected, victory was at least thinkable with some additional aid because Ukraine’s troops had fought so courageously to defend their nation and their freedom.
Trump, however, saw it differently. This was another dealmaking opportunity. In January, he had told Putin, “We can do it the easy way or the hard way.” Yet a month later he was putting greater pressure on Kyiv to make concessions than on Moscow
When Zelenskyy balked at prospectively agreeing to ultimatums produced by the Trump-Putin negotiations, from which he was excluded, his relationship with Trump cratered. Suddenly, according to Trump, Zelensky was a badly dressed “modestly successful comedian” who had talked Biden out of $350 billion in military aid (a huge exaggeration).
Zelensky was charged with showing insufficient “respect” and “gratefulness” to his new masters. More preposterously, Trump wrote that Zelensky shouldn’t have started the war in the first place, which of course he didn’t do.
Luckily, Trump wrote, “We are successfully negotiating an end to the war with Russia, something all admit only ‘TRUMP’ and the Trump administration can do.” To teach Zelensky a lesson, Trump temporarily shut off all munitions and intelligence aid to Ukrainian troops.
Zelensky is being forced into the defeat option, which had been available to him all along. He stands to lose a big chunk of his country and the goals for which his people sacrificed so much.
Netanyahu was also put in a difficult position by Trump’s “rescue” and the relentless pressure to settle with his oppressors. He can now look forward to a future of more jihadist attacks and more hostage-taking. Tehran and Moscow are reportedly happy with the results.
We may come to regret insisting on domination rather than support of our allies. In a changing world, you can’t have too many friends.
Dr. Thomas Patterson, former Chairman of the Goldwater Institute, is a retired emergency physician. He served as an Arizona State senator for 10 years in the 1990s, and as Majority Leader from 93-96. He is the author of Arizona’s original charter schools bill.
by Paul Parisi | Dec 6, 2024 | Opinion
By Paul Parisi |
Free speech is under attack in America today. When the government or social media platforms, often working together, accuse someone of spreading “misinformation,” what they’re really saying is that person is lying. But who decides what’s true and what isn’t? The power to label something as misinformation or disinformation is the power to suppress free speech, and that’s a dangerous weapon.
Social media “fact checkers” routinely suppress opposing views by labeling them misinformation. This censorship is a direct attack on free speech. When the government and the media control the narrative, they manipulate public opinion to maintain their power. Just think about this: The federal government has repeatedly told us the southern border is secure. Yet, over 11 million foreign nationals have crossed illegally in less than 3 ½ years. That’s not misinformation or disinformation—it’s a bold-faced lie.
Our constitutional republic cannot survive if we allow our leaders and their allies in the media to deceive us with lies and propaganda. When the Soviets did it, we called it propaganda. Why are we afraid to call it out when it happens here?
The American people deserve the truth—the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
The terms “misinformation” and “disinformation” actually originated from a Russian word, dezinformatsiya, which means deliberately deceiving public opinion. In fact, Joseph Stalin established a Special Office of Disinformation in 1923, and the Great Soviet Encyclopedia defined it as a way to manipulate public perception. Propaganda was a cornerstone of Soviet control, rewriting history to align with the government’s ideology. Statues were replaced, public holidays were altered, and the past was reshaped to serve the present.
Does any of this sound familiar? In America today, our founding fathers are being vilified, statues are being torn down, and holidays like Columbus Day are now considered controversial. Meanwhile, new holidays are created to rewrite the narrative. Even school names are changed to reflect disdain for our past. As George Orwell warned in 1984, “Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past.”
The Soviets used propaganda to divide people and create class struggles, all to maintain totalitarian control. Are similar tactics being used in America today under the guise of combating “misinformation” and “disinformation”? Truth was once a cornerstone of American values, as seen in the mythical story of young George Washington admitting, “I cannot tell a lie.” But today, lies and deception have become tools to manipulate public opinion.
The American people deserve better. They deserve leaders who revere the truth and hold it sacred—not ones who weaponize misinformation to cling to power. It’s time to demand the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
Paul Parisi is the Arizona Grassroots Director for Our America.
by Earl Taylor | Sep 15, 2024 | Opinion
By Earl Taylor, Jr. |
Human nature always seems to make most people want something for very little, if any, effort. When someone comes along and makes promises that seem to be able to relieve pains or struggles to make ends meet or to gratify our desires for the comforts of life, we somehow don’t think of the cost in dollars—or in our liberty. We just want it and wanting it makes us feel good about the magical future. People who want to get people to believe this way and to vote accordingly are sometimes called Marxists.
Marxism is the belief that the accumulation of capital is evil and that capital and property is what makes the wealthy take advantage of those who have less than the so-called capitalists. The whole effort of Marxists, then, is to convince the “laborers” that they deserve their fair share of the wealth and that the force of government should be employed to make it happen, so that all are equally enjoying prosperity and the comforts of life. It is a gross deception.
Sadly, we have recent historical examples of how this Marxist philosophy works in real life. There’s the Marxist Vladimir Lenin taking over Russia, or the Marxist Mao Zedong taking over China, or the Marxist Fidel Castro taking over Cuba.
Cuba had been the sugar-producing capital of the hemisphere, with huge farms and mechanized equipment to be able to provide millions of Cubans with employment. Then, along came the Marxist Fidel Castro who promised each worker their own plot of ground to do as they wished. What a dream! When the government was overthrown and Castro was in charge, they began to distribute the land equally. But the people soon realized they could not afford to buy the equipment necessary to keep up the production as before, so they had to work their two acres of ground by hand to survive. They had been deceived. But it was too late. The Marxists, in whom they had great hope, were now in charge, and the only ones living comfortably were the Marxists – the Deceivers. Russia and China had already experienced the same Marxist fate.
Now comes 2024, and another candidate in Kamala Harris who sounds a lot like the three Marxists noted above. She wants to create an “Opportunity economy where everyone has a chance to compete and a chance to succeed.” She wants to lower costs for middle class Americans for everyday needs like health care, housing, and groceries. She wants to give homebuyers $25,000. Where is she going to get the money to pay for all this?
The answer is simple. She is going to confiscate the capital from those who have it through higher taxes on income, property, and yes, even unrealized gains! Apparently, it sounds so good to those who want to live by the sweat of another man’s brow. But, as history teaches us, it is only a deceptive dream. It is against the laws of nature. It will end in disaster for America. And by the way, just like the case of Lenin, Mao, and Castro, Kamala Harris has never built a business and created jobs for anyone outside of government. She has no idea of how to build a lasting economy. It is no wonder that she falls in line with the thinking of her Marxist father. She was trained that way. Her theme is “A New Way Forward.” Mao’s theme was a “Great Leap Forward.” It is gross deception.
America was redeemed from the tyranny of Europe by the shedding of blood. If America ever loses the fragile freedoms we now have by embracing the deceptive, failed system of Marxism, who knows what it will take to get it back?
Earl Taylor, Jr. is the President of The National Center for Constitutional Studies.
by Dr. Thomas Patterson | Jul 5, 2024 | Opinion
By Dr. Thomas Patterson |
The warning signs can no longer be ignored. America’s future as a world power is fading. The emerging alliance of Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, spanning the spectrum of autocratic, expansionist ideologies, is poised to seriously threaten Western values and our way of life.
America’s response to a notably more dangerous world has been passive and thoughtless. In three decades, America has gone from the preeminent world power, with the promise of spreading freedom and democracy throughout the world, to a nation of deteriorating moral and strategic standing. We’ve backed ourselves into a dangerous corner.
Our enemies relentlessly undermine our interests and propagandize against us. One even leads public chants of “Death to America.” Russia wages a war of territorial aggression. China menaces our ally in the South China Sea. Hamas’ October 7 massacre was just one of several recent attacks by Iran-associated Islamic terrorist groups.
Weapons programs, especially those involving advanced technology like space weapons and biotech, are being rapidly developed by our enemies. Meanwhile, America’s relative deterrence capability has declined. Defense spending, inflation adjusted, has been reduced while military inductees are versed in the finer points of DEI.
Our Cold War presidents, especially Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Reagan, faced similar dangers to those that challenge us today. The Soviet Union was a powerful force that brutally subjugated Eastern Europe, worked to destabilize regimes around the globe, and seriously intended to establish world hegemony.
Our leaders responded then with certitude and conviction. Ronald Reagan’s approach was not appeasement, but confrontation with superior force. He warned against “blindly hoping for the best while the enemies of freedom grow stronger by the day.” He recognized that “war comes not when the forces of freedom are strong but when they are weak…then tyrants are tempted.”
Reagan made defeat of the “Evil Empire” the central goal of his presidency. He rebuilt the military and doggedly pursued missile defense systems even when he was ridiculed for supporting “Star Wars.” In the end, it was this missile defense strategy that confounded and broke the Soviets, as Mikhail Gorbachev later confided to Margaret Thatcher.
In contrast, American policy today projects peace through weakness. We foolishly pretend tyrants will be mollified if we don’t provoke them. President Obama not only failed to support ballistic missile defenses, he backed out of commitments to install missile defense systems in Eastern Europe, despite mounting Russian aggression.
Biden fecklessly waived sanctions on Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline, paused military aid to Ukraine, and intentionally slow-walked critical supplies to our Israeli allies. We carefully dole out only enough support to our friends to stave off defeat but not enough to win.
The Cold War presidents were resolute about “stopping partisan politics at the water’s edge,” meaning that domestic political considerations should never impact foreign policy. Today, Biden proves his leftist bona fides by shutting down domestic energy production while treating our enemies more indulgently. Worry over youth protests and Michigan’s electoral support inspired his support of the war aims of Hamas and other Muslim jihadis.
This summer’s presidential debate demonstrated all you need to know about why America is garnering so much disrespect. With pressing problems all about spinning out of control, two candidates with presidential experience vied to be the one to lead us into the future. The result was a farce, a “debate” that was essentially incoherent babbling between two intellectually flabby old men.
One showed the classic hallmarks of senility and should never again be allowed near the nuclear football. The other was unable to construct a coherent argument, instead lapsing into exaggerations and meaningless superlatives. There was nothing resembling serious policy analysis. The two argued over golf scores instead.
Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates writes that “at the very moment that events demand a strong coherent response from the United States, the country cannot provide one.” Americans must take our elections more seriously. We need to stop fixating on policy dead ends like climate change and identity politics.
Our short-term problem now is vulnerability to attack as a result of exhibiting weakness. Our long-term goal must be to select leaders better able to keep us strong and free.
Dr. Thomas Patterson, former Chairman of the Goldwater Institute, is a retired emergency physician. He served as an Arizona State senator for 10 years in the 1990s, and as Majority Leader from 93-96. He is the author of Arizona’s original charter schools bill.
