California Ran Out of One-Way U-Hauls Last Year Thanks to Its Woke Policies

California Ran Out of One-Way U-Hauls Last Year Thanks to Its Woke Policies

People are waking up. And you don’t need to look for proof much further than the amount of people who have left California recently. In fact, the migration from our neighbors to the West got so bad that the state lost a congressional seat, which also shrinks its number of votes in the Electoral College.

Instead of California dreamin’, people are California leavin’. And when you look at the state’s vast array of woke policies, who can blame them? It’s almost hard to believe that more people haven’t left. But perhaps there’s a reason for that. They can’t find a moving truck….

U-Haul’s top state for out-migration

At the beginning of the year, U-Haul, the nation’s largest renter of do-it-yourself trucks, reported that its outlets in California actually ran out of one-way trucks for most of 2021. That puts the Golden State, once again, in U-Haul’s top spot for out-migration. And while California’s net loss of trucks wasn’t as high as in previous years, U-Haul admits that this is partially attributed to the fact that the company ran out of inventory to meet customer demand.

So, which states top U-Haul’s list for in-bound trucks? You’ll probably be shocked to find that Texas and Florida ranked #1 and #2, respectively, with Tennessee coming in at #3, South Carolina at #4, and our home state of Arizona at #5. Do you sense a theme here?

It’s almost as if people are sick and tired of paying exorbitant taxes while having wokeness shoved down their throats. And yet, California’s leaders still don’t seem to care.

A proposal that would double tax collections

At the beginning of January, a group of Democrat legislators in California proposed a package of bills in order to create a universal health care program. Isn’t that so thoughtful?

Democrats say that they are all about making health care affordable, so this proposal couldn’t possibly stretch the wallets of the state’s residents any more than they already are, right?

Nope.

To pay for the single-payer health care system, California is considering nearly doubling its tax collections through a constitutional amendment. If that happens, it will increase taxes by $12,250 per household!

For a state already known for its ridiculously high taxes, this is insane. (You can almost hear the U-Haul team trying to find ways to get more one-way trucks out to California.)

But higher taxes are just one part of California’s problem.

Woke policies are destroying the state

In 2014, California passed Prop 47. One of the key aspects of this criminal justice “reform” moved the felony threshold for petty theft and shoplifting from $400 to $950.

So how has that worked out?

The state has been slammed with a wave of smash-and-grab robberies that have cost businesses millions of dollars. But that’s what happens when you tell people they’ll no longer be held accountable for theft.

Of course, Governor Newsom still continues to defend Prop 47, but at least some Democrats have realized what a failure this legislation has been. And now they are beginning to call for a repeal of parts of the law.

While they’re at it, they might as well look at the how their policies led homelessness to rage out of control too. In 2016, California adopted Housing First. This policy provides the homeless with lifelong, permanent housing.

The result? (You can probably see where we’re going here.)

California homelessness increased by 16.4% in 2019, which was the second largest increase of any state! And that’s while they were giving homes to homeless people and throwing billions of dollars at the problem!

It’s amazing that people still live in the Golden State. And the only logical explanations at this point are that there just aren’t enough moving trucks, or California must really know how to party.

But if recent history shows us anything, the migration from California will not end anytime soon. Now these people need to remember why they left. We’re happy to take them in Arizona—as long as they make a commitment to leaving their Blue-state ideas behind.

Help Protect Freedom in Arizona by Joining Our Grassroots Network

Arizona needs to have a unified voice promoting economic freedom and prosperity, and the Free Enterprise Club is committed to making that happen. But we can’t do it alone. We need YOU!

Join our FREE Grassroots Action List to stay up to date on the latest battles against big government and how YOU can help influence crucial bills at the Arizona State Legislature.

The Proliferation of the “Federal Only Voter” List: How Arizona Ended up with 11,600 Voters in 2020 Who Have Never Proven Their Citizenship

The Proliferation of the “Federal Only Voter” List: How Arizona Ended up with 11,600 Voters in 2020 Who Have Never Proven Their Citizenship

Most people paying attention to elections in Arizona have likely heard of Federal Only voters, but few probably know the complicated history of how we began bifurcating our voter registration system and allowing individuals to vote in federal elections, even if they haven’t proven they are a US citizen.

History

In 2004, Arizona voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 200 which, in part, created the requirement that “the county recorder shall reject any application for registration that is not accompanied by satisfactory evidence of United States citizenship.” (A.R.S § 16-166(F)). At that time, Arizona was under what was known as preclearance, where the Department of Justice essentially held veto power over state election laws. The Documented Proof of Citizenship (DPOC) provision of Prop 200, however, did receive preclearance by the DOJ and went into effect in 2005.  Arizona was immediately sued.

The problem was that in 1993 Congress passed the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) which, among other mandates, created a federal voter registration form that each state must “accept and use.”

The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) was given the authority to design this federal voter registration form, on which they were required to provide state specific instructions to account for the different requirements of each of the 50 states. Arizona’s DPOC requirement, however, was left out and only a box remained for applicants to attest to their citizenship status – an honor system.

The suit brought against the state argued that this NVRA requirement to “accept and use” the federal form preempts Arizona from requiring any information from applicants beyond what is requested on the federal form. After years in and out of the courts, the case made its way to the US Supreme Court.

In 2013 the 7-2 decision of Inter Tribal Council held that the NVRA does preempt Arizona’s DPOC requirement, and that Arizona may not request additional information beyond that which is required on the federal form and must, assuming the application is complete and the applicant is qualified, register an applicant to vote in federal elections.

Following this decision, Secretary of State Ken Bennet bifurcated our voter registration system to prevent individuals using federal forms from being registered to vote in all Arizona elections. And, importantly, Arizona continued to reject applications for registration made on the state voter registration form that did not include DPOC.

But Arizona was sued yet again in 2017 by the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), this time alleging that by accepting federal forms for registration without DPOC (as the Supreme Court required), but rejecting state forms (as the same Court affirmed we could), Arizona was violating the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause by treating applicants differently. Instead of going to trial, Secretary of State Michelle Reagan and Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes agreed to settle the case with LULAC and enter into what is called a Consent Decree (a settlement that comes with the power of a court order).

In the settlement, Arizona maintained that it was not violating the Equal Protection Clause and that the practice of rejecting state forms for registration was not unconstitutional or preempted by federal law. However, the state agreed that it could accept these forms and register the applicants as federal only voters and stay within the requirements of A.R.S § 16-166(F). In other words, they agreed in court that they could accept forms while somehow complying with Prop 200’s mandate to reject them.

As a result, the practice in 2005 of rejecting all forms that did not include DPOC is now the opposite. Since 2019, Arizona has been registering applicants who use the state voter registration form or the federal form without DPOC as federal only voters, despite Arizona law requiring them to be rejected.

Impact

In 2018, over 1,700 individuals voted in elections for federal office who had not provided DPOC. In 2020, the first election with the 2017 Consent Decree in effect, that number grew to more than 11,600. As of now, more than 36,000 individuals are registered to vote in elections for federal office, yet they have never provided DPOC. To contextualize these numbers, the 2020 statewide margin of victory for the Presidential election in Arizona was 10,457 votes.

Solution

As can be seen, this is a complex issue – a ballot proposition, federal law, the US Constitution, lawsuits, a Supreme Court ruling, a Consent Decree, a federal voter registration form, and a state voter registration form. All intertwine and have, over the past two decades, whittled away at Prop 200 and led to the complete proliferation of a Federal Only voter list, allowing individuals who have not proven they are citizens to vote in our elections.

However, there is a solution that walks the fine legal line and ensures Arizona asserts its Constitutional authority to determine the qualifications of voters and safeguards our registration process. That solution is HB2492, sponsored by Rep. Jake Hoffman.

Next week, we will break down the provisions of the bill and outline how it will help restore the integrity of our voter rolls.

Help Stop Illegals from Voting!

U.S Citizenship is a qualification for voting in both the Arizona constitution and Arizona law. Arizona voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 200 in 2004 to ensure only US Citizens could register to vote by requiring that “the county recorder shall reject any application for registration that is not accompanied by satisfactory evidence of United States citizenship.”

Unfortunately, through the well-funded lawfare of the left, this requirement has been whittled away and the Federal Only Voter list has exploded. HB2492 will safeguard our voter rolls by ensuring only qualified, U.S Citizens are registered to vote, are able vote in Presidential elections, and eligible to vote by mail.

Will you sign our petition to PROTECT our voter registration process and SUPPORT HB2492?

Free Enterprise Club Responds to ASU Cancelling Event Featuring Congressman Andy Biggs and Jason Chaffetz

Free Enterprise Club Responds to ASU Cancelling Event Featuring Congressman Andy Biggs and Jason Chaffetz

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Scot Mussi (480) 221-3292

Phoenix, AZ – The Arizona Free Enterprise Club has released the following statement in response to the decision by ASU and Michael Crow to cancel a fundraising event featuring Congressman Andy Biggs and former Congressman Jason Chaffetz to benefit the Political History and Leadership (PHL) program at ASU:

It is outrageous that Michael Crow and ASU would cancel an ASU Foundation Fundraiser because they oppose the views and philosophy of the featured speakers attending the event. It is becoming clear that woke cancel culture has taken over every office at the University,” said Scot Mussi, President of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club.

The purpose of the event, scheduled for February 17th at the Desert Botanical Garden, was to raise money for the ASU Foundation in support of PHL, a very successful program within ASU’s history department. Approximately 20% of in-person students in the history program at ASU are attending classes through PHL.

“ASU doesn’t have a problem with liberal activists and public officials appearing at the school for various events. It is well known that Democrat politicians, including US Senator Kyrsten Sinema, have in the past or currently work for the University at taxpayer expense. It only becomes a problem when the speaker is a conservative,” Scot Mussi continued. “If Michael Crow is going to surrender to the ‘cancel culture’ mob, then he is no longer fit to be ASU President and should resign.”

For more information about the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, visit www.azfree.org. Follow us on twitter @azfec. Email us at info@azfree.org.

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Race-Based Rationing of COVID Treatments Is Unethical and Should Be Banned

Race-Based Rationing of COVID Treatments Is Unethical and Should Be Banned

Democrats love to talk about the need of establishing a “universal” health care system that provides everyone with the same quality of care. That was the major theme pushed by the left and the media when Obamacare was signed into law in 2010.

We always knew that it was propaganda and that a government-run healthcare system would result in worse care for everyone. What we didn’t know is that the left doesn’t even support this claim. They do like the idea of providing different care to different people, so long as it promotes their radical, race-based social justice agenda.

Rationing COVID treatments based on race

To kick off the new year, health officials in Democrat-run New York made the call to prioritize non-whites as part of their criteria to decide who is eligible to receive monoclonal antibodies. And while white people can still receive the treatments, they’ll have to show that they have medical conditions that increase their risk for severe illness. Non-white patients, however, are automatically eligible.

But the Empire State wasn’t the only one to climb aboard the racism train. Minnesota’s state health department is actually using a scoring system based on certain risk factors to determine eligibility. And if you’re black, Indigenous, or a person of color, there’s good news. You automatically get two points. Sorry, white people. Even if you are 55 years and older with hypertension (which makes you a greater COVID risk), it’s just one point for you.

Of course, liberals are quick to say that all of this is being done in the name of “racial progress.” So, where exactly did states like New York and Minnesota get these ideas from? The Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

That’s right. The FDA authorized emergency use of monoclonal antibodies and oral antivirals for “high risk” patients. And it included race as one of those factors. (Just imagine what this could look like if the federal government had complete control over our health care.)

Not only does this violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964, but it also violates the Democrat-beloved Obamacare, which guarantees equal treatment for all races in health care. With the Left all about discrimination and segregation these days, it’s time for lawmakers to do something.

Arizona’s legislature needs to take clear action

The reality is that monoclonal antibodies are an effective treatment for COVID-19, and they could potentially be life-saving. No one should be denied this treatment because of their skin color. But instead of looking for ways to make them even more accessible, Democrats would rather play politics.  

That’s why, with the Arizona legislature back in session, it’s critical that our state’s lawmakers take clear action by banning the practice of rationing COVID treatments based on race. These sorts of policies should have no place in our state. And they should have no place in America. Our country was founded on the inherent and equal dignity of every single person. That’s what our elected leaders should be seeking to protect. And if they don’t do that this time, it could be a matter of life or death.

Help Protect Freedom in Arizona by Joining Our Grassroots Network

Arizona needs to have a unified voice promoting economic freedom and prosperity, and the Free Enterprise Club is committed to making that happen. But we can’t do it alone. We need YOU!

Join our FREE Grassroots Action List to stay up to date on the latest battles against big government and how YOU can help influence crucial bills at the Arizona State Legislature.

Governor Ducey Takes Action to Protect Students and Parents from More School Shutdowns

Governor Ducey Takes Action to Protect Students and Parents from More School Shutdowns

By now, you’re probably fed up with talking about school shutdowns. And frankly, we’re getting fed up with fighting the left on this issue. But leave it to the teachers’ unions and RedforEd to call for more school shutdowns right before students returned from their winter break.

Once again, they’d rather play politics than truly trust the science. After all, we’ve been dealing with this pandemic for almost two years and with that comes data. So, what do we know? A microscopic 0.2 percent of deaths from COVID-19 have come from individuals under the age of 20 in Arizona. At the time this article was written, the total number of reported COVID fatalities for that age range was 54.

While death of any sort is heartbreaking, these numbers prove that COVID is no more dangerous for children than the seasonal flu. But the teachers’ unions and RedforEd just can’t help themselves—because, as usual, it’s always about them.

A Call for More Shutdowns

Leading the charge for a return to remote learning this time around are Rebecca Garelli and Joe Thomas, both of whom were key players in the establishment of RedforEd. Garelli, who relocated to Arizona after being awarded a position working for Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman, has been all over Twitter calling for a minimum two-week pause for in-person learning across the nation.

Two weeks to stop the spread…where have we heard that before? It will probably work out just as well as it did the first time, right?

The reality is that the teachers’ unions want two weeks now, then two more weeks, and then two more…It never stops. You would think they would’ve learned their lesson after some of the backlash they’ve received. But perhaps they forgot about how some school districts paid a pretty hefty price last year after teachers threatened to strike and staged other publicity stunts like “sick outs.” And maybe they’re in denial about this past November’s election when most of the bonds and overrides affecting Arizona school districts in suburban areas failed.

But RedforEd and the teachers’ unions keep doubling down on their behavior. That’s why it’s critical to take every race in this next election seriously—from Governor to U.S. Senate to your local school board. But we can’t wait around for 11 months to do something. And that’s why Governor Ducey’s move earlier this week to protect parents and students from more school shutdowns is essential.

Governor Ducey’s Preemptive Action

Arizona’s governor didn’t waste any time responding to the demand from teachers’ unions to return to remote learning. As students headed back to school on Monday following their winter break, Governor Ducey made it clear that in-person learning will continue in Arizona.

But then he followed that up with action.

On Tuesday, the governor announced that he is making up to $7,000 available for families who may face financial or educational barriers due to unexpected school closures. With this new program, if a school closes for even one day, students and families who meet the income requirements will have access to funds for childcare, school-coordinated transportation, online tutoring, and school tuition.

That’s a step in the right direction. And it’s one everyone should be able to get behind. Children have suffered so much during this pandemic. They’ve lost educational opportunities, athletic opportunities, social engagements, and more. Even The New York Times acknowledged the damage done to kids over the past two years. Now, students deserve leaders who will put them first. And that begins with giving them and their parents the freedom to choose in-person learning.

Help Protect Freedom in Arizona by Joining Our Grassroots Network

Arizona needs to have a unified voice promoting economic freedom and prosperity, and the Free Enterprise Club is committed to making that happen. But we can’t do it alone. We need YOU!

Join our FREE Grassroots Action List to stay up to date on the latest battles against big government and how YOU can help influence crucial bills at the Arizona State Legislature.