Election law targets Democrats, favors the Republican vote

Respect.

Arizona Democrats have earned it. However, Gov. Jan Brewer and her political operatives have once again abused their power to marginalize Democrats. Signing House Bill 2305, which is designed to bolster the Republican Party's advantage in the 2014 election, is the latest example.

The victories of the past session are due in large part to the gains Democrats made in the Legislature in 2012. By restoring balance to the Legislature, moderate Republicans finally gained the confidence they lacked during the debate over Senate Bill 1070, the impeachment of a redistricting commissioner or the budget cuts that negatively impacted Arizona's schools, universities, cities and public safety, and left hundreds of thousands without health care these past five years.

Expanding health-care coverage this session was only possible because national Democrats risked and lost their political power in 2010 to pass health-care reform. Gov. Brewer is now being anointed sainthood status, though she merely swept in at the last minute to fix a problem that she helped orchestrate.

Brewer could have easily decided it would have been easier to side with the "tea party" and continue fighting Medicaid expansion, but thankfully, she decided to do what was best for Arizona. For this, she does deserve credit -- but we should not forget the foundation of her decision was prompted by 13 Democratic state senators and 24 state representatives.

The question surrounding a promise to kill or veto HB 2305 is irrelevant. The bill lacked compromise and transparency. It was designed not with the intent of making voting easier and more accessible, but with the intent of limiting voter participation and choice. It includes new restrictions on how Arizonans can exercise their right to vote early. Arizona lags behind in voter turnout and has failed to update outdated voter-registration deadlines, improve access to early-voting locations and remove antiquated precinct restrictions on Election Day.

The fight to preserve voting rights defines the modern-day Democratic Party. This right has been fought for and sealed with the blood of those who battled for civil rights. Given Arizona's dark history of discrimination and drawn-out arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court and the Department of Justice, it is crucial that all election reforms require the highest degree of scrutiny, transparency and compromise.

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected another Arizona law aimed at restricting voter participation, and the stage was set for Brewer to reverse the political bickering and continue the goodwill she built up with Medicaid expansion. Political decency could have once again prevailed in Arizona. Instead, Brewer and her political advisers did what they do best: divide Arizona.

Luis Heredia is government relations director for the Torres Consulting and Law Group and a Democratic Party national committeeman.

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Adwatch: DNC ad targets Romney over flip-flops (AP)

WASHINGTON – TITLE: "Trapped."

LENGTH: 30 seconds

AIRING: In Albuquerque, N.M., Raleigh, N.C., Columbus, Ohio, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee and Washington through Wednesday.

KEY IMAGES: The Democratic National Committee ad targeting Republican Mitt Romney opens like the trailer to a movie, flashing the words, "From the creator of `I'm running for office for Pete's sake,' comes the story of two men trapped in one body."

Romney used the "Pete's sake" phrase during an October debate to respond to Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who asked why the former Massachusetts governor had used a lawn care service that employed illegal immigrants. Romney said he had urged the gardening service to stop employing illegal immigrants.

"Look,'" Romney said he told the service, "you can't have any illegals working on our property. I'm running for office, for Pete's sake! I can't have illegals!"

The ad shows mirror images of Romney and then cuts to a fireball explosion between profile images of Romney with the words, "Mitt vs. Mitt."

It then highlights the issues of abortion rights and health care, with clips of Romney apparently taking opposite positions on both.

ANALYSIS: Six weeks before Republican primary voters begin choosing a nominee, the DNC is trying to use the ad to paint Romney as someone who will change his positions and say anything to get elected.

Republican officials said the ad buy was minor — about $14,000 on cable and broadcast outlets in the six television markets — but the spot reflects the states where Democrats are trying to undermine Romney and reinforce President Barack Obama's message to voters. In 2008, Obama carried all five states — New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — and the states are important to his re-election campaign.

Democrats argue that Romney's record has received little scrutiny during the primary contests with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, businessman Herman Cain and Texas Gov. Rick Perry, and they want voters to know about Romney's inconsistencies. Party leaders argue that Romney has a lack of core convictions while Obama is trying to help middle class voters rebound during tough economic times.

The attack focuses on what has proven to be a key Romney weakness, his shifting of positions he once held as a Senate candidate in Massachusetts, and later as governor.

On health care, Romney has said he will try to repeal the federal health care law that was based in part on his health care plan in Massachusetts. He says that states, not Washington, should push health care policies to help the uninsured.

Romney previously supported abortion rights but as a presidential candidate has said state law should guide abortion rights and Roe v. Wade should be reversed by a future Supreme Court.

In response to the ad, Romney's campaign blasted Obama's handling of the economy, saying the White House didn't want to have to run against Romney and "be held accountable for the many failures of this administration." It reflected a growing mantra from Republicans that the nation's longstanding economic problems — 9 percent unemployment, a fragile housing market and poor consumer confidence — will lead to a referendum on Obama's presidency next year and few other issues will matter.

"Instead of focusing on the economy and creating jobs, President Obama and Democrats are focused on tearing down Mitt Romney," said Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul. Foreshadowing a potential general election matchup, the Romney campaign orchestrated conference calls in which several Romney supporters — including Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., former Iowa GOP Chairman Brian Kennedy and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty — criticized Obama's stewardship of the economy.

The 2012 election is nearly a year away but the DNC ad and the response from Romney's team shows that intensity level is not likely to slow down anytime soon.

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