I Opine: Elon Musk and the Bull Moose Party

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With the passage of the “Big Beautiful Bill,” Elon Musk is threatening to establish what he calls, “The American Party.” One can possibly sympathize. After all he just went through and exposed and gutted waste in the government.

Indeed, some of the founders were concerned about political parties.

In a letter Jonathan Jackson of October 2, 1780, John Adams wrote, “There is nothing I dread So much, as a Division of the Republick into two great Parties, each arranged under its Leader, and concerting Measures in opposition to each other. This, in my humble Apprehension is to be dreaded as the greatest political Evil, under our Constitution.”

George Washington found the “Party System” abhorrent and said so in his farewell address to Congress. “I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the State, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally.

“This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy.
“The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.
“Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight), the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it. It serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which finds a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.”

Let’s look at what previous “Third-Parties” have wrought.

The first third-party with any showing was that of the Bull Moose party formed by Theodore Roosevelt in 1912. Roosevelt served as President from 1901 to 1909 following the death of Williams McKinley. The Rough Rider endorsed his friend, William Howard Taft, who won the election and succeeded Roosevelt. Roosevelt became disillusioned at the policies of Taft, and ran against him in the primary for the 1912 election, but the Republican Party choose Taft. Roosevelt formed the Bull Moose party to run against Taft, specifically.

Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft.

What he succeeded in doing was get Woodrow Wilson elected. Democrat Wilson believed in the bureaucracy system of England and successfully instituted that in the United States. Along with that bane, he brought us the private corporation known as the Federal Reserve.

There was the “Green Party” led by Ralph Nadar in the sixties. No real damage there.

H. Ross Perot.

You might recall the H. Ross Perot period of the 90’s. Perot, from Texas, made millions as the founder and chief executive officer of Electronic Data Systems and Perot Systems. He ran as an Independent for President of the United States in 1992. He, like Musk, was disillusioned by the taxes and where they were spent. He actually touched the American vein and was nominated in 1996 by the Reform Party formed by grassroots supporters of Perot. In a speech he referred to black people as “You people,” and the media ran with it.

In 1992 he faced off with Bill Clinton and George Bush taking over 19-million votes, but no electoral votes or winning any states. Arguably, he lifted Democrat Bill Clinton to the win. In 1996 against Bill Clinton and Bob Dole, he did much poorer and probably did not influence the outcome of the election. Bill Clinton still would have won the election.

One of the things that third-parties caused is laws that tighten the U.S. into two specific parties keeping any their-party candidate out of political debates with the full cooperation of the so-called main stream media.

So now we face another threat of the formation of a third-party. One wonders the motivation. President Trump claims that Musk is upset about the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” because it eliminates electric vehicle mandates allowing the market to determine what they want. If this is the case, is this an American Party? Will their platform be you can buy what you want so long as it is an electric vehicle?

Does he want to promote individual freedom and individual responsibility as the founders wanted? Does he want to rip out the current tax system and put in something fairer? Do they want us to keep out of the affairs of foreign nations as the founders envisioned?

We can probably agree that—whatever the nature of the new, so-called American Party—we can probably agree that neither current party adheres to the Constitution of the United States of America. To begin to return to the Constitution we should beware of people that refer to the United States as a Democracy or Constitutional Democracy. The word democracy appears no where in the Constitution. Indeed, Article IV, Section 4 states specifically:

The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion;…

So political parties should learn what a Republic is. And that doesn’t mean those governments that call themselves, “The People’s Republic Of…” which is another phrase meaning Communism. Actually democracy is Communism. Those “People’s Republic Of…” are actually totalitarian States. They do not select their leaders.

In simple terms, in this Republic we select people to adhere to Constitution and attend to their specific duties. The specific duties of the “Federal” government are outlined in Section 8 of the Constitution. The Congress has the ONLY authority to create laws. They cannot delegate those duties to bureaucracies, according to Gibbons V. Ogden.

The Constitution was debated and written under strict secrecy. The delegates felt that they could not have open and honest discussion if they had to explain to everyone everything they were putting into the Constitution. On September 18, 1787, they finally agreed on a document that they would submit to the States.

According to a document written by James McHenry, “A lady asked Dr. Franklin Well Doctor what have we got a republic or a monarchy – A republic replied the Doctor if you can keep it.” Then McHenry added: “The Lady here alluded to was Mrs. Powel of Philada.”

13 Colonies Amateur Radio event starts tomorrow

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The annual 13 Colony amateur radio event begins tomorrow and runs through July 7th. Amateur radio operators are encouraged to attempt to contact all 13th stations from the original colonies of the United States plus two bonus stations from the list below.All modes of operation may be represented – SSB, CW, RTTY, Digital, Etc. – The mode of operation is up to the individual colony state station. Please refer to the State information pages for details.

All HF bands will be in play, including the WARC bands, with the exception of 60 meters. Simplex on 2 meters and 6 meters is encouraged. The SE stations are on the east coast and, are very close to each other. It will be harder for these states to contact each other so, use of 40m-160m is encouraged.

The exchange for this event is:

  • CALL SIGN
  • RS / RST / RSQ
  • STATE / PROVINCE or COUNTRY

If you are a Short Wave listener (SWL), you also qualify for the certificate. Follow the instructions on the Certificates page when you submit your log. A special SWL logo will be affixed to the certificate for you. One or all 13 stations logged qualifies you. Just log ALL of the 13 Colony states and you can get a complete set of custom special event QSL cards also! all 13 are different. QSL requests to be made to each individual Colony State Station with an self-addressed stamped envelope.

The 13 Colonies event invites those short wave listeners to consider getting an amateur radio license. Just use your favorite search engine and search for amateur radio clubs in your area to get information on becoming licensed.

The 13 Colonies Special Event is a not for profit event. All donations are used to fund the next years event, and to defray any expenses occurred. All donations are used for operating costs, supplies, equipment, and 13 Colony Group initiatives. Donation is voluntary

Make safety a priority if driving over the Independence Day weekend

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With no closures scheduled on state highways over the extended Independence Day weekend, the Arizona Department of Transportation is joining other agencies, including first responders, in asking drivers to focus on safety and staying alert during holiday road trips.

Allow extra time during peak travel periods, including Thursday afternoon, July 3, and Sunday afternoon and evening, July 6.

ADOT and its contractors will be giving motorists a break by not scheduling state highway closures between Thursday afternoon and Sunday night.

Drivers should still expect the unexpected, including unscheduled highway closures due to crashes, disabled vehicles, wildfires or other incidents.

ADOT anticipates heavy traffic and possible delays on highways in and out of the Phoenix and Tucson areas during peak holiday weekend travel times. That includes the Interstate 17 Improvement Project work zone between Anthem Way and the Sunset Point Rest Area north of Phoenix.

Other highways expected to be busy at times include State Route 87 between Fountain Hills and Payson; US 93 between Wickenburg and Hoover Dam; I-10 between Tucson and Phoenix; and I-8 and I-10 between the Phoenix area and the California state line.

For summer travel, ADOT recommends preparing an emergency kit including extra drinking water. Other items to consider are blankets, a first-aid kit, a flashlight, extra batteries, a fully charged cellphone and charger, snacks, diapers if necessary and a small tool kit. More information about traveling in hot weather is available on the ADOT website.

Because travel delays are possible, don’t forget other important items such as prescription medicines. A hat, sunglasses and umbrella – to help with rain or shade – also are good items to remember.

Be prepared for changing weather conditions, including blowing dust. Other road trip safety recommendations include:

  • Avoid distractions. Don’t text while driving. Eyes up, phones down.
  • Check your vehicle, including tire pressure and engine fluid levels.
  • Get some rest before traveling. Fatigue is a serious safety risk.
  • Never drive while impaired. Buckle up and obey speed limits.
  • Arrange for a designated driver or ride service if necessary.
  • If towing a trailer, secure chains so they are not dragging on pavement and creating sparks that might start a brush fire.
  • Avoid stopping in areas with grasses and brush. Hot vehicle components could start a fire.

ADOT will have personnel ready to respond to incidents along highways over the holiday weekend. In addition to on-call statewide maintenance crews, the ADOT Incident Response Unit (IRU), sponsored by GEICO, patrols Phoenix-area freeways in Maricopa County from 4 a.m. to midnight on weekdays and from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. The IRU operators assist state troopers as well as drivers in need of help.

Real-time highway conditions are available on ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at AZ511.gov, the az511 app (download for Apple or Android devices) or by calling 511. ADOT also provides highway condition updates via its X feed, @ArizonaDOT.

AZGFD to step up patrols over holiday weekend, promote sober boating

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) and partner agencies will be patrolling Arizona’s waterways over the Fourth of July holiday weekend to provide heightened enforcement and awareness about the dangers of drinking alcohol while boating.

Once again, AZGFD will be participating in “Operation Dry Water,” a national boating under the influence awareness and enforcement campaign. The goal is to reduce the number of alcohol and/or drug-related fatalities and accidents by spreading this important message to the public: Drinking and boating is a potentially deadly combination.

“Our top priority is to create a safe environment for everyone who is out enjoying Arizona’s waterways,” said Major Danny Rodriguez, watercraft law enforcement programs coordinator/boating law administrator. “If alcohol is being consumed on your boat, always designate a sober operator.”

During last year’s Operation Dry Water campaign, almost 500 local, state, and federal agencies contacted 296,190 boaters and made 584 arrests nationwide for boating under the influence. A total of 10,008 citations were issued, as well as 33,546 safety warnings.

In Arizona, five agencies — AZGFD, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Bullhead City Police Department, National Park Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — contacted a total of 2,822 boaters statewide during last year’s campaign, made four arrests for boating under the influence, and issued 89 citations. The agencies also combined to issue 588 safety warnings.

“It’s no different from driving a car on the highway; the operator is responsible for everyone on board the boat,” Rodriguez said.

While the main focus of the campaign is geared toward those who operate a boat under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, officers may also give warnings or write citations for other violations, including not having proper safety equipment, failing to slow down in no-wake zones, operating too close to another vessel, and riding on areas of a vessel that are not allowed, such as the bow or transom.

Arizona state law requires that children 12 and under must wear a life jacket at all times while the boat is underway, and there must be one life jacket on board for every passenger. In addition, a throwable flotation device, usually a cushion with handles or a ring buoy, is required for all watercraft longer than 16 feet (except for canoes and kayaks).

Operation Dry Water was launched in 2009 by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard. The initiative is credited with removing 7,453 impaired operators from the nation’s waterways.

AZGFD has been an Operation Dry Water partner since the beginning. “Any outreach that helps bring awareness to prevent fatalities and injuries in Arizona is a valuable investment of our time and resources,” Rodriguez said.

For more information on boating in Arizona, visit www.azgfd.com/Boating/.

Days left to enter Super Raffle; win hunt-permit tags

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PHOENIX–If you found yourself tagless after the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s 2025 fall draw, here’s a deal for you! Conservation First USA is wrapping up its Big Game Super Raffle where tickets to hunt mule deer, white-tail deer, bison, bighorn sheep and more for 365 days are only $10 per species. The best part: There is no limit to the number of tickets you can purchase.

The deadline to purchase tickets is June 30.

Ten lucky individuals will win one of 10 special big-game tags (elk, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, mule deer, white-tailed deer, bison, turkey, javelina, bear and mountain lion) for the 2025–26 hunting season.

Purchase the “All 10 Package” and receive one entry per species, PLUS a free entry for the Swarovski Optik Package. There’s more: All orders placed are eligible to win additional prizes in the “Buy Often, Win Big!” program. Read more here.

Details:

  1. Raffle tickets are $10 each, per species.
  2. The deadline to purchase tickets is June 30.
  3. The winner can hunt for 365 days (Aug. 15, 2025, to Aug. 14, 2026)
  4. Raffle tickets must be purchased online, and the buyer must be in Arizona at the time of purchase.
  5. The drawing will be conducted in July.
  6. A complete set of rules can be found here.

June 29 is deadline to apply for Local Sportsmen’s Group grants

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PHOENIX — Time is running out for local sportsmen’s organizations to apply for $75,000 in annual grant funding to provide public, mentored projects that are focused on the recruitment and development of new hunters and anglers.

Applications must be received by the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) no later than 11:59 p.m. (Arizona time) Sunday, June 29. Grants will be awarded through a competitive application process. Online applications and instructions are available at www.azgfd.gov/LSG.

The Local Sportsmen’s Group grants program places a high priority on projects that involve the pursuit or harvest of fish or wildlife with a valid license (and any necessary hunt permit-tag) and are geared toward participants who have the appropriate experience and skill levels relevant to a particular project.

“This grant program continues to provide much-needed funding for Arizona’s conservation organizations to connect with the public through quality, mentored projects at a time when there’s a huge demand for traditional outdoor and wildlife recreation like hunting and fishing,” said Doug Burt, AZGFD’s recruitment, retention and reactivation (R3) manager.

“The projects from these funds, and the efforts of these community groups, return far more in value than the grant dollars would on their own by providing education about safe and ethical hunting and fishing, and how sportsmen play an important role in wildlife conservation.”

There is no cost to Arizona taxpayers for this grant program. Game and Fish does not receive any of the state’s general tax funds and operates under a user-pay, public-benefit model. The grant program is an investment in the continuance of wildlife conservation efforts and outdoor recreation participation in Arizona.

Visit www.azgfd.gov/wsfr for more information about how hunters, anglers, shooters, and boaters fund wildlife conservation through the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) program.

To learn more about AZGFD’s Recruitment, Retention and Reactivation (R3) program, visit www.azgfd.gov/outdoorskills for hunting, and www.azgfd.gov/FishAZ for fishing.

Hutton Ranch Road – Rio de Flag Crossing Project Completed

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FLAGSTAFF — A project to build a new and improved Rio de Flag crossing culvert at Hutton Ranch Road has been completed.

The $548,000 Hutton Ranch Road – Rio De Flag Culvert Crossing Project will improve transportation in and out of the Hutton Ranch neighborhood when the Rio de Flag is flowing. The project, which broke ground in late March, features a 3×20-foot cast-in-place concrete arch culvert under Hutton Ranch Road at the Rio de Flag crossing along with new fencing, guardrails, water inlet & outlet protection, and a paved surface over the culvert.

The Coconino County Public Works Engineering Division and County contractors began planning the project after the Slayton Ranch Road/Rio de Flag crossing was washed out by heavy snowmelt flows in March 2023. The Slayton Ranch crossing was replaced in July 2023, and the team used data from both that project and the record winter runoff of 2023 to determine the optimal drainage structure for the Hutton Ranch Road/Rio de Flag crossing.

“The washout at Slayton Ranch Road two years ago was a powerful reminder of the Rio de Flag’s flood potential and the need to swiftly address any vulnerabilities in our drainage infrastructure,” said Public Works Director Christopher Tressler. “Just as we did at Slayton Ranch, we’ve designed and constructed a resilient new crossing at Hutton Ranch Road engineered to safely handle seasonal snowmelt and monsoon flows while minimizing impacts to the surrounding neighborhood, as much as is feasible.”

“I’d like to thank everyone in Hutton Ranch area for their patience during the three months of work it took to complete this important project,” said Supervisor Judy Begay, whose district includes the Slayton Ranch Road area. “I’d also like to thank the engineers and construction team for working so hard to finish this project in time for what is forecast to be an active monsoon season.”

For more information about the Hutton Ranch Road – Rio De Flag Culvert Crossing Project please contact Public Works at 928-679-8300.

Stage 1 Fire Restrictions to begin Friday, June 27

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WILLIAMS—Due to increasing fire danger, Stage 1 Fire and Smoking Restrictions will go into effect beginning 8:00 a.m. Friday, June 27, 2025, on the North Kaibab and Tusayan ranger districts.

Under Stage 1 restrictions, the building, maintaining, attending, or using fire, campfire, or stove fire including charcoal and briquettes outside of a permanent metal or concrete fire pit or grate that the Forest Service has installed and maintained at its developed recreation sites is prohibited. Smoking is also prohibited, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, at a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least 3 feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material.

Using a stove or grill that is solely fueled by liquid petroleum or liquid petroleum gas (LPG) fuels that can be turned on and off is allowed in areas that are barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within three feet of the stove or grill.

The Kaibab’s fire restrictions do not prohibit target shooting. However, all existing regulations for discharging a firearm on public lands still apply.

Additional restrictions may be necessary in the future. Fire restrictions typically remain in effect until the area receives enough widespread precipitation to significantly lower the fire danger.

Fire restrictions are implemented to help prevent human-caused fires and to limit the exposure of visitors during periods of potentially dangerous fire conditions. Decisions about fire restrictions are based on a combination of carefully measured factors. Criteria used to determine when to implement restrictions include current and predicted weather, fuel moisture, fire activity levels, enduring drought, and available firefighting resources.

The public is reminded to always be extra cautious when recreating on public lands, regardless of restrictions. Fireworks and explosives are always prohibited and leaving a campfire unattended is illegal all year round.

Violations could result in mandatory appearance in a federal court, fines, or jail time.

For information on restrictions and other alerts on the Kaibab National Forest visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/kaibab/alerts.

For restriction information on state and federally managed lands in AZ visit wildlandfire.az.gov/fire-restrictions. Coconino County fire restriction information can be found at https://www.coconino.az.gov/AlertCenter.

Flagstaff Police locate missing person

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UPDATE: LOCATED SAFE

FLAGSTAFF – July 13, 2024, the Flagstaff Police Department is seeking the assistance of the public in locating Ericka Santana Lomayesva. Ericka was last seen in the early morning hours of 07/13/24 on the Westside of Flagstaff near the 2700 block of S Woodlands Village Blvd.

Ericka was possibly wearing an orange shirt and may be on foot in the area. She is 6’00, 140 lbs, has black hair, and brown eyes.

If anyone sees Ericka or has any information on her whereabouts, please call 911 or contact the Flagstaff Police Department at 928-774-1414.

Traffic fatalities in Arizona dip slightly in 2023

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PHOENIX – Traffic fatalities in Arizona decreased slightly in 2023 but are still near all-time highs, according to the state’s annual report on motor vehicle crashes on all roads, including local streets.

There were 1,307 traffic fatalities across the state last year, a decrease of 0.98% compared to 2022, according to the 2023 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report. Figures show crashes associated with alcohol impairment and inappropriate speed or speeding continue to be leading causes of deaths and injuries, providing an urgent reminder for Arizonans to avoid engaging in unsafe driving behaviors.

Fewer pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities occurred in 2023. Pedestrian fatalities fell by 12.3% and bicyclist fatalities were 10.2% lower than in 2022. Despite these improvements, the 1,307 traffic fatalities in 2023 is the second-highest annual fatality total ever recorded in Arizona and only slightly behind the 1,320 deaths recorded in 2022.

The Arizona Department of Transportation produces the annual Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report, which is a compilation of traffic crash reports provided by law enforcement agencies around the state. The document reflects reported crash data for all Arizona roadways, including city streets, county roads, reservation roads and state highways.

While the number of traffic fatalities were down by about 1% in 2023 compared to 2022, the total number of crashes on all of Arizona’s roadways was up 1.6%, 122,247 in 2023 compared to 120,356 in 2022.

The statistics show that, like in previous years, crashes and fatalities are overwhelmingly driven by driver behavior, primarily involving speed, impairment, and failure to use seat belts.

“Every fatality represents someone’s loved one,” ADOT Director Jennifer Toth said. “We need everyone using the roads to work together to reduce these preventable crashes, and we’re working with partners around the state on safety strategies to help meet ADOT’s vision of safely connecting people.”

But ADOT, which maintains the state highway system, can’t do it alone. More traffic fatalities occurred on local roads (828) than on state highways (479), and urban areas saw nearly twice as many fatalities (853) as rural areas (454).

Among factors cited, speed – determined by law enforcement to be unlawful or too fast for conditions – was reported in crashes resulting in 446 fatalities and 20,682 injuries during 2023. This accounted for 34.1% and 38.2% of the totals, respectively. During 2022, speed was a factor in 436 fatalities and 20,137 injuries.

Alcohol-related fatalities have increased in each of the past four years. The 332 killed in alcohol-related crashes represent 25.4% of all traffic fatalities. Male drivers were involved in 72.7% of crashes where alcohol was involved. Drivers ages 25-34 accounted for 35.4% of alcohol-related fatal crashes. Most alcohol-related crashes occur on weekends and at night.

“Everyone expects to come home when they leave their house,” said Jesse Torrez, Director of the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. “Speed, distracted driving along with helmet and seat belt usage are a conscious choice. All of these choices can save lives. We have to remind ourselves and others to take a moment and think about home.”

  • There were 258 motorcyclist fatalities in crashes during 2023, which is the highest figure in at least 20 years and an 11.2% increase from 232 during 2022. There are more motorcyclists than ever on Arizona’s roads. Since 2019, Arizona has seen a 33% increase in motorcycle registrations, going from 209,719 to 279,569.

  • Overall, failure to use a safety device, such as a seat belt or helmet, saw fewer fatalities and injuries in 2023 than 2022. In 2023, there were 361 fatalities and 3,239 injuries, while 2022 saw 376 fatalities and 3,301 injuries.

  • The report shows that at least 8,657 drivers involved in collisions during 2023 were engaged in “distracted driving behavior” and 62 of these distracted drivers were involved in fatal crashes. These figures are likely undercounts because drivers may not admit they were distracted or because a distracted driver died in a crash.

The 2023 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report and reports for previous years are available at azdot.gov/CrashFacts.