I moved to Arizona in 1981 when Bruce Babbitt was governor, and Mo Udall was the Southern Arizona Congressional representative. I have lived in what is now Legislative District 9 since the 1980s. Gabrielle Giffords was my legislator and my Congresswoman. Many times, I called her office or sent her email about bills that were under consideration. Often I would write to her after 9 p.m., and she would write right back. I didn’t always agree with Gabby, but I always believed that she listened to me.. an unnamed voter… and was thoughtful in her votes.
One thing the voters will always know about me is my opinion. As with my relationship with Gabby, you may not always agree with me, but you will know that I put thought into my decisions and that I will vote with the people’s interests in mind. Also– let’s talk. I am always willing to listen and discuss ideas, facts, and plans.
‘View from the Left Side’ Blog & YouTube
I have been a blogger since 2006. It is a natural fit for someone like me who has a BA in journalism and a career in corporate communications, freelance writing, and photography. In fact, during my first campaign, when I went door-to-door, many people said, “You’re the blogger!”
As an elected official, I use my “View from the Left Side” blog on this website and my video updates to communicate with constituents and other supporters. You can find the blog posts and updates here. You can subscribe to my blog by clicking on the blue bar that says “Follow Powers For The People” in the top right column. (BTW, my desk on the Floor of the House is on the left side; the blog title has a double entendre.)
Since 2018, I have been making daily video updates from my office at the Capital and regular videos during the interim, when I am in Tucson. As a result, I have an extensive collection of videos on both Facebook and YouTube. The two video collections overlap but are not the same, with the YouTube channel having all of the longer videos and event videos and Facebook having more “in the moment” smart phone video updates. Both collections are organized into playlists to facilitate learning more about specific topics like education, taxes, or public health . If you want a walk down memory lane, you can watch the videos by year on YouTube. (It’s mid-October, and there are already 90 videos in the 2020 collection.) Check it out. If you want to know more about the inner workings of the Arizona Legislature, there is a lot of information on my YouTube channel and my Facebook page.
Selected Issues
Click on the topics below to learn more about my ideas and to find links to related blog posts and videos on each topic.
