What do United States Congressman David Schweikert, State Senate Majority Leader John McComish, Phoenix City Councilman Sal DiCicco, Kedrick Ellison of the Phoenix Community and Economic Development Department, Kyrene Superintendent Dr. David Shauer, Tempe Union High School Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Baca, and Pangea Development have in common?

As “Opponents of Brewer’s Medicaid plan speak out” it rapidly becomes obvious that they are obsessed with forcing their personal, misguided value systems on we citizens.

Senate Republicans are proposing a nearly $8.8 billion spending plan for the coming year, a tiny -- 1.6 percent -- hike over current levels.

It’s been eight months since I had the great opportunity to join the Ahwatukee Foothills News. Since that time we have not made radical changes to the paper or wild editorial changes to the product. What I wanted to do was listen to our readers and take note of any changes that would aid this great community.

Bill Richardson’s views on the gun control debate get a frequent and wide airing in the AFN. Unfortunately, his arguments against stronger gun laws are absurd.

Scrambling to find votes for her Medicaid expansion plan, Gov. Jan Brewer said Thursday she is now willing to approve legislation to stop Planned Parenthood from getting any of the funds.

I enjoyed Dennis Tierney’s commentary (“Limiting magazine sizes just a step in trying to reduce gun violence,” AFN, March 31), which responds to my earlier commentary. His arguments appear thoughtful and completely reasonable.

As the gun debate stirs and emotions rise higher and higher, we tend to leave ration and logic out of the subsequent efforts to address what is an important public issue. Emotionally charged solutions seldom fix anything. They simply make a lot of people feel like something positive is being done but they truly accomplish nothing. And marching out victims to use as props for your initiative is a shameless political ploy. Politicians are great at using emotional issues to push their pet plans. Most of the efforts currently in flight to answer the recent tragedies in Colorado, Arizona, Connecticut (all very liberal enclaves I might add) are labeled as “Gun Safety” and “Gun Violence” initiatives. Looking at those terms, who is not for Gun Safety? And who is not for ending Gun Violence?

It’s been three years since she was paralyzed from the waist down after a soccer incident injured her spinal cord.

Gun rights

The Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU) emphasizes the difference between traditional religious practices in the past and how newer Christian clubs, like CRU Downtown, an Arizona State University religious organization, have changed the mentality of worship.

Rebuffed in his bid for oversight of Colorado City marshals, Attorney General Tom Horne now wants taxpayer funds for another police agency to patrol the polygamous community.

Arizona cities that want to place or keep photo enforcement cameras on state roads are going to have to prove they do more than generate fines.

Editor’s note: Follows is a one-on-one interview with Joshua Sasse, of the movie “The Big and I,” and Leah Gibson, from “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.” Both are playing key roles in “Rogue,” DIRECTV’s first original series.

Bill Richardson presents thoughtful perspectives on our national debate regarding gun control (“How is an illusion going to make us safer?,” AFN, March 22).

It has become clear in Sulem Urbina’s 22 years that she is persistent and thrives when she is tested.

Saying it's nobody business, state lawmakers are poised to keep local governments -- and anyone else -- from finding out who owns a gun.

After attending a political meeting the other night, I’m convinced some people have forgotten what our great nation is all about. Have we forgotten “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness?” Once upon a time, those God-given rights were the reality of life for this free nation.

Arizona high schoolers may soon be rid of having to pass AIMS -- or any standardized test -- to graduate.

A new legislative proposal on publication requirements for legal notices could pit large papers against small ones and dailies against weeklies -- all at a potential higher cost to taxpayers.

The state House on Tuesday gave preliminary approval to legislation that will let the state's largest cities publish their legal notices online rather than spending money to buy newspaper ads.

Now that tax season is here, and the debate over tax rates has been resolved (at least for now), you can focus on your tax return, which is due on April 15. As you work on your return, you may see some areas in which you’d like to make some changes for 2013 and beyond — and one of these areas may be your investments. Specifically, can you find ways to become a more “tax-smart” investor?

Q: I use Microsoft Security Essentials as my “seatbelt” for protection, plus I am as careful as possible. Is this enough or should I get Trend Micro. Not both, right? — Jonathan