Washington Republicans just named Wendy Rogers as one of their hand-picked darlings to join the most reviled club in America: their Congress. Rogers was promoted to “Young Gun” in the “Young Gun” dog-and-pony show and with a radical agenda like Wendy Rogers’ – it’s easy to see why.
“It’s no surprise that Washington Republicans are clamoring for Wendy Rogers to join their club: she supports a radical, Tea Party agenda that would take Arizonans backwards,” said Tyrone Gayle of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Whether it’s her support for House Republicans’ government shutdown tactics, cutting Medicare, phasing out Social Security, wanting to eliminate the Department of Education, or refusing to support a minimum wage increase – it’s clear Washington Republicans know they have an ally in Wendy Rogers who would be a lockstep vote for their reckless agenda.”
BACKGROUND:
Rogers Said She Would Eliminate the Department of Education. In July 2012, Rogers indicated in a candidate forum that she would not support keeping the Department of Education. Question: Do you support keeping the Department of Education? Rogers: [raised up “no” sign] [YouTube, Mesa Candidate Forum, 11:06, 7/10/12]
Said that She Would Vote to Shut Down the Federal Government in Order to Defund the Affordable Care Act. In August 2013, Rogers said that she would vote to shut down the federal government if that’s what it took to defund the ACA. “If that’s what it took. We have to be brave enough to say the hard thing. And a lot of that is bluster and positioning when we say we’re going to shut down the government,” Rogers said. “A lot of this is political posturing.” [960 AM ‘The Patriot,’ Wendy Rogers Interview, 8/17/13]
Said that Social Security is Unconstitutional and Should Be Phased Out. In July 2012, Rogers said that Social Security is not constitutional and should be phased out, in response to a series of questions from the East Valley Liberty Caucus. “Is Social Security constitutional? No. Should it be phased out? I’d like to see it phased out but if it can’t be phased out, I’d like to see private options” [YouTube, East Valley Liberty Caucus, 7/25/12]
Said She Would Cut Medicare and Social Security. In June 2012, when asked where she would make cuts in government spending, Rogers said that she would cut Medicare and Social Security. “As I said before, entitlement spending, that’s the biggest part of the pie. So you ask, what would I cut, what would I work with, again, no one wants to talk about it, but it’s Medicare and Social Security. We all paid into Social Security, I understand that, but it needs to be reformed. And Medicare sorely needs to be reformed.” [YouTube, Chandler Candidate Forum, 6/04/12]
Suggested she was Opposed to Government Mandating a Minimum Wage Increase. In June 2014, at a Central Republican Women of Phoenix candidate forum, Rogers suggested that the government should not mandate a minimum wage increase. Question: Would you vote to raise the minimum wage? Rogers: Why should government dictate the market? What business of it does government have telling me what I can pay my employees?… Do we want government saying it should be $10.10 or whatever the capricious number of the day is? [Candidate forum, Central Republican Women of Phoenix, 34:38, 6/05/14]