Meet the man with a plan to shake up Arizona politics – Alex Stovall joins us on the Walt Blackman Show for a riveting dialogue about his journey from military service to running for the Arizona House. With a clear-eyed view on the issues that matter, such as the critical rise in veteran homelessness and the dire need for infrastructure upgrades, Alex discusses how his military background informs his pragmatic approach. Beyond the battlefield of politics, he aims to dismantle the heavy tax burdens stifling our communities and to champion school choice, ensuring that solutions, not party lines, guide his mission to serve the state.
As we traverse the complex terrain of border security and the sanctity of our elections, Alex brings his unique insights, shaped by personal experiences and a steadfast belief in community empowerment. His take on a merit bill opens a new chapter in the immigration debate, marrying lawfulness with the welcoming spirit of our nation. For listeners ignited by Alex's dedication and eager to support the cause, we explore practical ways to contribute to local campaigns and stay connected with the movement unfolding in Arizona's political landscape. So brace yourself for an episode that not only enlightens but also encourages active participation in the future we envision for Arizona.
Meet the man with a plan to shake up Arizona politics – Alex Stovall joins us on the Walt Blackman Show for a riveting dialogue about his journey from military service to running for the Arizona House. With a clear-eyed view on the issues that matter, such as the critical rise in veteran homelessness and the dire need for infrastructure upgrades, Alex discusses how his military background informs his pragmatic approach. Beyond the battlefield of politics, he aims to dismantle the heavy tax burdens stifling our communities and to champion school choice, ensuring that solutions, not party lines, guide his mission to serve the state.
As we traverse the complex terrain of border security and the sanctity of our elections, Alex brings his unique insights, shaped by personal experiences and a steadfast belief in community empowerment. His take on a merit bill opens a new chapter in the immigration debate, marrying lawfulness with the welcoming spirit of our nation. For listeners ignited by Alex's dedication and eager to support the cause, we explore practical ways to contribute to local campaigns and stay connected with the movement unfolding in Arizona's political landscape. So brace yourself for an episode that not only enlightens but also encourages active participation in the future we envision for Arizona.
Welcome thrill seekers and curious minds to an electrifying new episode of the Walt Blackman Show. Today we're diving headfirst into a vortex of fascinating stories, groundbreaking ideas and conversations that promise to challenge, inspire and entertain like never before. Whether you're a loyal listener or joining us for the first time, you're in for an unforgettable adventure. So buckle up, turn the volume up and let's set the stage for a journey that will take us to the edges of imagination and beyond. With every episode, we're exploring the unknown, celebrating the extraordinary and uncovering secrets that await around every corner. Your ticket to this wild ride, right here, right now, on the Walt Blackman Show. Remember, you can always amplify your experience by revisiting the magic on Apple Podcasts, spotify, amazon Music and more. The world is vast, the stories are endless and it all starts here. Let's ignite the spark of curiosity together. Welcome to the Walt Blackman Show.
Speaker 2:Welcome back everybody. This is Walt Blackman. Welcome to the Walt Blackman Show, the place where you get all of your political information and a nutshell. You know we've got some new folks that are going to be running in the Arizona house this year. We've got a superstar coming out of LD 15. I got to tell you I met this guy and he is on fire and we're going to make sure that we get everybody to actually listen to this guy. And again, you can go on my podcast, the Walt Blackman Show. It's on Apple, spotify, so on and so forth, and you can download this interview that we are having with him. So I want to go ahead and welcome Mr Alex Stovall. Alex, how are you doing over there, buddy?
Speaker 3:Too blessed to be stir-sir-opressed. Thanks for having me on, Walt.
Speaker 2:Okay, well, first of all, we want to thank you for your service. We know you spent some time in the United States Army and we really thank you for all that you do, and I got to tell you I couldn't do it where they do it nowadays because I got out in 2016 and you know I was a wimp then. So I don't know how you guys do it, especially being conservative and everything that's going on. So, alex, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself and why you're running and you know what you basically who are you?
Speaker 3:Well, you know, I had a wise office to tell me once be brilliant, be brief and be gone. So I'll try and keep it like that. Yeah, as you mentioned, I'm a veteran. I grew up in Arizona. I'm in Arizona. I've lived all over the valley. Only place I haven't lived is Snowflake, arizona, sierra Vista and Bakesby, believe it or not, so I've been around. I'm running for office because I think that there are individuals that are in that lack perspective. I think they're. They've been in there for a while and they've gotten comfortable and complacent and they're not actually serving and adhering to the people like they pledged they would do when they initially got in. So I'm running to bring a different perspective perspective nonetheless, about what's going on in our community, some of the issues and concerns that people have said to me, and how we can make our party win again.
Speaker 2:You know, that's really. It's really interesting that you brought that up, a different perspective, because I understand your opponent over there is actually a one-trick pony and she actually does the work of a freedom caucus, from what I understand. What are you going to do different this time when you get the opportunity to serve those great people out there?
Speaker 3:Well, I think for starters I mean, it's no secret A path policy would be a big beginning to that right. Greenbridge is not burning them and asking for a yacht. I'm a firm believer in the 11th commandment. Those who don't know, essentially slashing the legs of the Republicans is just not something that I find palatable, nor do I find it constructive to the movement. We have a lot of issues going on in our state. We have a lot of issues going on in the community, exclusively speaking of the veterans in the community not being taken care of, not getting the support that they need. Greenbridge for veterans is something that's become significantly on the rise in the district and in the state of Arizona.
Speaker 3:Our schools, fighting for school choice, things that Tayden Hobbs exclusively mentioned. She wanted to get rid of ESA private schools, charter schools, taking care of education and teaching kids how to think, not what to think. And then I would say, thirdly, the roads. Our infrastructure is critical right now. We've got to do something about our infrastructure fixing the roads, making them safe, getting to and from school, getting to and from the communities that we live in. I would also say the state tax reduction. We have a lot of people that are getting crushed right now by taxes. State taxes are crushing the average person in our community. It's something that's being voiced, but we don't really see any policy from the individual that's currently in the seat to try and help improve that.
Speaker 2:Wow, I gotta tell you you sure you're not in office man You've got a lot on your agenda and it's really good too, particularly the veterans issues that you were talking about being a veteran and you're a veteran when we have a lot of veterans in Arizona, and it's really good to. It's refreshing to hear someone that's running for state office as yourself that is interested in helping veterans, particularly Arizona veterans, with some of the issues. And you brought up homelessness and that, yeah, can you get a little bit more into that, because I don't think people really have a grasp on the amount of homeless veterans we have here in Arizona, particularly there in Maricopa County.
Speaker 3:Yeah, there are. I think when I look at the numbers there are hundreds. I don't want to spitball a number and be incorrect, but what I will say is the numbers have significantly rise in the hundreds now homeless veterans in the community. It's so bad in heartbreaking to see that there are more than 50% of veterans in the Maricopa County alone that don't have the support and assistance that they need. I think in 2022, hud estimated approximately 857 Arizona that are veterans in the community were homeless.
Speaker 3:And that was in 2022. We're here now two years from that. So I would only assume the integration period where you have the huge influx of people coming from California, because our state is one of the greatest states in the 50 states, in my opinion I'm a bit biased, right, but there are people that are coming here not able to get the resources for their families, not able to get the resources they need to integrate back into the community. Maybe they're PCSing permanent changer station or just ultimately trying to get the mental health they need to better their lives. It's really disheartening to see that we have individuals that adhere to the call and, as a fellow veteran yourself, you understand the challenges and just what it means to serve and put your life, your friends' lives, on the line and you come back and you hope that you can come back to a society that appreciates your sacrifice and you can at least, at minimum, get the resources you need, rather than the medication, rather than the grants, rather than be something that helps suicidal prevention in the community.
Speaker 3:I know when I saw appropriations in 2022 or 2023, they had zero dollars and zero cents get allocated to suicide prevention. Now let's just be transparent for a second. In my district alone there are two organizations survivors of war and then you have American Service Animals Association. That are great organizations that advocate for veterans like you, like me and the community, that maybe they have different challenges challenges, excuse me, than us and maybe they don't, but they're out there trying to help and prevent suicide and going down the road of suicide. So the resources that they offer and they've gone through multiple hurdles of trying to get something as simple as a grant to have a building for veterans to come in and kind of share conglotery and break bread together and get things like Service Animals and some of the resources that they need in the community.
Speaker 2:Wow, I gotta tell you, you know it's again. It's refreshing to hear another narrative other than the 90,000 foot the border election integrity, which we you know we all agree on that needs to be fixed. However, it seems like you're more of a kitchen table type of issue when you're talking about your district. It seems like you're really focused on the issues in your district. You said something about roads. You know, I'm from the northern part of Arizona and we just have dirt roads up here. So, yeah, so you know, we all have trucks and we really don't have those problems that you, that you kind of went into. Can you, can you tell us something about how you want to improve the lives of the people in your districts by improving the roads?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think there are a lot of concerns that I personally have heard from people in the community, such as some of the loops going through the neighborhoods that maybe they didn't anticipate actually having to build roads around, or just simple facts of having potholes and roads that you know you have to take to get your kids to and from school. I know. Another thing that I heard was we were trying to get funding allocated to the district in the community to do some upgrades on the railroad right, I guess the railing needed to be upgraded, but we were denied that and instead they used money or got approved money to put a railroad railing on the other side of town. Now, to me, that's counterproductive to what we should be doing. The people in the community have said this is the things that we want. These are the roads that we want fixed. These are the things that we use on a regular basis. These are the things that need improvement.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we don't have individuals that are advocating and the legislators for the things that the people in the community want. We need to actually listen to the community. People are telling us what they want. People are telling us what they need. We need to learn how to listen as legislators, and I've learned that you've got to be quick to hear them, so to speak. That's what scripture talks about Give them a choice, and making a choice that benefits them, and the small group of people doesn't really help anything. You've got to understand when we get elected in the community, we are representing the community in its entirety and for some strange reasons, we have people that are in the legislature that really don't want to serve the community in its entirety.
Speaker 2:Yeah Well, I gotta tell you, man, that's a choice that benefits a small group of people.
Speaker 3:We should really be focused on how can we make the community better for everybody in its entirety.
Speaker 2:We're really like that. I mean, I gotta tell you, man, it sounds like that you really are focused on what needs to happen. You know, looking at the record of your opponent and I don't see any of those things that that you're talking about those kitchen table issues that were actually discussed, or legislation that that should be passed or are actually just brought up. And you brought up I know you're a physical conservative and and and I know that because there are very few black conservatives in Arizona you know we've got less than 3% of a population, so you know it's less lesser four conservatives you brought up the budget. Now you know that the budget is a little north over $17 billion. We'll be right back after these messages from our sponsors.
Speaker 4:First and foremost, a quick thank you to our incredible sponsor, wb Consulting Services LLC. They're the trailblazers in business consulting right here in beautiful Phoenix. If you're seeking to elevate your business, give them a call at their offices at 6029607, or toll free at 1-800-83-415-57WB Consulting Services is your go-to for all your business solution needs.
Speaker 6:If you're looking to catch up on Walt's past shows, all you need to do is go to Apple Podcast, spotify Podcast Index, amazon Music Podcast, attic Podchaser or End Player FM. You can also go to his website at wwwbusproutcom and click on the Walt Blackman show. Now here's more of Walt.
Speaker 2:Hey everybody, this is Walt Blackman, and welcome back to the Walt Blackman show and let's pick up where we left off and if you're just getting back, we were talking about the budget, the Arizona budget, that was passed last cycle, and I'm going to tell you let me break it down to you because when I was in there, you know we didn't get this type of money or pork fat when I was in office, I mean, we had to scrape, borrow and still. However, here is what the members got. I mean, the house got $20 million, in the Senate they got $30 million, and then they actually put out this tax credit, which you know I don't think they're calling it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they're calling it a tax credit. However, now I'll excite. I will tell you, these folks are supposed to be conservative up at the Arizona Capitol that actually bought into this, this budget. And I will tell you, as a conservative, I looked at this tax credit and it to me it's nothing more than a redistribution of wealth when you are taking money from one group to pay for benefits for to another group, and that group was tax credits for people who had children being paid for by people who didn't have children, and so so what would you do different in that situation when you are faced with that in the legislative body and when they come to you with this, with this bonus or this budget, number one, trying to increase spending, and number two, with some of those, some of those pork fat sideline issues?
Speaker 3:Well, the simple answer to that is to take out the burden on the American people.
Speaker 3:There's no reason why we should be manipulating what the definition of something means such as tax credit, if it really is, in fact, a wealth redistribution of where the monies are going. That's the first problem. So getting rid of the undue burden on the taxpayer, I think would be something that we discuss. Secondly, kind of like I mentioned briefly, working with my colleagues and working with people in the community that actually are willing to advocate on how the money should be allocated and where the funding should be going. Those would be the two things I think I intend to focus on, and I think it will be successful in that Just learning where to trim the fat, learning where the money is that's being wasteful, learning where the wasteful spending is coming from, and then creating a long-term solution. I'm a firm believer in long-term solutions, not short-term solutions for long-term problems. We have too many people running on the same issues or issues that could have been situated years ago, so I think that's how you fix it.
Speaker 2:That is refreshing and that's really great news. Now the big issues as we know the border, the election integrity, so on and so forth. I know you spoke on those issues and you're well versed on those issues and you do understand that the federal government has a role in it. They have a responsibility in that. However, Katie Hobbs has recently sent Arizona National Guard troops down to the border and it doesn't seem to be making much of a difference. What are some things that you think that we need to be doing, since we have the majority in the House and the Senate, but we have a governor that is actually just doing things as a shadow band and putting a band-aid over a shotgun at the border? What are some of the things you think that we could be doing?
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's a great question and I think treating mercy with a band-aid has never been effective in any history of any sort that I've seen. I'm not a doctor, but I'm sure we could figure out how that works. But invoking the 10th Amendment for the border is something that Arizona should have done years ago. If we have individuals in the federal government that are not going to adhere to what they agreed upon when they got elected, we've got to step in as Americans and understand that we've got to protect our children, we've got to protect our communities and we have to protect what we have in this great nation. We have individuals. I mean speaking from personal experience. My wife's a immigrant.
Speaker 3:I understand the beer opera scene and the red tape and how challenging it can be and how great this nation is and why people want to come here.
Speaker 3:I think there are plenty of Arizonans that share the same sentiment and the same compassion to say you know, this is a God-given country, this is a God-fearing country. We welcome people to come in. However, we want everybody to go through the process and do it the right way. Doing it the correct way is, I think, what all Arizonans, all Texans and all people that are in border states are asking for. When you flood our communities and you flood and you take resources away from the community and send resources back to wherever it is you come from, that now becomes counterproductive. One of the things I talked about when I ran for federal office was creating a merit bill, giving people something to work towards. I think giving people that gives a sense of ownership and empowerment, empowering the community and giving ownership to the community back to the people in the community is truly how we continue to make America great. That's what I believe.
Speaker 2:Well, that is awesome. Everybody. This is Walt Blackman. We are going to be back after a message from our sponsor to hear more from Alex Stobel. He is a Republican candidate running in a legislative district 15. And I got to tell you I don't know whoever's running in that race. You better watch out because this kid is on fire.
Speaker 4:Are you ready for a leader who knows what it takes to serve both on the battlefield and in the halls of government? Meet Walt Blackman. Walt is not just any leader. He's a decorated combat veteran, awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his extraordinary actions in Iraq. Walt has also served honorably in Afghanistan, putting his life on the line to defend our freedoms. But Walt's service to his country didn't end overseas. He brought his dedication and leadership skills back home to Arizona, where he made history as the first black American elected as a Republican to the Arizona House of Representatives. Walt has already served two terms and he's not done yet. He's running to return to the Arizona House of Representatives to continue his dedicated service to the people of Arizona. Walt Blackman understands the challenges we face in health care, education and the economy. He's not just talking about change, he's actively working towards it.
Speaker 5:Hello Arizona, I'm Walt Blackman and I'm committed to representing you. As a combat veteran, I face diversity and know the meaning of sacrifice. I will bring that same dedication to fight for you and your families in the Arizona House. Let's make Arizona a beacon of opportunity and freedom. I'm Walt Blackman and I approve this message because Arizona deserves strong leadership, now more than ever.
Speaker 4:So if you want to prove a leader who can fight for you on all fronts, vote Walt Blackman for Arizona House of Representatives. Don't miss this chance to make history again Arizona. Vote Walt Blackman for legislative district seven. Paid for by friends of Walt Blackman.
Speaker 2:Okay, everybody, welcome back to the Walt Blackman show. If you missed the first part, we had this young man who is running for LD 15, alex Stobel, military humanitarian community guy who wants to help the community. I gotta tell you you got to watch out for this guy, alex, before we close out, please tell us how we can get in touch with you, where we can find more about you and you know where we can just follow what you're doing on your social media.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah. So my website is Alex for the number for Arizonacom. My socials are all the same, alex for Arizona. I kept it simple. Maybe it's the military and me right. F-o-r Arizona. You can donate through that, that website. You can also donate through my social media. There is a link that's attached to all my pages and if you're in the community of LD 15, you can sign my petition on the website as well, and we look forward to seeing you on the campaign trail.
Speaker 2:Wow, that's great. So, Alex, you take care, we're going to be watching you and make sure everybody that you go to those contacts and we'll make sure that we put that up in our podcast index so you can follow this young man. Hey everybody, this is Walt Blackman and we are so glad that you got to tune into the no PC Zone here on the Walt Blackman Show. Take care, everybody. God bless.
Speaker 1:Stay tuned, stay curious and, above all, stay excited.