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| Gov Brewer Speaks Before the Arizona Legislature |
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| Tough Talk |
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| Where Does It All Lead? |
"From the Jim Crow anti-immigrant law and birther bill to the reality television show Sunset Daze, Arizona is gaining an international reputation for being crazy." - Jon Talton, Rogue Columnist
My guilty on-line pleasure is (holds breath) ....porn? Vids of housewives of new jersey? Rich kids of instagram? Nope. None of these. It's *cough* ...Buzzfeed! Yes, I love this popular website. It's not as boring as porn, or as trashy-fun as "housewives", or as drool-worthy as "rich kids." It's a site jam-packed with the unimportant trivia I so love and, once in a while, it has a nugget of interesting truth to chew on.
One such trivia item came up a few months ago on Buzzfeed: The Stereotype Map Of Every U.S. State — According To British People. Arizona, the majestic Grand Canyon State, is perceived by our British brothers as hot (of course), desert (true), and the producer of "fucked-up laws" (WHA?). The last perception surprised me because I thought that only the lonely democrats in this state were aware of the truth of this notion. Thanks to Buzzfeed, I now keep an eye on not only local, but national and international news about Arizona and realize that it's hard for the nation and the world to ignore our creepy, ignorant, mostly republican law makers, and law enforcers, especially media manipulator Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his clone, Paul Babeu. These elected officials grandstand relentlessly, giving the impression that Arizona is a haven of racist, homophobic, misogynist, gun-loving wing nuts who say they love their Lord God. But, not when it comes to "strangers" like immigrants, children, women, (fill in the blank). Then, following Christian teachings, even the most basic one -
"Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets." Matthew 7:12
- gets kicked to the curb for some deluded, liberal Good Samaritan to trip over.
Today's latest travesty, "Arizona Politician Mistakes YMCA Campers for Migrant Children", illustrates perfectly the unhinged nature of Arizona's political landscape. Today, Adam Kwasman is featured in the ongoing reality show, "Arizona's Crazy Politicians: Hysteria and Fear in the Grand Canyon State." Yesterday, Arizona's political drama was about which republican gubernatorial candidate is more emotional about eliminating the state income tax. What is Arizona's political future? We'll ask Cathi Herrod, ALEC, and The Goldwater Institute about their future plans and watch the clock go backwards.
I suppose some would say that Arizonans get what they deserve for voting for those who despise them, but no one deserves the carnage created by Arizona's legislature. I asked a prominent Arizona democratic legislator what it's like to work with so many republicans, "I grew up with some of these guys and I know how they play the game. So, everything I do is a compromise and must be flawless." That's how democrats and independents must operate at the state level.
At the national level, this strategy has already unravelled and has morphed into a partisan quagmire where the no-brainer funding of extra help for our borders is bogged down into a tar pit of rhetoric and delay tactics. Do nothing! That's the rallying cry of tea party republicans and while they're collecting their paychecks and using reviled federal healthcare programs, they have the nerve to sneer and throw tantrums about anything President Obama requests. Never mind that he won two elections and two popular votes. The "people" don't know what they should want. So these republicans do nothing but tear down any program that benefits people (...let's leave the peoplehood of corporations out of this one), and they waste time and taxpayer money spinning idiotic scandals - whether based on truth or lies - the ends justifies the means. Crazy is a kind word for these public servants. I just wonder if SCOTUS will grant corporations the right to serve as legislators under their new peoplehood status. Then the grandstanding crazies might not be needed anymore. Ahhhh...I can almost see the silver lining.
At the national level, this strategy has already unravelled and has morphed into a partisan quagmire where the no-brainer funding of extra help for our borders is bogged down into a tar pit of rhetoric and delay tactics. Do nothing! That's the rallying cry of tea party republicans and while they're collecting their paychecks and using reviled federal healthcare programs, they have the nerve to sneer and throw tantrums about anything President Obama requests. Never mind that he won two elections and two popular votes. The "people" don't know what they should want. So these republicans do nothing but tear down any program that benefits people (...let's leave the peoplehood of corporations out of this one), and they waste time and taxpayer money spinning idiotic scandals - whether based on truth or lies - the ends justifies the means. Crazy is a kind word for these public servants. I just wonder if SCOTUS will grant corporations the right to serve as legislators under their new peoplehood status. Then the grandstanding crazies might not be needed anymore. Ahhhh...I can almost see the silver lining.
