Brewer, Legislature Turn Arizona into National Joke

Gov. Jan Brewer and the Arizona Legislature have turned the state into a national laughingstock, at best, and made us a global pariah, at worst, even as they fail to address their most pressing constitutional obligations -- like balancing the budget.

Republican state Senators Frank Antenori and Al Melvin joined state Representatives David Stevens, David Gowan and Vic Williams in voting to permit frivolous lawsuits against police officers who don't racially profile.

Brewer's signing of SB 1070 is just the most recent example of government-gone wild in Phoenix.

She will likely also receive another bill, SB 1024, which gives the Secretary of State discretion in whether or not to put Barack Obama on the ballot in 2012 based on false claims that he is a Kenyan.

Arizona is the only state to abolish the State Child Insurance Program and kick 37,000 children off health insurance rolls and risking billions of Arizona's federal tax dollars from returning to the state.

This Legislature voted last year to allow guns in bars, this year to allow anyone to carry a concealed weapon, and has challenged the federal government over light bulbs.

Meanwhile, Arizona does not have a balanced budget 10 months after its deadline and the Legislature fails to take any responsibility for America's biggest budget mess.

“The sue-a-cop immigration bill is an anathema.” said Pima County Democratic Party Chair Jeff Rogers. “In America, we don't criminalize a genetic code and we don't sue police officers for refusing to racially profile. But given the Legislature's propensity to tap into the worst in politics and the most hateful in human prejudice, it's not surprising the birther-dominated Republican majority would show their true colors again.”

“The border needs to be secured and violent narcotics and human traffickers need to be stopped,” Rogers said.

“Oro Valley and Tucson police departments aren't going to secure our border,” Rogers said. “Their job is to keep our streets safe and arrest violent criminals, but that now takes a back seat to doing the job of Border Patrol agents.”

Meanwhile, the work of Arizona remains undone while Arizona businesses can begin to prepare for the boycotts which will soon follow just as they did during the Evan Mecham era in Arizona and the Confederate Flag days of South Carolina.

“We're still waiting for a balanced budget, a solution to kids' health care and a way up from the bottom, when it comes to classroom spending,” Rogers said. “But instead, Arizona is subjected to the most regressive, stupid and hate-filled Republican agenda in America.”

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