Wednesday, April 21, 2010

The Nation's Attention Focused On The Arizona Governor's Office

Observers from all over the country (and the world) have focused on the 9th Floor of the Executive Tower at the Arizona Capitol. Governor Jan Brewer is hunkered down there, trying to ride out the political firestorm that has erupted over the AZ Senate's final passage of SB1070, Russell Pearce's police state bill.

- The Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese in Los Angeles likened the bill to "Nazi and Soviet-style" techniques of oppression.

- Congressional lawmakers, including Arizona's Raul Grijalva (D-CD7), have publicly urged Brewer to veto the measure.

- Across the nation and world, newspaper editorials and op-eds, including some from outlets that aren't exactly noted as bastions of liberalism (i.e. - The Christian Science Monitor), have weighed in against the bill.

- The Governor's office has been inundated with phone calls, faxes, and emails on the bill, with messages opposing the bill outnumbering messages of support by an almost 9 - 1 margin (11931 opposing, 1356 favoring, and counting).

She has until Saturday to make a decision. After that, the bill becomes law without her signature. Expect the protests, letters, and editorials to continue until she does make a decision (or makes one by *not* making one).

Russell Pearce can't shut up about his bill or the people opposing it. From the AZRep article linked to "inundated" above -
Pearce called Tuesday's protesters "anarchists." He said he has not heard of any planned rallies in favor of the bill but said that is because supporters trust their state leaders.

"They are working jobs and raising families and expect us to do the right thing," he said.

"Anarchists"??

This from a man who wants to arm amateurs and vigilantes and send them to the border?

It's a compliment when someone who is as hypocritical and evil as Pearce doesn't like you.

As for his professed regard for people who are "working jobs and raising families", it seems that he only accords respect to working folk and their families if they don't have brown skin. The people who will be most affected are just trying to put a roof over their families' heads.

They just have the flaw ("flaw" by the standards of Pearce and his ilk, anyway) of having ancestors who were born of the wrong side of a line on a map.

Prediction: Brewer signs it. Doing so will probably guarantee a win for her in the Republican primary. It may cost her the general election, but that won't matter to her if she doesn't get through the primary.

Tea leaf reading time: The Governor's schedule for the week has her speaking at a dinner for the Center for Arizona Theocracy Policy on Saturday night. With Republican demagogue (and McCainiac) Sarah Palin.

Brewer is going to want a hero's welcome there.

Put it all together and it seems that Brewer has more to gain from signing it than vetoing it.

She is going to sign the bill.

1 comment:

Thane Eichenauer said...

As an advocate for open immigration I favor legalized immigration.

It all comes down to who is going to show up in the Republican primary to vote. Given that Buzz Mills has endorsed SB 1070 he will be competing with all other endorsers for which this is the most important issue of the day. I would say a case could be made for Brewer to vote against it although I think Brewer is already sunk due to her advocacy of the sales tax hike proposition.

The pro-enforcement side makes a poor case (in my opinion) that it will reduce crime.

All of this could have been eliminated if the feds had passed a guest worker bill in the last 13 months. Here is to hoping they pass one shortly. Eliminating the illegal in illegal immigrant would be a great thing.

As always I like to mention my favorite book on this topic: Let Them In, The Case for Open Borders by Jason L. Riley. It is available for $1.30 in paperback at amazon.com.