2022: Quite the year!

In the Dec 29 Washington Post, Jonathan Alter wrote an article titled, “Why 2022 was a very good year.”  I think it’s definitely worth a read. As liberals, we tend to focus on all the ways that we failed to reach our preferred outcomes. For instance, here in Arizona, we didn’t reach a majority (or even a tie) in either chamber in the legislature. And nationally, we lost the U.S. House to an extremist party. And sadly, the pandemic is still killing hundreds of Americans each day, despite much of our population treating it as a thing of the past.

But the Alter article points out some of the amazing ways that the year went well. For instance, it notes that the highest-profile election deniers lost, and that all but Kari Lake conceded in a timely manner. Even appalling candidates like Herschel Walker were more gracious in their defeat than we expected them to be.

Congress Actually Did Some Good Things

While Republicans continue to attack LGBTQ rights, the passing of the Respect for Marriage Act was a step forward. Not far enough, true; it didn’t codify same sex marriage nationally. But at least it affirmed that marriages conducted in one state will be respected everywhere in the country. And while we were skeptical about Congressional efforts, the year actually contained major successes. For instance, Congress passed the Chips and Science Act, the first (modest) gun safety bill in decades, and a large investment in clean energy.

And it’s not a minor thing that the Senate confirmed our first Black female Supreme Court justice, replacing Justice Breyer. Now we just need Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito to retire …

Passing Electoral Count Act revisions was critical. This meant that the future is spared the 2020 legal-ish attempt to subvert the will of the voters with false electors and a compliant VP. And internationally, the continuing ability of the Ukrainian people to resist Russian aggression definitely inspires. Though it’s hard to ignore the tragic consequences of the invasion on the Ukrainian people.

Much Good News in Arizona

Here in Arizona, it’s hard to overstate the importance of our statewide wins. Adrian Fontes will protect our democracy, Kris Mayes will defend our state in court, and Katie Hobbs will be able to veto extremist bills. And she will make  the state far more functional with her departmental appointees.

And while Democrats didn’t turn the legislature, they surprised commentators who nearly all predicted a large increase in the Republican margin there. They defeated at least some of the extreme legislators, most notably, Nancy Barto, who previously authored some of the worst attacks on bodily autonomy. That being said, with Republican legislators like state Senator Wendy Rogers reelected (and made the head of the Senate Elections Committee), we can expect extreme bills to at least come out of committees this session.

Another reason not to speak too rosily of this past year’s events is the apparent loss of bodily autonomy for half of our population. The end of Roe v Wade protections by the Supreme Court was a terrible setback for our country. Here in Arizona, while the courts provided a small reprieve from the 1864 draconian anti-abortion law, the remaining ban on abortions after 15 weeks is still hugely problematic. The only silver lining in this awful cloud was the energizing of the opposition. This certainly affected the electoral results this year that were much more favorable to Democrats than many expected.

Every Vote Really Does Count

Ultimately, like any other year, 2022 was filled with positives and negatives. But in our Arizona elections, I’d like to highlight the victory of Kris Mayes in the state Attorney General race. After the required recount, she won this race by 280 votes. 280, for a statewide race! This almost certainly wouldn’t have happened without the efforts of volunteers throughout the state. This margin is less than 10 votes per legislative district, far less than one per precinct. Contacting voters, curing ballots after election day, and all the other campaign efforts greatly affected our state. If you ever doubt the importance of volunteer work, if you think just getting a vote or two added to our side is not important, think back to this race.

Finally, as we enter a new year, even in an off year, we have work to do. Our gentle influence on our less politically active friends and family, not arguments, will be important preparation for the 2024 cycle. So, I wish everyone a happy New Year, and that we continue to move the state and country …

Forward!