Ducey Momentarily Escapes the Reactionary Dark Side to Veto SB1456; Will he also Veto SB1485

In an attempt to improve his odds at winning higher political office, Governor Doug Ducey has been spending the last few weeks returning to the reactionary dark side of the former Party of Lincoln and signing executive orders that will appease the Know-Nothing wing of that party.

That includes measures to:

• Take away mask mandates for businesses and local governments (although cities like Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, and Tempe are standing firm in keeping theirs.)
• Lift mask mandates for schools.
• Forbid the issuance of vaccine passports so his fringe base will not be held responsible for spreading the Coronavirus.
• Sign legislation forbidding outside parties from helping fund election turnout efforts (but not Trump Zone Big Lie election audits like the one from the Arizona State Senate and their auditors, Cyber Ninjas.)

However, Mr. Ducey did momentarily escape the reactionary dark side yesterday (April 21, 2021) by vetoing the Anti-LGBTQ SB1456.

This was the bill that would have in essence codified bigotry and reactionary-scientific ignorant tribalism in Arizona public schools two years after the repeal of the No Promo Homo  Law by allowing parents the option to not enroll their children in sex education classes that deal with sexuality, gender expression, and gender identity.

Ducey wisely vetoed this dark age legislation and then pivoted to appease his fringe base by issuing an Executive Order expanding transparency and oversight for parents to review proposed sex education curriculum (which they already had.)

Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman, who just the day before was rightfully incensed at Governor Ducey for taking the masked mandate from public schools, expressed support for the veto of SB1456, tweeting:

Gov. @dougducey made the right decision by vetoing SB1456 and I want to thank him for standing up to bigotry and intolerance. All students are welcome in Arizona’s public schools and today’s veto reaffirms that.

— Kathy Hoffman (@Supt_Hoffman) April 20, 2021

Will Ducey start a trend by also vetoing SB1485, the bill that will pretty much take the word Permanent out of the Permanent Early Voting List by purging voters that did not vote in the last two election cycles if they do not respond to requests to confirm their interest in remaining in the system.

AZ Blue Meanie already reported on the dramatic passage of this voter suppression bill in the State House yesterday where UnAmerican Republicans repeatedly attempted to stifle Democrats protesting the bill.

Please click below to view House Democratic Leader Reginald Bolding’s passionate speech condemning SB 1485 where he said:

“To members of the public watching, you should be shocked, appalled and dismayed by what you are seeing in the Arizona State Capitol. As community leaders and elected officials we said go out and vote….and you did. In fact, you came out in record numbers in 2020. Thank you!

And because you did, your reward has been an unprecedented effort across this country and here in this state to make it harder for you to do it again next election. We’ve seen more than 350 different bills introduced across the nation to restrict, revoke or make it more difficult to participate in democracy.

If you ever believed your vote didn’t matter, your voice didn’t matter, let this bill remind you it most certainly does. What we are seeing in this legislative body is an injustice to democracy. An injustice to the way we as Americans, as Arizonans, should have the right to participate in it.

People in Arizona want to have the right to vote…they deserve the RIGHT TO VOTE. This bill will impede that right and kick 100,000 to 150,000 people off of the Permanent Early Voting List

Democracy should be about an exchange of ideas, not political gamesmanship. Democracy should be about participation not preventing access to democratic voices.

This bill is not about election security. It’s not about election integrity, it’s about trying to game the system.

The right to vote for people of color to live and their right to vote are inherently linked together.

On a day when people of color witnessed a small measure of justice with the conviction of Derek Chauvin, here in Arizona we are taking a step backwards by now making it even more difficult for these same people to participate in democracy.

The effect of this bill will result in more independent voters, seniors, Native Americans, Black, brown and low-income people from having the ability to vote.”

After the 2020 Elections, Governor Ducey repeatedly said he had confidence in the Arizona election results and signed the certification forms, despite Donald Trump calling him on national television in an attempt to stop him,  along with Secretary of State Katie Hobbs.

It is time for Mr. Ducey to show he can still stay away from the Reactionary Dark Side of Reactionary Politics and prove the old saying that actions speak louder than words by vetoing SB1485.