As writers on the Blog for Arizona and others in the mainstream media have noted over the years, you can tell a lot of what a person is for by what they propose in their budget and single pieces of legislation.

The MAGA reactionary Republicans at the Arizona State Legislature are no exception.

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Read what they propose and all is revealed.

  • A skinny budget that reveals their intention not to want to work with the Democratic Governor.
  • Bills that discriminate against the LGBTQ Community to appease their white nationalist base.
  • Tax cuts and private school voucher expansion legislation that rewards their rich and large corporate patrons.
  • Anti-voter participation measures to soothe the Trump Base that has been fed the Big Lie over and over again by these same MAGA Republican legislators and “news” organizations like Fox News and Newsmax.
  • A proposal to ban books for sexually explicit content. Like previous attempts to enact this type of bill, what teacher is going to promote porn? As Representative Jennifer Pawlik noted on a similar measure last year, it is already illegal to do so.
  • Unsafe legislation that would allow people to carry weapons onto school campuses.

The media team at Save our Schools Arizona fully captured what these people are for when they published this video today (March 14, 2023.)

Readers/voters could also tell a lot about a legislator from what they will not vote for or even allow on the floor to consider.

MAGA Republicans do not seem too keen to fully fund public education or permanently suspend the Aggregate Expenditure Limit, replenishing the $4.5 billion classroom deficit.

They also do not seem to care about helping poor or lower-middle-class children.

Kelley Murphy at the Children’s Action Alliance released a report today on the bills MAGA Republicans at the State Capitol would not allow a vote for this session.

Writing, “Every year, Arizona Legislators introduce hundreds of bills. Very few of those bills work their way through the entire process and end up on the Governor’s Desk for signature. Many never make it out of committee let alone to be voted on by the full legislature. And each year, a lot of bills never get a hearing at all. Many of those that never get heard contain great ideas with the potential to help children and families in Arizona thrive.”

Among the legislative proposals that did not get the consideration they deserved were:

  • A measure to expand access for poor children to enroll in KidsCare, the health care program for impoverished kids.
  • A bill to create a School Mental Health Professional Academy.
  • Aid for foster children from age 18 to 21.
  • A preschool pilot program at qualifying districts.
  • Increased child care assistance.
  • Protect Indian children and tribal family stability.

When considering who they want to represent them, voters should ask:

  • Do I want the Nazi book burner or the person that will support Universal and Free Pre-K?
  • Do I want the person that helps the rich or the one that will assist poor children to get health care?
  • Do I want the legislator that believes in the Big Lie or the public servant that champions Democracy?
  • Do I want the politician that puts gun rights over a child’s safety in school?
  • Do I want the elected official that will serve just one group or one that will work for everybody?

These are really not difficult questions to consider.

They are also not hard to answer.

 

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