Four birthright bills coming from Republicans

by David Safier

One, two or three are not enough. The Republicans are planning to file four — count them, Four! — birthright bills.

The bills, which have not yet been introduced, would likely establish that an Arizona citizen must be a U.S. citizen. They would define a U.S. citizen as someone who was born in the United States and has at least one parent who is either a U.S. citizen or a naturalized U.S. citizen.

Sen. Ron Gould, R-Lake Havasu City, and Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, will sponsor the bills, which will be identical, in the House and Senate.

Remember the deal Pearce made to become Senate President? That he wouldn't introduce a birther bill at the beginning of the session? Well, he's a damn liar man of his word. He's letting others do the work.

If the bills pass, of course, they'll be challenged and possibly go all the way to the Supreme Court. And that's the point.

Kavanagh, Pearce and the other lawmakers say that's exactly what they want: to force these lawsuits so the federal courts will consider whether the 14th Amendment truly grants citizenship to children born in the U.S. to illegal immigrants.

Fasten your seatbelts, boys and girls. The next two years are going to be a long, bumpy ride.