Jan Brewer’s ‘states rights’ nod to insurrectionist secessionists

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

A defiant Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer told Southeast Valley business and political leaders on Wednesday that she would press her campaign against "an over-reaching federal government" until the feds back off. Spend too much time with the Alaska Disasta over the weekend? Governor Brewer brings 'federalism' message to Mesa:

Brewer also struck a strong anti-union note as she defended her economic development strategies while pushing reform in education and government.

Those four policies, she said, are the cornerstones of her vision for a prosperous Arizona.

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"The United States has a federal government, not a national government," she said. "For the next four years, Arizona will continue to pursue a policy of renewed federalism. . . . Never during our nearly 100 years of statehood has federal interference in . . . Arizona affairs . . . been more blatant than in 2010."

She decried the new federal health-care law and said Arizona continues to demand federal action to secure the border, fight criminal cartels, "and free local jurisdictions from unnecessary federal oversight of local elections" under the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

She noted that she and state Attorney General Tom Horne sued the federal government last month "due to its unconstitutional failure to secure the border and to protect Arizona and its citizens against the negative effects of illegal immigration."

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Brewer noted that some have criticized [her} economic plan, fearing it could deepen the state's already disastrous budget deficit, but added, "I have a message for the doom and gloom crowd: I have no intention of slowing down. This is not the time to be timid. In fact, this is the time for boldness."

Brewer also said state government needs an overhaul, including its personnel and pension systems.

"Arizona is saddled with an overly bureaucratic state personnel system from a bygone era," she said, adding that state workers shouldn't get benefits that exceed what the private sector offers.

Without mentioning the word "union," she said she would oppose collective bargaining. Other states, most notably Wisconsin, have been racked by labor disputes with public-sector unions.

"We need to strengthen the right of every employee to have an individual relationship with his or her employer," she said. "As long as I am governor, Arizona will remain a right-to-work state."

So much disingenuous gibberish in there I am not going to spend my time in a point-by-point rebuttal (just see earlier posts). Brewer gives a laundry list of good reasons for people to sign the recall petitions circulating around the state to recall her.

h/t to David Safier for the photoshop.