The GOP Taliban’s Winter Offensive

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

David Safier touched upon this the other day in Read 'em and weep. The GOP Taliban have been on their Winter offensive this past couple of weeks, and no one has been spared from their cruelty and ideological purity dictates. The Crazies is not just a movie premiering in theaters this week, the crazies are in charge of the asylum that is the Arizona Legislature.

Here is just a brief list of the recent GOP Taliban attacks on the citizens of Arizona:

The House passed a package of corporate welfare give-aways designed to help businesses that will cut state revenues by more than $940 million a year by the time it is fully implemented seven years from now, transferring the corporate tax burden to you, which you will pay for through higher residential property taxes. Study: Tax proposal to cut Ariz. revenue

Governor Jan Brewer's proposed cuts to AHCCCS health care would drain an estimated $2.7 billion in state and federal funding from Arizona's economy and result in the loss of 42,000 jobs, according to an analysis by economists at Arizona State University. Proposed state health-care cuts could cost billions, opponents say Even Taliban leader Ayatollah Glenn Hamer (Arizona Chamber of Commerce) is opposed to this idea.

The Senate Appropriations Committee voted to pass a bill on to the full Senate that requires the posting of a Ten Commandments monument at the state's old Capitol building. Sen. Sylvia Allen, R-Snowflake, said "People [the minority] need to be tolerant of the majority's beliefs…" Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, who crafted the measure, said it's wrong to think of the commandments as religious. Instead, he called them "ten little rules."

Sen. Russell Pearce sponsored a bill to make it legal to carry a concealed weapon without a permit, and eliminate any background checks and training classes for people to carry hidden guns. "All we're doing is handcuffing good people, restricting their constitutional, God-given right to carry and perhaps their ability to defend their families," said Sen. Pearce. Maybe ol' Russell should actually read those "ten little rules."

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill that would prohibit local governments from enforcing stricter rules on firearms ownership than what’s written in state law. The shoe is now on the other foot with that big bad government thing.

The House Committee on Military Affairs and Public Safety approved language that, if adopted by voters in November, would prohibit any law or regulation “that unreasonably restricts hunting, fishing and harvesting wildlife or the use of traditional means and methods.” It also would constitutionally make hunting “a preferred means of managing and controlling wildlife.” Darren LaSorte, lobbyist for the National Rifle Association said hunting needs protection from the “tyranny of the majority.” Maybe he should explain that concept to Sylvia Allen about the Ten Commandments.

The House approved a bill sponsored by Rep. Warde Nichols, R-Gilbert, that gives priority to placing adoptive children with married couples over single individuals. The bill moves on to the Senate. Sen. Jack Harper has submitted a bill banning adoption to homosexuals in the state Senate. That bill has yet to be given a hearing. Oh, it will.

The House Government Committee voted for the proposal by Rep. Judy Burges, R-Skull Valley, to require presidential contenders to prove to Arizona's secretary of state they're "natural born citizens" to get their names on the ballot. 40 Republican "birther" lawmakers want President Obama and possibly every presidential candidate to prove they are a natural-born U.S. citizen to get on the Arizona ballot. Sen. John McCain (who was born in the Panama Canal Zone) says the "birthers" are crazy (You can see the ad here.) Finally, something McNasty and I can agree upon.

The House Government Committee approved a bill sponsored by Rep. Carl Seel, R-Phoenix, that would require schools to annually report how many illegal immigrants are enrolled and how much it costs to educate them. What, was Sen. Russell Pearce too busy? The Arizona Department of Education would be required to collect data on public school students who cannot prove their lawful presence in the United States. That data would be compiled into a report that would be submitted every year to the governor, the Legislature and the state treasurer. GOP Taliban legislators want to be federal ICE agents now.

Rep. David Stevens, R-Sierra Vista, wants to go one step further: he wants GOP Taliban legislators to be criminal investigators and to have access to the names of Arizonans who receive government-subsidized Medicaid, long-term care or whose kids receive discounted health care. Stevens claims that, because of his background in computers, he is qualified to make sure that the data each state agency has on participants is accurate. He would use his personal computer to sift through the data and "flag" suspect information. Inspector Clouseau wants to look for the mythical "welfare queen" of Ronald Reagan legend.

There is a House bill that includes a ban on “knowingly” creating or “attempting to create a human-animal hybrid.” Seriously. I guess Rick "man on dog" Santorum will not be visiting Arizona any time soon.

Rep. "Don't make me angry" Frank Antenori has a bill that says incandescent light bulbs produced in Arizona should not be subject to federal laws or regulations. This "Tenther" wants to sue the big bad federal government over "commerce clause" legal theory rejected since the 1930s.

House lawmakers approved a proposal to make the colonial Spanish horse the state horse. This proposal may not survive in the Senate where Sen. Russell Pearce will discover that honoring Spanish colonialism is part of the Aztlán movement and is a conspiracy by La Raza and MEChA.

The House Government Committee approved a proposal by Rep. Frank Pratt, R-Casa Grande, to make milk the official drink of Arizona. Please tell me I do not have to suffer through TV ads of Pat Boone saying "milk, it does a body good"? Rep. "Don't make me angry" Frank Antenori said "There's an old saying in Arizona, 'Whiskey's for drinkin', water's for fightin'," suggesting that the former "probably would be a more appropriate state drink." I'll drink to that.

So what are sane Arizonans who live in the "reality-based" community to do? This constant assault upon our intellect, reason and rationality is too much to bear. The Age of Enlightenment is being replaced by a new Dark Ages.

Maybe what we need is a movement of our own to rally our troops. The Democratic Resistance (aka Freedom Fighters) of the Free Republic of Arizona needs to go on a Spring counter-offensive against the GOP Taliban from the State of Maricopa. The GOP Taliban insurgents operating within the territories controlled by the Free Republic of Arizona need to be rolled up and defeated. Our goal is to drive the GOP Taliban insurgents back within their stronghold of the State of Maricopa. Even within the State of Maricopa, the Freedom Fighters of the Democratic Resistance have established bases of operation. It is time to go on the offensive and to topple the GOP Taliban regime.

This requires boots on the ground and lots of money. Volunteer for the Democratic candidate of your choice or your local Democratic Party organization. Run for office yourself if no one is running against one of the GOP Taliban in your territory. Open up your wallet and give until it hurts. We only have one chance to reverse the gathering storm of a GOP Taliban Dark Ages. Defeat is not an option. Rise up and fight back!