Like Clockwork

The media like to criticize the Legislature for passing gimmick-ridden budgets on the last day of the fiscal year.  So naturally, since President Pearce, Speaker Adams and their respective caucuses managed to pass an honest budget and adjourn in 100 days, the media are pointing out how brilliantly successful the session was...Ha, I slay me.  Actually, here's how the media will try to define the session:

The session will be remembered as much for the attention that measures such as the "birther" bill and the guns-on-campus bill drew as for the Legislature's relatively quick work putting out a balanced budget.

Really?  There were over 1300 bills introduced and over 200 that became law and the media is going to define the session by two bills that were vetoed.  That's classic.

While you and I understand that this is pure media spin, unfortunately, Republic readers oftentimes believe some of it.   I have clients who call me and ask why the Legislature spends all of its time focused on immigration, guns and fringe "birther" type issues when there are important issues--like the budget--that they should be working on.

My response is that the legislature spends almost all of its time on the budget.  It spends almost no time on the 5 or 6 "crazy" bills that it considers each year.  However, the media seek to define the session by the crazy bills because that's what sells newspapers. 

This type of coverage is a disservice to readers and wouldn't be tolerated in other sections of the paper.  Can you imagine if the sports page covered Bobble Head sales, but not the actual baseball games?  What if it covered the personal lives of the Suns players and then simply listed the scores on the back page?  What if the coverage of US Air and Southwest Airlines was limited to crew member frashions?  Eventually, the public would think that the only thing that Airline CEOs cared about was skirt length. 

If you get 20 people in a room, they can't decide what to order for lunch.  In fact, have you ever been with a group of 6 or 7 coworkers trying to decide where to go to lunch on a Friday?  Either one person steps up to decide, or the group goes hungry.

Yet the legislature--90 people from different parties and different regions--work together and process 1300 major pieces of legislation and allocate an $8 billion dollar budget in 100 days.  And these topics aren't mundane lunch decisions...the legislature deals with abortion, marriage, school funding, healthcare, pension reform and a thousand other issues that polite people know they shouldn't discuss at work.  And for that they get paid a whopping $24,000 a year. 

So next time you see legislators, thank them and congratulate them on how well they do their job. 

Comments

[Paul Walker]

Very well said - the biggest issue was the budget and they handled it without gimmicks or Draconian measures. When was the last time that happened in Arizona?

[James Strock]

Well done.

[Travis]

I'm so glad such a widely read pundit has the perspective of a legislator.

Too many people who do not know much about government feel free to kibitz on too many important issues.

Your comments are spot on!

[John M]

what is a crew member frashions?

[Surprised]

Agreed. The vast majority of legislation passed was very helpful, and the (criminally underpaid) legislators deserve our thanks.

[Doug]

Excellent points, all. Unfortunately, the average person doesn't care (though he should) about the minutae of the legislative process. That's why the media have to highlight the silly stuff. Heaven forbid the media actually try to educate the public on why legislative process is important. If a reporter had an ounce of creativity, he or she could do it.

[Pamela Gorman]

SO well put. It is interesting how differently we think about the state legislature after having been there and walked a day in those shoes. ;)

You so well explained what needs to be understood about the process and what "really" goes on in our state capitol. Thank you!

[Justin Blackburn]

I don't know... is it the Republic that had to veto a bill about Birtherism or about Guns on Campus? It seems to me that a veto by a Republican governor of bills from the Republican Legislature is something more memorable than most of the other 200 bills sent to Jan Brewer for signature.

The Legislature did not just consider the birther bill. Lots of things get "considered" and usually, the bargain that most politicians make in exchange for their vote on someone else's legislation is merely that leadership let their bill come to the floor. These birther bills not only game to the floor but passed. And the campus carry law is idiotic. You can have a gun on the sidewalk but not in a building... yeah, that makes sense. That makes the college safer.

I agree with the sentiment that the Immigration issue has run its course. Stop working on bills regarding it. These are Pearce's pet issue because these grandstanding issues get him airtime on Fox News just like when Sheriff Joe puts folks in Pink underwear or serves them green bologna. Pearce is Sheriff Joe only in a position where we need a heck of a lot more leadership. I think Senate President is more important than country sheriff, but maybe I am wrong. Either way, both of them love seeing their own faces and getting their own names in print.

I am proud of 90% of what the Legislature did. But the Republic does not control the narrative here. The Legislature does. They not only had votes on these bills, they passed them. Using your lunch analogy, yep, it is difficult to get 90 people to agree on where to go to lunch. But on the birther bill, we got 90 people to agree to go to lunch at a restaurant that had literally dozens of health violations and that any aware person would have seen rats scurrying out of when they walked in the door. Yet even seeing the rats wouldn't dine there, our leaders still said, yep, let's eat here.

[Justin Blackburn]

The birther bill is not only bad politics, it is poorly crafted. It is pure politics over Obama and it doesn't even play well to the educated base. It plays well to the fringe folks that say Yep, he's from Kenya and he's a Muslim.

I don't know, maybe that is the national strategy. Maybe we are part of Trump's team here. Our national party leadership, even the flamethrowing folks like Ann Coulter are telling us over and over this birtherism is a non-starter and to stop letting folks control the narrative by spreading this crap. Our politicians are willing tools in this. This single issue will dominate discussions that need to be over our economy and debt, but instead are over whether Obama was born in Hawaii or Kenya.

Brewer did us a favor here. A big favor. And the poorly crafted guns on campus bill, she did us a favor there too.

[Dr. Lao]

There should be a bill that would ban ASU from using the Black Power fist.

LOL

Sorry Greg, this current batch of legislators will go down as the dumbest of the dumb. And that is without Karen Johnson or Leslie Whiting Johnson...

[Dave K.]

Justin says ... "And the campus carry law is idiotic. You can have a gun on the sidewalk but not in a building... yeah, that makes sense. That makes the college safer."

Who said anything about making the college safer? Try looking at it from the broader perspective. Carrying a gun on a public street or sidewalk is legal everywhere in the state ... except if you happen to be on a campus. How about looking at this from the perspective of the millions of people who aren't college students, but who may be forced by ever growing necessity to travel through a campus? Especially now that they're taking over downtown metro areas?

But I guess Board of Regents policy should defeat Constitutional Rights.

As for "Birther" bills (way to use a derogatory term to set the tone before you even make a cogent argument), you have to show ID and prove that you meet certain basic requirements to get a job at McDonalds or Subway, but it's too much to ask that you do so to become leader of the free world?

Seriously? ...

[Greybeard]

I know some people balk at the "low" salary for legislators, but I balk at the 1 1/5 year long job interview. Wouldn't you?

The purpose of the low salary is to attract seasoned, established, comfortably-living retired-types to the lawmaking process. That's great. But few people of that persuasion are ALSO willing to put up with the ridiculous campaign schedule. So what we end up with is true democracy.

The clean elections people tried to solve the problem but made it much worse.

Give us Barabbas. Or am I wrong about democracy?

[Mike]

What is this "The Republic" of which you speak? A paper like New Times perhaps? Maybe a tabloid like National Enquirer? At any rate it seems as though people who actually subscribe and (shudder) read this small pamphlet should reconsider their options.

I'll look into this further and get back to you.

[Nate]

I agree the legislature did a good job on the budget. Though pretty disappointed as I expected in Jan Brewer. But the next time a cop pulls me over and tells me it's about safety, I will laugh. The Arizona legislature raised fees and fines to help fund their priorities which is ok but it'd be nice if they were honest and just raised car taxes or whatever else.

[Robert Woodman]

When the words "honest" and "Russell Pearce" appear in the same sentence, you've got a problem.

There's nothing "honest" about the budget Pearce passed. It's full of as many gimmicks and tricks as previous budgets, from borrowing money to sale-and-lease back deals to shifting costs to city and county governments. The Republican party continues its hopeless addiction to tax cuts, passing a big tax cut for corporations while slashing away at education and health care. This "honest" budget makes absolutely no preparation for the future, when the state will have to begin paying back the 1.5 billion it borrowed to pay its bills while at the same time facing a huge drop in revenue as the voter-backed tax increase expires. Honest? Oh please.

"Honest" and Pearce just don't go together. Russell was caught red handed feeding at the Fiesta Bowl trough. Own up to it, amend his financial disclosure statements, pay the Fiesta Bowl back, apologize? Not Russell. He's an honest man. He paid for those tickets out of his own pockets. I'm sure he's spent the last two weeks relentlessly searching through his bank statements looking for the cancelled checks. I'm sure we'll see them soon.

Add that to the long parade of honesty Russell has put on over the past few years. Blathering nonsense on national television about half the murders in Phoenix being committed by illegal aliens and Phoenix leading the world in kidnappings and violence. 8000 Americans murdered every year by illegal immigrants. We're still waiting to see the legitimate source of statistics for those big fat racist lies. Like we're waiting to see the cancelled checks. We're still waiting to see the outcome of Russell's investigation into the fraudulent story about 3000 fake voter registration forms in Yuma last fall, which honest Russell cranked up to 5000 fake voter registrations, foamed at the mouth with outrage and promised there would be hell to pay. Hell to pay for a fraudulent story started by a blogger with absolutely no basis in reality. I'm sure his apology will be forthcoming soon, along with the cancelled checks. As is the apology from Espresso Pundit, who ran with the fraudulent story as well and never bothered to admit it was a sham. And do we even need to mention JT Ready?

"Honest" and "Russell Pearce" in the same sentence. Who do you think you're kidding?

[justthefactsplease]

President Pearce. eeewwwww! two words that make me cringe. And probably make him think, "Why not?"

[RonJ]

Robert Woodman, you continue to suffer from RPHS--Russell Pearce Hatred Syndrome. Get a life.

[Woody]

Perhaps, Ron J., you could support Mr. Pearce with some facts. Maybe you can find the cancelled checks and support Russell's assertion that he paid for the tickets. Perhaps you can find real statistics supporting Russell's howling racist lies on national television. Maybe you find factual evidence showing that Russell did not have a long standing relationship with a Neo-Nazi. Maybe you can find some facts about fraudulent voter registrations in Yuma last fall and support Russell's frothing angry outrage over a fake story. Find me some facts, Ron, that's all I ask. Can't find 'em? Then maybe you could admit that your law and order loving Senate President is a racist liar and a disgrace to the Republican party, the state of Arizona, and the Mormon Church.

Just the facts, please, Ron. I challenge you. Go out and find them.

[RonJ]

Woody, you and the rest of your leftist nutjob buddies have suffered from RPHS (Russell Pearce Hatred Syndrome) long before the Fiest fiasco, so stop playing coy. I don't have the facts about the Fiesta Bowl--nor do you. And again, I ask any of you Pearce-haters: please give us a quote from Russell Pearce--something he actually said, not something you and your crazies claim--that demonstrates "racism." You hate him because you hate his anti-illegal immigration policies; policies, by the way, that are supported by more than 60% of the country and more than 70% of the state. Get over it and come up with something new. Your bigoted comments are growing stale.

[Phoenix48]

"And do we even need to mention JT Ready?

"Honest" and "Russell Pearce" in the same sentence. Who do you think you're kidding?"

Can Robert Woodman get through a humpday (or an expresso post) without mentioning JT Ready?

Greg is right on. Adams in particular has handled his moments with class and the proper firm rebuke to the likes of Campbell and Kyrsten Sinema.

His session has made the bitter memory of Burns melt away.

All the while, rendered meanless via elections, Dems have been obsessed with side issues; Bumgarden, ACCHS & the death watch for transplant patients (all 96 of them in a county of over 3 million), the all gun laws are loopy caucus, & Russell's racist immigration bills, and Fiesta Fiest Fiesta gloom and doom...bla...bla...bla.

The entire time what do they have to show?

A veto on 2 social issues (Birther/Guns on Campus) and a re-instatement for Transplant recipients in waiting. (Brewer sighed nobody died)

The good guys got a budget balanced, tax reform to grow jobs, and a slew of conservative gets regarding abortion and guns for the demanding socially conservative.

I love it. The cherry on top of what Greg has highlighted came today via Cathrine Igly in the Repugnant.

Arizona is in 'ruins' and these evil repubs in office will pay pay pay. As soon as CLEAN ELECTIONS ARRIVES WITH THE CALVERY!!!!

Pearce, Adams and Brewer, we salute you. Well done.

[Stewie]

Just like Clockwork....yeah, clockwork orange. The media has gotten quite predictable. Failure = balanced budget, they don't even try to hide their bias anymore.

[Scott Turley]

I partially agree with this. I wish there was more coverage, not less, on the budget - which is by far, the most important thing passed by our legislature.

I think it is news, though, when asinine bills pass. Thank goodness they were vetoed.

[jack]

And one other point: at least, this year, the Republic resisted the urge to use the cliche picture of the yawning legislator on the front page after sine die.

[Joe Stalin]

R.W., Would it make any diference in your world if the number of murders by illegals was half the number in your post? would that be OK with you? Seems to me that just one would be cause for some action, right?

The Birther issue is stale, that ship has already sailed. Good luck getting people to believe that any of the 'ones' supporters would be honest about it if the worst were true.

[Patric]

It's not honest at all. All they did was keep the K-12 rollover -- which is already $1 billion -- from going to $1.2 billion. Yeah, real honest. Unless you are going to back to eliminating it altogether, might as well extend it and keep the promise of Prop. 100.