Thursday, November 20th, 2008...8:11 pm
An Unmitigated Disaster! Maybe Not. Yeah, an Unmitigated Disaster!
Jan Brewer is keeping mum about the possibility of becoming governor, but this morning on KUAZ she was quoted as saying “I am not a tax and spend politician.”
Okay, we’ve got that settled, she will neither tax nor spend. Or, does she mean that she will tax but not spend…spend but not tax, maybe?
So glad to know that she has put a lot of thought into policy. We are in for two years of rule by bumper sticker.
Where is the hope for “us”? You know, those of us that actually want, you know, schools funded and stuff. You know, us silly people who take care of our fellow human being seriously.
Incoming speaker Kirk Adams is conservative, but there were indications that he wanted to keep the lid on some of the wingnuttery in the house. One weapon he would have had is being able to tell his caucus that certain things would never clear the governor’s desk, so forget them. That’s gone now. Not only is there no incentive to go to Democrats to work on legislation that could get signed, there would be little utility in doing so.
The talk is now that Adams, if he’s as savvy as they say, could steer a pragmatic (but not necessarily moderate) course, and sell such a thing to his caucus by pointing out that there could be electoral consequences in 2010 if they go too far right.
The new senate leadership seems anything but willing to do such a thing. What will be interesting is seeing how well Adams can work with the ideologically-driven incoming senate president Bob Burns (a indication of what we are in for on the senate side: this week Russell Pearce, famously obstinant and combative as House Appropriations Chair, as Senate Appropriations Chair).
I’m a bit at a loss to figure out how Democrats would be able to use a possible conflict between Burns and Adams to get any part of their agenda through. I guess we have to wait a couple of years.
NB: Bridget wrote that we lived through years of people like Evan Mecham, Fife Symington and Jane Dee Hull and are still here. I suppose, but you can trace a lot of the trouble we have with funding our schools back to decisions that Symington made. Governorships have consequences that are often hard to undo.
6 Comments
November 20th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
We are in a situation where we practically cannot raise taxes (requires a 2/3 majority in the Lege) while we are Constitutionally required to have a balanced budget. That makes it easy for Brewer to say “I’m not a tax and spend politician.” Well, duh Jan, you can’t do either of those things right now.
What Janet Napolitano was saving us from (though she’s tried valiantly to keep us in the black, budget-wise) was weirdo guns-in-bars crap. The die was pretty much cast, economy-wise, more than a decade ago. Thanks so much, Arizona voters of the ’90s!
The only difference Brewer can make is signing into law the kind of wingnut whackjobbery on social issues that will consign Arizona to the margins of society and piss off enough moderates in 2010 to drive the extremists out. But then, who knows what kind of initiatives are going to be on the ballot to get base voters out?
November 21st, 2008 at 6:36 am
“Bridget wrote that we lived through years of people like Evan Mecham, Fife Symington and Jane Dee Hull and are still here” —- that’s like saying Katrina was a bad thunderstorm.
November 21st, 2008 at 10:49 am
Oh my, I see I am getting to you losers–awesome! Please quote me again!
Hmmmm let me see, what else can I piss you all off with….Oh I know, Hillary for Secretary of State!
November 21st, 2008 at 11:02 am
But seriously Tedski, sometimes things have to much worse before they get better. And getting worse has been a slow process starting back when the state started going to hell in a hand basket.
Without the voters electing members of the house and senate to help pass legislation to correct the issues started way back when, they instead keep electing nut cases, what would you have the Governor do? Keep delaying what is inevitable?
The AZ GOP won’t let their crazy ideas go and there are too many people who agree with them. So let the people of Arizona experience what the GOP has been pushing for for years–and when the state falls flat, the time for people with brains in Government will be at hand.
No amount of whining on your blog is going to change the fact that Janet is most likely heading to Washington D.C.
Voyage de fève mon Liège
November 21st, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Hey, folks, the deal is not done. Why shouldn’t Janet encourage her name to be circulated for the federal slot–it’s good publicity and will enhance her chances against McCain in a couple years. Especially after she manages us out of this budget hole. Can you just imagine the degree to which Arizona Dems will reward her loyalty if she sticks around and prevents the undoing of her well-deserved excellent legacy? No, this deal is not done.
November 22nd, 2008 at 7:58 am
La Bamba: Can I have some of what you’re smokin’?