WHO SAYS LEGISLATORS DON'T HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR?

posted by Michael Chihak

Arizona Week's journalists' panel for Friday, April 22, made these observations about the regular session of the Legislature:

Mary Jo Pitzl, legislative reporter for the Arizona Republic, related how in the session's waning hours, Sen. Frank Antenori, R-Tucson, assumed a mock Southern accent to deliver a political doublespeak speech made by a Mississippi politician in 1952 both decrying and supporting the sale of whiskey in his state. The point being that one could find an argument for either side of an issue.

Christopher Conover, political correspondent for Arizona Public Media, observed that legislation approving 10 new license plate styles for Arizona motorists included the OK for a "Don't Tread on Me" plate to fund the Arizona Tea Party Committee, whose board of 13 people is appointed by the governor, the House speaker and the Senate president. "Don't Tread on Me" was the motto on an early colonial U.S. flag featuring a rattlesnake.

Mike Sunnucks, senior writer for the Phoenix Business Journal, wondered at the irony of Gov. Jan Brewer's veto of a bill that would have given the University of Phoenix and other private educational institutions a tax break. As a result, the university's parent company said it would consider relocating at least some of its employees to other states. This after Brewer signed legislation designed to instill high-quality job growth in Arizona.

Luige del Puerto, state Senate reporter for the Arizona Capitol Times, mused about the "bullhorn brigade," a persistent group of protesters appearing nearly every day of the legislative session outside the Capitol in Phoenix. The brigade denounced anti-immigration stances taken by legislators. Several senators complained about the almost constant noise, and one, Senate Majority Leader Andy Biggs, showed up one day with his own bullhorn to counter the group's efforts.

My own observation was of Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego's contrarian response to Republicans' designation of an official state gun. The weapon of choice: Colt Single Action Army Revolver. Gallego in the session's waning hours amended the bill to make the Taser, an Arizona-made product, the official state gun. After it was rejected, he sought designation for the Ruger, also made in the state. But the GOP stuck to the Colt, and it's now Arizona's official gun. The Colt, by the way, is made in that wild west town of Hartford, Conn.