The Arizona immigration law on Thursday was the repeated subject of snide and belittling remarks by MSNBC’s “Morning Joe" panel. So, naturally, while discussing Wednesday's federal court ruling, New York Time's columnist Gail Collins continued the narrative.
Collins championed the federal government and sneered "You do not want state legislatures ruling these things," because basically, "They're horrible. They're all gerrymandered. They never get thrown out of office. They are all nuts!"
Collins, who does not hide her abhorrence towards local and state officials, recently discussed the subject in her April 29, 2010, article Red, Blue and Broke. In the column, she asserted that state legislatures are incompetent and that, "lately they have been freaking out with such alarming intensity that you'd think a mad scientist had surrounded state capitols with electrodes just to see what would come popping out."
A transcript for the July 29, 2010, segment is available here:
8:03:14 EDT
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: Starting with Arizona. New immigration law is in effect this morning but without its most controversial sections. Yesterday, federal judge, Susan Bolton blocked key parts of the law including a provision allowing police to investigate a suspect's immigration status. In addition, Bolton banned sections requiring immigrants to carry papers at all time and making it illegal for undocumented workers to solicit employment in public places. Bolton sided with the Obama administration saying the law burdened lawfully present aliens because their liberty will be restricted and it will divert resources from the federal government's other responsibilities and priorities. Yesterday, Arizona Governor Jan brewer said she'll file an appeal.
JAN BREWER: Obviously, it is a little bump in the road, I believe. And that, you know, until I get my whole arms around it, we don't really exactly know where we're going to go. We knew regardless of what happened today, of course, one side or the other side was going to appeal.
BRZEZINSKI: In a joint statement, Arizona Republican Senators John McCain and Jon Kyl said this, instead of wasting taxpayer resources filing a lawsuit against Arizona and complaining the law would be burdensome, the Obama administration should have focused its efforts on working with congress to provide the necessary resources to support the state in its efforts to act where the federal government has failed to take responsibility. Willie, obviously, there are rules to enforce. If they did, it might be the same issue.
WILLIE GEIST: Right. Gail, the Justice Department on the other side of this, interesting part of the debate, Republicans and the Governor there say sure, there are federal laws but they are not working. The Justice Department said we can not have a patch work of state, local, federal laws at the border and that really seems to be what it boils down to.
GAIL COLLINS: It does. You know, whenever these things come up, the wisdom of the state versus the wisdom of the federal -- have you looked at state legislatures, ever? I mean, they're horrible. They're all gerrymandered. They never get thrown out of office, they are all nuts. You do not want state legislatures ruling these things.
BRZEZINSKI: I don't know what you're talking about.
