Dear Editor,
It would be nice to think that our elected officials are the best of the best. Careful and measured individuals who will thoughtfully legislate to ensure the greatest possible outcomes for their constituents.
Unfortunately, that is not what we are seeing from Arizona’s Republicans. This month, we’ve watched in awe as stories appeared detailing a considerable lack of competence. The Legislature passed a bill through the House and Senate that it would seem no Republican actually took the time to read – and now they’re left negotiating their way out of this mess.
This is a disappointing but not all too surprising situation; it seems like Republicans have been in some degree of disarray for months. Are these the legislators that we want handling impactful policy issues, such as the recent wave of tech antitrust regulations that continue to move through Congress and our own state house? Issues that include a complexity of parts and impacts need to be carefully thought out – that means not sending bills through without reading what they include. Millions of lives could be negatively impacted by this kind of careless behavior.
It would serve the GOP well to get themselves in order before attempting to legislate on serious issues that could have a real impact on Arizona communities. How are constituents expected to trust their elected officials when they aren’t even reading the bills they’re voting on?
Sincerely,
Hon. Chris Herstam
Former Majority Whip
Arizona House of Representatives