The Arizona legislature really is that crazy

Dara Lind writes:

Look at this another way: in the last few weeks, the Arizona state legislature has passed SB 1070, a birther bill, a bill stripping state employees of domestic-partnership benefits, a bill outlawing ethnic studies and a billbanning human-animal hybrids. It’s now painfully obvious that the legislature has jumped the man-shark, but is it really likely that legislators in Arizona are that much crazier than legislators in any other state? Is it possible that much of this came to light because the eyes of the nation (or at least many of its political reporters) were already on Phoenix? Arizona eliminated its Children’s Health Insurance Program in March, but it showed up in my Twitter feed last night as if it were breaking news. Case in point?

How often are crazy — or poorly-crafted — laws passed in other legislatures without fanfare simply because no one’s bothered to read the damn bill? It’s not enough that the information’s out there; it must also be sought out and combed through. Constant vigilance!

I’m sure Dara’s right to a point, but really – let me stress this – the Arizona legislature is its own special brand of crazy. It is that much crazier. And it always has been ever since the days when it was outlawing the shooting of camels. I’m honestly surprised the legislature hasn’t spent a little more time trying to revoke that freedom-quashing law. Damn it, Arizonans have a God given right to shoot any camel they choose…!