Ariz. Lawmaker Who Voted For Anti-Gay Discrimination Bill Now Wants It Vetoed

[highplainsdem]

Source: Talking Points Memo

The pressure is mounting on Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) to veto a disputed piece of legislation that would allow businesses to discriminate against LGBT individuals on the basis of religious freedom.

State Sen. Steve Pierce (R), who voted for the bill, now says it was a bad idea and wants to see the bill vetoed.

-snip-

The Republican lawmaker told the Prescott Daily Courier that he doesn't like the attention the bill has brought to the state, although he believes the purpose of the legislation has been misconstrued.

"I don't like the negative picture of Arizona, and I'm on board asking the governor to veto the bill," Pierce said.

-snip-

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/arizona_lawmaker_steve_pierce_veto_antigay_bill

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He added that he has gay friends and "wouldn't do anything to hurt them."

Uh-huh...

[shenmue]

1. Now he's starting to look bad, and he realizes the state will lose money

Duh.

[iandhr]

2. Steve Pierce

Is that the same guy who did the anti immigrant bill? Or am I thinking of someone else.

[highplainsdem]

3. You're thinking of Russell Pearce, who lost his recall election in 2011 and his

comeback bid in 2012:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Pearce

[Nanjing to Seoul]

16. Different Prince gur Albert. . .same dick! Same pierce! Bad joke, I know, but seriously

Those two are stomach gurgling.

[Xyzse]

4. Stupid idiot.

Why vote for it then?

Oh yeah, he's one of those who just looks at the length of the bill, reads a summary and votes for it without looking.
Maybe he doesn't even read the summary.

I forgot about that.

[Earth_First]

5. Read?

Isn't that what staffers and interns are for?

"GIVE IT TO ME IN TEN WORDS OR LESS, GOD-DAMN IT!"

[Xyzse]

10. Tragic, and funny in a certain way.

Especially since it is true.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

18. Okay. Gay people want rights. We need to stop that. nine words, Mr. Pearce

Can I get my pay raise now?

BTW, not calling you him, but relating how that meeting went because I can see this troglodyte saying that!

[amb123]

9. Republicans don't need to read what's in a bill.

ALEC and the Koch Brothers "reads" bills for them!

[Blue_Tires]

24. He knew what he was doing...

He's just embarrassed because he underestimated the shitstorm of national attention...

[Xyzse]

27. Yeah, you're probably right

[DeadLetterOffice]

30. Yup, that's how I read it too. eom

[daleanime]

32. Nailed it.....

[HockeyMom]

6. Would doctors and hospitals fall under this?

Refuse to treat or save a gay person based on their religion? My husband's niece is gay and lives in Scotsdale.

[1StrongBlackMan]

8. Yep ...

It "protects" anyone that wishes to express their christianity (small "C" intended) by acting bigotted.

[Scruffy Rumbler]

17. Hey 1StrongBlackMan,

When ever I have heard someone arguing that side of the argument, I respond with My personal religion doesn't allow me to render aid to christians that are homophobic. So to be on the safe side of offending their god, I don't have to treat anybody that wears a cross or says "god bless you", right? After all, their god can heel anything.... if he chooses?" I can get behind this!

[1StrongBlackMan]

19. A local business owner ...

who is a member of the Nation of Islam wrote a comment in my daily rags on-line comment section that he could wait for the law to go into effect, as he already has a sign printed indicating that he will refuse service to any Christian based on his strongly held religious beliefs ... You should have seen the angry (and racist) responses!

I know the guy ... we, both, got a good laugh out of it. But he is dead serious.

[Scruffy Rumbler]

21. Oh man, I bet he did get some angry and racist responses!

It is amazing when you turn their own tactics back on them how pissed they get!

[christx30]

11. And when a johovah's

witness refuses to give a blood transfusion to a member of the Christan Taliban, I can't wait to see the firestorm.

[TlalocW]

7. It's probably a simpler reason than what he's stating

He just really like that pizza at that one place that says they have the right to refuse service to Arizona lawmakers.

TlalocW

[giftedgirl77]

31. My thoughts exactly..

[jsr]

12. "He believes the purpose of the legislation has been misconstrued"

Yeah, right.

[Aristus]

13. "You mean businesses may lose money because of a stupid, bigoted bill I supported?

Gracious! What-EVER was I thinking?!? Veto!"

Putz...

[toddwv]

14. Once again, the Republicans refuse to acknowledge,

it's not being "misconstrued."

People understand EXACTLY what this bill represents because the US has a long and sordid history in such matters and there are still several generations of Americans who experienced this mindset personally.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

15. Uh. . .this guy makes me stomach churn. Him and that fruit loop Antenori in Vail

[Caeser67]

20. "I don't like

the negative financial repercussions that will hurt Arizona, and I'm on board asking the governor to veto the bill," Pierce said.

Fixed.

Proceed.

[bkanderson76]

22. Kinda Makes A Guy Edgy As He Must Fight The Urge To Gather Up Enough Paper To

tally up the wasted tax payer money this elected jerk incurred upon the state and proceed to stuff them down his throat.

[riqster]

23. Translation: "I've been busted and know I look like an asshole".

This won't fix that problem, fella.

[Arugula Latte]

25. "Why can't you guys just leave us alone so we can be bigoted assholes without the spotlight on us."

[dbackjon]

26. Two more Republican Senators joined him in a letter to Gov Brewer

Asking her to veto the bill they voted for.


This has already cost Arizona thousands of jobs.

[Zorra]

28. Arizona Christo-Nazis must be watching their AZ investments tank already.

[catbyte]

29. He says it's "getting blown all out of proportion." I say "What a load." He's only coming out

against the law because of the blowback from coast to coast.

Cretin.

[azurnoir]

33. hmmm perhaps he's realized that this bill could cost the state big bucks

in tourism and business as a boycott gathers steam

[LittleGirl]

34. Tucson resident here

I don't think she's sign it, I think she'll veto it. Local news outlets have had video of protests in Flagstaff, Phoenix and Tucson over the weekend. Oh and if she doesn't nothing, it becomes law. I read she's going to wait until Friday but now that it's national news, I doubt she'll wait that long.

idiots.

[Lobo27]

35. The GoP in Arizona is fucking nuts.

I think it was last year they tried to pass law that basically said if your brown you're fucked...

[Ccarmona]

36. Both

AZ Senators have expressed their view that it should be vetoed.
The Super Bowl is scheduled for 2/1/2015 in Glendale, AZ and the NFL will surely move it if Brewer signs it.
The NFL wouldn't give Tempe the Super Bowl in the late 80s until the State approved the MLK Holiday, and I'm sure the Governor is feeling the same pressure now.

[el scorcho]

37. I hope she passes it

not because I want to see state sponsored bigotry in my state but because the blowback will be so severe that it will be the best chance we have to get rid of the teabagger idiots we have in our legislature.

I've not come across one person in AZ who's for this nonsense.

Short term pain, long term gain.

[Fearless]

38. Can't have your cake and eat it too.

[merrily]

39. A good argument for a period of public commentary before knee-jerking

legislation.

Agency rules are easier to change than laws. Still, before an agency like the FDA or the FAA makes or changes rules, there is a period during which the public gets to comment on the proposed rule or amendment before the agency adopts or rejects it.

At the state law level, there is no reason why the public cannot be given notice of a bill and time to comment.

We have a couple of local TV channel devoted to televising city council meetings and things of interest to the city. Why can't there be a local cable channel like that for the state that would publicize impending legislation, with a brief summary of the bill and the pros and cons?

Of course, appropriate exceptions can be made for those occasions where emergency legislation is necessary ASAP, but those occasions should be relatively rare.

I imagine that there would be a lot of resistance to this, inasmuch as people who have power don't like fetters of any kind. Still, the only justification for the existence of legislators at our expense is that they are supposed to represent us. How can they pretend to be doing that if they never seek our voices?

Think I will email my state rep.


Meanwhile, this episode is more proof that RW memes seldom hold up to examination, even to examination by RWers.

[randr]

40. We already know the Arizona Republicans are full of hatred and have no human decency

Now they show the world that they will compromise the twisted values they hold dear for fear of monetary retribution.
The image of them groveling only further paints them as heart sick and moral-less.