What would Martin Niemoller think about Arizona?

Originally Posted by classicman

Its also funny in a pathetic that they're criticizing something they haven't even read. They've had weeks and its only ten pages.

It is a fallacy to believe that every state legislator or member of Congress or state/federal executive branch officials read every piece of legislation.

That is why they have staff...that is why there are committee structures and recognized experts in both parties who lead the initiatives and brief fellow party members on the details of legislation.

For any piece of legislation, state or federal, there are probably only handful of people who have actually read the bill...and that would most likely be the staff who wrote it.

I would bet very few of the AZ legislators in either party read the legislation. It is simply not how governing bodies work. In fact, it is not how most organizations work.

And it doesnt apply just to legislation. Do you think a president should read every intel report cover-to-cover before making a decision....or rely on detailed briefings/recommendations from staff (the director of national intelligence)?

In the private sector, do you think a CEO reads every report/recommendation directed to his/her attention? Delegation and division of labor recognizing particular expertise within the structure is the manner in which good organizations work most effectively.

added:
And in the legislative process, most bill amend existing laws and cant simply be read free-standing.

The AZ bill may only be ten pages, but this is is at the heart of it.

AMENDING TITLE 11, CHAPTER 7, ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES, BY ADDING ARTICLE 8;

AMENDING TITLE 13, CHAPTER 15, ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES, BY ADDING SECTION 13-1509;

AMENDING SECTION 13-2319, ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES;

AMENDING TITLE 13, CHAPTER 29, ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES, BY ADDING SECTIONS 13-2928 AND 13-2929;

AMENDING SECTIONS 23-212, 23-212.01, 23-214 AND 28-3511, ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES;

AMENDING TITLE 41, CHAPTER 12, ARTICLE 2, ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES, BY ADDING SECTION 41-1724; RELATING TO UNLAWFULLY PRESENT ALIENS.

Reading a bill is not like reading a book or a magazine article.

To fully understand it, one would have to read it in the context of all these existing statutes or sections of the state code that the bill amends at the same time as one reads the legislation.

I can guarantee that very few legislators read it in such a manner.

You may think it is pathetic. I think it is representative of good organizational management.