Seel really, really doesn’t want Ariz. health exchange
JGov. Jan Brewer in late November announced that the state would not create its own health exchange under the new federal health-care law, but instead will leave that job to the federal government.
But apparently Rep. Carl Seel, R-Phoenix, best known for his “birther” bills and welfare-fraud theories, is taking no chances. He filed the first bill of the 2013 legislative session on Dec. 6. House Bill 2001 proposes to prohibit the state from establishing or administering a state-based health exchange.
Should Brewer decide to change her mind, though, she likely will have nothing to worry about. Seel’s legislative track record is less than stellar, even within this state’s conservative Legislature. None of the 38 bills he introduced last year passed, and most were assigned to multiple committees to assure their swift demise.
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With Jerry Weiers’ election as Glendale mayor, the Legislature will lose its principal handyman. This is the guy who took it upon himself to repair a flagpole bent by storm winds, and who can forget his March escapade, when he lassoed a concrete planter and used his truck to pull it out of an entrance to the state House of Representatives, all the better to make room for his motorcycle?
Weiers also finagled a wooden phone booth from the state Capitol Museum and hauled it over to his legislative office (no truck involved, we understand). He stuck a Superman costume inside the box and posted a sign that said “Open only in case of emergency.” Apparently, there were none.
Now the booth, like Weiers, is gone, although the mayor-elect reportedly wanted to take it with him. An attempt to relocate it to incoming House Majority Leader David Gowan’s office failed when aides couldn’t get the booth to fit through Gowan’s door. The booth now resides in its rightful place inside the museum. No word on where the Superman garb went. » Who can forget the image of Gov. Jan Brewer pointing her finger in the face of the president? Or the cellphone self-portrait of Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu in his skivvies?
Certainly not political blog Talking Points Memo, which counts Brewer and Babeu among the nominees for its 2012 Golden Duke Awards. The award recognizes “the year’s best purveyors of public corruption, outlandish behavior and The Crazy.”
Brewer is a nominee in the latter category for the finger-pointing incident, among others. Her challengers include Donald Trump, Clint Eastwood and Missouri Rep. Todd Akin, whose “legitimate rape” comment cost him a Senate bid.
Babeu is a nominee in two Best Scandal categories — Sex and Generalized Carnality, and Local Venue — for allegations that he threatened his Mexican ex-boyfriend with deportation to keep him quiet about their relationship. A state Attorney General investigation cleared him of any wrongdoing, but no matter to TPM. He’s up against Gen. David Petraeus and other heavyweights.
Winners will be announced Friday at the website talkingpointsmemo.com.
» Quote of the week: “This is the beginning of a serious conversation. We won’t be taking questions today.” —
Dave Keene
politics.azcentral.com.