Arizona's Embarrassing GOP

The votes by Arizona Republicans requiring President Obama to show his birth certificate to get on the state ballot in 2012 and in support of a tough anti-illegal immigration bill will only harm the party’s image.

Well, I guess we all know why the birther-pandering J.D. Hayworth is running even with John "Not a Maverick" McCain in Arizona.

In a move practically designed to make the Republican Party look like a bunch of damned fools, the Arizona House voted in favor of right-wing conspiracy nuttery to require that President Obama show his birth certificate or face being wiped off the Arizona ballot in November 2012.  Perhaps the House GOP will next take up legislation to question the origin of the fluoride in our water system, or the state Republicans will coalesce around 9/11 Truther (and former State Senator!) Karen Johnson.

And of course, just a few days before passing the "birther bill", the Arizona House passed another GOP-backed bill (supported, sadly, by McCain) which effectively legalizes stopping anyone who looks Hispanic and asking for their papers.  Putting aside very valid moral qualms about the legislation, given our party's recent frustrations with garnering the votes of the fastest-growing ethnic group in the country, one would think the Arizona House GOP would be interested in working on an approach to immigration that offers real solutions over tawdry racial politics.

A real solution to America's broken immigration system will require moving beyond intolerant reflexes.  Furthermore, a party that obsesses over patently false conspiracy theories is a party undeserving of governance.  Modern Republicans, dedicated to building a governing conservatism, ought to stand four-square against both measures passed by the Arizona House and encourage the election of Arizonans who are focused on practical problem-solving.