A brief history lesson:

In 1781, after the British were defeated, members of a newly-formed Congress produced The Articles of Confederation. Article II made it clear “Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom and independence….” A convention was called in 1787 to revise and update The Articles.

After often heated discussions the representatives realized a strong central government was needed so they decided to scrap The Articles of Confederation, along with the idea of state sovereignty. And so Jefferson, Madison and the others began drafting a Constitution.

Now, read on and ask yourself, “Are the Republican sponsors of the following bills acting as though the Constitution represents the law of the land or would it be The Articles of Confederation?”

House Bill 2015 declares Arizona can decide which EPA rules and regulations it wishes to follow. HB 2368 says Arizona does not have to enforce Presidential Executive Orders or policy directives issued by the Justice Department unless they are approved by Congress. (Doesn’t make sense to give a do-nothing Congress more do nothing things to do!) HB 2058 goes even further and says the state has to observe only those rules, regulations and policy directives which are signed into law. And, of course, there has to be a gun bill (SB1330) stating Arizona does not have to enforce any new federal gun laws.

Every year right wing state legislators go through this silliness in order to grandstand in front of their equally right wing constituents. The “Nation of Arizona” exists only in their minds.

The founding fathers had sound reasons for throwing out The Articles of Confederation as well as for coining the phase: “United States of America.” They realized the sum of the parts creates the greatness of the whole. Would that we all remembered this simple truism.