Brewer-ing Up Her Own Army

Yeah, see, I'm wondering what the reaction would be by Tea Party "patriots" if a Democrat-controlled state legislature was pushing a bill to create a Governor's own army, separate from the National Guard, taxpayer-funded, and beholden only to the state's Chief Executive.

But that's exactly what Arizona Republicans are doing.

Arizona’s GOP-run legislature has taken to marginalizing and villainizing the immigrant population with zeal — be it through SB 1070, HB 2191, or SB 1070 “on steroids.” Now, the Pheonix New Times reports that state Sen. Sylvia Allen (R-AZ) is pushing a bill to give Gov. Jan Brewer (R-AZ) a “blank check to establish a ‘state guard’ that would do her bidding, whatever that bidding might be.”


Allen’s SB 1495 not only establishes a “state guard” independent of the national guard and finances that guard with national guard funding, but it allows Brewer to created this “Armed force” for “any [] reason the governor considers to be necessary”:

Section 1. Section 26-174, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

Arizona state guard; establishment; purpose; appropriations
A. If the national guard of Arizona or a major portion thereof is called into active federal service, or if the national guard or a major portion thereof is alerted for federal service or for any other reason the governor considers to be necessary, the governor may establish an armed force for the safety and protection of the lives and property of the citizens of the state which shall be known as the Arizona state guard.

B. The Arizona state guard shall insofar as practicable be governed by and subject to the laws of the state pertaining to the national guard. The governor shall issue or cause to be issued rules and regulations to govern administration and organization of the state guard.

C. Appropriations made to the national guard shall be deemed appropriated to both the national guard and the Arizona state guard, if and when the latter organization is established, and any funds which that are unexpended from appropriations to the national guard may be used for establishment and maintenance of the Arizona state guard.

I seem to recall scary claims from fringe groups that Obama and Democrats were supposedly creating private armies to come round up dissident, take their guns, and put them in concentration camps.  Apparently Arizona Republicans became so obsessed with that, they're deciding they need to do it first.

To recap, this is a taxpayer funded state militia that answers only to the Governor, can be used for whatever reason the Governor sees fit, and the Governor gets to make the rules and laws regarding the state guard.  Our own domestic terrorist problem is thrilled with this and are eager to join up, as the day is coming closer where states will apparently sanction their violent views.

You can bet these guys are itching to use deadly force to "defend the border" and to use taxpayer funds and national guard equipment to do it with.

What could possibly go wrong?