Earlier this year, Texas U.S. Senate candidate Ted Cruz touted a bizarre conspiracy theoryclaiming that George Soros secretly partnered with the United Nations to eliminate the game of golf. Seriously, we aren’t making this up.
Unfortunately, this fantasy isn’t limited to just one unusually radical candidate for elected office. Rather, the Arizona House is expected to vote today on a bill motivated entirely by the same imaginary conspiracy, and the same bill already passed the state senate:
Arizona lawmakers appear close to sending to Gov. Jan Brewer a tea party-backed bill that proponents say would stop a United Nations takeover conspiracy but that critics claim could end state and cities’ pollution-fighting efforts and even dismantle the state unemployment office.
A final legislative vote is expected Monday on a bill that would outlaw government support of any of the 27 principles contained in the 1992 United Nations Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, also sometimes referred to as Agenda 21.
Senate Bill 1507 was passed by the state Senate last month and received an initial House affirmation Wednesday. It is sponsored by state Sen. Judy Burges, R-Sun City West, who also sponsored a state birther bill that Brewer vetoed last year.
Lest there be any doubt, Agenda 21 is not a Soros plot to destroy the game of golf. It is not, as Cruz claims, a “globalist plan that tries to subvert the U.S. Constitution and the liberties we all cherish as Americans.” And it is not, as Burges claims, “social engineering of our citizens” in “every aspect” of their lives. Agenda 21 is a twenty year-old non-binding resolution endorsed by 178 world leaders, including then-U.S. President George H. W. Bush.
So the Arizona bill addresses entirely imaginary concerns. Unfortunately, however, it will have very real consequences if enacted. The bill provides that every arm of the Arizona government “shall not adopt or implement the creed, doctrine, principles or any tenet of” Agenda 21. ButAgenda 21 expressly lists among its “principles” essential functions such as “combating poverty,” “protecting and promoting human health conditions,” “protection of the atmosphere,” and “safe and environmentally sound management of radioactive wastes.”
In other words, if this bill becomes law, Arizona’s government agencies would instantly be forbidden from doing anything to reduce poverty. Or to combat air pollution. Or to ensure that radioactive waste does not contaminate the environment. Or potentially to do anything at all to promote human health. Under this bill, Medicaid, state unemployment and welfare programs and nearly any environmental programs would need to cease, immediately.
Simply put, this is what happens when you place irresponsible Tea Partiers who lash out at paranoid fantasies in charge of government. The proposed response to Agenda 21 would be comic if it were not so potentially tragic. In response to a non-threat presented by an entirely non-binding resolution, the Arizona legislature is set to dismantle their entire system of government — and they probably don’t even understand that this is what they are about to do.
Arizona lawmakers appear close to sending to Gov. Jan Brewer a tea party-backed bill that proponents say would stop a United Nations takeover conspiracy but that critics claim could end state and cities’ pollution-fighting efforts and even dismantle the state unemployment office.
A final legislative vote is expected Monday on a bill that would outlaw government support of any of the 27 principles contained in the 1992 United Nations Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, also sometimes referred to as Agenda 21.
Senate Bill 1507 was passed by the state Senate last month and received an initial House affirmation Wednesday. It is sponsored by state Sen. Judy Burges, R-Sun City West, who also sponsored a state birther bill that Brewer vetoed last year.
Lest there be any doubt, Agenda 21 is not a Soros plot to destroy the game of golf. It is not, as Cruz claims, a “globalist plan that tries to subvert the U.S. Constitution and the liberties we all cherish as Americans.” And it is not, as Burges claims, “social engineering of our citizens” in “every aspect” of their lives. Agenda 21 is a twenty year-old non-binding resolution endorsed by 178 world leaders, including then-U.S. President George H. W. Bush.
So the Arizona bill addresses entirely imaginary concerns. Unfortunately, however, it will have very real consequences if enacted. The bill provides that every arm of the Arizona government “shall not adopt or implement the creed, doctrine, principles or any tenet of” Agenda 21. ButAgenda 21 expressly lists among its “principles” essential functions such as “combating poverty,” “protecting and promoting human health conditions,” “protection of the atmosphere,” and “safe and environmentally sound management of radioactive wastes.”
In other words, if this bill becomes law, Arizona’s government agencies would instantly be forbidden from doing anything to reduce poverty. Or to combat air pollution. Or to ensure that radioactive waste does not contaminate the environment. Or potentially to do anything at all to promote human health. Under this bill, Medicaid, state unemployment and welfare programs and nearly any environmental programs would need to cease, immediately.
Simply put, this is what happens when you place irresponsible Tea Partiers who lash out at paranoid fantasies in charge of government. The proposed response to Agenda 21 would be comic if it were not so potentially tragic. In response to a non-threat presented by an entirely non-binding resolution, the Arizona legislature is set to dismantle their entire system of government — and they probably don’t even understand that this is what they are about to do.
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