from: http://www.azcentral.com/news/columns/articles/0404ruelas04.html
from: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0404ruelas04.html
from: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0404ruelas04.html

Farnsworth wages war on democracy

Apr. 4, 2003 12:00 AM

It's hard to figure out exactly why state Rep. Eddie Farnsworth is acting like he doesn't have faith in our democratic process or trust the will of the people anymore.

Farnsworth, the House majority leader, has decided to single-handedly keep some bills that passed the Senate from going through the House. He's not stopping the legislation on merit. He's just stopping the bills because, well, he can.

He says he's out to punish some state senators who didn't vote the way he wants them to. But that can't be the real reason. Because that would mean Farnsworth is against the American system of governance, where the people elect representatives to vote their conscience.

And that just can't be. There must be some rational reason why this high-ranking state leader has decided to usurp the votes of thousands of Arizonans.

But if there is a higher purpose to this, Farnsworth is keeping it quiet. All he talks about publicly is the petty, childish reason for stopping the legislative process.

"He said that I've got to be punished because I'm a bad Republican," says Linda Binder, a senator who represents Lake Havasu City.

Her bills, including those dealing with water issues, rape victims and victims of sexual trafficking, are now dead. Binder met with Farnsworth on Wednesday night hoping to work something out. That failed.

"He said he's holding all my bills because he didn't like two or three votes I made," Binder says. "I said, 'You're not hurting me, you're hurting women and children.' Eddie's reply was they can all wait until next year."

At least she was told to her face. Freshman Sen. Slade Mead, who represents Ahwatukee, had to hear it through the rumor mill.

"I've never met the guy," Mead says. He did run into him on the Capitol Mall and, in passing, called him a "class act, and told him I'm glad he's looking out for the interest of the state."

Farnsworth might have had a reply, but "I didn't stick around to listen," Mead says.

Farnsworth claims he's lashing out at Binder, Mead and a third Republican senator, Toni Hellon of Tucson, because they didn't support his plan to gut the will of the people.

Over the years voters, frustrated with inaction at the Legislature, passed taxes and mandated spending to improve education and health care.

Farnsworth wants to repeal those actions. He's pushing ballot initiatives that would let lawmakers duck out of the spending levels, and make it difficult for voters to approve more.

He's also pushing a so-called "taxpayer bill of rights" that limits government spending increases to the rate of inflation and population growth.

"It's a terrible bill, a ridiculous bill," Mead says. "How can you say the only variables are inflation and population? . . . Health care doesn't go up by population growth and inflation. Health care can go above that. But under this bill, you're out of luck."

For holding positions like that, Mead is being punished.

"I didn't realize I was dealing with Harry High School on this stuff," Mead says. "These are real issues affecting real people."

Which makes it difficult to believe that Farnsworth is doing this simply out of pettiness. There must be a good reason.

Maybe he's looking to incite a revolution, to finally get voters angry with the power-hungry leaders of the Legislature, who have become increasingly disconnected from the public.

It can't simply be that Farnsworth doesn't believe in the state's system of government anymore.

Or the people of Arizona.

Reach Ruelas at (602) 444-8473 or at richard.ruelas@arizonarepublic.com

Apr. 4, 2003 12:00 AM

It's hard to figure out exactly why state Rep. Eddie Farnsworth is acting like he doesn't have faith in our democratic process or trust the will of the people anymore.

Farnsworth, the House majority leader, has decided to single-handedly keep some bills that passed the Senate from going through the House. He's not stopping the legislation on merit. He's just stopping the bills because, well, he can.

He says he's out to punish some state senators who didn't vote the way he wants them to. But that can't be the real reason. Because that would mean Farnsworth is against the American system of governance, where the people elect representatives to vote their conscience.

And that just can't be. There must be some rational reason why this high-ranking state leader has decided to usurp the votes of thousands of Arizonans.

But if there is a higher purpose to this, Farnsworth is keeping it quiet. All he talks about publicly is the petty, childish reason for stopping the legislative process.

"He said that I've got to be punished because I'm a bad Republican," says Linda Binder, a senator who represents Lake Havasu City.

Her bills, including those dealing with water issues, rape victims and victims of sexual trafficking, are now dead. Binder met with Farnsworth on Wednesday night hoping to work something out. That failed.

"He said he's holding all my bills because he didn't like two or three votes I made," Binder says. "I said, 'You're not hurting me, you're hurting women and children.' Eddie's reply was they can all wait until next year."

At least she was told to her face. Freshman Sen. Slade Mead, who represents Ahwatukee, had to hear it through the rumor mill.

"I've never met the guy," Mead says. He did run into him on the Capitol Mall and, in passing, called him a "class act, and told him I'm glad he's looking out for the interest of the state."

Farnsworth might have had a reply, but "I didn't stick around to listen," Mead says.

Farnsworth claims he's lashing out at Binder, Mead and a third Republican senator, Toni Hellon of Tucson, because they didn't support his plan to gut the will of the people.

Over the years voters, frustrated with inaction at the Legislature, passed taxes and mandated spending to improve education and health care.

Farnsworth wants to repeal those actions. He's pushing ballot initiatives that would let lawmakers duck out of the spending levels, and make it difficult for voters to approve more.

He's also pushing a so-called "taxpayer bill of rights" that limits government spending increases to the rate of inflation and population growth.

"It's a terrible bill, a ridiculous bill," Mead says. "How can you say the only variables are inflation and population? . . . Health care doesn't go up by population growth and inflation. Health care can go above that. But under this bill, you're out of luck."

For holding positions like that, Mead is being punished.

"I didn't realize I was dealing with Harry High School on this stuff," Mead says. "These are real issues affecting real people."

Which makes it difficult to believe that Farnsworth is doing this simply out of pettiness. There must be a good reason.

Maybe he's looking to incite a revolution, to finally get voters angry with the power-hungry leaders of the Legislature, who have become increasingly disconnected from the public.

It can't simply be that Farnsworth doesn't believe in the state's system of government anymore.

Or the people of Arizona.

Reach Ruelas at (602) 444-8473 or at richard.ruelas@arizonarepublic.com

Farnsworth wages war on democracy

Apr. 4, 2003 12:00 AM

It's hard to figure out exactly why state Rep. Eddie Farnsworth is acting like he doesn't have faith in our democratic process or trust the will of the people anymore.

Farnsworth, the House majority leader, has decided to single-handedly keep some bills that passed the Senate from going through the House. He's not stopping the legislation on merit. He's just stopping the bills because, well, he can.

He says he's out to punish some state senators who didn't vote the way he wants them to. But that can't be the real reason. Because that would mean Farnsworth is against the American system of governance, where the people elect representatives to vote their conscience.

And that just can't be. There must be some rational reason why this high-ranking state leader has decided to usurp the votes of thousands of Arizonans.

But if there is a higher purpose to this, Farnsworth is keeping it quiet. All he talks about publicly is the petty, childish reason for stopping the legislative process.

"He said that I've got to be punished because I'm a bad Republican," says Linda Binder, a senator who represents Lake Havasu City.

Her bills, including those dealing with water issues, rape victims and victims of sexual trafficking, are now dead. Binder met with Farnsworth on Wednesday night hoping to work something out. That failed.

"He said he's holding all my bills because he didn't like two or three votes I made," Binder says. "I said, 'You're not hurting me, you're hurting women and children.' Eddie's reply was they can all wait until next year."

At least she was told to her face. Freshman Sen. Slade Mead, who represents Ahwatukee, had to hear it through the rumor mill.

"I've never met the guy," Mead says. He did run into him on the Capitol Mall and, in passing, called him a "class act, and told him I'm glad he's looking out for the interest of the state."

Farnsworth might have had a reply, but "I didn't stick around to listen," Mead says.

Farnsworth claims he's lashing out at Binder, Mead and a third Republican senator, Toni Hellon of Tucson, because they didn't support his plan to gut the will of the people.

Over the years voters, frustrated with inaction at the Legislature, passed taxes and mandated spending to improve education and health care.

Farnsworth wants to repeal those actions. He's pushing ballot initiatives that would let lawmakers duck out of the spending levels, and make it difficult for voters to approve more.

He's also pushing a so-called "taxpayer bill of rights" that limits government spending increases to the rate of inflation and population growth.

"It's a terrible bill, a ridiculous bill," Mead says. "How can you say the only variables are inflation and population? . . . Health care doesn't go up by population growth and inflation. Health care can go above that. But under this bill, you're out of luck."

For holding positions like that, Mead is being punished.

"I didn't realize I was dealing with Harry High School on this stuff," Mead says. "These are real issues affecting real people."

Which makes it difficult to believe that Farnsworth is doing this simply out of pettiness. There must be a good reason.

Maybe he's looking to incite a revolution, to finally get voters angry with the power-hungry leaders of the Legislature, who have become increasingly disconnected from the public.

It can't simply be that Farnsworth doesn't believe in the state's system of government anymore.

Or the people of Arizona.

Reach Ruelas at (602) 444-8473 or at richard.ruelas@arizonarepublic.com