A few years back, Thomas Frank released "What's the Matter With Kansas?", a look at the dysfunction caused by the conservative ideology that overtook Kansas, and caused people to vote against their own interests as they reacted to hotbutton social issue propaganda. Some might wonder what's going on with Arizona these days, as citizenship becomes the number one focus of everything political in that state. When John McCain is being criticized for being "too liberal", then something is seriously wrong.

There are two bills that will likely become laws that are at the forefront of the debate. The first one - spawned from the depths of the birthers' fevered psychosis - would make it a requirement for any candidate appearing on a ballot to show their birth certificate. This is obviously aimed at those who truly believe that President Obama was born in Kenya, and are hoping they can force a sitting president to produce a document they don't think he really has. It still has to get through the state Senate and get signed by the governor. Both are fairly unlikely. The state Secretary of State who would be granted the power to decide who goes on the ballot doesn't want the power. Yet there were enough votes in the state House to get it through.

The other bill which has already passed both houses in the state legislature gives police broad powers to demand proof of citizenship - on the spot - from anyone they "believe" may be an illegal immigrant. I don't think it's going Godwin to suggest that this is like Nazi Germany, with the poliza asking people for "your papers, please". Think that's over the top? I heard a story on the news (still trying to find a link) of a U.S. Citizen of Hispanic descent that was arrested because he "only" had a driver's license. They asked him for his birth certificate (he was NOT at home). When he couldn't produce it, he was shackled in chains and taken to the police station. This gives broad powers to police to harass and arrest people because they "look" illegal. This is America?

As previously mentioned, McCain is in hot water for his previous work with Ted Kennedy on the failed immigration bill. His involvement with that bill, and the pressure he's been under for co-sponsoring it has been enough for him to flip-flop on his previous stance (from previous link):

On top of all this, the state's governor is calling for stronger border protection, even though they don't have the money for it:

Why the sudden need for a Berlin Wall on the south side of the state? A rancher was found dead, and naturally illegal immigrants are the scapegoats:

With Mexicans becoming this country's Jews, and the tea party becoming the brownshirt militia arm of the new conservatives, we are entering a scary chapter in our nation's history, eerily echoing ghosts of the past. We can only hope that whatever is the matter with Arizona doesn't become a national problem.