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.
"The bill is designed to protect the rights of Arizona citizens and prevent encroachment on those rights by international institutions," Burges told msnbc.com in an email. "We have three branches of government and when one branch preempts the process through executive orders, the balance of power is lost in the process. It is that simple -- no more, no less."
At a March 15 hearing on the bill, Burges said an executive order signed by then-President Bill Clinton in 1993 started the implementation of Agenda 21 after the Senate refused to pass a treaty ratifying it.
"Any way you want to describe it, Agenda 21 is a direct attack on the middle class and working poor" through "social engineering of our citizens" in "every aspect" of their lives," she told the hearing.
But House Minority Leader Chad Campbell, D-Phoenix, has a different view.
“It’s the most poorly crafted bill in this state,” Campbell told msnbc.com. “It’s so broad and overreaching, we’re not sure what it could impact.”
Among the U.N. declaration’s non-binding principles are calls for sustainable development, environmental protection, eradicating poverty, eliminating unsustainable production and consumption patterns, economic growth and the participation of women in government decisions.
“We wouldn’t be able to use CFL light bulbs in state buildings because that would be considered energy efficiency,” Campbell said.
Campbell also said that the state’s Economic Security Department, which handles unemployment and welfare benefits, could be outlawed because it has to do with eradicating poverty.
Also, Arizona universities have sustainability programs that could be banned if the bill becomes law, Campbell warned.
Arizona State University has a School of Sustainability, Northern Arizona University offers a master's in sustainable communities, and the University of Arizona has an environment and sustainability portal.
Watch US News videos on msnbc.com
Brewer, who last spring vetoed Burges' bill to require presidential candidates to prove their U.S. citizenship, typically does not comment on legislation until it reaches her desk, her spokesperson told msnbc.com Thursday.
About the Rio declaration, SB1507 says “the United Nations has enlisted the support of numerous independent, shadow organizations to surreptitiously implement this agenda around the world.”
Rep. Terri Proud, R-Tucson, told supporters in an email that the U.N. declaration “will take away our rights as Americans by allowing the United Nations to mandate laws on our soil,” the AzCapitolTimes.com reported. “It’s very real and it is happening.”
The Times also reported that during House debate Wednesday, Rep. Jack Harper, R-Surprise, said the declaration is connected to the “occult” of sustainability.
"The tea party and conspiracy theorists run the state now, Campbell told msnbc.com.
See video from the March 15 House Judiciary committee meeting on SB1507 here.
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If they want to elect idiots, then they get the government that they deserve. Too bad they don't have time to work on creating jobs.
This bill will create about as many lasting jobs as Obama's jobs bill.
Several Repiglican governors, refused to spend the money on the projects and hire the people just so they could say the stimulus didn't work. Of course they offered no alternative method to stimulate the economy beyond even bigger tax cuts for the rich.
They've wigged out in AZ. I think that some people may have been spending a bit too much in the sun.
Peace.
Right. California is releasing thousands of felons because they can't afford to keep them in prison and AZ is wigged out. Nice try liberal fool.
And where are you from STM?
its no big saprise. they let fellons out early in every state every day. my state let 2,000 out 5 years ago.plus they have hidden drafts, early probation,ect. if the states could afford it thay would have invented probation. der der der...lol fox news. go to school( palitical history)
As an Arizonan please let me apologize to all rational Americans. Even though I live here, I wonder daily how AZ was magically lifted from somewhere between AL and GA and transported to the southwest. My home home state is NM and I hope to return there soon. Jan Brewer, John McCain and Jon Kyle have disgraced this state beyond repair.
by all means. quit complaining and move back.
Trust me... I will. Stupid people piss the @!$%# out of me and AZ is full of them.
So is Washington DC., but liberty and freedom extend even to stupid people.
This is true. The great thing about America is you can say anything you want, no matter how stupid is is. In some cases though, the culmination of stupid people is proportionately high... ergo AZ.
south east is brittish territory now....im only here to waste some buswazi brittish commies.
Arizona is the new Ole Mississippi.
Been in AZ since 81. It never used to be like this. A couple of reasons why there all going nuts. 1) The place is run by Mormons. They want everybody to live by their book and go back in time to the 1800's of the wild west. 2) The education system is very poor. An informed and educated population can think and make critical decisions and the crazies do not want that. 3) Elections here are scattered throughout the year. They like to keep it this way so only a few show up and vote. 4) Years of lead paint eating, window licking retards with room temperature IQ's that keep electing their kind into office have created the perfect storm of craziness.
I am also sure that another reason is large population of illegals. I think that this makes them feel more threatened by outsiders than other parts of the US.
Mike
Harry Reid is a Mormon. Doesn't he scare you since he is the Majority Leader of the Senate?
The only entity that wastes more tax payer money than the Obama administration is the U.N.
Arizona has gone so bizarro/nutcake/whack-a-doodle that I feel comfortable in the knowledge that I will NEVER set foot in that hell-hole of a state. Good luck Arizonians. You're going to need it with the crazies running that place these days.
Welcome to Arizona. The new Texas.
Really Genghisboob? No, I spelled it correctly. It looks like the SCOTUS is going to uphold most of "their" immigration bill. National disgrace? Hardly. Apparently they don't think they need the "international community" to tell them that clean air, energy conservation, etc... is a bad thing. Do you seriously think that they want otherwise?
Well, I just have to say, Thank God for Arizona! Otherwise Oklahoma would have the most embarrassing legislative boneheads in the country! As it is we only have the second-most embarrassing legislative boneheads in the country! Thank God for Arizona!
The DNC needs to run "Top 100" ads in the states or nationally - the "Top 100 Republican Bills"... Sharia law, transvaginal ultrasounds, outlawing contraception, aircraft carriers for the Wyoming state navy,...... go ahead American re-elect them if just for the entertainment - because they sure didn't come up with any "jobs bills"!
If by "Jobs" bill you referr to more government spending no they did not. But they did produce 16 bill out of the house that are jam packed with economy booster results but Harry Reid and the Senate have tabled them-It's a two way street. Where's the Senate's jobs Bill, where is the Senate Anything Bill ( No Budget Passed in over 1300 days)for that matter, your own party wouldn't even vote on President Obama's Job's bill. Stop with the obstruction and blame game for a group of supposed intelligent thinkers you really cant see the splinter in my eye for the 2x4 running through yours.
16 "job bills" about more tax cuts for the rich and deregulation of businesses.
All I can say is wow. Just wow.
If folks in Arizona cannot create a law that attacks people or issues they dislike, they just shoot those they disagree with. Soon, very soon, real change will come to Arizona.
When did a body of un elected foreign diplomats and their proposed agenda make one iota of difference in the world. Why is it a crime for the state of the UNITED States duly elected body of legislators craft a bill that in their minds protects the sovreign right of that state. I do not support the bill don't care, but if you do, then vote if you live in that state. I think your missing the point if the ideas of THE AGENDA 21 are SO great then why not propose them in a bill in the US Congress where it can be debated etc. But anything that comes out of the body of the UN and in fringes on your rights as a US/AZ or NC fill in State citizen then you should be concerned too. This is the same body that elected Syria and Lybia to it's Human Rights Council, What a Freakin Joke.
First the bill hasn't been passed. Second, I am sure it was not intended to be implemented the way it was written. There are all sorts of bills that are written poorly that make things illegal when they were not intended to be.
It isn't about protecting AZ from UN tyranny. It is about outlawing all of ideas of Agenda 21 in the state.
Your Gov. would have to resign because women would not be alowed a voice in state government decision making because that is an idea from the UN Agenda.
Well, the terrorists in Arizona are at it again - this time mounting an attack on Americans in neighboring states who are going to have to deal with the air and water that the terrorists pollute in Arizona. Is there any way to send these Anti-American terrorists who call them selves "tea partiers" to Gitmo where they belong with the rest of the terrorists?
There is no "air and water" that the "terrorists" are going to pollute. Don't be foolish. They are simply standing up for what they see as an infringement on their freedom. Could the law be written better. Yes. Is this going to mean dirty are and water. No.
The Tea Party is wrecking our nation.
From the looks of it, they are the only ones interested in saving our nation. It all depends on perspective.
If you are white, rich and racist then yeh, the Tea party will try and save you. BTW this is 2012 not 1952. I invite you to join the rest of us in the real world. It ain't like it used to be. Deal with it.
We do liberals always say things like its 2012 not 1952, like that is a negative thing and then turn around and propose raising taxes to 1952 levels? The tea party has nothing to do with white, rich, or racists. It has to do about the sustainable future of the American economy.
@PutAmericaFirst
I'll type slowly so you can understand this. First, the Teabaggers want to impose a 1950's moral mentality because they can't move forward socially. Second, the proposed tax rate on millionaires is no higher than before the Bush tax cuts and now that this country needs help from all to pay off 10 years of Bush/Cheney imposed war which benefited Halliburton and other interests, they want to beg off the whole deal they supported.
It's much easier to keep an eye on your fruitcakes when you keep them busy pretending to run a government. We use the same technique here in Utah. Most of the time they're too busy tilting at windmills to do much damage. And just think! Every few years you get a new state flower, rename a few highways, and get new resolutions proclaiming that the Sun orbits the Earth.... which is flat.
Yee-haw!
the UN . does put laws on nations, there called sanctions. but this was an agreemint by our leaders.(senite)
anouther example of brittish, buswazi, conservative, commie. qu.(espeanoge). sestamaticaly destroy the inferstructure rather than repair it. it american. american!!! repair dont destroy
Well, let the arizonans choke, suffer, and die.
mike-826917; Sounds like you ingested some of that paint yourself. How would you like it if the UN dictated the immigration laws for your state too?
Osama bin Laden may be gone, but in spirit he seems to have found a new home in Arizona. Who needs al Qaeda when domestic terrorists can achieve the same goals via state legislation? Sooner or later, the US may well need to send in troops to restore a semblance of order. There is no rifle behind every cactus, only a treasonous teabagger.
It is one of the main differences between obama & mr grover, the gop, including the rushbo. Sustainability. Obama has shown that it is sooo easy and painless & soooo profitable too. Jobs are coming back because you can save sooo much, mfg is cheaper in this country than in china. Oh yes, & when it comes to sustainability, obama has been reducing co2 by 10% each year he has been president. It's true. Look at the latest bw magazine. The one on the stands today. Plus after 8 years he plans to have it reduced by 80%.
Mr grover, the gop, & the rushbo hate it. Because obama is doing it by massive reductions in oil & coal usage. Gasoline consumption has peaked in the country. And natural gas prices today are only 1/2 of what they were in 2009 when obama took over. Even coal cannot compete with natural gas. And hey, renewables bring the prices down even more. Solar panels pay for themselves after 12 years with a 30 year life. Even cheaper than cheap natural gas. Perfect for the electric car. I tell you mr grover, the gop, & the rushbo hate it.
But don't look now but apple computer stock has taken off. It has run away from exxon mobil, the darling of mr grover, the gop, & the rushbo. They will tell you that more govt help needs to be given to the oil & coal industries. That we need to build the keystone pipeline. Hehehe. Gasoline usage has already peaked. Natural gas prices are are near all time lows. Who needs $100/barrel oil in the age of renewables.
100% behind that if we can find a better way than fracking our way to prosperity...as long as we know that eventually we won't need it anymore with new renewable technology in the future...so we don't become dependent on it...
More crazy from crazy town, first the birther bill because a select few, Beck and co know the truth, and don't want some ferrner becoming President, now this.
Hey good job Tbaggers, nothing says jobs like trans-vaginal probes, way to look out for the UN, they are building an army now to invade AZ, but the scouts they sent ahead, said don't bother the people have spent way to much time in the sun, and are loony-tunes! LOL
Papers please, zieg heil!
Sounds like EVERYBODY on this post licks lead paint and snorts asp- dumb asp sheeple................
well ... that state is toast for several years. the nut bags have taken over. PAY ATTENTION America. This is what happens when you decide to stay at home and NOT VOTE. We all end up with a bunch of total firiggin idiots who are so screwed up they think batman is coming to kill them and that everyone who does not believe what they believe is an evil madman that needs to be totally destroyed. If we want our country back, WE ALL NEED TO GET OUT AND VOTE. I'm not telling you who to vote for. I'm simply saying that the NUT BALLS seem to be the only ones voting. HOW ELSE could something thus assinine happen in our country.
I would rather this type of trouble that means very little than the fiscal trouble that we end up with when government gets too large. You are right, get out a vote, but please get informed before you do.