Outrages of the Week: Hypocrites and Racists in the Statehouse?

1. AZ: Lying Former Legislator Claims System He Opted-Into, Cheated is Now Unconstitutional
   Former Arizona Representative David Burnell Smith was elected to the statehouse asa "clean elections" candidate, having received public monies in an opt-in system designed to allow candidates to run without selling out to special interests. He got ousted from the legislature after it became evident that he cheated the system. Now, this guy has the cojones to claim that the system he chose to participate in violates the U.S. Constitution. [Arizona Republic, 7/20/06]
2. CO: Legislator Under Fire for Forwarding Racist Emails...Again
   A hard-right representative in Colorado is under fire again for forwarding racist emails to colleagues. Representative Jim Welker has earned his fair share of attention in the past. In one incident, he said same-sex marriage would lead to people marrying their animals. Another time, after forwarding an email that called victims of Hurricane Katrina "welfare-pampered blacks," he cited the fact that a Black Republican in the Colorado House was one of his best friends. The Black conservative denied bein best friends. Welker did it again, this week forwarding an email blaming "black culture" for Hurricane Katrina. [Rocky Mountain News, 7/20/06; Progressive States, 3/10/06]
3. IN: Governor Meets Campaign Promise by Redefining Terms
   Governor Mitch Daniels of Indiana pledged to increase purchasing of in-state products during his tenure in office. And now, just four short years later, the state is making over 80% of its purchases from Indiana businesses, if you consider Wal-Mart and the University of Utah to be Indiana businesses. The Daniels Administration redefined Indiana business. The term used to mean "a company's principal place of business, and a majority of its payroll and work force were in Indiana." Now it simply means that the company has extensive economic impact on the state. If Mitch Daniels really wants to deliver on that campaign promise, he could simply go for broke. Define an Indiana business as any company doing business with state government -- he'd find that he's purchasing 100% of the government's products and services from good, mainstream Indiana businesses...and Wal-Mart. [Associated Press, 7/17/06]
4. During Record Profits, Oil Companies Demanding and Receiving Tax Breaks
   New reporting from the Wall Street Journal finds that oil refiners are receiving huge tax breaks from local governments even as profits sore and working Americans get pinched at the pump. [Wall Street Journal, 7/20/06]
5. GA: Ralph Reed's Failed Redemption
   Chickens came home to roost in Georgia this week, where Ralph Reed -- the one-time golden boy of the religious right -- lost a primary election based almost exclusively on the depth of his hypocritical work with corrupt lobbyist Jack Abramoff. The move has been described as a possible sign of additional defeat for the corrupt in politics this fall and a sign that voters are fed up with this outrageous behavior. [Washington Post, 7/21/06]