Arizona Republicans Will Persecute *Charities* For Helping Refugees, Being Too Christian

Members of the international baking conspiracy

Do you remember, waaaay back in the day, when the Tyrant Obama tyrannized all the nice Tea Party groups, because his IRS was actually making them turn in paperwork in order to get their tax-exempt status? Which they all got anyway? Even though they were actually shady as fuck? 

It was rather a thing. It proved, for one thing, that the black dude in OUR WHITE HOUSE was just as monstrous as Dick Nixon, siccing the IRS on his enemies -- good Americans! -- because they dared to do "Constitution."

Well, funny thing! Republicans in the Arizona legislature are working up support for a bill to fine charities a thousand dollars a day for every sweets-baking refugee they help in the state. Am I imagining those two things are sort of samesies?

Judy Burges, (R, duh) of Sun City West -- remember "We Won't Play Sun City"? my god, we are old -- is the author of Senate Bill 1468, which would

impose a fine on charities of $1,000 a day for each refugee it helps place in the state. And if a refugee is arrested, the charity would be financially liable for the cost of arrest, prosecution and incarceration of that person.

Burges is also preeeetty sure Catholic Charities is just resettling all these dangerous Syrian five-year-olds for the cash, because why else   would somebody want to help a refugee, and said so and then sort of denied it.

The measure concerns Ron Johnson who lobbies for Catholic Charities, one of the groups involved in helping refugees resettle in the state.

"Obviously we're all concerned with proper vetting and national security,'' he said.

"But that's not something we do with Catholic Charities,'' Johnson explained. "Once they're here, we help them: find a job, find a place to live, learn the language, all kind of good things that help them be a part of society so they're not dependent on the government.''

More to the point, he said Burges and other sponsors of SB 1468 are focusing on the wrong end of the problem.

"To punish the Good Samaritans that are trying to help them is a bit misplaced,'' Johnson said. "These people are already here.''

Burges was unsympathetic.

"I've talked to Ron Johnson myself,'' she said. "And I know that they get millions of dollars to administer these programs.'' [...]

Burges said she wasn't saying that groups that work with refugees are in it for the money.

But regardless of whether Catholic Charities is grifting like a common Palin -- and where's she been, anyway? -- Burges is going to hit all those no-good-do-gooders where it hurts. Or at least where it would hurt her, if their places were reversed. No silly, not right in the heart and/or soul, as there's no evidence Burges is in possession of either. In the wallet. Because sticking it to charities for doing charity we don't like is How We America Now.

Hooray!

[ AZDailySun ]