Mike Nickerson
The SaddleBrooke Democratic Club met on July 13 via Zoom. Our speaker was Charlie Fisher, executive director of the Arizona Democratic Party. Much of the discussion centered around the results of the legislative session, which passed voter suppression bills, plus tax breaks for the wealthy. These actions show the need for a different majority in the legislature. Given the attempts to stop people from voting, Mr. Fisher emphasized the importance of the 2022 election.
The discussion also led to concerns about gerrymandering from the Arizona Redistricting Commission, since the person chosen as chair, who was supposed to be an independent, contributed heavily to the McSally campaign, indicating Republican leanings. Voter suppression and gerrymandering are ways in which a party that knows it’s not going to get a majority of the votes attempts to keep power.
Petition drives are starting for referendums on the voter suppression bills and tax-cut bills. If there are enough signatures to put the bills on the ballot, the laws will be suspended until the voters of Arizona can decide whether or not we want to suppress the vote. All the club members were encouraged to sign the petitions and distribute them if possible.