Fund the border wall with porn? Arizona lawmaker says yes

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Republic/azcentral.com reporter Rafael Carranza reports from San Luis, Arizona, where the National Guard has arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border. Nick Oza, The Republic | azcentral.com

Opinion: An Arizona legislator proposed taxing pornography to raise money for a border wall. Genius idea, that.

Here's a genius idea from the state of Arizona for how to end our nation’s border standoff and free the 800,000 federal hostages who are wondering how to pay next month’s rent.

Just tax porn.

No, really.

Republican state Rep. Gail Griffin, R-Hereford, wants to charge you $20 to look at pornography on the internet.

House Bill 2444 would require companies that make or sell electronic devices in Arizona to install software that blocks porn.

To remove the block, all you’d have to do is prove you are 18 and plunk down $20, payable to the Arizona Commerce Authority.

The money would go into a newly created account called the John McCain Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Fund, with the proceeds to be used for one of 10 things.  

No. 1 on that list: “Build a border wall between Mexico and this state or fund border security.”

Man linked to bill tried to marry his laptop

According the Arizona Mirror’s Jerod MacDonald-Evoy, the bill appears to be linked to Chris Sevier, an anti-gay activist and one-time porn addict who has been behind similar legislation in other states.

Sevier is an interesting sort.

In 2013, he sued Apple, claiming that his MacBook was responsible for his porn addition.

In 2017, he tried to marry his laptop and sued the state of Utah for not recognizing the marriage. But alas, his lawsuit was tossed out last year – maybe because it demanded that a Colorado baker make his electronic bride a wedding cake?

In 2018, Sevier was ordered to stop using kidnapping victim Elizabeth Smart’s name on similar legislation in Rhode Island – much as the Arizona version of the bill is using McCain’s name.

Griffin didn’t return a call to explain why in the world she has latched on to Sevier’s bizarre idea to trample the First Amendment.

Then again, does Donald Trump know about Griffin's proposal?

In a way, it makes sense, here on Day 28 of the partial government shutdown.

After all, $20 here, $20 there and pretty soon you’re at $5.7 billion and federal employees can get back to work — or for those already working, be paid finally for their indentured servitude.

This we call fighting an obscenity with obscenity.

Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com.

MORE FROM ROBERTS:

• Abandoned Amazon baby might've had a chance if mom did this instead
• Despite all that's happened, lawmakers still want to be immune from arrest
• Nothing to see in this voucher bill? Here's why I don't believe that

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