Update: sad start for my blog, good day for AZ.

Corrective JUNK: Dang, one post in and I'm already having to withdraw outrage. Lesson learned for the future: research everything to death... hard to do when you're reading full original texts as research. Oh well, I'll get this figured out eventually.

Recently an amended version of SB1070, HB2162, has been signed into law (http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/legtext/49leg/2r/laws/0211.htm). This new bill corrects the "lawful contact" line to make it clear that questioning can only occur during an already legal stop. Also there's further language changes specifically intended to discourage racial profiling. Sounds like some very good fixes, that just might make this bill legal. Furthermore, AZ is one of the states where a driver's license is evidence of legality, which is good news. As someone who frequently forgets or loses his drivers license, I can understand how Latinos would still be discriminated against, but the discrimination is much less extreme. (Also, if you ARE someone who forgets your DL often, you probably know your DL number, and with another form of photo ID, say a debit card with photo on it, you're in the clear! Crisis averted.) I'd say the remaining inconvenience might be worth the $2.7B price tag. Sounds to me that unless this law leads to excessive enforcement of minor crimes (eg: J-walking, littering cig butts, etc.) for the purpose of having cause for questioning a persons legality, things should be ok. We'll see how enforcers choose to use this law. Though I standby my outrage at the original bill, my outrage has been quelled thanks to the amendment.

Thoughts? Is this enough of a fix? Is the left ready to rescind objections? How much more fair do you really expect federal corrections to be and still be effective? What does this still say about the willingness of the bills original supporters to sell out our civil rights?