Los Angeles' proposed economic boycott of Arizona has provoked a tit-for-tat response from Arizona's state corporation commissioner Gary Pierce, who's threatened, in essence, to cut the power L.A. receives from the besieged state (25 percent of the city's needs). In a letter written to Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Pierce says: "If... the City Council lacks the strength of its convictions to turn off the lights in Los Angeles and boycott Arizona power, please reconsider the wisdom of attempting to harm Arizona's economy." Is this really the best way to protest the boycott?
Arizona is cutting off its nose to spite its face: Clearly, Arizona's "megalomaniacal tendencies" extend beyond simple immigration policy, writes Alex Pareene at Salon. But Pierce's "attempted supervillainy" ignores the potential damage cutting off L.A.'s power could do to the state. If Arizona goes through with its threat, then L.A. could just take its business elsewhere, "thus hurting Arizona's economy."
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