The big news today is that the Republican General Assembly overrode the veto of Governor Roy Cooper to allow the sale of guns in North Carolina without a permit. This is a policy that better conforms to our constitutional rights and civil liberties.
There was also a vote in the Republican-controlled House to allow mobile sports betting in the state. While this is a “libertarian” decision, my opinion is that the outcome will be destructive. It therefore should not have happened.
Note that we are taking big “conservative” votes to allow gun purchases without a permit and mobile sports betting.
However, state legislators still have not acted on abortion or communicated that they will restrict it to a much greater extent than it has been. Remember that they also passed Medicaid expansion.
Abortion and Medicaid expansion are both huge issues. If they are going to fail on both of these– but allow gun purchases without permits and mobile sports betting– then their work product overall is mixed, at best. If they want to be deliver a bold conservative outcome, they need to stringently restrict abortion on demand.
Yes, the message we are getting from the GOP in the legislature is mixed. I say take what we can get from Berger and Moore and be thankful. They should author a 13 week ban on abortion . That’s what we want. A total ban would be preferable but again any restriction would be welcome. We already have legalized gambling in NC… the lottery, so I can’t get excited over permitting sports betting.
Fred, we see other southern states– other conservative states– tackling the abortion issue. We need to, also. Otherwise, the repeal of Roe v. Wade is of no consequence in our state, and we become an abortion tourism destination for out-of-state people. That has already been happening, as you know.
While this is good news, a buying “permit” is a government overreach to begin with. So, while I applaud this move in Raleigh, one could argue it never should have been in place to begin with. TC, I would look for Berger to make more “conservative” moves as he has stirred the hornets nest of much of his base in the Summerfield area. The neighboring towns are keeping close watch as well.
Tommy, it is interesting how they play fast and loose with REAL constitutional rights, while they create out of thin air other “constitutional rights” like abortion and gay marriage.
I hope that the GOP leadership sees the errors of their ways, and turns things around.