Republicans
Give Tax Increases and Treat Religion as a Lesser Right by Erick Ericson
If
the government wants to curtail your freedom of speech, it must have a
compelling governmental interest.
If
the government wants to curtail your freedom of assembly, it must have a
compelling governmental interest.
Bill
Clinton and a majority of Democrats and Republicans in Washington agreed that
if the government wanted to curtail religious freedom, the other right in the
first amendment, it needed a compelling governmental interest as well.
In
Georgia today, the Republican Party has decided that the religious freedom
guarantee of the first amendment is not equal with the freedoms of speech and
assembly. In fact, a group of people claiming to want equality believe the free
exercise of religion is a lesser value than the others in the First Amendment.
Today,
in Georgia, Republicans have decided to bail on the Religious Freedom
Restoration Act. Instead, they will foist a billion dollar tax increase on
citizens, but then tell them their religious liberty is not a major right worth
defending. There was going to be a special meeting at 10 o’clock this morning
to resurrect the religious liberty legislation.
I
was told last night, however, that a deal has been cut. Republican Governor
Nathan Deal and Speaker David Ralston will scuttle protecting religious liberty
and, in exchange, will be able to get enough Democrats to help them raise taxes
on Georgians.
Their
decision is disappointing, but it has an upside.
The
Republicans most opposed to protecting religious liberty, like Republicans Beth
Beskin and Wendell Willard, support the tax increase. They also happen to
represent districts within the core listening area of my radio show.
For
the next year, I will get to point out repeatedly that these Republicans were
perfectly happy to vote for a tax increase and stabbed religious voters in the
back. Mike Jacobs, the Republican who actually caused RFRA to be scuttled, is
going to be rewarded with a judicial appointment by Governor Deal.
I
will get to remind voters in the run up to the statewide vote on Governor
Deal’s education package that he rewarded the people who stabbed faith voters
in the back.
I
will get to remind voters that Wendell Willard, who is old and has run
unopposed, that he voted for a billion dollar tax increase and rejected
protecting religious liberty.
I
will get to help voters in Mike Jacobs’ district make up their mind on a
replacement in a special election.
I
will get to remind voters that freshman Representative Beth Beskin raised their
taxes and would not protect their religious freedom.
The
rejection of RFRA is unfortunate. But I suspect the next year will pay
dividends for conservatives. For the first time, they’ll have a voice in drive
time on radio in Atlanta willing to stand shoulder to shoulder and fight the
good fight exposing these Republicans.
And
then, when we bring it back in 2016, they’ll go from the General Assembly into
their primaries after a year of pointing out their tax increases and their
sudden shifts in 2016 trying to cover their tracks.
They
may have abandoned protecting religious liberty today, but doing so will
ultimately help provide the tools conservatives need to shift the Georgia GOP
toward the GOP and away from Democrats who just found religion in 2002 and
suddenly declared themselves Republican.
Comments
If there are no “unintended consequences” resulting from
laws, I must conclude that the government knowingly traded our constitutionally
protected “freedom of association” for mandatory non-discrimination. In the beginning it was Blacks, then Women,
then all minorities, handicapped and old people. Lately, its Gays and Transgendered. Soon it will be Muslims. When will this victim list stop and when will
our right to “freedom of association” bottom out ?
It seems reasonable to allow a wedding vendor to pick
their customers without fear of a lawsuit.
It’s not a restaurant or hotel.
We are not returning to a “White’s Only” bathroom or water fountain
era. It’s probably time to draw the line
and say “No more” government abuse.
I don’t think this is a Religious Liberties issue at all.
This is a constitutional issue being miscast as a Religious Liberties issue.
We crashed our economy in 2008 because of
non-discrimination laws allowed extortion threats to lenders. Will we never learn that unqualified
borrowers shouldn’t get loans ? Will we
ever repeal the Community Reinvestment Act of 1993 or the HUD
non-discrimination rules ?
Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader
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