Op Ed: Trump Jr. Is Right, NC Shouldn’t Gamble Away Its Republican Majority
By Eric Hollifield
In American politics, there are no permanent majorities. But some strategies usually pay off. One of them is keeping your word, and nearly every Republican in the North Carolina House and Senate promised to enact pro-family policies when they ran for office. Unfortunately, a handful of them appear to be kotowing to social liberalism in ways that may turn the Republican Party’s veto-proof supermajority into a minority come next election season.
For example, Republicans in the state house are considering expanding the availability of medical marijuana with a bill that may get a vote in the House later this year. It is hard to argue that allowing increased drug use will boost families. Just ask authorities in California, where one deputy sheriff told The Atlantic that “all legalization did here was create a safe haven for criminals.” Yet, some of the same Republicans who ran on family values continue to push this legislation along despite their constituents’ distaste for the measure that has been voted down year after year.
Then there is abortion. While North Carolina Republicans love to denounce it, they recently passed a bill that will only stop abortions after 12 weeks when 90% of them happen in the first 12 weeks of a pregnancy. Florida Republicans already enacted a six-week ban, and South Carolina is currently considering the same. North Carolina’s veto-proof Republican majority can do much better.
Finally, there is the ultimate anti-family measure: gambling.
Lawmakers just approved a bill allowing betting on sporting events starting next year. Sports books will be set up, and the Tar Heel State will start having all the problems that come with excessive gambling, from addiction to loan sharking to drug use. And now, before the ink has even had a chance to dry on the measure, House and Senate Republican leaders Tim Moore and Phil Berger are pushing further gambling expansion, which could include new tribal and commercial casinos and the addition of video lottery terminals in our storefronts. In fact, according to news reports, “casinos legislation could show up in the waning days of session or…the next legislative session in early 2024.”
This week, they have begun pushing gambling expansion harder than ever — and they are holding up tax cut negotiations unless members of the statehouse agree to pass gaming expansion along with it.
This is abhorrent — so much so that it’s attracted national attention.
The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), one of the most recognizable conservative groups in the country, sent a letter to members of the North Carolina General Assembly urging members to pass the tax cuts clean, free of special interest provisions like this one. Donald Trump Jr. even weighed in on Twitter, writing, “I wouldn’t want to be one of the legislators who folds to these types of swampy tactics come primary season…Kudos to those standing against this and fighting the Swamp in NC!”
Thankfully, many of North Carolina’s political leaders are fighting back.
Republicans lost the governor’s mansion in 2016 and have not managed to get it back. They may be about to permanently give away their legislative supermajority as well unless they get serious about living up to their promises to protect North Carolina’s family values. Conservatives in this state have stayed away from the polls when they felt ignored and betrayed before, so the Republican delegation shouldn’t be surprised if they choose to do so again.
Many Republicans in the General Assembly already recognize this, so they are commendably fighting this special interest giveaway tooth and nail.
They recognize that now is not the time to put political opportunism before personal values. Now is the time for conservative lawmakers to utilize their veto-proof majority for good before it’s too late.
Indeed. Here’s hoping they succeed.
Eric Hollifield is the president of Christian Perspective Representatives, a cooperative group of volunteers dedicated to reviving Biblical support for our county's citizens, communities, employees, and elected officials by providing an avenue for aid, advocacy, accountability, and awareness.
The opinions expressed within this content are solely the author's and do not reflect the opinions and beliefs of the website or its affiliates.
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