GOP LEGISLATIVE LEADERS IN HOT WATER
In the dead of night, the “Republican-controlled” U.S. House of Representatives approved an amendment to a $37.4 billion “energy and water” appropriations bill – a fiscally liberal omnibus that raises spending and reauthorizes a host of “green energy” measures.
Bad new right? Indeed.
We thought the “green jobs” scam had been thoroughly unmasked. Like, years ago.
But it’s not the bill itself pressing hot buttons among the GOP rank-and-file.
The controversial amendment – sponsored by U.S. Rep. Sean Maloney of New York – codified president Barack Obama‘s recent transgender “bathroom edict.” Basically, Obama issued an order in July 2014 preventing government agencies from contracting with companies that don’t comply with the new “law of the land” regarding bathroom usage.
This amendment provides congressional approval of Obama’s order.
The amendment passed 223-195 – with forty-three “Republicans” joining all 180 voting Democrats.
GOP leaders attempted to appease their base by approving a pair of so-called “pro-religious liberty” amendments after the Maloney amendment passed.
It didn’t work …
“Enshrining Obama’s specific edict into law and then passing vanity language reaffirming the general importance of religious liberty is like doing CPR on a dead body,” wrote Daniel Horowitz for Conservative Review.
Depending on your perspective, the great bathroom debate of 2016 is either the next pivotal civil rights struggle – or an open invitation for predators to molest young children.
Or it’s all just one big silly “nontroversy.”
We see the merits of all perspectives … viewing this issue as yet another example of dueling liberties.
Where should the line be drawn? Good question: But we’d start by letting the free market handle it, not government.