Across the nation, November 5, 2024, is election day. The national news is focused on the race between Trump and Harris. But, your rights are in jeopardy from potentially bad choices and even voter apathy in many other local, state and national elections.
Let’s start the issue of with true constitutional carry. While Trump is clearly a better choice on this issue, the fact is that the office of President should as a constitutional matter have no impact on that issue with the limited exception of the president’s authority to appoint members to the Supreme Court. We saw the impact of that fact with the Bruen decision but then we say several judges who voted for Bruen get in wrong and even totally misapply Bruen two years later in the Rahimi case.
Well then – what about the issue of constitutional carry in Congress? While some gun enthusiasts call for a “national” solution, the Constitution’s Second and Tenth Amendments make clear that Congress has no authority to enact a “national” carry law and no authority to engage in any regulatory powers relative to arms. Indeed, true conservatives should abhor the idea that Congress would have any authority over civilian use, ownership or possession of anything that is subject to the broad scope of the Second Amendment’s mandate. Congress simply cannot be and should never be trusted with our rights. It has far exceeded what the Founding states envisioned and is itself in need of substantial curtailment and reform to restore it to the “chains of authority” that the Constitution intended.
Next, is the states. There are 50 states and at best only a few are even close to a statutory scheme that embodies true constitutional carry. Certainly Tennessee does not – no matter what misinformation Bill Lee and certain Legislators may claim. Further, efforts over the last 15 years to change Tennessee’s statutes to classify Tennessee as a true constitutional carry state have failed repeatedly at the hands of the Republicans in the Legislature. Certainly, there is a small and growing number of Legislators who support true constitutional carry but that does not include Lt. Governor Randy McNally or Speaker Cameron Sexton nor does it include several others in the Republican leadership. Indeed, if that were not the case the Republican “super majority” could have easily passed true constitutional carry quicker than it gave half a billion dollars in taxpayer funds to build a new stadium for the Tennessee Titans or gave approximately one billion dollars in taxpayer funds to help Ford cover the costs of an electric vehicle plant in West Tennessee.
The simple fact is that Tennessee and other states not only needs voters but it needs constitutionally discerning voters. Voters who will say “no” to many of the Republican candidates (perhaps with write-ins) who have repeatedly proven that they owe their allegiance to something other than the Constitution. It is not just a battle between Democrats and Republicans – it is a battle between constitutionally principled public stewards and opportunists who are loyal to something other than the constitution.
Go vote. If you see a candidate that might have a “D”, “R” or “I” after their name, consider their true voting records and positions on issues. Do not automatically vote “party line” or you might end up voting for the “wrong” kind of individual to be given authority over a public office.
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