We lived through the nightmare that was 2020. Today, the state legislature is acting as if we are living in that same time. We know a lot more now than we did two years ago, so we must act like it and we certainly must legislate like it. Instead, the governor, Democratic legislative leaders and House Democrats have reverted to their old antics that ran storefronts out of business and residents out of the state.
Once again, there is no transparency or accountability. This goes beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. This month was the first time the legislature met in person since October. What was accomplished? A power grab by the Democratic majority to pack the courts, a change in the election code to Democrats’ liking and a bill to make it harder for law enforcement to do its job.
As the first legislative moves in the new year, these did little to move the needle forward on out-of-control crime and the exodus from our state — not to mention bringing back faith in government or rooting out corruption. Rather, it took us leaps backward.
There is a complete disregard for our checks and balances. Some in the executive branch seem to have forgotten we live in a representative democracy, with prosecutors ignoring laws and a governor acting as a monarch. Why would people move to our state in this condition? Why would any business choose to come here?
The start of the new year brings some semblance of hope for change. There is time to correct our course, but we cannot continue to use the same old playbook with Democratic leaders taking the forefront.
We can and must do better. That starts with getting back to the basics: respecting civil liberties, backing the badge to cut down on crime, supporting our businesses large and small, bringing public input back to the process and following a common-sense approach to problem-solving.