by Brian Irving
Libertarian for NC Senate 16

Civics 101, circa 1960 (What I learned in high school): The Legislature Branch makes the laws. The Executive Branch enforces the law. The Judicial Branch settles disputes and decides what the law is.

Civics 101, circa 2018 in North Carolina (What Republicans want): The legislature makes the law, appoints boards and commissions to enforce the law, and appoints judges to decide what the law is. The executive – who’s he?

Two proposed state constitutional amendments will make a mockery of two foundational principles of constitutional government: the separation of powers and checks and balances between its branches.

The descriptions voters will read on the ballot are deliberately misleading. The first says, “Constitutional amendment to establish a Bipartisan Board of Ethics and Elections to administer ethics and election laws, to clarify the appointment authority of the Legislative and the Judicial Branches, and to prohibit legislators from serving on boards and commissions exercising executive or judicial authority.

The amendment won’t clarify anything. Rather, it will strip the governor of his authority to appoint members of the nearly 400 boards and commissions and transfer that power to the General Assembly.

by Brian Irving
Libertarian for NC Senate 16

The proposed voter ID amendment is bad law. It is deliberately vague and misleading and undermines the fundamental principle of constitutional government by restricting, rather than protecting, the right of the people to choose their representatives.

A constitution is supposed to limit government and protect the rights of the people. The Voter ID amendment does the opposite; it restricts the people and expands the state. Moreover, it expands government power in a way that will only be revealed once the amendment becomes law.

The law should make it easier to vote, not harder. Voting is a basic right. Showing an ID to vote is not the same as showing an ID to cash a check or buy something.

CHARLOTTE (June 15) – Christian Cano, the 2016 Democratic candidate for North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District, recently endorsed Jeff Scott, a Libertarian, for that seat in the general election. The Ninth District represents the financial center of Charlotte, the city of Fayetteville, which is home to one of the country’s largest military bases at Fort Bragg, and many rural communities.

“I know that Jeff Scott will fight for my family and all our families equally in Congress,” said Cano. “More importantly, he is not beholden to the corporate deep pockets in Nancy Pelosi’s Democratic political machine, President Trump’s hatred and bigotry, or the privileged interests focused on preserving the status quo and the ways they benefit.”