Debating the “Plain Language” of Gun Rights in Montana
It's pretty obvious what the gun control crowd is doing here. The will of the people spoke loud and clear in the 2020 elections in Montana. They elected a Republican governor, senator, and sent huge GOP majorities to Helena for the legislative session. The Left's push for gun control was a major factor in the GOP victories.
Fast forward to the Spring of 2021 and "permitless carry" is the law of the land in Montana. So what do the gun control advocates, led by the public employees union, do? They ignore the process, they ignore the Constitution, and they ignore the will of the voters because they know they have the liberal judges in Helena, and the liberal majority on the Montana Supreme Court in their back pocket.
I made this point via Twitter over the weekend in response to a news story from the Montana Television Network's Mike Dennison.
State Senator Ellie Boldman (D-Missoula) responded by saying, "Or, maybe it’s just that they can read the Constitution’s plain language."
Hill then responded by saying, "Constitutional rights aren’t absolute, never have been."
OK. How can you, on one hand, argue that the state constitution gives the Board of Regents absolute power, but the rights under our US Constitution are not absolute?
And that is the difference between the Left and the Right in America today. The Left wants to minimize the Constitution when it comes to your rights, but maximize government power. Conservatives want to maximize your rights, and limit government power.
If we're looking for plain language, "shall not be infringed" sounds pretty straightforward.