NC Lawmakers Dragging Their Feet on Constitutional Carry

North Carolina isn’t quite like most other Southern states. While Virginia is different as well, swinging back and forth politically like a screen door in a hurricane, North Carolina is mostly a red state. However, if you look at its electoral history, you can see that it’s usually pretty damn close.

Democrats aren’t going anywhere, especially with a Democrat in the governor’s mansion. Still, Republicans control both chambers and have since 2011, and not buy one or two votes.

In other words, everything there is a fight, especially on gun rights.

Last year, the legislature passed constitutional carry, only for the governor to veto it. This year, the plan is to pass it again, but it seems lawmakers aren’t in a rush by any stretch of the imagination.

The House of Representatives’ vote to override Democrat Gov. Mark Stein’s veto of North Carolina’s constitutional carry measure has once again been delayed, causing frustration for many gun owners who wonder if the override vote will ever be held. After this most recent delay, the vote has now been set for February 9.

…

Since then, the House has scheduled votes on the measure, then repeatedly delayed the vote. With the most recent decision by the House to kick the vote further down the road, some are worried that House leaders don’t believe they have the 60% necessary to override the veto.

As February 9 approaches, we’ll be keeping an eye on the North Carolina House for further news. Ultimately, we can only hope that Republicans in the House don’t let their constituents down and allow the veto to stand.

Now, Stein isn’t likely to sign it this time around, either, which may account for some of the delay. Why prioritize a bill that’s not likely to become law without having to override the veto? Maybe the delays are because lawmakers are working behind the scenes to make sure an override can happen before they bother to pass the bill.

That would make some degree of sense, so while it wouldn’t be moving as quickly as we’d like, it would be moving in ways that matter, just behind the scenes.

However, there’s no evidence of that actually happening. I’m just spitballing here, looking for a reason why the delay is happening. I don’t have any inside information, just an active imagination.

Sooner or later, North Carolina legislators are going to have to either poop or get off the pot. Don’t float constitutional carry, introduce a bill, then delay it into obscurity. That’s not exactly something gun rights advocates are going to tolerate. We demand action from our lawmakers, and if we don’t get it, we’re more than willing to support your replacement.

That’s not unique to one state, either. That’s nationwide.

North Carolina deserves constitutional carry. I know Stein doesn’t like it, but that’s his problem. Override the veto when it comes, make it happen, and make North Carolina safer.

We’ve already seen what anti-gun politicians can accomplish. We all saw the video from Charlotte. A poor, innocent woman was stabbed to death for no reason, and these people are tripping over themselves pretending that guns are the real problem instead of violent monsters walking among us.

Editor’s Note: President Trump and Republicans across the country are doing everything they can to protect our Second Amendment rights and right to self-defense.

Help us continue to report on their efforts and legislative successes. Join Bearing Arms VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your VIP membership.