Comments about ‘A likely losing battle’

Utah legislators never let reality, the budget, or the U.S. Constitution get in the way of a self-righteous tantrum.

Spot on. Thank God for the U.S. Constitution, particularly the supremacy clause, which protects us from imbeciles such as we seem to have in the state legislature. The amazing thing is that a majority of these elected officials would even consider voting for such an ill-advised law.

"A likely losing battle"? No kidding. When will the arrogance in the legislature come to an end? We are short on resources and they want a senseless battle in the courts. Do they not notice that the Civil War ended in 1865? But what is telling is that this silliness is partisan based. They were relatively quiet when the GOP controlled the White House. This tells me that their partisanship is more important than their citizenship. They are essentially unpatriotic, rejecting the results of an election conducted under the same Constitution and laws that led to election of George Bush.

It is a sad thing for Utahns that their government would rather redistribute their tax money into the pockets of lawyers than to prevent the layoff of 500 teachers.

However, if they persist, there might be a solution.

How about we levy a tax on guns and gun ownership to pay for the attorney fees.

"which protects us from imbeciles such as we seem to have in the state legislature"

What protects us from the inbeciles in congress? Someone needs to draw a line in the sand. Those folks in DC are so dense it will take many lines in the sand, over a long period of time. When is it a waste of resources to work to reclaim liberty?

I tend to agree with this editorial and Governor Herbert but not for the same reasons as the haters above. This is not the time for this battle. Sort of like Obama pursuing health insurance reform like a madman while the economy has dragged to a standstill

Amen to the letter, well-stated and backed up.

@ToAndrew (9:35)

"What protects us from the imbeciles in congress?"

Other than vetoes and judicial review (institutional checks), there are two primary protections: regular elections and constitutional conventions (democratic checks).

In other words, we have to protect ourselves from imbeciles in congress, every November when we go to vote. If we fail in that, we can only blame ourselves.

Where was the Deseret News' faux outrage when the University of Utah squandered $600,000 fighting against complying with the plain language of Utah law that allows legally carried self defense guns on their campus? That law was finally upheld in court and the U blew all that money.

Would the editors be as opposed to defending Constitutionally protected rights if it was the First Amendment being infringed, instead of the Second?

The "interstate commerce clause" has become an excuse to justify federal meddling in virtually ANY activity in the country. That is clearly contrary to the founders' original intent, and is intolerable. The men and women who founded our country, and our state, sacrificed blood and treasure to win our freedoms, and we must not shirk from defending them, just because it may cost some money to stand up to bullying in court.

Bravo to the legislature for passing this necessary bill.

Gov. Herbert needs to sign it.

I applaud the desire to eliminate unnecessary expenditures, but some things just MUST be defended at all costs. Freedom is one, and the primary one.

Yeah, defending the constitution is only worth fighting for when we're overflowing with money...

What a ridiculous editorial. I'm glad our founding fathers weren't such fair weather friends of freedom, only fighting when it was easy.

Don't rock the boat! The Feds may pull the plug on our new NSA center!

The poor arms manufacture in Utah whose trying for a federal contract will suffer. This is a great day for H&K.

"A gun made and sold in-state can't be considered interstate commerce." Perhaps, but that doesn't mean that the feds can't regulate it under their authority over interstate commerce--they can. This question was answered long ago.

I suppose the good news is that the law is so clear that it shouldn't take a lot of money to litigate.

Amen, and thank you to the Deseret News for expressing this opinion. I have a hard time figuring out what the sponsor and supporter of this bill are thinking. In these hard economic times with vital services being cut, why to they think they can enter an expensive and probably unwinnable lawsuit just to "sent a message" to the federal government? Just when do they think Utah ceded from the Union?
I, like the Deseret News, urge Governor Herbert to veto this bill.

If something is made and sold ONLY in state,

how is that INTERstate commerce?

Some of the comments above remind me of what the seceding Confederates used to justify their rebellion. State supremacy over the Federal? It doesn't work. Any object created in Utah can easily be transported to another state. Thus, used only in Utah becomes a farce. The federal government is in the right in this.

The feds can regulate commercial items that don't cross state lines because those items still affect interstate commerce--i.e., the gun made, sold, and used only in Utah affects interstate commerce because it reduces the demand for guns made elsewhere to be shipped here.

I am proud to be an American. It has become very clear that those we chose to represent us here in Utah are not only unpatriotic, but anti-American judging from their attacks on the Federal government.

These self-righteous bills will pass, be signed into law and then struck down as unconstitutional. It will drain millions from our state coffers, money that should have been used on children, the handicapped, the sick and the old. Repubicans have lost sight of the Constitution and only care in profitting from re-election or bribes.

"affects interstate commerce because it reduces the demand for guns made elsewhere to be shipped here."

Using that as example, the Federal government could regulate tomatoes grow in my backyard because it affects "interstate commerce". That is the dumbest argument ever. Maybe we should impose a Federal tax on people that grow their own gardens, just like people that build their own NFA firearms.

I would like to see bill this go into law. Freedom from oppression is always worth fighting for.