NC GOP Should Pay $500,000 Bill for HB2

I would like to make a modest proposal. Governor McCrory and his GOP cronies want to stiff taxpayers a half million dollars in legal expenses to defend the unconstitutional, HB2 “bathroom bill” in federal court. I say let the Republican Party pay for it– not the North Carolina taxpayers.

The GOP Assembly surreptitiously passed a bill authorizing the transfer of $500,000 dollars from the state’s disaster relief fund into Governor McCrory’s private budget. That would put North Carolina in desperate straits should a hurricane strike the Tar Heel state this year. This frivolous legal maneuver is another example of why North Carolina has been stigmatized as backward, bigoted and out of touch with current social norms.

Haven’t we been penalized enough due to the massive cancellation of major conventions, sporting events, and concerts because sponsors are boycotting the GOP anti-transgender law?

The economic impact could be catastrophic. At this point it has been estimated Governor McCrory and the general assembly have caused the state to lose $87 million in revenue. And it could get worse—much worse– with some economists predicting the state over the longer term could suffer losses of more than half a billion dollars. Not to mention businesses that have decided to move elsewhere.

Think how those lost dollars could be directed toward improving our schools and colleges and maybe easing the mountain of debt that burdens our college students today.

My modest proposal concludes with this urgent plea to Governor McCrory and the General Assembly: repeal HB2 and its corrosive effects upon our economy and our social fabric. It’s not too late to do the right thing.

–Walt Mack

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