Editorial from The Dominion Post, Morgantown, West Virginia
Sifting through national commentaries lately, we’ve been struck by a sense of d éj à vu. Syndicated columnists, editorial boards and less-frequent commentators are addressing many of the same political issues.
Bans on gender affirming care, drag shows, “critical race theory ” and abortion, as well as pushes to crack down on nonexistent voter fraud and efforts to defund public education in the name of “school choice.”
The similarities between what’s happening in (particularly southern and red) states across the country are uncanny.
But that in itself is a stark reminder that so much of what’s happening in statehouses lately isn’t being driven by local needs and wants, but by national organizations pushing radical agendas.
We’ve previously discussed form /model bills in the past: They’re pieces of legislation written by special interest groups and sent to lawmakers across the nation.
It’s equal parts disappointing and frustrating to see how much effort legislators are putting into national culture war issues and how little effort they’re putting into local infrastructure and social services.
Child protection laws, economic diversity, lack of affordable housing, food deserts and lack of affordable child care are local issues in need of urgent attention. Add infrastructure, in particular, crumbling roads, to that list.
Legislators take office with a commitment to author and co-author legislation turning their campaign proposals into law. Commitments to voters and attention on important human services and infrastructure needs should not fall prey locally, or nationally, to culture war agendas often put forward by organizations with no allegiances beyond their own ranks.
We can take heart in knowing forthright legislators can ignore special interest distractions.
