By Publius

Ohio has attempted to pass liberalized firearms laws for over a decade, always under Republican-controlled administrations. This 12+ years of Republican “leadership” resulted in Ohio being one of the very last states to adopt concealed carry, while also having the distinction of being the worst “shall issue” concealed carry law in the United States. As we have attempted to improve our poison-pilled law this General Assembly session, we have once again done so while battling Republican “leadership” every step of the way.

It is time to speak plainly – Ohio’s Republican leadership is anti-gun, despite the occasional Kerry-esque protestations to the contrary.

A quick review of the cast of characters over the past 12 years shows who our greatest hurdles were – Governor George Voinovich, House Speaker Jo Ann Davidson, Senate President Doug White, Governor Bob Taft. With the Ohio Senate postponing action on H.B. 347 until after the fall elections, a decision that cannot be viewed as benign to gun owner interests, we must now ask: Et tu, Senate President Bill Harris?

I sit here looking at my desk full of various GOP solicitations for money, for help, for ideas, and start to dutifully pick up my pen and checkbook, as I have for the past decade. I have been to two GOP fundraisers this month, volunteered for numerous primary campaigns, I am supposed to help host a fundraiser in a few weeks……...then the thought hits me, what am I doing?

It has been very easy over the past decade to write off GOP obstruction of gun rights legislation as a “leadership” problem. Just wait until next election cycle, just wait, just wait again. It is the leadership, we need another Governor, another Senate President, another House Speaker. So I have dutifully written my checks, posted the yard signs, worked the phone banks, worked the fundraisers, because after all, my local candidate isn’t leadership. It isn’t fair to take it out on the local person, he’s good on my issues, and is a heck of a guy. Why should s/he be punished for the sins of “leadership”?

No more.

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