Gun rights: Unlike Oregon, Vermont Dems follow constitution

by NW Spotlight

A tale of two Democratic state Senate Judiciary chairs

Vermont

Vermont’s Senate Judiciary Chairman, a Democrat, doesn’t see a need to expand background checks on gun purchases. Additionally, he sees state background checks as being at odds with the 16th Article of the Vermont Constitution, which says:

“The people have a right to bear arms for the defense of themselves and the State.”

He says he reads this as being stronger protection of Vermont gun owners’ rights than the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution:

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

Vermont Watchdog.org reports “While Vermont has among the highest gun ownership per capita, recent FBI crime statistics show the state is the safest in the nation.”

Oregon

Contrast this with Oregon’s Senate Judiciary Chairman, Floyd Prozanski, also a Democrat. Prozanski does want to pass expanded state background checks. He wants to do this despite Oregon’s Constitution, Article I, Section 27, which reads:

“ The people shall have the right to bear arms for the defence [sic] of themselves, and the State, but the Military shall be kept in strict subordination to the civil power[.]”

Unfortunately for Oregon, Democrats here feel they only have to follow laws and the Constitution when it suits them.