Today marks the 237th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution and serves as a poignant reminder of the rights and freedoms that were established centuries ago, shaping America into the land of opportunity and the global leader we are today.
The Constitution enshrined our individual liberties and freedom of choice – both of which have been foundational for the growth of our nation’s residents, businesses, and economy. These liberties empower Americans of all walks of life – taxpayers, job creators on Main Street and Wall Street and more – to make their own decisions. Unfortunately, some of these ideals are being undermined by legislation that prioritizes political points over free markets.
As former Congressman Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) and Tim Doyle of Centerline Liberties recently outlined, “Texas and Oklahoma have passed laws that… undermine the competitive nature of financial markets, potentially driving up costs and limiting investment opportunities.” Many of these attacks are coming from both sides of the aisle, harming taxpayers and limiting businesses’ freedom to operate in states.
The National Taxpayers Union’s Brandon Arnold noted that these policies make it appear that “Texas is seemingly trying to emulate California.” As Arnold wrote for Fox News, “California lawmakers forced its largest pension funds – which manage the retirement savings of teachers and state employees – to divest of tobacco investments. While the elected officials making these decisions might have scored political points by doing so, their actions cost retirees $4.3 billion, according to a report.” Arnold concluded, “Simply put, all politicians should stop using taxpayers as their pawns as they duke it out in the culture war.”
Former Chairman of the U.S. House Financial Services Committee Jeb Hensarling recently echoed similar sentiments for the Wall Street Journal, warning, “as populist conservative elected officials begin to legislate business practices, they must be careful not to sacrifice free speech, free enterprise and limited government. These freedoms remain foundational to our culture, and we must protect them.”
As we commemorate Constitution Day, we should reaffirm our commitment to the freedom principles on which this nation was founded, stand together, and continue our fight to protect the rights of American businesses and taxpayers nationwide.
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