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Friday, 27 June 2008 |
Jordan: SC’s ruling on handguns a win for Second Amendment rights
By MIKE BURKHOLDER
Staff Writer
An area Congressman says the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision striking down a handgun ban in Washington, D.C., is a victory for the U.S. Constitution.
U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, praised the 5-4 ruling that struck down the 1976 ban on handgun ownership in the District of Columbia.
Jordan also voiced his displeasure with the high court’s ruling prohibiting the death penalty in child rape cases.
“It looks like a good decision for those who believe in the Second Amendment,” Jordan said. “The ruling on the death penalty for those who commit terrible crimes against children was wrong. It was just a terrible decision.”
In a teleconference with regional media, Jordan also took shots at Democrats over the inability to authorize drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) as well as the outer shelf. The Congressman dismissed the notion that oil companies had sufficient land under lease and are not drilling to keep prices high.
“I think that is unfounded,” Jordan said. “This is not easy to do. You just don’t know where it is and it takes a lot to find it. It is important we open up more area because the supply is there.”
As crude oil prices soar to daily record highs, Jordan said an emphasis on exploration would bring prices down. By exploring for domestic crude oil supplies, Jordan said the nation could begin to develop its own energy independence.
“We should be looking to meet our energy needs in an independent way and domestically,” Jordan said. “It helps with our economy and it helps with national security. We hear all the estimates of how much oil is out there, but we don’t know unless we explore.”
With a $10 trillion national debt — one that grows larger every day — Jordan attacked the spending habits of his colleagues. Jordan said controlling spending and keeping President Bush’s tax cuts in place would have gone a long way in reducing the deficit.
“We have record spending and record tax increases,” Jordan said. “It is unfortunate that there is a lot of talking about addressing the concerns and not near enough action.”
If spending continues to escalate, Jordan said the economy could continue to sag.
Jordan also said if Congress does not address the deficit, the next generation of Americans risk taking over a historic amount of national debt.
“From a financial and a moral standpoint, we risk turning over a far worse financial situation to our children than we inherited,” Jordan said. “That’s the kind of spending they want to do here.” |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 30 June 2008 )
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