OPINION Letters to the Editor: [email protected] the Personal Constitution: Natrona Tribune: Est
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C2 | SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2021 CASPER STAR-TRIBUNE Contact OPINION Letters to the editor: [email protected] The Personal Constitution: Natrona Tribune: Est. in 1891; The Casper Daily Tribune: Est. Oct. 9, 1916, by J.E. Hanway; The Casper Star: Est. in 1949 | A Lee Enterprises newspaper 170 Star Lane, Casper, WY 82604 Embodied in First Amendment [email protected] | 307-266-0500 ext. 0 MICHELLE ROBINSON he concept of the “Personal The “great object” of the Bill President Constitution,” which we in- of Rights, James Madison had What were DALE BOHREN Publisher Emeritus T troduced in this column last said, when introducing his draft JOSHUA WOLFSON Editor week, is personifi ed in the First of amendments to the House of they thinking? SALLY ANN SHURMUR Community News Editor Amendment freedoms, particu- Representatives, was to “limit and The Constitution is currently a COMMUNITY BOARD MEMBERS: larly in the rights of religious lib- qualify the powers of Govern- hot topic, but many honestly may Steve Degenfelder erty and freedom ment,” for the purpose of making have a more shallow depth of Dave Freudenthal of expression. The certain that none of the powers knowledge than needed to pro- Jamie Purcell exercise of these granted to the government could ductively discuss the Constitution, liberties summons be exercised in forbidden fi elds, its impact on our government and the most funda- including religion. Since Con- our daily lives. With that in mind, mental beliefs that gress was granted no authority the Star-Tribune is pleased to human beings pos- to impose religious orthodoxy, present this weekly column, writ- STAR-TRIBUNE EDITORIAL DAVID sess. or otherwise establish an offi cial ten specifi cally for Star-Tribune ADLER The First church or religion, the assertion readers, by Dr. David Adler, one Amendment af- that Congress could provide of the country’s leading Constitu- Medicaid expansion fords protection aid to religion in general would tional experts. The Star-Tribune for the component parts of the mean that the First Amendment welcomes your participation in human spirit and the freedom of was actually “adding” powers to the discussion. Submit your Letter conscience — emotions, beliefs the congressional arsenal. That to the Editor at [email protected]. opponents need to and reason. Nothing in the Con- view would contradict what stitution is more personal than Madison had said, that the First this protection. Various views and Amendment was intended to the First Amendment, for natural strains of thought were entwined restrict Congress to the powers it reasons. Those who discovered provide solutions in shaping the First Amendment. possessed in Article I of the Con- the path to salvation would feel The Framers began the initial stitution, and since it had no au- the need and certainly the right STAR-TRIBUNE EDITORIAL BOARD amendment with the words: thority to legislate in the fi eld of or even the duty to share the or a moment, it seemed like this year might be diff erent. “Congress shall make no law re- religion, it could not support re- gospel with others. Freedom of F Over a period of a decade, supporters of Medicaid expansion specting an establishment of reli- ligion on any basis. To assert that expression would serve both the repeatedly brought the program before the Wyoming Legis- gion or prohibiting the free exer- an express prohibition on power speaker and the listener. Sup- lature. They made the case, with data and studies, that expanding cise thereof.” Freedom of speech, creates power is wholly arbitrary pression would thus deny to both Medicaid to cover roughly 24,000 additional Wyomingites — mem- press, assembly and the right to and without any merit. parties the communication of bers of the working poor, the majority of which are single mothers petition government followed the The starting point for the free- an important message, perhaps — is the right thing to do. It would help a vulnerable population avoid religion clauses. dom of religion, then, was found one critical to gaining entry to an the prospect of inadequate health care and medical bills they can The prominence of religious in the Establishment Clause. The afterlife. The concept of broader never pay. freedom in the minds of the freedom of religion, carved out spiritual liberty was derived from That’s our humanitarian Founders was understandable, specifi cally in the “Free Exer- a more narrow religious focus. Disclaimer pitch. Now for the economic given the fact that American cise Clause,” the Supreme Court Men and women who might not said for the fi rst time in 1940, in embrace a specifi c church doc- The opinions of the Casper one, which is more glaring than colonists belonged to various Cantwell v. Connecticut, “em- trine, would suff er a violation of Star-Tribune Editorial Board ever before. For that, in the face churches. Recall that many had braces two concepts — freedom their freedom of expression and represent the views of a ma- of a persistent budget shortfall, fl ed European countries to es- to believe and freedom to act. The spiritual liberty, if they were de- jority of its members. Not all lawmakers owe the state’s citi- cape religious oppression. The fi rst is absolute but, in the nature nied access to other speakers and members will necessarily agree zens and businesses an answer. Founders rejected in the “Estab- of things, the second cannot be. listeners. on all parts of a published ed- The 2021 expansion bill was lishment Clause,” the very idea Conduct remains subject to the The existence of freedom of re- itorial. a great improvement from past that government could impose versions. It would have added upon the people an offi cial church regulation of society.” There is, ligion and freedom of expression, a net $39 million to the state’s or even religious orthodoxy. of course, no need for a consti- born of similar concerns, are more general fund budget and included two escape clauses if the federal Thomas Jeff erson’s Virginia Stat- tutional guarantee protecting a intensely personal than any other government revoked its side of the deal. ute of Religious Liberty, adopted freedom to “believe,” since, as liberty protected by the Constitu- These economics obviously made a diff erence last month to the in 1786, formed the basis for the the Common Law held, “the devil tion. They embody the essence of Wyoming House of Representatives — resulting in the program gaining First Amendment’s Establish- himself knows not the thoughts of the Personal Constitution. support of a legislative chamber for the fi rst time. It received back- ment Clause, and declared that man.” The regulation of conduct ing from key legislative fi gures, including Rep. Steve Harshman, the no person should be compelled to in the name of religion will be ad- David Adler, PHD, is a noted Casper Republican and former speaker of the House, who was a past frequent or support any religious dressed at a later date, but suffi ce author who lectures nationally and opponent of expansion. It even gained the Wyoming Business Alli- worship nor suff er on account it to say, that a citizen’s thoughts internationally on the Constitution, ance’s support. But its momentum faltered in a Senate committee, of religious opinions and beliefs. and beliefs are off limits to the the Bill of Rights and Presidential which defeated expansion by a 3-2 vote when Sen. Troy McKeown, Congress, through its authority to government. power. His scholarly writings have R-Campbell County, fl ipped from his previous vote in favor of the bill. enact laws, was meant to stay out The intensely personal freedom been cited by the US Supreme Court During the debate, we heard the same tired arguments that oppo- of the realm of religion, leaving of religion, exercised through and lower courts by both Democrats nents have been making for almost 10 years. They warned that the the people free to decide whether one’s exploration of the universe and Republicans in the US Congress. program would soon collapse, even though years of dire predictions or not to worship and, if they did, and relationship to God, was He can be reached at david.adler@ have all proven erroneous. We heard that Medicaid expansion was how they would worship. linked to freedom of expression in alturasinstitute.com “socialized medicine,” while conveniently ignoring that Wyoming- ites are not clamoring to rid themselves of government health pro- grams like Medicare, Medicaid and the VA. We heard that Wyoming can’t count on federal funding, even though it already does in many other areas of government — overall, more than 35%, in fact. State gets one less tax exemption What we didn’t hear was an alternative. Opponents have plenty of criticisms, but what they don’t possess are solutions. And solutions HEYENNE —During the re- committee vote in support. The out of Case’s committee and send are what we need. Ccently completed session, leg- sole no vote came from the chair- it to the Senate Labor, Health and Lawmakers that did not support expansion need to explain why islators dug up a seldom-used man, Sen. Cale Case, R-Fremont. Social Services failed on a 14-16 the status quo is better than the alternative. Wyoming hospitals will parliamentary move to dictate the The bill would have extended vote. continue to provide roughly $100 million a year in uncompensated management of three bills. an existing sales tax exemption for This means the railroad rolling care to those who cannot pay. Wyomingites with private insurance The tool was the motion to services and repairs of railroad roll- stock tax exemption will expire on will continue to pay higher medical bills when some of those costs are “recall” a bill to ing stock until 2026.