Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer is a “coward" who caved in to “economic blackmail" in vetoing a bill that would have allowed businesses to deny service to gays based on religious convictions, National Review writer A.J. Delgado said Thursday.
In a panel discussion that also involved Less Government founder Seton Motley on “The Steve Malzberg Show" on Newsmax TV, Delgado said the veto was "intruding upon and violating our own First Amendment for something that doesn’t even cause anyone a real burden."
"It’s economic blackmail," Delgado said, noting the displeasure over the bill from corporations. “Brewer is a coward, essentially, at least in this regard. She bowed down to these interests that were pressuring her economically, blackmailing her [by] . . . telling her, you're not going to get the Super Bowl, Arizona will be boycotted."
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“Let’s face it, the gay lobby is much more vocal and powerful than the devout Christian lobby or devout Orthodox Jew or Muslim, who are the people that might be offended . . . and might find their religious liberties violated," he added. “When it comes to a politician, they're probably going to fight with the politically correct [arguments] . . . because they're just more powerful and just louder."
Motley railed at those who argue there’s a constitutional guarantee for same-sex marriage.
"If gay marriage is ensconced in the Constitution, how come we didn't have it for the first 250 years of our nation's history?" he asked. "If gay marriage were constitutionally guaranteed, we would've had gay marriage in 1785."
Delgado called it unfortunate “the law can be twisted and turned."
“With activist judges, … they'll just come up with what it is they want to find and find a way to rationalize it out in an opinion," he said.
“And if the country's going in the direction of gay marriage, which we are, there will be opinions finding that that right is entrenched somewhere somehow. They'll find a way."
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