While this legislative punishment prevents Delta from receiving a jet fuel tax break to the tune of $50 million dollars, it also sets a terrifying precedent: that a company can be punished by the government for its decision making. What’s more, the very GOP lawmakers who claimed companies such as Delta that cut ties with the NRA were doing so out of political intimidation from the left did that very thing by intimidating the company through economically damaging legislation.
The decision to legislate against Delta has been met with much criticism by both Democrats and Republicans. Free-market Republicans have argued that this type of legislation harms the economy and would have a disastrous impact on jobs and the local economic health in the state. The airline employs 33,000 people in Georgia alone and the tax break would arguably make the Atlanta-Hartsfield Airport move competitive. Democrats are obviously crying foul saying that a company shouldn’t be punished over its decision to cut a corporate partnership.
Political Cartoons on the Economy
Additionally, this is purely a political posturing move on behalf of the Georgia GOP, which has its primary on May 22 and sees this as an opportunity to bolster conservative credentials with pro-Second Amendment voters in a deep-red state. However, these lawmakers don’t realize that this move is far from conservative. It should be chastised by the national party. Sadly, it won’t be.
This is just another example of how unrecognizable the GOP has become, proving yet again that there are extreme factions within the party. The GOP’s platform used to be one of limited government, free-markets, pro-business and pro-free speech – all values that were cast aside by this awful legislation. The GOP should be put on notice with this move, because the political tides can always change, and while the GOP may hold a majority federally and in the states now, another election is around the corner.
The lawmakers in Georgia who are willing to politically intimidate companies through legislation should be ashamed of their decision and rethink their free-market and free speech credentials.
