"We believe we have a divine responsibility ... to protect your civil liberties and the rights of the unborn."
—Gov. Phil Bryant, speaking at the Neshoba County Fair, on why he works to outlaw abortion, promote prayer in public schools and protect gun rights.
Why it stinks: Bryant doesn't have a direct link to God, and, while he wastes the state's time and resources fighting a battle that conservatives lost four decades ago, many Mississippians will suffer from fixable problems.
Bryant has grabbed headlines across the country for his stand against abortion and for prayer in public schools, but the U.S. Supreme Court settled these debates in 1973 and 1962, respectively. The Neshoba Democrat also quotes Bryant as saying, "I live in downtown Jackson in public housing ... I hear about crime," while in the same speech advocating open-carry laws for guns.
It's disappointing that Gov. Bryant would rather score cheap political capital with his base than work toward meeting the challenges of the 21st century.
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