“On the way to gun reform in Wisconsin, constitutional carry got mugged,” explains Terry Gray, Madison, Chair of the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin.

“It looked like Wisconsin’s gun control statutes would finally come in line with our state constitution. A Republican legislative majority promised reform, the Republican governor promised to sign whatever concealed carry bill reached his desk, and committee hearing testimony overwhelmingly supported constitutional carry,” said Gray. “Suddenly a new permit system and mandatory training was imposed, killing constitutional carry.”

The state constitution (Article I, Section 25) says that “The people” have the right to bear arms for “any lawful purpose.” Responding to SB 93, following weeks of obfuscation and political posturing, Governor Walker was able to force Republicans in the Senate and Assembly to give up on their principles and restrict the number of “the people” who could bear arms.  In doing so, the legislators had to ignore their campaign promises, hearing testimonies by “the people,” and the GOP party platform, which called for voluntary, not mandatory training.

“There was nothing standing in the way of giving Wisconsin citizens the constitutional right to bear arms they were promised when they voted to approve the Keep and Bear Arms amendment in 1998, except Governor Walker and his Republican collaborators. They may try to convince constituents that they have been done a favor but it was a scam which gun owners have to pay for, unlike our other constitutional rights.”

“Madison has turned our constitutional right into a privilege, for those people willing to pay for it. That is just wrong,” insists LPWI Past Chair, Jim Maas, Rothschild, where the Governor will sign away the rights of “the people” on Friday.

The Libertarian Party of Wisconsin, the “Party of Principle”, has a platform of beliefs which states, “We believe the right to keep and bear arms should not be infringed. We therefore oppose all laws which tax or otherwise restrict the ownership, open or concealed carry, manufacture, transfer, or sale of firearms or ammunition.”

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