What N.C. House Republicans lack in ethics, morality, honesty, trustworthiness, integrity and negotiation skills, they make up for and excel in sneaky, devious, lying, deceptive trickery behavior. (“Override of budget bill veto defended”)

When House Speaker Tim Moore said that he would get the budget passed one way or another, any reasonable person would conclude that they would go back to the bargaining table and hammer out a deal — aka the democratic process. Not sleight of hand and deception.

Reps. Larry Pittman, Harry Warren, Julia Howard and their Republicans colleagues can rationalize their dishonest actions any way they want. It does not excuse their blatant disrespect for the democratic process. It does not make it right.

So tell me, Mr. Warren, you justified your deception by claiming that you were only bringing home the bacon for your constituents. Voting against it would be “unconscionable.” Really? Are you to have us believe that the inducements would not have been in the budget if they were negotiated honestly?

You were willing to lie and cheat for your constituents. What would it take for you to loot and pillage? Do the ends justify the means? Or are you so certain in your convictions that being dishonest is justified.

Mr. Pittman states that what the Republicans did was legal. But was it ethical? Or is that something we only talk about on Sunday.

At stake in the budget negotiations was the expansion of Medicaid. More money for teachers and schools. Investments in infrastructure. Poof! Gone.

— Michael Young

Salisbury