Column: Bernie Sanders misfires on gun law repeal

Chicago Tribune ^ | 20 jan 2016 | Eric Zorn

[rellimpank]

I considered it a point in Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' favor that he voted to grant gun manufacturers and dealers broad exemptions from legal liability.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Sanders' main rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, had been hammering Sanders on the campaign trail for supporting the 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, a bill protecting those who make and sell firearms from lawsuits after those firearms are used in crimes.

The early 2000s had seen a proliferation of such lawsuits filed by or on behalf of victims of gun violence, some of which were part of a political strategy to financially cripple the gun industry and achieve in civil courts what was impossible to achieve in the nation's legislatures — vastly restricting the ownership of firearms.

It was a back-door tactic, and Sanders recognized it as unfair.

This is how Sanders put it last fall during an early debate: "If somebody has a gun and it falls into the hands of a murderer and that murderer kills somebody with the gun, do you hold the gun manufacturer responsible?" He continued: "Not any more than you would hold a hammer company responsible if somebody beats somebody over the head with a hammer."

[rellimpank]

--about fell out of my chair over this from one of the Trib's leading anti-gunners-

[Sasparilla]

A rare lucid moment from a fringe lunatic liberal.

[libertylover]

Not any more than you would hold a hammer company responsible if somebody beats somebody over the head with a hammer.

At least Sanders has a little bit of sense. At least "had".

[bravo whiskey]

I believe he has already flipped on this after bring called out by HRC.

[Yo-Yo]

I considered it a point in Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' favor that he voted to grant gun manufacturers and dealers broad exemptions from legal liability harassment.