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Democrats in Senate Confront Doubts at Home on Gun Laws
New York Fishwrap ^ | 1/24/13 | Peters

Posted on 01/24/2013 7:11:43 AM PST by pabianice

BECKLEY, W.Va. — Talk of stricter gun control has stirred up a lot of unease here, a place where hunters vie for top prize (a 26-inch LED television) in the Big Buck Photo Contest, and ads for a gun-simulator game ask, “Feel like shooting something today?”

Businessmen and community leaders in Beckley, W.Va., met with Senator Joe Manchin III last week to discuss gun control.

But before Senator Joe Manchin III invited a group of 15 businessmen and community leaders to lunch last week to discuss the topic, he had only a vague idea of how anxious many of his supporters were.

“How many of you all believe that there is a movement to take away the Second Amendment?” he asked.

About half the hands in the room went up.

Despite his best attempts to reassure them — “I see no movement, no talk, no bills, no nothing” — they remained skeptical. “We give up our rights one piece at a time,” a banker named Charlie Houck told the senator.

If there is a path to new gun laws, it has to come through West Virginia and a dozen other states with Democratic senators like Mr. Manchin who are confronting galvanized constituencies that view any effort to tighten gun laws as an infringement.

As Congress considers what, if any, laws to change, Mr. Manchin has become a barometer among his colleagues, testing just how far they might be able to go without angering voters.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Politics/Elections; US: West Virginia
KEYWORDS: awb2; banglist; guncontrol; rkba; secondamendment
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To: Fightin Whitey

I don’t see Bauchus ever being removed. Especially after Montanans reelected Tester.


21 posted on 01/24/2013 7:58:27 AM PST by cotton1706
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To: cotton1706
I emailed Alexander a few weeks ago about this and he replied as follows:

Thank you for sharing your feelings regarding the tragic shootings in Newtown, Connecticut. I was horrified by this attack that left twenty-eight dead. My thoughts and prayers are for the victims and those who now live with their loss.

As we learn more about the tragedy in Newtown, I think we must look closely at the behavior of isolated young men who develop an obsession with violence. We should ask the leaders of the entertainment industry whether they would want their children--or those who might harm their children--to watch the increasingly violent video games and movies that they pour into our culture. This is not the only cause of violence in our society but it is one important cause. Connecticut has strong gun laws. The problem is not with the gun but with the person pulling the trigger.(Emphasis added.)

This is a terrible event for our nation and we must find appropriate ways to respond. I’m grateful you’ve shared your reactions with me and will keep them in mind as we move forward.

He should stay on our side as long as we keep up the pressure, which this artice implies is working on the DemonRats.

22 posted on 01/24/2013 8:06:41 AM PST by libstripper
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To: sickoflibs

You underestimate the GOP’s ability(whether it is the House and Senate members) ability a to take a tailor-made issue opportunity to stick it to the Dems and yet piss it down the toilet.


23 posted on 01/24/2013 9:40:50 AM PST by princeofdarkness (The GOP is the present version of 1940 France and it will only get worse.)
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To: princeofdarkness

You underestimate the GOP’s ability(whether it is House or Senate members) to take a tailor-made issue opportunity to stick it to the Dems and yet piss it down the toilet.


24 posted on 01/24/2013 9:44:49 AM PST by princeofdarkness (The GOP is the present version of 1940 France and it will only get worse.)
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To: princeofdarkness; NFHale; Gilbo_3; ConservativeInPA
RE :”You underestimate the GOP’s ability(whether it is the House and Senate members) ability a to take a tailor-made issue opportunity to stick it to the Dems and yet piss it down the toilet.”

I know not to bet money on GOP beating O at anything but
you and many others here don't seem to understand, or admit it anyway, that the dynamics of this fight are completely different than say when all taxes will got up on most everyone automatically if the House GOP passes nothing, and the House Speaker will get national blame for it..and Rs lost the election and a main issue was taxes. No Speaker would have done that.

All guns DONT get banned now if the House GOP does nothing, so they can do what they want.

25 posted on 01/24/2013 10:15:05 AM PST by sickoflibs (Losing to O is NO principle!)
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To: cotton1706

A particularly disgusting event, that.

Rehberg made a terrible, blundering candidate against the fat slob Tester who ran against Obama the entire campaign.

Montana has turned blue in the university towns and in the rich scenic Californicator areas...plus like the Dakotas it has a tendency to elect tight-fisted Republicans at home but to vote for the pork in D.C.

Still the right candiate could whip Baucus. Former Governor Rascicot would beat him by 20 points but there’s no way he wants to be one of 50. The new attorney general (former Sec of State) Brad Johnson is good but he has to wait four years...


26 posted on 01/24/2013 10:29:51 AM PST by Fightin Whitey
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To: pabianice
Mr. Manchin has become a barometer among his colleagues, testing just how far they might be able to go without angering voters.

Wow ... that NRA endorsed, "A+" rated Joe Manchin sure is showing his true colors as an advocate fore freedom and a champion of the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, and a defender of the Constitution.

Not.

Hey Joe! Try REPEALING a few gun laws. You want to protect children? Quit hindering those who are charged with the care of those children. Quit disarming the good guys. Let parents, teachers, and administrators arm themselves for the protection of our children in school.

If it saves even one life, it's worth it.

Right?

Joe?

27 posted on 01/24/2013 10:36:53 AM PST by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilization is Aborting, Buggering, and Contracepting itself out of existence.)
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To: sickoflibs; NFHale
All guns DONT get banned now if the House GOP does nothing, so they can do what they want.

that is a fact...

BUT can the feckless bastards bring themselves to 'do nothing' in the face of a ginnned up *public outcry* for 'common sense', *for the chillun*, non-infringing [spit] new *laws* ???

color me skeptical...

28 posted on 01/24/2013 11:44:23 AM PST by Gilbo_3 (Gov is not reason; not eloquent; its force.Like fire,a dangerous servant & master. George Washington)
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To: Gilbo_3; NFHale
RE :”BUT can the feckless bastards bring themselves to ‘do nothing’ in the face of a ginnned up *public outcry* for ‘common sense’, *for the chillun*, non-infringing [spit] new *laws* ???’

How about the ‘children’??
The ones who posed with O said they wont be able to sleep at night until people can no longer buy guns.

You 2 hate kids or sumthin ???

29 posted on 01/24/2013 12:09:06 PM PST by sickoflibs (Losing to O is NO principle!)
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To: sickoflibs; Gilbo_3

“...You 2 hate kids or sumthin ???..”

Nope.

Just lib dems.


30 posted on 01/24/2013 12:47:37 PM PST by NFHale (The Second Amendment - By Any Means Necessary.)
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To: cripplecreek

That would require the GOP leadership to actually believe in something & to have a spine.


31 posted on 01/24/2013 1:00:52 PM PST by Nebr FAL owner
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To: Nebr FAL owner

They believe they want to be in the ruling/political class and they believe in protecting that class from losing power...


32 posted on 01/24/2013 1:03:54 PM PST by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
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To: sickoflibs

Bingo


33 posted on 01/24/2013 8:27:26 PM PST by Arthurio
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To: Arthurio
RE :”Bingo

Thanks, we both are glad to see them changing from a two year failed strategy and trying something new, (the failed) one that was demanded by many here even though they wont admit it.

Please see this 3 comment chain:

How to play immigration reform #79 and #84 and #85

34 posted on 01/24/2013 8:41:52 PM PST by sickoflibs (Losing to Dems and Obama is not a principle! Its just losing.)
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To: sickoflibs

I’d like to see Mitch McConnell publicly announce that he will not filibuster any gun control bill, and dare Reid to bring a bill to the floor for the vote.

Gun control is a winning issue for Republicans. They haven’t had many of those of late.


35 posted on 01/24/2013 10:28:38 PM PST by Arthurio
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To: Arthurio
RE :”I’d like to see Mitch McConnell publicly announce that he will not filibuster any gun control bill, and dare Reid to bring a bill to the floor for the vote.
Gun control is a winning issue for Republicans. They haven’t had many of those of late.”

Agreed, That's what I been preaching here the past few days,

Even with some of these polls showing ~ 63% want a ban on those guns (Morning Joe has been showing these each day) it misses the point that those people are concentrated in Blue states and many of these Dem Senators are not in those states,

One Dem on MSMBC threated Senate (NRA states) Dems that vote against these with Dem primary challenges, sound familiar?

this FR post made me laugh : Gun ban said to include handguns, shotguns (see #57)

36 posted on 01/25/2013 4:48:31 AM PST by sickoflibs (Losing to Dems and Obama is not a principle! Its just losing.)
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