Posted on 05/06/2015 10:21:32 AM PDT by Second Amendment First
He supported the most reprehensible pro-gun legislation in recent memory.
When Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders jumped into the 2016 presidential race, he was widely hailed as a far-left socialist who would appeal to the liberal wing of the Democratic Party. A liberal challenge to Hillary Clinton, said Politico. True progressives’ liberal alternative, trumpeted FiveThirtyEight. But before liberal Democrats flock to Sanders, they should remember that the Vermont senator stands firmly to Clinton’s right on one issue of overwhelming importance to the Democratic base: gun control. During his time in Congress, Sanders opposed several moderate gun control bills. He also supported the most odious NRA–backed law in recent memory—one that may block Sandy Hook families from winning a lawsuit against the manufacturer of the gun used to massacre their children.
Sanders, an economic populist and middle-class pugilist, doesn’t talk much about guns on the campaign trail. But his voting record paints the picture of a legislator who is both skeptical of gun control and invested in the interests of gun owners—and manufacturers. In 1993, then-Rep. Sanders voted against the Brady Act, which mandated federal background checks for gun purchasers and restricted felons’ access to firearms. As a senator, Sanders supported bills to allow firearms in checked bags on Amtrak trains and block funding to any foreign aid organization that registered or taxed Americans’ guns. Sanders is dubious that gun control could help prevent gun violence, telling one interviewer after Sandy Hook that “if you passed the strongest gun control legislation tomorrow, I don’t think it will have a profound effect on the tragedies we have seen.” (He has since endorsed some modest gun control measures.)
(Excerpt) Read more at slate.com ...
Yes, I was just reading this myself yesterday. He’s very pro-gun rights, 2nd Amendment. He may have some sort of other Libertarian/Conservative bend on another issue. He’s probably a bit in the same vein as Kucinich.
Sanders will vote against gun rights when the Democrats need him to. His “Independent” label is a laughable misnomer.
Well, he’s 73 years old so he hasn’t caved in yet.
Holy Carp! His base could not have a candidate who is any closer to their core values, and yet they are criping because he is not 101% in agreement with them.
It almost makes me feel sorry for him.
So what...he’s a threat to our Queen pre-coronation! Off with his head!
I wasn’t aware that the Sandy Hook Parents were trying to Sue the Manufacturer of the Rifle used in the Crime.
I guess if the Perp used his Mother’s Chevy Suburban to run down the Kids in a School Crosswalk, they would sue GM and Obama?
Vermont has the most pro-2nd Amendment gun laws in the country. It also has one of the lowest murder rates among the states.
I love the sound of the gun control faggots over at Slate peeing their Underoos over anything that takes away from their wet dreams of disarming America. Even if it’s Bernie The Communist Sanders.
Did democrats encourage ultra-ultra lefty Bernie to jump into the race in order to make ultra lefty Hillary seem less extreme?
That can’t be right. According to many FReepers, the “Sandy Hook parents” don’t exist, they are all “paid actors”.
/sarc
This does not surprise me. While the media tends to talk a lot about the gun culture of Texas and other places in the southern and western United States, it is actually Vermont that may deserve more the distinction of a gun owner’s paradise. There are very few restrictions concerning the legal acquisition and possession and carrying of firearms there, accompanied by very a extremely low crime rate.
As a result, the bullying and scaremongering tactics used by firearms prohibitionists are effectively challenged when citing places like Vermont and Switzerland as examples decent and law abiding people living very peacefully with high gun ownership rates.
From the horse’s mouth. Seems like a pretty big cave in to me.
That’s too bad, well, I am no aware of all of his stances, I barely know who this Sanders is except that he will be trying to run a campaign against Hillary. In the end, I know he’s a Democrat, that’s about all I need to know.
Liberal Democrats representing largely rural states or districts are usually pro-gun rights, or at least quiet about gun control. Until recently, Harry Reid had a B-rating from the NRA too. Vermont has lots of hunters and farmers, and Nevada has a lot of ranchers who may not be hard right on other issues but who also won't stomach gun control.
What's more interesting is how the DNC and the liberal media will play this. As far as they're concerned, Sanders stands in the way of Hillary's coronation - they have the same attitude towards his candidacy as Karl Rove's team and the RNC have towards Ted Cruz, who is standing in the way of Jeb's coronation. Consequently, you can expect the Democrats to harp a lot about Sanders' support for gun ownership as a talking point with hippie leftists who might vote for him. That may be just enough to scare them into voting for Hillary.
Liberalism is a totalitarian ideology. It doesn't tolerate deviation from the party line on ANY issue.
The “odious” and “reprehensible” is typical liberal quackspeak on guns — but it’s intriguing that Slate feels the need to help Hillary by attacking a potential rival from the Left.
I’ve been wondering if she’s secretly funding his campaign.
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