Posted on 04/19/2015 9:20:19 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
LITCHFIELD, N.H.—Appealing to New Hampshire’s powerful gun culture, Sen. Ted Cruz said Sunday that he’s “pressing” Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain to hold hearings on whether soldiers should be allowed to carry their own concealed firearms onto military bases.
“I am very concerned about that policy,” the Texas senator told 120 gun owners at a hunting club here, before taking a trip to a firing range for some target practice. “I think it’s very important to have a public discussion about why we’re denying our soldiers the ability to exercise their Second Amendment rights.”
Defense Department leaders oppose relaxing the ban, which was enacted under George H.W. Bush.
Flanked by a flapping Gadsden flag on a crisp afternoon, he spent the better part of an hour-long town hall at the Londonberry Fish & Game Club touting his record on the Second Amendment. His wife, Heidi, stood behind him wearing a black cap that said “Armed & Fabulous.”
After three mass shootings at military installations in five years, including another at Ford Hood last year, pro-gun activists have argued that letting troops arm themselves on the job would give them a better ability to defend themselves.
Generals have argued that only military police officers should be able to carry weapons freely around base. Many in the chain of command believe more guns would only lead to more violence, especially among those who suffer from mental instability as a consequence of combat.
“I want to give an opportunity for the military leadership to lay out their views,” Cruz told a woman who asked him about the issue.
Cruz said he is not afraid to take on the brass. He touted his success at persuading every Republican and Democrat on the Armed Services Committee to support a bill that awarded Purple Hearts to every soldier wounded in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting. The government resisted giving out the medals on the grounds that it was not in combat.
“We did it over the active opposition of the Obama Pentagon,” he said.
Cruz, who entered the Senate in 2013, is making an aggressive effort to overcome the criticism that he lacks the accomplishments to justify running for president. Part of that is embracing the old Bill Buckley definition of conservatism (“a fellow who is standing athwart history, yelling stop”).
The senator took credit for helping block any new laws in the aftermath of the elementary school massacre in Newtown, Connecticut. He said many in the Senate Republican conference believed tough new laws were inevitable after the horrific act.
“If y’all were sitting in the Senate Republican lunches, you’d have jumped out the window, because the sentiment there was that ‘this is a freight train, it can’t be stopped, get out of the way,’” Cruz recalled
He recalled partnering with Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and Utah Sen. Mike Lee to pledge a filibuster of any gun-related bill the Friday before a two-week recess.
“What we were trying to do was real simple: slow things down,” he said.
Cruz said background check laws might have passed had gun groups not mobilized to put pressure on wavering Republicans.
Gun rights are a big deal in the Live Free or Die state. Scott Brown’s support for an assault weapons ban and other gun laws, dating to his time in Massachusetts, was the primary reason that he won less than 50 percent of the vote in the GOP Senate primary last September.
All the Republicans pledge support for gun rights, and many will try to one-up each other going into next February’s primary.
Leaders from several gun groups, including Gun Rights Across America, the New Hampshire Firearms Coalition and the Women’s Defense League, gave Cruz a very positive reception.
The woman who introduced the senator noted the significance of Sunday being April 19, the day that the American Revolution began. “Civilian firearms ownership freed the colonies,” she said. “We want to keep it that way.”
When his microphone cut out, Cruz jokingly blamed Attorney General Eric Holder for cutting it off. Then he began to yell so that the crowd of 120 could hear.
During his visit to New Hampshire this week, Jeb Bush said he thinks the Senate should confirm Loretta Lynch as attorney general.
Cruz, for this part, heavily emphasized on both Saturday and Sunday that he’s “leading the fight” against her nomination.
“We understand that in a Republican primary everyone comes along and says they’re most conservative,” he said. “I’m confident you’re not going to see a Republican come to the state of New Hampshire and say, ‘You know what? I’m an establishment moderate who stands for nothing.’ They’re not going to admit that.”
Cruz went shooting after his speech, but reporters were not allowed to go with him to the firing range.
One of the most interesting moments from Cruz’s exchange with the activists came when he complained about how much of his time he spends fundraising.
“I’ve told my six-year-old daughter, ‘Running for office is real simple: you just surgically disconnect your shame sensor,’” he said. “Because you spend every day asking people for money. You walk up and say, ‘How are you doing, sir? Can I have money? Great to see you, lovely shirt, please give me money.’ That’s what running for office is like.”
Cruz, the son of a Cuban refugee, said he puts up with the hassle because he thinks the future of the country is at stake.
“If we lose our freedom here,” he asked, “where do we go?”
Sound wisdom. They can't be trusted.
“If we lose our freedom here, where do we go?”
Currently, Israel. Probably in the future, the Republic of Texas.
The stunning hypocrisy that we allow our soldiers to carry weapons into battle, but not on base is what makes them a sitting target from “workplace violence”...otherwise known as “Sudden Jihad Syndrome”.
Right on Mr Cruz.
“We did it over the active opposition of the Obama Pentagon,” he said.
Bears repeating.
Our country is worth it. We need to really sacrifice and get this man elected.
Hrm...I’m trying to trace the origins of this ban but finding conflicting info on it...
The brass refused because they did not want to admit the chain of command had enabled a terrorist to assassinate his fellow soldiers.
The brass refused because they did not want to admit the chain of command had enabled a terrorist to assassinate his fellow soldiers.
I’ve told my six-year-old daughter, ‘Running for office is real simple: you just surgically disconnect your shame sensor,’” he said. “Because you spend every day asking people for money. You walk up and say, ‘How are you doing, sir? Can I have money? Great to see you, lovely shirt, please give me money.’ That’s what running for office is like.”
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I like this man. ;o)
Hrm...I’m trying to trace the origins of this ban but finding conflicting info on it...It was in place in 1969, I know. Go to the Armory, get your weapon, go to guardmount, go to post. At the end of your duty, back to base,let out at tharmory, turn in your weapon and go your merry way. Private weapons? In the armory.
D. POLICY It is DoD Policy: 1. To limit and control the carrying of firearms by DoD military and civilian personnel. The authorization to carry firearms shall be issued only to qualified personnel when there is a reasonable expectation that life or DoD assets will be jeopardized if firearms are not carried. Evaluation of the necessity to carry a firearm shall be made considering this expectation weighed apainst the possible consequences of accidental or indiscriminate use of firearms. DoD personnel regularly engaged in law enforcement or security duties shall be armed. Procedures on authorization to carry and the carrying of firearms are in enclosure 1.
Army Regulation 190-14 was passed in response to the directive and has been generally, though not specifically, adopted by all the other services.
As both a military member and a DoD contractor, I would like to be able to carry to and from work and secure my weapon in the car. I have no desire to carry into a secure facility.
LMAO. GO TED!!
Awesome Poster. I’m putting it on my Twitter account.
The ability to allow or not allow firearms was pretty much left up to installation commanders until after the Ft. Hood incident.
Then, perversely, Installation commanders were told not to allow it. I (and others) were able to get the policy on Yuma Proving Ground changed to allow people to keep a firearm in their vehicle. I think we got it changed in 1994, and a couple of friends of mine in the JAG office on post were able to keep it in effect until the Ft. Hood directive came out.
So, for most of my career at Yuma Proving Ground, I was able to bring my carry gun to and from work.
One of the installation commanders once said to me: “So,you’re the guy that made it impossible for me to ban
guns on post.”
He was a pretty good Commander, though many hated him. We got along well, and traded a couple of books to read.
Our country is worth it. We need to really sacrifice and get this man elected.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Sacrifice our energy, efforts and finances. I worked hard for his Senate run here in Texas. I plan to work many times harder, and longer, to help get him into the White House. He will carry Texas easily in the Primary and General but thanks to the Internet and Smart Phones, I’m concentrating on “Purple” states and “Blue” States that have a chance to dump the DemocRATS this time, e.g. Wisconsin, Michigan, New Mexico...... etc.
Most commanders found it easier to follow the crowd. I don’t know of any AF installations that allowed private carry since the 90s. It pisses me off that we can’t carry to and from work—it basically renders permits worthless.
“Most commanders found it easier to follow the crowd.”
True. We were able to use a trendy management system, I think it was “Total Quality Management” to get the change inacted. It took a bit of manuevering to get it done, helped because we were a mostly civilian workforce.
It was nice to be able to carry to and from work. I should write up the story. It is a pretty good one.
TQM—have tried very hard to forget that acronym. I wish it could be done nation wide. Cruz is the first politician I’ve heard raise the issue. Wonder if he or his staff lurk around here. LOL
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