Democratic candidates back off gun control

Times Record News ^ | 02/02/04 | LANCE GAY

[m1-lightning]

Four years after adopting a platform demanding a government crackdown on guns, Democratic presidential candidates this year are back peddling from a decade of party support for federal regulation of firearms.

John Kerry, frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination, repeatedly notes in his speeches that he is a hunter, and Wesley Clark says that he has "20-some odd guns in the house." Howard Dean suggests gun laws should be left to states to decide, and Joseph Lieberman has repudiated a 2000 campaign pledge by his running mate Al Gore to license anyone buying a gun.

These views represent a shift in views in the Democratic Party, which over the last decade has pushed tough gun control proposals in Congress. The party's 2000 platform backed mandatory child safety locks for all guns and background checks for all purchases; mandatory gun safety courses for gun-purchasers; and funding for 10,000 prosecutors in states and communities "to fight gun crime."

---snip---

CANDIDATE POSITIONS:

George Bush promised in the 2000 elections he would not push for any new gun legislation - and he hasn't.

John Kerry has voted for background checks at gun shows and wants gun companies to make "smart guns" with computer chips that prevent their use by unauthorized people. "I believe it is important for us to have somebody who is going to stand up for gun safety in America and make certain that we make our streets safe, our children safe, and not allow people to get assault weapons in America."

Howard Dean says populous states like New Jersey and California that want tougher gun laws should adopt them, but leave rural states like Montana and Vermont to follow their own policies. Vermont has few gun restrictions other than those imposed by federal law. Dean said he supports existing federal laws. "Hunters don't need AK-47s to shoot deer," he said.

John Edwards, who grew up in the rural South, says he wants to close the gun show loophole and favors trigger locks to prevent children from using guns. Edwards says he understands how the issue strikes a discordant theme in rural areas. "Guns are about independence. They don't want people messing with that," he says.

Wesley Clark says he likes to hunt and is familiar with guns. "I have grown up with guns all my life, but people who like assault weapons should join the United States Army - we have them." He supports background checks for all gun purchases and backs a ban on assault weapons.

Joseph Lieberman opposes licensing for gun owners, although that was part of the program Al Gore endorsed in the 2000 presidential election, when Lieberman was the vice presidential nominee. "Licensing, registration, in my opinion, are bad ideas" and violations of the basic rights of Americans to own guns, he says. As a senator, Lieberman represents Connecticut where many gun manufacturers are located.

Al Sharpton, once a stabbing victim, supports tough gun control to curb crime. "We must do whatever we can to regulate how guns have been used."

Dennis Kucinich supports instant background checks for anyone buying a gun.

[m1-lightning]

I know Dubya supported the reautorization of the ban in 2000 and hinted at it in 2002. I hope he just lets it die without anyone making conflict before it happens. (he didn't mantion it in the SOTU) If he does mention it then it's high time we send some letters of disapproval to change his mind.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Not a "spokesperson", but he did support the NRA and regularly received "A" ratings and endorsements from them (as well as money) until he decided in '88 to run for president. At that point he basically flip-flopped on 99% of the stances he took to get elected.

[rastus macgill]

Call me paranoid but I'm betting the AWB extension gets tied to the Patriot act in a bi-partisan "Anti-terrorism" package.

[Ches]

Boy they have me convinced!

[Dead Corpse]

Don't give them any ideas.

[m1-lightning]

I doubt it will go anywhere. This is all the support it's recieved since May of last year:

S.1034 (A bill to repeal the sunset date on the assault weapons ban)

Sponsor: Sen Feinstein, Dianne [CA]
Sen Boxer, Barbara[CA]
Sen Chafee, Lincoln D.[RI]
Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham[NY]
Sen DeWine, Michael[OH]
Sen Durbin, Richard J.[IL]
Sen Jeffords, James M.[VT]
Sen Kennedy, Edward M.[MA]
Sen Kerry, John F.[MA]
Sen Lautenberg, Frank R.[NJ]
Sen Levin, Carl[MI]
Sen Reed, John F.[RI]
Sen Schumer, Charles E.[NY]

[kt56]

I thought the AWB had already sunset...

Nope. Scheduled to expire this fall, though. I believe Bush Jr. has indicated he'll sign a renewal if Congress is stupid enough to pass one.

At that point, he'll not only lose the election; he'll be beaten like a rented mule.

I have repeatdly emailed Bush at the WH that if he signs an AWB renewal he is toast. I personally will not vote for him.

[LibWhacker]

Nobody in their right mind would fall for this ratty chameleon act.

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

Can't help but notice both of the rat bastard commies from Smuggler's Cove are on that list.

No wonder they never set foot in their native Rhode Island.

[demlosers]

It sunsets this August.

[appalachian_dweller]

I wouldn't believe ANYTHING the rats say, but I'd watch EVERYTHING they do. To get an indication of what they may do if in office, look at their history.

These people are pathological liars, just like the terrorist scum that keep threatening us.

[COEXERJ145]

Don't worry about the AWB. The Democrats know that if they push the issue too hard, it could hurt them by energizing more 2nd Amendment supporters into voting. The Republicans know if they push it, the opposite is true. House Majority Leader Tom Delay has said that the AWB is going to be DOA in the House. He will never let it out of committee and even if it managed to sneak out, there are no where near enough votes to pass it.

[m1-lightning]

These people are pathological liars

Well, sure they are! The sad thing is that there are so many centrists out there that neither question them nor disbeleieve their quotes. Dean Vs. Dean is all the evidence I need.

[dpwiener]

I know Dubya supported the reautorization of the ban in 2000 and hinted at it in 2002. I hope he just lets it die without anyone making conflict before it happens.

As Bush's re-election prospects become a bit more precarious, the odds increase that the Assault Weapon Ban will expire.

At one time it looked like the Democrats would nominate a hard-left crazy (e.g., Dean or Clark), and that Bush would consequently achieve a landslide victory with huge coattails to pad Republican margins in the House and Senate. Under those circumstances, Bush would have continued moving to the left, to occupy the political center which the Democrats were abdicating. Therefore Bush would have pushed hard for reauthorization of the AW Ban, on the theory that it would attract some moderate independent and Democratic votes while still leaving conservatives with no place else to go.

But the rise of candidates like Kerry and Clark, combined with the bubbling dissatisfaction of conservatives over run-away federal spending, have altered the political landscape. Bush now has to worry about placating and energizing his base, rather than ignoring his base in a quest for marginal voters in the middle.

Bush can't afford the political fallout from signing a reauthorization of the AW Ban, but neither can he stand the heat from a veto. So he'll quietly pass the word to the Republican House leadership that it's okay with him if they bury the bill. This will give him plausible deniability when the AW Ban lapses.

Of course Bush will be attacked by the gun-control crowd for not doing enough to force the AW Ban through, and some Republican moderates will be hurt (especially non-incumbent challengers for Senate and House seats in swing districts). But at this point Bush is more interested in just getting re-elected than in orchestrating a landslide victory.

So if you are against the Assault Weapon Ban, keep hoping for a close Presidential contest.

[demlosers]

I'm betting it sunsets. The RATS remember the massacare of 1994 when they lost Congress. They don't want a replay. Bush has no conviction for signing the AWB despite what you may read on FR. Say good riddance to AWB.

[dpwiener]

But the rise of candidates like Kerry and Clark

I meant Kerry and Edwards.

[demlosers]

That's a pretty good Marxist Senator lineup. AWB even has less of a chance of passing in the House.

[demlosers]

S.1034 (A bill to repeal the sunset date on the assault weapons ban)

Sponsor: Sen Feinstein, Dianne [CA]
Sen Boxer, Barbara[CA]
Sen Chafee, Lincoln D.[RI]
Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham[NY]
Sen DeWine, Michael[OH]
Sen Durbin, Richard J.[IL]
Sen Jeffords, James M.[VT]
Sen Kennedy, Edward M.[MA]
Sen Kerry, John F.[MA]
Sen Lautenberg, Frank R.[NJ]
Sen Levin, Carl[MI]
Sen Reed, John F.[RI]
Sen Schumer, Charles E.[NY]

Rat Kerry looks vulnerable here... :)

[m1-lightning]

Here's the House supporters for the AW Ban:

Rep Abercrombie, Neil [HI-1]
Rep Ackerman, Gary L. [NY-5]
Rep Andrews, Robert E. [NJ-1]
Rep Becerra, Xavier [CA-31]
Rep Berman, Howard L. [CA-28]
Rep Bishop, Timothy H. [NY-1]
Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3]
Rep Brady, Robert [PA-1]
Rep Brown, Corrine [FL-3]
Rep Capps, Lois [CA-23]
Rep Capuano, Michael E. [MA-8]
Rep Cardin, Benjamin L. [MD-3]
Rep Carson, Julia [IN-7]
Rep Case, Ed [HI-2]
Rep Clay, Wm. Lacy [MO-1]
Rep Conyers, John, Jr. [MI-14]
Rep Crowley, Joseph [NY-7]
Rep Cummings, Elijah E. [MD-7]
Rep Davis, Danny K. [IL-7]
Rep DeGette, Diana [CO-1]
Rep Delahunt, William D. [MA-10]
Rep DeLauro, Rosa L. [CT-3]
Rep Deutsch, Peter [FL-20]
Rep Emanuel, Rahm [IL-5]
Rep Engel, Eliot L. [NY-17]
Rep Eshoo, Anna G. [CA-14]
Rep Farr, Sam [CA-17] Rep Fattah, Chaka [PA-2]
Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51]
Rep Frank, Barney [MA-4]
Rep Gephardt, Richard A. [MO-3]
Rep Gonzalez, Charles A. [TX-20]
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7]
Rep Gutierrez, Luis V.[IL-4]
Rep Harman, Jane [CA-36]
Rep Hastings, Alcee L.[FL-23]
Rep Hoeffel, Joseph M.[PA-13]
Rep Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12]
Rep Honda, Michael M.[CA-15]
Rep Hoyer, Steny H. [MD-5]
Rep Israel, Steve [NY-2]
Rep Jackson, Jesse L., Jr. [IL-2]
Rep Jackson-Lee, Sheila [TX-18]
Rep Johnson, Eddie Bernice[TX-30]
Rep Jones, Stephanie Tubbs [OH-11]
Rep Kennedy, Patrick J. [RI-1]
Rep Kleczka, Gerald D. [WI-4]
Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. [OH-10]
Rep Langevin, James R. - [RI-2]
Rep Lantos, Tom [CA-12]
Rep Larson, John B. [CT-1]
Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9]
Rep Lewis, John [GA-5]
Rep Lipinski, William O. [IL-3]
Rep Lofgren, Zoe[CA-16]
Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18]
Rep Maloney, Carolyn B.[NY-14]
Rep Markey, Edward J. [MA-7]
Rep Matsui, Robert T.[CA-5]
Rep McCollum, Betty [MN-4]
Rep McDermott, Jim [WA-7]
Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3]
Rep Meehan, Martin T. [MA-5]
Rep Meeks, Gregory W. [NY-6]
Rep Menendez, Robert [NJ-13]
Rep Millender-McDonald, Juanita [CA-37]
Rep Miller, George [CA-7]
Rep Moran, James P. [VA-8]
Rep Nadler, Jerrold [NY-8]
Rep Napolitano, Grace F. [CA-38]
Rep Norton, Eleanor Holmes [DC]
Rep Olver, John W. [MA-1]
Rep Owens, Major R. [NY-11]
Rep Pallone, Frank, Jr. [NJ-6]
Rep Pascrell, Bill, Jr. [NJ-8]
Rep Pastor, Ed [AZ-4]
Rep Payne, Donald M. [NJ-10]
Rep Price, David E. [NC-4]
Rep Rangel, Charles B. [NY-15]
Rep Rothman, Steve R. [NJ-9]
Rep Roybal-Allard, Lucille [CA-34]
Rep Ruppersberger, C. A. Dutch[MD-2]
Rep Rush, Bobby L. [IL-1]
Rep Sabo, Martin Olav [MN-5]
Rep Sanchez, Linda T.[CA-39]
Rep Sanchez, Loretta [CA-47]
Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9]
Rep Schiff, Adam B. [CA-29]
Rep Serrano, Jose E.[NY-16]
Rep Shays, Christopher [CT-4]
Rep Sherman, Brad [CA-27]
Rep Slaughter, Louise McIntosh[NY-28]
Rep Smith, Christopher H. [NJ-4]
Rep Solis, Hilda L. [CA-32]
Rep Stark, Fortney Pete [CA-13]
Rep Tauscher, Ellen O. [CA-10]
Rep Tierney, John F. [MA-6]
Rep Towns, Edolphus [NY-10]
Rep Van Hollen, Chris [MD-8]
Rep Velazquez, Nydia M. [NY-12]
Rep Waters, Maxine [CA-35]
Rep Watson, Diane E. [CA-33]
Rep Watt, Melvin L. [NC-12]
Rep Waxman, Henry A. [CA-30]
Rep Weiner, Anthony D. [NY-9]
Rep Wexler, Robert [FL-19]
Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6]
Rep Wynn, Albert Russell [MD-4]
Rep Kind, Ron - 9/3/2003(withdrawn - 9/16/2003) [WI-3]

[m1-lightning]

Here's the House suppoort for the AW ban.

Considering the number of Reps from California who support the measure, I'm surprised Illinois is beating Cali in the way of citywide handgun bans.