[neverdem]

This should be the year for Senate RINOs and Boxer, at least, to go out the door.

[Imal]

If the AWB does indeed find its rightful place on the ash heap of history, I imagine my sizeable collection of "assault weapons" will lose quite a bit of its value.

For some reason, the idea doesn't bother me at all.

[SW6906]

Let's see. My Senators are Patty "Osama-Mama" Murray and Maria Cantwell. Should I waste my time calling them to urge them to oppose this crap?

I didn't think so either.

[cruiserman]

Don't hold our rights hostage to the financial well being of private businesses. The gun companies will survive, but it's very hard to regain our rights.

[kimber]

Congressmen, do the right thing and let this bill die! Remember 1994 and what happen to those in office at the time this bill became law for 10 years. Ask Tom Foley, speaker of the House, at that time. I believe his quote was, if we vote for this, we will lose the House of Representatives, to the opposing party.

[DugwayDuke]

The Dems have no leverage. The AWB sunsets in September. If they try to make an issue of it, then they undermine the position that their presidential candidates wish to make, that they are not against guns.

[CaptSkip]

Call your Congress Critters. Let them know how how feel!

Tell all like-minded friends (that SHOULD be everbody you call a friend) to do the same.

It's easy. Gov't pages in the phone books. It makes you feel good too!

[ZULU]

You can rest assured, that, if given the opportunity, Chaffee, Hatch, Snow, McCain and those other feckless RINOs will kill the anti-suit bill and extend the4 assault rifle ban.

[Dan from Michigan]

Vote for or sign a gun ban, and I'll do what I have to do.

[ezo4]

sign it and you wll lose. EOD

[BOBWADE]

I for one will not support W if pushes the stupid Assault Weapons ban. I am sick of rhinos selling out our rights. I would rather have a Dem in the whitehouse than a republicrat. If Bush keeps pushing for the ban. I just send my $ to the NRA. The RNC better not call me again. I chewed out a RNC fundraiser right around the time scotus ruled on CFR. I let him have it then and will do it again. I am tired of chosing the lesser of two evils.

[fire_eye]

I'm worried about other "splits" resulting from this upcoming imbroglio...

I'm worried about the gun-grabbers maneuvering so as to pit gun owners against each other, with some of us arguing that "the assault weapons ban isn't so bad" if we can get the industry protection bill as a "compromise".

I'm also worried about gun owners at large ending up pitted against the firearms industry, many of the owners and operators of which are far more worried about their liability and their government contracts and their short-term financial position than about preserving our rights.

The bottom line here is that while a loss of the industry protection bill is temporary - we can introduce it next year, in a (hopefully, if we all work at it) better Congress - whereas a renewal of the AW ban will be *permanent*. We probably will have to settle for one victory at a time here. First, by allowing the waffling, compromising, unprincipled RINOs in Clowngress to vote for nothing (i.e. no protection bill AND no renewal of the AW ban), we will end up with a net gain. Then, having gotten that far, we can all join with the firearms industry to get the protection bill passed.

If we start haggling over how much we will accept, or show *any* willingness to compromise, we're likely to lose everything - because the crones and geezers on the Supreme Crotch will very likely declare the industry protection bill unconstitutional, which they will *never* do to the AW ban.

[Rams82]

Does anyone know when the vote on this bill is??

[aomagrat]

If Bush signs the AWB ban, I'll probably vote for Nader.

[OXENinFLA]

Remove Feinstein rider from firearms liability bill (Assault Weapons Ban)

[DMZFrank]

The AWB is directly about the RKBA.

Gun grabbers are increasingly trying to separate the right to keep and bear arms from its constitutional underpinnings. To everyone but many liberals and gun grabbers the word militia implies a body organized for military use. The Supreme Court Miller decision of 1939 held that the militia was 'A body of citizens enrolled for military discipline.' And further that ordinarily when called for service these men were expected to appear bearing arms supplied by themselves and of the kind in common use at the time."

To begin with, only the national government was represented at the trial. With nobody arguing to the contrary, the court followed standard court procedure and assumed that the law was constitutional until proven otherwise. If both sides were present, the outcome may have been much different.

However, since only one party showed up, the case will stand in the court records as is. As to the militia, Mr. Justice McReynolds related the beliefs of the Founding Fathers when commenting historically about the Second Amendment. He stated that, ". . .The common view was that adequate defense of country and laws could be secured through the militia- civilians primarily, soldiers on occasion.

"The significance attributed to the term Militia appears from the debates in the Convention, the history and legislation of Colonies and States, and the writings of approved commentators. These show plainly enough that the Militia comprised all males physically capable of acting in concert for the common defense.

It is clear that the firearms that are most suited for modern-day militia use are those semi automatic military pattern weapons that the yellow press calls "assault weapons". Since nations such as the Swiss trust their citizenry with true selective fire assault rifles, it seems to me that this country ought to be at least able to trust its law-abiding citizenry with the semi automatic version.

Self-defense is a vital corollary benefit of the constitutional right to keep and bear arms. But its primary constitutional reason for being is for service in the well-regulated militia which is necessary to the security of a free state. Don't let the gun grabbers and their politician allies separate us from the constitutional reason for the right to keep and bear arms.

PostScript: In the vernacular of the founders well-regulated meant well drilled and organized.