Targeting Voters in the Worst Way ("Assault Weapons" Ban)

NY Times ^ | April 20, 2004 | Masthead Editorial

[neverdem]

It is not quite the same as kissing babies, but Vice President Dick Cheney beamed as he dandled an antique rifle for his photo-op last weekend at the National Rifle Association convention. Mr. Cheney, the administration's most famous duck hunter, was on a reassurance mission, drawing cheers as he trumpeted President Bush's commitment to hunters' constitutional rights. Mr. Cheney attacked Senator John Kerry, the Democratic challenger, as a firearms wuss, despite Mr. Kerry's beady-eyed display last fall when he blasted pheasants from the Iowa skies in his own vote-hunting foray.

Mr. Cheney's personal visit signaled how much of a fence-mending charade the White House is staging to soothe the politically powerful gun lobby. Some N.R.A. members are still miffed at Mr. Bush's ostensible promise — left over from his 2000 campaign — to sign a renewal of the 10-year-old ban on assault weapons if that vitally needed measure should ever manage to be passed by the Republican-controlled Congress. But, of course, the Capitol's pro-gun leadership has already made sure that the president's promise bobs as lifelessly as an election-year decoy.

Banning assault rifles simply protects society from fast-fire attack weapons designed for waging war, not hunting. But Mr. Bush never once pressed Congress to pass the renewal. Instead, he spent his political capital on the gun lobby's outrageous proposal to grant immunity from damage suits to irresponsible gun manufacturers and dealers.

This is the Bush-Cheney team's true record on gun control. Too few voters are aware that the assault weapons ban will certainly expire in September while the president declines to lift a finger to save it. The law's demise looms as another national gun tragedy, even as politicians in both parties calibrate how much more pandering to gun owners will be needed in the hunt for votes in the swing states.

[neverdem]

Most of the time I can't take whining, but when I hear the Times whining like this it's music between my ears.

[neverdem]

Almost as good as the 1812 Overture

BOOM

[neverdem]

BOOM

[Clemenza]

Summary of Article: WAHHHHH!!!!!! --- My Hometown Paper of Record

[SkyPilot]

Banning assault rifles simply protects society from fast-fire attack weapons designed for waging war, not hunting.

The 2nd Amendment is not about duck hunting.

[JOAT]

Typical NY Slimes editorializing their leftist mantra.

They, of course, purposefully misrepresent the second amendment to be about hunting. They lament that "assault weapons" are no good for hunting...Depends on what one is hunting.

The 2nd Amendment...reset button for when tyranny starts to win.

[KAUAIBOUND]

"Fast fire attack weapons" - another inane euphemism for semi-automatic rifle, apparently to delude the ignorant into thinking "assault weapons" are fully auto. I would love to see a survey of those who oppose the so-called assault weapon to see just how many actually understand the firing characteristics of a semi-automatic. I'll bet that at least 30 to 40 percent do not know.

[AntiGuv]

Too few voters are aware that the assault weapons ban will certainly expire in September while the president declines to lift a finger to save it.

Good! One of the best things he's done is let the unconstitutional AWB expire.

[AntiGuv]

I'll bet it's more like 80 percent don't know..

[Dan from Michigan]

Senator John Kerry, the Democratic challenger, as a firearms wuss, despite Mr. Kerry's beady-eyed display last fall when he blasted pheasants from the Iowa skies in his own vote-hunting foray.

1. Kerry voted to ban the .30-30.

2. The 2nd Amendment IS NOT ABOUT HUNTING!!!!!

[lowbridge]

Banning assault rifles simply protects society from fast-fire attack weapons designed for waging war

Banning assault rifles simply protects criminals and tyrants from fast-fire attack weapons designed for fighting crime and preserving freedom and human rights.

[Freesofar]

As we all should know,
The Right to keep and bear arms was NEVER intended by the founding fathers to guarantee one's hunting rights or protection from crime...
It was to insure that men would remain forever free from the tyranny of an out of control covernment.
Speaking from the cynical curmudgeon side of my brain:
With our +50% tax burden/or the way our troops are spread so thin, perhaps we should each own a S.A.M. these days as well.
My arsenal is designed around a "Red Dawn" scenairio. If it gets real bad,even a dity nuke in the city, ammo will be worth 10,000 times more than it's weight in gold.
call me crazy !

[fire_eye]

The 2nd Amendment is not about duck hunting.

No, it's about turkey hunting.

[neverdem]

Where did you find the text of Ted's argument on the Senate floor for S. 2615, the amendment he sponsored for banning armor piercing ammunition, in case a get some replies.

I emailed the NY State Republican Committee, IIRC, and the Chairman of the NY State Conservative Party about Clinton and Schumer voting for that amendment, including a comment about the rather weak .30-30.

The subject of the email was "Senators Schumer and Clinton want to ban almost all centerfire rifle ammunition". I also made a point about how that might play in upstate NY.

[archy]

Too few voters are aware that the assault weapons ban will certainly expire in September while the president declines to lift a finger to save it.

Good! One of the best things he's done is let the unconstitutional AWB expire.

If he does, it'll gain him around 3 million votes his father drove away with his import bans. If the next election is as close as Gore/Bush 2000 was, those votes should come in handy.

If he publicly states his reason for failing to support an extension is because it's unconstitutional, he could pick up as many as 5 million votes, many in key electoral college states.

[archy]

Speaking from the cynical curmudgeon side of my brain: With our +50% tax burden/or the way our troops are spread so thin, perhaps we should each own a S.A.M. these days as well.

No problem- I've been trained in the use of the things, but not their upkeep and maintenance. My background is in armored vehicles, so I'll more likely fill my garage up that way instead. A big garage....

My arsenal is designed around a "Red Dawn" scenairio. If it gets real bad,even a dity nuke in the city, ammo will be worth 10,000 times more than it's weight in gold. call me crazy !

If a dirty nuke hits your city, don't you and all your ammo be there. But expect it to be the post-attack currency.

They want to have *million mom marches* working to disarm us? Fine. Best reason I could think of to stock a million rounds of ammunition, though not the only one.

[archy]

The 2nd Amendment is not about duck hunting.

No, it's about turkey hunting

Weasels and rats, too!

[ActionNewsBill]

Mr. Cheney, the administration's most famous duck hunter, was on a reassurance mission, drawing cheers as he trumpeted President Bush's commitment to hunters' constitutional rights.

Looks like those of us who don't hunt do not have a constitutional right to bear arms, at least according to the President.

[King Prout]

"Banning assault rifles..."

AAAARRRRGGGH!!!!

Can't these [censored][deleted][not in front of the ladies, please!] dolts EVER use the correct terminology???
Must they ALWAYS confuse semiautomatic civilian "assault weapons" with select-fire burst/FA-capable military ASSAULT RIFLES???????

AAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGHHH!!!!!

[King Prout]

no: according to the spin the NYT put on the visit

remember, they have a dual purpose with all such fluff-pieces: to stir up knee-jerk anti-gun fervor among the DUmmies, and to stir distrust for and discontent with the President among his conservative gun-toting base.