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Terminator wants gun ban to be extended
By Michael S. Gerber

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), who became a movie star by blowing up and shooting anything that stood in his way, has reaffirmed his support of the federal assault-weapons ban.

In a letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) last month, Schwarzenegger called on Congress to renew the ban, which is scheduled to expire in September.

“As you are well aware, Californians overwhelmingly support the ban on these dangerous weapons,” wrote Schwarzenegger, who spoke out in favor of the ban during last year’s campaign for the governorship but has not been very vocal on the issue this year.

“The renewal of the federal ban on assault weapons is a prudent, common sense effort to limit the prevalence and availability of dangerous weapons and protect public safety,” Schwarzenegger added.

“It shows the broad support for this,” said Eric Howard, a spokesman for the Brady Campaign to End Gun Violence.

Feinstein is one of the ban’s strongest advocates in the Senate, where a majority voted to extend it in March. While the ban-renewal bill has some bipartisan support in the House as well, House GOP leaders are unlikely to schedule a vote on it. Some lawmakers may attempt to force a vote through a discharge position.

But such a move could be dangerous for Republicans during an election year. The National Rifle Association (NRA), which is strongly against the ban’s renewal, was one of the president’s strongest allies in 2000. But the group has yet to endorse Bush, and his signing of an extension could put it an endorsement in jeopardy.

Chris Cox, the NRA’s chief lobbyist, dismissed Schwarzenegger’s description of the guns covered by the ban as “dangerous military firearms.”

“The letter is factually incorrect,” Cox said. The assault-weapons ban “has nothing whatsoever to do with military weapons.”

While the White House supports the ban, the president has not pressured GOP leaders to act. Gun-control advocates say Schwarzenegger’s endorsement of the ban is another example of the Republican governor breaking from Bush.

“If the president does not step up to the plate, the ban will be terminated,” Howard said.

Schwarzenegger has been quiet about gun issues, some activists pointed out, at times seeming to align with Second Amendment supporters and other times siding with gun-control advocates. The ban has strong support from law-enforcement agencies and is considered popular in California, which has enacted state gun-control laws as well.

Proponents of the ban hope that the famous Republican governor’s support will add momentum to their cause.

“We’re very happy that the governor is taking a public position on this, and publicly calling on the president to take responsible action,” said Howard. “I know the governor is hearing from his law-enforcement constituency and the public.”

Feinstein said, “ I welcome Governor Schwarzenegger’s support in this effort to ensure than the ban is reauthorized and that military-style assault weapons aren’t allowed back on the streets of America. Assault weapons are the weapons of choice for criminals and those seeking to do the maximum damage possible in the shortest amount of time.”

But Cox said the NRA remains confident that the ban will end in the fall.

“This law has had no impact on crime,” Cox said. “In 10 years there’s not one shred of evidence that it’s been effective, and we’re confident that come September this ban will be allowed to sunset.”

1 posted on 06/16/2004 8:42:32 PM PDT by TERMINATTOR
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To: TERMINATTOR

I'll bet the star struck know-nothings are just real proud of themselves for picking this gun grabber over Tom McClintock.


2 posted on 06/16/2004 8:45:09 PM PDT by Commander8 (Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? Galatians 4:16)
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To: TERMINATTOR

bumpo


3 posted on 06/16/2004 8:45:29 PM PDT by prophetic
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To: TERMINATTOR

http://calrepublic.tripod.com/

I'm all for Indepence of Californa.
Be a lot better for us all.


7 posted on 06/16/2004 8:48:51 PM PDT by John Will
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To: TERMINATTOR

Well I see Governor Rino is doing his very best to undermine the Constitution, weaken the second amendment and further spread his liberal social policy agenda.


11 posted on 06/16/2004 8:56:41 PM PDT by Reagan Man (THE CHOICE IS CLEAR..........RE-ELECT BUSH-CHENEY)
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To: TERMINATTOR

The Federal AWB is utterly irrelevant to California - that state has already passed a far more sweeping ban on so-called "assault weapons" that will strip its citizens of military-style homeland defense rifles within a generation, and whether the Federal ban is renewed or not, California citizens will still be subject to felony charges.


13 posted on 06/16/2004 9:00:07 PM PDT by mvpel (Michael Pelletier)
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To: TERMINATTOR; Commander8
This article is nonsense. It's about the federal ban on assault weapons.
Since when did governors set federal law?
And if the ban is already in place, then the damage is already done.

If you want to point fingers and assign blame, perhaps you ought to look at your own senators first.
Just a little rational sense on a thread otherwise devoid of any.
15 posted on 06/16/2004 9:03:18 PM PDT by counterpunch (www.freepgs.com/counterpunch)
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To: TERMINATTOR; Everybody
In a letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) last month, Schwarzenegger called on Congress to renew the ban, which is scheduled to expire in
September.
______________________________________


Well, that didn't take long.

Arnold signed a political suicide 'letter'.
Too bad, he coulda been a contender.
18 posted on 06/16/2004 9:12:14 PM PDT by tpaine (The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being" -- Solzhenitsyn)
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To: TERMINATTOR
the alpha male who made millions of dollars making movies in which characters used semi-automatic rifles to defend themselves

Semi-automatic. If he ever used a semi-auto, I never noticed. It was usually Spray and Pray. Especially "Predator" which involved a man borne Gatling of some sort.

19 posted on 06/16/2004 9:14:23 PM PDT by El Gato (Federal Judges can twist the Constitution into anything.. Or so they think.)
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To: TERMINATTOR
"Gun controls should be stiffer." - Arnold.

Well, he's a Kennedy.

26 posted on 06/16/2004 10:16:38 PM PDT by Dan from Michigan ("Mr. Gorbachev - Tear down this wall" - Ronald Reagan - 1911-2004)
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To: TERMINATTOR
And people need the right to have machine guns because.... ? This whole article makes it sound as if the right to keep and bear arms is being negotiated, when in fact, it's not. It's a hit piece against the Governor.

IMHO, things are OK the way they are now. No less, no more. Just my opinion.

You may say that the citizenry needs more powerful and more effective arms, but I ask you to question how far it should go. Should grenades be OK? How about private nuclear mini devices?

My opinion is to leave well-enough alone.

27 posted on 06/16/2004 10:20:21 PM PDT by Dec31,1999
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To: TERMINATTOR
"“As you are well aware, Californians overwhelmingly support the ban on these dangerous weapons,” . . ."

Show me your data, Ahnold.

Ahnold: 'I don't own that make. I carry a Thompson sub.'

No, I meant show me the proof you have that we are all supposed to be 'well aware of?

Ahnold: 'PROOF? Well, I have this old Walker Colt that was never fired, but I'm not sure it's 'proof.'

Gee, Ahnold. I'd like to own that.

Ahnold: 'From mah cold, dead fingahs!'

31 posted on 06/16/2004 10:45:38 PM PDT by Eastbound
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To: TERMINATTOR
If you want to be a constitutional purist, the second amendment does not apply to the states, and the right to bear arms contemplated only that every free man was entitled to own a single shot musket.

But that interpretation would only apply to constitutional purists. Are there any here?

34 posted on 06/16/2004 11:10:31 PM PDT by P-Marlowe
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To: TERMINATTOR

The Preamble to the Bill of Rights





Effective December 15, 1791
Articles in addition to, and Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, proposed by Congress, and ratified by the Legislatures of the several States, pursuant to the fifth Article of the original Constitution.

PREAMBLE
The conventions of a number of the States having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best insure the beneficent ends of its institution.





39 posted on 06/17/2004 5:38:07 AM PDT by vannrox (The Preamble to the Bill of Rights - without it, our Bill of Rights is meaningless!)
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To: TERMINATTOR

BTTT


53 posted on 06/17/2004 8:18:06 AM PDT by Fiddlstix (This Tagline for sale. (Presented by TagLines R US))
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To: TERMINATTOR

NRA Anti-AWB Website

SUNSET THE AW BAN

56 posted on 06/17/2004 8:38:33 AM PDT by xsrdx (Diligentia, Vis, Celeritas)
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To: TERMINATTOR

Congrats. You've just been compared to a leftist (post 21) for having the temerity to suggest that not all the Republicans we elect are terribly conservative.

Only Nixon can go to China, and only Republicans like Arnold can suggest gun bans.


61 posted on 06/17/2004 8:58:59 AM PDT by horatio
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To: TERMINATTOR

Fortunately the Gubernator can't run for President - unless the hair-brained Republicans in Congress like Orrin Hatch succeed in changing the Constitution - an unlikely event.

The Gubernator is a stealth liberal. Sleep with a Kennedy and the contamination will infect you.


62 posted on 06/17/2004 8:59:59 AM PDT by ZULU
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To: TERMINATTOR
Why would anyone be surprised? During his campaign, when asked about his position on the 2nd amemendment (Sean Hannity's radio show) he stated that he supported closing the gun show loophole. WHAT gun show loophole? I emailed Hannity and informed him that California didn't have such a "loophole", but it shows that Arnold is ignorant about existing California law. Never heard back.
63 posted on 06/17/2004 9:01:45 AM PDT by .38sw
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To: TERMINATTOR
Californians were left to speculate about whether The Terminator -- the alpha male who made millions of dollars making movies in which characters used semi-automatic rifles to defend themselves -- was actually Mr. Shriver, a gun-banning politican towing the line for the Kennedy clan.

He used a lot of machine guns too.

75 posted on 06/17/2004 10:08:47 AM PDT by <1/1,000,000th%
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To: TERMINATTOR

Do we really have to let this schmuck speak at the GOP convention?


78 posted on 06/17/2004 10:30:16 AM PDT by jmc813 (Help save a life - www.marrow.org)
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