Posted on 03/01/2006 12:23:21 PM PST by neverdem
www.gunowners.org
Feb 2006
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
A few weeks ago, we alerted you to legislation -- introduced by anti-gun Senator John McCain (R-AZ) -- which is aimed at squelching the First Amendment rights of grassroots groups like Gun Owners of America.
That bill, S. 2128, is ostensibly aimed at dealing with some of the congressional controversies that have hit the media in recent weeks. A true reform bill would focus the spotlight on members like John McCain, who was one of the original Keating Five senators who were deeply implicated in the savings and loan scandal.
Instead, McCain began his war on real transparency in 2002 when he teamed up with anti-gun Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) to push the Incumbent Protection Act into law -- an act that stifles the ability of organizations like GOA to criticize elected officials before an election.
Now with the Gag Act (S. 2128), McCain wants to target his wrath on groups like GOA -- requiring them to register their "grassroots" communications and to file twice as many frivolous reports.
If McCain succeeds in pushing an expansive interpretation of his bill (as he did when he convinced the courts to regulate the Internet under McCain-Feingold), then we could see a host of draconian restrictions affecting both GOA and you.
For example, if we wanted to alert you to gun ban that is moving in our nation's capital, we could first have to tell McCain (and all his other buddies in Congress) about what we're planning to do, who we're planning to alert (that is, grassroots folks like yourself), how much money we plan to spend, etc.
Because of Section 105 in this bill, everyone with whom GOA contracts to get the word out (advertisers, printers, etc.) could be required to tell Congress twenty days in advance about GOA's public information campaign.
In effect, we would end up alerting Sarah Brady every time we plan to wage a grassroots campaign in opposition to gun control.
This is ridiculous!
No doubt, the Gag Act is further proof that grassroots lobbying works. It works so well, that John McCain wants to muzzle it.
S. 2128 -- or a bill that is similar to it -- is now likely to come to the floor of the Senate in early March, according to Majority Leader Bill Frist. It is imperative that we contact our Senators today.
ACTION:
1. Please urge your Senators to oppose the Gag Act (S. 2128). And, if your Senator has cosponsored the bill, then he or she especially needs to hear from you. Senators who have cosponsored this bill are:
Conrad Burns (R-MT)
Norm Coleman (R-MN)
Jon Kyl (R-AZ)
Joseph Lieberman (D-CT)
Bill Nelson (D-FL)
Olympia Snowe (R-ME)
You can visit the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center at http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send your Senators a pre-written e-mail message such as the one below.
2. Take action and then please forward this alert to your pro-gun friends and family!
----- Pre-written letter -----
Dear Senator:
Now that the Senate is looking to pass so-called lobbying reform legislation, I hope you will NOT support any bill that would gag grassroots lobbying organizations.
To be sure, John McCain's bill (S. 2128) would do just that!
In 2002, Senators McCain and Feingold teamed up to pass the Incumbent Protection Act, a bill that infringes upon the First Amendment rights of gun owners and other Americans by squelching their ability to criticize elected officials before an election.
Now, Senator McCain wants to pass the Gag Act (S. 2128). In this latest version, McCain targets his wrath on grassroots organizations -- requiring them to register their "grassroots" communications with their members and to file twice as many frivolous reports.
Please oppose S. 2128 or any other "reform" bill that would scapegoat outside groups, through which American citizens are better able to petition their government and which serve as government watchdogs.
Sincerely,
****************************
Michael & Me
This debut DVD from provocative filmmaker and talk-radio host Larry Elder aims to mirror Moore's quest for a confrontation with General Motors' CEO, Roger Smith -- except this time it's Moore himself who is being pursued. "Michael & Me" follows Elder over an 18-month period as he attempts to locate the elusive Moore in order to quiz him about some of his assertions in his attack on guns and gun owners in "Bowling for Columbine." Prominent in Elder's mind is the question of how many Americans have managed to stay alive after using a gun in self-defense.
The DVD includes interviews with prominent Second Amendment spokesmen, including several appearances by GOA's executive director, Larry Pratt. It's now ON SALE through Gun Owners Foundation at just $14.50.
Please see http://www.gunowners.com/resource.htm to order (and check out the massive, ongoing book sale at the same time).
I regret to see that Senator John Kyl of Arizona, who I recently promoted as a possible 2008 prospect, has signed on to this absurd and obscene nonsense.
I must therefore, retract anything positive I may have said about the Senator.
As for Senator McPain?
*PPPPPFFFFFFTTTT!!!!* :(
The original Mclame Fiengold bill needs to be revisited at the Supreme Court.
and revisited and revisited and revisited until it goes away.
I am losing faith in Coleman as well.
Do Mcain's security guards carry guns?
I will NEVER vote for John McCain.
There are a LOT of people like me in the Republican party. Hence I doubt he will be the nominee.
If McCain fails to get the Republican nomination, I expect him to run anyway. Perhaps as an Independent, or perhaps on the Democrat ticket. Either way, he will get enormously favorable press from the MSM, and will be a major problem for the Republicans.
McCain is one scary person who is about as mean as they come. He is perfectly willing to pass laws, the Constitution be dammed, if it suits his flawed view of life in America.
I think he is going to get an unexpected earfull with his tour of America to promote amnesty.
Me too! I will sit on my hands if he gets the nomination. Typical jet jockey - whatever makes me look cool.
ANYONE OUT THERE FROM AZ?
What are the chances of this guy being voted in again?
(1-5) 5 being he will be reelected /
Count me as a vote against him too.
Emails sent, snail mail on its way.
My John McCain (up close and personal) story, from the 2000 South Carolina Primary.
Greenville SC - the 2000 Presidential primary - John McCain had just beaten ‘W’ in the NH primary and the “Straight Talk Express” rolled into South Carolina.
I was a McCain supporter - positive that he was the real deal.
I drove to a McCain speech and public appearance. It was a day I will never forget as long as I live.
That day I witnessed John McCain behave unlike any appearance I had ever seen on TV - the man was unhinged.
After a 15 minute canned speech - he decided to address his competition in the primary - George W. Bush. He did so by beginning with, “I am Luke Skywalker, and my opponents are members of the Empire. Together we will form the rebellion and defeat Darth Vadar”. He yelled this - first pumping - his voice full of anger - his face - beet red - and his eyes - well - they were scary.
The crowd instantly went from supportive - to bewildered.
He obviously didn’t pick up on the mood change - because he went on for another 5 minutes - ranting and raving about how everyone was lying about his record - his views - and he, “wasn’t going to take it any more” (remember the movie Network).
It was surreal.
When he finished - and with the prodding of an aid - he left the stage, while we in the crowd just stood there - stunned - and honestly - completely confused.
I asked a woman next to me: “what the hell just happened?” She answered: “that man is freaking nuts!”
I came home - walked in the house - sat on the couch and just looked at the wall. I suddenly realized - the man pushed on television - was not the man at all.
I have told this story many times - to many people - and I have heard the same story told back to me by others who have seen similar John McCain episodes.
I am not given to criticize anyone lightly ladies and gentlemen.
I am sure John McCain is a good man - but listen to me - and please believe me.
JOHN MCCAIN is NOT FIT TO LEAD THIS NATION.
John McCain is unstable. John McCain is freaking nuts!
I donated to and volunteered for McCain in NY in 2000. You're not alone in your disappointment. I had to write his operation to stop dunning me for further donations, expressing my disappointment that a fellow veteran would support all the un-Constitutional crap he supports. The dunning stopped.
Ping
I have no doubt McNasty is unhinged and I've never heard him speak, just the crap I see on TV news.
Yes. Most of us know this already.
After reading that page, I am even more convinced that McCain uses a coin to decide which way he is going to lean on any given issue.
"How many cases have you prosecuted for campaign funding violations?" "None"
"Would you say that Vermont is a corrupt state?" "No"
"It appears then, that you are trying to muzzle freedom of speech without justification..."
Maybe there is hope to overthrow the incumbent protection act.
Heck, decades ago, then Gov. Romney of MI said he was brainwashed as a NK POW. It sort of ended his chances for national office.
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