Democrats quietly cheer high court gun ruling

politico ^

[LouAvul]

When the Supreme Court extended the individual right to own a gun Monday, they handed Second Amendment advocates—many of whom are at home in the GOP—one of their most significant legal victories ever.

But who won the day in politics? The Democrats.

For them, the court’s groundbreaking decision couldn’t have been more beneficial to the cause in November. Now, Democratic candidates across the map figure they have one less issue to worry about on the campaign trail. And they won’t have to defend against Republican attacks over gun rights and an angry, energized base of gun owners.

“It removes guns as a political issue because everyone now agrees that the Second Amendment is an individual right and everybody agrees that it’s subject to regulation,” said Lanae Erickson, deputy director of the culture program at the centrist think tank Third Way.

A House Democratic aide agreed that the court’s decision removed a potentially combustible element from the mix.

“The Supreme Court ruled here that you have a fundamental right to own and bear arms, and that means at the national level it’s harder – whether it’s Republicans or whether it’s the [National Rifle Association] – to throw that claim out: if Democrats are in charge they’re going to come get your guns,” said the aide. “It pretty much took that off the table.”

The likely removal—or at least neutralization—of the gun issue this fall is of no small matter in the battle for the House and Senate. The Democratic majorities in both chambers were built, in part, on victories in pro-gun states and districts that had until recently been difficult terrain for Democratic candidates as a result of the national party’s position on gun control.

The chorus of responses to Monday’s ruling was a group of normally dissonant voices: It proved the rare occasion when both former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid could find common ground.

In a Facebook post titled, “Another Victory for the Second Amendment,” Palin wrote that the case “should leave little doubt that our individual right to keep and bear arms applies everywhere and is a right for everyone.”

Reid essentially agreed, calling the right to bear arms “one of the essential freedoms on which our country was founded.”

“I am pleased that the high court has taken steps in both the Heller and McDonald cases to guarantee this fundamental right,” he said in a prepared statement, referring to both the 2008 Heller decision, which struck down the District of Columbia’s restrictive gun law, and Monday’s McDonald v. Chicago decision against Chicago’s handgun ban.

For congressional Democrats—especially those in seats outside major metropolitan areas where support for gun rights runs high—the ruling offered a chance to assert their pro-gun bona fides.

[techcor]

and everybody agrees that it’s subject to regulation

No kidding to your statement. And as the above statement proves all the Democrats have to do to be back up to their collective necks in crap is to be asked about what regulations they believe in.
There is no unreasonable gun control law in the minds of a liberal. They also believe they are so smart that they can propose anything -from a thousand dollars a bullet tax to having the weapon completely disassembled and buried - and everyone will agree to it.

[Dan Nunn]

To legally own a handgun in DC, ya gotta

(1) take a safety course (not a bad idea)
(2) spend an hour on the range with instructor (also a good idea)
(3) get fingerprinted (not the best, but tolerable. I did it in Ga)
(4) submit to a ballistics test so expended bullets can be traced back to your barrel (a bit instrusive, but again tolerable ... just buy a replacement barrel ;-p )
(5) stay registered.

A lot of, in your words, "good ideas." None of which are required in Pennsylvania for possession (and only #5 for concealed carry). Is the crime rate any higher here in PA? Is there "blood in the streets?"

[italianquaker]

How can this be,I thought the stimuls,healthcare,finreg,oil spill, fill in the next one was going to save them in Nov

[ridesthemiles]

Gun rights will ALWAYS be an issue against the Dems...this coming election— all elections until the world is gone.

[Cboldt]

-- I wonder what the penalty is in DC for failure to properly register? --

That's not the only way one can run afoul of the law ...

Possession of ammunition for an unregistered firearm is prohibited in the District of Columbia, and you may be subject to criminal charges. If registering a semi-automatic firearm, bring the empty accompanying magazine. Please note that it is illegal to possess a magazine that holds more than ten rounds of ammunition in the District of Columbia.

I don't know if this is up to date. DC seems to have "buried" the penalty parts of its statutes.

• Any individual who violates the revised Firearms Control Regulations Act of 1975 may be fined no more than $1,000 or be imprisoned for no more than one year.
• A person who is convicted of knowingly possessing restricted pistol bullets may not be imprisoned for more than 10 years or fined more than $10,000. A mandatory minimum sentence of one year exists for this offense.
• Firearms owners must register their weapons with the local police department, file a report if it is lost, stolen, or sold and carry the registration certificate with them at all times. Violation of these regulations can result in the following punishments:
• First violation- civil fine of $100
• Second violation- civil fine of $500, revocation of firearm registration, 5-year prohibition of subsequent registrations
• Third violation- civil fine of $500, revocation of firearm registration, permanent prohibition on subsequent registrations

[Still Thinking]

Now, Democratic candidates across the map figure they have one less issue to worry about on the campaign trail.

Bull..crap! The narrow 5-4 decision dramatically demonstrates the necessity that after January, there must be a Senate that wouldn't believe Obama if he said people need oxygen to live, and would never confirm anyone he nominated, no matter what. That way the Democrats no longer have an incentive to assassinate one of OUR justices.

[ridesthemiles]

recently DEMOCRAT appointed affirmative action dope, Sotomayor, was one of the four dissenters.”

In her appearances before the Senate committee that confirmed her nomination, she clearly said that she believed in the 2nd amendment & the right of the individual to bear arms.

SHE LIED.

KAGAN IS LYING as I type this.

[PapaBear3625]

The Supreme Court struck a blow against state and local infringement of gun rights -- but the concept of "reasonable regulation" has not been resolved. Here in MA, the news is filled with reports that the Governor is looking at this ruling and deciding what to do on the state level (we're currently quite restricted and the Democrats obviously want to find a way to keep it that way).

The Supremes have defined the 2nd Amendment as an individual civil right. This means that the NRA, GOA, and the rest now have the ability to file federal lawsuits for civil rights violations the same way the ACLU does, and get reimbursed for their legal expenses.

I'm not sure if the Dem establishment has fully realized all the implications of RTKBA being a Constitutionally-protected civil right.

[Redcloak]

That statement is why anybody who would ever trust a demoRAT is a fool. The rats will still chip away at our rights one step at a time. Cf kalifornia.

Actually, out here in California, the greatest threat to gun rights comes from the GOP. there's always a few moderate Republicans who succumb to their bipartisan urges and pass new gun laws. Aaaahnold has signed more than a few during his time in the Governor's mansion. His anointed successor, Meg Whitman, is also hostile toward gun rights.

Democrats may write gun laws, but RINOs pass them and sign them.

[Enterprise]

I an sick and tired of having a Government of, by, and for dopey fat chicks.

[MtnClimber]

Funny how the “wise Latina” stated in confirmation hearings that she thought the 2A was an individual right, but voted against that view when the case came to court. Never trust a ‘Rat!

[SuziQ]

“It removes guns as a political issue because everyone now agrees that the Second Amendment is an individual right and everybody agrees that it’s subject to regulation,” said Lanae Erickson, deputy director of the culture program at the centrist think tank Third Way.

Not true, it simply puts the fights against undue restrictions closer to home. The Court ruled that States can still place restrictions, however, those restrictions can't be onerous. So there will still be fights within the State, and in local areas, but individual citizens will be closer to the action, as they should be.

[Cboldt]

-- I wonder what the penalty is in DC for failure to properly register? --

Found a link to the "Official Code of DC," did a search on "ammunition" and one of the 27 hits was this ...

Title 7. Human Health Care and Safety.
Subtitle J. Public Safety.
Chapter 25. Firearms Control.
Unit A. Firearms Control Regulations.
Subchapter VII. Miscellaneous Provisions.
DC ST 7-2507.06 - Penalties [Formerly cited as DC ST 1981 6-2376]

(1) A person who knowingly or intentionally sells, transfers, or distributes a firearm, destructive device, or Search Term Begin ammunition Search Term End to a person under 18 years of age shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than 10 years, or both.

(2)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, any person who is convicted a second time for possessing an unregistered firearm shall be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.

(B) A person who in the person's dwelling place, place of business, or on other land possessed by the person, possesses a pistol, or firearm that could otherwise be registered, shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.

(3) A person convicted of knowingly possessing restricted pistol bullets in violation of 7-2506.01(3) may be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not to exceed 10 years and shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a mandatory-minimum term of not less than 1 year and shall not be released from prison or granted probation or suspension of sentence prior to serving the mandatory-minimum sentence, and, in addition, may be fined an amount not to exceed $10,000.

So, what is a "restricted pistol bullet?" I wondered.

DC ST 7-2501.01 (13A) "Restricted pistol bullet" means any bullet designed for use in a pistol which, when fired from a pistol with a barrel of 5 inches or less in length, is capable of penetrating commercially available body armor with a penetration resistance equal to or greater than that of 18 layers of kevlar.

[neverdem]

The Democratic majorities in both chambers were built, in part, on victories in pro-gun states and districts that had until recently been difficult terrain for Democratic candidates as a result of the national party’s position on gun control.

At least that's true. The GOP was asleep as the rats ran pro Second Amendment and prolife candidates, as needed for various House and Senate seats, starting in 2006. They've avoided both arguments as much as possible from the national debate since then.

[The KG9 Kid]

Remember how winning Roe vs. Wade made radical feminists go away?

[lionheart 247365]

..... yea ,,, they're really celebrating in the streets ,,,,,, NOT !!! ,,,, they are the ones who feel the most threatened now by an armed populous . That is criminals and a corrupt government .

[ExGeeEye]

"...everybody agrees that it’s subject to regulation..."

Ummm, no.

[sig226]

I think he’s got a point. Gun control isn’t the only issue, but it is a significant one. We still need to replace enough dems to gain control of the house and senate this year, and there are lots of voters who attend their strongest interest to a single issue. Some percentage of voters will pay less attention to the elections with this issue seemingly resolved. I agree with everyone who said that it isn’t resolved, but some people will see it as over. It won’t be a large percentage, but we need everyone we can get.

[1010RD]

Bingo, but Politico is like reading Newsweak, Time or the NYTs. GIGO.

Although I do love this: “at the centrist think tank Third Way.”

Only the most radical Leftist would consider the Third Way centrist.

Has anyone read Toffler?

[1010RD]

Baby steps. IL is Obama country. That we have this right is like the Berlin Wall coming down.