Bush Supports New Extension Of Assault-Weapons Ban

Salt Lake Tribune ^ | 4-12-03 | Shannon McCaffrey

[Unwavering Conservative]

Bush Supports New Extension of Assault-Weapons Ban

By Shannon McCaffrey Knight Ridder News Service

    WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration is bucking the National Rifle Association and supporting a renewal of the assault-weapons ban, set to expire just before the presidential election.

    "The president supports the current law, and he supports reauthorization of the current law," White House spokesman Scott McClellan told Knight Ridder.

    Tossing out the ban on semiautomatic weapons is a top priority for the NRA. President Bush said during his presidential campaign that he supported the current ban, but it was less clear whether he would support an extension.

    The White House comment comes just before the NRA's annual convention and as the gun debate overall shows signs of fresh life after several years of near hibernation. Republicans now control the House and the Senate and are using their newfound power to breathe life into the stalled pro-gun rights agenda. This week, they pushed through a bill in the House to give gun makers and dealers sweeping immunity from lawsuits.

    The assault-weapons ban is considered a crown jewel by the gun-control movement, and even though its expiration is more than a year away it is already being watched closely.

    The White House comment surprised those on both sides of the gun issue.

    "That's lousy politics," said Grover Norquist, an NRA board member who leads the conservative pro-Bush group Americans for Tax Reform.

    Joe Sudbay of the Violence Policy Center said it "creates a huge problem for Bush with the NRA."

    "The NRA said they would be working out of the Oval Office when Bush was elected. This creates an interesting situation for them," he said.

    Matt Bennett of Americans for Gun Safety applauded Bush's stance but urged the president to use his political clout to push for Congress to act. If Congress does nothing, the ban could just expire.

    Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the NRA, said Bush's support was somewhat irrelevant.

    "Ultimately, I think this issue is going to be decided by the Congress," LaPierre said.

    If it is, the NRA has reason to be optimistic.

    This week's action on the immunity legislation for dealers and gun makers reflects the interest of Republicans to resurrect the pro-gun rights agenda.

    Congress had been poised to act on the bill last fall, but the deadly sniper attacks in the Washington area prompted a delay. The measure has enough co-sponsors in the Senate to pass that chamber unless Democrats dig in their heels and filibuster.

    Supporters of the immunity bill say it shields gun makers from bankruptcy because of frivolous lawsuits that became popular during the Clinton administration.

Lawsuits filed by cities against gun manufacturers -- modeled on similar litigation against the tobacco industry -- have so far been unsuccessful but have kept gun makers tied up in court.

    The active gun debate stands in contrast to several years of inaction.

    Democrats largely abandoned the gun issue in the 2002 midterm election after some determined that it had been an albatross for Democratic presidential hopeful Al Gore in 2000.

    Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, D-N.Y., elected to Congress on a gun-control platform after her husband was killed and her son wounded by a deranged gunman on a Long Island commuter train in 1993, acknowledged that some Democrats are nervous about the gun issue nowadays.

    "But it's coming back. I think you're going to see it popping up a lot this session with the Republicans in control," she said

[CatOwner]

"If electing Hillary for eight years cause Republican leaders to read the Constitution, and get a spine, I'd be delighted. Painful lessons are not soon forgotten."

I can't disgree with this more. This is wishing for the worst for America. You are trying to come across as wishing the best for America, but having Hillary for 8 years as President will be far worse than it was with Bill. It is like wishing for Saddam to lead the Iraqis.

I guess we will have to agree to disagree.

[Centurion2000]

The damn GOP better take a long hard look at this issue, because the way the decide to go with it might set the tone for their permanent minority status in the Congress of the United States, or their ascendency to a generation or two of majority status.

This is the issue that will make or break the GOP.

[Blood of Tyrants]

You say that it is sacrificing the security of the U.S. I say that GUN CONTROL sacrifices the security of the U.S.

[Centurion2000]

Don't be an idiot. Dance with the one what brung ya.

If the AW ban has expired in 2004, the Republicans get my vote .... if not, I'll go 3rd party or stay home.

[2nd_Amendment_Defender]

This article is a bunch of hot air. Most of Congress doesn't want to touch the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban with a ten foot pole. A lot of the Republicans know that this will really hurt their re-election if they push this.

[2nd_Amendment_Defender]

If all the legal firearms leave the United States you will see tyranny in this country.

Defending the Bill of Rights is one of the most important roles a President can help play. If Bush signs the renewal of the Assault Weapons Ban it is only putting us one step closer to a tyrannical regime in our own country.

I will not sell my children out to tyranny. If Bush wants to disregard the Second Amendment, then I will disregard my vote for him and vote third party.

[Unwavering Conservative]

Amen!!

[tpaine]

My views on guns are to the right of probably 99% of Americans, but I realize that no politician could currently get elected who so forthrightly called for unlimited national concealed carry, for example, or repeal of the 1986 MG ban.
That's OK. I'll take what I can get now, vote for Bush, and keep working to shift the goal posts rightwards. It's not even a vote for the lesser of two evils; it's a vote for imperfect good instead of pure evil.

Its a vote for the same appeasment line we've heard since the '68 GCA. It doesn't work, and won't, ever. The Bush administraton has made it clear that they will accept further 'regulations' [read infringements] on our RKBA's.

Don't be an idiot. Dance with the one what brung ya.

Cute line, but more apt:
Don't be crazy. Don't dance with the feller what just swiped yer purse.

[Unwavering Conservative]

Well, the Bush family must be arrogant.

RKBA enthusiasts are the strongest voting block here in America IMHO.

[Unwavering Conservative]

At least Tancredo wans to secure the borders.

Dubya is all for open borders.

[Unwavering Conservative]

I am gonna call my Congressional represenatives and tell them to vote against extensing this bill.

Dubya supporting this bill tells me that he may be un-American.

[Unwavering Conservative]

I don't believe you.

Dubya is anti-gun IMHO yet he is sneaky with it.

[ACAC]

Bush can say this knowing he will never have to do actually do it. This is smart politics. He appeals to suburban women and does not have to actually DO anything. Tom Delay will never let this ban onto the House floor.

[Unwavering Conservative]

ping

[Unwavering Conservative]

ping

[Unwavering Conservative]

ping

[ACAC]

If the AW ban is not renewed, will you vote GOP? The other side of that is you would not if it is renewed.

[ACAC]

People here don't seem to understand that they are in the minority on some issues and Bush has to play this game to keep the moderates. They don't understand. LISTEN, THIS AW BAN IS NOT GOING TO BE RENEWED. IT WILL DIE IN THE HOUSE. I HAD THOUGHT PEOPLE HERE WERE SMARTER THAN THIS.

[Shooter 2.5]

I think my post was too vague. My point is that the NRA made a special effort to convey the fact whoever was voted into office last November would be the ones voting for or against sunsetting the Assault Weapons Bill.

Our problem with Bush is he was elected into office with the promise of no more gun control. He didn't promise to roll back any of it. The Congressman and Senator I helped during the election promised to sunset the Bill.

[ACAC]

By the time we could get a bill through Congress to repeal the ban, it will be expired anyway. Any repeal will be filibustered in the Senate. It is easier and more effective to just wait a year and let it expire.