As I Predicted, George W. Bush Is Backing Bill Clinton's Gun Ban

Toogood Reports ^ | April 15, 2003 | By Chuck Baldwin

[Uncle Bill]

As I Predicted, George W. Bush
Is Backing Bill Clinton's Gun Ban

TooGood Reports
By Chuck Baldwin
Chuck Baldwin Website
April 15, 2003

In this column dated December 17, 2002, I predicted that President G.W. Bush would support the so-called assault weapons ban first promoted by former President Bill Clinton and Sen. Diane Feinstein back in 1994. Interestingly enough, the gun ban became law on the strength of a tie-breaking vote by then Vice President Al Gore. The ban is scheduled to sunset next year, but Bush is joining Clinton and Gore in supporting an extension.

Presidential spokesman Scott McClellan said, "The president supports the current law (the Clinton gun ban), and he supports reauthorization of the current law."

This must come as quite a blow to people such as the leaders of the National Rifle Association who campaigned heavily for Bush touting him as a "pro-gun" candidate. Since his election, the NRA and others have repeatedly reaffirmed their support for Bush, because he is "pro-gun." Well, now the mask is off!

I have tried to warn my readers that Bush is not a true conservative. He is not pro-life; he is not pro-family; he is not pro-Constitution. And now we know he is not pro-gun.

Instead of reversing the miserable policies of Clinton/Gore, Bush is helping to harden the cement around those policies. The gun issue is no exception.

The so-called assault weapons ban was the benchmark piece of legislation reflecting the anti-gun policies of people such as Clinton, Gore, Feinstein, and New York Senator Charles Schumer. It was also the number one target of the NRA. In fact, the NRA all but promised their supporters that a Bush presidency would help reverse this Draconian gun ban. Instead, Bush is pushing Congress to extend the ban.

A bill to reauthorize the gun ban will be introduced by Senator Feinstein in the coming weeks. It must pass both chambers of Congress to reach the President's desk. The best chance of stopping it will be in the House of Representatives. However, in order to defeat this bill, it must resist the power and influence of the White House. This will be no small task.

Not only is Bush betraying the pro-gun voters who helped elect him, he is breathing new life into a nearly dead anti-gun movement. Most political analysts credit Bush's pro-gun image as the chief reason he defeated Al Gore in the 2000 election. They also credit the pro-gun image of the Republican Party for helping them to achieve impressive wins in the 2002 congressional elections.

Now, Bush is giving new credibility to anti-gun zealots such as Schumer and Feinstein and is helping to reinvigorate the anti-gun momentum that had all but been put on ice.

However, the real question will be, "Will pro-gun conservatives continue to support Bush?" Bush is every bit the "Teflon President" that Clinton was. Conservatives seem willing to overlook anything he does, no matter how liberal or unconstitutional it may be. Will they overlook this, also?

If you truly believe in the Second Amendment and are willing to do something about it, I suggest you go to the Gun Owners of America website. They have a quick link set up which allows people an opportunity to conveniently send email to the White House about this issue. Go to the gun ban "alert" button. From there you can voice your disapproval with the President's decision to betray his constituents by supporting this new round of gun control.

Once again, the ball of freedom and constitutional government is in the court of the American people. Will they keep the ball and do something with it, or will they hand it off to the neo-conservatives at the White House? We'll see.

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PLEASE Don't Sit out 2004, EVEN IF Bush signs the AW ban extention

Bush Supports New Extension Of Assault-Weapons Ban

Bush Backs Renewing Assault Weapons Ban

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"That’s why I’m for instant background checks at gun shows. I’m for trigger locks."
George W. Bush - Source: St. Louis debate Oct 17,2000.

MORE INJUSTICE ON THE WAY - Bush GUN CONTROL
"Gene Healy, a Cato Institute scholar, recently provided a thorough exploration of the unintended consequences of one law, the new Bush-Ashcroft plan to federalize gun crimes, known as the Project Safe Neighborhoods program. The unintended consequences of this law are frightening."
NOTE: Same Article in Washington Times.

There Goes the Neighborhood: The Bush-Ashcroft Plan to "Help" Localities Fight Gun Crime, by Gene Healy

"W. Wimps Out on Guns"
The Bush package includes several pet causes of the gun-control lobby, including $75 million for gun locks; $15.3 million for 113 new federal attorneys to serve as full-time gun prosecutors; and $19.1 million to expand a program by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms aimed at preventing youths from obtaining guns. Although Bush stressed that he simply wants to "enforce existing laws," the fine print of Project Safe echoes the gun-grabbing Left's call to ban the importation of high-capacity ammunition clips."

Project Safe Neighborhoods, A Closer Look

LAURA BUSH:
"During her San Diego speech, for instance, she said nothing about the school shooting that occurred 20 miles away in El Cajon the day before, although in a television interview she condemned it, adding that she thinks more gun control laws are needed.

"I think that's very important," she said when asked by CNN whether stronger gun laws are needed."
Source.

EMERSON & THE SECOND AMENDMENT

A Gutless Supreme Court Decision - Gun Control

Republican Leadership Help Push Gun Control

Bush's Assault On Second Amendment

NEA Resource Text Guide In Regards To The Extreme Right - Where Do Your Kids Go To School?
"The radical right says it is pro-life but it bitterly opposes gun control legislation"

or

A Problem With Guns?

Thanks for that Patriot Act George

[suijuris]

I'm a heretic...

No. You're an idiot. Go back to the DU site troll.

[diamond6]

I brought up this point, because everybody speaking against the ban claims that the Constitution gives them an unlimited right to own any arm they want. You have just provided evidence that they don't.

[DBrow]

"No reason at all, except to mow a bunch of people down."

Has this happened yet?

[Byron_the_Aussie]

..he doesn't need an assault weapon and I don't think anyone else does. You can hardly say that an assualt weapon is a sportsmens gun....

The Second Amendment isn't about the right to hunt ducks, Estrogen. But you can tell your hubby from me, if he sits out the AWB issue because it doesn't involve him personally, it won't be long until the gun grabbers, energised by success, are coming for his bolt-action .22.

That's what happened here.

[billbears]

I've read that he's giving lip service to this while knowing that Tom Delay will nuke it. That's the political calculation

Of course, like CFR, 15 billion to AIDS in Africa, and 2 billion for land Hindenburgs. Like those were nuked right? When will the conservative arm of the Republican party finally start to admit that there are two distinctive parts of the Republican party? Conservatives and then those that just pay lip service to the conservative beliefs

[dogbyte12]

Well, ya know a famous freeper stated that President Bush is a traitor. I guess he is right. I am voting for Al Sharpton. That will show W a thing or two.

Then I am going to vote for Hillary in 2008. Jeb Bush must be punished... he is W's brother after all. I am also going to heckle Barbara and Jenn's college graduation. Then I am going to burn copies of Millie's book, even ones with former first lady's signature. Then, I am going to have a beer. Being a raving lunatic is tough work.

[rintense]

Well, I am interested to see what he will do now that the Iraq situation is pretty much in the bag. I've never really bought the line that people vote with their pocketbooks. But that all depends on how horrible the media can spin our economic vitality in the next year.

Hint: it won't be good spin.

[Capitalism2003]

I think it would be very sad if issues like this divide our party and end up giving away certain victory to the dems across the country next year...If you think Dubya upholding this ban is a bad thing, wait till you get a moron like Dick Gephardt in office. We are letting this issue do to us what Ralph Nader did to the dems in 2000. People need to consider the alternatives to Bush...not a pretty sight.

[Dan from Michigan]

come on folks...everyone knows that 'semi' automatic weapons can easily be converted into fully automatic weapons...Legalizing these things will make like that

Do you have any proof to back that up?

[omegatoo]

Yeah, me too.
By the way, I found that list on an old thread I saved. It was called "A Day in the Life of ... somebody," or something like that.

O2

[scubadave]

California's Roberti-Roos ban on "assault weapons" was enacted in 1989. And that LA shootout you mention: the cops were only able to get the [semi-auto high-capacity] firearms to defend themselves from a licensed GUN SHOP. You wrote:

come on folks...everyone knows that 'semi' automatic weapons can easily be converted into fully automatic weapons...Legalizing these things will make like that huge 1997 robbery and gunfight in Los Angeles much more common in our streets

So we should move to ban fertilizer,or will we have more incidents like the World Trade Center bombing (1993) and the Oklahoma City massacre (McVeigh/Nichols)?? Didn't 80+ people perish in a nightclub in NYCs Dominican neighborhood (1980s)? Just some gasoline and a match.

[Jesse]

I'm still waiting for your reply....

[diamond6]

I'll keep Bush. He is ultra conservative in politics, but more important he is ultra conservative in his morals. He has convictions, and he stands by them. He is a man who believes in God and doesn't just pay it lip service. He will go down as one of the greatest presidents ever.

[LurkerNoMore!]

I'm so sick of these a$$hols trying to tear down our President. I am a political consultant, and I admit that YES this is being done to avoid giving percentage points in key states among women to John F. Kerry in Nov 2004...and that it is an understandable calculation on the part of Rove. That's politics. It is also true that it will be shot down in Congress as part of the plan. I understand people are angry about it. But to advocate leaving the ballot space blank or voting for some other party for President makes you no better than the Libertarians, who cost us two Senate seats last cycle.

We all understand what this is, and our energy shouldn't have to be spent on attacks against our own side by those with dubious agendas.

[Byron_the_Aussie]

President Bush wouldn't be in the White House without gunowners, Deb. It was that close.

He owes them. Let American gunowners have *just one* politician who doesn't use them to get into office, then sell them out when the going gets tough.

Just one. President Bush. Regards, By

[Mulder]

He is ultra conservative in politics

LOL!

[Deb]

The type a gun is has nothing to do with anything. The reason for the 2nd amendment is for the defense of the people against its (criminal) government. As you know, the government is pretty well armed so in order for the people to defend themselves (should the feds go nuts), they would need equal arms.

Most people try to defend the 2nd by invoking their right to hunt, but all the supporting documentation for the 2nd is for the people's self defense against the feds.

[Dan from Michigan]

Sorry to do this to you. You're 99% right. You described an assault WEAPONS.

Assault RIFLES can be full auto.

[CapandBall]

bump - sad but true

[billbears]

Oh, well see, you're just plain evil. You don't have a right to question the Republican Party. Never mind they haven't bothered following the Constitution since God knows when. They're the conservatives in the bunch. So that apparently now means they're not for moving us to the left as fast as the Democrats.

And yes, I've voted straight Republican ticket for as long as I could vote. Except this year. With the great state of North Carolina offering up Giddy Dolt as a Republican, I couldn't check that box without laughing out loud at what is called a Republican nowadays. Senate on down I either didn't vote, or voted for who I knew personally