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

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

[okiesap]

Those who will be too angry to vote for Bush 43 will be cutting their noses to spite their faces. Presidents have got to move close to the middle to have any chance at winning an election. The sad fact is you don't have to have a grasp of the importance of the 2nd Amendment to cast a vote. You don't have to have any intelligence whatsoever. Voters in 2004, like voters before them, will vote on the candidates charisma rather than issues. That anyone with the knowledge and understanding of the evils of liberalism emboddied by opportunists like Ms. Rodham would sit on or throw away a vote is beyond my comprehension.

[Cultural Jihad]

I can't wait until 2004 so I can do my part to help get rid of this disgusting RINO. This guy has been a disaster.

Hillary will thank you for your help, O Mr. Fool.

[Kadric]

And I enjoy shooting firearms of all types. I also do not see a need for most people to hunt. Not against it just don't see the need for it.

[Dan from Michigan]

Well, here's my college professor's question: does advertising sell products we need, or do we need products that advertising sells? But, an SUV isn't guaranteed by the Constitution. RTBA is. But, to me, the drive to limit both SUVs and guns is driven by the same, leftist need to feed class warfare.

Now this is tough to explain without a 10 page report, but I have to agree with you on the same leftists wanting to ban them both. That's proven by the Tides Foundation and Joyce Foundation.

[Byron_the_Aussie]

There's a debt involved, CJ.

You can't use the NRA and American gunowners to get into office, and then let them down at the first tough juncture. The President's riding high right now but who knows what will happen, by the time the election comes around? Don't burn your core support base, that's the #1 rule of politics.

[Deb]

I was speaking for the founding fathers and their probable reasoning when drawing up the 2nd. My block is currently saving up for a (pink) tank.

[P_A_I]

"The fact that a small percentage of people may use something for evil purposes is NOT a license to ban it for use by ALL."


Yours is a voice of reason in a free republic gone mad.

[Trailerpark Badass]

according to the FBI's UCR, 99.8% of legally owned guns are never used to commit a crime. It would seem to me that a law enforcement strategy that focuses on legal restriction of firearms, instead of a focus on the criminals who won't be deterred by any such laws, is a clear example of diminishing returns.

[Dan from Michigan]

He is ultra conservative in politics,

Where I'm from, he's a moderate.

[frostbit]

"This should be a national law and it should be publicized well."

FYI- Current federal law [18 USC 924(c)]:

Possession of firearms during violent crime: 5 years, madatory minimum. (All terms cannot be suspended or served concurrently with any other sentence.)

If weapon is brandished: 7 year mandatory

If weapon is discharged: 10 year mandatory

If discharge results in death: Life

The problem is not with the current law, just in getting the U.S. Attorney's office to prosecute the offenses.

[KingKongCobra]

Damnit! Bush is going to lose these same 13 voters who show up on every gun related thread to profess they're leaving the party. YYYYAAAAHHHHHNNN

[cyncooper]

Right to keep and bear arms.

And your little group thinks (ahem) that President Bush is not only anti, but VEHEMENTLY anti this, hm?

OOOOOokay.

Backing out slowly so as not to disturb the wind whooshing between ears in here.

[Capitalism2003]

triple those penalties and I'll be happy

[Dan from Michigan]

I just got frustrated reading the thread.

You're not the only one.

[Byron_the_Aussie]

..those who will be too angry to vote for Bush 43 will be cutting their noses to spite their faces...

True, so let's hope the President never forces them to make that call.

Perhaps Bush 41 could give him the benefit of his experience?

[OOPisforLiberals]

Ok - here's a shocking wakeup call for you. You look at AW's and say - "ha! Who needs them! We can live without them! They'll never come after my X". Where X is your favoriate PC gun.

Well guess what - in Illinois, right this VERY minute, there's a bill, SB.1195 which is ostensibly an anti assault-weapon bill. Ok, fine. Wanna know what else is tacked onto it? ALL SHOTGUNS WILL BE BANNED. ALL. PUMP, SEMI-AUTO, SIDE-BY-SIDE, OVER-UNDER. All of them. I am not kidding nor exaggerating. This bill was looking to be turned down. But guess what, the highly corrupt Mayor of Chicago has forced it to remain in committee until Dec 31. Know what that means? It'll pass. Mark my words, by the end of the year, anyone owning a shotgun in Illinois will be a FELON.

Next up - you bet - handguns. All of them gone. No explicit bills on the table yet, but with a bill as audacious as a total shotgun ban, there's no limit on what they'll try,

The assault-weapon ploy is merely that - a plot. Make no mistake, by giving into it, you're giving in to eventual loss of ALL your guns.

[diamond6]

OK. I'm game. Why don't you name all the issues that he's liberal, other than your sacred gun laws.

[Uncle Bill]

OUCH: "White House Favors Renewing Gun Ban"

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V.P.C. Welcomes President Bush's Reaffirmation Of Campaign Pledge To Support Reauthorization Of Federal Assault Weapons Ban

PR Newswire via AP
Violence Policy Center
April 14, 2003
Source

VPC Welcomes President Bush's Reaffirmation of Campaign Pledge To Support Reauthorization of Federal Assault Weapons Ban

WASHINGTON, On the eve of the National Rifle Association's annual meeting, President Bush has kept his 2000 campaign promise and reaffirmed his support for the federal ban on assault weapons, Knight Ridder news service reported this past weekend. According to White House spokesperson Scott McClellan, "The President supports the current law, and he supports reauthorization of the current law." The federal assault weapons ban is scheduled to expire on September 13, 2004. The NRA, one of Bush's strongest supporters during the 2000 election, claimed credit for his electoral victory. The NRA is vehemently opposed to the ban and has called for the law to not be renewed. The NRA's annual meeting is April 25-27, 2003. Florida Governor Jeb Bush is scheduled to be the keynote speaker at the event.

Bush's support for the ban has been longstanding. In October 2000, Bush spokesperson Ray Sullivan told Salon magazine that he would expect then- candidate Bush to reauthorize the ban.

That position was reiterated by John Ashcroft during his confirmation hearings on January 17, 2001, when he said, "It is my understanding that the president-elect of the United States has indicated his clear support for extending the assault weapon ban, and I would be pleased to move forward that position, and to support that as a policy of this president, and as a policy of the Justice Department."

Like Bush, Ashcroft has been a strong ally of the NRA, which spent over $500,000 on his behalf during his failed 2000 Senate bid. Just as importantly, in his confirmation hearing testimony Ashcroft stated that the law was not precluded by the Second Amendment. That determination by Ashcroft, a strong adherent of the NRA's view of the Second Amendment, should remove any discussion from the debate about the law's constitutionality. In fact, no court challenge to the law has ever succeeded.

During the 2002 campaign cycle, the NRA made ending the assault weapons ban a top priority. Just this month, the Associated Press reported, "Federal NRA representatives say the ban simply has not worked," and quoted NRA spokesperson Andrew Arulanandan as stating, "The question is why should we keep ineffective laws on the books....Undoubtedly, there will be a healthy debate on this."

VPC Public Policy Director Joe Sudbay states, "Undoubtedly, the NRA's leadership did not envision that the debate over the federal assault weapons ban would be between the NRA and the White House -- which they vowed to be working out of if Bush won. We have long been concerned that Bush would choose the NRA over public safety.

This reaffirmation of the President's campaign promise is a positive step in protecting the American public. We are equally encouraged by Attorney General Ashcroft's view that the ban is constitutional.

Given the President's enormous prestige in his party, having the White House on our side should help insure that the Republican House and Senate will pass meaningful legislation to keep these weapons of war off our streets.

Unlike NRA head Wayne LaPierre, who apparently believes the President is 'somewhat irrelevant' to this debate, we look forward to working with President Bush to reauthorize an effective law banning assault weapons."

For more information, visit the VPC's web site: www.vpc.org.

The Violence Policy Center is a national non-profit educational organization working to stop gun death and injury in America.

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The right to bear arms

Gun control = government control

No right to bear arms? - Solicitor general: 2nd Amendment doesn't apply to individuals

Trust the Government?

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"I George Walker Bush, do solemnly swear, that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States. And will to the best of my abilities, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. So help me God."

[Krodg]

The question you should be asking is: "what are the politicians planning to do to us that is so bad that they don't want us to have rifles around?"

It may come as a surprise to you but there are some people who are very conservative, yet know nothing about guns. While I support the right to bear arms, I would vote for a ban on assault weapons.....unless someone takes the time to educate me in simple terms. Example...I didn't know that a rifle was an assault weapon.

[Cultural Jihad]

Frankly, I don't think President Bush needs or wants the votes of those who think they need to stockpile assault weapons for the purpose of violently overthrowing the government someday.

If these self-marginalized ideologues can't get their way with the ballot box they will just have to grow up and learn to lump it.