Posted on 05/20/2003 11:38:12 AM PDT by 45Auto
Well, here we go again. Power-hungry cowards in Congress are once again seeking to ram gun control down our throats, and this time, our president – the man who was painted as a friend to the some 80 million-gun owners in this country by the National Republican Apologists (NRA) – says he will sign it if it reaches his desk.
But my goal today is not to take aim at the NRA for its obsequious and quite obvious silence on the G.W. Bush promise to sign the odious legislation to expand and make permanent the Clinton “Assault” weapons ban of 1994 into law – although God and Goddess know the NRA’s hypocrisy and ass kissing of the seat of power are glaring, to say the least. No, today I’m taking on the President himself…
· For playing political games with our freedoms;
· For maneuvering and dodging instead of taking a courageous stand;
· And for trying to appease the anti-freedom maggots in congress and at Handgun Control, Inc. (And no, I won’t call it the “Brady Center.” They are what they are, regardless of the name change.)
Consider this: George W. Bush is a man who ran on the premise that he was a friend of the Second Amendment. In the 2000 elections, the NRA drooled at the prospect of having Bush in office. An excerpt from a story on Boston.com tells the story quite well: “On the NRA tape, [Kayne] Robinson calls Gore an ‘antigun fanatic’ and said electing him would be a ‘horror story.’ But with Bush, the likely Republican nominee, they will have ‘unbelievably friendly relations.’”
In October, 2000, then-NRA President Charlton Heston stomped around the country urging gun owners to vote for George W. Bush, describing the presidential campaign as "a holy war" for the constitutional rights of gun owners.
And now, the President to whom a large number of gun owners gave their vote – a sacred trust to protect their rights and the US Constitution – is underhandedly voicing his tacit support for the permanent ban of certain types of firearms. No, he’s not proud of his support. He’s keeping a low profile, letting his lackeys do the talking, while keeping conspicuously silent himself. If the ban never sees his desk, his spin-doctors can twist the sad facts into a positive development for the Bush Presidency: An odious Clintonesque gun control bill was killed during our brave leader’s reign!
If Congress passes H.R. 2038, and Bush signs it into law, you can expect a very large number of gun owners and patriots to turn away from Bush and from the Republican party. There’s no excuse for this heinous, unconstitutional legislation to see the light of day – not when we have a Republican majority in Congress and a Republican White House. Republicans are supposed to be gun owners’ friends, right?
Apparently, they aren’t. Apparently Republicans are just as willing to play politics with our rights as the Democrats. According to Newsday.com, “[House] Speaker Dennis Hastert opened the door Thursday to a vote on extending an assault weapons ban that expires next year, and the leader of House Democrats prodded President Bush to urge the Republican leadership to bring the bill to the floor.” It sure doesn’t sound like the Republicans are any better friends to gun owners than the Democrats. They’ll violate your rights just to appear “moderate” just as quickly as the Democrats, hoping their tepid reluctance will earn them brownie points.
Well, time has come to say it: Mr. President, you and your Republican cohorts are cowards and hypocrites, and gun owners know it!
Yes, I’m saying it loud and clear, so that you and your lackeys can read and revel in this fact. You have no courage. You have no integrity. You bend to the political convenience of the moment, because it’s the quickest road to re-election, and you think that little red, white and blue elephant on your lapel, your patriotic pictures on the USS Abraham Lincoln and your war on terrorism will erase or obscure this fact and that your membership in the Republican party will shield you from the wrath of those you have betrayed.
You feel complacent because you feel gun owners will support you regardless, because you happen to be the lesser of the two evils. You feel secure, shrouded in the Republican banner, because gun owners have consistently and loyally voted Republican. Well, I suggest you stop feeling secure, sir. Because gun owners don’t appreciate cowards and hypocrites. We don’t appreciate compromising twits, who will do anything to appear “moderate” while trading away our rights for a few votes. We appreciate truth, integrity and courage.
If you had any gonads at all, you would stand up and say, “I want to ban all the so-called ‘assault’ weapons and I will support any legislation which accomplishes this goal,” and then allow law-abiding and freedom-loving citizens of this country to turn away from you, as you know they will.
But no, you won’t do that, Mr. Bush, because politics are apparently much more important to you than principles. You want reelection so bad, you can taste it, and it appears you’ll do anything – even sell law-abiding gun owners to the socialist wolves – to get it.
The legislation you are too afraid to state your support for is a pernicious piece of garbage that will do nothing more than place further limits on our freedoms.
H.R. 2038 – the “Assault” weapons ban will do nothing to stop crime. Prior to the Clinton ban, a Bureau of Justice Statistics survey reported that in 1991, about 8 percent of state inmates had possessed a so-called “assault” weapon. Care to guess how many carried said weapon in the commission of a crime? LESS THAN ONE PERCENT.
A Virginia inmate survey conducted prior to the 1994 ban showed that while about 10 percent of incarcerated criminals ever owned an “assault” weapon, none had carried it at the scene of a crime.
Meanwhile, in 1997 – four years after the Clinton ban was passed – 1.5 percent of state inmates and 1.7 percent of federal inmates admitted to having used a weapon made illegal by the Clinton ban.
Both numbers are insignificant, but some are more insignificant than others. More criminals used the banned “assault” weapons during the commission of their crimes after the ban than before. Even now, the number of criminals who use “assault” weapons is pathetically small.
So what is the purpose of this ban?
Is it to reduce crime? Apparently not, since said weapons are rarely used to commit offenses.
It bans, among other things, pistol grips, folding telescopic stocks, threaded barrels, forward grips and barrel shrouds – none of which make a gun any more or less “dangerous” and none of which pose any threat to law enforcement. And yet, the legislation carries the deceptive name, Assault Weapons Ban and Law Enforcement Protection Act of 2003, even though it has no hope of “protecting” the already protected elite – the police, who are, of course, exempt from the bill’s provisions.
What you are tacitly supporting, Mr. Bush is nothing less than an attempt to ram yet more gun control down the throats of the American public. It’s not about crime, it’s not about protection, it’s about control, and if you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem –
- a problem we, gun owners, plan to battle and win.
If you are not to be a part of it, so be it. But at least have the courage to stand up and admit it, instead of hiding from the truth.
Admit that you would support an ineffective and unconstitutional ban on firearms for a political purpose.
Admit that you are too cowardly to stand up to Schumer, McCarthy, Feinstein and their weak-minded socialist brethren, because you’re afraid you’ll lose votes.
Don’t sit in the White House and have your lackeys proclaim what a great, courageous independent minded leader you are, because you’re willing to part with the NRA on this issue. What you’re doing is not courageous; it’s stupid, ineffectual and manipulative.
Our rights are not yours to maneuver for your political gain.
Our Constitution is not up for debate.
Our freedoms are not your bargaining chips, Mr. President.
Stand up, be a man and admit your support for this unconstitutional monster that aims to take firearms out of the hands of the law-abiding. Or if you don’t support this bill, have the courage to say so and face the mealy-mouthed, hand wringing wrath of Brady, Nosanchuk, Diaz and their socialist ilk.
You won’t get a pass on this, Mr. President. Your political games with our freedoms paint you as a coward, a manipulator and a traitor. It’s time for you to do the right thing. State your position, and face the consequences like a man.
I'm not reading the ban cause I don't care, it's not a real ban on anything(that's a good thing) it is a sop to the gun ban nutz. Unless you tell me how you haven't been able to sleep since they banned those "tommy guns". As far as a new law, stay away from the proposals and you'll be much happier. It is difficult to pass these laws, I really don't think there's much chance of it this year. Neither does Tom Delay, my money is on him.
I'm not trying to stir up a revolution. My point is that there are times when politics becomes a part of the equation. I am opposed to the AWB but I just don't think in reallity it has done anything, and certainly not made anyone safer. If some people want to think it has, then let them, that's all I'm saying. There are other issues more important and the REAL reason this is in the news now is because lame and desperate DEMONCRATS are tearing their hair out trying to find issues to confront BUSH on, I'm just not willing to have this fight right now to make them happy. I think the tide has turned on these GUN BAN NUTZ, they are less and less effective. Even many DEMS are backing off, of course I live in CA where they're trying to ban squirt guns(humor, not really, YET!)
Picky picky! BUSH must do everything you want or he's a sellout, give me a break. I see by your screen name that you do have other interests, is he selling you out on taxes too, do you really miss Clintoon, do you really see no difference?
Bush makes sure gun lobby gets what it wants
By TOM TEEPEN
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
5/20/2003
“Bush and the people around him are National Rifle Association finger puppets. The NRA twitches, they bow.”
When President Bush announced a couple of weeks ago that he wouldn't oppose renewal next year of the ban on semi-automatic assault weapons, you knew something fishy was up. And sure enough, here it is: Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) says that not only will the House refuse to renew the legislation. The leadership won't even let the matter come up. End of issue.
Thus Bush escapes any blame for re-arming the nation's nut cases with weapons that can mow down school kids and postal employees wholesale -- hey, he said he'd back an extension, didn't he? -- but the gun lobby gets what it wants anyway.
Then I misunderstood you completely. I thought you were saying that the AWB wasn't a burden on gun owners and that you didn't think it worthwhile to fight it - in fact, that you thought it could or should be renewed.
Nah. Best place to kill this turkey is in the House, where gerrymandering means most congressional pubbies are from safe districts. Senators answer to an entire stateand Bush answers to the entire nation - and there are enough dumb moderates and RINOs in the Northeast, voters Bush will need to win in those states in 2004, to put Bush in a position where it's best to let someone else do the hatchet work on this bill.
If you seriously think GWB's tax cut to corporations will help put Americans back to work, you need to pry the crack-pipe from your mouth long enough to breath fresh air.
This is OVER the top. Obviously you are the type that wants to BLAME everything of the PRESIDENT. BUSH didn't start a new program to "import" illegals so they could take your job. Immigration is a hugh problem, tell me how ANY legislation now pending would "fix" this problem. In CA we VOTED to do something about the benefits problem with illegals "breaking the bank" in this state. Unelected judges threw it out. Chuckie Schumer type judges are ruining our country. If you want to blame it all on BUSH go ahead if it makes you feel better but PLEASE don't feel you need to insult those with whom you may disagree, this is a liberal tactic, I don't OWN a crack pipe, did you want to loan me yours?
I'll mail you $3.00 and you go buy me two 30 round mags for my AR-15. This is how much they USED to cost before Clinton's ban.
Why do you speak so much on an issue that you do not understand or care about?
Gun-owners far and wide will not promote a second term for Bush. They won't try to convince their friends to vote for him or to vote at all for that matter.
I am not saying that I won't vote for him. I am saying that if he signs this bill he won't be re-elected.
Is he for us or against us? I don't have friends that I have to watch around my silverware. I would watch Bush around my silverware now.
Finally, yes I missed it during the election where he said he supported the ban. I would not have campaigned for him had I know this. Voted for him, yes. Campaigned, NO.
If he cannot trust me with a gun, why should I trust him to run my life?
Did I miss where BUSH is trying to BAN guns? You question why I would comment on something I know so little about. I know this much, I sleep a lot better with BUSH in the White House than when Clintoon and his evil b*tch wife were in there planning their next crime. To you I guess there's no difference, that's too bad, actually it's sad.
I imagine you have plenty of clips for you weapons. Why aren't you trying to lift the ban on those neato "tommy guns" after they WERE BANNED in the 1930's. Ah, the good old days.
You remind me of Tim Robbins: "there's a cold chill across the land" what BS. GUNS are legal and they'll stay that way as long as we have a Constitution, and a few decent(maybe, maybe not) judges left to read the "bill of rights". IMHO the AWB was a phony feel good law to begin with, but as I said, it's just my opinion, If that's OK with you.
READ THE BILL!!! It DOES ban certain guns!!!!
I imagine you have plenty of clips for you weapons.
My weapons use magazines. My daughter uses clips in her hair.
Why aren't you trying to lift the ban on those neato "tommy guns" after they WERE BANNED in the 1930's.
Tommy guns are taxed, not banned.
You remind me of Tim Robbins:
You don't know what you are talking about. How do you like the way THAT sounds?
He's the President not the King, I don't disagree with you about the border problems in this country, I just don't waist my day trying to find reasons to dislike the Prez, I am grateful for his being there on 9/11, it easily could have been Al Gore. I see conservatives gaining ground as the liberal media juggernaut is falling apart. 10 years ago compared to today is amazing. As this growing (see 2002 election results) trend continues I have some hope that over time these important issues will be addressed. As Rush likes to say, first we must "educate" before we can get people to agree with us.
I still remember how excited I was in 1994 after the REPS won Congress for the first time in 40 some years. The enemies weren't yet defeated, and they haven't given up but the lesson to me of the NEWT period is that some things just have to evolve to get consensus. IMHO conservatives are winning the arguments, little by little.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.