Assault Weapon Ban extension PASSES (Senate amendment to gun industry protection bill)

C-Span ^ | 3-2-04 | Sen. Dianne Feinstein D-CA

[Atlas Sneezed]

The vote was:

52 -Aye in favor of extending the ban 47 -Nay opposed to the ban.

[Ichneumon]

I can sympathize with your reaction, but instead of voting Losertarians we should double up the effore to kick out RINO's and Liberal Republicans from the party.

I agree completely -- if Bush signs this, *HE'S* a "RINO and Liberal Republican", and should be kicked out of the party -- and the White House.

[Badray]

How can you have been here so long and not have picked up even a smidgen of history and common sense?

Another group of 'gun happy goofs' created this nation when some liberty hating, gun grabbers came to pick up their assault weapons back in 1775.

[CholeraJoe]

In that case a pawn shop gun should do just fine.

[Henrietta]

"I'd rather have you at my side than 100 of the GOP bots. You have a lot of qualities that they don't have -- courage, common sense, and brains."

That's one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me here on FR!

What I lack is training...and I'll be on my way to becoming a competent rifleman by the end of this summer. You know what they say..."You use your handgun only to fight your way back to your rifle."

Get training at Gunsite or Thunder Ranch, or the equivalent before they outlaw that, too. I can just hear the excuses now..."But what do ordinary citizens need to have training firearms tactics for??"

[MineralMan]

"A question that arises from this unpleasant topic is, "Why, with all the planes, tanks, ships and heavy weapons at it's disposal, is our government so afraid of simple, private citizens with small arms?"

"

The answer is that the government is not afraid at all. That's why they keep passing all these restrictive laws. They know nothing will happen to them as long as they do it slowly.

As I said, you might be able to muster up a single regiment of people who are actually willing to take up arms against the government, but that's about it. Such a regiment couldn't even take on a big city police deparment, much less the military. The government's not scared. Individual politicians might be scared about the next election, but that's about it.

[Sir_Ed]

"Folks like yourself are to the GOP what the Clintonistas were to the Democrats; just an ugly stain. You're an amen corner that deems it politically sophisticated to elevate your lack of principle into your highest principle. To whatever extent your type gains sway over the GOP, the Republican Party will simply become an inverse reflection of the unscrupulous Democrats.

Don't wipe the boot polish from your lips, wear it proudly."

What an excellent post...

Ed

[Shooter 2.5]

You're at fault[?] for giving us the opportunity to have a Firarms Liability Protection Bill in the first place.

Thank you.

[Henrietta]

"A question that arises from this unpleasant topic is, "Why, with all the planes, tanks, ships and heavy weapons at it's disposal, is our government so afraid of simple, private citizens with small arms?"

Answer: Vietnam. Afghanistan. Iraq. Mogadishu. Where our best-trained, best-equipped and best financed army either got its butt soundly kicked or had to keep constantly looking over its shoulder to avoid the ill-trained and ill-armed, but oh-so-motiviated civilian.

[MineralMan]

"I think that a lot of military and ex-military would abandon their support for the goverment if the government starts shooting citizens. Just my two cents.
"

Two words: Kent State.

[Squantos]

Just keep voting for those who screw ya Dukie..........its popular, you'll fit in.

[Robert_Paulson2]

truly hope you are right about that.

[glock rocks]

[Cold Heat]

I will be supporting Bush and the administration.

I will be voting against the Rats and pubs that voted in favor of this legislation, as all of us who support the president will.

This issue is NOT the end all, BE all, MAJOR issue of all time and will not affect any thinking persons view of what Bush stands for and where he is leading this country.

The hyperbole on this thread and others has gone beyond amusing to totally stupid.

I am not the only one, fortunately, who understands and sees the moronic post after post and attempt to bring some sanity to the conversation.

[TLI]

gun-happy goofs.

Goofs huh? That's just plain sad. I guess that 6 years service, another 15 working with training teams for AR and NG thoughout Texas and having been taught to shoot pistol and rifle at the age of 6-7 by dad (Marine, Korea) fully qualifies me as a GUN HAPPY GOOF.

I have a strong gut feeling that I prefer the company of GUN HAPPY GOOF's.

T L I

[RockChucker]

Nice freeper pickup line. I'll have to remember that one.

[OXENinFLA]

(I love that site)


FROM TODAY'S WH PRESS BREIFING.


Q The gun ban vote on -- I'm wondering your reaction to having the gun ban extension attached to the bill protecting gun makers from liability?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, one -- and I talked a little bit about this yesterday -- the legislation before the Senate on the gun manufacturing liability issue is about stopping lawsuit abuse. The President views it as a lawsuit reform issue. The House passed legislation to address these important reforms. The Senate should pass it, as well, to implement meaningful reforms. Our concern is there are some that are using amendments to try to undermine this important legislation and these important reforms.

Q You're attaching things that they think are equally justified. Is there -- what's wrong with that?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, but --

Q You supported the gun law -- the gun ban extension.

MR. McCLELLAN: The President's views are very well-known. And first and foremost, when it comes to crimes committed with guns, it's important that we strictly enforce our laws. And that's exactly what this administration is doing. I would remind you that federal firearm prosecutions have increased 68 percent in the past three years. This has been a high priority for the Department of Justice. We have also implemented Project Safe Neighborhoods, which is a comprehensive strategy to vigorously enforce existing gun laws and deter crimes committed with guns, working with federal, state, and local prosecutors and law enforcement officials.

And I think that there are some that would use amendments to try to undermine this important initiative to stop frivolous lawsuits. This legislation, the gun manufacturing liability legislation, will prevent frivolous litigation affecting a lawful American industry and the thousands of workers it employs. It will help prevent abuse of the legal system and help curb the growing problem of frivolous lawsuits. And so I think that we have to view it in that context. The House passed legislation to do that, and the Senate should also pass that legislation to implement meaningful reforms --

Q How does it undermine it to have the assault weapons ban?

Q Won't the assault weapons ban save lives --

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think you know the way the legislative process works. And there are some that would use amendments simply to undermine this piece of legislation, while also pushing for -- while also pushing for --

Q How is it undermining it? If it's something the President wants, it's like, you know, all the jollier. I mean, if he gets the reform and he gets the extension, why is that bad?

MR. McCLELLAN: David, I think, one, these are two separate issues. You have the issues you mentioned and then you have an issue involving frivolous litigation. The President is a strong supporter of stopping frivolous lawsuits and stopping lawsuit abuse. That's the context in which he views this legislation.

His views are very well-known on the other issues, as well. But there are some --

Q But you still haven't explained why it's bad --

MR. McCLELLAN: -- that know that with these amendments, that this legislation will not pass the Congress. And this is important legislation that will bring about meaningful reform.

Q Well, let me just -- what a lot of people are saying is, look, the President was for an extension of the assault weapons ban, but really wasn't going to do anything to fight for it, hoping that it would die. Yet, he's for immunity for the gun manufacturers. So if he's for both these things --

MR. McCLELLAN: You mischaracterized the first part of it. These are separate issues. These are different issues.

Q -- why not fight for both of them then?

MR. McCLELLAN: His views are very well-known, David. I just said that. But --

Q His views are separate from the amount of political capital he's willing to expend.

MR. McCLELLAN: No, no, there are some that recognize that by passing certain amendments to this issue that is about lawsuit reform, that they will undermine the legislation, that it will not have the votes necessary to pass Congress. We're working to pass this important piece of lawsuit reform.

Q Scott, on that point, which is more of a poison pill, the assault weapons ban extension or closing the gun show loophole?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, again, I think I'll -- I think that the amendments that are being pursued, some are more interested in undermining the legislation. You mentioned a couple of them. Our views are very well-known on those issues.

Q It seems that extending the ban isn't so much of a poison pill as closing the gun show loophole.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, you have to -- you always have to look at the votes. I mean, there are two chambers that have to pass the legislation. One chamber passed this legislation and passed meaningful reforms on the gun manufacturing liability issue, and now the other chamber is trying to pass amendments on to that legislation. And I think some are simply more interested in undermining that piece of legislation than they are in necessarily getting the other legislation passed.

Q If I could just ask this one more time, in terms of the balance of what's needed for American policy. It's your view that the merits of tort reform and getting that passed are more important than measures that police departments across America say will save lives?

MR. McCLELLAN: That's not what I said, Mark. I said this is an important piece of legislation that has already passed the House, that has the support in the House to be implemented. And now there are some in the Senate who are seeking to undermine that legislation with certain amendments. That's not the issue here. The issue here is about passing a meaningful piece of lawsuit reform.

This legislation, I would point out, preserves the right of individuals to have their day in court with civil liability actions. They're spelled out in the piece of legislation. We would urge Congress to pass this legislation as it is.

[RAT_Poison]

You are assuming, of course, that the whole of the military would follow orders to kill their fellow Americans. Granted, some of them would, but I would bet that most members of the military would have a difficult time following orders to bomb and shoot their fellow Americans - possibly people they grew up with and members of their own families.

[MineralMan]

Well, if that antique is your idea of a hunting rifle, I'm pretty sorry for you. Doesn't look a thing like mine. I'll bet my groups at 200 yds. are a heckuva lot tighter, too.

[Shooter 2.5]

Well, I did the math on the AWB amendment.

Ten Republicans voted against us.
Six dems voted for us.

The Republican Party is still the Pro-gun party and the dems are still the anti-gun, anti-rights party.

[No.6]

"Well, 10 years later we've managed to give the Republicans both houses and the presidency and what are they giving us?

Gun grabbing and a $550B Hilarycare package."

On one count, let's see if the party as a whole fails us by allowing the AWB renewal to become law, and in the other case the Medicare bill may be large and expensive pork but it's not nearly the centralized socialist medicine package as proposed by Hillary and her secret committees.

The news tonight should be grating if you can stand to watch it, endless beaming liberals crowing about a gun control victory; but it isn't a done deal. If it is, then that's different.

6, remaining vigilant.