A Shot in the Arm for the GOP

WP ^ | 18 MARCH 2007 | George F. Will

[Condor51]

**** Mitt Romney joined the NRA last August just to try to get ahead of this issue. ****

Yep heard that. But at least his shameless pandering is well intentioned ;-)
But 'series', I'm pretty sure I heard that he's owned a Shotgun for quite a while, or did at one time when he was younger.

Which reminds me, I have to renew my NRA membership. Expired Feb 28th, but I've been busy. (shame on me)

[mainepatsfan]

I have zero doubt that Hillary would become a life member if she thought it'd help her in some swing states.

[Alberta's Child]

I don't see this as a "shot in the arm" for the GOP at all.

Most NRA-types are among the least partisan voters out there, and would be far more likely to support a Democrat who champions the Second Amendment than a Republican (are you listening, Mr. Giuliani?) who doesn't.

[Neu Pragmatist]

Yeah Romney was also the only candidate of either party to attend the Shot Show this year .

I just renewed mine as well , and my goal is to get at least 5 more people signed up . We have major battles ahead of us , on every level .

[Condor51]

**** I have zero doubt that Hillary would become a life member if she thought it'd help her in some swing states. *****

Yep, bet she would.
And I wouldn't doubt if she DOES join sometime before the election.

It's funny, but I can't recall Hillary ever saying anything on gun control??? Even when the AWB was expiring, I just don't remember her saying anything.

[Beagle8U]

"Most NRA-types are among the least partisan voters out there, and would be far more likely to support a Democrat who champions the Second Amendment than a Republican (are you listening, Mr. Giuliani?) who doesn't."

If it came down to Rudy vs Bill Richardson the NRA would endorse Richardson. They have in the past.

[Neu Pragmatist]

"Most NRA-types are among the least partisan voters out there, and would be far more likely to support a Democrat who champions the Second Amendment than a Republican (are you listening, Mr. Giuliani?) who doesn't."

That is quite true . I would take a pro-gun, pro-life Dim over a RINO anyday. Unfortunately there aren't very many Dims that fall into the pro-gun category .

[Alberta's Child]

Many of the Congressional districts that used to be represented by Democrats who fit that description have been represented by the GOP since 1994.

I'd also venture to guess that there are far more Democrats of this sort on state and local levels than many people might realize.

[Neu Pragmatist]

Oh most definately, there are many more pro-gun Dems on state levels than on the federal level .

[NapkinUser]

It has been mostly dormant since autumn 2000, when Al Gore decided he was less interested in it than in carrying states such as Michigan and Pennsylvania: "Gore Tables Gun Issue as He Courts Midwest" [New York Times, Sept. 20, 2000].

For anyone who wants to see the article, it's on FreeRepublic:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/318750/posts

[Beagle8U]

"It's funny, but I can't recall Hillary ever saying anything on gun control??? "

http://senate.ontheissues.org/Senate/Hillary_Clinton.htm#Gun_Control

Keep guns away from people who shouldn’t have them. (Sep 2000)
Limit access to weapons; look for early warning signs. (Sep 2000)
License and register all handgun sales. (Jun 2000)
Tough gun control keeps guns out of wrong hands. (Jul 1999)
Gun control protects our children. (Jul 1999)
Don’t water down sensible gun control legislation. (Jul 1999)
Lock up guns; store ammo separately. (Jun 1999)
Ban kids’ unsupervised access to guns. (Jun 1999)
Voted NO on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers. (Jul 2005)
Voted NO on banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence. (Mar 2004)

[Condor51]

Thanks,
I figured she must have weighed in on gun control, I just couldn't recall any specifics.

[Beagle8U]

""If he talked about gun control, he would lose further among the white men in certain swing states, places like Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, all of which are in play," said Ted G. Jelen, chairman of the political science department at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, who has studied gun control as a political issue."

The link you posted about Gore pretty much debunks the BS that Rudy could win in Mi,Pa,Oh with his anti-gun record.

You should repost it as a warning of what Rudy would face 10 fold.

[RKBA Democrat]

"Most NRA-types are among the least partisan voters out there, and would be far more likely to support a Democrat who champions the Second Amendment than a Republican (are you listening, Mr. Giuliani?) who doesn't."

Bingo. See my site handle.

I would expand on your comments to note that the reason why the gunnies tend to be so nonpartisan is because of the long history of betrayals on the part of the GOP. In this sense, the gunnies are actually ahead of the curve as compared to most ideological conservatives. The political parties are a means for achieving an end, not an end in themselves.

There's not a scintilla of difference between a gun-grabbing Republican and a gun-grabbing Democrat. Except the Democratic gun-grabber will probably be more forthcoming about their victim disarmament philosophy.

[Beagle8U]

Yup, She is anti-gun just like Rudy, but Rudy's record is worse for having sued gun makers.

If you look up "Worst possible GOP Candidate" in the dictionary you will find a picture of Rudy in drag!

[Hatband]

As has been said before, the only difference between Hillary and Rudy is that Hillary wears pants and Rudy likes to slip into a dress once in a while. I know, its probably a moldy oldy but its new to me.

[MNJohnnie]

Only problem with this simplistic 100%er notion is you are NOT voting just for the "pro gun" Democrat, you are voting to turn the govt OVER to the Democrats. So while your pet hero "Democrat" may be screaming all about how "pro Gun" he is, he is going to run right to DC and elect Committee chairman and Congressional Leaders who the most hard core far Leftist Anti Gun nuts in the world.

You are not just electing this or that candidate, you are electing what that Party stands for. So while the GOP may be only 80-85% pro gun rights, the Democrat Party is 80-85% ANTI gun rights.

But I know, factual reality is far too difficult a concept for the 100%ers. So much easier for them to just come here and spend all their time sniping their own side in the back then ever bother to THINK about the political consequences of their feverish demands for dogmatic purity.

[prophetic]

If these stupid DemonRatz have any sense (and they mostly don't) they should give wide berth and don't touch it.

However as we've already seen how within the first MONTH of the the Dems grabbing the House they have already pushed for a much wider gun grab than the Brady Gun Bill ever did.

History shows that nothing energizes the GOP base that a GUN GRAB and after the Clinton/Gore/Reno/Brady Gun ban went into effect the GOP handed the DemonRatz their collective A$$E$ and swept to power in the House & Senate and collectively swept away all the Anti-Gun/Anti-Freedom creeps.

[prophetic]

I have zero doubt that Hillary would become a life member if she thought it'd help her in some swing states.

ROTFLMAO@!@@!

I honestly dont know whether to laugh or cry over that remark, but you owe me a new keyboard since I did a spew when drinking my cup of coffee!!

[Popocatapetl]

Every time the importance of the first or second amendment is mentioned, it should force everyone to look at the embarrassment of the "unwanted child" that is the tenth amendment.

It can best be said that the tenth amendment is "the federal government death penalty" amendment, because if it is ever enforced, it would be the end of the federal government as we know it.

It is the last step before the States are forced to convene a constitutional convention, which has no limits in how it can re-write the constitution. And to every suspicion, far worse than it is now.

But for now, the perpetually squeamish SCOTUS will now hopefully decide if individual citizens are the militia, and if "well regulated" means that the government may restrict the right to bear "some" arms, based in reason instead of absolutes.