Posted on 02/20/2010 9:16:46 AM PST by AuntB
Arizona - John McCain has gone out of his way to earn the ire of conservatives and gun owners in his 20-plus years as a U.S. Senator from Arizona.
Perhaps his crowning legislative achievement was so-called campaign finance reform, or the McCain-Feingold law. This law put the muzzle on organizations such as GOA, prohibiting any broadcast advertisements within 30 days of a primary election and 60 days of a general election that even mention the name of a candidate for federal office.
Not surprisingly, there is frequently a flurry of activity in Congress in the months right before an election, as politicians try to ram bills through at the end of a session. Forbidding criticism of sitting legislators during these crucial times (although media corporations were exempt) made McCain’s bill the perfect “Incumbent Protection” act.
McCain’s bill prohibited the most important form of speech the Founding Fathers meant to protect with the First Amendment — political speech — so it was welcome news when the Supreme Court recently repudiated much of the McCain bill as an assault on liberty.
But it should not come as a surprise that McCain does not want voters hear about what he’s up to in Washington, because the same person who holds the First Amendment in contempt would also like to run the Second Amendment through a shredder.
John McCain may have begun as a pro-gun legislator, but when he decided to become a gun control “maverick,” he went all out.
Since his conversion to a gun control advocate over the last ten years, McCain has favored a ban on small and inexpensive handguns and considered a ban on certain semi-automatic firearms (so-called assault weapons).
In what was his boldest move against American gun owners, however, McCain authored a bill to that could only have been designed to close down gun shows. In addition to regulating all private sales at gun shows, his bill would have placed onerous licensing requirements on gun show promoters and would essentially have registered the millions of people who attend gun shows. Under the burdens of the McCain bill, no promoter in the country would put on a gun show and, if they did, gun owners would likely not attend.
Thanks to McCain, the inaccurate and misleading phrase “gun show loophole” became a part of the anti-Second Amendment crowd’s lexicon.
The truth is, there is no gun show loophole; firearms transactions are conducted the same inside a gun show as they are anyplace else.
In 2000, McCain became a spokesman for a gun control organization (now defunct) called Americans for Gun Safety, a group that advocated licensing and registering all gun owners. The group ran radio and TV ads with McCain supporting ballot initiatives in Colorado and Oregon that would impose McCain’s favorite restrictions on gun shows.
These ads were a way for McCain to “stick it” to gun owners, after a gun show bill stalled in the Congress.
“I think that if the Congress won’t act, the least I can do is support the initiative in states where it’s on the ballot,” McCain said in an interview.
In 2001, the group ran advertisements in movie theaters featuring McCain urging people to keep their guns locked up “for the sake of the children.” In the ads, he greatly exaggerated the risks of children gaining access to firearms in the home, and at the same time completely ignored the danger of having guns locked away if they are needed to thwart a criminal attack.
After the 2001 terror attacks, when Gun Owners of America and tens of thousands of commercial airline pilots were pushing legislation to arm pilots as a defense against terrorism, McCain prepared an amendment that would have replaced “firearms” with “stun guns.” GOA pointed out at the time how stun guns would not be effective against the type of attacks that could occur in a cockpit.
John McCain may pretend to be pro-gun (especially in election years) but he has plunged his dagger deep into the backs of gun rights supporters. He may fancy himself as a “maverick” in shining armor, riding to rescue the American people, but all the while he has trampled the Bill of Rights underfoot.
Thankfully, this year gun owners have a choice. Former Rep. J.D. Hayworth, who was “A” rated by Gun Owners of America in his twelve years in the House of Representatives, is challenging McCain in the 2010 Republican primary.
J.D. respects the Constitution and understands that the Second Amendment was put there by the Founding Fathers to always ensure that the people would have the means to preserve their liberty.
During his time in the Congress, J.D. Hayworth did not vote one way in election years and another way when in nonelection years. J.D. consistently supported the Second Amendment, and that is just the type of leadership gun owners in Arizona will vote for in November.
Gun Owners of America Political Victory Fund is proud to endorse J.D. Hayworth for U.S. Senate and urges gun owners and sportsmen from across America to help defeat anti-gunner McCain.
Please visit J.D. on the web at http://www.jdforsenate.com to make the most generous contribution possible. Working together, we can win this fight and gain a Second Amendment ally in the U.S. Senate.
Sincerely,
Tim Macy Vice Chairman Gun Owners of America 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151 Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408 http://www.gunowners.org
NICE little speech from J.D. yesterday.
Running against GOP establishment, Rubio, Hayworth find allies among conservative activists
[snip]
“If you want to see how politicians undergo campaign-year conversions, you’ve got my friend,” Hayworth said before pausing. “I hate using that term, because he uses it all the time — you have my senior senator, John McCain.”
Hayworth is more brash than Rubio, but he also believes there is a national movement against party establishment candidates.
“What we’re seeing across the country is not anger as much as it is frustration and the feeling that there’s a disconnection among the current crop of elected leaders,” Hayworth said. “In much the same way that Governor Crist embraced Barack Obama, so, too, my opponent, our senior senator, has enabled President Obama to make some very unwise decisions.”
Hayworth cited McCain’s support for closing the prison for terrorist suspects at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and his opposition to harsh interrogation techniques that are widely considered torture.
And Hayworth questions why McCain brags about launching a “scorched earth” campaign against him.
“Arizona voters are coming up to me and saying ‘Where was this against Obama in the presidential race?’” Hayworth said. “John is saving his scorn and his vitriol for a conservative. I don’t think that helps him.”
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-us-conservatives-senate,0,5813641.story
Good for GOA. I knew there was a reason I liked these guys...
His tack (nautical term) to the right has been in anticipation of this election.
He will betray America once again if given the chance.
It doesn’t help to have the new TV star Palin, with her bully pulpit deal at Fox pimping for McCaim.
Voting rule interpretation has been abused pretty badly these last few cycles. Last election they refused to let me vote because the address printed on the front of my Driver License wasn't correct, even though I had made my changes of address in a fully legal and proper way with MVD. I eventually got to vote because I had back-up forms of ID available.
I don't think it's up to the GOP, although they have a lot of sway in the Legislature and the Ninth Floor..
BTTT
By all accounts, he wanted Lieberman.
It wasn't his unilateral decision and he would have picked Lieberman if left up to him. Charlie Black had to grab McQueeg by the lapels and read Juan the writing on the wall. Pick Palin if you want to stand a slim chance of winning, or at least avoid a totally humiliating defeat. McCain chose Palin, let her carry his conservative cross to the crucifixion, then spent the rest of the time praising Obama on the campaign trail.
Where i live, there are at least 2 gun shows every year and draws many, many people.
Seems like most everything Mack the knife does is anti-freedom, anti-Con (Constitution and conservative.)
The Republican party needs a new direction. I think we’re all pretty much agreed about that.
Sadly, some people think a 360 degree turn is all that is needed.
The more things change...
“Grover alNorquist? “
LOL
Since he married the Palestinian (who worked for USAID...and we wonder why that outfit is such a mess!)and converted to Islam, I’m surprised he hasn’t changed his name to Muhamed AlNorquist.
How’d I miss your PIN? That’s a great pickup by JD!!
Yes it is! When is Duncan going to campaign for J.D.?
I’m not sure he will, but I hope he does. Last time we talked he still had not heard from JD.
I must be stupid but why is any entity of the federal government donating tax dollars to any candidate ever?
Like Al Capone on a giant scale!
Like Al Capone on a giant scale!
“Like Al Capone on a giant scale!”
Yep! John is in thick with those types as well.
Las Vegas, well ALL gambling entities love McCain, and he gets big bucks from them.
Arizonans won’t support the old man, someone has to I suppose.
[snip]”As public opposition to tribal casinos has grown in recent years, McCain has distanced himself from Indian gambling, congressional and American Indian officials said. But he has rarely wavered in his loyalty to Las Vegas, where he counts casino executives among his close friends and most prolific fund-raisers. “Beyond just his support for gaming, Nevada supports John McCain because he’s one of us, a Westerner at heart,” said Sig Rogich, a Nevada Republican king maker who raised nearly $2 million for McCain at an event at his home in June.”
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