Posted on 04/16/2015 12:53:07 PM PDT by VinL
Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz's argument that the Second Amendment provides the "ultimate check against government tyranny" is a bit too extreme for potential 2016 rival and fellow Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
"Well, we tried that once in South Carolina. I wouldn't go down that road again," Graham said, in an apparent reference to the Civil War. "I think an informed electorate is probably a better check than, you know, guns in the streets."
Speaking to a few reporters near the Senate floor Thursday, Graham was answering questions from TPM about the Texas firebrand and presidential candidate's argument made in a fundraising email that the Second Amendment confers a right to revolt against the government.
"The 2nd Amendment to the Constitution isn't for just protecting hunting rights, and it's not only to safeguard your right to target practice. It is a Constitutional right to protect your children, your family, your home, our lives, and to serve as the ultimate check against governmental tyranny -- for the protection of liberty," Cruz wrote in the email Thursday, with the subject line "2nd Amendment against tyranny."
Graham demurred. "I'm not looking for an insurrection. I'm looking to defeat Hillary," he said. "We're not going to out-gun her."
While a consistent supporter of gun rights, Graham voiced a more mainstream legal view of the Second Amendment, as the Supreme Court first articulated in the landmark 2008 case District of Columbia v. Heller, that individuals have a right to possess a firearm for lawful self-defense.
"I think the Second Amendment allows people to protect their homes and their property and be secure in their persons," the senator said. "I think in a democracy the best check on government is voter participation. I think the First Amendment probably protects us more there."
Flimsy Tinkerbell ping ...
if the south is wrong be a northern liberal .... sorry Creek ... couldn’t resist ...
Ideally it might be, but you can't have an "informed electorate" when the bastards in DC lie to us with impunity. If he doesn't like Plan B, maybe he should be working a little harder on Plan A.
An informed electorate would not leave itself defenseless.
Hell Linda ... I don’t care about guns in the street ... just one in my hand without your say so .... get it ?
it was nice of D.C. to build that Loop ... makes invasion easy.
Ladies and Gentlemen: Senator Muffin Cumberpatch, ie Lindsey Graham...
Interesting concept - VOTING. On the other hand, it seems no matter how we vote, the government grows fatter and meaner. We vote R, they act D.
Tiny Dancer belongs to DC and no one else.
Guess the founding fathers were too radical for him as well.
If we had won in the south then would he be saying the same thing?
knew you were Southern (in your heart)!
LOL most of congress woul;d not have got voted in.
Anyone seen Waters world or what ever his name is for Bill O Reilly ? His questions are good but seeing how people answer pisses me off. First it’s funny at how stupid they are but then you understand that these people can vote which cancels my vote out
“potential 2016 rival and fellow Sen. Lindsey Graham”
Please, Sen. Graham, run against Cruz so we can watch him utterly destroy you in the debates.
Just a big fan of freedom although we do have a lot of southerners here in SE Michigan.
Tomato Lindsey is afraid he might break a nail.
Graham demurred. “I’m not looking for an insurrection.
Neither am I Gramnesty, but look at what 0bama has wrought.
BLOAT.
5.56mm
“”Well, we tried that once in South Carolina. I wouldn’t go down that road again,” Graham said, in an apparent reference to the Civil War. “I think an informed electorate is probably a better check than, you know, guns in the streets.” “
” And here’s the first thing I would do if I were president of the United States. I wouldn’t let Congress leave town until we fix this. I would literally use the military to keep them in if I had to “ ~ Lindsey “muffin cumberpatch” Graham
Well unless there are guns in the streets of DC...
Amen ... Amen ...
So anyone who believes in the “2nd Ammendment” is planning an insurrection? What an incredibly irresponsible thing to say...
Add into that the E A S I L Y hackable electronic voting machines (I still don’t know we aren’t screaming about that one) and, well ... you’re vote probably means nothing.
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