Bush signs Campaign Reform, NRA Sues

AP/Yahoo ^ | 03/25/02 | SCOTT LINDLAW

[PeteF]

GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) - President Bush signed landmark campaign finance legislation Wednesday and the National Rifle Association swiftly filed suit challenging the constitutionality of the new law.

Bush signed the measure in the Oval Office — without the public signing ceremony often staged for major legislation. In a written statement, he said that while the bill has flaws, it "improves the current system of financing for federal campaigns."

Bush then embarked on a two-day swing to South Carolina and Georgia, where he planned to raise more than $3 million for GOP candidates for Congress.

Critics have long argued the legislation violates the Constitution, and the NRA was the first in line to file its challenge at the federal courthouse a few blocks from the White House. The legislation "eviscerates the core protections of the First Amendment by prohibiting, on pain on criminal punishment, political speech," said a legal complaint filed on behalf of the NRA and its political victory fund.

[Graewoulf]

President George "Waffle" Bush was the last line of defense before the un-Constitutional CFR Law goes before THE NINE SUPREMES. He just lost the 2004 National Election.

It is my hope that these NINE FEUDAL LORDS defend the Constitution.

Afterall, that is their ONLY job.

[Amerigomag]

we should be going after the idiots in the House who voted for this-they gave it life and then threw it onto Bush's lap

According to news report Bush was the "idiot" that forced the CFR vote in the house. Interviews with Hastert supported this accusations. Hastert was visibly dismayed that he had been forced (by Bush) to promote this fiasco.

Take a moment to review the facts before attempting to efficate Bush's participation in the congressional process.

[Neets]

Pretty funny!!! HAHAHAAH

[Cuttnhorse]

Your #169...interesting take, I hope you are right because right now W. has seemingly infuriated his loyal base.

[P8riot]

I've been inundated with mail from the RNC and the Republican Party of Virginia asking me to renew my membership this year, but I was waiting for the outcome of CFR to make my decision. Then when Warner voted for it I was pissed, but now that Bush has signed it, I'm livid. There ain't no way in Hell that I'm gonna pay another dime to the Republicans until they get their $#!t together, and establish and maintain a platform that is constitutionally sound, and field candidates that are really conservative. For all intents and purposes I am now an independent (besides the fact that Virginia doesn't require you to register a party affiliation).

[Howlin]

Bush told them ALL not to count on HIM doing their work; he told them not to count on a veto.

[Neets]

Falling on deaf ears toots.

[Cuttnhorse]

Hmmm, interesting take...you do know Diddle...Squat.

[rbmillerjr]

God, I'm 41 and Ive done it all......Democrat until 79-80,,,,,Republican until 02,,,,,now Indenpendent,,,,,,,,,well at least i skipped the whole Ross Perot thing hehehe.

[usconservative]

Reason enough for me to renew my NRA membership when it comes up next month.

About time they (the NRA) grew a pair of testicles. Glad to see them in the fight!

[rbmillerjr]

I heard Ari say direct from the Prez's mouth that he was telling Congress to send him a bill he could sign. Period.

[Queen of Excelsior]

"Bush signs Campaign Reform, NRA Sues" The title alone will wrap up the soccer mom vote for Bush.They'll never read the entire article and they'll just figure if the NRA is suing, Bush must have done the right thing. Bush "strategery" at work.

[Amerigomag]

Bush told them ALL not to count on HIM

My point exactly.

Publically he's bashing CFR but privately he's promoting the issue.

Publically he's building his political capital but privately he's using his clout to force Congressmen to participate in this farce.

Not my definition of a "principled" man. Better fits the definition of a politician.

Don't mind a politician as long as he doesn't limit my political speech (CFR), endanger my way of life (245i) and undermine (protective tariffs) the free market system.

[usconservative]

While I hate that he signed it, the best logical argument I can see is that he's trying to get the quickest resolution to shut up debate on the issue.

That about sums it up.

Hey, I'm on the side of "he should NEVER have signed this bill in the first place!" but there certainly are powerful arguments on the other side to sign it, undermine it, have it overturned by the USSC, defuse the issue with the DimocRATS and take back the Senate to get Conservative Judges through and seated.

WTG Miss Marple and CP ... you got me to reverse my original position. And that ain't easy to do. Kudos.

[Howlin]

Publically he's bashing CFR but privately he's promoting the issue.

Ah, no......he is not. If he was promoting it, you can bet you would have seen the signing on TV.

[NittanyLion]

Bush told them ALL not to count on HIM doing their work; he told them not to count on a veto.

Translation: "If you guys pass this bill don't expect ME to have the backbone to veto. I'll just pass the buck along to the Supreme Court."

[Howlin]

Translation: do your own work.

[NittanyLion]

Translation: do your own work.

Maybe Scalia and Thomas should have said the same thing to Bush.

[Shooter 2.5]

AWW! This just freaking great! < sarcasm > Now my hard earned NRA money has to be spent to protect the First Amendment. Well, at least it will prompt a tiny portion of the sunshine soldier gunowners to join the NRA.

[ModernDayCato]

Okay...this is the argument I'm having the most trouble with. My (former as of today) party, the GOP, just wiped their collective @sses with the U.S. Constitution.

You and a lot of other people are telling me to calm down and work to get more GOPers elected so that I can....

What was the reason again?

"Miracles do not cluster. Hold on to the Constitution of the United States of America and the Republic for which it stands-- what has happened once in six thousand years may never happen again. Hold on to your Constitution, for if the American Constitution shall fail there will be anarchy throughout the world." -Daniel Webster