Showdown on guns is near ('94 AW ban)

The Times-Picayune (New Orleans) ^ | 24 February 2003 | Bruce Alpert

[45Auto]

More than eight years after Congress approved a ban on the sale of semiautomatic assault weapons, supporters and opponents are preparing to battle over whether to let the law expire as scheduled in September 2004.

Although 19 months away, the sunset date for the 1994 law banning AK-47s and similar weapons is generating intensive lobbying efforts from both sides of the emotional gun control issue.

[MrB]

public reaction to several high-profile shootings involving semiautomatic weapons

tinfoil hat firmly in place
There will be another high-profile shooting in the months before the vote.

[FreeTally]

You can count on it. It wil involve an "affected weapon", and heck, a middle easterner for good measures.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

He'll sign it, just like he signed CFR and that monstrous farm aid bill.

[stevio]

This should be interesting.

[Redbob]

"This law began with misrepresentation and was twisted after passage to include all sorts of firearms the original bill never listed..."

You're exactly right;
the whole point of this law was to put something in place that could be imnterpreted in any way desired. What the Clintonians NEVER foresaw was their landslide defeat just a month after this law took effect.

You'd think they learned their lesson, but I doubt it.
I just hope Dubya doesn't do something stupid like supporting renewal and giving them "cover."

Dubya could easily say that America has changed since he made his alleged campaign promise to support renewal - that was BEFORE September 11!

[FreeTally]

If GWB wishes to be a one term president then all he has to do is twist some arms to get the so called AWB extended. The critical date ia 14 September 2004.

And I question what one may mean by the word "extension". The same Bill, for another ten years, or the same Bill, with new guns added, for another ten years.

You can bet there will be a HUGE push to add many guns, of which will be all .50 caliber rifles and the new S&W 500 .50 cal magnum reveolver that some idiots are already piping up about.

[meadsjn]

The Violence Policy Center, which supports gun control, recently released a report that said .50-caliber sniper rifles remain legal, even though terrorists could use them to fire at a jetliner thousands of yards away, potentially piercing the craft's metal skin and knocking it from the sky.

Terrorists could also use jetliners as a terrorist weapon to attack buildings full of people, potentially piercing and collapsing the buildings, and incinerating or crushing thousands of people in the process.

[toothless]

"If GWB wishes to be a one term president then all he has to do is twist some arms to get the so called AWB extended. The critical date ia 14 September 2004."

If he extends it, I will vote for his democratic opposition just to send a message. Then I will kick myself.

[Redbob]

"He signs it, and he's a one-termer. That simple."

You're absolutely right!
I could never vote for Bush's opponent, but I COULD simply stay home, as would 100,000 or so of my closest friends, eh Dan?

[Dan from Michigan]

Then he can kiss Michigan, New Hampshire, Florida, Penn, Minnesota, West VA, Tennesee, Missouri, and possibly Kentucky, Virginia, and North Carolina goodbye.

[Redbob]

It expires in October (6th?) '04. 10 years to the day from when it was enacted.

[45Auto]

The hope is to pursuade the House of Reps. not to renew this provision; that way, Pres. Bush won't have to give himself a sharp pain in the....The damn Senate might vote to extend and make permanent, but there is hope that the House won't buy it....But I think the enemies of freedom are going to trot out all the propaganda they can to gain sympathy from the moronic public over this. The big worry is that guys like Chuck the Schmuck Schumer will try to amend the damn thing to include further infringements on the 2nd.

[Travis McGee]

public reaction to several high-profile shootings involving semiautomatic weapons

tinfoil hat firmly in place There will be another high-profile shooting in the months before the vote.

Just click the cover to see how a "Super Columbine" could lead to a total ban on semi-automatics in a week, at least in a novel! Chapter 1 begins with an "assault rifle massacre" in a packed stadium, and then everything gets crazy.

[45Auto]

That's "persuade"..

[dbwz]

bump for later...

[Redbob]

"Then he can kiss Michigan, New Hampshire, Florida, Penn, Minnesota, West VA, Tennesee, Missouri, and possibly Kentucky, Virginia, and North Carolina goodbye."

And don't forget Texas! Bush COULD lose Texas if he supports more gun laws like his daddy did!

[jjm2111]

The big worry is that guys like Chuck the Schmuck Schumer will try to amend the damn thing to include further infringements on the 2nd.

No kidding. But Bush has the Veto. Of course he would have to rent a spine to use it, but I can lend him mine for $199.95 per day. There's no way the Dems can wrassle up 2/3rds of both the House and the Senate.

[cruiserman]

the weapons of choice for many drug dealers, gang members and terrorists --

Really? Most of the AR's, SKS's, and AK's I see are at the local rifle range.

[Crowcreek]

Sarah Brady, you ignorant putz. If you weren't such an opportunist leftist puppet you'd be ranting about twenty-two revolvers -- That's the evil weapon which was used on your husband.

[Rebelbase]