This is pot to kettle, come in, over
Veep Cheney has called Kerry a threat to gun owners. The NRA members began shouting four more years. Obviously, the NRA members haven’t been keeping up with Bush’s record on guns:
“John Kerry’s approach to the Second Amendment has been to regulate, regulate and then regulate some more,” Cheney said, citing votes against legislation that would protect gun makers from lawsuits and in favor of allowing federal authorities to randomly inspect gun dealers without notice.
Cheney lauded the NRA for its safety programs and said the best way to prevent gun crimes was to enforce existing laws. Federal prosecutions of crimes committed with guns increased 68 percent under President Bush, he told the crowd.
Bush “has shown you respect, earned your vote and appreciates your support,” Cheney said.
[Snip]
Kerry, in a statement issued before Cheney’s address, said “most voters don’t know that (Bush and Cheney) are standing against major police organizations and breaking their promise to renew the assault weapons ban — which helps keep military-style assault weapons out of the hands of criminals and terrorists.”
Update: Publicola has more.
April 18th, 2004 at 4:53 pm
Same choice as with everything:
Republican vs. Democrat.
Wedgie vs. castration.
April 18th, 2004 at 9:36 pm
I thought the Brady law was going to keep ALL firearms “out of the hands of criminals and terrorists.” Why do we need another law that just regulates the features that certain new firearms can have?
April 19th, 2004 at 2:09 am
Our only hope are the states.
There is too much national political capital to be made by being “mainstream” on the gun issue. No Republican can see himself in national office by being strong on reversing 2nd amendment abuses…I would venture to say that 2nd amendment matters don’t even show on most voters radar…and thereby are of little interest to politicians.
I think the only hope for a reversal is something that happens external to the normal “us against them” debate.
Unfortunately, anything that can motivate mainstream America to seriously demand their 2nd amendment rights is probably too awful to think about.
Our best bet is to continue to block what we can in Washington, while expanding rights at the state level.