2008 and guns
Jeff:
John McCain’s views on the 2nd Amendment are poison to me. I will not vote for him. Same goes for Rudy Giuliani. Same goes for Hillary Clinton. I hold no allegience (sic) to any political party. I will vote for whomever has worked the hardest — proven by their history of voting — to preserve the 2nd Amendment, as well as all the others.
I don’t know that we gunnies will even have a good choice in 2008. Of those that are serious contenders, only Feingold seems sufficiently pro-gun (though he has favored some restrictions). It’s a shame he has his name on the Incumbent Protection Act.
What is a gun nut to do?
Meanwhile, it looks like bitter is telling us that McCain may have some pro-gun strategery up his sleeve:
I can’t say too much right now, but I thought you guys might be interested in this story about McCain hiring the former head of NRA-ILA for his presidential run.
McCain’s record on guns is a bit, err, mixed and by mixed I mean politcally expedient:
* Ban cheap guns; require safety locks; for gun show checks. (Aug 1999)
* Supports ban on certain assault weapons. (Aug 1999)
* Voted against Brady Bill & assault weapon ban. (Aug 1999)
* Guns are a problem, but so are violent web sites & videos. (Aug 1999)
* Punish criminals who abuse 2nd Amendment rights. (May 1999)
* Youth Violence Prevention Act restricts guns for kids. (May 1999)
* Repeal existing gun restrictions; penalize criminal use. (Jul 1998)
* Voted YES on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers. (Jul 2005)
* Voted YES on banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence. (Mar 2004)
* Voted NO on background checks at gun shows. (May 1999)
* Voted YES on more penalties for gun & drug violations. (May 1999)
* Voted YES on loosening license & background checks at gun shows. (May 1999)
* Voted YES on maintaining current law: guns sold without trigger locks. (Jul 1998)
He banked on the non-existent gun show loophole once and lost. Sales at gun shows are subject to the same regulations as shop sales. Short of requiring checks on all private party transfers, I don’t see how it can be done. Maybe he learned his lesson.
August 23rd, 2006 at 8:46 am
Feingold sufficiently pro-gun?! You gotta be kidding me. His record on the issue worse than McCain’s. As of 2004, his g the NRA’s grade for him as of 2004 was a D. Getting a D from the NRA is like getting a Q from GOA, if indeed they grade that low. At least McCain managed to eke out a C+.
August 23rd, 2006 at 8:48 am
Feingold seems to have reconsidered, if you follow the links. Not sure I beleive him anymore than McCain, but at least Feingold is saying the right things (like 2A is individual right and he opposes the AWB).
August 23rd, 2006 at 8:53 am
But if Feingold voted for the semi-auto weapons ban, while allowing government agents to roam the streets with full-auto weapons, he is on NO WAY pro-2nd Amendment. The 2nd Amendment is about self-defense and “security” which makes the semi-auto military style weapons ban an anathema to that protected RIGHT! And, like you say, his vote against the First Amendment is another attack on the Bill of Rights.
August 23rd, 2006 at 9:38 am
Uncle, it’s touching that Mr. Feingold thinks the Second Amendment secures an individual right, but so what? Most elected politicians think that, or at least say they do. Even Chuck Schumer, of all people, concedes in principle that the Second Amendment secures an individual right to do something, just not very much. Come to think of it, isn’t that a pretty good summary of McCain and Feingold’s respective positions on the First Amendment?
As to the view that Feingold has turned a new leaf, note that the grades I referenced above were from the fall 2004 election campaign. The vote on renewing the AW ban took place on March 2 of that year. Killing the AW ban was the No. 1 national legislative priority for the NRA, so the odds of the NRA having issued grades in the fall election that did not take the AW renewal into account are slim to none. If the best grade Feingold could muster from the NRA after voting against the AW ban renewal was a D, that means he was in F territory beforehand, and still has a hell of a lot more repenting to do before any any gun owner should even think about voting for him.
Last and least, how does Feingold’s newfound love for ugly guns distinguish him from every gun owner’s bogeyman McCain? If we must hand out Special Olympics medals to every Senator who finally got around to opposing the AW ban in 2004, shouldn’t there be some honorable mention for those who had the good sense to oppose it all along?