Posted on 08/30/2008 12:47:25 PM PDT by neverdem
Lawmakers Discuss Tapping Into The Traditionally Conservative Issue
Stepping gingerly back into the thicket of gun politics, some Democrats are offering up a few proposals to make them less on the defensive on an issue that many claim cost former Vice President Al Gore and Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., the presidency.
Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., and Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., spoke at a National Wildlife Federation briefing Wednesday afternoon, pushing efforts to expand conservation areas for hunting and fishing grounds as well as better protection of the environment for sportsmen.
"Sportsmen have been stereotyped as concerned with one issue: guns. But if you listen to sportsmen as I have over the years ... we hear a different story," said Larry Schweiger, president of the National Wildlife Federation.
The goal is to allow Democrats to play at least a little on the offense on an issue that party leaders will not bring up because of fear of major political repercussions to its members by the powerful National Rifle Association. Top Democrats are still reeling from NRA-led defeats in 1994 of their members who voted for the Brady Bill and legislation to ban some assault weapons. Others say the issue likely cost Gore a win in West Virginia in 2000 that would have put him in the White House.
Dingell said hunting and fishing areas need better environmental protection, specifically citing that enforcement of the Clean Water Act needs to be beefed up to protect those lands. "These have not been a good eight years," said Dingell, a stalwart NRA member. Lincoln cited the increasing loss of public hunting areas that threaten the opportunities for families to go shooting or fishing, like hers will do in a few weeks at a dove hunt in Maryland.
"Democrats are all about conservation. They are all about preservation. I think that's a huge opportunity," Lincoln said.
But the NRA is likely to pump a significant amount of its $40 million political spending this election season in an effort to defeat the Democrats' presidential standard-bearer, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, whom the organization has said fails to support their agenda.
The 3-million member group will wait until after both conventions to give an endorsement, which will likely go to Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., despite his sponsoring of some legislation that the NRA has adamantly opposed, including requiring background checks at guns shows and a bill to tighten campaign finance laws.
"With Sen. Obama you have a lifetime record of supporting gun control, voting for gun control, speaking out against gun rights and voting against gun rights either as an elected official or a private citizen," said Andrew Arulanandam, an NRA spokesman.
But Dingell said that it is undetermined how much the NRA will actually spend and what races will be targeted. "I will point out to you that if you look at Mr. McCain's record on firearms, it ain't so good," said Dingell, who added that he would offer up some advice for Obama on the issue if asked.
Just by promoting conservation efforts? I don't remember a worse article from National Journal. This is just a cheap hit on McCain for old sins, trying to downplay all the coverage Palin is getting. Since when did the NRA lose a million members? Obama wants to renew the so called assault gun ban among many other things.
2. Who the heck would believe them anyway? They have been trying to abridge gun rights since forever.
The Marxist Maggots are so fanatically set on destroying the Constitutional Rights of American citizens, that they cannot help themselves. Sick bastards they are — just send them to Venezuela where they can have all the communism they want. Pukes.
Well, no. I want a gun so that if somebody breaks into my house I can blow their brains to pieces. What are you going to do for me?
They really never got a grasp of that pig and lipstick thing, did they?
I would never vote for a democrat if they are running for a US house or US Senate seat. It doesn’t matter how conservative they say they are. Once they get to Washington they will caucus with the rats and then we are not safe. Even if they vote against the bill it will still be brought up because the party in charge sets the agenda and decides what gets out of committee.
The Second Amendment is NOT about hunting, it is about defending ourselves and what’s ours. These morons don’t want citizens to be armed any more than Hitler did.
(Educational note for you ignorant liberal hoplophobes: that is a genuine, (military-issue, full-auto) "assault rifle" -- not some "ugly, scary-looking gun" with the fictional "assault weapon" non-name stuck on it...)
Hunting and fishing permits/taxes pay for most of the wildlife conservation that has been done and will be done.
Second amendment isn’t about hunting, and I would NEVER believe the Dem party as a gun friendly party.
Bears repeating:
The Second Amendment is NOT about hunting...
And I saw video of her actually shooting it on 3-round burst auto. Full control of the weapon - she kept it level and on-target. Outstanding.
So dems are going to attempt to scam voters by pretending that gun rights and “environmentalism” go hand in hand. Of course, we will soon hear that our conservation areas must prohibit shooters, as spent shell casings are killing packrats!
Now that’s a well focused photo!
Dingell said hunting and fishing areas need better environmental protection, specifically citing that enforcement of the Clean Water Act needs to be beefed up to protect those lands. “These have not been a good eight years,” said Dingell, a stalwart NRA member.
Oh yeah, the previous eight years were sooo much better. /rolls eyes
After all, Clinton “conserved” vast tracts of land in Arizona and Utah and other states which used to be open to hunting and fishing but now it’s all National Parkland and all those activities are verboten. /sarcasm
“Democrats are all about conservation. They are all about preservation. I think that’s a huge opportunity,” Lincoln said.
Yeah by turing it all into Parkland so that the only legal activities are walking on “established” trails and taking photos. /f-ing lying rat bastards.
Gosh! If that's not a grand slam home run, I don't know what is.
What has hunting got to do with the 2nd Amendment?
These Socialists are clueless.
1. NEVER EVER TRUST RATS WHEN THEY SAY THEY’RE PRO GUN!
2. NEVER EVER TRUST A RAT!
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