Posted on 09/12/2004 6:53:37 PM PDT by Former Military Chick
Posted on Sun, Sep. 12, 2004
Congress caves in on weapons ban
The gun lobby flexed its muscles, and congressional leaders blinked.
As a result, a 10-year-old ban on the manufacture and sale of assault weapons will expire at midnight Monday — unless Republican leaders in Congress change their minds.
House Majority Leader Tom DeLay says there's no reason to bring legislation extending the ban up for a vote because it doesn't have enough votes to pass.
That seems like a dubious claim. The House legislation has 136 co-sponsors, including Reps. Karen McCarthy, Richard Gephardt and William Clay of Missouri and Dennis Moore of Kansas.
House Democrats differ with DeLay; they say the votes are there for an extension. DeLay personally opposes the ban, however. But shouldn't the rest of the members of Congress go on the record as to whether they support or oppose the ban?
Maybe that's the rub. Since the 1994 legislation went into effect, the National Rifle Association has focused on congressional members who supported it. Several lawmakers lost re-election bids because of the NRA's opposition. And the NRA has opposed any extension or expansion of the ban.
Most Americans, however, support restrictions on the military-style weapons covered by the 1994 law. The nation's police officers have been among the strongest advocates of the ban.
And according to a survey by the non-partisan National Annenberg Election Survey at the University of Pennsylvania, 57 percent of people with a gun in their household are OK with banning the weapons, which became popular with criminals because they are designed to be shot from the hip and to fire many rounds in rapid succession.
One argument against the ban is that it simply created a market for weapons with similar features that weren't covered by the legislation. That's an argument, however, for expanding the ban — not eliminating it.
Congress has a chance to reduce the number of dangerous weapons on the streets. Too bad it is letting the chance slip away.
...which became popular with criminals because they are designed to be shot from the hip and to fire many rounds in rapid succession.
Ignorant, too.
It's DEAD, Jim. Champaine chilled yet?
And the Liberals whine about the Patriot Act being such an assault on our civil rights. Hell, the Leftists perfected opportunistic assaults on our Constitutional Rights with their assault on the Second Amendment at every turn.
I would love to know who "Most" americans are.
I've yet to talk with more than 1 or 2 that supported the ban in the first place. I say supported, because after talking with them and explaining what the ban is all about, they no longer support it.
If gun control worked LA, NY, and DC would be among the safest cities on the planet! Anytime a leftist tries to argue for gun control I simply point this out and end of argument.
Me too. The first thought I had before clicking on the thread was .oO "those spineless b*st*rds!".
_____________________________
Ask Australia, England or Canada if the violent crime rate went down when "assault" weapons were banned - ping.
This could be the lull before the storm, or could be that the news media (Kerry's 527s) is too busy cutting and pasting memos to pay attention to the world.
Open minded? Not to anything that those rabble-rousing rascals, the Founding Fathers would suggest! Imagine an armed populace! Imagine a government forbidden to take powers not outlined by the Constitution! Imagine freedom of conscience and privacy! That's an outrage, isn't it? [/sarcasm]
Whew....for a minute there when I saw that title-I thought Congress had backed down and decided to pass it...
Wasn't crime outlawed In K.C. years ago? (Sarcasticly)
The ban is a bad idea, and those supporting it do so because they are ignorant of the issue. The end of this Clinton-era mistake is good for America. Congress needs to let the ban expire. All of us need to stand strong for members of Congress who stand against the ban.
Bill
I wonder how many freeper will post @ MIDNIGHT? ...2.5 min. from now :))
Hey, how about swaping this legislation for ALL of the Federal Court appointments?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.