Posted on 08/19/2004 10:21:25 AM PDT by 45Auto
If there's one issue on which Republicans usually agree, it's their strong defense of the Second Amendment. But less than two weeks before the GOP convention, moderates and conservatives find themselves at odds over the soon-to-expire semi-automatic gun ban.
In a clash with pro-gun Republicans, President Bush has publicly supported the ban on so-called "assault weapons" dating back to his 2000 presidential campaign. Although he hasn't actively pushed for an extension of the 1994 law, his spokesmen consistently reaffirm his support for it.
The law would sunset Sept. 13 without action from Congress. Republican leaders in the House of Representatives have refused to bring up the matter for debate, and with only four working days left before it expires, even the law's supporters acknowledge it is doomed.
At the same time, however, a band of moderate Republicans have stood in stark opposition to their more conservative colleagues in House leadership posts. They believe enough Republicans would join with Democrats to send a bill to the president's desk.
The Republican-controlled Senate has already voted 52-47 to extend the ban, thanks in part to 10 Republicans who broke ranks. Because the March 2 vote came in the form of an amendment to another bill, the legislation was later voted down in an effort to defeat the measure.
Differences of opinion among Republicans existed in 1994 at the time Congress approved the ban. As a result of that vote, former President Bill Clinton estimated it cost 20 Democrats their jobs, giving Republicans control of Congress.
Political observers disagree whether the stakes are as high today, but both gun-control advocates and Second Amendment supporters suggested Bush ought to tread carefully.
"President Bush has made some key mistakes, such as saying he would sign an extension of the gun ban," said Erich Pratt, spokesman for Gun Owners of America, which has voiced some of the most stringent criticism of Bush as a result of his support for the ban.
By essentially staking out the same stance as his Democrat challenger, Sen. John Kerry, Bush has hurt his reputation with gun owners, Pratt said.
"The president has almost shot himself in the foot in that he has taken away one of the huge magnets that pulled Democratic voters over to his side of the fence," Pratt told CNSNews.com.
Gun-control groups like Americans for Gun Safety have made much of Bush's support for extending the ban. One of its advisers, Matt Bennett, said there's little difference between Bush and Kerry as a result.
"On the major issues of the day, Kerry and Bush are virtually identical in at least what they say about the gun issue," Bennett told CNSNews.com. "Bush has said he supports extending the assault weapons ban, he said he supports closing the gun-show loophole, he said he supports cracking down on gun crime. These are the things Kerry talks about when it comes to guns."
That's what Pratt said worries him, especially if voters buy into that argument. It's not as much of a concern for the National Rifle Association, which downplayed the gun ban's impact on the presidential race.
"We actually don't think it will play a big role in the election because we're cautiously optimistic that it will sunset on Sept. 13," said Kelly Hobbs, the NRA's spokeswoman.
But those on the other side of the gun debate see things differently. The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, a leading advocate of renewing the ban, has predicted a backlash against Bush should he not actively campaign for an extension before Sept. 13.
"If it is allowed to expire, it will be President Bush's fault, and we'll let people know that," said Chad Ramsey, a regional director for the Brady Campaign. "He is responsible. It will have expired on his watch. If that's the case, there will be a backlash. People will be angry he let this happen, and people will probably show up at the voting booth with that in mind."
Republicans, meanwhile, aren't saying much. CNSNews.com was unable to reach any of the House moderates who have signed onto legislation to extend the ban. The most outspoken advocate, Rep. Mike Castle (R-Del.), recently held a press conference with Jim and Sarah Brady.
Other House Republican who have bucked their party to support the ban include Reps. Doug Bereuter (Neb.), Tom Davis (Va.), Michael Ferguson (N.J.), Nancy Johnson (Conn.), Peter King (N.Y.), Mark S. Kirk (Ill.), Jack Quinn (N.Y.), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Fla.) and Christopher Shays (Conn.).
The more conservative House leaders, Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas), have expressed little desire to bring up the matter for a vote.
In the Senate, the Republican defectors include Sens. Lincoln Chafee (R.I.), Susan Collins (Maine), Mike DeWine (Ohio), Peter Fitzgerald (Ill.), Judd Gregg (N.H.), Richard Lugar (Ind.), Gordon Smith (Ore.), Olympia Snowe (Maine), George Voinovich (Ohio) and John Warner (Va.).
"It is a divisive issue within the Republican Party ... between the moderates and conservatives," said Rob Recklaus, spokesman for Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.), who has championed the issue. "It has to do a lot with the NRA leadership, which has the ear of the conservative wing of the Republican Party."
On the issue of the gun ban, however, Bush has strayed from his traditional conservative base. In Pratt's view, it would be best if the president kept his stance under wraps.
"I do think Bush is on one side of it and House leaders are on the other, but that being said, I don't really think it's an issue," Pratt said. "I don't think the president has a desire to push it. I don't think this is an important enough issue for the president. What he has said can only hurt him, but certainly, it won't hurt him as bad if he started actively pushing it."
You're either with us, or you're with the terrorists. And I don't vote for terrorists.
You would think the dumba$$es in D.C. would remember that. We shall see.
Fire up the typewriter and remind them. I did. As you say though... we shall see. Bush let's this die, he's got my vote locked.
I agree.
Pubbies: Do not extend this thing. Don't do it or I, and most folks I happen to know, will not vote for any of you again.
Darn straight. Bushmaster, ArmaLite and several other companies are going to have a very good fall this year. Very good indeed. If Kerry wins, God forbid, I'm getting a second mortgage for toys before his inauguration.
I can't figure why Bob Bluey wrote this article; for all appearences, he is "one of us", i.e., a conservative. The whole story seems to a concoction of his; like he wrote it to stir people up and generally PO RKBA advocates. If any moron even brings this up in a speech at the GOP convention, he should be hauled off the stage and taken out back for a lesson in manners.
"They better let it die" Bump.
KRLA news was playing a soundbite all day yesterday of the Los Angeles Police Chief telling everyone that they risk another auto weapons shootout on the streets of LA if the AWB is allowed to sunset.
It's a dumb issue, really. If Kerry does swing wildly to the left and come out for a new ban, we're looking at a repeat of 2000, and I don't think even his staff is stupid enough to let that happen (although I might be wrong; they haven't covered themselves with glory so far). If Bush does come right out and state that he'll veto it if it gets to him he risks alienating the urban on-the-fencers and gaining no votes that won't already come his way when the AWB dies quietly less than a month from now.
It's the anti-gun fanatics who are beating the drums, trying to get their pet issue some prominence that it would not otherwise deserve. I think they'll fail - it's just not an issue either guy wants to touch, and for good reason.
Yeah, ain't that a shame...BWAHAHAHAHHAAAA!
Stories like this make me wonder if these squishy, bedwetting, limpwristed, polo shirt wearing, countryclubbing, latte sipping, bunch of pantywaists in luxury SUVs even want to win. I truly suspect that they really prefer sitting around the clubhouse after a round of golf grousing about what the Dems voted to approve today rather than being the ones who actually decide what is or isn't passed into law. Bitching about what happens is certainly easier than actually leading, but I never thought that I'd see people in positions of responsibility who prefer it.
And people are stupid enough to believe him. Never mind that the shootout happened in '98, four years AFTER the AWB had been in place and never mind that the rifles the perps had were ILLEGAL full auto conversions and never mind that the AWB doesn't cover these any way!
Among gun-owning households, 64 percent support the ban, according to the Annenberg survey of 28,446 adults. In homes with an NRA member, 46 percent said they want to extend the prohibition, compared with 49 percent opposing the law.
The numbers for the gun owner homes should be more like under 30% for extending and 70+% against the ban and the NRA homes should be more like less than 5% for extending and 95+% against the ban. That alone would bring the % of public support down and the % of public opposition up, although if done right the public would also be lower than those numbers.
If the NRA doesn't think there's any difference between GWB(as some have stated) and that the lying traitor: John F'n Kerry why do they print anti-Kerry stuff in every NRANews.com newsletter?
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Because they're Republicans, of course!
The article is great for bookmarking. These RINOs should be targets in the future primaries. The militia of Flight 93, our only effective defense on September 11, 2001, is the best example.
You gonna let the people know about those in the House and Senate who let it expire too dangling Chad?
L
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