WSJ Opinion:Democrats are Losing on Gun Control

[Srbenda]

From Today's WSJ

Amid so much other news, a Senate vote last week to allow loaded guns in national parks slipped under the media radar. The vote shows how the political cause of gun control is as dead as a mounted moose.

By 67-29, the Senate passed Oklahoma Republican Tom Coburn's amendment to let law-abiding visitors carry legal firearms into national parks. This overturns a 1983 federal rule requiring that firearms be kept unloaded and in an inaccessible place such as a trunk of a car. The provision (now part of credit-card legislation) protects Second Amendment rights, and it preserves the right of states to pass firearm laws that apply consistently, even on federal lands.

As recently as the 1990s, guns in parks legislation would have provoked a Congressional uproar. But gun control has proven to be a consistent political loser, and last year the Supreme Court cast doubt on state gun bans. No fewer than 27 Democrats voted for Mr. Coburn's amendment, and the ayes included Majority Leader Harry Reid, who is up for re-election in Nevada next year.

Congressional liberals are furious, and are threatening to hold up the credit-card bill, much as they have held up Washington, D.C. voting-rights legislation to which Republicans attached gun-owner protections. Holding up both bad bills forever would be fine with us, but in any case it's clear liberals have lost the gun control debate even within their own party.

 

[Half-cocked]

It's not that the Democrats have "lost" anything... it's that PEOPLE have won back a right that was theirs for nearly 200 years - the right of peaceful, law-abiding citizens to defend themselves.

 

[Waterdoor]

The entire gun control debate has been "exterminated" by the internet. We freedom loving Americans are extremely organized and motivated to squash this bull$hit at every opportunity. The internet has allowed the proliferation of study after study that backs our position. The only option for the LibTards are emotional issues and that loses each time.

This is why being a good steward is so important. The loons will never stop looking for some cheap angle to push their agenda. Their biggest problem; I won't stop defending my freedoms until my last day!!! In the end, I know I will win because I refuse to accept defeat.

 

[HoCoShooter]

It's not that the Democrats have "lost" anything... it's that PEOPLE have won back a right that was theirs for nearly 200 years - the right of peaceful, law-abiding citizens to defend themselves.

 

[jjboxman]

It's not that the Democrats have "lost" anything... it's that PEOPLE have won back a right that was theirs for nearly 200 years - the right of peaceful, law-abiding citizens to defend themselves.

 

[K31]

Yes. This is what's wrong with our politicians. When faced with an unassailable truth that the people they supposedly "represent" want no part in any more gun control, they chose to ignore that and follow their dogma, act like petulant children and threaten to hold their breath until they turn blue.

 

[ozwyn]

I have heard a rumor that there is a signifigant number of pro-gun democrats in congress these days.

Maybe its simply the fact that there has been more than enough failures in the system to protect citizens on a large scale that all but the most clueless begin to understand the fundamental value of the right to self-defense?

I think the Obama administration has so much on its plate right now, that the quiet advancement of gun rights might be possible in spite of anti-gun leadership. (particularly when its biggest leaders are busy trying to backtrack over blunders and such)

 

[erwos]

I have heard a rumor that there is a signifigant number of pro-gun democrats in congress these days.

They'll vote that way, anyways. I suppose that's what counts.

Maybe its simply the fact that there has been more than enough failures in the system to protect citizens on a large scale that all but the most clueless begin to understand the fundamental value of the right to self-defense?

No, I'm pretty sure it's not that.

I think the Obama administration has so much on its plate right now, that the quiet advancement of gun rights might be possible in spite of anti-gun leadership. (particularly when its biggest leaders are busy trying to backtrack over blunders and such)

This is more likely. That, and gun control is an issue that will currently lose you votes, not give you them. If there was ever a serious, sustained uptick in violent crimes using guns, that could change, I suppose. But as it is now, campaigning against a non-problem is just going to be upset people.

 

[trickg]

...But as it is now, campaigning against a non-problem is just going to be upset people.

That just depends on the point of view. To some people, the last thing they consider it is a non-problem. Some consider it to be a huge problem, but most who see it that way aren't seeing it for what it truly is. However, getting back to the subject of the thread, I for one am happy to see the direction things are going. This bill that got quietly passed set a new law precedent that worked to undo decades worth of misinterpretation of the Constitution and poor legislation from the bench by liberals with an agenda that had nothing to do with the freedoms granted to us by the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

 

[K-Romulus]

Even Politico is getting in on the story:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0509/22685.html

Democrats hold fire on gun control

(...)After a soul-searching exile, the Democratic Party that regained control of both Congress and the White House in the past two election cycles is proving in many ways to be a distinctly different breed than the one that last ruled the capital.

Nowhere has that transformation become more evident than on the issue of gun control, which was promoted by Democrats in 1992 to attract suburban voters and abandoned by Democrats in 2008 to gain support among rural voters.(...)

 

[Waterdoor]

Even Politico is getting in on the story:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0509/22685.html

The politico article is well written. My beef with people voting Dems pertains to state elections where they do too much freaking damage. Many of the Federal Dems get the point, but the State Rep. Dems are dumb as $hit and can still get away with acting like idiots when it comes to our 2A rights. Maryland is a perfect example. MoCo, PG and Balto City just ruin this entire state. Of course then you have our two pathetic Federal reps in Babbs and Benji. Babbs showed her true colors in not voting for the parks concealed carry amendment attached to the credit card bill. It was a direct slap in the face of every 2A freedom loving American.

I wish you all the best, because as soon as my house sells I am moving to a free state with some of the best gun laws in the country.

 

[joppaj]

Many of the Federal Dems get the point, but the State Rep. Dems are dumb as $hit and can still get away with acting like idiots when it comes to our 2A rights. Maryland is a perfect example. MoCo, PG and Balto City just ruin this entire state.

I think you paint with too broad a brush here. Don't forget that the CCW bill was sponsored in the MD House of Delegates by a Democrat. If we write off every MD Democrat than there is no hope. As many of our own board members have shown, Democrat and pro-gun rights are not mutually exclusive terms.

 

[trickg]

You raise a good point. I knew a guy where I worked who was about as left leaning of a Democrat as you would ever see. He was also really into guns and he viewed the 2nd Amendment like a civil right, which it really is. Guns and Republicans are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

It's kind of an interesting turnabout. Republicans tend to view the 2nd Amendment highly and see the loose, liberal interpretation of some of the others as a source of irritation that we must put up with in order to be free. Democrats view those other Amendments such as the 1st and the 4th very highly, but see the 2nd Amendment as the source of irritation that must be put up with in order to be free. The difference is, conservatives want to leave things alone even if they don't like them - liberals want to change the things they don't like and think it's ok to treat it like a living document.

 

[Simon Yu]

I think you paint with too broad a brush here. Don't forget that the CCW bill was sponsored in the MD House of Delegates by a Democrat. If we write off every MD Democrat than there is no hope. As many of our own board members have shown, Democrat and pro-gun rights are not mutually exclusive terms.

And a Democratic senator representing Baltimore county has been the swing vote in our favor to shoot down proposed restrictions and bans.

 

[Waterdoor]

I think you paint with too broad a brush here. Don't forget that the CCW bill was sponsored in the MD House of Delegates by a Democrat. If we write off every MD Democrat than there is no hope. As many of our own board members have shown, Democrat and pro-gun rights are not mutually exclusive terms.

Yes I am aware of them, but they are no match for the entire state wide group. The six Dems in my district would of never voted for our bill. Never. My State Senator would of never voted yes either. The above mentioned Rep's were much more interested in cramming speed cameras down our throats than allowing us to provide for our own protection. In Maryland there are just too many LibTards who have no interest in allowing us to protect ourselves. We have some fine Dems willing to stand up for us, but they are the exception instead of the rule. OweMalley would of struck it down as well. As you can see from the results MoCo, PG and B.C. have no desire in allowing us self protection. If we can change some of those seats then good things can happen. I don't care what side of the aisle they are replaced with as long as they understand 2A and don't infringe on our rights. I sent a letter to each of the House Rep's that voted against us asking why and of course not one of them bothered to respond. The only response I received was from a nice Republican that was just as mad as we were about this entire episode. Hell these same morons voted against allowing FFDO's (Federal Agents) to get shall issue concealed carry. I am just amazed at how stupid people have to be to just keep checking the same box over and over. When are the liberal county's of Maryland going to start expecting more from their Rep's?