Following Clinton attacks, Sanders rolls out support for gun legislation

[riversedge]

Last edited Sun Jan 17, 2016, 10:12 AM - Edit history (2)

Source: Politico

Following Clinton attacks, Sanders rolls out support for gun legislation

By Gabriel Debenedetti

01/16/16 07:34 PM EST


CHARLESTON, S.C. — After weeks of fighting with Hillary Clinton’s campaign over his gun control record, Bernie Sanders on Saturday night said he backs new legislation that amends a controversial 2005 law on which he voted to limit liability on gun manufacturers.

That vote has been at the center of substantial sniping from Clinton allies, and the former secretary of state has been using it as an example of Sanders being out of step with the party on gun control.

“I’m pleased that this legislation is being introduced,” said Sanders of legislation from Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Rep. Adam Schiff. “As I have said for many months now, we need to look at the underlying law and tighten it up."

Still, Sanders will not be co-sponsoring the legislation, said his communications director, Michael Briggs..................

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/01/fbernie-sanders-gun-control-legislation-support-217886#ixzz3xVXdEi5I



Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/01/fbernie-sanders-gun-control-legislation-support-217886#ixzz3xVW1fPpJ

---

And a tweet:

John Podesta ?@johnpodesta 14h14 hours ago

The Clinton campaign welcomes Senator Sanders' debate-eve conversion, reversing his vote to immunize gun manufacturers.

[stonecutter357]

1. K&R!

[stone space]

2. A lot of credit had to go to Martin O'Malley, as well. And President Obama.

Fuck the NRA!

[riversedge]

9. Yes, the pressure on Sanders was coming from lots of places. ....

John Podesta ?@johnpodesta 14h14 hours ago

The Clinton campaign welcomes Senator Sanders' debate-eve conversion, reversing his vote to immunize gun manufacturers.

[stone space]

10. And Iowans, I imagine. Special corporate legal giveaways for the gun industry...

...don't play very well with many folks for whom the rest of his message resonates. This one has always seemed a bit out of place, and seemed to go counter to that message to say the least.

This Iowan is certainly glad to see his evolution on the issue, I can tell you that.

[Squinch]

3. Huh. I guess he evolved. I thought that wasn't allowed.

[99th_Monkey]

20. It's allowed once in awhile within reason, just not every other day. n/t

[Squinch]

21. You should write up the rules for evolving, just so everyone knows what is OK and what isn't.

[99th_Monkey]

22. I just did. See my last post. It's not too complicated is it? nt

[Squinch]

23. "Once in a while?" "Within reason?" I guess vagueness like that seems like a plan for a Bernie guy.

[99th_Monkey]

24. OK I'll be more specific. How about no more than 2 times per political campaign?

is that specific enough for you?

Last count, Hillary was pushing 7-8 times.

[Squinch]

25. Bernie evolved from being and Independent to a Democrat, he's just reversed himself on guns,

And then there are these:

http://www.cnbc.com/2015/10/13/like-clinton-bernie-sanders-shifts-left-on-key-issues.html

Sanders, who has not been a leader on civil rights issues in Congress and at times suggested the root of racial problems was largely economics, has now wholeheartedly embraced the language and policy positions of the "Black Lives Matter" movement.

snip

and:

The senator, who opposed a 2007 immigration bill that created a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, is now a strong supporter of so-called comprehensive immigration reform. Clinton, then a senator, backed the 2007 provision, which Sanders said would bring too many workers from abroad to the U.S. and potentially depress wages.

So that's four issues. He's violated your rule.

So what, now? Is he evil?

[99th_Monkey]

28. Bernie probably changed his shoes several times too. are you going to count that as a flip-flop?

You can't claim that Bernie sharpening & honing his career-long support for civil rights, to
embrace BLM movement's goals as some kind of "flip-flop". He's now running for NATIONAL
office of President, not merely a representative of rural white Vermonters, so of course he's
expanding his message accordingly, but his core values and votes have not changed, Calling
this a flip-flop is ridiculous.

And he changed his party affiliation from Independent, to Democrat. I don't consider that
a flip-flop so much as something he needed to do --again-- to run for a NATIONAL political
office.

Hillary has been a NATIONAL political figure for decades, both as FLOTUS and SOS, so she
has no reason to be constantly changing her positions on TPP, on Keystone XL-pipeline, on NAFTA,
on Iraq War, on same-sex marriage, on Single-payer, on gun-control, on immigration reform,
etc.

I know, as a Hillary supporter, it's your job to try to explain away Hillary's constantly changing
positions -- not by actually explaining it but -- by attacking Bernie as "doing the same thing"
on a couple of issues, suggesting "see, all politicians do it, it's no big deal and/or they're all alike".

However, most Bernie supporters are smart enough to recognize your ploy for what it is, an
attempt to excuse your weathervane candidate's constant changeability.

[Squinch]

29. I see. When Bernie changes, it's not really a change. You should write that when you write about

the rules of evolving.

[99th_Monkey]

30. Well, if it ISN"T a change, then yes .. I will say so and explain why.

I notice you offering no explanation whatsoever for your candidates legendary trail of flip-flops.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

31. Hillary has evolved (flip-flopped) so many times it's hard to keep count!

[Uponthegears]

4. Evolution is fine

When it isn't toward the RIGHT!

[lark]

14. Not according to many on this board.

That's one of the complaints I've seen loudly and prominently displayed against Clinton. When she does it it's convenience and pandering and just political expedience but it's growth when he changes? Love Bernie, but guns have been the one thing about him I didn't like. I salute growth, whenever I see it and am glad he's for amending that awful law that's done so much harm. He got it wrong then, and hopefully will be part of the change. Wish he were sponsoring it, that'd be even more meaningful, but again, glad for the evolution.

[Uponthegears]

15. True enough

"Political hack" is the Sanders supporters' equivalent of Hillary supporters' "electability" or "effectiveness" arguments. Sure, there might be some factual basis for all of them, but, seriously, are those the primary reasons we are supporting one candidate or the other? I hope not. I hope we are comparing them head to head on the issues.

Thank you so much for your post.

I happen to be further (what the conventional wisdom describes as ) left than either candidate on the issue of the gun culture so I too am pleased to see this evolution.

[lark]

17. You're welcome

I too am MUCH further left than either candidate. What I'd like to see is registration and training and testing for guns similar to cars. I'd like to see the SCOTUS decision overturned. I'd like to see limits on the amounts of guns/ammunition one household can buy in a year. Any movement to decreae the gun problem, however, is appreciated.

[MariaThinks]

16. i don't understand the hatred towards Hillary by people on the left

bush allows 3000 Americans to be killed on 911 due to incompetence or something else. Embassies under bush and Reagan are attached and American's killed, no one is taken to account

Benghazai happens after republicans cut security funding to embassies and Hillary Clinton gets the blame. Everyone has used private email to send emails, some top secret including Jeb! (he's such a disgusting moron from a family of criminals - allegedly. No one says anything. Hillary does and it becomes a national outrage.

hypocrites like newt attack Bill Clinton because of Lewinsky. Meanwhile Newt is having an affair himself. Does anyone believe that Bill Clinton is the only President who has done anything sexual while in office with someone who is not a spouse? This is the reason we have the stupidass governments and corrupt (allegedly) supreme court with the idiot republican 5 judges.

I don't care if Hillary or Bernie or Mallot wins as long as one of them does. The enthusiasm on the left is going to go down the tubes for a long time if a republican wins and puts another 4 judges like scalia on the bench - we would be stuck for a generation.

It is always easier to move leftward from a left position. It is more difficult if we end up as a cruz/trump/scalia/Thomas country.

[pangaia]

26. It looks to me like most of the 'hatred' you list is coming from the right, not the left.

[TekGryphon]

5. I like how they're improving each other on progressive causes.

This is why I like a contested primary, even if the fanatics on either side piss me off with their non-stop personal politics BS.

[unapatriciated]

11. couldn't agree more.

[JudyM]

13. +1

Mostly it's Hillary that's been evolving, but together they're strengthening our side of the race, coming closer on a more progressive platform. I haven't read about either of them drifting farther Right.

[George II]

6. Guess there was a strong wind blowing this week.

[Gman]

7. Now he changes course

[riversedge]

8. Bernie has evolved in his thinking-evolving is a good thing.

[riversedge]

12. Bernie did good on this issure. Now he needs to address the "Charleston loophole" . The ball is

Last edited Sun Jan 17, 2016, 12:33 PM - Edit history (1)

in your court Bernie. Evolution is good--keep going.

[Uponthegears]

18. I think a lot

of Bernie supporters are with you on that . . . at least this one is.

[99th_Monkey]

19. Great! Thank you Bernie, for removing the ONE issue I disagreed with you about. n/t

[TeddyR]

27. I'd prefer that he stick to his guns

Instead of support something that has no chance of passing. Nothing wrong with the bill anyway