The Media Myth Of The Assault Weapons Ban And The 1994 Elections Returns

[SecularMotion]

Media outlets are reviving the myth that passage of the assault weapons ban was the crucial factor in Democratic defeats during the 1994 elections as President Obama moves to institute a new ban on assault weapons.

In some cases, those media are citing President Bill Clinton, who, according to Politico's uncritical report on his January 19 speech, "said that passing the 1994 federal assault weapons ban 'devastated' more than a dozen Democratic lawmakers in the 1994 midterms -- and cost then-Speaker of the House Tom Foley (D-Wash.) his job and his seat in Congress." Clinton also credited the National Rifle Association for the Democrats losing control of the House in his 2004 autobiography.

By contrast, The Chicago Tribune reported that while Clinton and others have cited gun violence prevention legislation as the key factor in the 1994 election, "[o]ther factors were at play in the Democrats' 1994 loss: Congress had raised taxes in 1993 and fought over health care reform."

Indeed, as US News reported in a January 17 article, political scientists who have analyzed the 1994 election say it is "mythology" that gun violence prevention laws were the primary reason the Democrats were defeated. According to the article, headlined "Gun Control Laws Weren't Primary Reason Dems Lost in 1994" (emphasis added):

http://mediamatters.org/blog/2013/01/20/the-media-myth-of-the-assault-weapons-ban-and-t/192337

[upaloopa]

1. I point this out over and over to gunners and

all they can reply is "go ask Clinton" or some other stupid shit. It's like one of their most cherished talking points that is meant to scare gun control folks about the 2014 election.
There was also the contract on America and the fact that so many Dems stayed home and didn't vote along with Hilary's health care reforms.

[SecularMotion]

2. It's just more fear-mongering by the NRA

Trying to scare Democrats away from passing gun legislation.

[krispos42]

12. People that own guns...

...and wish to continue to do so are compelled to organize politically. People that do not own guns have to, literally, do nothing to continue to do so.


People that don't own guns are not going to go to the polls en masse to make it harder to do something they have no interest in doing.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

3. oh no. you are so right. it was Not A Factor. not at all. not even one little tiny bit of a factoid.

gawd . let me hurry quick and find my rec button. K to the fucking R

[Puha Ekapi]

4. I dunno...

I tend to believe President Clinton's analysis.

[hack89]

5. So are we to believe the media? How do we know that this is not a myth? nt

[holdencaufield]

6. Vast Right-wing media conspiracy?

[Eleanors38]

7. Mediamatters? Same guy that hired an armed bodyguard?

[frylock]

13. NRA Talking Point #235

[oneshooter]

14. Gun Grabbers Talking Point #342

[frylock]

16. the only time i grab guns is to take mine out of their locker

[clffrdjk]

18. I think it is closer to #1 N/T

[friendly_iconoclast]

21. Aaah, there's that fabulation again- the purported "NRA talking point".

You lot certainly love it, bless your hearts...

[frylock]

22. if your inflated sense of self importance requires that you need armed protection..

then there's nothing precluding you from doing that.

[Eleanors38]

27. Ah! So he didn't hire one (Barbara Boxer talking point #319).

[frylock]

28. obama's kids have pertecshun derp!

[Eleanors38]

29. All these numbers, reminds me of a joke...

Kid gets sent to the big house for the first time, and is scared shitless at night when he hears called out some number, followed by laughter, over and over. Finally, he asks his cell mate why.
The veteran con says:

"We've told the same jokes over & over so many times, we gave them a number."

The kid relaxes and listens. Getting confidence, he decides to join in:

"Forty-three!" He belts out.

Silence. Then grousing, then insults about the newbie. Horrified, he asks his cellmate:

"D- Did I tell the wrong one?"

"Nah, kid. It's how you told it."

[gejohnston]

8. but it sure helped

of course, there are other downsides too: loss in good paying machinist jobs and jobs in related industries, loss in Pittman Robertson tax revenue for wildlife research and habitat restoration, and voter backlash as Nixon predicted and Clinton claimed. Even if MM and Think Progress is correct and Clinton was mistaken, the gains are?

Not much if anything. Frankly, I think its pretty naive to believe that murder rates will magically go down.
Of course, I remember when MM and TP put out the "some Taliban guy says you can buy a machine gun cash and carry at a gun show, so it must be true." nonsense a couple of years ago.

[Clames]

9. Real world myth of the 1994 AWB.

That it had any meaningful impact on crime or really banned anything.

[jimmy the one]

10. Asslt rifle ban had 75% support in 1994

Media outlets are reviving the myth that passage of the assault weapons ban was the crucial factor in Democratic defeats during the 1994 elections

The '2nd Amendment Mythology' also has to come up with something to explain how & why in the early 1990's, the assault rifle ban had about 75% support amongst americans, and how this translated into a landslide defeat for democrats BECAUSE of the assault rifle ban (assault weapons ban), which was so popular & wanted. Really want to know how they'll handle it? broom, sweep, rug.

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll (R). Oct. 22-25, 2009. N=1,009
"Do you favor or oppose a law to ban the sale of assault weapons and semiautomatic rifles?"
Favor ........Oppose Unsure
4/23-26/09 ...53 ...41 ...6
5/91 .....75 ...22 ...3
7/90 ........ 73 ...23 ...4

Would you support or oppose a law requiring a nationwide ban on the sale of assault weapons?"
....... Support Oppose Unsure --- Wash Post Jan 2013
1/10-13/13... 58 ....39 ....3
5/99 ........ 79 ....19 ....2
6/94 ........ 80 ....18 ....2
http://www.pollingreport.com/guns.htm

[SecularMotion]

11. Jim and Sarah Brady at the 1996 Democratic National Convention

President Bill Clinton in his first State of the Union address told Congress, "If you pass the Brady bill, I'll sure sign it." After seven, after seven long years, Congress finally passed the Brady bill and President Clinton kept his promise: He signed it into law.

Thank you, thank you, Mr. President.

That moment was the proudest moment of our lives. And let me tell you why. Since the Brady law went into effect on February 28, 1994, the Brady law has stopped more than 100,000 convicted felons and other prohibited purchasers from buying a handgun. One hundred thousand. Today, and every day, the Brady law is stopping an estimated 85 felons from buying a handgun.

But we need to do more. We should, as President Clinton proposed today, stop people convicted of domestic violence from buying a handgun. Jim and I proud join with you tonight in saluting the great job that President Clinton has done in fighting crime and violence. He's a hunter and he's a sportsman, but he understands the difference between a Remington rifle and an AK47. And he knows that you don't go hunting with an Uzi. Mr. President you deserve our thanks.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/convention96/floor_speeches/brady.html

[madville]

15. Well the tea party, gun nuts, and conservatives are pissed at Boehner at the moment

Better give them something to get fired up about in 2014. They damn sure ain't happy about the fiscal, immigration, and entitlement stuff. Guns will make them turn out though.

[Simo 1939_1940]

17. I believe that a person has to be incredibly naive to believe that there will be no political

consequences for pushing legislation that is both stupid and dishonest. Banning or attempting to ban the most popular rifle in the country based on appearance rather than function makes a lot of folks angry, as they see the legislation for what it is -- as being driven not by a real desire to preserve life but as contempt for their life choices/lifestyle.

[iiibbb]

19. Or naive that the press, or many people in it, actually has a handle on this at all.

There are certainly more factors at play than just guns...

The problem for moderate gun rights people this go-around is that the Republicans have poisoned the well. I'm under a Damocles sword because while I abhor gun control, I also abhor the shenanigans and religious extremism that characterize the Republican party at this time.

All I can say is that if the Democrats fail to act on what I see has their true mandate in favor of this... they won't be able to count on my vote... and I've been a pretty reliable vote for them for a decade or more.


So the questions are... how representative of moderates am I? And how many of us reside in swing states/counties (Yes, Mr. Silver has narrowed it down to counties that actually impact presidential and national politics these days)

[apocalypsehow]

20. "abhor the shenanigans" - Hmmmmmm...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=profile&uid=269047

[nick of time]

23. Seems you have a stalker.

[iiibbb]

24. Lucky me.

I'm not sure what to do with one though. Hopefully he'll spend most of his time bothering whatever alter ego he thinks I have.

It's pretty easy to compare profiles and realize there is no way I could be the same person.

[nick of time]

25. I've read alot of this persons posts,

pretty nasty person towards gun owners.
Hopefully he'll get tired and move on.
Good luck.

[iiibbb]

26. Maybe I'm the one who can give him an anurysm.