Reply #41: I'll give you counterpoints

[Romulus]

His voting record makes John F. Kerry the most anti-gun Presidential nominee in United States history. Since his election to the U.S. Senate in 1984, John F. Kerry has cast 59 votes (NRA did not score 4 of them) on issues involving firearms rights and hunting.

These votes included votes to ban guns,
- he did vote to ban SOME guns, but so did many Repukes. I'm thinking of the soon-to-expire AWB.


to impose waiting periods on gun buyers,
- I think this was part of the original Brady Bill. The waiting period has been supplanted by the instant background check.

to financially punish gun manufacturers for operating a legal business
- this is against the lawsuit pre-emption bill, something I used to support. What changed my mind was that modern tort law holds EVERYONE accountable for foreseeable problems that they cause through their own negligence. Merely following the law isn't enough in some cases to defend against a claim of being negligent. Why should corporate gun makers be any different than corporate auto makers?


and to restrict the free speech of Second Amendment advocates.
- Campaign Finance Reform (embraced by many Rebubs)

In addition, Kerry currently is a co-sponsor of S. 1431, which would ban all semi-automatic shotguns, all detachable-magazine semi-automatic rifles and many other guns, calling the whole lot "assault weapons."
- an expanded AWB that does no such things as "ban everything": it makes a detachable magazine-fed firearm an AW only if there is one other "bad" feature like a pistol grip.

for a study of "armor piecing" ammunition—a vote he made moot a few minutes later by voting for a broad ban of center-fire rifle ammunition (Votes 27 and 28 in 2004 on S. 1805)
- Sens. Craig and Frist (both Repubs) introduced this bill; the "ban" on ammo only pertained to ammo specifically marketed as AP, not just any ammo that could defeat body armor

Kerry has a much more anti-gun record than 2000 Democrat Presidential candidate, Al Gore, Jr., who cast votes on 12 key issues before becoming part of the most anti-gun administration in history. Gore voted to protect Second Amendment rights five times on votes related to passage of the Firearms Owners` Protection Act and once to stop a semi-auto ban. Kerry opposed gun owners in each instance...
- I've got no info on this, FOPA was a 1986 law

Kerry voted in 2004 to ban most center-fire rifle ammunition, including the most common rounds used by target shooters and hunters. Kerry voted in support of Ted Kennedy`s amendment to S. 1805 that would have banned rifle ammunition
- again, the Frist & Craig bills I referenced just now

Kerry voted in 1985 to allow BATF to conduct unlimited warrant-less inspections of FFL holders. Well-documented and shocking BATF abuses of license holders were a primary reason the Firearms Owners` Protection Act was introduced in Congress and signed into law by President Reagan. Kerry was one of only 18 Senators to vote to allow such abuses—which liberal Democrat Congressman John Dingell called the acts of "jack-booted fascists"—to continue
- the ATF did have problems in the lat '80's with overzealousness. The "inspections" are par for the course in other goverment-regulated or licensed industries (pork processing plant, anyone!?), so big deal. An inspection is just to see that your records are up to date.

Kerry, unlike 56 of his fellow Senators, is not a member of the Congressional Sportsmen`s Caucus. With more than 300 members in the House and Senate, it is one of the largest Caucuses in the U.S. Congress, and is "open to Congressmen and Senators who are sportsmen or who support the concept of sustained use and wildlife management, even if they do not themselves take to the fields and waters to fish, hunt or trap."
- I've got no info on this

Kerry voted in 1999 against an amendment to the Juvenile Justice bill that called for increased mandatory minimum and maximum penalties for the illegal transfer or use of a firearm. Instead of supporting this legislation that focused its impact on criminals, Kerry supported broad regulation of law-abiding gun buyers.
- I don't like mandatory sentences, especially for juveniles, and I've got no info on this

In contrast, the year before Kerry voted to impose excessive penalties of a year in prison and a $10,000 fine on an adult if a juvenile gains access to their firearm, even by theft, and then merely displays it in a public place.
- this was a child access prevention bill, making it a crime for someone to allow a juvenile to gain access to their impropoerly stored firearm

Voted to spend $15 million intended for housing programs on ineffective gun buy-back programs.
- "ineffective" is relative. People should have an incentive to turn in unwanted firearms, especially if they don't know enough about gun laws concerning consignment sales by licensed firearms dealers.



Hope this helps :hi: