(Senator) Begich (D-AK) tells AG to back off on assault weapon ban

[davepc]

Alaska Sen. Mark Begich has told the Obama administration he will oppose any gun restrictions officials may be considering.

In a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, Begich, a Democrat, said the Justice Department should enforce existing laws rather than propose additional laws they said could infringe on Second Amendment rights.

Begich said the ability to legally own firearms and use them for hunting and other activities is part of the fabric of life in Alaska.

Begich's letter follows a similar message from two other Western Democratic senators: Max Baucus and Jon Tester of Montana. The letters were prompted by Holder's recent comment that reinstating a ban on the sale of assault weapons could help reduce bloodshed in Mexico, where 6,000 people were killed last year in drug-related violence.

http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=9962746

[Blue_In_AK]

1. This isn't surprising.

He has to do this to prove that he won't be Obama's lapdog. You have to remember -- he's from Alaska, and he's just lucky to be down there.

[movonne]

2. Yes so we can keep selling them to the drug cartels in mexico...

[Endangered Specie]

3. Thats already illegal...

try enforcing the current laws.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

12. Utter Nonsense...

The cartels are using full auto weapons not available in the US

[bluestateguy]

4. He is doing Obama and Holder a favor

Just enforce the laws on the books and avoid proposing ever more laws and mandates--and throwing gun buyers in jail because they didn't fill out a form correctly.

When people vote their guns, we lose.

[jody]

5. I wish Obama would say "I will veto any bill to renew the assault weapons ban and I will honor my

promise 'I will not take your shotgun away. I will not take your rifle away. I will not take your handgun away.'"

[Tim01]

27. Maybe he will

He went to the trouble of listing his intentions in public on his website.

"Obama and Biden also favor commonsense measures that respect the Second Amendment rights of gun owners, while keeping guns away from children and from criminals. They support closing the gun show loophole and making guns in this country childproof. They also support making the expired federal Assault Weapons Ban permanent."

He promises to defend your second amendment right to have a traditional looking hunting shotgun, a traditional looking hunting rifle, and a revolver, as long as you live in the country,and you have locks on them.

He really has been very consistent on his feelings about guns.

[jody]

28. "consistent on his feelings about guns"? No way, he doesn't understand that the AWB would ban some

of the most popular firearms used for self-defense and other legal purposes.

Obama is extremely lucky that Reid and Pelosi saved his fanny by saying the Senate and House will not consider bills to renew AWB

[Tim01]

29. I think we disagree on how we think he feels about guns.

We agree that we believe it would be political disaster.

But my reading on his past quotes over the years say that he just hates guns and always has. He said he would like to get rid of all semi auto guns. He said he would like all guns out of the cities.
And he still has that agenda on his website that he had before he was elected.
You know, he could have just kind of kept quiet about the guns. But he chose to make it quite clear that he wants that assault weapons ban back in place, and this time he wants to make it permanent. He wants to close the gun show loophole(no more private sales), and the Tihart amendment(registration).
I do not believe at all that he is "confused".

I'll see if I can find his old quotes and post them here. But his intentions are on his website.

[jody]

30. If you are correct Obama "just hates guns and always has" then he is most hypocritical in saying "I

believe in the Second Amendment. I believe in people's lawful right to bear arms. I will not take your shotgun away. I will not take your rifle away. I won't take your handgun away."

[Tim01]

31. I think

he would like to protect the second amendment by getting rid of everything but traditional hunting guns and revolvers in rural areas.


This is kind of big, but it lays everything out better than I can.





Obama: ‘I’m Not Going to Take Your Guns Away’

Wall Street Journal

September 5, 2008


“Even if I want to take them away, I don’t have the votes in Congress,’’ he said.
Barack Obama: Supporting the Rights and Traditions of Sportsmen


Protecting Gun Rights

Respect the Second Amendment: Millions of hunters own and use guns each year. Millions more participate in a variety of shooting sports such as sporting clays, skeet, target and trap shooting that may not necessarily involve hunting. As a former constitutional law professor, Barack Obama believes the Second Amendment creates an individual right and he greatly respects the constitutional rights of Americans to bear arms. He will protect the rights of hunters and other law-abiding Americans to purchase, own, transport and use guns for the purposes of hunting and target shooting. He also believes that the right is subject to reasonable and commonsense regulation.

Pittsburg Tribune-Review

Candidates' gun control positions may figure in Pa. vote

April 2, 2008


"I am not in favor of concealed weapons," Obama said. "I think that creates a potential atmosphere where more innocent people could (get shot during) altercations."

The Sun Times News Group

The past haunts Obama?

December 7, 2007
"...

The Obama campaign Tuesday disavowed a questionnaire he submitted to the Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization in 1996 to support his state Senate candidacy.

"Obama never saw the '96 IVI-IPO state Senate questionnaire -- it was filled out by a staffer who unintentionally mischaracterized his views on a number of issues," said Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt. LaBolt said the staffer was then-Obama state Senate campaign manager Carol Harwell, who could not be reached Tuesday for comment."

If actions speak louder than words, votes scream. They must be considered the ultimate expression of a position. So how does Barack explain how his voting pattern matches his questionnaire responses?"
2003 Independent Voters of Illinois – Independent Precinct Organization Questionnaire.

"35. Do you support legislation to ban the manufacture, sale and possession of
a. handguns?

While a complete ban on handguns is not politically practicable, I believe reasonable restrictions on the sale and possession of handguns are necessary to protect the public safety. In the Illinois Senate last year, I supported a package of bills to limit individual Illinoisans to purchasing one handgun a month; require all promoters and sellers at firearms shows to carry a state license; allow civil liability for death or injuries caused by handguns; and require FOID applicants to apply in person. I would support similar efforts at the federal level, including retaining the Brady Law.

b. assault weapons?

Yes.

c. ammunition for handguns and assault weapons?

I would support banning the sale of ammunition for assault weapons and limiting the sale of ammunition for handguns.

36. Do you support legislation
a. mandating background checks of purchasers of weapons at gun shows, through the internet and through print advertisements?

Yes.

b. increasing penalties for illegal resale of weapons?

Yes."

The Chicago Tribune

November 20, 2007

"Court To Hear Gun Case"


"But the campaign of Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama said that he "...believes that we can recognize and respect the rights of law-abiding gun owners and the right of local communities to enact common sense laws to combat violence and save lives. Obama believes the D.C. handgun law is constititional."
Senator Obama's website


"...the passage of legal protection for the gun industry would mark an enormous setback for gun control advocates and for leaders of cities such as Chicago, who have filed suit against gun dealers and manufacturers."
The Black CoMMentator


"Thus, while I may favor common-sense gun control laws, that doesn’t keep me from reaching out to NRA members who are worried about their lack of health insurance."
The Chicago Tribune


"I believe we need to renew--not roll back--this common sense gun law," Obama said. - In reference to the 1994 AWB."

The Audacity of Hope, p.215 Oct 1, 2006


"I believe in keeping guns out of our inner cities, and that our leaders must say so in the face of the gun manfuacturer's lobby. "
1998 IL State Legislative National Political Awareness Test Jul 2, 1998

"Principles that Obama supports on gun issues:

* Ban the sale or transfer of all forms of semi-automatic weapons.
* Increase state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.
* Require manufacturers to provide child-safety locks with firearms."

Chicago Defender, Dec. 13, 1999

h/t: Volokh


"Obama is proposing to make it a felony for a gun owner whose firearm was stolen from his residence which causes harm to another person if that weapon was not securely stored in that home.

He's proposing restricting gun purchases to one weapon a month and banning the sale of firearms at gun shows except for "antique" weapons. Obama is also proposing increasing the licensing fee to obtain a federal firearms license. ....

He's proposing that all federally licensed gun dealers sell firearms in a storefront and not from their homes while banning their business from being within five miles of a school or a park. He's also banning the sale of 'junk" handguns like the popular Saturday Night Specials."
1996 Independent Voters of Illinois – Independent Precinct Organization Questionnaire.


"35. Do you support state legislation ???

a. ban the manufacture, sale or possession of handguns?

Yes.

b. ban the manufacture, sale or possession of assault weapons?

Yes.

c. mandatory waiting periods with background checks for weapons?

Yes.

http://www.sportsmenforobama.org/content/view/14/27/

[jody]

32. RKBA not about "traditional hunting guns". It's about the natural, inherent, inalienable/unalienable

right to keep and bear arms for self-defense because SCOTUS says government is not obligated to protect an individual unless she/he is in custody.

For example, over 825,000 sworn law-enforcement officers keep and carry handguns because they are the most effective,efficient tool for self-defense.

That's why handguns are the overwhelming choice of law-abiding citizens for self-defense.

[Tim01]

33. You do understand that I'm on YOUR side, right?

President Obama is the one who wants to bring back the AWB, not me.

[jody]

34. I do understand. My post was not for your sole view but all DUers and others including a minority of

gun-grabbers who pass through like sea gulls and leave a post to mark their presence like on a picnic table at the beach.

[Taitertots]

35. Play on words

He doesn't want to Take your guns. He wants to make it illegal to buy new ones or trade the ones you have. He won't take your guns, but heaven help if you want your children to get them when they grow up.

He believes in the second amendment. He believes DC and Chicago bans are both constitutional. He believes banning the most popular guns in civilian use is constitutional.

It is all a play on words.

[jody]

36. What you call "play on words", I call BS and not telling the truth. n/t

[Taitertots]

37. What you call "BS and not telling the truth" I call Politics

[jody]

38. "'BS and not telling the truth' I call Politics". Agree, that's why no candidate can be trusted. nt

[Bobbieo]

6. What is the purpose of an assault weapon?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

13. First of all define what you mean by one...unlike Gray Davis when he was the CAstate AG, be truthful

[benEzra]

20. Target shooting, small game hunting, competition, home defense.

"Assault weapon" is a scare term for the most popular non-automatic, small- and intermediate-caliber civilian rifles in the United States. The term does NOT refer to automatic weapons.

[msongs]

7. all gun owners should be required to join the militia, as the constitution says nt

[paulsby]

8. no, it doesn't.

and ya know it.

[jody]

14. All males between 17 and 45 are in the militia. In some states it's all people 17-64. n/t

[Bobbieo]

9. Can anyone explain the purpose of an assault rifle.

[gorfle]

10. The purpose of an assault rifle.

The purpose of an assault rifle is simple: It is a a rugged infantry small arm designed for battlefield use.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

15. They are also not available for sale in the US to your average person

Clue: What some call assault weapons are not...

[gorfle]

39. The term has been co-opted.

I am not going to haggle over the term "assault weapon". The term has been co-opted to mean any weapon that is identical to a military except it is only semi-automatic.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

40. Words have meaning and power, so I will push to see things done correctly

then gain, I am more than a little pendantic...

[gorfle]

41. Tell it to..

Tell it to the folks who preach "heritage not hate" while waving the "rebel" flag.

The symbol is lost.

The term "assault weapon" is lost.

In any case, we should be embracing, not hiding from, what these kinds of weapons are for.

[nevergiveup]

11. To assault, of course

Assaulting is an important right and assaulting is made easier with an assault rifle.

[Bobbieo]

17. If an assault weapon is used to assault a member of a Mexican drug cartel.

I guess that's okay by me seeing as I live in a Mexican border town. But I am afraid that is not the way the assault is working, is it???

[benEzra]

22. Hard to say, given that the cartels are using automatic weapons, grenades, and RPG's...

which are not available in the USA, but are readily available in Central America or from the Mexican military.

[Metta]

16. Enforce the laws is a scam to pander to gun owners. No one hunts with assault rifles.

Those weapons shouldn't be publically available.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

18. Do you have a clue what an assault weapon is? They are not even available in the US

without special licenses.

And yes, a number of people hunt with detectable magazine fed semi automatic rifles.

[jody]

19. The OP is about "assault weapons" not "assault rifles". Suggest you learn the difference so you

won't embarrass yourself anymore.

[benEzra]

21. "Assault rifles," no; "assault weapons," yes.

"Assault weapon" means "non-automatic, small- to intermediate-caliber civilian rifle with modern styling," and plenty of people hunt with them. But since the vast majority of gun owners are nonhunters, recreational and competitive target shooting are the more common application.

"Assault weapons":

[yay]

23. why?

[Furyataurus]

24. "Assault"

is an ACTION, plus it's obvious you have never been coyote or prarie dog hunting......a semi-auto is the best thing for that kind of varmint hunting.

[Taitertots]

25. Enforce the laws is how we fight the ignorance

of people who think assault rifles are available to the general public.

[Iktomiwicasa]

26. Warning anyone

of the potential for suicidal behavior, political or otherwise, is a good thing.