Hank, your "logic" really puzzles me here...
You say, and I paraphrase:
"If we vote 3rd party we may just hand the victory to the Democrats.... Maybe the other side will realize that they need us...."
Is that a good thing? Handing over another four years of office to a bunch of rabid anti-gunners who would sooner see all of our guns melted into a giant dolphin than do a lick so seriously tackle crime? And all this "in the hope" of making the Republicans wake up and smell the coffee? That is like throwing $10,000 down a cliff in the hope that a curious spectator will give you $20 for the amusing event. If we ever go to war, remind me not to be in the platoon under your command! You would send us all to be mowed down "in the hope" that HQ would hang their heads in repentance and do better next time!
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Dennis, you argue your point passionately, but I could not disagree more with that fundamental premise that Republicans and Democrats are equal vis a vis the 2nd Amendment. Your justification is "show me a gun-law that was not supported by the Republicans".
Well, show me a pro-gun law that was NOT supported by the Republicans! Show me a Democrat who has passionately spoken in favor of the 2nd amendment in the past 8 years.
If your interest is more than just emotionally-based, just take a look at the current pro-and anti-gun bills pending in the House and Senate. ALL OF THEM are clearly, almost 100% cut along party lines, and by the way, I don't see no 3rd party actively promoting our gun-rights.
You forget that, even though Republicans have the majority in the house and Senate, Klinton is still in the White House, and he OWNS the media. The Republicans are walking a very thin line, here and not seeing that is voluntary blindness.
In your world of "all-or-nothing" politics, you will be on the losing side no matter what, because you won't be happy with any outcome. To you the Republicans are to the Democrats what the Japanese were to Hitler. Never mind all the honest and principled Republicans thanks to whom we haven't had to hand in our weapons yet. Are there some Yellow Republicans? Sure, like Liddy Dole.... Look what happened to her. And do you think that her statements about the 2nd amendment had nothing to do with her early demise? But to say that ALL Republicans are socialists is, forgive me, just plain BS. By the way, the official "socialists" are all within the Democratic party, just like all the other leftist kooks - militant gays and lesbians, the NOW, the Godless (who brought to you the current laws against prayer in school), the NAACP, the PETA who would like for you to be blown apart by your own ammo rather than seeing Bambi killed, the EPA, the trial lawyers who would gladly sue you out of your hunting socks, the various "civil rights" organizations like the ACLU..... ALL DEMOCRATS. If you equate this party to the Republicans, you may seriously reconsider your news-source.
You know what I find sad? That even us, who should be bound by a serious common goal, are tearing each-other to bits over who to vote for. And I include myself in the bunch, no doubt. And that's what the Democrats are good at. Sticking together. And that's why they win. And that's why I will vote Republican until a viable (yes, viable! by Golly!) better, different option pops up.
If we are serious about defending our 2nd Amendment rights, we whould all:
1) Belong to the NRA or to another pro-gun lobby. No, none of them are perfect, but neither are you or I. Doing otherwise would be serious hypocrisy.
2) BE REALISTIC when we go to the polls. The kind of Kamikaze attitude of Hank, although maybe "honorable" to the eyes of some, is seriously self-defeating.
3) If you want to bring about change, be active. Sitting in your chair and bitching has never won wars or battles. Call your congressman if you are not happy with him. Tell 1, 10, 100 friends to do so.
I know that I won't win me any popularity contest by writing this, but COME ON! You cannot treat politics like waiting tables - if you didn't get your refills fast enough screw'em all and I'll never come back to the Restaurant. That's a loser's attitude. And losing we will, not as Republicans or Democrats, or whatever else you may vote, but as decent citizens and gun-owners.
And, most af all, all you anti-establishment people, WHERE IS "YOUR" CANDIDATE?
------------------
SI VIS PACEM, PARA BELLVM
Constitution-RKBA=a weakened document!
You say, and I paraphrase:
"If we vote 3rd party we may just hand the victory to the Democrats.... Maybe the other side will realize that they need us...."
Is that a good thing? Handing over another four years of office to a bunch of rabid anti-gunners who would sooner see all of our guns melted into a giant dolphin than do a lick so seriously tackle crime? And all this "in the hope" of making the Republicans wake up and smell the coffee? That is like throwing $10,000 down a cliff in the hope that a curious spectator will give you $20 for the amusing event. If we ever go to war, remind me not to be in the platoon under your command! You would send us all to be mowed down "in the hope" that HQ would hang their heads in repentance and do better next time!
-------
Dennis, you argue your point passionately, but I could not disagree more with that fundamental premise that Republicans and Democrats are equal vis a vis the 2nd Amendment. Your justification is "show me a gun-law that was not supported by the Republicans".
Well, show me a pro-gun law that was NOT supported by the Republicans! Show me a Democrat who has passionately spoken in favor of the 2nd amendment in the past 8 years.
If your interest is more than just emotionally-based, just take a look at the current pro-and anti-gun bills pending in the House and Senate. ALL OF THEM are clearly, almost 100% cut along party lines, and by the way, I don't see no 3rd party actively promoting our gun-rights.
You forget that, even though Republicans have the majority in the house and Senate, Klinton is still in the White House, and he OWNS the media. The Republicans are walking a very thin line, here and not seeing that is voluntary blindness.
In your world of "all-or-nothing" politics, you will be on the losing side no matter what, because you won't be happy with any outcome. To you the Republicans are to the Democrats what the Japanese were to Hitler. Never mind all the honest and principled Republicans thanks to whom we haven't had to hand in our weapons yet. Are there some Yellow Republicans? Sure, like Liddy Dole.... Look what happened to her. And do you think that her statements about the 2nd amendment had nothing to do with her early demise? But to say that ALL Republicans are socialists is, forgive me, just plain BS. By the way, the official "socialists" are all within the Democratic party, just like all the other leftist kooks - militant gays and lesbians, the NOW, the Godless (who brought to you the current laws against prayer in school), the NAACP, the PETA who would like for you to be blown apart by your own ammo rather than seeing Bambi killed, the EPA, the trial lawyers who would gladly sue you out of your hunting socks, the various "civil rights" organizations like the ACLU..... ALL DEMOCRATS. If you equate this party to the Republicans, you may seriously reconsider your news-source.
You know what I find sad? That even us, who should be bound by a serious common goal, are tearing each-other to bits over who to vote for. And I include myself in the bunch, no doubt. And that's what the Democrats are good at. Sticking together. And that's why they win. And that's why I will vote Republican until a viable (yes, viable! by Golly!) better, different option pops up.
If we are serious about defending our 2nd Amendment rights, we whould all:
1) Belong to the NRA or to another pro-gun lobby. No, none of them are perfect, but neither are you or I. Doing otherwise would be serious hypocrisy.
2) BE REALISTIC when we go to the polls. The kind of Kamikaze attitude of Hank, although maybe "honorable" to the eyes of some, is seriously self-defeating.
3) If you want to bring about change, be active. Sitting in your chair and bitching has never won wars or battles. Call your congressman if you are not happy with him. Tell 1, 10, 100 friends to do so.
I know that I won't win me any popularity contest by writing this, but COME ON! You cannot treat politics like waiting tables - if you didn't get your refills fast enough screw'em all and I'll never come back to the Restaurant. That's a loser's attitude. And losing we will, not as Republicans or Democrats, or whatever else you may vote, but as decent citizens and gun-owners.
And, most af all, all you anti-establishment people, WHERE IS "YOUR" CANDIDATE?
------------------
SI VIS PACEM, PARA BELLVM
Constitution-RKBA=a weakened document!