SundownRider
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The chart below lays out the key votes and positions that Sen. Obama has taken over the past few years.
Barack Obama's Gun-Related Votes The U.S. Senate Debated/ Obama
Voted:
Supporting concealed carry for citizens(10)/ Anti-gun
Banning many common semi-automatic firearms(11) /Anti-gun
Disallowing self-defense in towns where guns are banned(12) / Anti-gun
Imposing one handgun a month restrictions(13) / Anti-gun
Requiring lock up your safety trigger locks(14) / Anti-gun
Protecting gun dealers from frivolous lawsuits(15) / Anti-gun
Outlawing gun confiscations during a national emergency(16) / Pro-gun
Squelching the free speech rights of gun owners(17) / Anti-gun
Restricting the interstate sales of firearms(18) / Anti-gun
Repealing the gun ban in Washington, DC(19) / Anti-gun
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1)Associated Press, "Research finds Cheney, Obama distant cousins," October 17, 2007.
2)Ibid.
3)O.Kay Henderson, "Three leading Democrats talk about gun control," Radio Iowa News, April 22, 2007.
4)James Oliphant and Michael J. Higgins, "Court to hear gun case," Chicago Tribune, November 20, 2007.
5)Illinois State Senate, vote on SB 2165 (41-16), May 25, 2004.
6)Obama says, "National legislation will prevent other states' flawed concealed-weapons laws from threatening the safety of Illinois residents." David Mendell, "Democratic hopefuls vary a bit on death penalty," Chicago Tribune, February 20, 2004.
7)See the Gun Owners of America fact sheet at http://www.gunowners.org/fs0404.htm.
8)John Chase, "Keyes, Obama are far apart on guns; Views on assault weapons at odds," Chicago Tribune, September 15, 2004.
9)Senators Chuck Schumer and John Kerry had both cosponsored S. 1431 in 2003, a bill that would have banned any semi-auto shotgun that also contained a pistol grip, which the bill defined as "a grip, a thumbhole stock, or any other characteristic that can function as a grip." According to that definition, just about any semi-automatic shotgun would be banned.
10)See supra note 6.
11)About the so-called "assault weapons" ban, Obama says, "I believe we need to renew -- not roll back -- this common sense gun law." See supra note 8.
12)See supra note 5.
13)As a state senator, "Obama regularly supported gun-control measures, including a ban on semiautomatic 'assault weapons' and a limit on handgun purchases to one a month." "Obama Record May be Gold Mine for Critics," Associated Press, January 17, 2007.
14)On July 28, 2005, Senator Obama voted for a provision requiring gun dealers to include the sale of a lock-up-your-safety device with every handgun sold. The amendment, offered by Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI), passed by a vote of 70-30. The provision amended the gun makers' protection act (S. 397).
15)On July 29, 2005, Senator Obama voted against S. 397, a bill that was designed to put an end to the frivolous lawsuits that were threatening to put many gun dealers out of business. While an argument could be made that a pro-gun Senator might vote against this bill because it contained a lock-up-your-safety provision (see supra note 14), the fact that Obama voted in favor of that trigger lock amendment (but against the overall bill) indicates his real animus against helping gun dealers protect themselves from the anti-gun lawsuits that were aimed at driving them into bankruptcy.
16)On July 13, 2006, Sen. Obama voted for Emergency Powers language that saw only 16 of the most ardent anti-gun senators vote against it. The amendment provides that no money can be used by federal agents to confiscate firearms during a declared state of emergency. The amendment was added to the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill (HR 5441).
17)On January 18, 2007, Senator Obama voted against a pro-gun amendment to strike language in S. 1 that would infringe upon the free speech rights of groups like Gun Owners of America. The amendment, which passed, struck requirements that would have required GOA to monitor and report on its communications with its members, and could easily have led to government demands for GOA's membership list (a.k.a. registration).
18)Obama has frequently made statements which indicate that he would restrict the interstate sale of firearms. For example, he told the NAACP that, "We've got to make sure that unscrupulous gun dealers aren't loading up vans and dumping guns in our communities, because we know they're not made in our communities. There aren't any gun manufacturers here, right here in the middle of Detroit." Senator Barack Obama, at the NAACP Presidential Primary Forum, July 12, 2007.
19)See supra note 4.
If a candidate were truly convinced that guns should be banned and we would all be safer, then they should lead by example and refuse to let their Secret Service protection go armed.
Did I just say "Lead by example"? Sorry, forgot what kind of politicians we have for a moment there.
Barack Obama's Gun-Related Votes The U.S. Senate Debated/ Obama
Voted:
Supporting concealed carry for citizens(10)/ Anti-gun
Banning many common semi-automatic firearms(11) /Anti-gun
Disallowing self-defense in towns where guns are banned(12) / Anti-gun
Imposing one handgun a month restrictions(13) / Anti-gun
Requiring lock up your safety trigger locks(14) / Anti-gun
Protecting gun dealers from frivolous lawsuits(15) / Anti-gun
Outlawing gun confiscations during a national emergency(16) / Pro-gun
Squelching the free speech rights of gun owners(17) / Anti-gun
Restricting the interstate sales of firearms(18) / Anti-gun
Repealing the gun ban in Washington, DC(19) / Anti-gun
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1)Associated Press, "Research finds Cheney, Obama distant cousins," October 17, 2007.
2)Ibid.
3)O.Kay Henderson, "Three leading Democrats talk about gun control," Radio Iowa News, April 22, 2007.
4)James Oliphant and Michael J. Higgins, "Court to hear gun case," Chicago Tribune, November 20, 2007.
5)Illinois State Senate, vote on SB 2165 (41-16), May 25, 2004.
6)Obama says, "National legislation will prevent other states' flawed concealed-weapons laws from threatening the safety of Illinois residents." David Mendell, "Democratic hopefuls vary a bit on death penalty," Chicago Tribune, February 20, 2004.
7)See the Gun Owners of America fact sheet at http://www.gunowners.org/fs0404.htm.
8)John Chase, "Keyes, Obama are far apart on guns; Views on assault weapons at odds," Chicago Tribune, September 15, 2004.
9)Senators Chuck Schumer and John Kerry had both cosponsored S. 1431 in 2003, a bill that would have banned any semi-auto shotgun that also contained a pistol grip, which the bill defined as "a grip, a thumbhole stock, or any other characteristic that can function as a grip." According to that definition, just about any semi-automatic shotgun would be banned.
10)See supra note 6.
11)About the so-called "assault weapons" ban, Obama says, "I believe we need to renew -- not roll back -- this common sense gun law." See supra note 8.
12)See supra note 5.
13)As a state senator, "Obama regularly supported gun-control measures, including a ban on semiautomatic 'assault weapons' and a limit on handgun purchases to one a month." "Obama Record May be Gold Mine for Critics," Associated Press, January 17, 2007.
14)On July 28, 2005, Senator Obama voted for a provision requiring gun dealers to include the sale of a lock-up-your-safety device with every handgun sold. The amendment, offered by Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI), passed by a vote of 70-30. The provision amended the gun makers' protection act (S. 397).
15)On July 29, 2005, Senator Obama voted against S. 397, a bill that was designed to put an end to the frivolous lawsuits that were threatening to put many gun dealers out of business. While an argument could be made that a pro-gun Senator might vote against this bill because it contained a lock-up-your-safety provision (see supra note 14), the fact that Obama voted in favor of that trigger lock amendment (but against the overall bill) indicates his real animus against helping gun dealers protect themselves from the anti-gun lawsuits that were aimed at driving them into bankruptcy.
16)On July 13, 2006, Sen. Obama voted for Emergency Powers language that saw only 16 of the most ardent anti-gun senators vote against it. The amendment provides that no money can be used by federal agents to confiscate firearms during a declared state of emergency. The amendment was added to the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill (HR 5441).
17)On January 18, 2007, Senator Obama voted against a pro-gun amendment to strike language in S. 1 that would infringe upon the free speech rights of groups like Gun Owners of America. The amendment, which passed, struck requirements that would have required GOA to monitor and report on its communications with its members, and could easily have led to government demands for GOA's membership list (a.k.a. registration).
18)Obama has frequently made statements which indicate that he would restrict the interstate sale of firearms. For example, he told the NAACP that, "We've got to make sure that unscrupulous gun dealers aren't loading up vans and dumping guns in our communities, because we know they're not made in our communities. There aren't any gun manufacturers here, right here in the middle of Detroit." Senator Barack Obama, at the NAACP Presidential Primary Forum, July 12, 2007.
19)See supra note 4.
If a candidate were truly convinced that guns should be banned and we would all be safer, then they should lead by example and refuse to let their Secret Service protection go armed.
Did I just say "Lead by example"? Sorry, forgot what kind of politicians we have for a moment there.
