GWB's Second Amendment Record

B

Bartholomew Roberts

Moderator
In a lot of discussion lately, I keep seeing the proposition that GWB has done nothing for the Second Amendment. That is not true - in fact, he has done several things for us, some good and some bad; but I think we all need to take an objective look at what he has accomplished. The pro, neutral and con takes are my own opinion - feel free to mentally rearrange them to suit your views on the Second Amendment and evaluate what Bush has done there:

PRO:

1. UN Small Arms Restrictions blocked by US

2. Attorney General declares Second Amendment is individual right - reverses 35 years of previous Justice Department doctrine on the matter.

3. Attorney General refuses to allow legitimate purchase of NICS data to be used for fishing expedition - Ashcroft stops grabbers from sifting through NICS data of legitimate purchasers to look for "terrorists".

4. Ashcroft changes NICS data holding from 90 days to 1 day - NICS data on legitimate purchases will now be purged from the system in a single day as the law intended rather than being held onto for 90 days per Clinton policy

5. Bush supports and will sign lawsuit preemption bill

6. Bush ends taxpayer funding of useless HUD gun buybacks

7. Signs bill closing loophole that prevented cargo pilots from being armed

8. Signed the appropriations bill containing the Tiahrt Amendment that protects gunowner privacy by making item #4 the law of the land.

9. Gets chance to have several things he claims to support (lawsuit preemption, gunshow background checks, semi-auto ban) on a single bill. Sends letter to Congress asking them to consider only lawsuit preemption.

NEUTRAL:

1. Claims to be against original bill arming air line pilots but signs bill authorizing it.

2. Partially repeals Clinton ban on import of some semi-auto firearm parts instituted in Summer of 2000 to allow import of parts for repair purposes. Doesn't repeal any Executive Orders relating to guns instituted by previous Presidents.

CON:

1. Continues his support (stated in 2000) of the notoriously useless semi-auto ban.

2. Signed the bill banning non-existent plastic guns into law.
 
Keep in mind too that of the senators that voted on the Feinstein AWB Ban coattail rider to the Gun Manufacturers lawsuit protection bill, 90% of the Democrat senators voted for adding the amendment, while 80% of the Republicans voted against adding the amendment. I believe you would be hard-pressed to get 80% of the gun owners in the NRA or the local sportmans' club to go against the AW ban.

There are numerous areas where the Republicans and Democrats differ very little, but gun control isn't one of them.
 
While the Gov., Bush signed into law concealed handgun licensing for Texas, something his opposition stated would not be done if elected.

As with so many political interpretations of what happens at various levels of government, many things are not clear cut. In some cases, welling meaning Presidents sign or refuse to sign things into law based on the major provision of the legislation, but the riders to the bill may be contrary or not actually things for which are being signed. Or, it may be that the rider issue is significant and the president signs or doesn't sign because of a rider. What happens either way is that all presidents end up signing into law things they don't like or are against typical party values or refusing to sign into law things they do like or are supportive of party values.

In short, the only way to really understand such records is to actually know what all was attached to a given issue that the President signed or refused to sign. So when folks note that GWB hasn't been supportive of the 2nd Amendment, you have to look at the issue relative to everything else that is going on.

I am not sure how it is reasoned that the actions of the AG necessarily represent the 2nd Amendment contribution of GWB. All Bush can be credited with there is appointing a largely pro 2nd Amendment AG. That actions of the AG stay with the AG. It was a good appointment, no doubt.
 
2. Attorney General declares Second Amendment is individual right - reverses 35 years of previous Justice Department doctrine on the matter.
Click to expand...

When I hear Bush his-own-self say the same thing, then I'll be more confident in his belief of the Second Amendment... :cool:
 
I think its safe to say that publicly, Bush will try to play both sides of the fence. I'm certainly not going to say I appreciate that. Privately however, I do believe he is on our side (I know many will differ). Good post though, thanks for gathering that info Bartholomew. :)

It will be interesting to see the nay-sayers chime in on this one ;)
 
Thanks for the write up, Bartholomew. I was wondering how this info would look on paper.

As for hearing it from his mouth, can someone point me to where "he" voiced support for the AWB? I can't find a link to that. TIA
 
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