Took the time to find what GW's stance on gun control really is and how it aligns up with my own ideals keep in mind the first line or two prior to each paragraph is the catagory NOT his stated position, that follows....
George Bush on Gun Control
No city lawsuits against gun manufacturers
Gov. Bush signed a bill that would prevent cities, counties & local governments from suing firearm and ammunition manufacturers for the public costs associated with gun violence. The legislation is commonly referred to as a “lawsuit preemption bill.” According to a spokesperson, Bush supports the bill because he believes that “in order to curb frivolous lawsuits, the attorney general should be the clearinghouse to review issues involving a legal product which is being misused for criminal purposes.”
CNN.com/AllPolitics “Bush quietly signs” 6/18/99
No child-safety locks on guns; concealed carrying ok
Bush opposes mandatory child-safety locks on guns & supports the right of Texans to carry a concealed weapon. The Governor recently signed into law a bill that requires a locality to get approval from the state legislature before suing gun manufacturers. Bush supporters argue that the act does not interfere with legitimate gun lawsuits but rather curbs trivial legal action.
Time Magazine, p. 38 6/28/99
Assault weapon OK; waiting period not OK
Bush expressed support for some gun control measures, including the ban on assault weapons and laws designed to keep guns out of the hands of juveniles. But he said he did not believe the waiting period for the purchase of handguns that is part of the Brady Act does much good, saying he prefers instant background checks.
Dan Balz, The Washington Post 4/25/99
Concealed Carry needed in our dangerous society
With many Americans alarmed by the proliferation of guns, Bush defended his support for legislation in Texas that allows a person to carry a concealed weapon. “We live in a dangerous society,” Bush said. “People feel like they need to defend themselves.. We need to know who they are and they should be licensed and trained.” He added that the concealed-carry law addresses “the act of someone protecting themselves as opposed to the purchasing and spread of guns.”
Dan Balz, The Washington Post 4/25/99
Gun show checks OK; ban guns near schools & kids
An aide to Bush said the governor has “consistently supported since 1994 the idea of instant background checks at gun shows to make sure the people we don’t want to sell guns to are not buying guns.” The aide noted that Bush previously signed legislation prohibiting anyone from carrying a weapon within 300 yards of a school, and holding adults criminally liable if they allow a juvenile access to a loaded gun.
CNN AllPolitics 4/30/99
Gun restrictions OK within basic right to own guns
Bush opposed repeal of the 1994 assault weapon ban and indicated his openness to Clinton’s call to raise the age of legal handgun ownership from 18 to 21. But Bush opposed Clinton’s call for reinstituting 3-day waiting periods for gun purchases, saying he preferred instant background checks. And while he said he could support national legislation to extend such instant checks to purchases at unregulated gun shows, he’s made no effort to support a state bill that would have done just that in Texas.
L.A. Times 5/1/99
Raise legal age for guns to 21; ban certain ammo
Bush said he supported efforts in the Republican-led Congress to raise the legal age for purchase of a handgun to 21 from 18 and to ban large ammunition clips.
Reuters, “Bush favors raising.” 8/27/99
Ban machine guns; maintain existing gun restrictions
Gov. Bush supports the following principles concerning gun issues:
Maintain state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.
Favor allowing citizens to carry concealed firearms.
Bush says he “supports the current ban of fully- automatic machine guns.”
Bush says he “supports voluntary efforts to provide child safety locks.”
Vote Smart NPAT 1998 7/2/98
$1.6M TX campaign, “Gun Crime Means Hard Time.”
Announced he was allocating $1.6 million in state funds to a new initiative to crack down on gun crime. Bush said $1.28 million will be used to pay for the appointment of eight special prosecutors who will vigorously prosecute criminals who use guns within the framework of existing laws. Another $360,000 will be used to fund a public awareness campaign aimed at reducing gun violence under the slogan “Gun Crime Means Hard Time.”
Hilary Hylton, Reuters 9/21/99
Best gun control is more prosecution & certain jail
Q: You are in favor of some gun controls? A: I’m in favor of keeping guns out of the hands of people who shouldn’t have them like felons & juveniles. I’m for enforcing the laws on the books. In Texas, we’ve armed D.A.’s with extra money to prosecute people who break the law. We need to send a signal to people, don’t be illegally selling guns and don’t be illegally using guns. The best accountability for somebody who breaks the law with a gun is called jail, certain jail.
Des Moines Iowa GOP Debate 12/13/99
Supports gun ownership for protection and hunting
I believe law-abiding citizens should be allowed to own guns to hunt and to protect themselves. and that our government should aggressively pursue. people who illegally sell guns, illegally carry guns, or commit crimes with guns. I also believe that government should pass laws such as instant background checks to help keep guns out of the hands of felons and juveniles and others who should not have them.
“A Charge to Keep”, p. 35-36. 12/9/99
Now here is the man who will win if we cannot get our collective stuff together and stand behind one candidate and sound off IN UNISON this is the alternative READ ON:
Al Gore on Gun Control
[Links to Background, Other Issues and Candidates below.]
Supports Brady Law and ban on assault weapons
Al Gore believes we must do more to get guns off the streets and out of the hands of violent criminals, without affecting the rights of sportsmen and hunters. He worked to enact a ban on deadly assault weapons, and the Brady Law, which has stopped thousands of felons, fugitives, and stalkers from buying guns.
www.AlGore2000.com/issues/crime.html 5/16/99
Counter gun lobby with ‘family lobby’ to shield kids
Gore stressed the need for stricter gun control laws. “Families need help getting guns off our streets, out of our schools and away from children and criminals,” he said. “And I say to every family in America: Let us create a family lobby as powerful as the gun lobby. If we did that, then instead of fighting off new protections for gun manufacturers that would shield them from lawsuits, we can start passing legislation to actually shield our children from gun violence,” Gore said.
CNN.com/AllPolitics “Family agenda” 6/18/99
Voted against some gun limitations while in Congress
Gore, as a member of Congress, voted:
Against a 14-day waiting period for handgun purchases in 1985, but then in favor of a seven-day waiting period in 1991.
Against gun dealer licensing and inspection requirements in 1985.
Against requiring serial numbers on all handguns manufactured in the United States.
Against retaining the ban on the interstate sale of handguns in 1985.
CNN.com/AllPolitics “Republicans use Gore’s words” 6/17/99
Child-safety locks on guns & more restrictions
The House voted 280-147 against legislation to restrict access to guns and impose safety locks on them. Gore said, “I will personally lead the fight to pass [these laws] as President.”
Five weeks earlier, the Vice President broke a 50-50 tie in the Senate chamber on a crucial gun-control vote.
Time Magazine, p. 38 6/28/99
Supports background checks at gun shows, in tie-breaker
Al Gore made a rare Senate appearance and cast a tie-breaking vote that enabled a gun control amendment to prevail, with a vote of 51-to-50, over a less stringent version. The amendment would require background checks with the sale of firearms at gun shows. “I personally would like to dedicate my tie-breaking vote to all of the families that have suffered from gun violence,” Mr. Gore added. Today’s vote was only the 4th in Mr. Gore’s Vice Presidency in which he broke a tie in the Senate.
New York Times, p. A-1 5/21/99
Ban certain guns & “super-trace” all guns
I know about fighting for gun control. I cast the tie-breaking vote to take on the NRA and close the gun show loophole. It took a hard fight to pass the Brady bill and make it the Brady law to establish the 3-day waiting period. I want to go farther and completely ban Saturday night specials and junk guns and assault weapons and have what’s called super tracing so that when a gun is used in any kind of crime it can be immediately traced.
Democratic Debate in Durham, NH 1/5/00
Maximize gun control within what’s politically possible
BRADLEY [to Gore]: I have proposed registration & licensing of all 65 million handguns in America. President Clinton has said he is for that. We’re in the midst of this tremendous rash of gun violence in America.. Registration and licensing is what we do for automobiles. Why can’t we do it for handguns in America and why don’t you support it?
GORE: I do support licensing of the purchase of all new handguns. The president said, yeah, he supports that idea. But it doesn’t have a prayer of ever becoming
Link 1/5/00
Photo Ids for gun purchase; ban junk guns
Q: What would you do to stop violence in the schools? A: The one thing that all these incidents have in common is that they involve guns. And that’s why I’ve helped to pass the toughest new gun-control measure in the last generation. I’m now proposing photo-license IDs for the purchase of a new handgun, a ban on assault weapons and Saturday night specials and so-called junk guns, and a policy of zero tolerance in our schools
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...“ They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” --Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759.
W]hereas, to preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them; nor does it follow from this, that all promiscuously must go into actual service on every occasion. The mind that aims at a select militia, must be influenced by a truly anti-republican principle; and when we see many men disposed to practice upon it, whenever they can prevail, no wonder true republicans are for carefully guarding against it.
---Richard Henry Lee, The Pennsylvania Gazette, Feb. 20, 1788
Take care and God Bless, El Jefe
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