DANG! Reid Joins Pelosi on AWB!

[G27]

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/reid-joins-pelosi-in-opposing-weapons-ban-revival-2009-02-26.html

Reid joins Pelosi in opposing ban revival

By J. Taylor Rushing

Posted: 02/26/09 10:17 PM [ET]

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) will join House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in opposing any effort to revive the 1994 assault-weapons ban, putting them on the opposite side of the Obama administration.

Reid spokesman Jim Manley said the Nevada Democrat will preserve his traditional pro-gun rights voting record.

"Sen. Reid would oppose an effort [to] reinstate the ban if the Senate were to vote on it in the future," Manley told The Hill in an e-mail late Thursday night.

It was not immediately clear whether Reid would block the bill from the Senate, but his opposition casts serious doubt on its chances. Also, Manley noted that Reid voted against the ban in 1994 and again when it expired in 2004.

Reid's stance joins him with Pelosi, who told reporters Thursday that the administration had not checked with her before Attorney General Eric Holder told reporters the administration would attempt to reinstate the ban. Pelosi gave a flat “no†when asked if she had spoken to Holder or any other administration officials about the issue.

“On that score, I think we need to enforce the laws we have right now,†Pelosi said at her weekly news conference. “I think it's clear the Bush administration didn’t do that.â€

Outside of the dig at the recent Republican president, that phrase is the stock line of those who don’t want to pass new gun control laws, such as the National Rifle Association (NRA).

Holder said during a press conference Wednesday in Phoenix that Obama had made reinstating the ban one of his campaign promises.

"There are obviously a number of things that are — that have been taking up a substantial amount of his time, and so I’m not sure exactly what the sequencing will be," Holder said. "It is something, however, that we still think would be an appropriate thing to do."

The news caught Capitol Hill by surprise, immediately pitting Democrats and Republicans against each other and even exposing deep divides among Democrats. A number of House Democrats lost their seats after being targeted by the NRA for voting for the 1994 ban.

[Guest bkelm18]

A slight flicker of light for us.

[dunndw]

I think they're holding up the flicker of light just so they can see to drive the knife home better. They have no love for gun owners.

perhaps I'm a pessimist but I don't trust 'em. They have another motive in not supporting the AWB...this time. I don't know WHAT their motive is, but it isn't anything gun owners will benefit from

[Guest bkelm18]

I think they're holding up the flicker of light just so they can see to drive the knife home better. They have no love for gun owners.

perhaps I'm a pessimist but I don't trust 'em. They have another motive in not supporting the AWB...this time. I don't know WHAT their motive is, but it isn't anything gun owners will benefit from

Liberals aren't smart enough to pull something off that sneaky.

[NuTcAsE]

They're up to something.......

[Guest crotalus01]

The only way something doesnt stink about this is the off chance that the Dem "leadership" has finally figured out that gun bans = public votes the Dems out of power in 2010 (house and senate). I think they are waiting for the "messiah" to fix the economy, gain public trust and then go for the gun grab. Problem seems to be Osbama and Holder are too F'ing stupid to get with the rope-a-dope...

[G27]

They're up to something.......

Indeed, but I honestly don't think it's what many here would believe - I'd be willing to bet dollars to donuts that Reid and Pelosi see that the states are becoming restless and are realizing that the re-emergence of the 10th does more than reposition states' rights, but also removes the imperial presidency. IOW, strong states' rights also mean a stronger congress (relative to the presidency, which in the last 30+ years has become more and more imperial).

I think we're seeing a power play here - Reid and Pelosi both know that, constitutionally speaking, they have nearly as much, if not more, "power" than the president - combined they can do what they want, assuming voting support in congress. Therefore, regarding the AWB, the have little to lose by standing up to Obama and much to gain - no one is willing to kill their career for another AWB but they can use it as a power play.

This move might - just might - signal an early end to Obama's honeymoon.

[Guest bkelm18]

This move might - just might - signal an early end to Obama's honeymoon.

Well his approval rating has been falling. Not by much but it has. I think it has to do with some people not liking his crappy stimulus plan and those that think he should have solved all the world's problems the day after he took the oath.

[Guest betobeto]

The only way something doesnt stink about this is the off chance that the Dem "leadership" has finally figured out that gun bans = public votes the Dems out of power in 2010 (house and senate). I think they are waiting for the "messiah" to fix the economy, gain public trust and then go for the gun grab. Problem seems to be Osbama and Holder are too F'ing stupid to get with the rope-a-dope...

+1

[creeky]

That sounds promising... but i still don't trust them. No time to get complacent

[herr.baer]

“On that score, I think we need to enforce the laws we have right now,” Pelosi said at her weekly news conference. “I think it's clear the Bush administration didn’t do that.”

This was from another board's conversation on this subject. This is what they could be up to.

That translates to "The BATFE has eased up on their persecution of trivial offenses and over-ambitious enforcement of the '68 GCA, and we can't have that, can we?" They are already talking about how they are not "enforcing" the ban on "imported assault weapons" because they are letting in parts kits and allowing manufacturer's to assemble them as American made under 922r.

See, "enforcing the laws we already have" means different things to different people. When the NRA says it, it means "Use a gun in a crime, go to jail". When Pelosi says it, it means "use every legal means to interfere with gun owners."

[G27]

Well his approval rating has been falling. Not by much but it has.

IIRC, it fell 10 points in the last week (14%). The media may make that out to be "not much", but at that rate he'll be in very bad shape in a very short time.

No matter what we think of their political ideals, Reid and Pelosi aren't stupid wrt accumulating power - they didn't luck nor get voted into their positions against their will. IOW, they are both sly political foxes, and while we'd all like to think they lay awake at night trying to figure out new ways to take our guns, I believe implementing Occam's razor would lead one to believe this is a power struggle.

That's what I think is happening, fwiw. 2A is just a pawn here, and Reid and Pelosi know they have a issue that most people will follow them on in their fight against the messiah...

[Guest bkelm18]

IIRC, it fell 10 points in the last week (14%). The media may make that out to be "not much", but at that rate he'll be in very bad shape in a very short time.

No matter what we think of their political ideals, Reid and Pelosi aren't stupid wrt accumulating power - they didn't luck nor get voted into their positions against their will. IOW, they are both sly political foxes, and while we'd all like to think they lay awake at night trying to figure out new ways to take our guns, I believe implementing Occam's razor would lead one to believe this is a power struggle.

That's what I think is happening, fwiw. 2A is just a pawn here, and Reid and Pelosi know they have a issue that most people will follow them on in their fight against the messiah...

Hopefully this will end up causing a rift in the liberal "community" and split some votes, allowing us a great chance at taking back some seats.

[Guest Rick O'Shay]

Liberals aren't smart enough to pull something off that sneaky.

Reference: Who is the Speaker of the House in TN?

[Guest bkelm18]

Reference: Who is the Speaker of the House in TN?

Not a democrat. And as it looks right now, gun bills may have a chance of passing. So I don't think they really pulled off that great of a heist.

[Guest Rick O'Shay]

Not a democrat.

Nor a Republican. I was referring to how he got there.

[Guest bkelm18]

Nor a Republican. I was referring to how he got there.

Yes but as I said, I don't think it really is gonna work in their favor.

[G27]

Hopefully this will end up causing a rift in the liberal "community" and split some votes, allowing us a great chance at taking back some seats.

Indeed, I think it may well do that, though I regard republicans little better than I do democrats - neither seem to have a priority to pursue small government and fiscal responsibility anymore.

The more important issue here is that if Reid and Pelosi do the right thing (standing up for our 2A rights, regardless of the their motivation) we may well see the beginnings of a return to the balance of power between the presidency and congress that has been so sorely missing for so long. Sure, congress rattles the saber every now and then, but in the last few decades, congress was either a puppet to or an adversary of the president. As long as congress' role is determined by the party affiliation of the man in the white house, we're in for problems.

Our founding fathers showed incomprehensible wisdom in the way they framed our government - if we'd just follow their outline (US Constitution), I think everyone would be amazed at how well it can work.

I obviously don't know their motivations, but if it's a power struggle, I'm pulling for Reid/Pelosi on this point (I can't believe I just typed that)....

[Guest Rick O'Shay]

Indeed, I think it may well do that, though I regard republicans little better than I do democrats - neither seem to have a priority to pursue small government and fiscal responsibility anymore.

The more important issue here is that if Reid and Pelosi do the right thing (standing up for our 2A rights, regardless of the their motivation) we may well see the beginnings of a return to the balance of power between the presidency and congress that has been so sorely missing for so long. Sure, congress rattles the saber every now and then, but in the last few decades, congress was either a puppet to or an adversary of the president. As long as congress' role is determined by the party affiliation of the man in the white house, we're in for problems.

Our founding fathers showed incomprehensible wisdom in the way they framed our government - if we'd just follow their outline (US Constitution), I think everyone would be amazed at how well it can work.

I obviously don't know their motivations, but if it's a power struggle, I'm pulling for Reid/Pelosi on this point (I can't believe I just typed that)....

When I am feeling a little like abusing myself some I go reading and posting in some Liberal forums. Every now and then I try to stir up some stuff about the 2nd Amendment by quoting a circumstance of someone saving their life and/or a loved one with a firearm. Frankly, other than a few of the 'usual suspects" I get little rise out of most of the Libs. It doesn't seem to me that many of them care one way or the other about the issue, and I suspect a large number of them have their own guns but don't want to publicize it on 'their' turf. From my anecdotal evidence I don't know how much of a rift we could expect.

[G27]

When I am feeling a little like abusing myself some I go reading and posting in some Liberal forums. Every now and then I try to stir up some stuff about the 2nd Amendment by quoting a circumstance of someone saving their life and/or a loved one with a firearm. Frankly, other than a few of the 'usual suspects" I get little rise out of most of the Libs. It doesn't seem to me that many of them care one way or the other about the issue, and I suspect a large number of them have their own guns but don't want to publicize it on 'their' turf. From my anecdotal evidence I don't know how much of a rift we could expect.

That's precisely the point - the rift won't come from the issue (2A rights) - it's only a pawn - the rift will come from the demarcation of power.

I could be totally wrong here, but I believe Reid/Pelosi see the writing on the wall wrt Obama's economic plans and feel that 2A can be the sacrificial lamb they give up - as it's not currently hotly contested/regarded overall - in an effort to reclaim their power. Together, along with a D congress, they have the power to run the country the way THEY see fit (pregnant pause for shudder), but like it or not, this is a GOOD thing, if this is truly their motivation, as it is as the constitution is written...

[K191145]

Well his approval rating has been falling. Not by much but it has. I think it has to do with some people not liking his crappy stimulus plan and those that think he should have solved all the world's problems the day after he took the oath.

The AWB/gun control is too much of a political hot potato for them right now with their efforts to socialize the economy. On one side they have the GOP which I think still has alot of influence power, and millions of people who would oppose any gun control legislation. On the other side there's small groups like the Brady Bunch and some far left organizations that want gun control but even the far left liberals in the country are not as passionate about the issue right now. It would be more politically damaging to try to push gun control right now than not to. But just wait for the next psycho to shoot up a school and the gun control bills will hit the floor of the Senate.

[Guest mustangdave]

This is all good and fine...I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop...they're politicians...if their lips are moving, they're lying

[MadMarx]

I think Obama/Pelosi/Reid are ALL working on a "gun ban" of sorts. They are trying to take and spend so much money that we citizens are in effect banned from guns by not having enough funds left over to buy them.

[Guest benchpresspower]

I smell bull hockey

[Guest SPD223]

For some reason I have a picture in my mind of Pelosi and Reid sitting in a room having a conversation and agreeing "ok, this is what we'll tell the public untill we get what we want, then we'll go for the guns".

I think it's still the same ole ..