how to pin down US Senate candidates?

[corncob]

I am planning to attend a "town hall" meeting the local talk radio station is putting together next Friday and I will get to ask a question of the candiates for the recently-vacted (by a Democrat) senate seat. I need help coming up with a polite, concise question that will force the candidates hand on RKBA. I expect that none of them wants to talk about it, but I want to find out where they stand. I don't have to tell you how important it is that we don't elect an anti, with the current makeup of the US Senate. Also, whoever gets elected will most-likely keep the seat for the rest of thier natural life, as SC has a pretty weak incumbent turnover rate. I was thinking of reading a short quote (something like Kozinski's dissent in Silviera) and asking if they agree or not. I want them to be forced to say either the 2nd is about liberty/tyranny or hunters/responsible sportsmen. There are a lot of people on this board older and wiser than myself and I thought I would solicit some input. Thanks.

 

[Langenator]

"Do you believe that the Second Amendment guarantees the individual right to keep and bear arms against infringement by the federal government, and do you further feel that the Fourteenth Amendment extends to guarantee to guard against infringement by state and local governments?"

 

[corncob]

I like it!

 

[Waitone]

In interpreting the second amendment, do you suscribe to the individual or collective interpretation?

No way to answer the question without betraying a lot.

Possible answers:
--What is an individual interpretation
--What is a collective interpretation
--What do we need the second amendment for
--Second amendment was designed to protect hnters
--I support the second amendment and commonsense gun laws

 

[corncob]

If you can go, I think the meeting is at the art gallery next Friday afternoon. It's being put on by Kevin Cohen from 560AM. I intend to post the results here afterwards. There are at least a few South Carolinians on THR.

 

[cheygriz]

Ask them:

"Do you believe that the American people can be trusted?"

"If you had been in the Senate this year, would you have voted for or against Sen. Feinstein's amendment to extend the ban on semi-automatic firearms and magazines of the capacity that the gun was designed for?"

"Do you believe that the regulations governing gun shows should be even more draconian than they already are?"

"Do you believe that guns cause crime?"

Do you believe that the Constitution of the United States means what it actually says, or what activist judges say that it says?"

 

[Yowza]

corncob

Do you know what time it will be starting? I wouldn't mind going myself and I only work till noon on Fridays. I have an appointment at 2:30, but it would certainly be something interesting to sit in on for a while.

Rick

 

[Correia]

Whatever you do, try to make the question as middle of the road as possible. If they think you are a gunnie, they may try to answer with something that you want to hear.

 

[Stetson_CO]

Not to be irreverent or anything but I saw this -

how to pin down US Senate candidates?

And immediately thought about railroad spikes....

I think politics is getting to me...


c):{

 

[Bruce H]

Railroad spikes might work but I was thinking wooden stakes.

 

[Langenator]

This one would be fun:

"Can you tell me the difference between an assault weapon and an assault rifle?"

 

[Waitone]

"Can you tell me the difference between an assault weapon and an assault rifle?"

Touchdown !!!!!!! I withdraw my suggestion with great humility.

 

[corncob]

Yowza, I am not sure when the thing starts, but I think it's 3:00. Listen to Kevin Cohen's show on afternoon (if you can take it) and I'm sure he'll mention it. I emailed him and he said people will get a chance to ask questions in person, and I'll be done aafter lunch so I'm going to get there early.

The assault weapon/assault rifle question is good, but it won't help me pick out the best of the worst, assuming none of them actually know anything about guns, which may be a pretty safe assumption.

I want to ask a pollite question that's easy to answer and hard to brush off--one that will give a pro-gun candidate a chance to show it, but will also help to indicate which one of the bunch is the least anti-, assuming there isn't a clear winner.

Here's what I've been thinking:

"As you gentlemen may know, the founders of this nation knew that all governments instituted by men tend toward tyranny, and they made sure that tendency would be held in check by an educated, vigilant, and armed populace. The second amendment was included in the Constitution to insure that the individual's right to self-determination and self-preservation could not be infringed upon by the government, but disregard of our Constitution by so-called "progressive" polliticians and selective-enforcement by the federal judiciary has resulted in some 20,000 federal laws that do nothing but prevent law-abiding citizens like me from exercising those very rights the colonists fought and died to protect. In Washington, will you actively work for the repeal of these unconstitutional laws?"

It's a little long, I know, but what do you think?

 

[Langenator]

You might want to edit the word "federal" out of the "20,000 federal laws." I believe the 20k number includes state laws.

And if you're saying "gentlemen," I'm going to assume this is a GOP-only event, since Inez Tenenbaum, one of the Democrat candidates, is a woman.

 

[corncob]

Thanks. I wasn't really sure about that number, either. And I believe it's just going to be the Republicans.

 

[Langenator]

Another fun possiblity:

"Given that the Tenth Amendment states that powers not specifically given to the Federal government by the Constitution are reserved to the states or the people, which government programs would you vote to eliminate as uncontitutional?"

 

[Justin]

They say that the only reason for an 'assault rifle' is to kill people.

Kind of funny, but when I go to a High Power match, all I see are AR15's, with an occasionaly M1A or M1 Garand.

If they support the ban, ask them why they don't want people owning target rifles.

 

[Langenator]

Last hi-power match I went to mas mostly AR-15s, 2 M1As, 3 M1s, one custom match rifle, one guy with an Enfield, and one wierdo (cough cough) with a K-31.

If you don't trust the people, why should the people trust you?