Montana's DEM senators send letter to Holder

[Hanafuda]

http://www.kxmb.com/News/340119.asp

Washington (AP) Montana Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester have a message for the Obama administration: they will oppose any gun restrictions the new administration may be considering.

In a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, the two Democrats said the Justice Department should enforce existing laws rather than propose additional laws they said could infringe on Second Amendment rights.

The letter was prompted by Holder's comment that reinstating a ban on the sale of assault weapons could help reduce bloodshed in Mexico, where 6,000 people were killed last year in drug-related violence.

Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein has said she plans to push legislation to reinstate a federal ban on some assault weapons that became law during the CLinton administration in 1994, but expired a decade later.

Barrett Kaiser, a spokesman for Baucus, says the letter was sent as a "pre-emptive strike" to warn the Obama administration that any effort to push new gun control will meet with resistance.

A couple of Democrats standing up for RKBA? Whatever their motivation, I don't think these two are of the same ilk as Pelosi or Reid, and I trust that they mean what they say. So thank you, Senators Baucus and Tester.

 

[CoRoMo]

Words vs. Actions


These guys could just as easily explain to their constituents how the proposed legislation is a "sensible compromise" and they didn't want to be obstructionists and wanted to meet their opposition in the middle rather than lose any more ground on the issue.

I certainly like their words. I hope we aren't pushed to the point where we have to see their actions back up their words.

 

[MT GUNNY]

I, among others have sent Emails Letting them Know We would Disapprove of any Anti Legislation. This is Prolly a Reaction to Our Emails.

The One Problem is Max Baucus Did Vote For the First AWB, and Survived Reelection!

 

[femoralis]

Reid actually opposes the AWB, and has done so for a while. On other gun related issues, I'm not sure.

 

[ArmedBear]

These guys could just as easily explain to their constituents how the proposed legislation is a "sensible compromise" and they didn't want to be obstructionists and wanted to meet their opposition in the middle rather than lose any more ground on the issue.

Outside of Bozeman, I can't see an "explanation" getting you very far in Montana.

These guys know how long their careers will last if they support a gun ban, or if they're perceived to support a gun ban.

I'd rather have them love us, but if I can't have love, I'll take fear as a reasonable substitute -- in a politician of either party.

Usually, it's the best you can hope for.

 

[tube_ee]

Well...

Reid actually opposes the AWB, and has done so for a while. On other gun related issues, I'm not sure.

Considering that Senator Reid is actually a conservative Democrat (pro-life Mormon, in fact) from probably the most (small-l) libertarian state in the Union, I wouldn't worry about him much.

As the center of power shifts in the Democratic Party, from the Northeast and California toward the Mountain West, things like this will become more common.

Imagine if both parties respected the 2nd Amendment!

As to the constitutionality of AWB2.0, I think we're in a much stronger position now than we were in 1994. Back then, there was no individual right to arms at all.

Don't underestimate the significance of Heller just because the immediate practical effects were limited. It's a full-scale revolution in the meaning of the law... in our favor.

--Shannon

 

[CoRoMo]

Outside of Bozeman, I can't see an "explanation" getting you very far in Montana.

I agree, but what's up with Bozeman? Sorta like Boulder, CO?

 

[ArmedBear]

More like Santa Fe, perhaps. Place that overeducated people go to "escape" but bring their crap with them.

Not as utterly whack as Boulder has become, just a lot more calloused vocal cords than calloused hands, I think.

 

[Oro]

More like Santa Fe, perhaps. Place that overeducated people go to "escape" but bring their crap with them.

Not as utterly whack as Boulder has become, just a lot more calloused vocal cords than calloused hands, I think.

That is one of the best short answers of what western "resort" towns have become. Nice turn of phrase, ArmedBear.

 

[#shooter]

Is it me or has Montana been just been poking the Feds in the eye when it comes to protecting RKBA lately? Go Montana GO!

 

[Beagle-zebub]

If that's the way Bozeman is headed, there's only one sensible course of action: take off, and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.


And you though Aliens was only a model for *foreign* policy!





Also, before anyone gets their knickers in a twist, I am joking.

 

[CoRoMo]

Not as utterly whack as Boulder has become...

Tell me about it!! :banghead:

 

[frankd4]

congressional seats

The Dems had their asses handed to them after the AWB of 94; they remember that they lost lots of seats in congress they know that this is something that is best left out of the picture or pay the price with congressional seats.

 

[redneckdan]

More like Santa Fe, perhaps. Place that overeducated people go to "escape" but bring their crap with them.

Not as utterly whack as Boulder has become, just a lot more calloused vocal cords than calloused hands, I think.

He nailed it dead nuts. I've been to montana more than a couple times. Usually go once every winter to go ski at bridger bowl with my brother who lives in bozeman. Must admit that some off the people I meet at the 'bowl are some of the rudest and self absorbed people I've ever met while having two planks on my feet. Usually we end up heading out into the gallatin national forest through the north gate to get away from everybody. Bozeman is alot like ann arbor michigan. I explored big timber, livingston and miles city on my way back east this winter, my kind of place. I'm hopeing to make it out there this summer on my motorcycle and head up into glacier national park.

 

[1911Tuner]

Not all Democrats are the bad guys, and not all Republicans are the good guys. There are a good many Democrats who are solidly in our camp.

 

[phoglund]

Wow, Bozeman under attack. There are a lot of Libs here to be sure, but lets not write off my home town quite yet ok? One of the sponsors of Montana's HB 228 is a State Senator from Bozeman (Joe Balyeat)

http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2009/BillHtml/HB0228.htm

BTW, I reported on this letter to Holder a few days ago:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=432823


P.S. I imagine some of you would be delighted to hear several buildings in downtown Bozeman were demolished in an explosion yesterday morning.

http://www.newwest.net/city/article/explosion_in_downtown_bozeman_destorys_two_bars_evacuates_two_blocks/C396/L396/

 

[MD_Willington]

Bottom line, Baucus does not want to look for a new job...

 

[Girodin]

I have said it before. The Democrats have made serious in roads in the west and have been picking up seats but these are not your north eastern or west cost liberals. Further many of the seats picked up since 06 have been by moderate Democrats.

Gun control is not a slam dunk for Dems by any stretch.

 

[damien]

Add one more, the senator from Alaska has sent a very similar letter. After Ried and the two from Montana, this is going to make it impossible to get anything through the Senate if cloture is involked, which it almost certainly will be. A few more and it will make it impossible even for a straight-up vote to get 50.

http://www.adn.com/senate/story/715799.html

Begich notifies White House that he'd oppose new gun restrictions

In a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, Begich, a Democrat, said the Justice Department should enforce existing laws rather than propose additional laws he said could infringe on Second Amendment rights.

Begich said the ability to legally own firearms and use them for hunting and other activities is part of the fabric of life in Alaska.

Begich's letter follows a similar message from two other Western Democratic senators: Max Baucus and Jon Tester of Montana. The letters were prompted by Holder's recent comment that reinstating a ban on the sale of assault weapons could help reduce bloodshed in Mexico, where 6,000 people were killed last year in drug-related violence.

 

[Coronach]

Politics