USA: "In surprise move, Bush backs renewal of assault weapons ban "

[Justin]

Boats, I really, really hope you're right. I think that our opposing views on this topic aren't so much Republican vs. libertarian as they are Optimist vs. Cynic. Gun owners are a political minority, one that's loud and obnoxious. I have no doubt that Dubya would dump us if he figured it would be in exchange for XYZ voting block that just happens to be a lot less confrontational.

I happen to agree with you about the incrementalism thing. That's how we got to the sad state of affairs we're in today, and it's the most viable solution for getting our rights back.

Like the poster in Mulder's office says, "I want to believe."

 

[LiquidTension]

I have that poster on my wall, too

 

[Boats]

Why aren't they doing it now? Why not make the ban permanent right now instead of waiting before the election?

It's too early for the gun controlers to become drama queens over the AWB. Since when have they ever cared if they were powerful or correct? The timing of this, if you were the floor leader of the losing side, has to be calculated for maximum political damage to your opponents. Therefore, I fully expect the battle over the AWB to happen like this from the Democratic perspective:

Introduce/push for a renewal/extension later this session with expanded definitions, and all of the bells and whistles your anti friends want, and have it get killed as noisily as possible.

Then reintroduce the current AWB for renewal in the Senate as early as possible in the 2004 Congressional session and push for a late spring/early summer Senate vote, ahead of the National Conventions. It may pass the Senate if there aren't any changes. If I win one chamber I have the leverage to have the DLC chair or the presidential nominee (if he is willing) or vp nominee hammer away in the press that all it would take from this point to "ensure a safer America for all time," (it's for the children), is for GWB to show some domestic leadership in the House. If it passes, GWB has pledged to sign it. If it fails, I can energize my base with the "betrayal."

In any event, the time is not right for the antis to join the battle. By this same token, the Republicans are not going to take any affirmative steps to kill the AWB early because that tactic is high cost/low profit compared to letting it die a natural death for the lack of a bill anyone can live with.