Democrats to talk up rights of gun owners

[w4rma]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Centrist Democrats are urging their candidates — expecially in more conservative states — to talk openly about their support for gun safety laws while telling voters they support the rights of gun owners.

"Silence on this issue has not worked to our advantage," said Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh, chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council. The DLC joined with Americans for Gun Safety to sponsor a survey by pollster Mark Penn that looked at the gun issue and voters.

Penn said his research has found that Democrats who talk openly about the balance of gun owner's rights and gun safety laws can make significant gains among gun owners, who lean heavily toward Republicans.

Al From, founder and chief executive of the DLC, said when Democrats remain silent, the assumption is that they are hostile to the rights of gun owners.

The centrist group is inviting 70 Democratic elected officials from 18 states to Atlanta Saturday to learn more about how Democrats can talk more openly about such issues as gun rights and safety, religion, support for the military and policies affecting families.
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http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?/base/news-4/1066343044270270.xml
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=108&topic_id=62941

[Loyal]

1. Good for Evan Bayh

It's nice to see him doing this.

[jody]

2. Now if we Dems can muzzle Diane Fiendstein and other strident gun-grabbers

we can attract more of the "working masses" and focus on real issues like (a) getting our troops home, (b) jobs for the unemployed, (c) health care for all, (d) decent education and (e) reducing the unbridled power of the "one half per centers" who have stoled the government of "We the People".

[slackmaster]

3. Muzzling any viewpoint is never the right thing to do IMO

The point is to make it abundantly clear that the extreme positions like banning all handguns or registering all gun owners do not represent the official policy of the Democratic Party.

[jody]

4. I accept your clarification, but I meant that Diane Fiendstein and the

gun-grabbers do not and never have represented the rank and file loyal Democratic voters and party members in all states.

Perhaps I should have said if Fiendstein and other Democratic gun-grabbers want to preach their anti-gun message as Democrats, then they should add a disclaimer that their position is not the position of the National Democratic Party nor all state Democratic parties.

They used and continue to use their access to the national media to completely distort the public's image of our party's position on RKBA. They knew the effect their public announcements would have upon the public and they are a contributing factor to Gore's loss of the 2000 election. If they did not exist, Karl Rove would have to create and fund a gun grabbers group.

[IndianaGreen]

5. The correct position is to support the Bill of Rights

The Second Amendment did not grant the federal government any powers to regulate the right to bear arms, that is a power that has been explicitly given to the States, and only as part of regulating the militia. The militia is NOT the National Guard, but it is the citizens of the State.

[billbuckhead]

6. More RepuKKKe lite from Al From

Every civilized country in the world has strong regulation of weapons except the USA which has the highest murder rate, rape rate and incarceration rate of "advanced" nations.

[-..__...]

7. Well kudos to them!

What's that saying?.... "just because someone else jumps off a cliff does that mean
you do too"?

The rest of the "civilized" world can go shove their gun laws along with the metric system, World Cup
soccer, cars with the steering wheel on the wrong side, emergency vehicles with that whiney siren...etc.

[Hoot]

9. Simply not true

Nations who have banned private ownership of firearms have a huge bump in crime afterwards.

[Loyal]

10. Billbuckhead

is not a reputable source of information. He misrepresents everything that he writes. I'm surprised that you guys are taking him seriously.

[DoNotRefill]

11. I don't think he deliberately misrepresents stuff...

I think that he simply can't see past his personal biases and other preconceived notions.

He's entitled to hold whatever positions he likes, no matter how misguided people think they are. For instance, I believe that he's said here that if Dean got the nomination, he wouldn't vote for him. I find that very short-sighted.

[1a2b3c]

13. You know, i miss acerbic too.

[MrBenchley]

12. So true

Listneing to the DLC has been a disaster for the party...time to get those idiots out of the dfamn way.

[Hoot]

8. Maybe not muzzle, but refrain from entertaining stupid legeslation.

The anti-gun legislation they propose does NOTHING but hurt their voters, and the people who legitimately own firearms. It barely puts a dent in criminal activities.