Reid joins Pelosi in opposing ('assault' weapons) ban revival

[davepc]

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 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.

...

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

[Taverner]

1. Good. Supporting the ban is political suicide

Even if you are anti-gun, basing laws on the shape of the gun, rather than the danger is stupid

[Hoopla Phil]

10. +1

[tridim]

2. Not surprising since the media is expecting a nice game of checkers

while Obama and Congress are playing 3D chess.

[yay]

3. Fantastic news!

Maybe there's still hope I can buy some magpul Pmags at a decent price someday.

[ArcticFox]

4. Good Move

Not only politically. It's about time Democrats start to advocate fixing the causes of violence, rather than focusing on gun control like it would end all suffering or something.

[Vini_Vidivici]

11. Yes, so true.

I'm sick of seeing people blame the tools for the acts of criminals. The AWB would be idiotic, senseless, un-Constitutional, and wholely ineffective. I don't care whether it's a political ploy, or not, as long as they "DON'T TREAD ON ME".

Anything's possible. Maybe Obama does have some sage people educating him on the subject, and showing him the error of his ways when it's come to these issues in the past.

[janx]

14. Obama doesn't need to be "educated" on the subject,

despite what the NRA may have told you.

[Redneck Socialist]

5. Wow, that's some good (and unexpected) news. n/t

[jody]

6. Obama has an opportunity to silence his critics and earn political capital by saying, “I did not

fully understand all aspects of efforts to ban semiautomatic firearms with the Assault Weapons Ban. I oppose its renewal and stand by my promise ’I believe in the Second Amendment. I believe in people's lawful right to bear arms. I will not take your shotgun away. I will not take your rifle away. I won't take your handgun away.’”

Does he have the guts to do the right thing?

[Abq_Sarah]

9. Not a chance

President Obama is playing politics with this because he knows Pelosi and Reid give him political cover. This allows him to pander to the people who hate the second amendment, knowing nothing will come of it. It's the kind of politics I despise but I have to admit it's a brilliant ploy.

[friendly_iconoclast]

7. "We'll make you safer by trampling on the Constitution for some bullshit reason"

Ashcroft and Gonzales, move over and make some room in the bed for Eric Holder.

Seems AG Holder forgot a cardinal rule of organizational behavior:

Do Not Make The Boss Look Bad!

[The Microbe]

8. YAY!

May have to change my affiliation back to Democrat from Independent. Maybe Obama will educate himself on the subject. If so he's smart enough to realize gun ban laws are ineffectual, in addition to politically poisonous.

[anonymous171]

12. Wow. Reid and Pelosi are finally catching on. nt

[gorfle]

13. Oh Hoooray!!!!

This is great news. It shows that the power of the pro-firearm voting block is firmly acknowledged on The Hill. The House clearly does not want to touch the firearm issue with a 10-foot pole. And there is one group you can firmly thank for that - the NRA.

This is exactly the kind of Democratic Party I was hoping for. Good social, environmental, and energy policy, and hands off my firearms.

[SammyR]

15. This is great

news! I'm a Democrat till death but I don't want to see any kind of gun ban. Background checks, waiting periods, fine. But leave people's guns alone. I don't know how many people in cities own guns, but I live in a rural area and I can just about guarantee everyone here owns at least one gun, me included. I think it's stupid to take a chance of someone breaking into my home and not having any defense. I know all guns wouldn't be banned, but why ban any? What would be the point? It absolutely would be political suicide for the Democrats and then the Republicans will quickly be in power again. That's not what we want.