If Edwards wins the nomination will he make a big deal of ...

[funkyflathead]

Assault Weapons Ban renewal??

Unlike Kerry he has not endorsed any AWB renewal bill although I know he has said he supports AWB renewal when asked. Edwards also emphasizes how important guns are to his consituents like me (I'm in NC)


I know Kerry will make a big deal of it (like he did attacking Dean) but I don't see any other candidate do it.

Geps out and Kucinich all but so.

[MrBenchley]

1. Watch the Republicans cave as the election draws near

I doubt there's any candidate anywhere who thinks "more assault weapons" is a winning issue...and I wonder once the campaign heats up how many candidates ANYWHERE are going to want to be anywhere near the NRA.

My GOP congressman used to make those noises...but we just had a cop paralyzed after being shot by an assault weapon... I doubt he's going to beat THAT drum very loud in public.

[funkyflathead]

2. He doesn't have to

He can just let the ban die quietly, like it should.

Pro-gunners are in a much better position than anti-gunners.

[MrBenchley]

3. Hahahahahaha...

Yeah, it's going to be a big plus putting assault weapons on the street....

[slackmaster]

4. According to MrB's favorite propaganda source they're already there

And the expiration of the ban won't make a hoot of difference.

Immediately after the 1994 law was enacted, the gun industry moved quickly to make slight, cosmetic design changes in their "post-ban" guns to evade the law, a tactic the industry dubbed "sporterization." Of the nine assault weapon brand/types listed by manufacturer in the law,5 six of the brand/types have been re-marketed in new, "sporterized" configurations.6 In fact, gunmakers openly boast of their ability to circumvent the assault weapons ban.

http://www.vpc.org/studies/officeone.htm

[alwynsw]

6. If the bill banned true assault weapons

very few would have much problem with it. Problem is, it addresses weapons based upon appearance as well as performance. Many of the banned firearms look like ducks, but they certainly can't walk like a duck or quack like a duck.

[TexasMexican]

7. a flash supressor and a bayonet lug...

does not an assualt rifle make.

[Columbia]

8. Exactly

It's too bad the public is so poorly educated on this issue, otherwise the politicians wouldn't feel compelled to support such a stupid piece of legislation soley on polls of the ignorant masses.

[Columbia]

5. I'm supporting Edwards

He doesn't have much of a choice politically but to say he supports the AWB. Even Pres. Bush has said the same thing.

Consider this statement from Edwards however:

"It's very important for us as Democrats to understand that where I come from guns are about a lot more than guns themselves," said John Edwards. "They are about independence. For a lot of people who work hard for a living, one of the few things they feel they have any control over is whether they can buy a gun and hunt. They don't want people messing with that, which I understand."

- Washington Post, p. A1 Oct 26, 2003

He seems to be relatively laissez-faire when it comes to gun control. His congressional record has him voting for relatively minor gun-control legislation, but since there hasn't been any major legislation for a few years it may not be representative of how far he would go. So given his track record, I'd say that he'd sign the AWB if it came across his desk, but not push for it. He isn't as strong on gun rights as I'd like, that's for sure, but him and Dean are the best of the bunch.

[Columbia]

9. Edwards on guns during the NH debate

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39875-2004Jan22_3.html

DISTASO: Senator Edwards, checking the Internet, the pro-gun ownership group, such as the North Carolina Rifle and Pistol Association, don't have glowy words about you. That might be a popular position here in a Democratic primary, but you also want to carry the South if you were to get into a general election.

So, could you specify for us, please, exactly what additional federal gun control measures you will propose as president?

EDWARDS: What I believe is that -- and by the way, I would point out to you at the outset of this question: Remember, I didn't get to the Senate by accident. I actually defeated an incumbent Republican senator who was part of the Jesse Helm's political machine in North Carolina, the result of which is I'm now the senior senator from North Carolina instead of Jesse Helms, which is a very good thing for this country. And that didn't happen by accident.

(APPLAUSE)

I grew up in the rural South. I know deep inside what people care about. From the time I was growing up, everyone around me hunted, everyone had guns. I respect and believe in people's Second Amendment rights.

That does not, however, mean that somebody needs an AK-47 to hunt. It does not mean that somebody who's been convicted of a violent crime should be able to walk out of prison, walk across the street and buy a gun. It does not mean that we shouldn't take every step that we can take to keep guns safe and keep guns out of the hands of kids.

So, my belief is, first, I defend people's Second Amendment rights, but I don't think it's without limit.

EDWARDS: I think there are limits on those rights, and particularly when the concerns and rights and interests of the American people are at stake.

DISTASO: Well, I'd ask you to keep going and tell us what federal gun control measures you would propose, in addition to what's on the...

EDWARDS: You mean in addition to what we have?

DISTASO: Yes, if any.

EDWARDS: I think we should extend the Brady Bill. I think the Brady Bill is, around now, set to expire. I think it should be extended.

I think that we need to close forever the gun-show loophole so that we don't have problems that I just described, of people who've been convicted of violent crimes walking out of prison, being able to walk across the street and buy a gun.

I think it does make sense to have trigger locks for the purpose of keeping guns safe so that we don't have 6-year-old children accidentally killing other 6-year-old children.

So I think there are reasonable things we can do. But I start from the place that we have to begin -- we have to protect people's Second Amendment rights. I have lived with this my entire life. And as I said earlier, I believe I understand what people are concerned about.

[Columbia]

10. So I was wrong...

Seems Sen. Edwards is a little more pro-gun control than I had previously thought. :(

[RoeBear]

11. Can anyone tell me why...

...the 1994 AWB bill had a 10 year sunset? Isn't that an unusual provision?

Thanks,
RoeBear

[beevul]

12. I have seen the sunset provision before at the state level...

but this is the first time I have seen it on the federal level.

I think maybe it was part of a compromise to get the 1994 AWB passed?
(I'm not totally sure iether, but thats something I have seen said before)