DeLay Killed Assault Weapons Ban

[kpete]

Who Killed the Assault Weapons Ban?

— By Josh Harkinson
| Wed Jan. 12, 2011 3:43 AM PST


Enacted in 1994 with the support of Ronald Reagan, the Assault Weapons Ban was politicized during the contentious 2004 presidential race. "I don't understand the philosophy that says you're making America safer when you take cops off the streets and put assault weapons back on them," John Kerry said at a rally in Missouri. Though Bush was chastised by Kerry for siding with "powerful friends in the gun lobby," he had claimed he'd sign the assault weapons ban extension if it crossed his desk.

Yet the bill never made it that far. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) dismissed the ban as "a feel good piece of legislation" and flatly told the New York Times that it would expire even if Bush made an effort to renew it. "If the president asked me, it would still be no," he said. "He knows, because we don't have the votes to pass the assault weapons ban. It will expire Monday, and that's that."

http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/01/who-killed-assault-weapons-ban

[X_Digger]

1. Even a blind pig occasionally finds an acorn.

Or if you prefer, "Even a stopped clock is right twice a day."

[SpiralHawk]

2. "Smirk." - Exterminator Tom Delay (Convicted Republicon Felon)

[old mark]

3. So maybe hs's not all bad...but he's still guilty and should serve time in prison...

even he he did one good thing.

mark

[derby378]

4. DeLay did the right thing for just once in his miserable life

While I respect Sen. Kery, if pressed, he probably couldn't define what an "assault weapon" is. I've seen people try, but no one ever succeeded, especially since Washington State tried to pass its own "assault weapon" ban that outlawed certain pump-action shotguns last year.

[Upton]

5. Probably the only thing he ever did right..

he still an asshole though..

[bluestateguy]

6. They're not assualt weapons and they weren't even banned

You could still own one if you already had one. The law banned new and existing weapons from being sold and manufactured.

So what did that do? It raised the value of the existing weapons on the black market! Good job morons.

[benEzra]

20. Actually, it didn't even go that far. It raised the prices of prebans, but

You could still own one if you already had one. The law banned new and existing weapons from being sold and manufactured.

Actually, it didn't even go that far. It raised the prices of prebans because they could still have adjustable/folding stocks and flash suppressors, but it didn't ban new production at all. On the contrary, it encouraged new production; it easily tripled annual sales. Post-1994 AK's and AR's had to have nonadjustable stocks and smooth muzzles (or unthreaded muzzle brakes), but they weren't banned, and sales went up, not down.


This is a 2002 model civilian AK (yes, ban-era) with a 2002-imported $5.99 20-round magazine. I bought both the carbine and the magazines during the non-ban.





Here's how it differs from a pre-1994 or post-2004 civilian AK (2002-imported $9.99 30-round magazine shown):





For all the ban proponents on this thread: That's. All. It. Did. It didn't ban any guns, and it didn't ban magazines. It raised prices and it caused the cosmetic/ergonomic changes highlighted in the above pic. That's it.

[BrklynLiberal]

7. People like DeLay make me wish I believed in Hell. If it exists there would be a truly special spot

there just for him....

[derby378]

8. Definitely, but for his role in the 2003 TX redistricting debacle...

...in which he used the newly-created Department of Homeland Security not to safeguard our nation against terrorist attacks, but to track down and apprehend dissident state legislators who hoped to force Republicans into a compromise on redistricting instead of breaking state law.

That, and the money laundering scheme that helped keep Repukes in power in 2002 to begin with. Those two should earn him a nice, hot place.

[Pancho Sanza]

9. I'll thank him for that and hope he goes to jail for the other stuff.

;-)

[Tejas]

10. Hmm, a Republican that agrees with me, now we're getting somewhere!

[villager]

11. DeLay, Scalia, Thomas, et al -- enamored with instruments of death

n/t

[Name removed]

13. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[frazzled]

12. I see many people here agree with the convicted inmate

The reason this irritates me is that for the last year and a half we've heard nothing but yelling and recriminations about "centrists" here. But this position--the position that rejects even the most reasonable of gun-control measures, such as the assault weapons ban--is not centrist. It's plain right-wing. There is nothing "progressive" or "liberal" about such a position. It's plain old regressive and illiberal.

And I'm not afraid to say so. Liberals and progressives believe that sensible gun-control laws have a place in improving this society. Especially in our large cities, where most of the poor and vulnerable reside. I am saddened to see such regressive positions taken against gun-control, and they are rarely objected to on this board. You want to see non-progressive? It's stunningly represented by anyone who would oppose reinstatement of what even Ronald Reagan supported and was well-established law for a long time.

P.S. There will be no responses by me to this post. It's always the same "it never worked," "it's unconstitutional," "I've got a Glock." I'm not interested. We simply disagree. And it's my right to call those who take this position as "Tom Delay" lovers. (That's not my style, but it's a style used quite frequently here, to the detriment of all. If you can dish it out, just take it.)

[Pancho Sanza]

14. Are you also ready to demonize Rep. Giffords, a strong supporter of RKBA and a gun owner?

Or is she just a phony 'progressive' or 'liberal'. Oh, wait, you won't be making any responses. Big surprise.

[spanone]

25. she may have a change of mind after last saturday...

[Recursion]

15. The AWB was not remotely "reasonable", and would not have prevented saturday's attack

And in all honesty I have never once heard anyone call it "reasonable" who could then accurately describe what it did.

[aikoaiko]

19. Truth is, you won't repond to folks because you know you've lost this debate

And all you have is to call those who support civil liberties illiberal.

Yes, we disagree. And yes, those who support civil liberties won the argument.

[Recursion]

16. Someone who supports resuming the assault weapons ban please describe what it did (nt)

[spanone]

24. describe why you want an assault weapon.

[Recursion]

27. I asked you first

My point is I frankly doubt you know what "assault weapon" means.

[aikoaiko]

17. Please don't give Delay credit for a law that expired because it sucked.

Really, it was useless and it wouldn't not have prevented the Tucson shooter/assassin from LEGALLY obtaining an extended magazine for his Glock. New ones couldn't be manufactured and sold, but there were lots available online (both new and used) from before the ban. In fact, the teenage shooters from the Columbine massacre obtained extended magazines during the ban.

[Hoopla Phil]

18. At least he got something right.

[Brilliantrocket]

21. My hero!!!

Not including policies other than guns ,but even so, THANK YOU MR. DELAY.

[slackmaster]

22. Supporters of the expired ban had ten full years to make a rational case for renewing it

They came up empty-handed in 2004.

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[spanone]

26. fuck the convicted felon