HERE THEY COME AGAIN
I shall take advantage of Sir Hailstone, my brother and comrade in arms.
He has done this link from his blog and I have not always advised him of
the changes. I am confident he will take it down should I allow my B-52
mouth to overload my piper-cub backside. I have begun to track who we can
trust. In the coming weeks and months, I will do Endorsements I will try to back them up with factual information from the candidates'
own websites and/or other sources. Sources, links and all will be available
for all to evaluate.
June 26, 2008
Senator Vitter has introduced S 3207, Respecting States Rights and Concealed Carry Recroprocity Act. The Bill has 4 co-sponsors: Senators Burr (NC), Demint (SC), Ensign (NV) and Stevens (AK). The Bill has been refered to the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Chairman of the committee is Senator Leahy ( ). The ranking member is Senator Specter ( ). Thus far, the Indiana senators, Lugar and Bayh, are not co-sponsors. Both may be contacted by visiting http://www.senate.gov. The text of the Bill may be found through the same website.
June 21, 2008
Another so called "assualt weapons" bill has been introduced
in the US House of Representatives. Surpisingly, or perhaps not, HR 6257
is authored and co-sponsored by Republicans. If anything good can be said
about their effort, at least the title of the bill does indicated that
they are attempting to regulate semi-automatic weapons. I will be interested
in learning how a side by side shotgun can be defined as an assualt weapon.
The following reprersentatives may be contacted through their websites
at http://www.house.gov Some have referred to these as RINOs. One may review their voting record
at the afore mentioned website. Indiana representatives may also be contacted
through the site. The bill may be reviewed there, also.
Kirk (R IL-10)
Castle (R DE-At Large)
Ros-Lehtinen (R FL-18)
Ferguson (R NJ-7)
Shays (R CT-4)
May 9 2008
Well what a deal!!! Those of you who get the NRA-PVF endorsements and grades
are now aware that all of the yelling at the organization brought to its
attention that sometimes one has to get of the dime. Endorsement were done
for the last Indiana Primary Election for some offices. All, save one,
of the endorsed candidates were chosen. See what happens when the membership
makes a little noise? Just consider what can be accomplished if you read
down this page and yell at representatives who have not supported the right
of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms.
One of our staunce supporters of the 2nd Amendment asked a question: "What
does the NRA say about the Republican candidates for Commander-in-Chief,
seemingly left in the hunt. " The NRA does not do primary elections,
said I." That response got your webmaster several comments from several
sources. The most benign was, "no guts, no Air Medal." As to
some of the others, I warrant my Mom and Dad were married. My best research
finds the following grades done over the years:
Huckabee = A+
McCain = C
Paul = B
This is no endorsement; you asked- you got.
Last session of the Indiana General Assembly, several bills affecting the
right to keep and bear arms were introduced (scroll down to review). All
died in committee. The following bills have been introduced this session,
2008. Contact information is provided here, so we can encourage that they
be brought to the floor for a vote. The full text of the bills may be found
at the "General Assembly" tab at Access Indiana
SB 65/356 would remove arbitrary restrictions on the right of law-abiding,
licensed to be armed on public property, with reasonable exceptions. [Failed January 29, 2008; Y-25, Nay-23, for a lack of constitutional majority]
SB 66 would prohibit law-abiding citizens being denied the right to, lawfully,
store a firearm in their locked vehicle on personal real property, with
reasonable exceptions. Some employers have prohibited such for fear of
litigation instilled by anti-gun organizations. This bill relieves the
employers of this fear.
HB 1043 would prohibit seizure of firearms from law-abiding citizens during
time of declared emergency, such as happened in New Orleans. A Federal
Law prohibiting such seizure has been passed and signed. This bill would
make Indiana law the same. [Died in committee. Perhaps the Committee Chairman could tell you why.
His e-mail address may be found, below]
Senate Bills 65 and 66 have been referred to the Judiciary Committee. The
chairman of the committee is Senator Richard Bray (SD-37), 800-382-9467,
317 232-9400, 200 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46204.
HB 1043 has been referred to the Committee on Interstate and International Cooperation. The chairman of the committee is Representative Earl Harris, (HD-2), 800-383-9842, 200 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46204, E-MAIL
On September 6, 2007, Vote NO. 00321, Senator Vitter Amdt to HR 2764, Department
of State, Foreign Operations, Etc. The amendment disallowed any funds from
being used to advance registration or taxing of firearms owned by US citizens.
The Amendment was agreed to: Yea - 81; Nay - 10; Not Voting - 9. Some votes
were:
Lugar - Yea
Bayh - Yea
Clinton - NV
McCain - NV
Obama - NV
Kennedy - Nay
Kerry - Nay
[The United Nations seems to be leading the Anti-Gun International. I wonder how our congress hopes to enforce this prohibition once the UN gets its cut?]
Several bills of consequence are pending.
I) H.R. 96, introduced by Rep. Mike Castle (R-Del.), would effectively
ban gun shows as we know them, by allowing the federal government to delay
background checks until after the gun show is concluded. No Indiana co-sponsors.
02/02/07 referred to the House sub-committee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland
Security. Chairman: Scott (D) VA; Ranking Member: Forbes (R) VA [Dec 01, 2007 - Status remains the same.]
2) S. 804, introduced by Senator Hillary Clinton (D- N.Y.), would over-ride
state laws and reinstate voting privileges for convicted felons once they
complete their prison sentences and/or parole. This bill could effectively
cancel out the votes of millions of law- abiding gun owners, by allowing
convicted violent gun criminals to vote. No Indiana Co-sponsors. 03/07/07
referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration Chairman: Feinstein
(D), CA; Ranking Member: Bennet (R) UT [Dec 01, 2007 - Status remains the same.]
3) Last year, Congress voted overwhelmingly to prohibit gun confiscations in times of emergency like we saw in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. However, by voting against this bill, gun- ban Senators like Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) made it clear that they believe you have no right to use a firearm for self-protection.
4) H.R. 1022, introduced by Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.), would reinstate
and expand the Clinton Gun Ban that expired in 1994. Millions of additional
firearms would be banned under this legislation, and this ban would be
made permanent. No Indiana co-sponsors. 03/19/07 referred to the House
sub-committee re H.R. 96, above. [Dec 01, 2007 - Status remains the same.]
5) H.R. 1874, introduced by Rep. Robert Andrews (D-N.J.), would require all guns manufactured or imported into the United States be able to "microstamp" unique characters onto every cartridge fired by that gun. This legislation would effectively ban every firearm sold in America today, and would be useless in fighting crime. No Indiana co-sponsors. 06/25/07 referred to the sub-committee re H.R 96, above. [Dec 01, 2007 - Status remains the same.]
6) H.R. 256, introduced by Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D- Tex.), could send you to prison for three years if a criminal steals your gun and then uses it in a crime. No Indiana co-sponsors. 02/02/07 referred to the sub-committee re H.R 96, above. [Dec 01, 2007 - Status remains the same.]
7) H.R. 1895, introduced by Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D- N.Y.), would hand over confidential crime investigation records to anti-gun city mayors and trial lawyers seeking to bankrupt American firearms businesses through lawsuit harassment. State and federal police officials have stated clearly that this proposal would compromise ongoing criminal investigations. No Indiana co-sponsors. 05/04/07 referred to the sub-committee re H.R 96, above. [Dec 01, 2007 - Status remains the same.]
8) Senators Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) have proposed
banning all ammunition that will penetrate soft body armor. Because virtually
all centerfire rifle ammunition meets this definition, hunting would effectively
be outlawed by this ammunition ban.
9) H.R. 2666, introduced by Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), would require all
American handgun owners, as well as millions of rifle and shotgun owners,
to be photographed, fingerprinted, licensed, tested, and investigated by
the federal government, or else turn in their guns. No Indiana co-sponsors.
06/11/07 referred to the sub-committee re H.R 96, above [Dec 01, 2007 - Status remains the same.]
10) S. 1237, introduced by Senator Frank Lautenberg (D- N.J.), would give
any U.S. Attorney General the power to place any American on a secret government
list and deny that citizen his or her Second Amendment Right to Keep and
Bear Arms. No Indiana co-sponsors. 04/26/07 referred to the the Senate
Judiciary committee. Chairman Leahy (D), VT; Ranking Member Specter (R),
PA [Dec 01, 2007 - Status remains the same.]
All representatives and senators may be found at either US House or US Senate. If you find you do not agree with any positions taken by these leaders our if you wish to instruct your representatives, take a stand.
Break-Break
Going to Indiana Laws
Saturday, January 13, 2007
As the new session of the Indiana General Assembly begins, several Bills
affecting the rights of law-abiding citizens will be presented:
HB 1089: David Orentlicher (D-86) would gut Indiana's firearm preemption
statute and provide Marion County with the authority to establish its own
regulations regarding the sale, transport, transfer and carrying of firearms,
thus creating a patchwork of laws that could make a criminal out of otherwise
law-abiding gun owners. [Died in committee]
HB 1090: David Orientlicher (D-86) seeks to redefine gun shows, firearms
dealers and to limit the purchase of a handgun by law-abiding citizens
of Indiana. [Died in committee]
HB 1011: Eric Koch (R-65) seeks to make clear that neither the State nor
any sub-division thereof can strip law-abiding citizens of their rights
during any declared emergency or disaster and was done in New Orleans.
[Died in committee]
HB 1118: Jerry Denbo (D-62) seeks to protect the right of a law-abiding
citizen to store a firearm in his or her locked vehicle when parked in
most public parking areas. [A nation-wide scare program by the Brady Bunch
has resulted in employers restricting their employees from keeping a firearm
in their vehicle while parked at work.] [Died in committee]
Monday, November 27, 2006
Here we are again. A county judge issues a ruling that a law passed by
both houses of congress and signed into law by the president is unconstitutional.
A county judge's ruling has no effect outside of his county. See the entry
below re unsportsmanlike. On this date, Section B, Metro&State of The Indianapolis Star made a great deal of the ruling with bold headline. Major headline "Gun
makers appeal Hoosier's ruling." Little headline, "Court Finds
Federal Shield Against Lawsuits Unconstitutional." It is well past
time that our major metropolitan area had another choice of newspaper.
[This article was brought to my attention for treatment by George M who
asked to be added to my list of supporters of the 2nd Amendment]
The anti-2nd Amendment folks are so predictable it is almost unsportsmanlike
conduct to take advantage of them. When policy and leadership fail, fall
back on the old standby - the gun did it. Saturday, October 28, 2006, The Indianapolis Star did not disappoint. The position in their editorial was "City and
State leaders should join the national campaign against traffic in illegal
firearms." Sounds great. Of course the editor fails to make the difference
between legal and illegal firearms. It would be interesting to learn which
of the murders adding to the increasing crime rate was committed with an
"illegal" firearm. I wonder if the editorial might have been
less misleading if it had placed more emphasis on controlling criminals
rather than firearms. None of the crimes involving firearms were done with
an "illegal" firearm. Best that can be learned, no fully automatic
firearm, a sawed off shotgun nor any other illegal weapon was used in any
of the homicides. The editorial speaks about, "the open market in
lethal tools." Again, taking advantage of these folks is just like
shooting ducks on the water. The tool is not lethal if it is used as a
paperweight. Think hammers and baseball bats. The editorial does point
out that Mayor Peterson has not signed on, a fact that the editorial seems
aimed to change. The new organization the editorial touts can be found
at Mayors Against Guns. Read carefully and draw your own conclusions.
If you want to get ahead of this potential problem, remember that any city/county
attempt must go through the Council. One may identify the Councillors at
Who to Contact
The editorial appears below with proper attribution for those of you who
may not subscribe. It is interesting to note that the editor laments that,
"it is not sufficient to count on congress, where the current trend
is to weaken restrictions on the flow of weapons to criminals." I,
personally, am offended not just because the editor seems to think that
we who have put "congress" in power are stupid, but because he
misrepresents the laws that have been passed at the national and state
levels. The laws do not put guns in the hands of criminals, they remove
restrictions on the ability of law-abiding citizens to defend themselves.
Indianapolis Star, October 28, 2006