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SecularMotion

(7,981 posts)
Sun Sep 9, 2012, 06:26 AM Sep 2012

Democratic 2012 Platform Calls for Reinstating Federal Assault Weapons Ban

A week after Republicans adopted the "strongest pro-gun rights platform" in GOP history, Democrats endorsed a 2012 party platform that calls for enacting "commonsense improvements" such as reinstating the assault weapons ban, closing the gun show "loophole" and strengthening the background check system.

Delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., approved the 70-page 2012 party platform on Sept. 4. It addresses the Second Amendment and gun ownership on page 53, stating the party's focus is "on effective enforcement of existing laws" with an emphasis on enacting "commonsense improvements -- like reinstating the assault weapons ban and closing the gun show loophole."

The Republican 2012 party platform adopted on Aug. 28 by GOP Convention delegates in Tampa endorses national concealed carry reciprocity, gun owner privacy and “stand your ground” rights while opposing reinstatement of the assault weapons ban and restrictions on magazine capacities.

http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/gun-shots/2012/09/democratic-2012-platform-calls-reinstating-federal-assault-weapons-ban
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Democratic 2012 Platform Calls for Reinstating Federal Assault Weapons Ban (Original Post) SecularMotion Sep 2012 OP
this is old news. Jody posted it earlier - still on our first page, too Tuesday Afternoon Sep 2012 #1
This is not the same article SecularMotion Sep 2012 #2
I can read and contrast for myself but, if others want to discuss and you want Tuesday Afternoon Sep 2012 #3
Not "reinstate" but enact a new, tough AWB. GreenStormCloud Sep 2012 #4
As far as I'm concerned glacierbay Sep 2012 #5
"People like you" SecularMotion Sep 2012 #6
Let me clarify glacierbay Sep 2012 #8
That's a bigoted statement and wrong SecularMotion Sep 2012 #9
Well, glacierbay Sep 2012 #10
I support the "well-regulated" interpretation of the 2nd amendment SecularMotion Sep 2012 #12
Actually glacierbay Sep 2012 #13
Yes, that point is addressed in the link I provided SecularMotion Sep 2012 #14
Yes I bothered to read it glacierbay Sep 2012 #18
Al Gore lost a lot ov votes in Tennessee rrneck Sep 2012 #19
That plank is our albatross, the equivalent of the GOP's "personhood" plank for fertilized eggs. slackmaster Sep 2012 #7
+1 n/t DWC Sep 2012 #11
Well said. alabama_for_obama Sep 2012 #24
If you read carefully the AWB was only offered as an example. aikoaiko Sep 2012 #15
"Gun-control expansionists" SecularMotion Sep 2012 #16
Yup! aikoaiko Sep 2012 #17
This message was self-deleted by its author Tuesday Afternoon Sep 2012 #20
that is One Interpretation but, they left room to interpret the other way, too. Tuesday Afternoon Sep 2012 #21
I agree. I would rather it say "no new federal gun bans". aikoaiko Sep 2012 #22
I can "live" with the platform but, I would have been happier if they would have Tuesday Afternoon Sep 2012 #23
This cartoon reference to obama's handling of the issue alabama_for_obama Sep 2012 #25

Tuesday Afternoon

(56,912 posts)
1. this is old news. Jody posted it earlier - still on our first page, too
Sun Sep 9, 2012, 08:42 AM
Sep 2012
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1172&pid=69301

good citizens please check for duplicate threads

perhaps Krispos will consider locking ~ unless you would prefer to self-delete.
 

SecularMotion

(7,981 posts)
2. This is not the same article
Sun Sep 9, 2012, 09:00 AM
Sep 2012

and does a much better job of contrasting the difference between our platform and the Republican positions.

Tuesday Afternoon

(56,912 posts)
3. I can read and contrast for myself but, if others want to discuss and you want
Sun Sep 9, 2012, 09:05 AM
Sep 2012

to reply then carry on.

A Broad Platform
I thought the phrase should have been left out of our platform. I think a platform should be broad enough to attract as many voters as possible - to be inclusive rather than exclusive. this is just my opinion on how a platform should be constructed - obviously the republicans (to my mind) went Way Too Far in the other direction. There was no need for all that. A simple concise sentence should be all that is needed, imo.

GreenStormCloud

(12,072 posts)
4. Not "reinstate" but enact a new, tough AWB.
Sun Sep 9, 2012, 09:33 AM
Sep 2012

In 2003 the so-called renewal legislation was numbered H.R. 2038, had 111 cosponsors, and died in committee. Rep. Mark Kirk [R-IL10] reintroduced it in 2008 as HR 6257 where it died with only four cosponsors. It appears that all of congress ran away from the bill.

Text of bill here:http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/110/hr6257/text

This AWB is not the old AWB, this one has teeth. and covers many more guns. In fact, the language can be construed to cover just about all guns.

 

glacierbay

(2,477 posts)
5. As far as I'm concerned
Sun Sep 9, 2012, 09:50 AM
Sep 2012

this is just a bone to throw to at people like you. It has virtually no chance of getting through the congress and making it to Pres. Obama's desk for his signature, if he would even sign something like that which I have my doubts.

 

glacierbay

(2,477 posts)
8. Let me clarify
Sun Sep 9, 2012, 10:18 AM
Sep 2012

anti Second Amendment people like you seem to be. I should have been more clear although I think you know what I meant.

 

SecularMotion

(7,981 posts)
9. That's a bigoted statement and wrong
Sun Sep 9, 2012, 10:24 AM
Sep 2012

I support the Democratic 2012 platform as quoted -

"We recognize that the individual right to bear arms is an important part of the American tradition, and we will preserve Americans’ Second Amendment right to own and use firearms. We believe that the right to own firearms is subject to reasonable regulation. We understand the terrible consequences of gun violence; it serves as a reminder that life is fragile, and our time here is limited and precious. We believe in an honest, open national conversation about firearms. We can focus on effective enforcement of existing laws, especially strengthening our background check system, and we can work together to enact commonsense improvements – like reinstating the assault weapons ban and closing the gun show loophole – so that guns do not fall into the hands of those irresponsible, law-breaking few."

 

glacierbay

(2,477 posts)
10. Well,
Sun Sep 9, 2012, 10:39 AM
Sep 2012

that's your interpretation and you're welcome to it, however, all you EVER post is anti Second Amendment, anti NRA, anti gun articles and then don't comment on them for the most part so, I think you've earned the title and I'm not going to get into a shouting match with you over this.
I also like the Party Platform for the most part except the call for a permanent renewal of the AWB which will do nothing to reduce crime, and drive Independent voters, who might have otherwise voted D, to either sit out the election or vote R.

Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. (Hint: 1994.)

 

SecularMotion

(7,981 posts)
12. I support the "well-regulated" interpretation of the 2nd amendment
Sun Sep 9, 2012, 10:59 AM
Sep 2012

not the "robust" interpretation of the 2nd amendment that is promoted by the NRA.

The story that Democrats lost congress in 1994 as a result of the Assault Weapons Ban is a myth promoted by the NRA.

The notion that gun control was responsible for the Democrats’ debacle 15 years ago was floated by Richard Gephardt, the former Democratic House leader, and other pols and commentators after the ’94 election. But it was Bill Clinton who gave it current credence. “The N.R.A. could rightly claim to have made Gingrich the House speaker,” Mr. Clinton wrote in his 2004 autobiography, pumping up the gun lobby and, not incidentally, himself by attributing the body blow to his party to his principled leadership on guns.

It is hard to make a case that the assault weapons ban was decisive in 1994.

The law certainly enraged many N.R.A. members and might explain the loss of certain Democratic seats. However, there were other major factors in the Democrats’ 1994 loss, starting with perceived Democratic arrogance and corruption (overdrafts at the House bank came to symbolize that).

Add to that voter unhappiness with Mr. Clinton’s budget, his health care fiasco, the Republican Party’s success in recruiting appealing candidates, and that ingenious Republican vehicle for nationalizing the elections known as the “Contract With America.” The contract, by the way, did not mention guns.

Mr. Clinton’s successful 1996 re-election campaign actually stressed his gun control achievements. James and Sarah Brady spoke in prime time at the ’96 Democratic convention, and Clinton campaign ads trumpeted his role in enacting the assault weapons ban and the ’93 Brady law requiring background checks for gun buyers.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/09/opinion/09sat4.html?_r=1
 

glacierbay

(2,477 posts)
13. Actually
Sun Sep 9, 2012, 11:04 AM
Sep 2012

Mr. Clinton himself admits that the NRA was responsible for the D's defeat, it's right their in his book, My Life. I think I'll believe him over the NYT.

 

glacierbay

(2,477 posts)
18. Yes I bothered to read it
Sun Sep 9, 2012, 11:31 AM
Sep 2012

and the point still stands. If Pres. Clinton hadn't pushed for the AWB, then we probably would have retained control of the congress.
The AWB was an ill advised piece of legislation then and it's an ill advised piece of legislation now.

 

slackmaster

(60,567 posts)
7. That plank is our albatross, the equivalent of the GOP's "personhood" plank for fertilized eggs.
Sun Sep 9, 2012, 10:15 AM
Sep 2012

Having such a failure of an idea as a persistent part of the platform is the result of giving too much power to a vociferous extremist authoritarian fringe faction.

alabama_for_obama

(136 posts)
24. Well said.
Mon Sep 10, 2012, 12:43 AM
Sep 2012

The only way to change this is to teach your fellow liberal/progressives how to shoot. Expose them to sane gun owners do that they can form an opinion that goes a little deeper than thinking all of us are right wing whackos.

That or we learn the hard way. I wonder how much bigger democratic majorities could be, if we would finally cut this albatross loose?

aikoaiko

(34,127 posts)
15. If you read carefully the AWB was only offered as an example.
Sun Sep 9, 2012, 11:19 AM
Sep 2012

The more I think about the nuances of these seemingly AWB supportive statements, I am very impressed with how the president and the party play the gun-control expansionists for fools.

[IMG][/IMG]

Response to aikoaiko (Reply #15)

Tuesday Afternoon

(56,912 posts)
21. that is One Interpretation but, they left room to interpret the other way, too.
Sun Sep 9, 2012, 11:39 AM
Sep 2012

Playing us all for fools, if you ask me. Would have been better not to mention AWB at all.

including the word "like . . ." left us a lot of wiggle room --
kind of like Clinton's :define "is"

it was a cheap shot especially since the word "assault" is virtually meaningless in this context.

aikoaiko

(34,127 posts)
22. I agree. I would rather it say "no new federal gun bans".
Sun Sep 9, 2012, 12:27 PM
Sep 2012

I think the language was chosen carefully to be noncommittal, I've been please with the way the Obama administration has abandoned gun control expansion.

Tuesday Afternoon

(56,912 posts)
23. I can "live" with the platform but, I would have been happier if they would have
Sun Sep 9, 2012, 12:31 PM
Sep 2012

finished the sentence:
"on effective enforcement of existing laws".

and totally ommited this virtually menaningless (feel good) gobbledygook:
with an emphasis on enacting "commonsense improvements -- like reinstating the assault weapons ban and closing the gun show loophole."

alabama_for_obama

(136 posts)
25. This cartoon reference to obama's handling of the issue
Mon Sep 10, 2012, 12:45 AM
Sep 2012

Regarding gun restrictionists is so damned funny. Still chuckling at it.

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