For those that don't know Steve King (R-IA) has been, in the past, a strong supporter of the 2nd. I was sure that the letter I sent him was redundant. The letter was a simple short and to the point. It simply stated that had supported him in the past both with actions and with money and I am sure he would do the right thing, but I want him to know that NO magazine restrictions, NO further gun control, and NO "assault weapons ban" would be acceptable. Any support of those things would be a "deal breaker" for me.

I received this today, It is a crappy form reply that in no way acknowledges what I had written and worse it raises my concerns that he may throw us under the bus. The part that concerns me the most is in red.


Dear Mr. Tebbiebear,

Thank you for contacting me with your outrage and sorrow surrounding the horrific recent events in Newtown, Connecticut.  It is good to hear from you.

As you may know, on December 14, 2012, a A 20-year-old man armed with semiautomatic pistols and a semiautomatic rifle killed 26 people, including 20 children ranging in age from 5-10, in an attack at Sandy Hook Elementary School in the central Connecticut town of Newtown. Reports from law enforcement officials indicate the shootings occurred in two classrooms, at close range. A motive as to why this killer perpetrated these heinous crimes is still unclear. The shooter took his own life after murdering his mother earlier in the day.

I am heartbroken by this inexplicable and devastating tragedy. Some have proposed that violent episodes such this and the shooting in Aurora, Colorado are spawned by increasing mental health illnesses and the difficulty many experience when trying to get help for mental disorders. Others have blamed the availability of firearms themselves for the violence. This tragedy was the act of an evil, and likely deranged, individual intent on committing horrifying acts of violence. This should be a time for reflection and prayer for the victims. In the coming days, weeks, and months we will learn more about what motivated this person to act the way he did and how he may have been stopped and helped before committing these acts. I hope you will join me in praying for the victims and their families. I vow to work with my colleagues in the House and Senate to find responsible ways to prevent this type of violence from being repeated in the future.

Once again, thank you for contacting me.  Please don't hesitate to do so again in the future.

Sincerely,

Steve King
Member of Congress

The part in red, when combined with the earlier statement about the availability of firearms being blamed with no rebuke of that BS, makes me very nervous. Advise on how to precede would be appreciated.

Yes

That's pretty noncommittal language.  He sounds like someone with his finger in the wind, not someone who will lead the charge on gun control.  Keep the pressure on him.

His answer is intentionally ambiguous. Call repeatedly and leave a message with his staff that you want him to OPPOSED any new gun restrictions, and instead SUPPORT armed protection in schools (whether this be armed guards or armed teachers).

Successful politicians are usually pretty talented at replying to questions without actually ever answering them .

He just said that Boehner stabbed NY in the back by refusing to blindly send money in the name of Sandy "Relief".

I don't trust him to be a solid conservative anymore.

Different King.

Wait, you don't trust Boner anymore because he refused to send money for Sandy?  

ETA:  Nevermind, just re-read and it said "he" just said....disregard  

No.  Steve King will not sell the 2nd Amendment out.  I grew up in Storm Lake and my father attends his town hall meetings on a regular basis.  I say with confidence that Rep. Steve King (R-IA), will be on our side when the dust settles.  

That closing statement is a standard "will try and work with them" position, it is not a white flag of surrender.

The words in red are generic and could mean mental health treatment improvements and increased school security.

What did you expect?

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Steve is good to go, if not a little over the top at times... Hell he may fire the first shot



 

Lets see your email to him...

Peter not Steve..... 180 degrees opposite.



 

I just got a similar reply from Paul Ryan (R-WI)... a bit vague and concerning.  I also wrote something close to what the OP sent.  They must have just filtered my e-mail for the word "gun" and kicked this reply out:

#######

Dear XXX:

Thank you for contacting me regarding your thoughts on gun laws in America. I appreciate you taking the time to let me know your views on this important issue.

You raised some interesting and insightful points regarding this subject, especially in light of the recent tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut.  My thoughts and prayers remain with the families and friends of those affected by this unspeakable tragedy. At this trying time, we must show our sympathy, pray for and stand together with the people of Connecticut, as well as all the friends and loved ones of the victims and survivors.

I understand that there will be a national discussion about our gun laws and what actions could be taken to prevent such horrific crimes in the future.  This is matter on which reasonable people often disagree.  However, I believe we can work together to find answers that most importantly protect innocent lives, as well as constitutional rights, and at the same time find ways to stop unstable people from committing these incomprehensible crimes in the first place. I look forward to contributing to this discussion and working with my colleagues in Congress to address this important debate.

Thank you again for contacting with your thoughts.  In the meantime, if you wish to share additional information with me concerning this issue or any other, please feel free to contact me by calling, emailing, writing, or faxing me. Please be advised that mail sent to my Washington office is subject to an additional two-week delay due to increased mail security.

If I can be of further assistance to you regarding this or any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am always happy to respond and be of service to you.

Honestly? I fully expected a firm "I will oppose any further violations of the 2nd amendment". Steve King has, in the past, not been afraid to speak his mind and stand firm on his ideals. This is the reason I am so concerned.

Steve King is fine.  I live in his district, I saw nothing in the letter to get worked up over.  King is about as right wing as you are going to find in Congress.  The letter is fairly neutral, as is every congressional letter I've ever seen.   Unless he knows you well, he's not going to send out a red meat give me liberty or give me death letter.  That's not how the game is played.

Ryan's a party tool! We wonder why Obama got his 2nd term!





 

I don't see a thing wrong with it. Don't we all want to find responsible ways to keep mass shooting from occurring?

I don't have it. I sent it via his website. It was a modified letter that I got from one of the many "write your congress critters now".  It didn't mention sandy hook or the shooting in any way.

I like his emphasis on single shooter...

People are still buying that?

isn't there a consolidated tin hat thread for you to shit on?

Oh.

Well, fuck that guy, too! Goddamn RINO's..

He better support us.

He would have to get caught with a dead 12 year old boy prostitute and 30 pounds of coke to lose his seat.  Even then, it would be questionable.

Just keep up the pressure with phone calls and letters.

Peter King = Christopher Christie....



Fat, blow heart, conservative.... NE "DEMOCRAT"





 

He only beat Christie Vilsack by 12 points. She was just a HORRIBLE candidate. She really only had the hard core libtard vote. King now represents Ames and several other more "urban" areas that he did not represent before the redistricting. If he turns his back on gun owners and runs against a "moderate" democrat he could lose.

While I'm at it, fuck that fat bastard Chris Christie, too!

You're right - I forgot about the redistricting.  

Yes, we all need to worry.

The problem is the Rx anti-depressants these shooters are/have/suddenly quit taking.  We're as a society are durging the crap out kids rather then realize some kids are just lost and should be put down BEFORE they kill.

Cars kill more kids per year then guns, where is the outrage for cars?
Parents kill thier own kids more then guns, etc, etc.

Don't blame objects for the actions of criminals. Blame and stop the criminals, not the law - abiding.

Maybe he has ideas on late term abortion for crazy people.

YUPP!



 

And I don't and would feel as he does if I was in his district... Amazes me the House would not see that as a "Need to pass" bill... 20 Bil or 64 Bil... All chump change compared with our future spending under Zero!!



 

Eh.....

I wrote to mine when we were looking to pass the law change to allow CCW in establishments that served alcohol (so long as you were not drinking).  I told him shit like how I had to disarm just to go into a Chinese Buffet, simply because they sold bottles of Budweiser.


I got a BS blanket reply within a day or two, and then he sent me a personal letter about a month later stating that he agreed and was supporting the law change.  It passed.....I was happy.....blah blah blah.



A letter like that doesn't concern me or make me feel better in any way.  Forget about it.

Unless he flip flops he has been a strong supporter of the 2nd.  It came up in the debates and he said we don't have the 2nd amendment for hunting purposes it is meant to protect us from a tyrannical government.  Not very many politicians will say that even if it is how they feel.  He also said he owns several ar15's.

His prior outspoken support is one of the reasons I assumed I would get a "don't worry about it, I'm with you" reply. The non-committal response is reason for the concern. I'm not looking for a comprehensive plan here, hell he didn't even attempt to refute the "too many guns" BS in his own reply.

I would just keep getting the word out to get more people in his district to contact him.  I'm confident in his support especially considering I don't think he would get re-elected in his district if he flip flopped on this issue.  He is highly targeted by the democrats he fought off ALOT of out of state money to win his last re-election.

The GOP stance thus far has been no new gun laws and more Mental Health intervention. They've taken a hit on it but my local Congressman who I know very well has said that that will be their stance.

Forces against a free state and American sovereignty are not going to be limited to domestic politicians.

Some may know that something down the road is coming and it is so terrible, that they think patriotic Americans are  better off if we just don't have the means to try to fight it, and some will. They think that in the long run we'll lose more lives if there is resistance, particularly if armed.

A restoration of Constitutional Government has been discussed and rejected. There is simply coming a time soon that the ability to hold off on total world domination due to American exceptionalism or power is no longer a valid concern.

So the normal gun supporters are thinking twice about supporting the 2nd amendment, you know, for our own good.

 

I agree that it is important to stress that. However, I didn't put that into any of my letters to King or my Senators. Mainly, in the case of King and Chuck Grassley, because they have both in the past said basically that exact thing. In the case of Tom Harkin its a lost cause. He is one of, if not THE, most flaming liberals in the senate. With him I just wanted to add my name to the list of people who would not vote for him because of gun control.

I think that not only is that the best way to go, but also probably the most popular. I don't know about on the coasts but around here it doesn't seem to be unpopular at all.