And to think... some board members were talking like we had this thing in the bag! I guess we don't get to be lazy, after all. [rolleyes]

[url]http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030515/pl_nm/congress_guns_dc_1[/url]

[b]WASHINGTON[/b] (Reuters) - House of Representatives Speaker Dennis Hastert said on Thursday [b]no decision had been made on whether the House will let a politically sensitive 1994 ban on assault weapons expire next year.[/b]

 

The second-ranking Republican in the House, Majority Leader Tom DeLay, had earlier this week predicted the ban would be allowed to lapse, drawing fire from Democrats and posing a dilemma to President Bush (news - web sites) -- who promised to back an extension despite generally opposing tighter gun laws.


[b]"That bill hasn't been discussed by the leadership yet and I haven't had a discussion with the president yet, so I'm not ready to make that decision,"[/b] Hastert, an Illinois Republican, told reporters.


The ban, approved during the Clinton administration, applies to military-style, semi-automatic assault weapons like the Uzi and the AK-47 that have high ammunition capacity and are capable of rapid fire.


DeLay, a staunch opponent of gun control measures, on Tuesday predicted the House would not renew the bill. "The votes in the House are not there to reauthorize it," he said.


But [b]Hastert said he had talked to the DeLay since and the comment had not been meant to indicate that a policy decision had been made by Republican leaders.[/b]


A group of mostly Democratic senators last week opened a drive to get the extension passed in the Senate and are pressuring Bush to help -- particularly in the House, where pro-gun sentiments are strong.


Bush pledged to support renewal of the assault weapon ban during his 2000 presidential campaign. But he has made no recent public statements or appearances about the issue.


"The president's position is clear," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said on Wednesday. [b]"If Congress passes it, he will sign it."[/b]

Already been posted and we are not talking like we have it in the bag.

Remember CONGRESS has to pass it not the Pres. This is something we can change.

Im not gonna write to my senators though its a waste of time since they are Schumer and Clinton.

IBTL

ZRH, I beg to differ...

-I spend WAY too much time on this board, and I have definitely noticed a trend developing in posts concerning the AW ban.  Lots of people are confident that the ban is DOA in the House, and thoughts are turning to what neat toys will be bought WHEN the ban expires!

[i]Let's not get over confident folks (especially in light of this news story). There is LOTS of hard work ahead of us if we are to see the final death of the AW ban.[/i]

-I fully realize that the real fight is in the House, and the House alone. That is exactly why Hastert's comments are so disturbing.  If House Republicans waffle, WE LOSE!!!

-As far as not writing Hillary & Chucky, I think that is a bad idea. I hear what you are saying, but I still feel compelled to write them, even though my letters probably wind up in the trash.  

To each their own.  

[size=4]... You guys that think this thing is in the bag are nutz!

... There is [red]ONLY ONE WAY[/red] to sway this and keep the sunset on track.

... [b]YOU[/b] take [u]ownership[/u] and quit relying on others to contact their Congressmen and Representatives about you and your families position on the matter! Now damn it! (and in the next few months if you have any hair)[/size=4]

[b]...can I get an amen?!?!?![/b] [bow]

Can you say executive order?
Rember stroke of the pen = law of the land?
If it does not pass BUSH gets a NO vote.

ZRH write to schumer anyways and tell him what a chump he is. same with clinton.

ZRH, see what I mean...

[url=www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=186653]The Day the BAN DIES! Where's the Party?[/url] [V]

I can say with confidence that my senators really wouldnt care about my opinion

   The Most Sweeping Gun Ban Ever Introduced in Congress Clinton Gun Ban "Reenactment" Bans Millions More Guns

H.R. 2038, introduced by Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.), does not just "reenact" or "reauthorize" the 1994 Clinton ban, the so-called "assault weapon" law. It
bans millions more guns. And it begins backdoor registration of guns. All told, it's a giant step closer to the goal stated by Clinton gun ban sponsor Sen. Dianne
Feinstein (D-Calif.), on CBS 60 Minutes "If I could have gotten 51 votes in the Senate of the United States for an outright ban, picking up every one of them, Mr.
and Mrs. America, turn them all in, I would have done it." There is no 10-year sunset provision in the bill. H.R. 2038 permanently bans every gun that is
currently banned and, with numerous, overlapping provisions:

       Bans every gun made to comply with the Clinton ban. The Clinton ban dictated the kinds of grips, stocks and attachments new guns can have.
       Manufacturers and gun owners complied and new guns conform to the Clinton requirements. H.R. 2038 bans the new guns too.

       Bans guns exempted by name or type under the Clinton ban. Commonplace Ruger Mini-14s, Mini-30s, Ranch Rifles, .30 Caliber Carbines, and
       fixed-magazine semi-automatic center-fire rifles.

       Bans all semi-automatic shotguns. Bans Remington, Winchester, Beretta, Benelli, and other shotguns commonly used for hunting, trap, skeet,
       sporting clays, and self-defense. Bans them by banning their main component, called the "receiver" (Sec. 2(a)(30)(J)), and bans them because they have
       "any characteristic that can function as a grip"(Sec. 2(H)(ii) and (b)(42)). Any characteristic.

       Bans all detachable-magazine semi-automatic rifles because they have "any characteristic that can function as a grip." (Sec. 2(a)(30)(D)(iii) and
       (iv), and (b)(41) and (42)). Any characteristic.

       Bans target shooting rifles. Bans the three centerfire rifles most popular for marksmanship competitions: the Colt AR-15, the Springfield M1A and the
       M1 "Garand."

       Bans guns for self-defense. Bans any semi-automatic shotgun or rifle an Attorney General one day claims isn't "sporting," even though the U.S.
       Constitution, the constitutions of 44 states, and the laws of all 50 states recognize the right to use guns for defense.

       Bans 65 named guns (the Clinton law bans 19); Bans semi-auto fixed-magazine pistols of over 10 rounds capacity; Bans frames, receivers, and parts
       used to repair or refurbish guns; Bans importation of magazines exempted by the Clinton ban; Bans selling a legally-owned "assault weapon" with a
       magazine of over 10 rounds capacity.

       Bans guns rarely used in crime. A fact demonstrated by every state and local law enforcement agency report on the subject. The
       Congressionally-mandated study of the Clinton ban found that the guns "were never used in more than a fraction of all gun murders."

       Begins backdoor registration. Requires manufacturers of guns, frames, receivers, and other parts to report the names of their dealers. Requires
       dealers to report any of the guns and parts they have in stock. Bans private sales of the guns and parts. The next step is to register individual purchasers.



Posted: 5/13/2003

If the Republicans want to gamble it all then they'll push to reauthorize the AWB or at a minimum "allow" it to pass.

I will not vote Republican if they don't fight the reauthorization.

It IS that simple.

If they won't fight for my 2nd Amendment rights they aren't worth supporting.

Besides, I'd rather have the BIG FIGHT now rather than later.

It's going to happen eventually, I'd like to be young and "lend a hand" rather than older and passing out ammo.

The Republican Party and Republican politicians and Republican supporters had BETTER PAY ATTENTION.

As for "Voting anything other than Republican is voting Democrat".....I don't buy that.

Do you still beat your wife? YES or NO?

Forgot about Hastert, from ILL, another Daley(sp?) lap dog.

We're screwed, just like ILL residents.

WTF is it with this calling them "Assault Guns"?

[url=http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/16/opinion/16FRI3.html?ex=1053748800&en=7eea495942fc5fa1&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE] This makes the 4th article I've read calling them that.[/url]

Anyhow... I definitely feel as though we have a long way to go before we can celebrate. If both these bills are defeated, then the anti's are going to come back even more aggressively next year with it. What really sucks is that all it will take is for some nut case with a hard-on and an AK in an office building or schoolyard to upset things. I feel like I'm going to be walking on egg shells for the next 17 months

"That bill hasn't been discussed by the leadership yet and I haven't had a discussion with the president yet, so I'm not ready to make that decision," Hastert, [red]an Illinois[/red] Republican, told reporters.

The key to this statement is highlighted in red.
What else would you expect from Illinois?

Call him, and leave a message:


(202) 225-2976

Do it now.

And write your congressman, now!  Here's what I wrote:

[i]
Dear Congressman Jones,

I am a constituent of yours in Wilson, NC.  I voted for you in the last election.  One of my reasons for voting for you was your strong position on 2nd amendment rights.

There are currently discussions and press conferences regarding the re-authorization of the 1994 so-called semi-automatic assault weapon ban.  I hope that you will oppose any effort to have this ill-conceived law re-authorized.

Banning firearms because of cosmetic and ergonomic features is bad legislation.

I hope I can count on your support in this area.  I know many of my friends and neighbors here in Wilson are against this type of legislation as well.

Best Regards,

Entropy

[/i]

The fight will never be "over."  As long as we live, gun control will remain on the radar. We live in a nation driven by hysteria. Elections are won by FEEDING that hysteria. It is that simple. That is why we must constantly show that we are more hysteric than the soccer moms. A vote for AWB2 by Bush, etc. = BustinCaps forgetting how to make it to the voting booth. Anything less is like bad parenting. Would you tell your kid no, and then when he doesn't listen to you, just say, "don't worry about it, maybe next time." I would hope not.

We just need to tell or remind Mr. Hastert that if he's in the Congress, he'll be the [b][red]Minority[/b][/red] leader.

TS