CSGV TELLS TEXANS TO BUTT OUT OF DC GUN POLICY

Calls Legislation To Repeal City’s Gun Laws An Attack On Democracy  

WASHINGTON – Coalition to Stop Gun Violence Executive Director Josh Horwitz today accused a pair of Texas lawmakers of “playing cheap political games” with the District of Columbia’s gun laws at the expense of democracy in the nation’s capital.

Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn, both Texas Republicans, held a news conference to announce the introduction of the District of Columbia Personal Protection Act of 2005, which would repeal the city’s gun laws, in the Senate.

“The citizens of the District of Columbia should have the power to decide by democratic means whether and how firearms will be regulated in the city where they live,” Horwitz said.   “The names of the people pushing to repeal Washington’s gun laws have never appeared on a ballot in the District of Columbia, yet they feel free to tell DC what to do.”

Last September, the U.S. House passed an earlier version of the bill, introduced by Reps. Mark Souder (R-Ind.) and Mike Ross (D-Ark.), on a 250-171 vote, but the Senate did not act on the proposal.   November elections have emboldened the gun lobby to push the issue more aggressively, and Souder and Ross reintroduced the House bill in March

“The District of Columbia Personal Protection Act is perhaps the most important example of how Congress continues to trample on the rights of DC voters to make basic decisions about their government whenever they find it politically convenient,” Horwitz said, noting that DC residents do get voting representation in either house of Congress.

Sen. George Allen, the chairman of the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, appeared at the press conference, and Horwitz said he does not think it is a coincidence that Hutchison is preparing to run for governor of Texas.

“George Allen is going to encourage politicians whose constituents live thousands of miles away to monkey around with DC’s gun laws as an easy way to score points with the gun lobby,” Horwitz said.   “This is a transparent attempt to pander to a special interest group without having to worry about the people who have to live in DC.”

“If Kay Hutchison is so concerned about crime, there’s plenty of work to do back home in Texas, which has the twelfth highest violent crime rate of all states and has two of the ten most dangerous large cities in the country,” he said.

Morgan Quitno Press, which compiles statistical comparisons of cities and states, ranks Texas No. 12 in violent crime (table at www.morganquitno.com/CR05sam2.pdf).  It rated DC No. 2, Dallas No. 5, and Houston No. 9 on its list of most dangerous cities with more than than 500,000 people (table at www.morganquitno.com/cit05pop.htm).

What is funny is that Horwtiz et al are angry at the congress for meddling in DC's gun laws while it's PER-fectly okay for congress to meddle in other states laws.

“The citizens of the District of Columbia should have the power to decide by democratic means whether and how firearms will be regulated in the city where they live,” Horwitz said. “The names of the people pushing to repeal Washington’s gun laws have never appeared on a ballot in the District of Columbia, yet they feel free to tell DC what to do. As a matter of fact DC's gun laws should be forced on the rest of the nation. Not the other way around.”

we ought to move the seat of our federal gov't to TEXAS.

Quoted: “If Kay Hutchison is so concerned about crime, there’s plenty of work to do back home in Texas, which has the twelfth highest violent crime rate of all states and has two of the ten most dangerous large cities in the country,” he said.

Yeah, its not like a large percentage of these crimes are being committed by the violent Mexican gangs let it by the Federal Government, which, last time I checked, was supposed to protect the national borders.

Quoted: we ought to move the seat of our federal gov't to TEXAS.

Too late.  Senator Byrd already moved most of it to West Virginia.  

Quoted: Quoted: we ought to move the seat of our federal gov't to TEXAS. Too late.  Senator Byrd already moved most of it to West Virginia.

There might be something left for you like the headquarters of OSHA.

Um...who makes the laws for DC again?  

CSGV might have a harder time working that one out.  

Quoted: Quoted: “If Kay Hutchison is so concerned about crime, there’s plenty of work to do back home in Texas, which has the twelfth highest violent crime rate of all states and has two of the ten most dangerous large cities in the country,” he said. Yeah, its not like a large percentage of these crimes are being committed by the violent Mexican gangs let it by the Federal Government, which, last time I checked, was supposed to protect the national borders.

A lot of liberal academic types also point out that the US has one of the highest crime rates in the world. That is true, but its because we have more laws than anyone else.  12th highest violent crime rate; no surprise considering Texas is home to the some of the nations largest cities: Houston, DFW, El Paso, San Antonio, and Austin.  I realize this is a rate (incidence per 100,000) but still isn’t it normal to expect high crime in ultra dense urban settings?  I think it is incredible we aren't higher on the list!

Quoted:  Hey, these two Texas senators just concern that their Texas constituents/citizens have no protection when visiting DC.

Yeah!  What he said!!

Quoted: Quoted:  Hey, these two Texas senators just concern that their Texas constituents/citizens have no protection when visiting DC. Yeah!  What he said!!

Ya'll don't want to get nationwide riled up

Quoted: “If Kay Hutchison is so concerned about crime, there’s plenty of work to do back home in Texas, which has the twelfth highest violent crime rate of all states and has two of the ten most dangerous large cities in the country,” he said. Morgan Quitno Press, which compiles statistical comparisons of cities and states, ranks Texas No. 12 in violent crime (table at www.morganquitno.com/CR05sam2.pdf). It rated DC No. 2, Dallas No. 5, and Houston No. 9 on its list of most dangerous cities with more than than 500,000 people (table at www.morganquitno.com/cit05pop.htm).

What a dumbass. We have FOUR cities in the tope ten MOST SAFE for over 500,000 in the nation.

It's good to see our Texans leading the way in issues like this. Keep it up.