NRA Denounces Feinstein For Assault Weapons Ban

[DonViejo]

Source: TPM



PEMA LEVY 1:47 PM EST, THURSDAY JANUARY 24, 2013

The National Rifle Association went after Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), who introduced legislation to ban assault weapons Thursday, calling the effort "disappointing but not surprising."

"Senator Feinstein has been trying to ban guns from law-abiding citizens for decades," the NRA said in a statement. "It's disappointing but not surprising that she is once again focused on curtailing the Constitution instead of prosecuting criminals or fixing our broken mental health system. The American people know gun bans do not work and we are confident Congress will reject Senator Feinstein's wrong-headed approach."

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Read more: http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/nra-denounces-feinstein-for-assault-weapons-ban

[BumRushDaShow]

1. Wow. That was a pretty wet noodle smacking response from the NRA

against Feinstein. I wonder why?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

15. Because the bill is DOA

[BainsBane]

2. the NRA is making themselves more irrelevant

each and every day. I'm looking forward to their bringing about their own destruction. They are well on their way.

[jberryhill]

3. "banning" .... "from law abiding citizens"

You know what else was banned from law abiding citizens?

Selling new cars without airbags.

I never once heard the auto manufacturers say "The government is seeking to ban from law abiding citizens the sale of new cars without air bags."

It's a circular statement. Laws change all of the time. The day before a law is passed, there are "law abiding citizens". The day after the law is passed, there are citizens who choose to continue to be law abiding, and those who do not.

In no other context, does anyone proclaim this tautology as if it were a substantive argument.

[nick of time]

4. The NRA is fast becoming meaningless,

but even so, I highly doubt that an AWB will make it through the Senate much less the House, especially with Reid caving on filibuster reform.

[judesedit]

5. We'll see what happens. Assault weapons should NOT be in the hands of the untrained, undisciplined

I hope it passes.

[nick of time]

7. It probably won't.

You have a handful of Dem. senators from red states who have already expressed deep reservations about another AWB, and Reid has already caved on filibuster reform, plus the House repukes will never vote on it.

[judesedit]

6. I wouldn't mind if they killed each other off. Unfortunately, it's the innocent that get it.

[TheCowsCameHome]

8. Did you hear some whining in the background, Mrs. Feinstein?

Nah, nothing important.

[hack89]

9. Do you mean her fellow Dems in the Senate?

the NRA is not worried - Harry Reid has their back.

[TheCowsCameHome]

11. No, I mean the NRA

Times are a-changin'

Watch in 2014.

[hack89]

12. 2014 is why the AWB is dead on arrival in the Senate

If there is a path to new gun laws, it has to come through West Virginia and a dozen other states with Democratic senators like Mr. Manchin who are confronting galvanized constituencies that view any effort to tighten gun laws as an infringement.

On Thursday a group of Democratic senators led by Dianne Feinstein of California plans to introduce a bill that would outlaw more than 100 different assault weapons, setting up what promises to be a fraught and divisive debate over gun control in Congress in the coming weeks. But a number of centrist lawmakers like Mr. Manchin have already thrown the measure’s fate into question, saying that all they are willing to support for now is a stronger background check system.

After talking with the group for nearly two hours, Mr. Manchin left the meeting saying he was not at all comfortable with supporting the assault weapons ban favored by many of his colleagues in Congress.

Mr. Manchin is just the beginning of gun control advocates’ worries. Of far greater concern are Democrats who are up for re-election in 2014. Those include senators like Max Baucus of Montana, who was awarded an A+ rating from the N.R.A. Mr. Baucus has worded his comments on the subject carefully, bracketing them with gun rights-friendly language, like saying the “culture of violence” needs to be seriously examined along with any changes to the law.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/24/us/politics/democratic-senators-face-gun-owners-roused-by-talk-of-new-laws.html?pagewanted=all

There are at least 10 Dems in the Senate up for election in 2014 from conservative, pro-gun states. Some minor stuff will be passed but nothing controversial like an AWB.

[SoapBox]

10. Well of course, the NRA would bluster and blather and DENOUNCE!

YOU, Senator Feinstein, are here by DENOUNCED! You will NOW wear a large "D" on your sweater, for all to see
that you are now, DENOUNCED!

Oh...wasn't that a Penny Pingleton "P" for Permanently Punished Penny Pingleton?

[earthside]

13. It's just political theater.

It is reported that Feinstein is one of the Democratic Senators who helped quash filibuster reform.

So, she knows that there is zero chance of her bill getting a vote in the Senate.

Theater. Political theater.

[Cynicus Emeritus]

16. Sometimes working class progressive country folk don't see eye to eye with

rich city folk. Smart politicians understand it's best not to fan the fires on passionate cultural issues that can end up weakening instead of strengthening the Party.. Bill Clinton is politically astute and still understands. Feinstein hasn't a clue.

[DRoseDARs]

14. "The NRA has been murdering children for decades," Sen. Feinstein should have (*snurk*) shot back.

"It's disappointing but not surprising that they are once again focused on padding their coffers instead of protecting children or fixing our broken and frankly insane interpretation of the Second Amendment. The American people know gun bans work and I am confident Congress will reject the NRA's continued shrill chicanery."