2008 Election – Page 51 – Shall Not Be Questioned

Why Pat Murphy Rocks

[UPDATE: It should be noted that we have been deceived by Congressman Murphy in the intervening years, as he signed onto the semi-automatic ban I wrote to him in reference to below.Â See Congressman Murphy’s Anti-Gun record here.]

I had been wondering what my new Congress Critter’s stance on the gun issue was. I had planned to write about HR 1022 shortly, but hadn’t completed my thoughts yet. I was quite pleased when perusing the Pennsylvania Firearms Owners Association to find a copy of a letter received from Congressman Patrick Murphy on the same subject. I’ll post the good bit:

Thank you for contacting me in support of maintaining the rights of gun owners. As you probably know, I personally hold a concealed-carry permit and I am a strong supporter of upholding the 2nd amendment. You can rest assured that when legislation involving gun-owner rights comes up before Congress, I will keep your thoughts in mind.

A Democratic Congressman who admits he holds a PA LTC? Congressman Murphy has overcome a big hurdle toward getting my vote. If the Republicans run a bonehead, as they are wont to do, there’s a strong likelihood I’ll be in his court come election day.

Our Best Hope?

I think Rudy might be shaping up to be our best hope for avoiding Hillary ’08. I’ll admit, I don’t trust Rudy on the gun issue, but I’ll say one thing for him; he said he wouldn’t sign a new assault weapons ban. That’s more than I can say for Bush, who I don’t think has honestly done much for us, other than signing the PLCAA.

Other than on guns, I honestly don’t have any problems with Rudy on too many other issues. He’s always been a little strange and quirky, but considering my other choices are Mitt the Shit, and John “Screw The First Amendment” McCain, so far, I’m starting to warm to the idea of Rudy.

I know there are other Republican candidates out there, but I’m looking for someone who can defeat Hillary Clinton. I don’t think I have to explain to anyone how much of a disaster a Clinton presidency would be for us.

Of course, if the Democrats run Bill Richardson, that could alter the whole equation. But if you want my take, Hillary has already been anointed. Obama is just trying to get some exposure for his real run in 2012 if Hillary doesn’t win.

Via Instapundit

What’s Going on With the NSSF?

Dave Hardy points to an NSSF¹ statment warning gun owners about Rudy Giuliani and his record. Now, I totally agree with the NSSF on the matter of Giuliani, but what doesn’t make sense to me is why the NSSF is cozying up to Mitt Romney, who’s record on the second amendment is nearly as despicable.

What has Romney promised or stated to you guys that make you feel okay about him? I’d really like to know. I don’t exactly trust the NSSF, because it was the manufacturers that got us the GCA ’68 importation restrictions. I don’t always expect that NSSF’s interests align themselves nicely with the shooting community, but they aren’t doing themselves, or us, any favors by blowing kisses to someone this early in the game. Especially someone like Romney, who has a record of banning cosmetically incorrect guns, among other things.

¹For the non-gun blogger types that read, the NSSF is the National Sports Shooting Foundation, which is the group that represents the interests of the gun industry. Despite what the anti-gunners say, the NRA does not represent the industry, they represent the shooters. The two organizations don’t always have like agendas. Romney was invited to SHOT, which is the NSSF’s trade show, a few weeks ago.

McCain Wants to Mend Fences

According to Captain Ed and Mary Catherine Ham, John McCain wants to mend fences with bloggers and play nice. Ed thinks McCain has a ways to go:

John McCain has a record of courageous stands on behalf of the war on terror and on spending, two key issues for conservatives in the 2008 cycle. However, as MK points out, he has not taken a market-driven approach on campaign finance reform, instead relying on intrusive government control of political speech. How committed will he be on free markets as President in any sense, if not in political speech? He now sings the conservative tune on tax cuts, but we still remember McCain the Maverick opposing them when George Bush pushed them through Congress — and his part in blocking the efforts to make them permanent.

I won’t ding McCain too much for opposing the tax cuts, but he has to repudiate that Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act if he wants to mend fences with me. My chief problem with McCain is that I think he’s too convinced of his own correctness and infallibility, and that makes him shut his mind off to other ways of looking at things. It’s some of the same “I know what’s best!” traits that I despise in Hillary Clinton. My problem with John McCain is that, while he seems to support freedom as a political issue, he doesn’t seem to grasp freedom as a philosophical concept.

Back to Captain Ed:

He may well wind up as the best of the choices that present themselves during this long campaign season, and I would encourage open minds and ears for the next year. However, until McCain either makes a case for government oversight over political speech that convinces conservatives or pledges to reverse the BCRA, I don’t see him winning many converts, no matter how expert his campaign staff is — and they are certainly working their hearts out early for McCain.

Yup! Let’s not forget he needs to start acting like he’s from Arizona on the gun issue too.

Mitt Romney’s Innovative Leadership

Check out Bitter’s post on Mitt Romney’s leadership of the Bay State, which lost nearly a quarter million people in the five years between 2000 and 2005.Â But Mitt wants to paint himself as “the president who can see around the next corner, who will equip Americans to meet the competitive challenges of the 21st century, who will bring innovation and reform to government.”

See around the next corner?Â I hope he hasn’t gotten a hold of a pair of these.

Random Obama Dreams

Jym: I had a dream last night that i was hanging out with Obama, and Osama kidnapped us with a van full of terrorists
Jym: And that i then single handedly killed them all, including Osama, to save Obama
Sebastian: What did Obama do?
Jym: Just kinda sat there
Jym: I had to do all the work
Jym: Goddamn Democrats
Sebastian: It’s shit like that which makes me feel I just could never support him