NRA Fires Two Colorado State Senators For Doing Their Jobs And Voting On Stuff

[Robb]

...from Wonkette:

Welcome to the USofNRA! And woe be unto you, any politician who dares to cross our not so new overlords in this quick-draw special interest group, by trying to maybe take high-capacity magazines from any maybe-crazy-maybe-not person who wants to get their warm, live fingers on a gun.

Because in Colorado, where two rather awful mass-murdering shooting sprees were committed by some awfully deranged mass-murdering spree shooters in Columbine and Aurora, state Senator Angela Giron and Senate President John Morse were straight up recalled by 56% and 51% respectively of the maybe voter suppressed folks in their districts, because “Morse and Democrats passed laws that limit ammunition magazines to 15 rounds and require universal background checks on all gun sales and transfers.”

FIFTEEN ROUNDS? What in the name of shooting stuff up real good are we supposed to do with just fifteen rounds? Come on, that’s like, only fifteen bullets before we have to reload! And we’ve only got two hands! And if there’s a gun in both of them, then thirty bullets is all we would have and that is certainly not enough to, um, shoot something more than 30 times?

And how can anyone think that limiting bullets and having some sort of terrible “universal” background check on just who might be buying these sorts of things would maybe help keep the awfully deranged from getting to do sprees by shooting? Some people had to be fired over this....

Read More: http://wonkette.com/528300/nra-fires-two-colorado-state-senators-for-doing-their-jobs-and-voting-on-stuff

[madamesilverspurs]

1. ...

[An_enlightened_soul]

46. History

Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. 1994, anyone?

Gun control is a losing issue. That may be a hard pill for many of us to swallow, but the Democratic Party pushes gun control at the expense of every other issue we care about.

[CTyankee]

66. "gun control is a losing issue." Boy, if that isn't a talkiing point of the RW today, I don't know

what is. Welcome to DU. Enjoy your, um, stay...

[An_enlightened_soul]

81. Truth hurts

Democratic politicians run a huge risk by pushing gun control. Period. It is a losing issue.

[CTyankee]

82. Have a good day or so on DU...

[ZombieHorde]

101. That is what seemed to happen here. nt

[AnotherMcIntosh]

107. You're right. After the '94 loss of Congress to the Republicans, Clinton wrote in his autobiography

"Just before the House vote (on the crime bill), Speaker Tom Foley and majority leader Dick Gephardt had made a last-ditch appeal to me to remove the assault weapons ban from the bill. They argued that many Democrats who represented closely divided districts had already...defied the NRA once on the Brady bill vote. They said that if we made them walk the plank again on the assault weapons ban, the overall bill might not pass, and that if it did, many Democrats who voted for it would not survive the election in November. Jack Brooks, the House Judiciary Committee chairman from Texas, told me the same thing...Jack was convinced that if we didn't drop the ban, the NRA would beat a lot of Democrats by terrifying gun owners....Foley, Gephardt, and Brooks were right and I was wrong. The price...would be heavy casualties among its defenders." (Pages 611-612)

"On November 8, we got the living daylights beat out of us, losing eight Senate races and fifty-four House seats, the largest defeat for our party since 1946....The NRA had a great night. They beat both Speaker Tom Foley and Jack Brooks, two of the ablest members of Congress, who had warned me this would happen. Foley was the first Speaker to be defeated in more than a century. Jack Brooks had supported the NRA for years and had led the fight against the assault weapons ban in the House, but as chairman of the Judiciary Committee he had voted for the overall crime bill even after the ban was put into it. The NRA was an unforgiving master: one strike and you're out. The gun lobby claimed to have defeated nineteen of the twenty-four members on its hit list. They did at least that much damage...." (Pages 629-630)

http://www.gunshopfinder.com/legislativenews/clinton8_1_04.html

Why, exactly, are anti-gunners crusading for a revival of the 1994 issue? Why are anti-gunners indifferent as to the effects of their vitriolic attacks are having upon firearm-owning Democrats and firearm-owning Independents?

[Duckhunter935]

2. Actually the voters

Fired them. The NRA was outspent by quite a bit.

[Robb]

4. Really? So you know how much American for Prosperity spent in Pueblo?

Do tell.

[Dawson Leery]

9. The Koch's threw in an unknown amount of money.

We are trying to see how much they put into this race.

[billh58]

3. K&R

Because there are never enough big old guns which shoot more and more bullets for the NRA apologists and Nugent wannabes.

[Jenoch]

45. 'Big old guns'?

Are you referring to my father's 1892 .30-40 Krag?

[Agnosticsherbet]

5. You have to be able to recognize a slippery slope when you see one.

If they can limit magazines to 15 rounds, then they can limit them to seven, then three, and then they will limit everyone to single shot muzzle loading flintlock squirrel rifles.

And then they will outlaw flint.

[99Forever]

41. Utter bullshit...

... but then, even if that steaming pile of NRA feces were true, it has no downside. No gunz for murdering scumbags is a good thing.

[Agnosticsherbet]

100. I really thought that "outlawing flint" was a clue that I was using hyperbole and sarcassm.

I guess I should have used this smile ...

[Blue_Tires]

6. I'm curious to know what kind of precedent this creates...

This whole "Let's recall so-and-so just because they didn't vote the way I wanted to this or that issue" is disturbing, to say the least...

[billh58]

8. It's a right-wing

Republican thing that has been used as an end run tactic around legitimate elections and sane legislation for quite some time. The right-wingers have used it against things like gay marriage, prayer in schools, and gun control legislation, you know: God, guns, and gays.

[DonP]

22. Yeah, just another right wing republican thing, just like that GOP led Wisconsin recall

No wonder gun control can't get any traction.

[Niceguy1]

43. right wing?

Didn't we try to recall walker??????

[rl6214]

13. How is it disturbing?

They are our representative, they represent and do what we want them to do. If they do no, they are fired.

[jmowreader]

24. It's worse in Idaho

You don't even need a reason to recall someone here.

[leftstreet]

7. What was turnout like, anyone know?

[wild bird]

10. Very low turnout.

It seems that the Dems didn't GOTV, so, shame on them.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

118. Reminds me a lot of the 2010 elections.

The fringe was motivated to go to the polls, while the mainstream voters--who outnumbered the fringe--took things for granted and stayed home.

And the results on the surface give the fringe the false impression that they are not the fringe and that their views are mainstream, when the reality is that they were anything but.

Unfortunately, the "win" helps to validate the fringe, even though they do not represent the mainstream.

It's enough to make you bang your head against the wall.

Fortunately, we all saw how long Tea Party Darlings like Allen West, Joe Walsh and Michelle Bachman lasted after the great 2010 Tea Party revolution. Hopefully this serves as a wakeup call against the NRA and the gun lobby, not to be complacent.

[Robb]

15. 69,481 registered voters in Morse's district. 17,800 voted.

That's about 25%.

Giron's district tallied 34,500 votes from 70,719, ~49%.

We typically see 65-70% in Colorado, in no small part due to the availability of mail-in ballots, which were recently made universally guaranteed by state law -- a state law which was ignored for this recall, thanks to a Libertarian group's lawsuit to get on the ballot (which they wound up not having enough signatures for, anyhow).

[sarisataka]

23. The state law

was over-ridden by the state constitution. The ruling was made a month ago which should have been plenty of time to mobilize their voters.

After a long day in court, District Judge Robert McGahey ruled in favor of Colorado Libertarians, who’d sued after being denied a spot on the recall ballot because they failed to meet a deadline, put in place by the new election law, to submit petitions within 10 days of the election date being set.
McGahey agreed with the plaintiffs that the state constitution — which has, for 101 years, allowed candidates up to within 15 days of an election to submit their petitions — takes precedence over the new and, ultimately, flawed law.

http://kdvr.com/2013/08/12/judges-ruling-means-no-mail-ballots-in-recall-elections/

If CO Democrats try blowing this off as some last minute election trick, they are ignoring the root cause for the loss. They need to find why the vote went against them when it was reported Democrats were out polling Republicans just three days ago...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/12624589

[CTyankee]

69. So I take it you are against the Democrats in this and on the side of the NRA? Right?

I see...

[etherealtruth]

74. It seems many on this thread are JUBILANT that Democrats lost

... and pretty happy with the NRA.

What site are we on?

[CTyankee]

79. Yep. We shouldn't let them forget this...

I know I won't. Ever. Bet on it...

[sarisataka]

87. I am against recalls...

Except in the case of misconduct, if you don't like how your Rep votes wait for the next election. That is the purpose of an election.

Yet since there was a recall and Democrats lost in what was believed near sure victories, it does no good to bury your head in the sand. Blaming the loss on all these tangential factors is a map on how loose the NEXT election. CO Dems need to seize the initiative back, find the issues more important than guns to their voters and press the Repubs every time they go against the voters.

It was a single issue ballot and Democrats lost. Make it multi-issue and win...

[hack89]

91. Why can't we be on the side of the state constitution?

are you really saying that states should be able to pass laws that over turn constitutional rights?

The NRA had nothing to do with this - the state Dems botched their new voting law and it burned them.

[CTyankee]

114. What? The NRA brought this thing! It's not even speculation. It is fact.

You can't turn this around and say it is the state Dems fault. I know you don't like being associated with the NRA but don't be in denial about their involvement either.

[hack89]

115. We are talking about the state voter law.

the one passed by a Dem legislature and signed by a Dem Governor. The law that was in direct conflict with the state Constitution.

The NRA was outspent 5-1. You really need to deal with that simple fact instead of concocting elaborate and unsubstantiated theories of massive secret spending.

[CTyankee]

116. I merely pointed out that it is a fact that the NRA sponsored this effort.

I did not address "massive secret spending."

[Abq_Sarah]

109. Honey, if you think all Democrats are opposed to the 2nd amendment

You need to escape from your bubble a little more often. Out here in the real world, many of us own firearms. We are no longer going to tolerate being demonized and browbeaten by people who seem to think they have some divine right to force us to change our opinions or our behavior.

[CTyankee]

113. In the first place, there are those Dems such as me who agree with Justice Ginsburg's take on

the 2nd amendment in the Heller decision. If you agree with Justice Scalia and the other far RW republican appointed justices, then that's where you are. If I "demonize" and "browbeat" you by simply pointing who is on which side, you put yourself there, I didn't. You took a side. Own up to it. Don't whine about what I think because that's immaterial.

If you protest that you don't belong to the NRA but then support what they did in CO, well, you have to own that, too. Again, what I think doesn't matter.

[rl6214]

11. No not the NRA, the voters in Colorado

The NRA was outspent 6:1 by Bloomberg, Gabby Gifford PAC and a few others. They were fired for saying they didn't care what their constituents wanted, they were going to do what they wanted to do.

A little truth in journalism would be nice but not expected.

[DanTex]

30. LOL. You fail to mention the Koch brothers involvement and then call for "truth"?

[rl6214]

97. Being outspent 6:1 is being outspent 6:1, dosent matter who is involved

[DanTex]

112. Please tell me you're not really this clueless!

The 6-1 refers to official fundraising totals, not independent groups like the Koch Brothers' Americans for Prosperity, who, due to their nonprofit status, aren't required to report their spending. I guess you haven't been paying attention to politics that much for the last few years.

[rl6214]

117. Please tell me YOU'RE not this clueless

All we've got is you running around like a chicken with its head cut off screeching 'the Koch brothers, the Koch brothers'.

Post up some proof of what you are screeching about otherwise it's just bullshit.

[DanTex]

119. Astounding! Truly living in a fantasy where the Koch brothers don't try to influence elections!

Sometimes I wonder whether you guys ever bother and check in to the real world to see whether it matches up with the latest posts from the gun blogs. I know, I know, you don't trust the "liberal media" and all, but seriously, this is beyond the ordinary...

I guess they don't have google in gunzville. For example:

The NRA spent heavily on the recall effort, reporting at least $360,000 and funneling unspecified dollars through its nonprofit arm. The billionaire conservative Koch brothers also entered the fray, using their advocacy group Americans For Prosperity to target Morse and Giron. Due to the organization's nonprofit status, AFP also did not have to report its spending to the Federal Elections Commission.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/10/colorado-recall-results_n_3903209.html

[rl6214]

121. Ok, so we've got an article saying they've contributed

Even though there is no record or proof of them contributing.

Now I dislike tem as much as the next guy but you've gotta have some proof otherwise it just gets filed with all the other conspiracy bullshit.

[DanTex]

122. Heh. Sorry, buddy, you're the one who made the affirmative claim, remember?

About how the gun control lobby outspent your friends on the right by 6-1?

The burden of proof is on you. I'm sure that Sean Hannity didn't mention all of the undisclosed money spent by third parties, but that's why you need to verify the claims you hear on FOX before posting them here to DU. The fact is, we don't know how much was spent (that's what "undisclosed" means), but we do know that the official numbers don't tell the whole story.

Of course, you're free to describe Koch Brothers involvement in elections as a "conspiracy". In fact, I think you should do it more often, because each time you do, the illusion that you have the slightest clue about what goes on in US politics becomes even fainter.

Keep it up!

[pintobean]

124. Did you even bother to check Huffington Post's source

for their numbers? They weren't saying the AFP money was in addition to the reported money, it was part of it. The fact that AFP, and others, didn't have to report to the FEC is irrelevant. The totals were from the committees that received the donations, not the FEC.

From the Denver Post article (Huffington Post's source)

A Denver Post review of finance reports from the 10 active issue committees involved in the recalls of Senate President John Morse of Colorado Springs and Sen. Angela Giron of Pueblo found some donors contributing as little as $1 to as much as six figures.

The committees accepted unrestricted amounts of cash from thousands of individuals and dozens of nonprofit 501(c)(4)s, which do not have to disclose donors, according to the Colorado secretary of state.

Proponents of the recall have raised about $540,000, while opponents have collected nearly $3 million. Much of the cash has come from out of state — a sign of the national significance these recalls have.

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_24046748/outside-money-shows-national-interest-colorado-recall-elections

Your mystery money does not exist.

[rl6214]

128. Well done Pinto

Who is it that really needs to "keep up" in these threads?

[pintobean]

137. All I know is

that if I were in his shoes, I'd be wondering why I'm the only one who sees this mystery money. It's not like no one else would be screaming about it if it were actually true.

[DanTex]

130. Sigh. It doesn't include money spent directly by outside groups and not donated to committees.

This can't really be so hard to understand. AFP produced their own flyers/ads/etc not affiliated with the committee. It's not the first time they've done this. You seem truly bewildered.

[pintobean]

133. Where is your evidence of that.

It certainly isn't in the Huffington post article that you've been citing for days. Now that you finally comprehend that article, you're changing your story.

[DanTex]

134. Are you for real?

Indeed, the Koch brothers' involvement had little to do with guns, and AFP primarily focused its attacks against Morse on other issues that made him a vulnerable target in his conservative-leaning district. The group distributed fliers and doorhangers likening Morse to Bloomberg on virtually every issue except guns, instead concentrating on issues like taxes and health care.

"its attacks against Morse"
"The group distributed fliers"

Can it possibly be any more clear?

[pintobean]

135. Maybe she would have tried

to be more clear if she had known you were going to read it.

[DanTex]

136. Umm, it was clear enough for me. You're the only one who doesn't seem to get it.

There only "mystery" is why you can't understand/accept that the AFP was spending their own money.

[rl6214]

126. I wouldn't know what hannity mentions or doesn't mention on his show

You tell me mr hannity expert.

As far as the 6:1 ratio, it's been stated in many threads that the Huffington post article is just one of the articles that gives those figures, including this thread.

I suppose next you're going to say the Huffington post is just like hannity?

[DanTex]

129. Sigh. Yeah, and the huffpo article says that the there was also money spent by outside groups

like AFP, and that money was not reported. And around we go. Is it really that complicated?

[etherealtruth]

50. Yeah that's it ....

[virginia mountainman]

12. I did not know the NRA had a vote...

Seems like the voters fired them, for refusing to listen to them.

[Blue_Tires]

14. Well why doesn't *everybody* get recalled in that case, then?

[Nuclear Unicorn]

18. Because they didn't have the money Bloomberg does.

So they went for a trophy prize -- the president of the state senate plus one other. First time in state history too. If you only have $500k that's pretty substantial. Add to the fact these are heavily (D) tilted districts it wasn't just the (R)s that were unhappy.

[aikoaiko]

16. I thought the recall was shaping up to be a bust on Monday.

or so someone said.

[Eleanors38]

17. Wrong again, Robb. Those opposed to recall had millions,

more feet on-the-ground, national attention and they STILL couldn't beat back a recall.

Seriously, you might consider changing your approach.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

19. I for one am glad such abjectly hostile personalities eschew guns.

[Robb]

20. Do you have numbers of what Americans for Prosperity spent in Pueblo?

Good, finally someone with the facts. Let's hear it; how much did the Kochs put in?

[Eleanors38]

26. Don't know. But the no recall side had 3 - 3.5 million? Not enough, Rob?

[Robb]

31. AFP spent $34 million last year on attack ads against Democrats alone.

You think they just had a bake sale for this recall?

[Eleanors38]

42. Truth you can't face: You had $$$ & manpower & failed.

[Robb]

47. You mean "we" failed, right? 2 Dems lost seats to 2 Repubs.

Who the hell are you rooting for?

[Eleanors38]

49. Your approach failed, Robb. Look closer to home in the blame game...

Had I lived in either of these Democrats' districts, I would have voted against the recall; hell, I've voted for years for a congressman who supports the stupid AWB.

Change your course. Plenty of $$$, plenty of volunteers, plenty of MSM support. And 2 Democrats went down via the old course.

Divisions are widening & intensifying, Robb, and it doesn't bode well for Democrats. Democrats HELD those seats, and the constituencies voted for Obama. And some in thus thread (not you, presumably) are condemning those constituencies. How can anyone who calls him/herself a Democrat take that position?

[Blue_Tires]

57. So fine...Move the party farther right than the GOP on the gun issue

and all of a sudden the NRA will start loving us? (Well, they won't ever start loving me since I'm not the right color)...

Is that your final answer?

[Eleanors38]

63. Strong support for 2A is not "moving to the right"...

Refusing to properly regulate banks, eschewing labor issues, and threatening war is. People from Eugene V. Debs to Rosa Parks have owned guns and even advocated for self armament when threatened.

I don't care if the NRA loves us or not. Drop this rather recent, not widely supported control/prohibitionist outlook (it is hardly a movement), then you stop feeding the bastards, and the NRA begins to lose relevance.

The Democratic Party has a lot more important issues to tend to.

[Blue_Tires]

68. First thing I've agreed with you so far...

But my other question still stands...What's to stop some other big-money industry from starting recalls wherever they please?? And once that ball starts rolling, where does it end??

[GreenStormCloud]

103. Too late to ask that question. We started it rolling in Wisconsin.

So we don't get to whine about it when they use it against us.

[Blue_Tires]

125. What is this "We started it rolling" shit?

Gray Davis ring any bells for you??

[wild bird]

131. I remember that,

what did him in was the added registration tax I believe. He was hugely unpopular at the time, and look what the good people of CA got, Ahnold.

[GreenStormCloud]

138. Davis was recalled because of incompetence.

The WI recalls were because we didn't like the election results.

[NYC_SKP]

77. No, it's not. That's just a talking point without basis in fact.

It's propaganda and not even very effective propaganda.

And to anyone who has spent time in Central America or Africa, it's quite the opposite of reality.

Incredible.

[GreenStormCloud]

102. Yes, under those conditions the NRA will love you.

The NRA does support Democrats, when those Democrats are strongly pro-gun. The NRA takes no stance on any other issue than guns.

[Skittles]

61. gun humpers

that's who

[2ndAmForComputers]

62. I think the answer to that is pretty obvious, ain't it?

[Eleanors38]

64. Is it? Then say it. Here. nt

[2ndAmForComputers]

72. Why would I?

Didn't I just say it's obvious?

[etherealtruth]

54. Are you aware that you are on a site that supports the Democratic party?

Your glee that two elected democrats have been unseated is quite telling.

There are sites that cheer democratic losses ...

[Blue_Tires]

27. And again I'll ask:

If supposed Dem voters in a supposed Dem-heavy district happily vote in some NRA-backed repub stooge all over a SINGLE issue, then I feel compelled to question their collective intelligence...What good are they?

[Eleanors38]

36. There's the problem, Blue: You are ready to condemn a swath of voters.

Or at least question their relevance. This is what got Giro and Morse in trouble in the first place: They didn't listen to their constituencies, but instead to the usual national and standard gun-control edicts of elites.

You're fighting a war of symbols and losing. Try something else.

[DanTex]

44. By "elites", you mean the Koch brothers? Or they don't count since you agree with them politically?

[Eleanors38]

51. Just more untruthful attacks. BAU. nt

[DanTex]

53. LOL. Dodge. Teaming up with the Koch brothers and then railing about "elites" kinda shoots down

whatever credibility you might have had. I can see why you want to ignore the issue.

[Eleanors38]

67. Truth: Controllers/prohibitionists feed the NRA beast.

(your "credibility"mini-campaign has failed.)

[DanTex]

70. Ignore the Koch brothers/"elitism" issue and stick to the talking points.

What's that, three times now? It's pretty clear that you have no answer.

The truth is that the gun rights cause is fueled by right-wing special interests preying on the ignorance, fear, and paranoia of voters. Like Obama said, guns, religious fundamentalism, and racial and anti-immigrant resentment.

[Blue_Tires]

48. I haven't lost anything, since I don't have to live in that district

The point you're missing is when the NRA pulls this shit and wins, we ALL lose (I don't know your occupation; maybe you're a gun dealer or manufacturer, in which case you're a definite winner)...

And like I said, you can recall out every goddamned politician in every state capitol along with Washington (Obama included) for the whole "they-didn't-listen-to-their-constituencies" meme....And fwiw, that's a flimsy, flimsy cop-out of a justification, imo since constituencies are not of one mind, and there's always some segment of the population against something, even if it's a "Puppies and Kitties for Orphans Act"...Hell, we'd still have segregation among other things if it was left up to the constituencies....

And how do I not condemn Dem voters who throw away the whole platform over a single issue? Or Dem voters who can't be bothered to show up and actually VOTE? Do you know how many batshit insane nutbars and certified drooling idiots I've seen get into office over the years for no reason other than a high NRA rating? And they keep getting re-elected and remain golden despite complete criminals/fuckups/morons on all the other non-gun issues...

[warrprayer]

21. Koch brothers money

was there as well as NRA's. Democracy for sale to the highest bidder. Assholes.

[billh58]

25. Gungeoneers don't want

to hear about the hand that feeds their precious NRA. Those mean old Democrats had it coming, and the righteous right-wingers showed them who is the boss when it comes to the sacred alter of guns and more guns.

[warrprayer]

29. it's hard to believe

but it is true. As Bob Dylan said "Money doesn't talk, it swears"

[Eleanors38]

38. Over 3 million "swears" by Bloomie, et al.

Did you know Dylan is a gun collector?

[Eleanors38]

32. For your nemesis, the NRA, this was a win-win no matter the vote...

You don't see that? Had the recall failed, the NRA would have had a locker fulla fear with which to promote ever more aggressive actions against progressive Democrats. As it stands, you and your control compatriots have a chance to change your approach -- or bash your head against the wall again.

Let's stop feeding the NRA beast easy, no-lose victories.

[Blue_Tires]

40. I like how you said "your nemesis" instead of "our"

[Blue_Tires]

65. What's funny to me is you keep lumping me in with the "grabbers"

For reasons only god knows...

My enemy has never been responsible gun owners...It was slackmaster who converted me on the issue years ago, back when he was still sane and I was in favor of unilateral banning....Don't believe me? Go search the archives as long as you care and try to find any post after, say 2006 where I've said anyone should be denied the right to own whatever other than the criminals and the crazies...

My enemy has always been the NRA (some of the reasons are obvious, some personal)...If you cannot see how diametrically opposed their current raison d' être is to the core philosophy of leftist politics, then I don't know what else to say...I don't care how supposedly big and powerful this "beast" is, it's no friend of mine and I'm not going to cower to it...It doesn't make me a "controller" to point out a laundry list of items that are fundamentally fucking WRONG with how the NRA is conducting its affairs...And I will not remain silent all out of fear of "feeding the beast" or whatever...

[Eleanors38]

75. I'm no fan of the NRA, and I didn't use the word "grabbber" as you well know.

But the NRA continues to thrive because of the misguided efforts of gun controller/banners. Colorado is just the latest episode.

The effort to paint pro-2A Democrats as supportive of NRA politics has some here believing in their own propaganda. Again, the NRA is continously fed by elite efforts at gun control, not by the feverishly-imagined doings of pro 2A Democrats.

I will continue to support strongly the Second and do this in a leftist manner as I always have.

[Robb]

35. No, the NRA is about civil rights!

That they support Republicans over Democrats 74-1 has NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING.

And FREEDOM.

[DanTex]

39. Shhh! Don't mention the Koch brothers! It kills the gungeoneer narrative!

[pintobean]

28. No, they forgot about "by the people"

and "of the people". They climbed aboard Bloomy' Nanny Wagon and told their employers to sit down, shut up, and fuck off. They thought they knew what was best "for the people". Their employers didn't take kindly to that and fired their asses.

[Robb]

33. As a Congressman, Lincoln was voted out of office for his criticism of the Mexican War.

I wonder, since Morse didn't serve out the last few months of his second term, is he still term-limited -- or could he run again in 2014?

[Blue_Tires]

34. It was a laughably low turnout...Don't pretend like ALL the people spoke in a unified voice...

And in my experience, hardline single-issue voters tend to get exactly the kind of legislators they deserve...

[billh58]

37. Just like the Gungeoneers

like to pretend that they speak for ALL 80 million American gun owners, they also like to pretend that their Republican brothers and sisters in Colorado are the "People" who defeated honest and honorable Democrats for doing the right thing.

The NRA and Koch Brothers often-repeated lie about "the Democrats are coming for your guns," was just enough to keep Democrats at home, and encourage right-wingers to vote.

This is just a temporary setback, and sensible gun control will prevail in this country. Bet on it.

[pintobean]

52. Who are the Gungeoneers?

Not me, and I don't speak for anyone but myself. Any way you want to slice it, those two got recalled for their gun control votes and the way they treated their constituents.

[friendly_iconoclast]

106. The straw DUers he bashes on a regular basis

You will note in his posts the lack of links to, or citations of, said 'Gungeoneers'.

[HolyMoley]

58. "This is just a temporary setback, and sensible gun control will prevail in this country.

Bet on it."

[rl6214]

99. Why would this keep the Dem voters at home?

"The NRA and Koch Brothers often-repeated lie about "the Democrats are coming for your guns," was just enough to keep Democrats at home, and encourage right-wingers to vote."

If its an obvious lie and they know it, why would they stay at home instead of going out to defeat the lie? I know I would. You logic is, well, illogical.

[friendly_iconoclast]

105. Really, bill? Still quoting DUers that don't exist?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12624585#post3

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3527061

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3527200

[tridim]

55. ...And the Republicans, especially the Republican voters. Fired for representing his people.

[NYC_SKP]

56. The voters in Colorado have spoken. They've spoken volumes.

No figures on unreported support in this battle but recorded support yields this:

Opponents of the recall outspend supporters by almost 5:1.

And that effort failed.

The voters have spoken. It's time to be scientific about violent crime and look for cures to the causes and not employ bandaid feel-good gun laws that don't really help.

In this instance they hurt Democrats. I don't want to see more Democrats defeated.

Colo. recalls show risk of supporting gun control

By COLLEEN SLEVIN and MIKE BAKER
The Associated Press

DENVER -- Democratic voters in Colorado helped remove two state senators of their own party who voted for tighter gun control — an ouster that was both intensely local and a national test of what can happen to lawmakers who support gun restrictions in battleground states.

The well-organized activists who sought to recall Senate President John Morse and Sen. Angela Giron got the backing of gun-rights groups such as the National Rifle Association. It turned out they didn't need much assistance because voters were already so incensed by passage of the gun-control package.

Democrats, who maintain control of the Legislature, said the losses were purely symbolic. But they could be a sign of things to come in 2014, both in Colorado's governor's race and in scores of other political contests around the country.

After last year's mass shootings, Colorado was the only state beyond Democratic strongholds New York, California and Connecticut to pass gun-control legislation. Gun-control measures died in Congress, as well as Minnesota, Oregon, Washington and Delaware.

Outspent by about 5-to-1, recall supporters cited a big anti-recall donation from New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to make one of their main points — that Democrats controlling the state Legislature were more interested in listening to the White House and outside interests than their own constituents.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/09/11/3619764/2-colo-lawmakers-ousted-in-gun.html#storylink=cpyhttp://www.miamiherald.com/2013/09/11/3619764/2-colo-lawmakers-ousted-in-gun.html

[Blue_Tires]

73. If recalls are this easy to pull off, this forum should honestly start organizing some...

We have more than enough people in most states...

Once upon a time people actually used to wait until the next election cycle to vote unpopular pols out...I guess this will be the "new normal"

[NYC_SKP]

76. Great idea. Doesn't look like anyone in Colorado cared to use the DU Colorado forum for this cause.

Take a look:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forum&id=1041&sort=time

There's also the DU activist forum:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forum&id=1011&sort=time

Crickets. No action.

[Blue_Tires]

78. Let this be a wake-up call, then

Because once other corporate industries jump full-throttle on the "recall whoever and install someone who votes the way we want" -bandwagon, we'll be neck-deep in shit...

I'd suggest everyone celebrating victory today keep that little tidbit in the back of their minds....

[Art_from_Ark]

104. It's not "the voters of Colorado"

Rather, it's *some* voters *in* Colorado. A little more than 50,000 votes were cast in these two elections, total, out of a total registered voter population of more than 2,500,000 in Colorado. Put another way, a mere 2% of Colorado's registered voters participated in these two elections.

[Democat]

108. The voters in Colorado have spoken

The people who cared enough to vote have spoken. Every election is about the people who turn out.

Democrats can listen to what the voters said or we can ignore history and face more losses.

[Art_from_Ark]

120. It's not "the voters", it's "some voters"

in two districts in Colorado, not statewide.

[HolyMoley]

59. Are there any numbers, percentages or reporting how many Dems or Independants

voted for the recall?

[FreeJoe]

71. Frightening

I could understand it if they were backing something radical, but this is just scary.

[etherealtruth]

80. Two Democratic State senators were recalled

They were replaced by two republicans.

Many posts on this thread express joy that two Democratic senators were recalled and replaced by republicans.

Admittedly, the largest amount of celebratory posting about the defeat of democrats are from members that post frequently in "Gun Control & RKBA" ... I have no idea what the link can be here? celebrating Republican (right wing) victory ... gloating r/t democratic defeat ... posting often "Gun Control & RKBA" ... I don't understand?

This is the Democratic Underground, isn't it?

[billh58]

85. It is indeed Democratic Underground, but

a few have been allowed to have their little right-wing swamp to wallow in so as to keep them occupied and low profile. There is a very vocal minority however, that tend to swarm from time-to-time and seem to be attracted by any opportunity to criticize Democrats for supporting sensible gun control measures.

[etherealtruth]

86. It gets confusing ...

... I have read things that could have been taken straight from free republic

I do realize that it is a very vocal minority

I have actually had good conversations with some gun owners here. They may own guns, but do not own "arsenals" ... they also favor accountability and control (to varying degrees). I may disagree with them (partially) on the topic of guns ... but they appear rational and stable (their gun ownership is not a massacre waiting to happen). Those posters do not express glee at democratic defeats. They also express liberal thoughts on a multitude of subjects.

Then we have the "others"

[billh58]

88. The "others"

are the cold-dead-hands gun nuts who believe that they, and only they, speak for 80 million American gun owners. I too have had productive and meaningful conversations with rational gun owners on DU, so I know for a fact that the vocal minority are really nothing but right-wingers claiming to be "pro-2A Democrats."

[etherealtruth]

89. No doubt

The portal in the gungeon attracts a lot

[billh58]

92. Incidentally, one of

the gunners you were responding to up-thread has had their transparency page displayed. Interesting reading.

[etherealtruth]

93. Thanks for the info

it is too close to bed time to read things that I know I will be revolted by.

[etherealtruth]

94. Against my better judgment ... I looked

Yeah

[billh58]

95. Sorry about that, but

I can loan you some of my brain drano...

[etherealtruth]

96. The thought that that fool owns guns

... is what makes me so very anti-gun

[Democat]

110. Reality is that the voters made a choice

There would be two more Democratic senators today if voters agreed with more gun control.

Is it worth losing more Democratic representatives over this issue if the voters don't agree?

What about the other issues that will be lost now because we have two less senators?

Government represents people. People in these districts have spoken.

[etherealtruth]

111. In many areas there would be more dem's if they were anti-abortion

There would be more if they were anti gay rights (in many areas)

I don't see your point?

The people in my fair state spoke regarding gay marriage in 2004 ... we also elected a right wing nut job state legislature ... the current legislature is fairly anti-abortion , definitely anti gay rights, anti-union. In your mind this is good.

It is sickening to see anti-dem sentiment so freely expressed at DU

[Yandorio]

83. NSA loses credibility

Day after day.

[billh58]

90. Are they spying on

the NRA? Dang! I hate it when that happens.

[NYC_SKP]

84. Hell Robb, you're giving WAY too much credit to the NRA.

As it plays out, NRA spending was crap compared to the opposition.

Morse and Giron were fired by the voters.

No reason to give the stupid NRA any credit for this.

[Skip Intro]

98. No, the voters did that. n/t

[sendero]

123. Not exactly..

... the lazy majority that couldn't be bothered to get to the polls and vote cost these guys their jobs.

[wild bird]

132. For the win. nt.

[hobbit709]

127. Democrats lost because they weren't motivated enough to turn out the vote.