Reply #45: "A traitor to your party"? What the HELL are you insinuating... [View All]

[spin]

While it is true that many Democrats oppose firearm ownership and concealed carry, many others are pro gun.

A 2006 Gallup Poll found that about one-third of Americans living in a household with a gun are Democrats, and that includes a lot of union members. Many believe that an anti-gun stance cost Al Gore his home state of Tennessee in 2000, and cost John Kerry West Virginia in 2004.

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But some Democrats who support gun rights say Clinton and Obama can do even more to appeal to voters like them.

"Democrats have taken a beating over the past 14 years at the ballot box because their party is often perceived as being anti-Second Amendment," said Daniel Barnett, a Dallas resident who helped organize a group called Amendment II Democrats. "If Democrats on Capitol Hill want to effect real change in the economy, education, health care, Social Security and the environment, they cannot afford to let themselves be identified as 'gun-grabbers.'"
http://swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/04/clinton_obama_chase_elusive_gu.html

You might favor a "pure" Democratic Party that excludes pro gun voters. Let's say you get your way. The Democratic Party is composed only of anti-gun extremists.

Since most local and national elections are very close in today's world, the Republican Party uses gun ownership as a wedge issue and they win more tight elections than they lose. They gain the Presidency and total control of the house and senate. The Supreme Court becomes packed with ultra conservative judges selected and approved by the President and Congress.

* This country would continue to follow the path of the current Bush administration. Big corporations and the unregulated free traders would benefit. The rich would continue to get richer. The middle class and the poor would become their wage slave servants.

* The rich would be well educated, the middle class and the poor just above illiterate.

*The rich would get the best medical care in the world. The middle class would be stressed by the cost of health insurance. The poor would just have to pray for good health.

*The rich would live safely in fenced and guarded enclaves. The middle class and the poor would suffer in a crime filled environment. Drugs and drug gangs would be rampant. Violence would increase. More people would buy firearms for self protection because the police would be too busy to respond quickly.

*We would find ourselves involved in more unnecessary and costly wars.

*Privacy rights would be further eroded and the government more intrusive. People might suddenly be arrested and carted off to remote locations and denied the rights guaranteed by our Constitution. All for the war on terrorism.

Now lets say the Democratic Party becomes more pro gun and favors only reasonable and effective gun legislation. Pro gun voters are reassured that their rights to own guns for hunting, target shooting and self defense (including concealed carry) are safe.

The Democratic Party now regains gun owners who fled the flock. Disenchanted Republicans decide to vote for Democratic candidates. Many close elections are now won by Democrats. Democrats now win the Presidency and control Congress.

* Education improves for all classes.

* Universal heath care is implemented.

* Meaningful well paying jobs return. Free trade is regulated and fair to this country. Corporations no longer get tax breaks as they export jobs to foreign counties.

* The economy improves dramatically. People no longer live pay check to pay check or live in despair wondering how to pay for their mortgage, their food, gas for their car and their electric and fuel bills.

* Crime decreases. The improvements in education, the economy and jobs reduce the despair and hopelessness that many people feel.

* Further efforts to find and resolve the roots causes of violence are implemented.

* Wars only occur only when and if absolutely necessary. The money saved goes to further improve education, heath care, research and efforts to reduce global warming and gain energy independence.

* In the improved and less violence society that results, the demand for firearms decreases. Most people feel little need to possess weapons for self defense. Hunters, collectors and target shooters enjoy their weapons, others spend their hard earned cash on more useful possessions.

Guess what. You have accomplished your goal of reducing gun ownership. You also have glued this broken society together again.{/b}

Of course, this assumes we elect people who don't fall under the control of big corporations but instead serve the interests of the people who elected them.