Did the Assault Weapons Ban kill gun control?

[spin]

62. You seem to enjoy using that term. ...

For example:

As mentioned in a post above, what the non-vote did is buy NRA & gun fuckers some time till the next massacre {We got lucky at UCF}. Then we can start the bullshit ALL over again. Gun fucks will express their emotion in surrounding themselves with loved ones by buying more guns....
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2552762

For some reason I get the feeling that you lump many gun owners who recently bought assault weapons under that term. Many who have an actual use for an assault weapon decided to buy an assault weapon now as they are worried that if they wait such a firearm will cost a small fortune. Some bought one as an investment hoping to profit later. Some bought one as when anything is banned, people want it. A very,very few bought one to use to slaughter people in a mass murder. The media has portrayed the AR-15 style rifles as "mass murder machines" and there is no doubt that advertising works. Perhaps that's the type of person you meant to describe by using "gun fuckers." I personally would call them individuals with severe mental issues that really need professional help.

Now I have a very thick skin and insults merely bounce off. Unfortunately many gun owners will read your post and miss the point you were attempting to make which was that the non-vote was a bad idea as it merely allows more people time to buy assault weapons before the next massacre finally leads to the AWB being passed. (As I interpret it.)

I personally believe that Harry Reid made a wise decision as he didn't have the votes to pass the AWB and he realizes that he might conceivably lose his majority in the Senate by forcing the losing effort.

Although I don't support the AWB, I have no problem with you doing so. There is always the chance that the AWB will pass in the future but that chance decreases significantly if at the midterm elections, the Republicans gain control or increase the number of seats they hold in the Senate.

Also remember that each state gets two Senators. Therefore Montana has the same number of votes as does California. Even if the majority of votes in the United States want the AWB passed they can be stopped by the minority of voters who live in gun friendly Red Sates.

The best chance for gun control advocates like you is to ever get an AWB is to wait for the next opportunity and meanwhile to pass the gun control legislation that is possible. It is not wise to force a vote that will give up control of the Senate to the Republicans as that will not only ruin the chances of any AWB in the future but might well ruin all the progress the Democratic Party has been able to accomplish since Bush the Junior left office.