Was it Worth It?

[Fuzzy LaRue]

It finally dawned on me (yeah, sometimes I am slow) that the Assault Weapons Ban expired after ten years. Everything is back like it was.
Almost everything. The Republicans still own fucking Congress! This stupid temporary ban (which was more cosmetic than anything else) cost us control and for what? To be back right where everything was before but at a distinct disadvantage! The AWB was in place for ten fucking years, big fucking whoop! How long before we have control of the House and Senate? Won't happen this year. Might happen in two years, but I don't hold out too much hope.

We got the ban, but lost Congress. As a result we have lost any shot at decent health care legislation. We were powerless to stop Bush's tax cut in 2001 and now they are permenant (we couldn't do shit to stop them then either). The Republicans put forth all sorts of silly bills and we don't have the votes to derail shit. All because of the stupid AWB.

Honestly, was it worth it?

[Vickers]

1. Brace yourself, cowboy

You're about to unleash a shitstorm of ill-informed knee-jerk bullshit.

Good luck!

[gratuitous]

2. Ill-informed knee-jerk bullshit salvo number 1

Too early to say; what say we wait until the first massacre happens with a previously banned weapon. Then we can have a nice, calm deliberative discussion amidst the blood and the body parts. Be sure to invite the families of the murdered.

[Fuzzy LaRue]

4. If it was to happen with a previously banned weapon now,

what difference would it make? The ban was only for ten years. If it had been permenant, then yeah, that particular weapon would not have been available, a difference would have been made.

The cost the Democratic party paid for a 10 year ban by now being powerless to put through meaningful legislation or stop Bush's powergrabs was too high.

[frankly_fedup2]

5. Well, I hope this is not considered BS, because it is the truth . . .

The so-called banned never changed anything as far as what was sold and to whom. I have one guess for you what state I live in? Okay, you're not into games right now so I'll tell you. I live in Virginia. What does that have to do with anything, you may ask? Well, from Virginia to New York is the biggest gun running operations that the FBI and police have ever busted. They say for every one of them they catch, there are probably 5 more getting past them.

Also, it's like my husband (big-time hunter with enough guns -- mostly shotguns I suppose, to conquer our small County in Virginia) has always told me and showed me at the big gun shows. They didn't have the automatic weapons out on the tables for sale; however, you buy a part here, then by golly another part can be bought over on the far side of the gun show. Then the guy that sold you that part tells you where to get the other piece that if you get and put together and you will have a fully automatic weapon that shoots 50 shots in 2 seconds.

They sell these guns and parts at swap meets, yard sales, and, of course, the big gun shows. The only stipulation before buying the gun is that you have to be a Virgina resident. Otherwise, you have to fill out a lot of paperwork and come back.

I hate to go to these things; however, I like all the other stuff we walk around and look at. You have to pay to get into the warehouse where the gun shows are always at, and it's single file up and down each isle. You can hardly breathe. If there was a fire, a lot of people would die. That is the first thing I look for in these places and that are the quickest-looking exits.

Anyway, that's my story regarding my experience with guns (I don't even own one) in Virginia and also how that Weapons ban NEVER changed anything unfortunately.

[skygazer]

7. You are correct

I guarantee I could have gotten one of the banned weapons fairly easily at any time during that ten year period (and in fact, I do know some people who did).

In addition, there is the simple fact that criminals don't care if the gun they use is legal or not. In fact, an illegal weapon is harder to trace which makes it more desirable.

[Fuzzy LaRue]

3. I guess you guys are missing the question.

Was banning these weapons for 10 years worth losing control of Congress for 12-20 years?

[BiggJawn]

6. I don't think so.

But then, I don't think "our kids" are any less safer now that you can have a bayonet lug on your SKS again...

It's not just Congress, Fuzz. Gore lost a LOT of votes because of the "Gore wants t'take yor GUNS!" bullshit that the GOP was spreading around. Single-Issue voters, just like the "Pro-Fetus" or "Security Mom" voters this time....

[Beam Me Up]

9. Gun control caused Democrats to loose control of both Houses?

News to me.

I thought it was BBV.

Remember, there are many more registered Dems than Republicans. Did we just not VOTE?

[Trajan]

11. SHOW PROOF ! .....

Simple Enuff ... right ?

[Zero Gravitas]

15. False Premise

The AWB had little if anything to do with the Republican Slime Machine taking over Congress.

[Inland]

8. Yeah, we'll never fuck with the big bad NRA again, no matter who dies

since one wrong move with the smallest, most inoffensive and most called for law apparently convinced the entire country to go republican because the NRA is God Himself. Any more crap to spread, or are you done?

[Trajan]

10. The AWB was too weak ...

and furthermore: what evidence have you to 'prove' that the AWB was the cause of the GOP gaining congress ? ...

Offer more than weak platitudes and personal anecdotes ....

Otherwise: your just blowing off hot air ...

[Fuzzy LaRue]

12. How about this,

September 13, 1994 the AWB was signed into law. That November the Democrats suffered double digit losses in the election. No SERIOUS gun legislation has been introduced since.

My question still stands. Was a 10 year ban worth control of Congress?

[gratuitous]

14. Proximity does not mean causation

Golly, what are they teaching in logic classes anymore?

{Goes back to waving little magic rock overhead because it keeps the bears away.}

[Trajan]

16. Wow ....

EVERY night: I beat the log drum ....

and EVERY morning: the sun rises ....

Tell me: Does this prove that my beating the drum makes the sun rise ? ...

This is a fallacy of cause ...

Specifically: a non causa pro causa fallacy ...

Post hoc ergo propter hoc ...

Look it up ... THEN ? ... come back with real evidence ....

[MrSandman]

17. Clinton attributed several House losses to...

the ire raised by the semiautomatic assault weapons ban.

The ban did not cover fully auto weapons, did not address how a weapon operates or its lethality, nor did the ban reduce the number of weapons in civilian ownersip.

[Trajan]

19. Sorry: But Clinton could very well be wrong .....

I love the man, but he doesnt know everything ...

[MrSandman]

20. OK...AWB was irrelevant..nt

[Fuzzy LaRue]

13. I have not said even once,

that Assault weapons were good or bad. The Ban itself was mostly cosmetic. Making Bayonet lugs illegal and such. There was really very little substance to the ban.

All I ask was how could this particular ban have been worth not being in control of both Houses.

[Fuzzy LaRue]

18. This was 10 years ago so...

articles are not easy to find but here you go
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/05/05/politics/main552383.shtml

The Democrats lost control of the House in the 1994 elections in a campaign in which the passage of the assault weapons ban played a role in the defeat of some lawmakers. More recently, Vice President Al Gore cast the tie-breaking vote as the Senate in 1999 passed legislation that included restrictions on sales at gun shows and a requirement for safety devices to be sold with guns.

Some party strategists later said it worked against Gore in his losing campaign for the White House in 2000.

[Demonaut]

21. assault rifles not women

nt