Interesting observation on Dem party platform.

[-..__...]

http://www.democrats.org/platform/

From the drop down list of choices, there's no mention of gun control...
for that matter, there's no mention of combating crime, either.

Could it be that the leadership is beginning to realize that the less said about gun control, the better?

Do they even regard it as an issue at all in this election cycle?

[benddem]

1. this was a decision that has been in the works for years

n/t

[slackmaster]

2. I've sent several paper letters to the DNC regarding the 2000 platform

Regarding among other things the vagueness of a couple of points in the 2000 platform regarding gun issues.

It's nice to know they're willing to listen to rank-and-file folks like most of us.

Hey D__S, we could always put comments under "civil rights" on the page you linked to.

[-..__...]

3. "We Shall Overcome"?

:D

I haven't sung "Kumbaya" since grade school... I'll have to look up the lyrics.

O8)

[MrBenchley]

4. Could it be

that "gun control" is taken for granted...and that only a handful of extremists are opposed to gun control?

[Township75]

5. Unlikely...

seeing how the anti gun side hasn't had a victory in years in the courts or in the legislature.

[MrBenchley]

7. Guess again, town

What happened to the gun nuts' disgraceful "immunity from liability" law that you guys were gloating was UNSTOPPABLE? What happened to the nutcases' lawsuit to hand out pistol permits in DC?

Nobody but a handful of loonies opposes gun control anymore....even Chimpy has to pay it lip service...

[-..__...]

6. Or could it be that...

only a handful of extremists are pushing for gun control? By that I mean the shrill screams, hand wringing and arm flapping by hard core gun control advocates like Feinstein and Schumer.

[MrBenchley]

8. Guess again, D_S

"Democrats Taking The Lead
Senator Diane Feinstein Leads The Fight To Keep Our Families Safe From Gun Violence. With Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) in the lead, the United States Senate this week wound up defeating a bill to shield gun manufacturers and dealers from lawsuits — the # 1 legislative priority of the NRA!
In a series of hotly contested, historic votes, Senators voted to amend the liability shield bill to extend the ban on assault weapons, now scheduled to expire this September, and to require background checks on purchasers at gun shows.
The NRA then withdrew support for the immunity bill, which was defeated overwhelmingly.
In his 2000 campaign, George W. Bush claimed that he supported extension of the assault weapons ban, although the White House was noticeably absent from the debate in the Senate. Will the President meet his commitment to American voters?
"We will come back, and we will come back and we will come back again." Senator Feinstein says. "

http://www.democrats.org/wvc/weekinreview/200403080002.html

[MrBenchley]

9. What's number nine in the "Top Ten Bush flip-flops"

9. Bush Flip-Flops on Assault Weapons Ban

Bush Flip: Bush Supports Extending Assault Weapons Ban
Ashcroft: "It is my understanding that the president-elect of the United States has indicated his clear support for extending the assault weapons ban, and I will be pleased to move forward with that position."

Bush Flop: Bush Opposes Extension of Assault Weapons Ban
"The White House is opposing addition of gun show and assault weapons restrictions to a bill shielding firearms makers and dealers from lawsuits, prompting angry complaints from Democrats that President Bush is reneging on earlier support for the two proposals...In a statement , the White House urged passage of the lawsuits measure without amendments that might delay its enactment. 'Any amendment that would delay enactment of the bill beyond this year is unacceptable,' the statement said. Democrats interpreted this as an effort to undermine support for the gun-control measures. 'For the president to say he is for the assault weapons ban but then act against it is a flip-flop if there ever was one,' said Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), one of several sponsors of the assault weapons proposal in the Senate."

http://www.democrats.org/specialreports/top10_flipflops/index.html

[Oaklander]

10. I think you hit the nail on the head.

Party leadership has realized that appearing anti-gun may have cost Gore a couple of states in 2000 and, obviously, the election. They may have a plan for after the election but I think they're gonna keep pretty quiet until after November.

[CO Liberal]

11. Maybe It's Part of "Homeland Security"

Along with crime and crime prevention.

[MrBenchley]

12. You might recall

that imbecile AshKKKroft refused to let the FBI check to see if terrorists bought guns....

[CO Liberal]

13. Was That Before or After.....

...AshKKKroft stopped flying on commercial airliners?

:-)

[MrBenchley]

14. AFTER....of course....

"ATTORNEY GENERAL JOHN ASHCROFT, TESTIFYING BEFORE CONGRESS, 12/6/01: It's my belief that the United States Congress specifically outlaws and bans the use of the NICS database and that's the use of approved purchase records, for weapons checks on possible terrorists or on anyone else.

DEBORAH AMOS: What the Attorney General did not tell Congress in December is revealed in this internal Justice Department memo, obtained by NOW. It turns out that Ashcroft's own Justice Department had just issued an opinion that supported the F.B.I's longtime practice of checking criminal suspects against the gun background check records.
And it said, "We see nothing in the NICS regulations that prohibits the FBI from deriving additional benefits from checking audit log records."
Ashcroft refused to follow his own Justice Department's interpretation of the law, and insisted he did not have the authority to change this law.

SENATOR CHARLES SCHUMER (D-NY), 12/6/01: You are certainly allowed to use the system because these people don't have the right to have a gun.

ATTORNEY GENERAL ASHCROFT: The law is as the Congress wrote it and I intend to enforce the law as it has been written and signed by the President.

CHAIRMAN: We wrote it that way because we had to it was the only way we could pass it.

SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER: But if you don't run the checks, you're not going to know who should be denied.

ATTORNEY GENERAL ASHCROFT: There...I don't think.. We are ships passing in the night, or maybe I am a rowboat passing you as a ship. Whatever it is here.

SENATOR JACK REED, (D-RI): I think if the Attorney General felt that there was any confusion about authority, he could have come to us immediately, as he did on the U.S.A. Patriot Act. I mean, here's a law enforcement officer who recommending to the President very serious and very sober steps about detaining people in the United States but didn't ask to allow the FBI to look at lists that have been maintained of gun sales that may have revealed a connection with terrorists."

http://www.pbs.org/now/printable/transcript143_full_print.html

[mosin]

15. It's off-topic...

but I noticed that there is no anti-voucher language under education issues either.

Maybe they realized how divisive this issue is too, especially among African-American Democrats. We're largely the ones whose kids are trapped in the failing public schools.

Maybe I should look for a discussion in a relevant forum. :)

[MrBenchley]

16. Or again...

by now that issue is as dead as Reagan's brain, and nobody but a handful of far right wowsers even pretend there's a case to be made for vouchers.