| K C Star
Opinion Lawmakers attempt to hide concealed guns Date: 05/06/01 The concealed weapons bill was bad enough by itself, but now Missouri lawmakers are trying to conceal the concealed weapons bill sponsored by House Majority Leader Wayne Crump. In so doing, they underestimate the intelligence of Missourians and demonstrate so little faith in this measure that they must resort to chicanery to get it through. Are you watching this, Gov. Bob Holden? Crump, a Potosi Democrat, said he would not bring his bill to the House floor for debate, given that the session ends May 16. It's more likely that he encountered more opposition than expected. Crump is banking on senators picking up the pieces and attaching the measure to an omnibus crime bill. We know it's a glaring contradiction -- proving that one is tough on crime by favoring a measure that could foster more crimes against persons -- but common sense never stood in the way of anything getting done in Jefferson City. "The vehicle is there, and with the Republican controlled-Senate being pro-gun ... I hope they'll put it on there," Crump told The Associated Press. He added, "The Senate is more pro-gun than the House." Unfortunately, he's right about the Senate's makeup. Some senators, like some House members, favor a common mistranslation of the Second Amendment over the wishes of Missouri voters. Two years ago in a referendum, Missourians rejected concealed-carry. Apparently, there is some high-financed selective amnesia in the General Assembly. Any Missouri lawmakers who think they can fool the public into believing they are tough on crime by supporting this type of bill are deceiving themselves. Certainly the public won't be fooled. The public won't forget, either. Trying to slip this one past the voters is also politically reckless. There may be a GOP majority in the Senate, but there is still a Democratic governor who -- at least on the campaign trail -- made repeated professions of opposition to concealed firearms. Do Republicans really want to give Holden the opportunity to win a major public relations victory? Do Republicans want to be seen as the party that shoved this defiant trickery down the voters' throats? Just think what entertaining and enlightening sound bites could be used for the next campaign cycle. This may be the Show-Me State, but most Missourians don't a need closer look at the legislature to see that even with a new collar, some old dogs still won't hunt. |
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Doug Hoffman <dnnhoff@swbell.net> To moccw@yahoogroups.com Sunday, 6 May 2001 These turds are just miffed that we are using their tricks to pass firearms legislation. They continually sneak control measures through on crime bills, tax bills and education bills. They just don't like the taste of their own medicine. I say let them have it. If CCW doesn't go through this session, tack it on to a school lunch program or victim's rights bill next session. This entire article reads like some Orwellian propaganda. The author is clearly trying to make people angry by telling them they should be angry. He's just stirring the pot. Telling the reader that the state senate is making an end run around the voters is just crap. What do legislators do in our republic? Why, they get voted in to make laws. THAT'S WHAT THEY DO! When we leave all of the decision making up to public referendum, we end up with a mob rule democracy. Nowhere in the Constitution is the word democracy mentioned. I read it, I couldn't find it. Many references to a republican (read representative) government, no democracy. Now, I am a 25 year old, public school conditioned, "Gen X", Navy veteran, and even I can make this distinction. Doug Hoffman "The greatest threat to this great Republic are the fools who think it's a Democracy" Subscribe moccw-subscribe@yahoogroups.com |