There Is A Reason Congress Doesn't Vote In Secret

No Lawyers - Only Guns and Money

---

There Is A Reason Congress Doesn't Vote In Secret Posted: 02 Apr 2013 08:21 AM PDT Yesterday the Washington Post ran an article about how the push for gun control measures is running out of steam in Congress. It seems that those of us who believe in Constitutional rights and the Second Amendment have been pushing back. Among the people interviewed for this article was Matt Bennett of Third Way. This "think tank" tries to portray itself as centrist which might be true in DC but not elsewhere. It says it seeks "principled solutions and pragmatic compromise." Among the items on their agenda is more gun control or, as they call it, "gun safety laws." Speaking of the progress on gun control since Senators went home to their states for the Easter break where they have been hearing from their constituents, Mr. Bennett had this to say: “If there was a secret-ballot vote it would pass overwhelmingly, because from a substantive point of view most of these senators understand that this is the right thing to do,” said Matt Bennett, a gun-control advocate and senior vice president at Third Way, a centrist think tank. “What’s holding them back is pure politics.” Yes, and if we had star chambers then all those who opposed so-called progressive laws would be in prison or worse. Mr. Bennett is the Senior VP for Public Affairs for Third Way. Previously, he worked as an assistant to Al Gore and then Bill Clinton. He was the Director of Public Affairs fro 2001-2004 for the gun control group Americans for Gun Safety among other jobs post-Clinton. It is rather appalling to read of the anti-democratic principles espoused by gun control proponents. It is all too easy for them to denigrate the voice of those of us in the hinterlands as "pure politics" if we disagree with their "prescriptions". They should remember that America is not some sort of technocratic autocracy where "our betters" rule. We still retain for now the vote and by God we will vote out those who think so little of our Second Amendment rights.  Subscribe in a reader

SAF Files Suit In Nebraska ... Again Posted: 02 Apr 2013 05:12 AM PDT The Second Amendment Foundation has filed suit against Nebraska officials over the statutory prohibition against carry permits for permanent legal resident aliens. In 2011, the Second Amendment Foundation filed suit against the City of Omaha in Gonzalez v. Omaha over a city ordinance which prohibited permanent legal aliens from being able to register a handgun. In that case, the City of Omaha settled, changed their ordinance, and sent a check to SAF for legal fees. Substantial case law exists regarding the civil rights of permanent legal aliens. They are a suspect class and any different treatment for them is held to strict scrutiny. Illegal aliens, non-resident aliens, and others such as those on student or tourist visas are not considered part of a suspect class. There have been cases in Kentucky and South Dakota involving concealed carry for legal aliens and the courts have always found in their favor. I expect it will be no different here. From the Second Amendment Foundation: SAF SUES NEBRASKA OVER CARRY PROHIBITION FOR RESIDENT ALIENS For Immediate Release: 4/1/2013 BELLEVUE, WA – The Second Amendment Foundation today filed a motion for injunctive relief against Nebraska officials over a statutory prohibition that prevents non-citizens legally residing in the state from obtaining a concealed carry permit. SAF filed the lawsuit on behalf of 68-year-old Carlos Nino De Rivera Lajous, a Mexican citizen who has been legally residing in Lincoln since 1990. SAF is joined in the action by the Nebraska Firearms Owners Association. Defendants in the lawsuit are Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning and David Sankey, superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol, both in their official capacities. “Mr. Lajous received a permanent resident visa in 1991, and he has earned three associated degrees from Central Community College in Hastings,” noted SAF Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb. “He has certainly established himself as a productive member of his community over the past 22 years. “Ironically,” Gottlieb continued, “Mr. Lajous is allowed to carry a firearm openly in Nebraska, except for certain locations where doing so is not allowed under state law. He is prohibited from obtaining a concealed carry permit by state statute, thus making open carry his only option for personal protection, and as a result, he is the victim of what might be called a ‘Catch 22’ in state law. “There is no rationale for a system in which someone can legally carry openly for self-defense, but yet that person cannot obtain a concealed pistol permit because of nationality,” he said. “SAF has challenged similar problems in Washington, New Mexico and Iowa where non-citizen legal residents faced troublesome local gun laws, and when Mr. Lajous’ Nebraska problem came to our attention, we acted.” The case was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska. Plaintiffs are represented by attorneys David G. Sigale of Glen Ellyn, Ill., and Bernie Glaser of Lincoln. The complaint for the case of Lajous et al v. Bruning et al can be found here.  Subscribe in a reader

 

You are subscribed to email updates from No Lawyers - Only Guns and Money To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610