President Barack Obama announced he will not endorse or campaign on behalf of any Democratic candidates who refuse to endorse new gun control measures in a New York Times op-ed published Thursday night.
“I will not campaign for, vote for or support any candidate, even in my own party, who does not support common-sense gun reform,” Obama wrote in the editorial. “And if the 90 percent of Americans who do support common-sense gun reforms join me, we will elect the leadership we deserve.”
In the past, Obama’s pledge likely would have affected a sizable number of Democrats from rural and conservative districts who took strong pro-gun positions. But over time, those Democrats have steadily evaporated.
Only four Democrats voted against a universal background check bill in 2013, and of those only one, North Dakota Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, is still in office. Heitkamp won’t be up for reelection until 2018, and she may not have wanted Obama’s help winning reelection anyway. As a result, Obama’s promise is more of a statement that strongly pro-gun Democrats are not welcome in the party.
The op-ed follows his executive order on gun control issued this week, which circumvents Congress in order to compel more gun sellers to carry out background checks for buyers. Obama shed tears while calling for national action to end gun violence in a public address Tuesday, announcing the executive order.
As he did in his speech Tuesday, Obama compares gun control to civil rights achievements, such as ending slavery, in the op-ed.
“Change will be hard,” he wrote. “It won’t happen overnight. But securing a woman’s right to vote didn’t happen overnight. The liberation of African-Americans didn’t happen overnight. Advancing the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans has taken decades’ worth of work.”
A Doe walks out of the woods today and says, that is the last time I'm going to do that for Two Bucks.
1)Eliminate gun free zones 2)Arm and train as many teachers that would participate 3)Firearm safety and shooting in all public schools 4)Remove restrictions on suppressors 5)Remove all record of sale after every background check, including hard copy at FFL shop 6)I'm sure there are more.....
That might not make an impact to the Ds in Congress, but it's going to cause some waves for those conservative Ds in state legislatures. I'm thinking specifically about the Southern "blue dog" Ds in coal and tobacco country.
Originally Posted by Mannlicher
America needs to understand that our troops are not 'disposable'. Each represents a family; Fathers, Mothers, Sons, Daughters, Cousins, Uncles, Aunts... Our Citizens are our most valuable treasure; we waste far too many.
That might not make an impact to the Ds in Congress, but it's going to cause some waves for those conservative Ds in state legislatures. I'm thinking specifically about the Southern "blue dog" Ds in coal and tobacco country.
I live in Coal and Tobacco country.
I haven't heard of any Blue Dog politicians bemoaning the fact that Obama isn't showing up to stump for them.
Most of them are pretty much, "Lawd have mercy,...I hope that negra stays home".
That might not make an impact to the Ds in Congress, but it's going to cause some waves for those conservative Ds in state legislatures. I'm thinking specifically about the Southern "blue dog" Ds in coal and tobacco country.
I live in Coal and Tobacco country.
I haven't heard of any Blue Dog politicians bemoaning the fact that Obama isn't showing up to stump for them.
Most of them are pretty much, "Lawd have mercy,...I hope that negra stays home".
Not the point. More along the lines of the R or I candidate being able to directly point to the D national platform that is openly, adamantly anti-2A on all points espoused by Hussein. Those blue dogs are losing more and more of their margin of victory every cycle, and this will likely cost another couple their seats.
Originally Posted by Mannlicher
America needs to understand that our troops are not 'disposable'. Each represents a family; Fathers, Mothers, Sons, Daughters, Cousins, Uncles, Aunts... Our Citizens are our most valuable treasure; we waste far too many.
Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny. Thomas Jefferson
Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny. Thomas Jefferson
