The cafeteria Constitutionalists are already bloviating about Senator Gillibrand

[friendly_iconoclast]

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/storyprint.asp?StoryID=763929

Will Gillibrand shift on guns?
Incoming senator faces controversy over stance

By JENNIFER A. DLOUHY, Washington bureau
First published: Tuesday, January 27, 2009

WASHINGTON — Incoming U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., takes office today amid criticism from gun control supporters, who say they are troubled by the National Rifle Association's endorsement and a stance favoring what she has called "hunters' rights."
During two years in the House, Gillibrand has built only a short record on gun issues, but each of the votes placed her squarely on the side of gun rights. Those votes dovetail with her campaign rhetoric, including proclamations last year that she is "a strong supporter of the Second Amendment" and "will continue to oppose legislation that will restrict the rights of responsible gun owners."

The voting record and campaign promises were enough to earn her an "A" grade and 100 percent rating from the NRA last year — and spark angry reactions from gun control advocates. who said Gillibrand's Senate appointment puts her outside the mainstream of sentiment in the state.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg issued a scathing critique of Gillibrand's gun views, saying "she has actively opposed the efforts of New York City and cities around the state and nation to enact common sense measures that keep illegal guns out of the hands of criminals."

Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, D-N.Y., who has made gun control her signature issue in Congress, called Gillibrand an "NRA poster girl" and threatened to run against her in the Democratic primary in 2010. McCarthy won her congressional seat after the death of her husband in the 1993 Long Island Rail Road shooting massacre.....

Now we know what the Bradyist party line is: Pretend that Heller never happened,
or that the decision didn't say what it did.

Gonna be hard to portray her as right-winger though, what with her excellent ratings from NOW, NARAL,
the ACLU and AFL-CIO.

It'll be fun to watch the contortions, as some will undoubtedly try anyway.

I prefer "pro-liberty", myself

[Possumpoint]

1. All Too Many Politicians

fail to read, adhere to or understand the constitution and its amendments. What part of "shall not be infringed" don't you understand?

[appal_jack]

2. The more I read about Gillibrand...

The more I read about Gillibrand, the more I like about her. She sounds like someone ho takes the whole Constitution seriously, and that's what I expect from a Senator.

I'm an ex-NY'er (present NC'er), but I congratulate all NY'ers on their excellent new Senator, and urge you all to support her in her Senatorial efforts and re-election campaign (which is really just around the corner, especially with a pending primary challenge from idiot-McCarthy).

-app

[spin]

3. I imagine the anti-gun groups hate Democrats with "A" ratings from the NRA...

it seems to be becoming a growing trend.

She will face a lot of pressure from other politicians and the media in New York.

Here for an example is a recent news article:

Pro-gun Senator-designate Gillibrand should see heartbreak at Brooklyn HS


Last week's funeral of of Nazareth Regional High School student Nyasia Pryear Yard.

The Brooklyn high school attended by an honor student killed by a stray bullet wants our new pro-gun senator to drop by for a visit.

Principal Barbara Gil of Nazareth Regional High School also extends an invitation to our governor, who appointed Kirsten Gillibrand despite her active efforts against gun control.

"If Gov. Paterson or Ms. Gillibrand want to know firsthand the effect guns on the street have, let them come to Nazareth and speak to my kids who will tell them of the heartache and fear they have," Gil said.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/01/26/2009-01-26_progun_senatordesignate_gillibrand_shoul.html

The young girls tragic death was probably caused by gang violence:

A 17-year-old Catholic school honor student and aspiring model was shot dead early Sunday as she danced in a Brooklyn teen club.

Two other teens were grazed by bullets during the 3:15 a.m. melee and cops were investigating whether rival gangs were responsible for the gunplay involved, sources said.

************snip***********

Relatives blamed the shooting on gang rivalries and said Bloods gang members unleashed the violence because they were elbowed out of event on a lucrative holiday weekend.

"The Bloods were angry that they didn't get the space. So they targeted the party to shoot it up," said Michael Miller, the slain teen's uncle. "That is word on the street
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2009/01/18/2009-01-18_17yearold_honors_student_nyasia_pryearya.html

Obviously, something needs to be done to reduce gang violence. Gun control laws directed at honest citizens will have little effect on this violence. Criminal gangs should be targeted as terrorist groups (which they are) by both the local police and the Feds. When a group with a grievance targets a party of innocent people and kills and wounds some...that is terrorism.

So the new Senator will find herself under fire from New York politicians, anti-gun groups and the news media for her views on firearms. It may be easy for a Governor of New Mexico like Bill Richardson to be pro-gun and survive as a politician, but it's very difficult for a New York politician to hold the same views.

She's definitely an advocate for hunters, but I can't find any statements regarding her views on firearms for self defense. I suspect she will buy into the current argument that the Democratic Party seems to be adapting. Firearms are fine in rural areas, but should be subject to draconian restrictions in urban areas. While she will support hunters, she will deny some poor bastard the right to defend himself in his own New York City house against an intruder. She will never support shall issue concealed carry permits in New York City, because it's a really terrible idea to allow the average honest citizen to carry a weapon in public in the Big Apple. (With the exception of rich, prominent and famous people like Don Imus or Donald Trump.)

Of course, she could continue to earn her high rating from the NRA. She could continue to be a strong supporter of the Second Amendment. Since she will attract considerable media attention, she could be a true "NRA poster girl" and present a strong case for gun ownership not only for hunting but for self defense.

If she waffles under pressure, she will be seen as merely another typical politician. If she has the guts and courage to truly prove that she was worthy of a high NRA rating, she might lose the next election. On the other hand, she might launch a movement that could win her the honors of being the first woman President.

[X_Digger]

4. Anyone know about rural NY?

A friend of mine from NY used to tell me that the attitudes in rural NY were more in line with rural areas elsewhere. I heard something similar on NPR the other day when the Gillibrand appointment was in the news.

Anyone familiar with the attitudes concerning firearms & RKBA in rural / non-nyc New York?

[jmg257]

6. A LOT more gun friendly mostly. A lot of hunters and shooters and sportsman.

I am in the Hudson Valley, near West Point, and there are 1000s of gun club members just around my area; I know of at least 5 clubs w/ranges etc. within 15 miles or so. Plenty of us grew up hunting, shooting, archery-ing(?), fishing, etc. This extends at least through the center of state (hunting & fishing), upstate to the Adirondacks & Catskills, etc. I would think generally that NYC is pretty much the only region that ISN'T pro-gun.

Which is why McCarthy et. al. should have a nice big cup of "shut the hell up". We want representation too, and I am thrilled with Gillibrand.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

5. Where are our regular group of gun grabbers?

They should be calling the Brady bunch anti democratic for criticizing our party.

David

[krispos42]

7. legalizding drugs will save far more lives than further restricting guns

They already have strict gun-control laws in NYC, including letting cities have stricter laws than the state level. There's not a hell of a lot more they can do in NYC.

A fairly large portion of crime is driven by poverty and gangs. The easiest way to destroy the gangs is to legalize and regulate what they are selling. Poverty is a more difficult problem, but reducing the number of people in jail and that have prison records will certainly help, as will the number of young people that forsake education and honest work for the gang life. And with crime down, neighborhoods should be able to attract and retain more business, which would bring with them jobs.

[spin]

8. Obviously the war on drugs has been a total failure...

so we need to try something different.

Legalization of some drugs, such as marijuana, would be a good idea. It would help to reduce the crime rate and take the profit motive out of selling these drugs.

WebMD) Despite tough anti-drug laws, a new survey shows the U.S. has the highest level of illegal drug use in the world.

The World Health Organization's survey of legal and illegal drug use in 17 countries, including the Netherlands and other countries with less stringent drug laws, shows Americans report the highest level of cocaine and marijuana use.

For example, Americans were four times more likely to report using cocaine in their lifetime than the next closest country, New Zealand (16% vs. 4%),

Marijuana use was more widely reported worldwide, and the U.S. also had the highest rate of use at 42.4% compared with 41.9% of New Zealanders.

In contrast, in the Netherlands, which has more liberal drug policies than the U.S., only 1.9% of people reported cocaine use and 19.8% reported marijuana use.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/07/01/health/webmd/main4222322.shtml


U..S. Federal Bureau of Narcotics propaganda used in 1935