Thursday, January 24, 2008
Virginia Congressman Tells Bush to Quit Trying to Outlaw Firearms
Thanks to a brief filed in District of Columbia v. Heller, the premier Second Amendment Supreme Court case in the past 70 years, we now have proof that the Bush Administration has been decidedly pro-gun control. That brief was filed on behalf of the Administration by Bush's own Solicitor General.
In the following letter, Congressman Virgil Goode (R-VA) lets Bush know that he's in the wrong on this one:
January 22, 2008
President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington DC 20500
Dear President Bush:
Your Solicitor General has just filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in the D.C. v. Heller case arguing that categorical gun bans of virtually all self-defense firearms are constitutional if a court determines they are "reasonable" -- the lowest standard of constitutional review.
If this view prevails, a national ban on all firearms -- including hunting rifles -- could be constitutional, even if the court decides -- on ample historical evidence -- that the Founders intended the Second Amendment as an individual right.
I would ask that you direct the Justice Department to withdraw this unfortunate brief and to replace it with an opinion which reflects the right of law-abiding Americans to keep and bear arms.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely yours,
Virgil Goode
Gun Owners of America has generated this press release along the same lines. The National Rifle Association has issued several statements regarding the amici briefs. Say Uncle also has a few thoughts.
The Administration's brief is a real shame. It gets quite a bit of the argument right, and then it takes a horrid turn for the worse about 2/3 of the way through, venturing into some fantasyland where criminals abide by the laws and machine guns can be found as easily as crack cocaine. It makes one wonder if President Bush really did support the Brady Gun Ban, that it wasn't just lip service that he hated to see it go when it lapsed back in 2004.
I guess we can chalk this up to another issue that went wrong under President Bush.
In the following letter, Congressman Virgil Goode (R-VA) lets Bush know that he's in the wrong on this one:
January 22, 2008
President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington DC 20500
Dear President Bush:
Your Solicitor General has just filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in the D.C. v. Heller case arguing that categorical gun bans of virtually all self-defense firearms are constitutional if a court determines they are "reasonable" -- the lowest standard of constitutional review.
If this view prevails, a national ban on all firearms -- including hunting rifles -- could be constitutional, even if the court decides -- on ample historical evidence -- that the Founders intended the Second Amendment as an individual right.
I would ask that you direct the Justice Department to withdraw this unfortunate brief and to replace it with an opinion which reflects the right of law-abiding Americans to keep and bear arms.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely yours,
Virgil Goode
Gun Owners of America has generated this press release along the same lines. The National Rifle Association has issued several statements regarding the amici briefs. Say Uncle also has a few thoughts.
The Administration's brief is a real shame. It gets quite a bit of the argument right, and then it takes a horrid turn for the worse about 2/3 of the way through, venturing into some fantasyland where criminals abide by the laws and machine guns can be found as easily as crack cocaine. It makes one wonder if President Bush really did support the Brady Gun Ban, that it wasn't just lip service that he hated to see it go when it lapsed back in 2004.
I guess we can chalk this up to another issue that went wrong under President Bush.
Labels: SCOTUS, Second Amendment
Permalink posted by Rob Huddleston @ 10:12 AM 
