VA-ALERT: ACTION ITEM: Presidential debate talks about guns

[OakRidgeStars]

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Tonight on the Presidential debate, guns came up twice:

1. There was a direct question on an "assault weapon" ban. Obama said he WOULD push for a renewal of the "assault weapon" ban if re-elected, Romney said he would NOT support banning ANY guns.

Both candidates seemed to not really understand "fully-automatic" firearms. Romney incorrectly said that fully-automatic guns are not legal (as opposed to actually being legal, but tightly controlled). Obama didn't fare any better, saying that guns designed for soldiers don't belong on our streets and that he wanted to get automatic weapons out of the hands of the mentally ill and criminals. Semi-automatic AR-15s and semi-automatic AK-47s were not designed for the military. Fully-automatic guns are not getting into the hands of criminals (unless put there by the Obama Administration) nor in the hands of the mentally ill.

Romney also said that the "assault weapon" ban he signed into law as the Governor of Massachusetts was one that had other provisions, bringing both the pro-gun and anti-gun groups into agreement. I'm uncomfortable with that. I don't want an "assault weapon" ban no matter what group agrees with it.

Obama said that in Chicago, there is a lot of violence and they are NOT using AK-47s, but cheap handguns. So, is he also going to try to ban "cheap" handguns next or just ban the type of guns that criminals are NOT using?

2. Romney pointed out the Obama Administration's obfuscation on Fast and Furious. Obama stayed clear of discussing Fast and Furious (why stop obfuscating now?)

While Romney had the edge in this debate on guns, neither the Obama NOR the Romney campaign has answered the VCDL Federal Candidate Survey. Consequently we don't have more specifics on the wide variety of other gun issues that we care about.

Call the Obama Campaign at 312-698-3670 and urge President Obama to return the Virginia Citizens Defense League Federal Candidate Survey.

Call the Romney Campaign at 857-288-3500 and urge Mitt Romney to return the Virginia Citizens Defense League Federal Candidate Survey.

Virgil Goode, who is running for President on the Constitution Party ticket, HAS returned the VCDL survey 100% pro-gun!

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Here is more on the debate from EM John Pierce's blog:

http://monachuslex.com/?p=2161






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VA-ALERT is a project of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc.
(VCDL). VCDL is an all-volunteer, non-partisan grassroots organization
dedicated to defending the human rights of all Virginians. The Right to
Keep and Bear Arms is a fundamental human right.

VCDL web page: http://www.vcdl.org [http://www.vcdl.org/]