Dick Gephardt on Gun ControlFormer Democratic Representative (MO-3); Former Democratic Candidate for President |
Howard Dean proudly tells audiences that the NRA endorsed him as governor of Vermont, and that he would leave most gun laws to the states. Dick Gephardt, a longtime gun control advocate, is careful to highlight his support for law-abiding gun owners. John Edwards says, "Guns are about independence. They don't want people messing with that."
As a result, Democratic strategists predict the debate over gun laws in this campaign will be less divisive. Democrats might fight for narrow proposals to make guns safer and more difficult for children and criminals to obtain, they said, yet voters are likely to hear as much about enforcing existing gun laws as creating new ones-a position Republicans and the NRA have pushed for years.
The old saying goes, “If you don’t vote, you can’t gripe.” To that I’d add, “If you don’t vote, you may eventually lose the right to vote.” Democracy depends on participation, and without active citizens re-energizing democracy it is no given that democracy will last.
While widely recognized today as a major political force and as America's foremost defender of Second Amendment rights, the National Rifle Association (NRA) has, since its inception, been the premier firearms education organization in the world. But our successes would not be possible without the tireless efforts and countless hours of service our nearly three million members have given to champion Second Amendment rights and support NRA programs.
While widely recognized today as a major political force and as America's foremost defender of Second Amendment rights, the National Rifle Association (NRA) has, since its inception, been the premier firearms education organization in the world. But our successes would not be possible without the tireless efforts and countless hours of service our nearly three million members have given to champion Second Amendment rights and support NRA programs.
The following ratings are based on lifetime voting records on gun issues and the results of a questionaire sent to all Congressional candidates; the NRA assigned a letter grade (with A+ being the highest and F being the lowest).
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Other candidates on Gun Control: | Dick Gephardt on other issues: | ||
MO Gubernatorial: Bob Holden Matt Blunt MO Senatorial: Jean Carnahan Jim Talent John Ashcroft Kit Bond Mel Carnahan Nancy Farmer Presidential: George W. Bush (GOP) V.P.Dick Cheney (GOP-V.P.) Sen.John Kerry (Dem.) Sen.John Edwards (Dem.V.P.) Ralph Nader (Reform) Peter Camejo (Reform V.P.) David Cobb (Green) Michael Badnarik (Libertarian) Michael Peroutka (Constitution) |
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