Connecticut massacre thrusts Michigan gun bills — and tea party — into spotlight - Basketball Forum : Professional and College Basketball Forums

**Prince** · 12-20-2012, 10:08 AM

Quote:

LANSING, Mich. — Days after setting off a national uproar by barring unions from collecting mandatory dues, Republican legislators here moved on to another controversy: A series of bills loosening gun regulations, including one to allow concealed weapons in schools, day-care centers and other “gun-free zones.”

The last measure was well on its way to becoming law until a singular event intervened: The slaughter of 20 children and six adults Friday at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn. Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R), who had suggested he would support the bill, changed his mind after the killings and decided to veto it, though, he still signed two other measures making it easier to purchase firearms.

The Michigan proposals — as well as another gun-related bill to be signed into law by Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) — serve as the latest reminder that tea party conservatives remain a vigorous force in statehouses across the country, even as they lost seats and influence in Washington following the November elections.

But Snyder’s decision to reject the concealed-weapon measure also underscores the limits of tea party legislation, which often fires up the conservative base while alienating mainstream voters. This is especially true when an issue such as gun control is suddenly thrust into the national spotlight, as it has in the wake of the Newtown shootings.

Republican-led state legislatures have approved more than four dozen measures over the past two years loosening restrictions on firearms, according to a Washington Post tally of data compiled by the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, which favors stricter gun regulations. They include a Maine provision allowing guns in state parks and a repeal of Virginia’s law limiting handgun purchases to one per month.

In Ohio, Kasich is set to sign a bill this week that would allow guns in cars in the state House of Representatives parking garage. Since the Newtown slayings, lawmakers in several states have proposed allowing teachers and school administrators to be armed.

Many of the measures have been drafted by lobbying groups such as the National Rifle Association and the American Legislative Exchange Council. Both campaigned for passage of so-called “stand your ground” laws, which came under scrutiny earlier this year after the fatal shooting of an unarmed teenager in Florida.

“There’s been some losses, and then there’s been some defensive victories and then a smattering of actual victories,” said Robyn Thomas, executive director of the Law Center.

The recent flurry of bills in Michigan has captured headlines in part because the conservative measures emerged from such a deep-blue union stronghold, where President Obama won by nine points and Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D) was reelected by more than 20.

Republicans took over the Michigan legislature and governor’s office in 2010, part of the conservative tea party wave that washed over Congress and state governments around the country. Republicans gained further ground in the states this past November and are poised to control both the legislature and the governorship in 24 states in January, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politi...y.html?hpid=z1

**Krstic All-Star** · 12-20-2012, 10:36 AM

None of the bills would have made a damn bit of difference in preventing a Newtown-style massacre

**Prince** · 12-20-2012, 10:42 AM

^ Exactly.

Marcus13 · 12-20-2012, 11:31 AM

Yeah, pure sillyness. Although, I do think that all teachers should be required to have a gun

**Bogg** · 12-20-2012, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcus13

Yeah, pure sillyness. Although, I do think that all teachers should be required to have a gun

Creates more problems than it solves. You'll have some teacher freak out and shoot a co-worker over a personal beef, or some student take their gun in a fit of rage and start a school shooting before you have a 60-year-old go action hero and take down a gunman. You want to add police presence to schools, then fine. However, asking teachers to double as armed guards isn't going to work out well.

**E.H. Munro** · 12-20-2012, 12:42 PM

As a citizen I think it should be mandatory that people sitting in the gallery during legislative sessions be armed.

kbdullah · 12-20-2012, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bogg

Creates more problems than it solves. You'll have some teacher freak out and shoot a co-worker over a personal beef, or some student take their gun in a fit of rage and start a school shooting before you have a 60-year-old go action hero and take down a gunman. You want to add police presence to schools, then fine. However, asking teachers to double as armed guards isn't going to work out well.

Exactly. Let teachers teach. Don't ask them to do something police officers are already trained to do.

**Krstic All-Star** · 12-20-2012, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by E.H. Munro

As a citizen I think it should be mandatory that people sitting in the gallery during legislative sessions be armed.

Or at least given rotten vegetables at the door

**Ron** · 12-20-2012, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by E.H. Munro

As a citizen I think it should be mandatory that people sitting in the gallery during legislative sessions be armed.

Here here.

Nimreitz · 12-20-2012, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bogg

Creates more problems than it solves. You'll have some teacher freak out and shoot a co-worker over a personal beef, or some student take their gun in a fit of rage and start a school shooting before you have a 60-year-old go action hero and take down a gunman. You want to add police presence to schools, then fine. However, asking teachers to double as armed guards isn't going to work out well.

Exactly. Armed civilians just cause problems in situations like these. There are so few cases of armed civilians successfully intervening in cases like these, and usually they shoot and kill the guy after he's done and running away preventing nothing.

And guns in schools, that's a great idea. No one trusts guns in their house if they aren't in a lock box because they know their kids will kill themselves or a friend, but we need to have them in every class room because kids there... oh shit.

Not to mention how much stress teachers are under and how they are not taught to handle their stress WHILE CARRYING DEADLY WEAPONS. Teachers flip out on kids all the time and you guys want to give concealed weapons to them. Jesus christ.

Mr. Hobbes · 12-20-2012, 09:46 PM

Let's arm all the kids. Problem solved.

These politicians are ridiculous. To prevent the crazy people from committing murder, they want to give everyone the ability to murder.

But like KAS said, these bills are a waste of time. Murderers don't have lot of regard for laws.

**Diable** · 12-20-2012, 10:05 PM

The thing that annoys me about this and countless other bills at all legislative levels is the fact that it was written by a special interest group. I means seriously, who elected the NRA to write laws in Michigan? In the US Congress you have energy bills that are written by oil company lawyers and Financial legislation that is really written by lobbyists from the banking and stock market lobbies.

These assholes are willing to lie and steal to get these jobs and then they rent the office out to the highest bidder instead of doing the job they were elected to do.

kbdullah · 12-21-2012, 09:01 AM

Update: NRA is going to push for armed guards in schools.

Quote:

The National Rifle Association stunned Washington observers Friday when the group’s CEO announced a plan to install armed guards at every school in the country — its response to the Connecticut shooting last week that left 20 children dead.

Wayne LaPierre said the NRA would create the National School Shield program, which will be led by former Rep. Asa Hutchinson (R-Ark.).

“I call on Congress today to act immediately to appropriate whatever is necessary to put armed police officers in every single school in this nation, and to do it now,” LaPierre said.

http://www.politico.com/story/2012/1...ols-85408.html

Mr. Hobbes · 12-21-2012, 04:23 PM

Pros - Jobs. Cons - your children's lives in the hands of mercenaries.

**Krstic All-Star** · 12-21-2012, 09:15 PM

My solution remains as it always has: de-mythologize guns and work from there. But since no politician can take credit for that sort of response, it'll never happen. ****ing depressing, but that's why I loathe politics so

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using VerticalSports.Com App

12-20-2012, 10:36 AM	#2 (permalink)
Krstic All-Star Legal Smeagol Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Unemployed, in Greenland?!? Age: 34 Posts: 30,657 Rep Power: 19240053	Re: Connecticut massacre thrusts Michigan gun bills — and tea party — into spotlight None of the bills would have made a damn bit of difference in preventing a Newtown-style massacre __________________ LIPA delenda est

12-20-2012, 10:42 AM	#3 (permalink)
Prince Formerly Known as Quite Frankly Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Wisconsin Age: 22 Posts: 11,766 Rep Power: 4606109	Re: Connecticut massacre thrusts Michigan gun bills — and tea party — into spotlight ^ Exactly. __________________ 2032 KVBL Champions: Milwaukee Bucks (Prince) Lineup - PG D'Angelo McMillian \| SG Eddy Sweet \| SF Cameron Clothier \| PF Mario Rogic \| C Greg Hope \| 6th man C Andre Wright Finals MVP: Greg Hope 2033 KVBL Champions: Milwaukee Bucks (Prince) Lineup - PG D'Angelo McMillian \| SG Joseph McDaniels \| SF Cameron Clothier \| PF Mario Rogic \| C Greg Hope \| 6th man C Peter Acres Finals MVP: Greg Hope Fear the Deer Minnesota Timberwolves

12-20-2012, 11:31 AM	#4 (permalink)
Marcus13 Jesus Shuttlesworth Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Indianapolis Age: 25 Posts: 13,977 Rep Power: 3023600	Re: Connecticut massacre thrusts Michigan gun bills — and tea party — into spotlight Yeah, pure sillyness. Although, I do think that all teachers should be required to have a gun __________________

12-20-2012, 12:42 PM	#6 (permalink)
E.H. Munro Baddest Honky Mofo Alive Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 24,261 Rep Power: 21474869	Re: Connecticut massacre thrusts Michigan gun bills — and tea party — into spotlight As a citizen I think it should be mandatory that people sitting in the gallery during legislative sessions be armed. __________________ If everyone loves you you're doing it wrong. "Opium is the religion of the masses." Fred Reed The Power of 99 Press "He thinks it's going to be fun being governor. It's only fun being governor of New York if you have money to spend, and I spent it all." Nelson Rockefeller on his successor, Hugh Carey.

12-20-2012, 09:46 PM	#11 (permalink)
Mr. Hobbes Legend Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 19,469 Rep Power: 21474863	Re: Connecticut massacre thrusts Michigan gun bills — and tea party — into spotlight Let's arm all the kids. Problem solved. These politicians are ridiculous. To prevent the crazy people from committing murder, they want to give everyone the ability to murder. But like KAS said, these bills are a waste of time. Murderers don't have lot of regard for laws. __________________ don't edit me bro

12-20-2012, 10:05 PM	#12 (permalink)
Diable Limehouse Blues Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Carolina Posts: 22,141 Rep Power: 14650805	Re: Connecticut massacre thrusts Michigan gun bills — and tea party — into spotlight The thing that annoys me about this and countless other bills at all legislative levels is the fact that it was written by a special interest group. I means seriously, who elected the NRA to write laws in Michigan? In the US Congress you have energy bills that are written by oil company lawyers and Financial legislation that is really written by lobbyists from the banking and stock market lobbies. These assholes are willing to lie and steal to get these jobs and then they rent the office out to the highest bidder instead of doing the job they were elected to do. __________________

12-21-2012, 04:23 PM	#14 (permalink)
Mr. Hobbes Legend Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 19,469 Rep Power: 21474863	Re: Connecticut massacre thrusts Michigan gun bills — and tea party — into spotlight Pros - Jobs. Cons - your children's lives in the hands of mercenaries. __________________ don't edit me bro

12-21-2012, 09:15 PM	#15 (permalink)
Krstic All-Star Legal Smeagol Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Unemployed, in Greenland?!? Age: 34 Posts: 30,657 Rep Power: 19240053	My solution remains as it always has: de-mythologize guns and work from there. But since no politician can take credit for that sort of response, it'll never happen. ****ing depressing, but that's why I loathe politics so Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using VerticalSports.Com App __________________ LIPA delenda est

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