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Cali_Democrat

(30,439 posts)
Fri Oct 2, 2015, 11:17 AM Oct 2015

Was It Wrong For Bernie To Vote Against The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act?


6 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
Yes
4 (67%)
No
2 (33%)
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Was It Wrong For Bernie To Vote Against The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act? (Original Post) Cali_Democrat Oct 2015 OP
I wish he would have voted for it. cyberswede Oct 2015 #1
A big mistake on Sanders' part. Koinos Oct 2015 #2
I don't think it has a meaningful impact either way Scootaloo Oct 2015 #3
Need more info, but probably not LettuceSea Oct 2015 #4
Here Cali_Democrat Oct 2015 #7
ty. Would like to see what Bernie says, but perhaps there is a lesson(s) to be learned here? LettuceSea Oct 2015 #10
Was it wrong to click on a OP by this poster? artislife Oct 2015 #5
Here's the problem with bills zalinda Oct 2015 #6
Which rider attached to this bill are you referring to? nt Cali_Democrat Oct 2015 #8
I have no idea zalinda Oct 2015 #13
nope ibegurpard Oct 2015 #9
The Brady bill wasn't a handgun ban Cali_Democrat Oct 2015 #11
For people asking about his reasons for voting against the Brady Bill. aidbo Oct 2015 #12
No, it was correct and in line with the Bill of Rights. TheKentuckian Oct 2015 #14
Yes it was wrong.... BooScout Oct 2015 #15
Interesting results. Bernie supporters lean pro-gun and more generally conservative on DanTex Oct 2015 #16

cyberswede

(26,117 posts)
1. I wish he would have voted for it.
Fri Oct 2, 2015, 11:30 AM
Oct 2015
"I think he has disappointed many progressives in Vermont with his gun positions, which sort of walk a middle line – and angering both sides through the years," said Chris Graff, the former Vermont Associated Press bureau chief. "Gun control is a tough issue in Vermont for all politicians."

Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, whose 2004 presidential bid is often compared to Sanders’ 2016 run, received high marks from the National Rifle Association. Vermont Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy also voted against the Brady bill. For his part, Sanders has voted to tighten gun control about half the time, and to protect Second Amendment rights the other half.

the rest

LettuceSea

(337 posts)
4. Need more info, but probably not
Fri Oct 2, 2015, 11:54 AM
Oct 2015

On the surface I wish he would have supported it, but I'd like to hear the details of WHY he voted no, first. Even if I disagree with why, he's a politician....he's gonna have to bend from time to time. That's political reality.

The only way you can be totally pure is if you don't have much of a prior record to run on.

LettuceSea

(337 posts)
10. ty. Would like to see what Bernie says, but perhaps there is a lesson(s) to be learned here?
Fri Oct 2, 2015, 12:28 PM
Oct 2015

NO POLITICIAN can be politically pure, so don't go around bashing the Congressional records of other Democratic candidates when they've all got warts from different eras.

It can be argued that if one presents him or herself as more progressive, their blemishes deserve harsher criticism than someone claiming to be a moderate. Any criticism on this vote seems more than valid in this instance, and I'm curious to see how supporters handle it.

zalinda

(5,621 posts)
6. Here's the problem with bills
Fri Oct 2, 2015, 12:01 PM
Oct 2015

We don't know about everything that's in them. If the bill was ONLY about handgun violence, then I would be disappointed. But, as you all know, riders are put into every bill, and a lot of them have nothing to do with the 'substance' of the bill.

What needs to be done, is to have one issue bills, that is written in plain English. That is the ONLY way we can figure out whether or not a representative is being true to his constituents. And, they can't have cutesy opposite names like, Clean Air Initiative.

Z

zalinda

(5,621 posts)
13. I have no idea
Fri Oct 2, 2015, 01:25 PM
Oct 2015

and I'm not going to go through the bill to find out. I don't speak lawyer speak, and I'm not going to try now. I trust Bernie. He had a good reason not to back the bill, and I'm fine with his decision.

Z

P.S. I don't trust Hillary, and she was my Senator. The only good thing about her that I can say, is she kept her promise to finish her first term before running for President.

ibegurpard

(16,685 posts)
9. nope
Fri Oct 2, 2015, 12:19 PM
Oct 2015

I oppose handgun bans. If we want to do something about gun violence we have to let go of the desire to ban them and start building support for background checks, seller restrictions, licensing and insurance. Efforts to ban are not winnable...even among many of your allies on many other issues.

 

aidbo

(2,328 posts)
12. For people asking about his reasons for voting against the Brady Bill.
Fri Oct 2, 2015, 01:18 PM
Oct 2015
According to Sanders' campaign manager Jeff Weaver, Sanders’ reason for opposing the Brady bill was two-fold. First, he believed implementing a national waiting period was federal overreach. And second, he was doing his job.

"He wasn't opposed to states having (waiting periods) if they wanted to. The Republicans wanted to repeal waiting periods in states that had them, and Bernie voted that down," Weaver said. "He said he would be against waiting periods, and he kept his word to the people of Vermont."

In April 1991, Sanders’ then-chief of staff Anthony Pollina echoed the idea that Sanders was simply representing the will of his constituents.

"Bernie’s response is that he doesn’t just represent liberals and progressives. He was sent to Washington to present all of Vermont," Pollina said. "It’s not inappropriate for a congressman to support a majority position, particularly on something Vermonters have been very clear about."


From Politifact.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2015/jul/10/generation-forward-pac/did-bernie-sanders-vote-against-background-checks-/

DanTex

(20,709 posts)
16. Interesting results. Bernie supporters lean pro-gun and more generally conservative on
Sat Oct 3, 2015, 09:35 AM
Oct 2015

social issues. I guess we'll see in the primary whether the party wants to abandon social issues in the pursuit of socialism.

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