2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumGun Control Group: Sanders mirrors the talking points of the gun lobby.
A prominent gun control advocate is bashing Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and other Democratic presidential candidates for their ties to the National Rifle Association (NRA).
Dan Gross, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, said he is even more concerned about Sanderss record on guns following the debate.
Sanders mirrors the talking points of the gun lobby, said Gross, who praised Hillary Clinton and former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley for hammering the senator on the issue.
Last night, it was summarized as, Dont vote for Sanders, because he sides with the corporate gun lobby over the American people. Gross said.
Gross also expressed concerns to a lesser extent with what former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee and former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb had to say about guns.
http://thehill.com/regulation/256924-gun-control-group-bashing-sanders-chafee
pinebox
(5,761 posts)"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.
"Bernies response is that he doesnt just represent liberals and progressives. He was sent to Washington to present all of Vermont," Pollina said. "Its not inappropriate for a congressman to support a majority position, particularly on something Vermonters have been very clear about."
The Green Mountain State, though left-leaning, has a high gun ownership rate and lax gun control laws (as well as a low homicide rate). That and Sanders own personal views are reflected in his overall voting record, experts told us.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2015/jul/10/generation-forward-pac/did-bernie-sanders-vote-against-background-checks-/
He was representing those who elected him and he campaigned on that. You have to keep that in mind. Also keep in mind that his rating is D- with the NRA.
RandySF
(58,786 posts)A lot of Democrats basically gave up their seats in Congress to get the Brady Bill passed, but Sanders "voted his state". That's not what I call leadership.
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)Sanders railing against corporations.
Anything less than the NRA "rating" and judging you as less than an F- is cause of concern.
Why not a F-?
Personally, I would be proud of an " Absent" or "DQ"from any kind of judgment by the NRA.
Duckhunter935
(16,974 posts)WASHINGTON, April 17 Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today voted for expanded background checks on gun buyers and for a ban on assault weapons but the Senate rejected those central planks of legislation inspired by the shootings of 20 first-grade students and six teachers in Newtown, Conn.
Nobody believes that gun control by itself is going to end the horrors we have seen in Newtown, Conn., Aurora, Colo., Blacksburg, Va., Tucson, Ariz. and other American communities, Sanders said. There is a growing consensus, however, in Vermont and across America that we have got to do as much as we can to end the cold-blooded, mass murders of innocent people. I believe very strongly that we also have got to address the mental health crisis in our country and make certain that help is available for people who may be a danger to themselves and others, Sanders added.
The amendment on expanded background checks needed 60 votes to pass but only 54 senators voted for it. To my mind it makes common sense to keep these weapons out of the hands of people with criminal records or mental health histories, Sanders said.
Under current federal law, background checks are not performed for tens of thousands of sales up to 40 percent of all gun transfers at gun shows or over the Internet. The amendment would have required background checks for all gun sales in commercial settings regardless of whether the seller is a licensed dealer. The compromise proposal would have exempted sales between family, friends, and neighbors.
In a separate roll call, the Senate rejected a proposal to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. That proposal was defeated by a vote of 60 to 40.
http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-votes-for-background-checks-assault-weapons-ban
https://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/27110/bernie-sanders/37/guns#.ViKQXD7eGHs
AgingAmerican
(12,958 posts)Could you please post them, if they exist?
Sanders backed every proposal in Obama's gun control package after Sandy Hook. You didn't know that, did you?
RandySF
(58,786 posts)What about voting against the Brady Bill five times? What about his jumping onto the mental health meme (which the NRA started right after Sandy Hook) every time guns come up?
Duckhunter935
(16,974 posts)Selling a legal product to a federally licensed retailer? You know manufacturers can not sell to the public and can be sued for unsafe firearms. See the Remington 700 case.
stonecutter357
(12,695 posts)artislife
(9,497 posts)This should be
repetitive.
Dawson Leery
(19,348 posts)This means Bernie had several chances to do what was and will always be right, and he failed.
Duckhunter935
(16,974 posts)He has voted for background checks, magazine limits and the AWB