GUN NUTS ON THE MOVE

Before I start talking about gun-nuts and gun-loons, I want to make my own position clear on the 2nd Amendment. I'm all for it. I think citizens do and should have the right to bear arms. I also believe those rights should be subject to regulation in the interest of the safety of the general public. I go to shooting ranges and enjoy target practice; I'm sure you can imagine what I fantasize I'm shooting. I wouldn't like to see another civil war or watch heavily armed, violent right-wing militias go for an insurrection if we ever clean house and get Bush and Cheney all those crooks out of government.

I think most people-- not counting religionist loons-- pretty much figured out that Bill Frist's
outrageous behavior in the Terri Sciavo fiasco and his whacky Religious Sunday circus were all part of an attempt to appeal to the hard core right-wing base of Republican primary voters in anticipation of his run for the presidency in 2008. With Sam Brownback, who, believe it or not, is even more of an extremist than Frist (hard to imagine) threatening his right flank, Frist made another move. Now he's trying to curry favor with the NRA and even more extreme gun loons (like militias) by aggressively pushing a bill prohibiting individuals from suing gun manufacturers. This is the perfect strategy for pleasing corporate fat cats and the most fringe rightists in the country. Frist's bill, which could pass as early as next week, would ban lawsuits against gun manufacturers when the guns they make are not used for legitimate self-defense, recreational or sporting purposes. The bill's original sponsor is Larry Craig, who represents the Aryan Nations in the Senate, but is co-sponsored by right-leaning Democrats such as Mark Pryor (AR), Ben Nelson (NE), Max Baucus (MT). Democrats and independents smart enough to see what this ploy is all about worry because the bill will not only immunize the entire industry against negligence lawsuits, but it will completely undermine the ability of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to revoke the licenses of rogue gun dealers (ie- right-wing militia terrorists like the nut cases who blew up the Oklahoma Federal Building). I bet Bush's new Supreme Court nominee'll have no problem with this!