The following cited comments and positions by Barack Obama show a severely restrictive policy toward gun ownership in the United States and do not reflect a respect for and an acknowledgment of American Citizens protections and rights under the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution. In going along with his theme of sidestepping and misrepresenting his past record and positions Obama’s website states for following:

 

 

Obama has supported a complete ban on manufacture and sale of all handguns (and lied about it later) as this video demonstrates:

 

 

The record however demonstrates that Obama blames guns for gun violence, not criminals.  Obama has supported hand-gun bans in various forms, including the Washington DC complete hand gun ban that was recently overturned by the Supreme Court – of course he flip-flopped on that one as the following video demonstrates. Obama believes that if you outlaw private handgun ownership you will eliminate gun violence. 

 

 

Under Obama’s logic, Rosie O’Donnell can sue spoon manufactures for making her fat. If we banned all spoons, people would not get fat anymore.  If we carefully regulate the distribution and sale of spoons and mandate obesity testing for prospective spoon owners, we can eliminate obesity and lower the burden on our health care system.

 

John McCain, while not a gun owner, is a strong supporter of basic second amendment rights with some “common sense” controls on background checks.  McCain fights harder for more severe penalties for criminal use of guns without restricting law-abiding citizens rights to own firearms.

 

I double checked all the facts and highly recommend http://www.ontheissues.org for a source of quotations and citations on politician’s positions, past and present.

 

Obama’s Positions –

 

Ok for states & cities to determine local gun laws

Q: Is the D.C. law prohibiting ownership of handguns consistent with an individual's right to bear arms?

A: As a general principle, I believe that the Constitution confers an individual right to bear arms. But just because you have an individual right does not mean that the state or local government can't constrain the exercise of that right, in the same way that we have a right to private property but local governments can establish zoning ordinances that determine how you can use it.

Q: But do you still favor the registration & licensing of guns?

A: I think we can provide common-sense approaches to the issue of illegal guns that are ending up on the streets. We can make sure that criminals don't have guns in their hands. We can make certain that those who are mentally deranged are not getting a hold of handguns. We can trace guns that have been used in crimes to unscrupulous gun dealers that may be selling to straw purchasers and dumping them on the streets.

Source: 2008 Philadelphia primary debate, on eve of PA primary Apr 16, 2008

 

FactCheck: Yes, Obama endorsed Illinois handgun ban

Obama was being misleading when he denied that his handwriting had been on a document endorsing a state ban on the sale and possession of handguns in Illinois. Obama responded, "No, my writing wasn't on that particular questionnaire. As I said, I have never favored an all-out ban on handguns."

 

Actually, Obama's writing was on the 1996 document, which was filed when Obama was running for the Illinois state Senate. A Chicago nonprofit, Independent Voters of Illinois, had this question, and Obama took hard line:

 

35. Do you support state legislation to:


a. ban the manufacture, sale and possession of handguns? Yes.


b. ban assault weapons? Yes.


c. mandatory waiting periods and background checks? Yes.

 

Obama's campaign said, "Sen. Obama didn't fill out these state Senate questionnaires--a staffer did--and there are several answers that didn't reflect his views then or now. He may have jotted some notes on the front page of the questionnaire, but some answers didn't reflect his views."

Source: FactCheck.org analysis of 2008 Philadelphia primary debate Apr 16, 2008

 

Respect 2nd Amendment, but local gun bans ok

 

Q: You said recently, "I have no intention of taking away folks' guns." But you support the D.C. handgun ban, and you've said that it's constitutional. How do you reconcile those two positions?

 

A: Because I think we have two conflicting traditions in this country. I think it's important for us to recognize that we've got a tradition of handgun ownership and gun ownership generally. And a lot of law-abiding citizens use it for hunting, for sportsmanship, and for protecting their families. We also have a violence on the streets that is the result of illegal handgun usage. And so I think there is nothing wrong with a community saying we are going to take those illegal handguns off the streets. And cracking down on the various loopholes that exist in terms of background checks for children, the mentally ill. We can have reasonable, thoughtful gun control measure that I think respect the Second Amendment and people's traditions.

Source: 2008 Politico pre-Potomac Primary interview Feb 11, 2008

 

Provide some common-sense enforcement on gun licensing

 

Q: When you were in the state senate, you talked about licensing and registering gun owners. Would you do that as president?

 

A: I don't think that we can get that done. But what we can do is to provide just some common-sense enforcement. The efforts by law enforcement to obtain the information required to trace back guns that have been used in crimes to unscrupulous gun dealers. As president, I intend to make it happen. We essentially have two realities, when it comes to guns, in this country. You've got the tradition of lawful gun ownership. It is very important for many Americans to be able to hunt, fish, take their kids out, teach them how to shoot. Then you've got the reality of 34 Chicago public school students who get shot down on the streets of Chicago. We can reconcile those two realities by making sure the Second Amendment is respected and that people are able to lawfully own guns, but that we also start cracking down on the kinds of abuses of firearms that we see on the streets.

Source: 2008 Democratic debate in Las Vegas Jan 15, 2008

 

2000: cosponsored bill to limit purchases to 1 gun per month

Obama sought moderate gun control measures, such as a 2000 bill he cosponsored to limit handgun purchases to one per month (it did not pass). He voted against letting people violate local weapons bans in cases of self-defense, but also voted in 2004 to let retired police officers carry concealed handguns.

 

Source: The Improbable Quest, by John K. Wilson, p.148 Oct 30, 2007

 

Concealed carry OK for retired police officers (only)

 

Obama voted for a bill in the Illinois senate that allowed retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed weapons. If there was any issue on which Obama rarely deviated, it was gun control. He was the most strident candidate when it came to enforcing and expanding gun control laws. So this vote jumped out as inconsistent.

 

When I queried him about the vote, he said, "I didn't find that [vote] surprising. I am consistently on record and will continue to be on record as opposing concealed carry. This was a narrow exception in an exceptional circumstance where a retired police officer might find himself vulnerable as a consequence of the work he has previously done--and had been trained extensively in the proper use of firearms."

 

It wasn't until a few weeks later that another theory came forward about the uncharacteristic vote. Obama was battling with his GOP opponent to win the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police.

 

Source: From Promise to Power, by David Mendell, p.250-251 Aug 14, 2007

 

Stop unscrupulous gun dealers dumping guns in cities

 

Q: How would you address gun violence that continues to be the #1 cause of death among African-American men?

 

A: You know, when the massacre happened at Virginia Tech, I think all of us were grief stricken and shocked by the carnage. But in this year alone, in Chicago, we've had 34 Chicago public school students gunned down and killed. And for the most part, there has been silence. We know what to do. We've got to enforce the gun laws that are on the books. We've got to make sure that unscrupulous gun dealers aren't loading up vans and dumping guns in our communities, because we know they're not made in our communities. There aren't any gun manufacturers here, right here in the middle of Detroit. But what we also have to do is to make sure that we change our politics so that we care just as much about those 30-some children in Chicago who've been shot as we do the children in Virginia Tech. That's a mindset that we have to have in the White House and we don't have it right now.

 

Source: 2007 NAACP Presidential Primary Forum Jul 12, 2007

 

Keep guns out of inner cities--but also problem of morality

 

I believe in keeping guns out of our inner cities, and that our leaders must say so in the face of the gun manufacturer’s lobby. But I also believe that when a gang-banger shoots indiscriminately into a crowd because he feels someone disrespected him, we have a problem of morality. Not only do we need to punish that man for his crime, but we need to acknowledge that there's a hole in his heart, one that government programs alone may not be able to repair.

 

Source: The Audacity of Hope, by Barack Obama, p.215 Oct 1, 2006

 

Renew assault weapons ban

 

KEYES: [to Obama]: I am a strong believer in the second amendment. The gun control mentality is ruthlessly absurd. It suggests that we should pass a law that prevents law-abiding citizens from carrying weapons. You end up with a situation where the crooks have all the guns and the law abiding citizens cannot defend themselves. I guess that's good enough for Senator Obama who voted against the bill that would have allowed homeowners to defend themselves if their homes were broken into.

 

OBAMA: Let's be honest. Mr. Keyes does not believe in common gun control measures like the assault weapons bill. Mr. Keyes does not believe in any limits from what I can tell with respect to the possession of guns, including assault weapons that have only one purpose, to kill people. I think it is a scandal that this president did not authorize a renewal of the assault weapons ban.

 

Source: Illinois Senate Debate #3: Barack Obama vs. Alan Keyes Oct 21, 2004

 

Ban semi-automatics, and more possession restrictions

Principles that Obama supports on gun issues:

 

·      Ban the sale or transfer of all forms of semi-automatic weapons.

·      Increase state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.

·      Require manufacturers to provide child-safety locks with firearms.

 

Source: 1998 IL State Legislative National Political Awareness Test Jul 2, 1998

 

Voted NO on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers.

 

A bill to prohibit civil liability actions from being brought or continued against manufacturers, distributors, dealers, or importers of firearms or ammunition for damages, injunctive or other relief resulting from the misuse of their products by others. Voting YES would:

 

·      Exempt lawsuits brought against individuals who knowingly transfer a firearm that will be used to commit a violent or drug-trafficking crime

·      Exempt lawsuits against actions that result in death, physical injury or property damage due solely to a product defect

·      Call for the dismissal of all qualified civil liability actions pending on the date of enactment by the court in which the action was brought

·      Prohibit the manufacture, import, sale or delivery of armor piercing ammunition, and sets a minimum prison term of 15 years for violations

·      Require all licensed importers, manufacturers and dealers who engage in the transfer of handguns to provide secure gun storage or safety devices

 

Reference: Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act; Bill S 397 ; vote number 2005-219 on Jul 29, 2005

 

John McCain’s Positions -

 

I know how to use guns; but I don't own one

 

Q: Tell us about your gun collection, roughly how many you own, what your favorite make, model and caliber is, if any of them require a tax stamp?

 

A: For a long time I used a lot of guns, including carrying a .45 as a pilot flying in combat over Vietnam. I know how to use guns. I don't own one now.

 

Source: 2007 GOP YouTube debate in St. Petersburg, Florida Nov 28, 2007

 

Prosecute criminals, not citizens for gun ownership

 

John McCain believes that the right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms is a fundamental, individual Constitutional right. We have a responsibility to ensure that criminals who violate the law are prosecuted to the fullest, rather than restricting the rights of law-abiding citizens. Gun control is a proven failure in fighting crime. Law abiding citizens should not be asked to give up their rights because of criminals--criminals who ignore gun control laws anyway.

Source: Campaign website, www.johnmccain.com, "Issues" Sep 1, 2007

 

Don't hold gun manufacturers liable for crimes

 

John McCain opposes back door attempts to restrict Second Amendment rights by holding gun manufacturers liable for crimes committed by third parties using a firearm, and has voted to protect gun manufacturers from such inappropriate liability aimed at bankrupting the entire gun industry. McCain says, "Neither justice nor domestic peace are served by holding the innocent responsible for the acts of the criminal”.

 

Source: Campaign website, www.johnmccain.com, "Issues" Sep 1, 2007

 

Opposes restrictions on assault weapons and ammunition types

 

McCain opposes restrictions on so-called "assault rifles" and voted consistently against such bans.

 

McCain opposes bans on the importation of certain types of ammunition magazines and has voted against such limitations.

 

McCain believes that banning ammunition is just another way to undermine Second Amendment rights. He voted against an amendment that would have banned many of the most commonly used hunting cartridges on the spurious grounds that they were "armor-piercing."

 

Source: Campaign website, www.johnmccain.com, "Issues" Sep 1, 2007

 

Calls for GOP "tolerance" of closing gun show loopholes

 

A recall petition drive was started in June 2001 by the Arizona far-right. The petition complained that McCain was disloyal to the President, especially in voting against his tax bill, and it also complained about his proposal to close the gun show loophole. One form of the petition accused him of backing "dishonest and treasonist" legislation. Several of the petitions were posted at gun shops.

The NRA was particularly angry with him for its being included in his campaign finance reform bill, and for trying to tighten a loophole in the gun control laws. McCain himself was sufficiently concerned that he sent a 4-page, single-spaced letter to every GOP precinct leader in Arizona. He called for "greater tolerance" for Republicans "who occasionally dissent" from one or another majority position held by a party.

 

He explained his vote against Bush's tax cut and talked about the need to build up national defense, about his work on the patients' bill of rights, and the gun show loophole.

 

Source: Citizen McCain, by Elizabeth Drew, p. 78-79 May 7, 2002

 

Ban cheap guns; require safety locks; for gun show checks

 

McCain favors outlawing cheaply made handguns called Saturday night specials, and favors mandating safety locks on certain guns. He said he is intrigued by new technology that electronically identifies a person handling a gun, allowing only the owner to fire it. McCain rallied Senate Republicans behind a Democratic measure requiring background checks at gun shows.

 

Source: Scott Lindlaw, Associated Press Aug 17, 1999

 

Supports ban on certain assault weapons

 

McCain said he was open to voting for an assault weapon ban, depending on the details.

 

Source: Los Angeles Times, “McCain Calls for Hearings” Aug 17, 1999

 

Voted against Brady Bill & assault weapon ban

 

McCain spoke generally of the need for some tighter gun controls on hardened criminals and children. In Congress, he pressured his colleagues to require background checks for buyers at guns shows, and he supported a requirement that trigger locks be sold with handguns. But the Senator opposed the two major gun-control measures of recent years, the 1994 ban on several types of assault weapons and the Brady Bill, which required a 5-day waiting period for handgun purchases.

 

Source: Todd S. Purdum, New York Times, p. A14 Aug 17, 1999

 

Guns are a problem, but so are violent web sites & videos

 

If you want to take every gun in and dump it in the ocean, I’ll still take you to a Web site where it teaches children how to build a pipe bomb. And I’ll take you to a Web site where the worst kind of hate language that is terribly offensive to all of us exists. I can take you to a video game being sold to our children where the object of the game is to kill police. I understand the importance of weapons, but to define that as being the major cause [of youth violence], there’s a whole lot of causes.

 

Source: Todd S. Purdum, New York Times, p. A14 Aug 17, 1999

 

Punish criminals who abuse 2nd Amendment rights

 

We need to focus on halting the spread of violent crime and punishing violent criminals who abuse their Second Amendment rights, while preserving those same rights for law-abiding Americans.

 

Source: www.mccain2000.com/ “Press Releases” May 10, 1999

 

Youth Violence Prevention Act restricts guns for kids

 

McCain has introduced the “Youth Violence Prevention Act.”

 

The legislation would:

 

prevent juveniles from illegal access to weapons and punish those who would assist them in doing so

 

prohibit juveniles who commit acts of gun violence from purchasing guns in the future

 

sentence juveniles convicted of violent crimes under adult guidelines

and punish juveniles who illegally carry or use handguns in schools.

 

Source: www.mccain2000.com/ “Press Releases” May 10, 1999

 

Repeal existing gun restrictions; penalize criminal use

 

·      McCain supports the following principles regarding gun issues:

·      Repeal federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms by law-abiding citizens.

·      Favor allowing citizens to carry concealed firearms.

·      McCain says, “There are penalties for criminals who use firearms.”

 

Source: Project Vote Smart, 1998, www.vote-smart.org Jul 2, 1998

 

Voted YES on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers.

 

A bill to prohibit civil liability actions from being brought or continued against manufacturers, distributors, dealers, or importers of firearms or ammunition for damages, injunctive or other relief resulting from the misuse of their products by others. Voting YES would:

 

·      Exempt lawsuits brought against individuals who knowingly transfer a firearm that will be used to commit a violent or drug-trafficking crime

·      Exempt lawsuits against actions that result in death, physical injury or property damage due solely to a product defect

·      Call for the dismissal of all qualified civil liability actions pending on the date of enactment by the court in which the action was brought

·      Prohibit the manufacture, import, sale or delivery of armor piercing ammunition, and sets a minimum prison term of 15 years for violations

·      Require all licensed importers, manufacturers and dealers who engage in the transfer of handguns to provide secure gun storage or safety devices

 

Reference: Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act; Bill S 397 ; vote number 2005-219 on Jul 29, 2005

 

Voted YES on banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence.

 

Vote to pass a bill that would block certain civil lawsuits against manufacturers, distributors, dealers and importers of firearms and ammunition, mainly those lawsuits aimed at making them liable for gun violence. In this bill, trade groups would also be protected. The bill would call for the dismissal of pending lawsuits against the gun industry. The exception would be lawsuits regarding a defect in a weapon or ammunition. It also would provide a 10-year reauthorization of the assault weapons ban, which is set to expire in September 2004. The bill would increase the penalties for gun-related violent or drug trafficking crimes, which have not resulted in death, to a minimum of 15 years imprisonment. The bill calls for criminal background checks on all firearm transactions at gun shows where at least 75 guns are sold. Exemptions would be made available for dealers selling guns from their homes as well as members-only gun swaps and meets carried out by nonprofit hunting clubs.

 

Reference: Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act; Bill S.1805/H.R.1036 ; vote number 2004-30 on Mar 2, 2004

 

Voted NO on background checks at gun shows.

 

Require background checks on all firearm sales at gun shows.

Status: Amendment Agreed to Y)50; N)50; VP decided YES

 

Reference: Lautenberg Amendment #362; Bill S. 254 ; vote number 1999-134 on May 20, 1999

 

Voted YES on more penalties for gun & drug violations.

 

The Hatch Amendment would increase mandatory penalties for the illegal transfer or use of firearms, fund additional drug case prosecutors, and require background check on purchasers at gun shows. [A YES vote supports stricter penalties].

Status: Amendment Agreed to Y)48; N)47; NV)5

 

Reference: Hatch Amendment #344; Bill S. 254 ; vote number 1999-118 on May 14, 1999

 

Voted YES on loosening license & background checks at gun shows.

 

Vote to table or kill a motion to require that all gun sales at gun shows be completed by federally licensed gun dealers. Also requires background checks to be completed on buyers and requires gun show promoters to register with the Treasury.

 

Reference: Bill S.254 ; vote number 1999-111 on May 11, 1999

 

Voted YES on maintaining current law: guns sold without trigger locks.

 

Vote to table [kill] an amendment to make it unlawful for gun dealers to sell handguns without providing trigger locks. Violation of the law would result in civil penalties, such as suspension or revocation of the dealer's license, or a fine.

 

Reference: Bill S 2260 ; vote number 1998-216 on Jul 21, 1998

 

Ban gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC.

 

McCain co-sponsored banning gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC

 

·      Nothing in any provision of law shall authorize the Mayor, or any governmental authority of the District of Columbia, to prohibit possessing firearms by a person who is allowed to possess firearms under federal law.

·      Denies the District any authority to enact laws or regulations that discourage or eliminate the private ownership or use of firearms.

·      Repeals the ban on semiautomatic weapons.

·      Repeals the District's registration requirement for possession of firearms.

·      Repeals the trigger lock law.

·      Maintains the current ban on the possession and control of a sawed-off shotgun, machine gun, or short-barreled rifle.

·      Eliminates criminal penalties for possessing an unregistered firearm.

·      Specifies exceptions to the prohibition against carrying concealed weapons in the District.

 

Source: D.C. Personal Protection Act (H.R.1399/S.1001) 2007-S1001 on Mar 27, 2007 



 

Allow firearms in National Parks

 

McCain co-sponsored allowing firearms in National Parks Bars the promulgation or enforcement of any regulation that prohibits an individual from possessing a firearm, including an assembled or functional firearm, in any unit of the National Park System or the National Wildlife Refuge System if:

 

·   the individual is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing the firearm; and

·   the possession of the firearm is in compliance with the law of state in which the unit is located.

 

Source: Protecting Americans from Violent Crime Act (S.2619&HR.5434) 2008-S2619 on Feb 8, 2008