During the recent US Senate race here in Montana, Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) was assuring Montanans of his A rating with the NRA, even despite his vote in support of anti-2nd Amendment Supreme Court Justices. Now that the elections are over, Tester says he is open to new talks on gun control. (Doin a little Manchin Dancin’ I take it?)
The AP has this:
Two Montana Democrats who could play a big role in the U.S. Senate’s debate on gun control are not immediately closing the door on new restrictions.
Tester says he is open to a “difficult conversation” on assault weapons, along with other issues such as mental illness. The Democrat says he feels a responsibility to address violence in schools
I guess he could start scrubbing this picture off his Facebook page: (h/t Matthew Koehler)
Tester’s tepid response is also in stark contrast to Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D-MT), who, as I noted yesterday, is standing firmly behind the 2nd Amendment:
As Dems Cave, Gov Stands by 2nd Amendment
In the wake of the horrific school violence in Newtown, Connecticut, the few prominent Democratic politicians who back the 2nd Amendment, like Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Sen. John Warner (D-VA), appear to be backtracking from their prior defense of gun rights.
Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer of Montana, a rumored 2014 US Senate or 2016 presidential candidate; however, is standing firm in his support of gun rights.
“I don’t want to sound like a terrorist here, but you give me 20 gallons of propane- I can do a lot of damage in a very short period of time,” said Schweitzer during Tuesday morning’s Voices of Montana statewide radio talk show. “If there are evil people they can use guns, or as we’ve seen in Russia, they can also use things like propane. You can use natural gas. Five gallons of gasoline and imagine what can happen.”
Schweitzer added that he continues to oppose efforts by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) to reinstate an assault weapons ban, and aimed his ire in the direction of video game manufacturers:
SCHWEITZER: “They plan to bring that legislation back, but that actually wouldn’t change anything thing that happened back there in Connecticut in terms of what gun was used and what types of guns could be used.”
“This is evil and it has everything to do with mental illness and look I’m gonna pick on somebody right now. You wanna pick on somebody? How about those video game manufacturers, where an entire generation are glued to a screen for 6 or 8 hours a day while they are poking buttons and blowing other people up and shooting them in the face.”
Comments
Jim Greaves
Wednesday, December 19, 2012 6:15 PM
Of course Tester is “safe” in the Senate now for another 6 years, so he can back-pedal his way to a really HUGE retirement, funded by those who actually work for a living. He gives no rat’s ass about Constitutionally protected (“secured”) rights. All he cares about is being a big fish in the small pond known as Washington DC, the last place in the USA that allows CCW. Oh, wait. I forget. Senators and other “important people” all have bodyguards with concealed weapons, some even full auto – and those who’ve run for a national office have full Secret Service protection (or, as I prefer to call that group, the SS.
mel in Whitehall
Thursday, December 20, 2012 12:12 AM
Bad is as Bad does, eh?
His true colors are now starting to show…
He is no friend of sportsmen…
He is no friend to small ranchers and farmers…
He is no friend to private property rights…
He is no friend to our Bill of Rights!
He hasn’t met a Special Interest, Tree Hugger, EviroWhacko, or lobbiest’ that he doesn’t like “on sight”…
He only votes in LOCK STEP with whatever flavor is dingy Harry’s wish and command.
And…he sure doesn’t answer any questions from MT voters!