Friday, June 26, 2009

Kasich, Strickland & Guns - Setting the Record Straight

Yesterday evening I received the following e-mail from State Representative Ron Maag from Ohio. It's a helluva read into the reality about the gun issue in Ohio and who is on what side.


In 2008, we as gun advocates were sold a false bill of goods, as Governor Ted Strickland campaigned for then candidate Barack Obama in Ohio. Strickland made a promise to all gun owners in Ohio that they could be assured that Obama would be strong on gun rights if elected President. “If you are a hunter or a gun owner, you have nothing to fear from Barack Obama,” said Strickland (Columbus Dispatch, 10/10/2008). “You spread the word – Ted Strickland said so,” he added.

In 2010, we have a duty as defenders of the second amendment to hold Strickland accountable for his promise, and for his role in helping to elect a President who does not share our values on gun rights.

The real Obama record on guns:
  • Obama: “…assault weapons 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.”
  • Obama: “I am consistently on record and will continue to be on record as opposing concealed carry.”
  • In 2000, Senator Obama cosponsored a bill to limit handgun purchases to one per month.
  • He voted against letting people violate local weapons bans in cases of self-defense.
While we can hope that the President never acts according to his true colors on gun rights, we must remember that promises were made by our current governor – promises that now look like the standard political pandering that we have come to expect from him, and from countless politicians who, at election time, give lip service to gun rights in search of our support.

Governor Strickland is the embodiment of this type of opportunistic political posturing, as evidenced by this 2006 Dayton Daily News editorial column:

All of which is little bit funny to somebody who remembers how Strickland's strict anti-control position emerged. By Strickland's own account, it emerged in some measure in a meeting with this newspaper's editorial board. It was 1992. Strickland, having failed to get elected to Congress in three tries, the most recent being 1980, was running in a newly created district. In the campaign, gun control inevitably came up, and Strickland said that, while he didn't personally have any problem with gun control, he felt that his would-be constituents in rural Ohio did. And he thought he should honor their views. This wasn't the first time he had expressed himself on gun control. The Republicans eventually surfaced a Strickland quote from 1976: "I personally do not like guns and I do not own a gun." [Editorial by Martin Gottlieb, Dayton Daily News, 5/17/06]

I am a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association, an NRA certified pistol instructor and a concealed carry instructor. I am also a State Representative in the Ohio General Assembly, serving the 35th House District, comprised of parts of Warren and Hamilton counties. Accordingly, I can recognize better than most when a candidate for elected office is playing politics with the gun issue, and when they are a friend to our cause.

John Kasich is such a friend.

John is a gun owner and strong supporter of the Second Amendment. He understands the concerns of Americans who own a gun for self-defense, as well as the issues impacting hunters and sportsmen. During his time in Congress, he was regularly endorsed and financially supported by the NRA, and has stated publicly that he has “probably agreed more with the NRA than my wife has agreed with me.”

John understands that people have a right to defend themselves, their families, and their property, whether it’s concealed carry or the home Castle Doctrine. Most importantly, his record on guns should be judged on the totality of his career – not simply by his vote on the 1994 crime bill.

He recognizes that the assault weapon ban was bad policy and has stated so publicly. As a guest host on The O’Reilly Factor in 2005, John said, “I actually voted to limit some guns. I voted to ban the assault weapons. You know what I've concluded after that? Banning all these guns and passing all these laws isn't going to fix it.” While addressing a gang concern during that same show, John added, “…don’t blame the gun, blame the problem.”

While it remains a while off, the 2010 election will be critical to Ohio second amendment supporters, and all of us recognize that at any moment and with a simple stroke of the pen, the White House could significantly impede our ability to bear arms. As Ted Strickland was complicit in electing a President who threatens our values and our rights, we therefore owe it to ourselves and our cause to give John Kasich a serious look for governor.

State Representative Ron Maag, House District 35

3 comments:

  1. I disagree that as gun advocates, we were sold a false bill of goods by Governor Strickland when it comes to Barack Hussein Obama. It turns out that thus far, Obama has a perfect White House record on guns--certainly better than George Bush Sr.'s gun record in the White House.

    However, the reason that is so is not because Obama does not want to ban guns, its not because he is not the Socialist that we all feared, it is because he knows that we gun advocates are still strong, plenty and (mostly) unyielding and unforgiving. Write now, as bad as they would like to ban something with their ripe position in both Houses and the White House, Democrats know that it would be political suicide.

    And that is why gun advocates must continue to be stalwart in our resolve. So that is why we cannot forgive and forget and support Kasich.

    I too am an NRA Life Member, an NRA Pistol Instructor and a concealed carry instructor. And like so many other NRA members, I was very disappointed that the NRA leadership (it sure wasn't the membership at large) embraced and endorsed John McCain last year. Yes I know he was the lesser of two evils and all those other little reasons. However, in 2000, Wayne LaPierre stood in front of the membership and said that "John McCain is the standard bearer for all that oppose the 1st and 2nd amendments". Then, just 8 years later, LaPierre stands in Louisville and proclaims "John McCain has been a stalwart defender of the 2nd Amendment for decades". Which is it? The NRA wasted a lot of political capital switching gears on a candidate.

    Gun advocates continue to be a force to be reckoned with in politics and the biggest part of the reason why is that we seldom compromise and forgive treason. That is why, in spite of the silly little letter beside their name, we have to support the gun candidate. Too often, party membership means very little--especially with Ohio Republicans that have given us the likes of Taft, Montgomery and DeWine to name just a few.

    Our best bet to unseat Strickland, an NRA A rated candidate, is not with someone that has voted for the infamous assault weapons ban. The Ohio Republicans have to do better than that. I do not believe that Kasich can defeat Strickland or even obtain an NRA endorsement--the best he could hope for is that the NRA doesn't endorse anyone. Better pick Coughlin or another that at least has some 2nd amendment bonafides.

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  2. I am an NRA Life member, I dont forgive or foget. Kasich lied to his supporters, so ther is no way I would ever consider voting for him. NEVER. In a choice between him and Strickland I just wouldnt vote.

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  3. I am with the NRA lifer. Once a traitorous bastard, always a traitorous bastard. Voting to ban assault weapons was like voting to take away the second amendment. Good luck for both of of these worthless candidates.

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