Clay Shaw's stunning reversal on gun laws (jockeying for Martinez's FL Senate seat)

[derby378]

First this:

Clay Shaw has a gun problem.

As a contender for appointment to the U.S. Senate, the former Fort Lauderdale congressman is catching flak for a vote he took in 1994 to ban assault weapons.

The vote earned him a "D" grade from the National Rifle Association, which is politically potent in Republican politics...

Shaw, who served in the U.S. House from 1981 to 2007, said he was baffled by the NRA's outspoken opposition to him and called the assault weapons ban "a separate thing from gun control."

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/dcblog/2009/08/clay_shaws_gun_problem.html

Now this, only two and a half hours later:

Former Fort Lauderdale congressman Clay Shaw just called to amend his earlier position on the assault weapons ban, an issue threatening to derail his chances at a U.S. Senate seat...

"I think the best thing to do is to leave it to the states," Shaw said. "In some parts of country it's a problem, others it's not. Gun owners should not be penalized where it's not a particular problem in that area. I don't think it ought to be a federal intrusion. I'd like to amend my answer if I could. Leave it up to each one of the states to decide."

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/dcblog/2009/08/lo_and_behold_shaw_changes_min.html

:rofl:

[joeybee12]

1. What a putz....

...he should have known back in 1994 that everyone needs to have an assault rifle, that's obviously what the founders had in mind 200 years ago!

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

3. Who said that everyone needs an assault rifle?

[Statistical]

4. Well actually they did.

1) The AWB didn't ban assault rifles, those were already restricted 30 years prior in the 1968 Gun Control Act. They banned scary looking rifles like banning spoilers to prevent speeding. By the way 2% of all homicides and 1% of violent crime involve a rifle of any kind. "Scary black rifles" are a tiny fraction of that already tiny percentage. The Clinton DOJ concluded their is no evidence the AWB did ANYTHING to reduce crime or homicides.

2) The founders saw no issue with citizens owning "military weapons". This was the "assault rifle" of its day.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_rifle

The Kentucky Long Rile a uniquely American design. The longer rifle allowed for amazing accuracy in the hands of a skilled user (and the American colonists needing to rely on it for protection, and food were very killed). The long barrel also allowed for higher velocity. Blackpowder burs much slower than modern smokeless powder. The long barrel allowed time for more of the powder to burn.

Against tightly packed British formation it truly was an "assault weapon". The high velocity and accuracy allowed Minutemen to fire a half inch lead ball with deadly results. The incredible muzzle velocity compared to comparable weapons allowed it to go straight through two or three ranks of men resulting in multiple casualties per shot.

As the war progressed the skill, accuracy, and lethality of the American rifleman became known world over even forcing the superpower of its day (British Empire) to change tactics against this new threat.

[X_Digger]

2. Doh!

Bet he never thought that one would come back and bite him on the ass.

Let me save him some time- http://www.sas.upenn.edu/jerrylee/research/aw_final2004.pdf

Here's what the ban actually did for AR-15's..
(Notice the peak is _during_ the "ban")