Sorry, this is just hateration beyond comprehension.
Opponents of a bill that would award the District its first seat in the House of Representatives fought back yesterday with a blitz of amendments in the Senate, including one to repeal the city's gun-control laws that appeared to have significant support.Just in case you're unable to read between the obvious lines here, the GOP is just fine with giving DC residents Congressional representation, provided they repeal what remains of DC's gun ban. Yeah, really.
The amendments were proposed during a day of fiery speeches about the bill in the Senate and House, where it was approved by a key committee. Supporters and foes disagreed on whether the bill would restore basic democratic rights to D.C. residents or perform an end run around the Constitution.
The voting rights bill could come up for a final vote in the Senate today if both parties agree to quickly move through the five remaining amendments. In case they don't, Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) filed a motion last night to end debate. That would probably push a final vote to Monday, officials said.
If approved, the measure would be the first D.C. voting rights bill passed by that body in more than 30 years. "The hope is we can work out an agreement to have votes on a handful of amendments and have final passage" tonight, said Jim Manley, a spokesman for Reid.
That amendment closely resembles a bill passed by the House but not the Senate last year. It alarmed D.C. officials by calling for the removal of almost all locally imposed gun-control rules.
Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) said he was introducing the amendment because the D.C. Council "has continued to enact onerous and unconstitutional firearms regulations" despite the Supreme Court decision last year overturning the city's ban on handguns.
He produced a large chart on the Senate floor that showed the city's murder rate over the years.
"Can you honestly tell me that gun control in D.C. has been effective?" Ensign asked.
He said 47 of his Senate colleagues had signed a letter last year supporting a similar version of the amendment. In addition, two new members of the Senate had indicated their support for it when they were in the House last year, he said.
A simple majority is enough to pass an amendment to the D.C. vote bill.
Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.), the co-sponsor of the D.C. vote measure, called the amendment "shocking." He said it would remove prohibitions on gun ownership for children, chronic alcoholics and people who have been voluntarily committed to psychiatric institutions in the past five years.
So it seems that all that nonsense about the "Constitutionality" of giving honest taxpayers who die in wars but don't live in what's technically a "state" was just a sham. These guys realize in their guts that it's wrong to not at least give DC residents a Congressperson, so their idea of "compromise" is making some arcane political statement by making sure even kids in DC can legally carry a handgun. Cause, you know, the right to bear arms is a bedrock Republican principle. Never mind the fact that DC is 90% Democratic, and the mayor and city council have been against such a repeal for decades. If they want a vote in Congress, give em' guns while you're at it so we look good also.
Yeah, that makes a lot of sense to me too. Nonsense.
Repealing the DC handgun ban will do nothing to stop murders in DC. Most murders are committed with illegal handguns. And I don't need to remind you, but you can't "legislate" beef. If someone wants to kill somebody, they'll find ways of getting it done. Waiting 3 days for proper registration is hardly a deterrent. Having a good education, and a job that allows you to feed your family is, which is why murders nationwide (and yes, in DC too) are always down when the economy is good.
So clearly, these a-holes aren't standing in the way of giving DC residents the right to vote cause they care about the safety and welfare of some random black kid over on Benning Road. Nope, they're standing in the way for the same reason they always do, because they are some f*ckin' haterz!!![1]
And you wonder why the GOP can't get any black votes.
Wigga please!
Question: How can Republicans sleep at night, after pulling stunts like this?
Foes Fight D.C. Vote Measure In Senate [WashPost]
[1] Do I sound a bit angry? Maybe cause I am.
