KSAS   October Gun Show Newsletter by Phil Journey

STORM CLOUDS ON THE HORIZON AGAIN

With a pro-gun president leaving office, and a narrow majority of pro-gun legislators in both houses of Congress, the 2008 election cycle becomes a pivotal point in the political history of freedom in the United States. In the 2008 presidential campaigns, gun-owners will be faced with very few choices. The potential of anti-gun New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg throwing the race, lust as Ross Perot did to Bill Clinton in 1992, is becoming a greater concern as we approach the primaries. On the democratic side, the field of candidates is dominated by anti-gun United States Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Ohama. The only democratic candidate for president with a pro-gun record, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, is running to the left as fast as his little legs will carry him saying in presidential debates that gun show transactions need to have a background check even between private citizens. Another democratic candidate United States Senator Joseph Biden stated that an individual who wanted to protect his ability under the law to own a semi-automatic firearm was mentally ill. On the republican side, candidates with strong anti-freedom and antigun-rights records such as former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Governor Mitt Romney are trying to run to the right and allay the valid concerns of pro-gun voters in early primary states with nebulous platitudes about hunting. We have seen this behavior from so many anti-gun politicians in the past. Pro-gun candidate Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee has shown surprising organizational skills early in Iowa but is still considered a 2nd tier candidate. Another pro-gun republican, Kansas’ own Sam Brownback, isn’t even on the radar screen and can’t seem to break through 1 percent in polling. Farmer U. S. Senator Fred Thompson has a pro-gun record, but after meeting him twice at national organization meetings for state legislators I have serious doubts about his ability to actually create a winning campaign. The current political consensus is that only former New York Mayor Guiliani can defeat Hillary Clinton, and gun owners are forced to hold their noses by the Hobson’s choice between the devil and the deep blue sea.

With the refusal to resign by United States Senator, Larry Craig, pro-gun farces in Congress have a new self-inflicted wound that may reverberate all the way through the November elections. While I served on the NRA’s Beard of Directors from 1995-1998, I had considerable experience with Senator Craig, never seeing any indication of the alleged behavior, This tragic situation does net bode well for gun owners. There are currently 33 United States Senate seats up for election in 2008. Of these seats, 22 are held by republicans and 11 are held by democrats. This numerical advantage makes in virtually impossible for Republicans to regain control of the United States Senate thereby allowing important and critical chairmanships to remain with the anti-gun democrats in the committees in the United States Senate. While many if not most of the Democrats who defeated Republicans in 2006 are pro-gun, they de net have the seniority to be chairmen and set the agenda. To see the power of U.S. Senators like Charles Schumer increase in January 2009 will be painful for all of us to endure. The United States House of Representatives seems no better with up to 25 republican seats being left open by congressmen who find no pleasure serving in the minority end chose not to run again. Another issue playing an important role in the 2008 election cycle is immigration which has so demoralized the republican conservative base. Because many republicans feel betrayed by their party, voter turnout as airways will be a critical factor to consider. In Kansas, pro-gun republican majorities, certainly aided by our friends on the democratic side at the aisle, will be embattled also. Governor Sebelius has recruited a candidate against me for the Kansas Senate. Every one of us must become well informed regarding which candidates for State Senate and State House of Representatives support gun-rights issues and positions and get involved in these local races. Pro-gun candidates in Kansas may be overwhelmed by a tidal wave of political money coming into the state from Washington, DC. In 2006, Kansas was the focus of what basically was a test to see if a red state can be flipped blue resulting in significant inroads made in the Kansas House by defeating pro-gun candidates such as Wichita Rep. Bonnie Huey and Willa DeCnstro along with Johnson County Rep. Mary Pilshar.Cook. This could signal that Kansas is fertile ground for anti-gun inroads into our political landscape. The amount of money that flows into Kansas by the democratic political machine could overwhelm the floundering Republican Party in Kansas which is still suffering from the wounds of the fratricidal behavior over the abortion issue by my colleagues. Yes, ladies and gentleman, we are at a crossroads, and the path you choose may, on the national level be out of our control, but in Kansas we can make all the difference in the world.

 

US SUPREME COURT TO DEFINE THE SECOND AMENDMENT

The most important case ever involving the interpretation of the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution is on its way to the United States Supreme Court. The case entitled Parker vs. the District of Columbia was appealed by the District of Columbia from the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to the United States Supreme Court. The appellate court declared the 25 year old gun ban in Washington D.C. unconstitutional. That ban was enacted with, of course, the misguided belief that it would reduce violent crime in the nation’s Capitol. The reality is the gun ban opened the door for crime rates that have continued to go up despite reductions over the last few decades on a national level and even in neighboring states such as Virginia, where right to carry is the law of the land. Today, Washington D.C. is one of the most crime ridden cities in our nation. Residents cannot possess firearms such as handguns, and if they own a rifle or shotgun it must be disassembled and unloaded at all times. This lawsuit is not about concealed- carry. It is about the fundamental right to have the means to protect one’s life and family in the home. In an unbelievably lengthy process, the court case wound its way from the Federal District Court where the lawsuit was originally filed to the United States Court of Appeals and the D.C. Circuit. Organizations such as the National Rifle Association and Second Amendment Foundation have supported this lawsuit, not only with funding but with amicus briefs in support of the right to keep and bear arms and self defense.

Anti-gun forces such as the Brady Campaign were very apprehensive regarding perfecting this appeal to the United States Supreme Court. They know that the position they are in with this lawsuit is not a favorable one. With the confirmation of Chief Justice John Roberts, gun owners can count noses and barring any surprises have a high likelihood of a positive opinion. Expert Court watchers say Justice Kennedy is the deciding vote. The Court will clarify previous Supreme Court rulings such as United States vs. Miller from the 193 0’s which has been misconstrued by anti-gun forces time and again. Writings of such U.S. Supreme Court Justices as Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia bode well for gun owner’s in defining the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution as an individual right. My friend Stephen P. Ha is one of the most brilliant minds in second amendment thought and writing in the world today. He is one of the attorneys representing the pro-gun rights view. He also successfully argued the case which held portions of the Clinton waiting period law unconstitutional and has a positive outlook regarding the outcome of this case. To learn more about Mr. Halbrook, one can log onto www.stephenhalbrook.com I have had the honor of knowing Mr. Halbrook since 1991 when I attended my first annual meeting at the NRA. His guidance and that, of course, of David B. Kopel have been a great influence on my life, my thoughts and my actions in supporting right to carry and other pro-gun issues in the Unites States and the State of Kansas. The right to keep and bear arms is at cross-roads and so are we.

Membership application and donation information form.

The KSAS member Meeting is set for Wed. Oct. 24, 2007

6:30PM In the Sedgwick County Courthouse Jury

Street Address Room 535 N. Main, Wichita, Entrance is located

on the backside of the Annex Be sure to sign in with Security.

 

Membership Application and donation information

 

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Donations in excess of $10.00 must be recorded and in excess of $49.99 must be reported by law.       Reshape KSAS

Shape the Future

Contributions to KSAS,  a political action committee are NOT TAX DEDUCTIBLE (if you are not P.C. you’re not T.D.)

Your Officers and BOD

Phillip B Journey is the author of this newsletter and the president of this PAC. Phil has been active in the gun-rights issue for over 2 decades on a local state and national level. Elected as president in 1995 of KSAS he has been re-elected each year since. Phil has received the national honor of being named the Local Activist of the Year by NRA’s Firearms Civil Rights Legal Defense Punt He is the author of Kansas’ Right-to-Carry law and was elected to the Kansas Senate in 2004. He currently hosts a TV talk show on Wichita’s KCTU 5VHF You can watch him on the Internet at www.kctu.com every Monday night at 7pm. He and the RTKBA need your help now. As the 2008 legislative session approaches we must lay the ground work now for an outstanding session to ensure Legislative gains mode in the last few years are protected. He has a new vision for the PAC and the 2nd Amendment in Kansas, Come to the meeting Join in the future and help insure a victory in 2008 far freedom.

 

Our website is www.geocities.com/ks2ndamendmentsociety