*Anti-gun Advocates In Senate Seek Rules Changes*
*-- Action would clear the way for semi-auto bans, guns show bans, gun
licensing, and ammunition bans*
*Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert *
*8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151 *
*Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408 *
*http://gunowners.org*
**
*Monday, January 3, 2011*
Make no mistake about it: Procedure is power.
The reason we are not stuck with bans on semi-autos, gun shows and
ammunition is because the U.S. Senate is structured so that whatever
party is in the minority still retains procedural power to protect the
rights of the citizenry against the "tyranny of the majority."
But on January 5, 2011, at the beginning of the new Congress, Senate
Democrats are hatching a plan to decimate long-standing Senate rules in
order to remove those protections.
The linchpin of the plan would be a ruling by Senate President Joe Biden
that the Senate is not a "continuing body" and therefore has NO rules --
other than whatever 53 Democrats and Independents might unilaterally adopt.
At the core of their efforts will be an attempt to abolish the "hold
letter" -- at least as it currently exists. Pro-gun senators have used
"hold letters" in the past to kill proposed gun show bans, semi-auto
bans, ammunition bans, gun licensing requirements, registration lists --
any number of anti-freedom initiatives.
Basically, a hold letter allows a single Senator to slow down movement
on unconstitutional legislation, so that it can't be rammed through
before the American people can voice their concerns.
Gun banners may also try to reduce the number of senators required to
shut off filibusters of anti-gun measures. And they will do this in the
expectation that the Second Amendment community has been preoccupied
during the holidays and, thus, won't mobilize in time to stop the plan.
Again, procedure is power. The rules that currently exist in the Senate
have been designed to slow down unconstitutional legislation -- and this
is in keeping with our concept of checks and balances. Thus, not all
rules changes are automatically bad, since anything that slows down the
galloping herd of gun control is a good thing and should be supported.
To this end, Senator Jim DeMint may offer an amendment to the rules that
would prohibit anti-gun legislation from being passed in the Senate,
unless two-thirds of all senators vote to consider it. Now that's the
kind of rules change that we can support!
*ACTION:* Contact your two senators, and tell them the following:
First, resist efforts by the anti-gun Left to abolish or amend the
Senate rules on January 5 in order to make it more difficult to
filibuster anti-gun measures.
Second, oppose any attempt to abolish "hold letters," which have been
used by pro-gun senators to kill a number of anti-freedom initiatives.
Third, support the amendment to the Senate rules by Senator Jim DeMint
that would prohibit anti-gun legislation from being passed in the
Senate, unless two-thirds of all senators vote to consider it.
There are two different pre-written letters for this alert -- one for
Republicans and one for Democrats.
If you go to GOA's Legislative Action Center
<http://capwiz.com/gunowners/issues/alert/?alertid=21365941&PROCESS=Take+Action>
to contact your Senators, the correct pre-written letter will
AUTOMATICALLY be chosen. If you choose to contact your Senators without
going through the GOA website, then please make sure you choose the
correct letter below for the correct Senator.
*----- Pre-written letter to Republican Senators -----*
Dear Senator:
The reason we are not stuck with bans on semi-autos, gun shows and
ammunition is because the U.S. Senate is structured so that whatever
party is in the minority still retains procedural power to protect the
rights of the citizenry against the "tyranny of the majority."
But on January 5, 2011, at the beginning of the new Congress, the Senate
Democratic leadership is hatching a plan to decimate the Senate rules.
The linchpin of the plan would be a ruling by Senate President Joe Biden
that the Senate is not a "continuing body" and therefore has NO rules --
other than whatever 53 Democrats and Independents might unilaterally adopt.
At the core of these efforts will be an attempt to abolish the "hold
letter" -- at least as it currently exists. Pro-gun senators have used
hold letters in the past to kill proposed gun show bans, semi-auto bans,
ammunition bans, gun licensing requirements, registration lists -- any
number of anti-freedom initiatives.
Gun banners may also try to reduce the number of senators required to
shut off filibusters of anti-gun measures. And they will do this in the
expectation that the Second Amendment community has been preoccupied
during the holidays and, thus, won't mobilize in time to stop the plan.
I would ask you for the following:
First, resist efforts by the anti-gun Left to abolish or amend the
Senate rules on January 5 in order to make it more difficult to
filibuster anti-gun measures.
Second, oppose any attempt to abolish "hold letters," which have been
used by pro-gun senators to kill a number of anti-freedom initiatives.
Third, support the amendment to the Senate rules by Senator Jim DeMint
that would prohibit anti-gun legislation from being passed in the
Senate, unless two-thirds of all senators vote to consider it.
Sincerely,
*----- Pre-written letter to Democrat Senators -----*
Dear Senator:
On January 5, 2011, at the beginning of the new Congress, there are some
in the Senate leadership who are hatching a plan to decimate the Senate
rules.
The linchpin of the plan would be a ruling by Senate President Joe Biden
that the Senate is not a "continuing body" and therefore has NO rules --
other than whatever 53 Democrats and Independents might unilaterally adopt.
At the core of these efforts will be an attempt to abolish the "hold
letter" -- at least as it currently exists. And, they may also try to
reduce the number of senators required to shut off filibusters.
Ironically, these are the same senators who were, a half-decade ago,
screaming at the prospects of Republicans and Vice President Dick Cheney
changing the rules in order to expedite judicial nominations.
Also ironic is the fact that the same Democrats who are so enthusiastic
about squashing the rights of the minority might well be in the minority
in the Senate after the next election.
I would ask you to resist efforts to abolish or amend any Senate rules
that would make it more difficult to filibuster or place holds on
legislation. These valuable tools have a history of protecting the
rights of all Americans.
Sincerely,
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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