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Senator Allen Introduces Universal Reciprocity Bill

TEX1N

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We would have to go in the direction of Alaska. In AK you don’t need a permit to CC or OC but they still issue permits if you want one, mainly for reciprocal reasons with other states (and there are some other advantages for an AK resident to have a permit, like being exempt from the background check when buying a handgun, etc.).

I believe that this is a big step forward for gun owners and for guns rights. I will agree with VApatriot and ilbob, that there will be some issues that will come with this, but I still believe it is a step in the right directions. We will not get off of the rocky road with one big leap, we must do it one step at a time and accept the bruises and blister that comes from those steps.

I applaud Senator Allen for pushing this and strongly support him. He is one of the strongest supporters of our 2nd Amendment Rights.
 

TEX1N

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ilbob wrote:
No reason that VA could not make a drivers license or state ID card also a CC license.

If you are ineligible to CC, you would get a notation on your DL to that effect. Persons whose personal or religious convictions oppose CC could opt to add this notation to their DL/ID.

:)
It looks like I was a little too slow in my last post! I really like this idea, every law-abiding citizen would automatically become a "permit" holder that would be recognized nationally if Senator Allen's bill becomes law. That sure sounds like it follows "shall not be infringed."
 

murphyslaw

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Were coming to an end of the nics exemtions here in alaska

Special Notice:
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has informed the Department of Public Safety that effective June 1, 2006, they will no longer complete National Instant Check System (NICS) checks subsequent to the processing of fingerprint cards for the purposes of obtaining an Alaska Concealed Handgun Permit (ACHP).
This means that Concealed Handgun Permits issued after June 1, 2006 will contain the notation "NOT NICS EXEMPT", and a permit holder will be required to undergo a NICS background check at the time of any firearm purchase.
Permits issued prior to June 1, 2006 and indicating "NICS EXEMPT" may still be used in lieu of the permit holder undergoing a NICS check at the time of a firearm purchase, for the life of the permit.
We have requested that the FBI reconsider this decision; should they do so, we will once again be able to issue "NICS EXEMPT" Alaska Concealed Handgun Permits.
The Department of Public Safety will not accept the submission of fingerprints for ACHP renewals after June 1, 2006. However, state law still requires a fingerprint based background check prior to the issuance of a new concealed handgun permit.

 

longwatch

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VApatriot wrote:
Overall, I completely agree that there should be nation wide recognition of CC and I am glad that Senator Allen is concerned about it as well, but what kind of negative impact could this have? Has anyone thought how this might affect VCDL's efforts to make Virginia a Vermont/Alaska style state? If we have no permits in our state, would therebe a way so that we would berecognized as legally CCing in other states?
Vermont carry is a good long term goal, and I think permits are a compromise on the 2nd Amendment. However if this was passed into law we could still go for Alaska carry, but this would expand our ability to carry into a lot more states, which I think could help a progun agenda in less gun friendly states. A lot of shall issue states have restrictions worse than the bills restrictions, this would provide an arguement that they should lessen those restrictions. If may issue states start to go for liberalized concealed carry and eventually Alaska carry, maybe in ten years or so the political environment will be ripe for even more deregulation.
 

Bubba Ron

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Senator Allen's form letter response to my email to him:

Dear Ron:

Thank you for contacting me regarding S. 3275, the Right to Carry Reciprocity Act. I appreciate your input and value the opportunity to respond.

On May 26, 2006, I introduced with bi-partisan support S. 3275, the Right to Carry Reciprocity Act. This bill, which currently has 21 cosponsors, would allow any person with a valid State concealed carry permit or license to carry a concealed firearm in any other State subject to the laws of that State. The bill would simply require States to recognize each other’s concealed carry permits and licenses, just as they recognize drivers’ licenses.

I want to be clear, this legislation will not create a federal licensing system and it does not set federal standards for any current or future State concealed carry statutes. This legislation will not take away one bit of freedom that so many have worked so hard for.

A unique aspect of this legislation is that it will allow an individual with a valid State permit to carry a concealed firearm in the District of Columbia. Despite the District of Columbia’s ban on firearms, murders with guns continue to be a major problem plaguing our nation’s capital. Thousands of Virginians and Americans travel to Washington, D.C. each year and they have a right to feel safe and to defend themselves should they be assaulted. Other conceal carry reciprocity bills introduced in Congress do not allow this and maintain the status quo of restricting the Second Amendment rights of law abiding Americans.

The Right-to-Carry movement has enjoyed great success throughout our nation. To cite just one example, the murder rate in my Commonwealth of Virginia, has plunged a dramatic 40 percent since the Right-to-Carry law that I signed as Governor.

This is common-sense legislation. It recognizes that Congress has affirmed an individual’s right to carry firearms for “protective purposes.”

Please feel free to contact me again about issues important to you. If you would like to receive an email newsletter about my initiatives to improve America, please sign up on my website (http://allen.senate.gov). It is an honor to serve you in the United States Senate, and I look forward to working with you to make Virginia and America a better place to live, learn, work and raise a family.

With warm regards, I remain

Sincerely,
Senator George Allen
 

The Donkey

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At monday's debate at the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce, Jim Webb, Senator Allen's opponent in the Senate race wholeheartedly endorsed concealed carry reciprocity: so no matter how the race goes, CCR will have a champion in the Senate!

Marc:dude:
 

44Brent

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I talked to the NRA-ILA a few days ago about various issues, and one of them was this bill. They are expecting this to come up for a vote in congress this month, although I'm not sure which house.

Hopefully, NRA will issue a press release when it does come up for a vote so that we will know when to start burning up the phone lines in Washington D.C.

This bill will hose the antis in IL, MA, NY, CA, HI, etc.
 

The Donkey

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This Free Lance Star link references Webb's support for CCR at the debate here:

http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2006/092006/09192006/222847

But that doesn't really do justice to the enthusiasm the candidate expressed for gun rights. He also talked about his own CC permit, and his strong connections with the gun owning community.

Channel 8 has some streaming video of the debate on its site:

http://www.news8.net/news/stories/0906/361902.html

But I don't know whether it shows all or part of the debate.

Donkey
 

NRA-EVC

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I believe Webb is on record however as being in favor of the Clinton Gun Ban. As my friend over atgunlawnews.orgsaid in hiscommentary "Who to Vote For" on August 2:


"Your district could have the next Zell Miller as a candidate, but, if the Democratic party gains control of the House or the Senate, our chances of advancing gun rights will be severely diminished. Every Democrat that gets elected this fall increases the likelihood of Democratic leadership.

"Make no mistake. The Democratic leadership is rife with gun grabbers. With someone like Nancy Pelosi as the House Majority Leader, you could forget anything positive coming out of the House. You could also guarantee every gun grabbing bill to come along would get every opportunity to get shoved through."
 

TEX1N

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First of all: Donkey and NRA, welcome to OCDO!

NRA, I agree with you and your statements on Webb. While Webb might be pro-gun, he is running against a senator who is unsurpassable in his support for gun rights. I would argue that if Jefferson, Madison, or Mason were runningAllen; that Allen would still give them a run for their money on 2A issues (and Madison wrote the 2A, based on Mason’s Declaration of Rights for VA).

There is a difference between saying you support a pro-gun bill and actually writing and submitting a pro-gun bill before the senate (S. 3275), and then getting other senators to cosponsor and support the bill as it makes it rounds through congress. The other problem with Webb is that he has never held an elected office before. So when push comes to shove, will he still stand up for gun owners? Allen has proven time and time again that he will. We all know that what you say on the campaign trail and what you actually do in office can be two very different things.

I like Webb, he is an extremely decorated U.S. Marine (Navy Cross, Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts) and has show great leadership through his Military/DOD career. But when it comes to guns, I know Allen. And even more importantly, I trust Allen.

My hope is that Allen will beat Webb this year, and then maybe Webb will run against Sen Warner in 2008! Because then it becomes a whole different ball game ;)
 

The Donkey

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Thanks for your kind regards!

As far as Allen is concerned, he's not quite the double barrelled gun hero that you crack him up to be: while he has "quietly" come through with a good bill just in time for the Senate election, he simply does not have the clout in the Senate to see the thing through. His Congressional tenure, thus far, has been one of almost stunning non-accomplishment on gun rights and everything else. If he does win his seat back, we can expect his interest in this legislation to disappear as he re-focuses on trying to get his flagging presidential asperations back on track.

I don't think that Allen wants to be President because he cares much about 2A issues: yeah he chews tobacco and wears cowboy boots on the campaign trail, but he always impressed me as more of a Chardonney sipper than a six gun shooter at heart.

Truly, where do you think the man in the cowboy boots would be more at home: on the gun range or the 18th hole?

Remember Allen's stand on one gun a month in the 90s? Before he was governor, it was a big deal: once he got in to the governor's manch, it was no longer a priority: the man just had other things on his mind: and so now we are still stuck with that annoyance. Do you really think that its gonna be any different with him and CCR when he's got his mind on the other end of Pennsylvania Ave for the next few years?

My support for Webb has more to do with other issues than with guns: frankly I am not one of those people who would be happy to let the Republic go up in flames so long as I get to keep my Ruger. Gun rights are important to me, and frankly on that issue, I see it as basically a tie, even though I suspect that guns are closer to Webb's heart than Allen's. The main reasons I will cast my vote for Webb is everything else.

The Donkey
 

longwatch

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Allen isn't perfect on guns but he has a pretty good record to stand on. I like the image he presents even if he has grown into it rather than born into it. I think he is being genuous. In this election we are lucky that both candidates are pro-gun. However as much as I respect Webb as a Marine hero, he has tied himself to a party that I cannot trust with my rights. If he goes to the senate and the Democrats gain control, his stand on guns won't matter because he won't be calling the shots. Bills will be brought forth by the likes of Senators Schumer, Feinstein, and Kennedy with Sarah Brady whispering what guns to ban in their ears. While the Republicans haven't done as much as I would have liked in restoring gun rights, they have not hurt them as much as I expect the Democrats would.
 

NRA-EVC

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Tex1n,

I am the EVC for the 7th Congressional District of VA. It has been safely pro-gun (and Republican) for over 20 years. Former Congressman and Chairman of the House Commerce Committee Tom Bliley held the seat for 20 years and now Deputy Majority Whip Eric Cantor holds the seat.

Not a lot to do in the way of Congressional Races because Virginia districts are so gerrymandered to protect incumbants (and insure that one seat is held by a minority) that I concentrate my efforts on state-wide races when we have them. My district runs from Richmond to the Shenandoah Valley (takes over two hours to drive from one end to the other).
 

The Donkey

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The “But He’s a Democrat” analysis fails on a number of counts:
  1. The “scary boogie-women” of the “democratic party organization” like Nancy Pelosi that the NRA always trots out in support of such arguments is not going to be of any significance to an independent Senator like Jim Webb on issues like guns. While Pelosi may be able to throw some weight around in the House, she holds no sway in the Senate. The Democratic Majority Leader there is Harry Reid: also pro-gun, e.g. voting against the 10 year extension of the Assault Weapons Ban in 04.’ There were seven democratic votes against it. If that legislation had passed, you would have had Republicans to blame, including our Senator John Warner (R), and Mike Dewine of Ohio, (who may be thinking long and hard about that vote right now). Had the Senate tied, as many people expected, Dick Cheney would have come in and cast the tie breaking vote IN FAVOR of the assault style ban, fulfilling Bush’s campaign promises. Think about that the next time you caress your pistol grip or reach for your banana clip.
  1. We all need to face it: the “worm has turned” politically in this country, and even if the democrats don’t gain control of even one house of Congress this time, they are quite likely to take it all away from the Republicans in 08’. Some of these democrats that some cast as barbarians are moderate dems from pro-gun states. But a lot of moderate democrats don’t trust us pro-gun folks any more because of pro-republican biases in the gun organizations: they figure that no matter what they do, we are going to be against them. Now just because you are a pro-gun pol, doesn’t mean that you are smart about it: a lot of our issues are fairly nuanced: but do you think that these mod-dems are going to listen to us or our agenda if we are going to vote against them no matter what they do? What’s our reward to democrats for being pro-gun? Squat! So we are excluding ourselves from the bargaining room, and we are leaving these politicians to figure it out for themselves. Do you trust the democrats to do that?
Pro-gun folks need to embrace the donkey when the donkey deserves it: the elephant can’t carry our weight forever.
 

longwatch

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I agree there are RINOs out there who are not gun friendly and there are good progun Democrats, but historically the Democrats have pushed and are still pushing gun control bills, just much less sucessfully than when Bill Clinton was President. If the Dems want the gun vote, my vote, how about starting to work to undo the gun control we currently have? I live in a heavily blue area, and the responses I have recieved when asking for progun legislation is forceful antigun rhetoric. In my view there has been no change in the Democratic view on gun control except to soft pedal it when suits their electoral whims.
 
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