Mike
Site Co-Founder
imported post
Sorry Editors,
We call it strategic democracy!
--
http://www.tricities.com/tri/news/opinion/editorials/article/moran_pick_a_ploy_by_opencarry.org/25025
Moran Pick A Ploy By OpenCarry.org
By Bristol Herald Courier Editorial Board
Published: June 5, 2009
A gun-rights group is encouraging Republicans, libertarians and independents to vote for Brian Moran in Tuesday’s Democratic primary for governor, claiming Virginians deserve two gun-rights advocates to face off in the fall election.
The effort by OpenCarry.org is to pit Moran against Republican Bob McDonnell. The problem is Republicans, libertarians and independents have no interest in voting for Moran in the fall and the effort is really aimed at generating even more confusion and chaos in a three-way Democratic race for that party’s nomination.
Because Virginia is an open primary state, any registered voter can vote in a primary for either major party.
We think this effort is modeled after the national “Operation Chaos” advocated by radio pundit Rush Limbaugh, who during the presidential election encouraged his listeners to undermine Democratic campaigns by voting for the candidate who was behind in the vote. When Barack Obama began taking the lead in the Democratic primary, Limbaugh encouraged listeners in Ohio to register as Democrats and vote for Hillary Clinton; approximately 16,000 Republicans switched parties for the 2008 primary election.
On Thursday, John Pierce of Bristol, Va., co-founder of OpenCarry.org, said the organization wants to “shut the door” on Terry McAuliffe, the former Democratic National Committee chairman, who the group believes has an “out of state” agenda.
Pierce said his organization, which was formed in 2004 and advocates for gun owners to openly carry firearms, is angered by state Sen. Creigh Deeds, of Bath County, who has recently indicated support for banning private gun sales at gun shows. Pierce noted that Deeds has a long history of supporting gun rights and support of the gun-rights lobby, but Pierce believes the support for banning private gun sales at gun shows is Deeds “caving to anti-gunners in the left wing of the [Democratic] party. If he hadn’t made that switch, our press release would have supported Deeds.”
Asked specifically if this was a move to add more confusion to an already confusing Tuesday primary, Pierce said it was not. “Of the three Democratic candidates, Moran has never moved,” Pierce said. “We are not trying to throw chaos in the mix.”
So who would Pierce actually vote for in a race between Moran and McDonnell? The answer is obvious. “I would support McDonnell because he has been more consistent as a pro-gun advocate,” Pierce said.
The truth? Moran is a former prosecutor who is known to support law enforcement and to be tough on crime. The Democratic candidates are in a dead heat with four days to go – a poll by the Suffolk University Political Research Center in Boston says Deeds is ahead with 29 percent of those surveyed; McAuliffe has 26 percent and Moran has 23 percent. Twenty-two percent were undecided and the poll has a margin of error of 4.4 percentage points.
This effort by OpenCarry.org is Operation Chaos on a state level – an effort to get Republicans, libertarians and independents to vote for a candidate they believe McDonnell can beat in November. We don’t believe it is genuine support being expressed for Moran.
Last Sunday we endorsed Deeds in the primary based on a variety of factors, including his years of service in the General Assembly and his understanding of rural challenges. We also acknowledged that each of the Democratic candidates have compelling skills and service in their respective fields.
Because Virginia is an open primary state, any registered voter can go to the polls on Tuesday and select their choice in the Democratic primary. This newspaper does not condone anarchy politics like that being advocated by OpenCarry.org.
If you choose to vote in the primary on Tuesday, we urge you to make your choice based on the best interests of your family, your beliefs and Virginia, not to sow confusion and malcontent.
Sorry Editors,
We call it strategic democracy!
--
http://www.tricities.com/tri/news/opinion/editorials/article/moran_pick_a_ploy_by_opencarry.org/25025
Moran Pick A Ploy By OpenCarry.org
By Bristol Herald Courier Editorial Board
Published: June 5, 2009
A gun-rights group is encouraging Republicans, libertarians and independents to vote for Brian Moran in Tuesday’s Democratic primary for governor, claiming Virginians deserve two gun-rights advocates to face off in the fall election.
The effort by OpenCarry.org is to pit Moran against Republican Bob McDonnell. The problem is Republicans, libertarians and independents have no interest in voting for Moran in the fall and the effort is really aimed at generating even more confusion and chaos in a three-way Democratic race for that party’s nomination.
Because Virginia is an open primary state, any registered voter can vote in a primary for either major party.
We think this effort is modeled after the national “Operation Chaos” advocated by radio pundit Rush Limbaugh, who during the presidential election encouraged his listeners to undermine Democratic campaigns by voting for the candidate who was behind in the vote. When Barack Obama began taking the lead in the Democratic primary, Limbaugh encouraged listeners in Ohio to register as Democrats and vote for Hillary Clinton; approximately 16,000 Republicans switched parties for the 2008 primary election.
On Thursday, John Pierce of Bristol, Va., co-founder of OpenCarry.org, said the organization wants to “shut the door” on Terry McAuliffe, the former Democratic National Committee chairman, who the group believes has an “out of state” agenda.
Pierce said his organization, which was formed in 2004 and advocates for gun owners to openly carry firearms, is angered by state Sen. Creigh Deeds, of Bath County, who has recently indicated support for banning private gun sales at gun shows. Pierce noted that Deeds has a long history of supporting gun rights and support of the gun-rights lobby, but Pierce believes the support for banning private gun sales at gun shows is Deeds “caving to anti-gunners in the left wing of the [Democratic] party. If he hadn’t made that switch, our press release would have supported Deeds.”
Asked specifically if this was a move to add more confusion to an already confusing Tuesday primary, Pierce said it was not. “Of the three Democratic candidates, Moran has never moved,” Pierce said. “We are not trying to throw chaos in the mix.”
So who would Pierce actually vote for in a race between Moran and McDonnell? The answer is obvious. “I would support McDonnell because he has been more consistent as a pro-gun advocate,” Pierce said.
The truth? Moran is a former prosecutor who is known to support law enforcement and to be tough on crime. The Democratic candidates are in a dead heat with four days to go – a poll by the Suffolk University Political Research Center in Boston says Deeds is ahead with 29 percent of those surveyed; McAuliffe has 26 percent and Moran has 23 percent. Twenty-two percent were undecided and the poll has a margin of error of 4.4 percentage points.
This effort by OpenCarry.org is Operation Chaos on a state level – an effort to get Republicans, libertarians and independents to vote for a candidate they believe McDonnell can beat in November. We don’t believe it is genuine support being expressed for Moran.
Last Sunday we endorsed Deeds in the primary based on a variety of factors, including his years of service in the General Assembly and his understanding of rural challenges. We also acknowledged that each of the Democratic candidates have compelling skills and service in their respective fields.
Because Virginia is an open primary state, any registered voter can go to the polls on Tuesday and select their choice in the Democratic primary. This newspaper does not condone anarchy politics like that being advocated by OpenCarry.org.
If you choose to vote in the primary on Tuesday, we urge you to make your choice based on the best interests of your family, your beliefs and Virginia, not to sow confusion and malcontent.
