Counterintuitive
By Mitch Berg
Guns aren’t the only issue on the conservative docket. Far, far from it.
And, truth be told, the rights of the law-abiding gun owner aren’t strictly a “conservative” issue, or at least a Republican Party issue, anyway. The Minnesota Personal Protection Act would not have passed without support from a solid bloc of DFLers – almost entirely outstate (where, to be fair, the Second Amendment movement has the power to tilt races against the orcs).
And for all his many, many, many faults, former Attorney General Mike Hatch at least seemed to do his best, in most cases I can recall, to do no harm to the law-abiding gun owner.
This bit here was the last thing I expected to read, though; Joel Rosenberg, like a lot of us, is looking and hoping for politicians from both the major parties with integrity on Second Amendment issues:
Hopes are too often dashed in the light of reality, but sometimes, sometimes . . .
Sometimes you get Lori Swanson as Attorney General.
I like that she’s got skeet shooting as a hobby, as I think it’s a cool hobby, and wish I had the time to take it up. That’s cool, but it’s unimportant.
What’s important is that during her tenure she’s been protecting your rights, under the law, and is taking the silly Appeals court decision in the Edina church case to the Supreme Court. She’s been a major force among the many state AGs who have signed on to the side of truth, justice, and the American way in the DC gun ban case.
All of this is true, and very much worth noting. Having a “D” after one’s name doesn’t necessarily put someone on the bad side of this issue – outside the metro, at least.
Of course, I think Joel goes a bit far:
Me, I’m thinking that Governor Lori Swanson has kind of a nice ring to it.
Let’s not get carried away, here. While the “D” doesn’t necessarily mean “lobotomized as re the Second Amendment”, it comes with some nasty baggage.
Still, let’s give credit where it’s due.
Thanks, AG Swanson.
March 17th, 2008 at 6:45 am
Thanks, Mitch; I’d have expected no less.
I’m not, obviously, signing up to support a gubernatorial campaign that doesn’t, at the moment, exist, and might not, even if and when it does. We’ll have to see.
And, yup, both political parties carry along baggage. By and large, over the past years, I’ve been less uncomfortable with some of the unfortunate baggage that Republicans bring along than the many larger and uglier bags that the DFL does. Just to pick one example, sheesh, Phyllis “The Wrath of” Kahn is one ugly old bag, and I’m not talking about her looks, either.
So we’ll have to see.
On the 2A stuff, though, you and I are on the same page — as far as the AG goes, it’s not just the talk, it’s the walk . . . as in walking the appeal on the Edina Church case all the way to the Supreme Court. That’s not important because it’s a huge issue in and of itself, but because the principle is. She’s taking on Darth Lillehaug, because it’s her job, and the right thing to do. Mad props, as the kids say.
Come, say, two years from now and it’s Lori Swanson vs. Governor Slowroll, it’s possible that we’ll be on different sides, you and me. You may, and probably will — particularly if Pawlenty cleans up his act on the 2A stuff, and grows some backbone on other issues — decide that, all in all, considering all issues , he’d be a better choice than Swanson; I may decide the opposite, and, if so, you and I will be rumbling a bit, here and elsewhere.
I hope not. I’d much rather be on the same side as you in a campaign; even when I disagree with you, I don’t have to (metaphorically or otherwise) hold my nose around you, and I’d have to do just that (both ways) if I found myself backing the same candidate as, say, Skogie. Yucko. But that’s okay, if it happens; we’ll still work together on areas where we agree, and we’ll still be friends.
But it’ll be okay. Heck, we’ve got some fun stuff to do this fall, first, long before we have to decide what to do in the fall of 2010 — assuming the Republicans put up somebody with a pulse, I’m going to be doorknocking in Lillie’s district; after his sellout on HF 498, he is (metaphorically) in my crosshairs, and I’m going to work. And there’ll be plenty of work to do.
Lillie delenda est. Metaphorically, politically, yeah, but Lillie delenda est.
You in? We can argue about the other stuff later. Now, too, if you’d like — I’m easy — but I’ve got some shoe leather that definitely needs to get used, and just as I’m willing to support a good, service-oriented gubernatorial candidate with a D after her name, there’s one with a D after his name and an F on his scorecard who made a very bad, cowardly decision on Thursday, and I’d like to help inform his constituents about him . . .
March 17th, 2008 at 8:48 am
Not so fast. D politics has always been a delicate balancing act between race, class and gender, as we are now seeing on the national stage. 2nd amendment is one of those issues that helps Ds seal the deal with their old working class base. My HO is that this is about poll numbers not leadership. If Lori thought she could step away from this one, and go sue somebody instead, she’d do it in a heartbeat. You are free to put your trust in her but don’t be too dissapointed when she lets you down.
Also don’t forget the personal dynamics here–Swanson is a Hatch protege. With Lillehaug and Hatch, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was bad blood there that transcended party affiliation. Sometime politicians have ulterior motives. Go figure.
March 17th, 2008 at 9:48 am
With all politicians, I’m heavily into “trust but verify” — and, as I hope Governor Pawlenty will eventually learn to his betterment, never break a promise to my community and expect that to be forgotten, or forgiven absent some serious attempts to make amends.
I just checked. It’s been one year, two months, and eighteen days since he’s been in default on his administration’s promise to have fixed the reciprocity mess, and it’s still not done.
The bad smell of a politician’s broken promises doesn’t get any better the longer it rots, Governor; it gets worse. You owe us fifteen states, an apology, and some amends.