1 Here's the stupid statement in the material quoted by Hackbarth: 'We tried to craft a regulation that would allow the maximum amount of freedom for people as possible,' said Commissioner Ellen L. Weintraub, a Democrat. Ms. Weintraub, don't serve us piss and call it wine. If you were really trying to "allow the maximum amount of freedom," you wouldn't be crafting regulations! You'd just leave us alone! Regards, John

2 Yeah, that was fairly dim.

3 Attila: "Advocacy groups (comprising, of course, private citizens) will still have their political speech rationed." The important point is that private citizens do not have their speech rationed. In fact, atilla, i am quite surprised to see you come to the support of "advocacy groups," typpically a Democratic thing. Remember, conservatives believe in "one person, one vote," while liberals have typically believed in "one membership in a special interest group, one vote." Conservatives have typicallyt sought to convince voters to support them, while liberals have typically sought to get group ;leaders who can reliably deliver the vote to support them. Of course, the neocons, in line with their liberal heritage, have adopted, to some extent, the liberal way.

4 How does the NRA fit into this?

5 Good point, if one thinks of its members as Republican. The member I hold in mind the most is Michael Moore. Personally, i think they are wimps. They say they are a constitutional advocacy group, standing up for a basic right guaranteed in the consitution (as opposed to an advocacy group with concerns more linked to who they are, like the Dairy Famrer's Association, or what ever). But, in fact, i have not heard one argument for gun owsnership that can't be applied to tanks, nukes, or, my favorite, WWII-era flame throwers. These guys seem to be OK with the government being able to keep its boot on all our necks because they have all the heavy weapons. I don't think the Founding Fathers would think that was OK. the didn't right in a guarantee of the right to bear handguns and rifles. they wanted a right to bear ARMS, anything that would be needed for a militia, the army of the day. They are just a bunch of wimps. Years ago, i was a member. i can attest that when you try to get up a drive to legalize flame throwers, they get all wimpy and liberal, and make the same arguments against flamethrowers that liberals make against your shotgun.