The 2nd Amendment and the GOP Primaries

Gun control hasn't been a huge issue in the GOP primaries. This is largely because gun control has ceased to be a huge issue in any election anywhere, as Democrats have largely given up on promoting it. They like to win elections, see.

But now the Bush administration has filed an amicus brief in what is the largest 2nd amendment case to come before the supreme court in more than seventy years. And this amicus is sure to roil the NRA and may have a large impact on the primaries:

As I read this, the (Bush) Dept of Justice is asking that the Court hold it to be an individual right, but not strike the DC gun law, instead sending it back down to the trial court to take evidence on everything from how much the District needs the law to whether people can defend themselves without pistols and just what the DC trigger lock law means. THEN maybe it can begin another four year trek to the Supremes. That is, the DoJ REJECTS the DC Circuit position that an absolute, flat, ban on handguns violates the Second Amendment, and contends that it might just be justified, it all depends on the evidence.

There was a saying during my years in DC that the GOP operated on two principles: screw your friends and appease your enemies. Yup.

And it sounds to me as if the Bush administration is cool with a rational interpretation of the 2nd amendment, as long as it doesn't have any practical effect. The gun rights community may be in an uproar over this soon. They've been stabbed in the back by a friendly force.

This is getting some attention in the conservative blogosphere, see DailyPundit and Redstate, but it should, and probably will get a lot more. Their are two candidates who are good on gun control and three who are not.

Huckabee and Fred Thompson have been consistent supporters of 2nd amendment rights, and Huckabee is a longtime carrier of a concealed carry permit. Thompson likewise has been good with the NRA.

Mitt Romney has been an NRA member for less than a year, which should tell you something, and foolishly claimed to be a life long hunter, when clearly he was not. He also supported anti NRA positions when he was a governor of MA. He now claims he's changed his mind.

Rudy Giuliani once sued gun manufacturers for product liability. Needless to say, this wasn't very popular.

John McCain is better, but the gun rights community did not like his campaign finance reform when they saw how it would effect their unparalleled lobbying efforts.

When the Supreme Court issues it's ruling in this case, it's highly likely that the ruling may push gun control and 2nd amendment issues to the top of the national conversation. In which case it may be helpful if the GOP had a presidential candidate who could talk about 2nd amendment issues without everyone cringing. Huckabee, McCain and Thompson may be asking (and answering) questions to the rest of the field about whether they support Bush's interpretation of the 2nd amendment: Individual gun rights that may or may not mean anything depending on where you live.