Gooney McBuckshot continues to dominate debate in the South Dakota Legislature. Our legislators again worked themselves into a lather yesterday over the simple question of whether they ought to allow themselves and other gun-fetishists the pleasure of carrying their pistols in the Capitol.
Rep. Betty Olson has already admitted that she flagrantly forgets to check her concealed weapon before she comes to work. She brought HB 1228 so she apparently wouldn't have to work so hard to remember she's carrying a deadly weapon, and so she could spring to Annie Oakley the next armed marauders attack her and her fellow legislators in Pierre (something that has happened never).
The debate on HB 1228 consisted of everyone saying everyone else is afraid:
Supporters and opponents each accused the other of living in fear.
"When are we going to get out of this culture of living in fear?" said Rep. Troy Heinert, D-Mission, saying he didn’t see the need to arm lawmakers for their own defense.
"Those who live in fear are the people who are afraid of law-abiding, gun-toting citizens," retorted Rep. Don Kopp, R-Rapid City [David Montgomery, "Guns in Capitol Rejected after Acrimonious Debate," Political Smokeout, 2014.02.12].
Rep. Kopp flaunts his gun-ego here. Those of us who oppose carrying guns in the Capitol (and courthouses, and schools) are not trembling cowards compared to his manly gun-handling chums (that's Kopp's subtext). Kopp is the coward for lacking faith in civil society and in the state he legislates to use force judiciously and provide all citizens due protection. Kopp, Olson, and the others who support making the Capitol a free-fire zone would overturn basic security rules to assuage their own raging insecurities.
The debate was so fearful that it apparently scared the poop out of Rep. Stace Nelson (no small feat!). Even without his presence, HB 1228 failed on a far too narrow vote.
Update 10:10 CST: Maybe we need to arm legislators to scare those sneaky lobbyists out of the LRC offices.
Maybe post arm guards by the bathroom.
this session has seen the craziest bills I've ever seen. It'd be funny except some will really hurt people. Incredible!
I've been arguing with an NRA crazy over the UN taking away our guns and Tim Johnson voting for it.
Here's a great explanation of the treaty.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-weisser/un-small-arms-treaty_b_4337810.html
A classic example of time-wasting. I guess you could argue it keeps them from doing something really dumb and expensive.
Legislation of firearms, one way or the other, is mostly "feel-good" fraud anyway. Criminals will pay no attention to these laws and huge portions of the population doesn't even know their behaviors are illegal. Considering most of our mass shootings take place in gun free zones, maybe the folks in the Capitol figure to beat the odds!
Why would this law be needed when gun mama Betty "accidentally' carries her gun into the capital anyway? Apparently there was no investigation, confiscation, or arrest for her firearms violation.
It's a perfect out for those fearing opposing party members and feel the need to arm themselves, "Oh, I forgot I had my gun on me".
Why would this law be needed when gun mama Betty "accidentally' carries her gun into the capital anyway? Apparently there was no investigation, confiscation, or arrest for her firearms violation.
It's a perfect out for those fearing opposing party members and feel the need to arm themselves, "Oh, I forgot I had my gun on me".
For those legislators that blatantly break the law by carrying weapons into the capital, regardless of their feeble excuses, there will be little or no consequences anyway.
The law is not needed, ask Betty, if she can get away with packing heat in the capital, so can others.
How about your little pet Rep. Nelson stomping out and not being present for the Vote? He is a coward and baby!
I don't think we need a bill to allow guns in the Capitol and feel there are so many other issues that they could be spending more time discussing and working on.
I do find it interesting that you made mention of Rep. Nelson's alleged trip to the restroom but failed to tell the real story...and now he is claiming that he asked the clerk to be excused, however if he had the clerk wouldn't have continued to call his name and the Speaker would have given the results right away and not waited for Rep. Nelson to possibly return to vote. Oh and it would show on the SDPB video that he had gone to the front of the House and made the request...
In Wyoming, if I am not mistaken, they just passed a law that allows teachers to carry guns in school.
The also pay teachers half again as much as teachers make here.
I can see it now. Cowboy Cory rides again.
Owen-OT,but Senator Bob Cprker of Tenn. told union voters in South Carolina's VW plant that he had it on good authority that if the workers voted down the union,VW would reward them with a new engine project for their plant. If not,he said the engine work would go to Mexico. That is a direct contradiction of VW's own stance on the union and smacks of wingnut intimidation in a state he does not represent.
Cranky Old Dude is exactly right. If someone wants to take a gun in the Capitol, there is nobody there to stop them. Some poor innocent dude will forget about and end up in prison. Well, we must keep the prisons full don't we?
Hey Cory, I'm sure you know, but you got a link back from Daily Kos. Good job! Probably one of the most highly read blogs in the states. I look forward to hearing how this is a bad thing from assorted goofballs and nitwits at DWC.
Way to have this on the front page story on the "Great Orange Satan", Cory!
Cory,
Congratulations on making it on Daily Kos with this post.
Now if they would only pick up the GOED/EB-5 scandal