Reagan was the Great Prevaricator. He believed in total disarmament and also that if you explained to the Russians why Communism was wrong they'd blink twice, say "okay" and go shop at Bloomingdale's. He also called them The Evil Empire and doubled down on nuclear weapons. It's been my experience that gun control isn't a Democrat/Republican issue, it's a trust government/fear government issue. Can you imagine the Republicans if Obama tried to pass the Patriot Act?
Can you imagine the Republicans if Obama tried to pass the Patriot Act?
Great point. Though after the fact, some republicans I know will point squarely at this as Bush's biggest GOP faux pas.
I had a friend recently say to me, red in the face with anger, "how can you be so damned liberal"?! I'd never seen him angry prior to this. He was responding to my assertion that the gun manufacturers were fueling the flames of fear in the public so that people would rush out to buy guns and ammo. As I mentioned to him, I wasn't placing judgment, in fact if anything I was applauding them as business people. You make hay when the sun is shining, right? They're making LOTS of hay. I could understand if people were going out to buy assault weapons right now, because they think they will not be able to later on, but handgun sales are through the roof as well. Edit: also, Reagan could come down from GOP heaven, say he supported Obama and it wouldn't matter.