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| House Democrats have left the Iowa Capitol in protest of gun bills |
| 2012-02-29 |
| Run away, run away More cowardice from the Democrats, who once again find themselves on the losing side of an issue. Iowa House Democrats this morning left the Capitol in protest of two gun bills the Republican majority had planned to debate today that critics contend would make the state part of the "Wild, Wild West." House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy accused House Leader Linda Upmeyer of failing to properly inform legislators about planned debate today on the bills. The short notice hindered Democrats from offering amendments to improve the bills, McCarthy said. But Upmeyer, R-Garner, shot back this morning that Democrats did have adequate warning, and suggested their flight from the Capitol was an attempt to make a political scene. "Iowans didn't send us down here just to do easy stuff," she said. "The Second Amendment is a question that many Iowans would like placed before them. I don't know why they're afraid to have a debate on a subject just because they don't like the subject. That seems ludicrous to me." One bill would alter the state constitution to specifically include gun rights. Another would rewrite the law on "reasonable force" so that a person may use force -- including deadly force -- against someone who they believe threatens to kill or cause serious injury or who is committing a violent felony. "(Upmeyer) said they will debate those bills today whether we like it or not," said McCarthy, D-Des Moines. "I told her that we've been double crossed, and we will not be debating those bills today." In response, Democrats have moved to an undisclosed location. Republicans hold 60 of 100 seats and could debate the bill without Democrats since they have a quorum. The majority party sets the calendar for debate and guides the course of business on the House floor. "We have been double-crossed as a caucus, and we're not going to sit back and be treated with historic misuse of power," McCarthy said. In a statement released after the Democrats exited the Capitol, McCarthy said the Republican leadership told Democrats yesterday the gun legislation would not be considered today. Because they didn't believe the bill would come up today, he said, Democrats did not file all the amendments they wanted to offer on the bills prior to the deadline set in the House rules. When met by a reporter after the Republicans adjourned from a party caucus, Upmeyer rejected McCarthy's argument. The gun bills were noticed in the same manner as any other bill that could come before the House, she said -- in a calendar that is updated and circulated to lawmakers everyday. When Democrats asked what the Republicans intended to bring up today, Upmeyer said she gave them a list of non-controversial bills, but left consideration of other bills "open-ended." "Every member knows that anything that comes out of committee and is placed on the calendar is eligible," Upmeyer said. A House spokeswoman added that Democrats had in fact already offered an amendment to one of the gun bills, indicating that they had had ample time to develop proposed changes. Upmeyer said she was not sure whether the House would convene and begin considering bills in the Democrats' absence. As of 10:45 a.m., the chamber remained at ease, with Republican lawmakers sitting casually at their desks or chatting in small groups on the House floor. |
| Posted by:Beavis |
| #8 Yokay, I'll bite, whose going to defend us = all things Americana when the North Koreans invade Colorado ala "RED DAWN II"??? Oh wait ... * DEFENCE.PK/FORUMS > PENN JUDGE: MUSLIMS ALLOWED TO ATTACK PEOPLE FOR INSULTING MUHAMMED. Pennsylvania State Judge Mark Martin. Not unlike the DemoLeft on various Lefty/Lib agendums oer the yarns, ala SECULAR QUASI-"SHARIA" = SOCIOPOLITICAL STRATIFICATION, THEY CAN DO IT TO US - WE, HOWEVER, CAN NOT DO IT TO THEM??? versus * TOPIX > ANTONY: CHINESE SHIPPING TO BYPASS INDIAN OCEAN, to RFE + Pacific Ocean, + northern Canada into Atlantic Ocean, vee melting Arctic land routes. Well now is Indjuh going to sink the PLAN??? * DEFENCE FORUM INDIA > [Brazil] BASE IN ANTARCTICA [South Pole]: WHY IT IS IMPORTANT LEGALLY? Biggest last, unclaimed, unsettled or colonized, undeveloped place on Earth - perhaps more importantly, WHY SHOULD CHINA + INDIA, ETC. CLAIM RIGHTS BUT NOT BRAZIL??? The Brazilians are coming, the Brazilians are coming - led by OWG PAULA "DELILAH/BATHSHEBA" ABDUL??? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2012-02-29 22:07 |
| #7 One bill would alter the state constitution to specifically include gun rights. Another would rewrite the law on "reasonable force" so that a person may use force -- including deadly force -- against someone who they believe threatens to kill or cause serious injury or who is committing a violent felony. I welcome the Deomcrat's attempt to be on the other side of this issue. Please keep up the good work. |
| Posted by: Secret Master 2012-02-29 19:44 |
| #6 Good to see them protesting the high cost of self-defence. More guns = less crime = less need for police = lower social costs. A positive externality that should be sales-tax free. |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2012-02-29 15:49 |
| #5 Dems are kind of mainstreaming this tactic. |
| Posted by: Iblis 2012-02-29 15:22 |
| #4 Are we at last brought to such a humiliating and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms for our own defense?” ― Patrick Henry (One of the authors of the Constitutional Bill of Rights) |
| Posted by: George Ebbeamp4828 2012-02-29 15:13 |
| #3 At this point, any congresspeople that flee and abandon their post need to be stripped of their positions and publicly tarred and feathered. It is a cowardly disgrace for any public official to abandon their oath and duty. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2012-02-29 14:43 |
| #2 Already a superminority, the ones still left are just practicing for after the next election. |
| Posted by: Chesney Shusoling7348 2012-02-29 14:39 |
| #1 Don't let the door... etc. |
| Posted by: Pancho Unert7742 2012-02-29 13:06 |