George W. Bush and his neoconservative advisers have decided that their best
strategy for the 2004 campaign is to focus on the "doctrine of preemption."
The obvious goal is to portray the president as a hero in the war on terror,
conveying the notion that he is the one who is able to keep America safe.
Unfortunately for Bush, his position on the assault weapons ban may cause
his reelection plans to unravel.
Many conservatives currently feel comfortable backing Bush for a second
term. For one thing, he cut taxes, and the economy is on the rebound. He has
shown courage by taking on global terrorism. He appointed as Attorney
General a man who believes that the Second Amendment supports an
individual's right to keep and bear arms. Bush is every conservative's
dream, right? Think again.
During his 2000 campaign, candidate Bush voiced his support of the assault
weapons ban that was passed during the Clinton administration. The federal
law is scheduled to expire on Sept. 13, 2004, and Bush, speaking as
president, has already stated that he supports its reauthorization.
Some have tried to excuse the president's position by arguing that he is
merely telling people what they want to hear, stating publicly that the ban
is a good thing while remaining confident that renewal of the ban will never
even make it through the House of Representatives. That may offer some
comfort to disgruntled conservatives, but it is important to remember that
38 Republicans voted for the ban in 1994 and 42 voted against its repeal in
1996. That doesn't bode well for freedom-loving Americans.
Don't be surprised in the coming months to see the Bush administration
pushing for a renewal of the assault weapons ban by promoting it as an
effective tool in our fight against terrorism. After all, such a ban would
make it easier for law enforcement officers to break up terrorist
organizations here in the United States. In 1993, for example, a raid on a
Muslim commune in central Colorado turned up bombs, automatic weapons,
ammunition and plans for terrorist attacks.
On Dec. 6, 2001, Attorney General John Ashcroft, testifying before Congress,
revealed an al-Qaida training manual that had been discovered in
Afghanistan. The manual, he claimed, told terrorists "how to use America's
freedom as a weapon against us." The fear was that terrorists in the U.S.
would exploit loopholes in our gun laws in an effort to arm
themselves—and with radical groups like Muslims of America already
purchasing guns, we can't be too careful.
Like most federal laws, the assault weapons ban was originally passed with
the assumption that Americans are willing to sacrifice liberty for safety.
This, of course, has been historically a safe assumption on the part of our
elected officials in Washington. But Bush's position on the assault weapons
ban may very well come back to haunt him when he seeks to reconnect with his
conservative base in 2004.
The hypocrisy of the president has already been revealed. He spoke out in
favor of the government's prerogative to trample on the Second
Amendment—under the guise of "reasonable" gun legislation—at
the
same time he was sending troops armed with fully automatic weapons to Iraq.
This may seem like a stupid question, but if soldiers are allowed to carry
assault weapons in order to provide for the common defense, why can't that
same right be extended to civilians who want nothing more than to defend
their homes and families?
John Ashcroft once said during his confirmation hearing, "I don't believe
the Second Amendment to be one that forbids any regulation of guns." Far be
it from me to contradict the highest-ranking law enforcement officer in the
country, but the Constitution forbids exactly that. The federal
government is barred from passing any law that may infringe upon the right
of Americans to keep and bear arms. Period. It can't be explained in simpler
terms than that.
President Bush would be wise to reconsider his position on the assault
weapons ban. If he isn't careful, he and other members of his administration
may end up alienating the few true conservatives left in the Republican
Party—and that would be a mistake this close to election time.
--Lee R. Shelton IV
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