Dan Lungren crosses party lines and National Rifle Association

[edward]

Head on pike time. Punish the betrayer, vote him out.

Epic sig material. +1000000

Best political strategy ever.

[Gray Peterson]

Epic sig material. +1000000

Best political strategy ever.

#winning

[navyinrwanda]

When it comes politics and political gamesmanship, facts do not matter. Mr. Lungren demanded an amendment to get his support (the study) and then voted against the underlying bill.

Head on pike time. Punish the betrayer, vote him out.

anonymous blog comments?

[bwiese]

Lou Correa qualifies as neutral (his 2010 NRA-PVF grade was B+).

NRA grades are issued 3000 miles away. He was CRPA legislator of the year and drove SB610.

But he [Wright] was absent for votes on SB 819 and SB 427.

You should assume those bills were already lost or if his vote were needed it would be there.


Fine with me. Irrelevant laws give people 'cover votes'
(1) hicap mag ban ain't gonna pass Federally. Ever.
(2) it will do our CA plans no harm.

NRA-PVF didn't grade Wright.

I'm glad Fairfax got it this time. We don't need to harm a friend in an urban 90% Dem registered district by giving an A rating to be used against him,

And Nicole Parra hasn't held any elective office since 2008.

True, but she's an example of non-urban Dems helpful to us.

Remember that part of the war is not just about actual votes on legislation but keeping things bollixed up in committee or adding poison pills.

Remember what happened to microstamping - a Dem who felt he had to vote for it was nevertheless able to mark it up to add intellectual property restrictions.

No, it means we have to work to depolarize the gun issue, and that given Republicans are irrelevant in CA we have no choice not to.

[CEDaytonaRydr]

I remember during the debates when he was saying the solution to the assault weapons problem was limiting the size of the magazine to 10 rounds.

Great guy!

[winslowgirl]

Worth looking to the Tea Party strategy:

Primary challenge Lundgren and attempt to replace him with a reliable 2A candidate. Make it clear to all Republican reps nationally (and assorted other GOP pols down to the level of town councilor) that lack of support for the Second Amendment is a terminal condition, politically. By word and deed send an unambiguous message: support the 2A and we will support you; don't support the 2A and we'll primary you.

It does not matter that a 2A-reliable replacement candidate may go down to defeat in the election, or even fail to win the primary. What matters is the perceived threat to the incumbent or incumbant-challenger that their careers are in jeopardy if they do not fully support pro-2A legislation or ordinances. Even those Republicans who feel they would survive a primary challenge know they risk being greatly weakened in the General by the loss of capital (financial and political) expended in the primary.

It would take but one or two House-election cycles (2 or 4 years) for everyone to get religion. Clearly, there would be some collateral damage along the way (loss of an otherwise safe seat by replacing a 2A “moderate” with a 2A radical, for instance) but that is a necessary wastage if the seriousness and certainty of the primary challenge it to be inculcated.

Consider Grover Norquist; he almost single-handedly brought the whole Republican congressional caucus to the point of opposing just about any tax hike - ever, by forcing them to sign a pledge that they would never vote for one. Fear, more than persuasive argument drove (and still drives) their compliance.

There is no reason a similar strategy would not work with respect to 2A. The key is the CERTAIN PROSPECT of facing a serious primary challenge. There is nothing like a (political) near-death experience to bring an errant pol to Jesus.

[vincewarde]

The only way this will get through is as an amendment to must-pass legislation.

That might work - but I think a bill that had some minimum standards might very well get passed over Obama's veto. My logic is that Senators from "Shall Issue" states would probably vote for it and that there just might be enough pro-gun Dems to get to 2/3 of the House. The House, IMHO would be the greater challenge. Will minimum standards, they wouldn't have that excuse - and it is one that is not completely without merit.

Of course, another solution would be a movement to standardize requirements among the states - so the more states would recognize each other's permits.

[Skidmark]

But, but, but Lundgren has a (R) after his name. How can this be?

Further proof that our fight isn't left/right. We have friends and enemies on both sides.

Indeed.

The lone California Democrat to co-sponsor the bill in the House is Dennis Cardoza.

Who plans to leave the House in 2012.

[Afterburnt]

Dannyboy Lungren is a prime example of how often "the right hates rights", and how you should never assume Reeps are pro-gun by default.

Lungren is not doing *that* well in his district and I'd love to see him taken out by a pro-gun (or even gun-neutral) Dem.

You sound like Hoffa LOL!