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The governor spoke at a campaign-style anti-gun rally yesterday and issued a call for an assault weapons ban. Missing from some coverage, though, was this important fact.
Senate President Emil Jones, a Chicago Democrat, has said he doesn’t want to put vulnerable lawmakers on the spot by calling the weapons ban for a vote this spring.“The question is, ‘Do we have enough votes to cover it?’ It’s been up before, and I see what has happened in the past,” Jones said. “That’s a tough vote.”
The article quoted Rep. Ed Acevedo as admitting that support had “softened” for the ban, but Acevedo said earlier this month that he didn’t plan to call the bill for a vote. So this was supposed to be a rally to encourage legislators to vote for a bill that won’t be called in either chamber. In reality, it was essentially a campaign move by the governor to put media pressure on Topinka, who opposes the ban. From the Tribune:
Supporters shouted “Hallelujah” and “Amen” as Blagojevich criticized Topinka’s opposition to the gun control measure.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Mar 24, 06 @ 8:03 am
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Shootings, Stabbings and Street fights-Amen!
Comment by The Broken Heart of Rogers Park Friday, Mar 24, 06 @ 8:13 am
Of course the debate thing is a very clever trick by GB.
He gets to remind his base WHY they like him.
On many issues he gets to remind the Repub. base that JBT is like him.
So, he energizes HIS base while laying down suppressive fire on hers *^^*.
And looks GREAT for wanting lots of debates? How can JBT say no?
Shows GunBan can add a play or two to the Clinton play book. Got to hand it to him, he can be clever at getting elected.
Nothing else, but that’s all that counts, right?
Comment by Pat Collins Friday, Mar 24, 06 @ 8:20 am
He is using these poor children in Englewood.Hello Governor get more funding for the State Police to help the Englewood Police there.Finally someone has realized that maybe there is a drug problem there that has resorted in gun violence hey they even went in and arrested some people.If they stay in there they can clean it up.Then see what can be done to promote jobs and better housing.Enforce the gun laws on the books.There is already federal laws that evidently are not being enforced.Mr. I-NEED-HEADLINES-BLAGO that is what it takes.Just like the Brady’s they are always after the gun owners instead of going after John Hinckley.Oh Johnny boy gets to go home on leave and eat apple pie with his Mommy while legal gun owners suffer.Did the Bradys ever speak up and say now that he is competent he needs to stand trial.As far as his illness do you know how many guys have sexual fanasties about movie stars.Make it right forget anymore gun control laws fix the problems in Englewood and put Hinckley on trial.As far as the media if these people get the guns then they are going to want your freedom of speech.
Comment by DOWNSTATE Friday, Mar 24, 06 @ 8:22 am
Someone gets shot in Englewod, so people down in Cairo lose some rights. Sounds fair to me.
To those that it doesn’t: why do you hate the children so much? One of the girls shot was an honors student!
Comment by Joe Sixpack Friday, Mar 24, 06 @ 8:29 am
Hard to find good people to put on a badge when they know the Pension system isn’t funded.
Comment by frustrated GOP Friday, Mar 24, 06 @ 8:34 am
Were the shootings the governor referred to by people who had possession of the weapons legally? Have they been caught? Whole scenario proves why gun control does not work. 1. No one is enforcing the gun laws we have now. More laws won’t keep the guns out of the hands of criminals.
2. Even if you get a new law, you can’t enforce it if you cannot catch those doing the shooting. And a violation of a gun law is really going to put a pinch on someone running around a neighborhood shooting people.
God bless the Gov. Judy is trying to figure out how to get the southern IL social Conservatives on board and this is the one issue she has. He is going to force the Southen IL consevative R’s and D’s to support Judy to keep their guns even though they do not like her. Thanks Gov, you may do what the republicans couldn’t do, agree to disagree and come together.
Comment by the Patriot Friday, Mar 24, 06 @ 8:34 am
Facts.Shooters had felony records.Fact known drug dealers..Fact guns and drugs together are a federal crime.Fact the kids were shot in a cease-fire zone. A WHAT thats right this communities gun,criminal,and drugs are so bad that they are in a ceasefire zone.If the governor really wanted to do something he would get off his arse and talk to the leaders of Englewood and see what they need to clean up this mess.More of Blago’s hiding of the facts to promote his election chances.Oh they have this cease-fire map on the internet.www.ceasefireillinois.org.
Comment by DOWNSTATE Friday, Mar 24, 06 @ 8:54 am
Jeez people, when are you going to see that this has nothing to do whatsoever with guns? Stop screeching and smell the coffee!
This is a political play - nothing more. He is just playing his supporters for fools. He knows what he is proposing has no chance in the real world, but he is driving the moonbats into a frenzy, which is what he needs to do since he lost 30% of their vote this week.
Calm down gun lovers! This is not about guns!
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Mar 24, 06 @ 9:32 am
From a coldly political standpoint, one has to wonder why he is trying to use this issue as a wedge between he and Judy. The fact that he is trying to run against Judy by calling her to conservative seems evident that he is honestly concerned about Democratic defections in November. But why this issue in particular is baffling to me. The blue-dog union workers in Cairo aren’t going to be happy about giving up their guns, and may come out to vote for a pro-choice, gay-rights suburbanite if gun control is the issue out front. A city vs. the rest of the state strategy, centered on gun control, goes in favor of the GOP at this point, so why is he the one seemingly framing it that way right now? Am I missing something here?
Policy wise, the Patriot is absolutely right. Supporters of this ban have yet to explain how it will actually change anything. There is nothing to logically suggest that these two tragic shooting would have been prevented if this ban had been in place a year ago. So whether the ban is a good idea or not, it is absolutely disgraceful to exploit the deaths of these young women as political props. But why should we expect different from Rod? After the way he tried to use the poor Willis children against Jim Ryan 4 years ago. I’m not saying that Rod, on a human level, isn’t genuinely disturbed by these tragedies, or isn’t sincere in his desire to stop the cycle of violence in the inner city. But the road to hell is paved with good intentions…..which is all this ban really is.
Comment by grand old partisan Friday, Mar 24, 06 @ 9:34 am
EVERY public appearance Rod has made has been nothing but a campaign speech, and this was no different. I’d be insulted if I was one of the people in that community, desperate from need and vulnerable thru tragedy, to have his damn dog and pony show come to use my neighborhood for a pretty background for his campaign rhetoric. Come next week, those folks will not get the time of day from his administration. It’s all about making a splashy appearance for the press, caiming some kind of victory or progress, and leaving as soon as the cameras stop rolling, never to be heard from again. George Ryan did the same thing in Humboldt Park when that little boy was killed by stray fire in a drive-by. It’s all for show, and NONE of it will come to anything.
Comment by Gregor Samsa Friday, Mar 24, 06 @ 11:12 am
Our current Governor could care less about the events surrounding the deaths of those two girls. Unfortunately he is just using them as fodder for his re-election campaign. If he really cared for them he would never have twisted the event into another campaign opportunity. We shouldn’t really be surprised by his actions as he has exhibited this same attitude in the past.
If the Governor considered the rally to be nothing more then to drum up support for the assault weapons ban he would never have brought Topinka into the conversation as she has nothing to do with the current legislative agenda or whether it passes during his current term. The fact he brought Topinka into the mix proves he was using it for his campaign strategy.
Let the Governor and the state enforce all of the laws that are already on the books and see if that has any effect on crime instead of passing another ‘feel good’ law that won’t do anything to stop the very violence we all abhor.
Comment by Sound Reasoning Friday, Mar 24, 06 @ 11:30 am
Some firsthand insights, take them at face value:
My father has been a policeman on the South Side of Chicago for 30 years. Gang crimes, homicide, and special operations. Taylor Homes, Englewood, Pilsen, Pullman. NOT ONE of the guns he has ever recovered from the person or home of a drug dealer, gang member, or violent criminal has been legally purchased or registered.
Simply enforcing the laws we already have on the books is all that is necessary to prevent these sorts of unspeakable tragedies.
If you want to argue for a ban like this, fine. Bring it on. I’m more than happy to debate anyone, anywhere on the merits of this issue or the specific legislation that the governor is proposing. But exploiting these incidents - which would NOT have been prevented with such a ban - is reprehensible. This man has no shame.
Comment by grand old partisan Friday, Mar 24, 06 @ 11:39 am
Illinoize has a posting that will sum up the entire deal on Blago and his absurd stupidity.
Comment by DOWNSTATE Friday, Mar 24, 06 @ 12:26 pm
Democrats pushing gun control is so ’90s.
Didn’t G-Rod get the memo? Dems are courting rural working class families.
Comment by Carl Nyberg Friday, Mar 24, 06 @ 3:48 pm
Grand –
Rod is worried that his hair a looks won’t win him the woman’s vote this time around since his opponent is a woman. It is also harder to paint Judy as a nut, so he has to look for some sort of wedge issues to keep those “soccar moms” that will like Judy.
I agree with others, that this pushes votes to Judy from several angles. Conservitives that may have thought otherwise, Union guys who like their guns and don’t like this governor. Rumors are already comingout of So.IL about defections on this issue becuase he lied to them last time.
Which also puts all of those southern dems in a pickle. them campaigned for him last time saying he was goign to be different. Now he has thrown them all under his campaign. Everytime one of them is pictured with the gov, the campaign mailer will say “rep. X capaigns with and supports anti-gun governor Rod Blagojevich”
those dems that took it in the shorts on the issue,are gonna have a lot of explaining to do back home.
Comment by Dozer Friday, Mar 24, 06 @ 4:54 pm
The first amendment to the Constitution guarantees freedom of speech, press, religion and assembly. The second amendment, Constitutional scholars agree, was meant to be a linchpin which would “lock in” the rights guaranteed by the first. “The strongest reason,” said Thomas Jefferson, “for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.”
Comment by Protection by Smith & Wesson Friday, Mar 24, 06 @ 5:30 pm
Guns don’t kill - people kill.
To Sound Reasoning 11:30 a.m. - I couldn’t of said it better. The fact that Blo-puffer-vich brought Topinka into the mix proves he was using it for his campaign strategy.
Comment by Swami Friday, Mar 24, 06 @ 5:47 pm
Setting aside the emotions surrounding this issue, here is something to think about: Over 225 years ago who the US Constitution was being written and debated, Thomas Jefferson said “The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.” One only needs to look at 20th century history to see that countries that banned firearms, subjected their citizenry to horrific events which changed world history.
I will not excuse people who use firearms to commit crimes. The murders in Englewood horrified me. Commit a crime with a gun, toss the bums but in jail and throw away the key.
There are enough laws on the books that another one will not make a single bit of difference to the crime rates. Outlaw that gun and another will be used.
Don’t grab my guns. My firearms have never been used to commit a crime. They have never been used to harm another person. I will bury them before I turn them in.
Comment by Protection by Bennelli Super Black Eagle Friday, Mar 24, 06 @ 5:52 pm
hey, I’m gonna use my tech 9 to go quail hunting! when are the gun nuts gonna get it…..it’s not about stopping hunting and, yes, when you sell assault weapons they end up somewhere. and you don’t have records of the sales, why? because the NRA does not want them to be kept so we can’t follow the gun money. The stores sell the guns, the purchaser sells to a gangbanger. Assault weapons have no purpose but to kill people. Rod is totally right on this issue, and, yes, he does care and has been working on it for years. The national ban lowered deaths but the NRA killed the ban and now more people die.
Comment by cece Friday, Mar 24, 06 @ 8:50 pm
Perhaps instead of using and abusing these poor victims as political props in a campaign style speech, perhaps the Governor might tell the people of Illinois what the statis of his “elite unit” that was formed last year to help prevent illegal guns from coming in from other states.
Or why the killer of this young girl had commited over thirty crimes before this shooting and was NEVER arrested.
I think the Governor, and Mayor Daley, and the State Police should worry more about inforcing the laws already on the books instead of creating new ones that will do absolutely nothing to prevent such tragic events from happening in the future.
Comment by anon Friday, Mar 24, 06 @ 9:36 pm
RodElvis just cost himself the election. In England they initially just wanted the “bad guns” taken away from the masses. Look at where they are at now. I feel terribly for those kids. I know the pain, my step son was murdered by an ex-girlfriend 5 years ago in Arizona. I just wish he would have been able to get to HIS gun and warded off the attack. GUNS ARE NOT THE PROBLEM, CRIMINALS ARE THE PROBLEM. Downstaters don’t want some Chicago politico telling them they have to turn in their guns or face prosecution. We need to make Illinois a “conceal carry” state. All states that have went this way have seen crime GO DOWN after enacting the law. Blogo and Daley need to just stay in Chicago and leave the rest of us alone.
Comment by Save a Horse Ride a Harley Saturday, Mar 25, 06 @ 8:13 am