Evans to reload gun-control proposals

Evans to reload gun-control proposals
By CATHERINE LUCEY
luceyc@phillynews.com 215-854-4172

Hoping that the new Democratic state House will be more receptive to gun-control legislation, state Rep. Dwight Evans yesterday said he will reintroduce a series of gun bills that previously failed.

"We have 50 new members in the House who are not entrenched, who can listen to reason," Evans, a Democratic candidate for mayor, said at a City Hall news conference attended by a crowd of state and local leaders.

"What we want is common-sense gun policies that can stop the flow of illegal guns on our streets," said Evans.

The package of 13 bills, which he said he'd introduce on Feb. 22, includes proposals to limit gun purchases to one a month, to ban assault weapons statewide and to allow cities to enact their own gun laws.

Two non-gun bills deal with witness relocation and witness intimidation.

Most of these proposals were resoundingly rejected during a special session last September, when legislators took straw votes on gun-control bills.

And except for that session, the bills typically languished in committee, never making it to the floor for an official vote.

But Evans and other legislators said the direction could change now that Democrats run the House.

New Judiciary Committee Chairman Thomas Caltagirone of Berks County, pledged yesterday to move the gun bills forward for a full vote.

State Rep. Jewell Williams, of North Philadelphia, noted: "We are in the majority now. The problem we had in the past was getting those bills in there. Now we drive the agenda."

And Montgomery County Rep. Mike Gerber said he had been lobbying members to support gun legislation.

"We're unified on this issue," he said.

"It's not election-time politics. It's everytime politics."

Evans said he had spoken about his effort with Republican Speaker Dennis O'Brien, the former Judiciary chairman who had refused to move gun legislation in the past.

Through a spokesman, O'Brien declined comment.

Good luck! The Republicans still control the SENATE! Thats were it will stop!

I hope people aren't fooled with this political grandstanding. In his arguement for gun control, Representative Evans actually points out the flaw with the theory that limiting legal purchases will reduce gun related crimes. In the statement "What we want is common-sense gun policies that can stop the flow of illegal guns on our streets," he clearly acknowledges that the goal is to reduce the number of illegal guns on the street, but he seems to think that by limiting the number of legal purchases a law-abiding citizen can make in a month, somehow the illegal guns on the street will go away.

Personally, I don't see the connection between legal purchases, and the flow of illegal guns on the street. The gang-banger shooting up the neighborhood when his crack deal goes bad isn't walking into Joe's Sporting Goods and buying a Glock in the heat of the moment to get revenge. He's got a gun that he's been carrying forever just itching for a chance to show his boys he's not afraid to use it, and he probably bought it from some backstreet dealer who had a trunk load to choose from.

What I'd like these politicians to explain, just once in a way that makes some sense, is if the bad guys can buy whatever, and how many guns they want, whenever they want, why I can't do the same by walking into a legitimate dealer, having my background scrutinized, and providing ID that will associate me with that gun as long as I own it.

Gun control is the responsibility of the owner, not the government. :smt076

The outlaws will always have guns and thats a fact that the liberal will not accept. Ask any punk on the street where he gets his gun and he will tell you from a street dealer. They don't buy from shops or shows.
There biggest fear is you being armed. They don't fear the cops or the system but a armed Joe they do. Try and tell that to a politican.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Baldy

. Try and tell that to a politican.

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They would first have to take their heads out of their A$$..


W

I could see this being able to fly is some states, however this is Pennsylvania, a predominately Conservative state.

But if we need to we can always resort to kicking their @$$ the old fashion way :numbchuck:

~Bobby

Politicians on both sides of the isle hear just fine when it is money talking....

Support the NRA

I don't agree with everything they say and do, like I don't agree with everything GW says and does... But I like ol' George, and Fred, and Rudy, and Mit... a HELL of a lot more than I like Hillary...

Talk with your personal actions.
Talk with your personal friends and neighbors.
Talk with your wallet, and tell them to do the same.