gu · is possible that the nation may be slid - ing into the unthinkable for american gun owners...

Gun OwnersTHE

37 YEARS OF NO COMPROMISE – 1975-2012

by John VellecoAs this election comes down the

home stretch, all eyes are on the racefor the presidency.

And with President Obama slightlyahead in polls in crucial swing states, itis possible that the nation may be slid-ing into the unthinkable for Americangun owners — another four years of anObama administration.

A second term for Obama means hewill be unencumbered with thoughtsabout reelection. His politicalappointees are already radical gunhaters. His future picks will be evenworse.

Unconstitutional executive actions,such as illegally requiring gun dealersalong southwest border states to reportmultiple long gun sales, will increase.

And Obama, along with Secretary ofState Hillary Clinton, has already calledon the UN to move a new Small ArmsTreaty.

So while we shudder at the prospectof four more years of Obama, we haveto be prepared for that possible out-come.

And that’s why the elections for theU.S. Senate are more important thisyear than ever.

An Obama reelection that is coupledwith anti-gun Majority Leader HarryReid retaining control of the Senatewould be a disaster for the country. Aswitch in just four seats, however, willstrip the gavel from Reid’s hand.

The race for control of the Senatehinges on the outcome in a handful ofstates currently held by anti-gunDemocrats.

As gun owners prepare to head for

the polls, it is important to have accu-rate information on where the candi-dates stand on the right to keep andbear arms, particularly in these keystates:

• In Florida, Rep. Connie Mack (R), an“A” rated candidate supported byGOA, is running to take on F-ratedDemocrat incumbent Sen. Bill Nel-son;

•Montana’s Democrat Sen. Jon Tester,who claims to be pro-gun but votedfor all of Obama’s radical judicialand executive nominees, is facing atough challenge by strong gun rightssupporter Rep. Denny Rehberg;

• Ohio State Treasurer Josh Mandel,another “A” rated challenger, ismounting a vigorous challenge to F-rated incumbent Democrat Sen. Sher-rod Brown;

• Pro-gun Nebraska state senator Deb

Fischer will take on anti-gun formerU.S. Senator Bob Kerry (D) in theseat being vacated by Sen. Bill Nel-son;

• North Dakota Rep. Rick Berg (R),“A” rated by GOA, is taking onDemocrat Attorney General HeidiHeitkamp for the seat of retiring Sen.Kent Conrad; and,

• In the Virginia battle of former gover-nors, Republican George Allen is tak-ing on Obama-ally Tim Kaine.The key to stopping the radical

Obama agenda is to elect as many Sec-

Continued on page 4

SpecialCandidate

Rating Issue!

GOA Issues its 2012 Election Voter GuideGOA helping to reshape Congress

Steve Stockman (center) thanked GOA for helping him win a hotly contested prima-ry in July. As a Congressmen in the 1990s, Stockman sponsored many pro-gun billsand pushed the Republican leadership to hold a vote on repealing the Clinton semi-auto ban. Stockman, who holds an A+ rating with GOA, is pictured here withGOA’s Larry Pratt and Texas gun range owner Matt Fleming on the left.

What would a “Lame Duck”President mean for our gun rights? (See page 5)

Volume XXXII, Number 4 • October 22, 2012

The Gun Owners is published by Gun Owners of America, Inc. 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151 (703) 321-8585

October 22, 2012 • The Gun Owners /

ALABAMA01 Bonner (R) A02 Ford (D) NR

Roby (R) A03 Harris (D) NR

Rogers (R) A04 Aderholt (R) A

Boman (D) C05 Brooks (R) A

Holley (D) F06 Bachus (R) A

Bailey (D) NR07 Chamberlain (R) A

Sewell (D) F

ALASKA01 Cissna (D) D

Young (R) B

ARIZONA01 Kirkpatrick (D) C

Paton (R) A02 Barber (D) NR

McSally (R) NR03 Grijalva (D) F-

Mercer (R) A04 Gosar (R) A+

Weisser (D) NR05 Morgan (D) NR

Salmon (R) A06 Jette (D) NR

Schweikert (R) A07 Fistler (R) NR

Pastor (D) F-08 Franks (R) A

Scharer (D) F09 Parker (R) A

Sinema (D) F

ARKANSAS01 Crawford (R) A

Ellington (D) NR02 Griffin (R) A

Rule (D) NR

03 Womack (R) A04 Cotton (R) A

Jeffress (D) NR

CALIFORNIA01 LaMalfa (R) A

Reed (D) NR02 Huffman (D) F

Roberts (R) NR03 Garamendi (D) F-

Vann (R) NR04 McClintock (R) A

Uppal (D) NR05 Loftin (R) A

Thompson (D) F06 Matsui (D) F-

McCray (R) A07 Bera (D) NR

Lungren (R) C+08 Cook (R) A

Imus (R) A09 Gill (R) A

McNerney (D) F-10 Denham (R) A

Hernandez (D) NR11 Fuller (R) A

Miller (D) F-12 Dennis (R) A

Pelosi (D) F-13 Lee (D) F-14 Bacigalupi (R) A

Speier (D) F-15 Stark (D) F-

Swalwell (D) NR16 Costa (D) D-

Whelan (R) NR17 Honda (D) F-

Li (R) NR18 Chapman (R) NR

Eshoo (D) F-19 Lofgren (D) F-

Murray (R) C20 Farr (D) F-

Taylor (R) B

21 Hernandez (D) NRValadao (R) A-

22 Lee (D) NRNunes (R) A

23 McCarthy (R) A24 Capps (D) F-

Maldonado (R) D-25 McKeon (R) B

Rogers (D) NR26 Brownley (D) F

Strickland (R) B27 Chu (D) F-

Orswell (R) NR28 Jennerjahn (R) A

Schiff (D) F-29 Cardenas (D) NR30 Berman (D) F-

Sherman (D) F-31 Dutton (R) A

Miller, G (R) A32 Miller, D (R) A

Napolitano (D) F-33 Waxman (D) F-34 Becerra (D) F-

Smith (R) A35 Baca (D) D-

McLeod (D) C36 Bono Mack (R) B

Ruiz (D) NR37 Bass (D) F-

Osborne (R) NR38 Campos (R) A

Sanchez, Linda (D) F-39 Chen (D) NR

Royce (R) A40 Roybal-Allard (D) F-

Sanchez (D) NR41 Takano (D) F

Tavaglione (R) NR42 Calvert (R) A

Williamson (D) NR43 Flores (D) NR

Waters (D) F-44 Hahn (D) F-

Richardson (D) F-45 Campbell (R) A

Kang (D) F46 Hayden (R) NR

Sanchez, Loretta (D)F-47 DeLong (R) NR

Lowenthal (D) F48 Rohrabacher (R) A

Varasteh (D) F49 Issa (R) A+

Tetalman (D) NR50 Hunter (R) A

Secor (D) NR51 Crimmins (R) A

Vargas (D) F52 Bilbray (R) B

Peters (D) NR53 Davis (D) F-

Popaditch (R) NR

COLORADO01 DeGette (D) F-

Stroud (R) A

02 Lundberg (R) APolis (D) D-

03 Pace (D) NRTipton (R) A

04 Gardner (R) AShaffer (D) F

05 Lamborn (R) A06 Coffman (R) A

Miklosi (D) F07 Coors (R) A

Perlmutter (D) F-

CONNECTICUT01 Decker (R) NR

Larson (D) F-02 Courtney (D) F

Formica (R) NR03 DeLauro (D) F-

Winsley (R) A-04 Himes (D) F-

Obsitnik (R) NR

A+: Pro-Gun Leader. Carries pro-gunbills, works with pro-gun groups andorganizes against anti-gun legislation,speaks out for Second Amendment rights.

A & A-: Pro-Gun Voter. Philosophical-ly sound. Always with pro-gun leadershipbut takes no leadership role.

B & B-: Pro-Gun compromiser. Gener-ally leans our way but occasionally sup-ports a particular anti-gun proposal.

C & C-: Leans Our Way occasionally.No philosophical commitment. Must beconstantly pressured by the pro-gunmovement or, if left alone, will voteagainst us.

D & D-: Leans Anti-Gun. Normallywith the anti-gun movement, but strongpressure can sometimes move them into anon-vote (abstention) or an occasional

pro-gun vote, if they believe votingagainst us could cause their defeat.

F: Anti-Gun Voter. A philosophicallycommitted anti-gunner. Does not carryanti-gun bills but can always be countedon to vote against us.

F-: Anti-Gun Leader. Outspoken anti-gun advocate who carries or cosponsorsanti-gun legislation, plots and plans withanti-gun organizations to take away ourSecond Amendment rights.

NR: The candidate refused to answer hisor her questionnaire. This is usually a signthat the candidate is hiding anti-gunviews.

PLEASE NOTEDue to space limitations, only Republicansand Democrats are listed. Grades of thirdparty candidates are posted on the GOAwebsite: www.gunowners.org/2012

Continued on page 3

Candidates who have estab-lished a voting record, either inthe office for which they are run-ning or in another elected office,are evaluated primarily on thebasis of that voting record. How-ever, sponsorship of pro or anti-gun legislation and other suchfactors can affect their grade.

If an incumbent or challengerhas not established a votingrecord or demonstrated his or herposition in some other way, thatcandidate is evaluated on thebasis of his or her responses tothe GOA 2012 Federal CandidateQuestionnaire.

Every candidate, whether anincumbent or challenger, beginswith an “A” and is then down-graded on the basis of each anti-gun position admitted to on thequestionnaire or for each anti-gunvote.

2012 Candidate Rating Scorecard

United States House of Representatives

Jackie Walorski –– who has served in the Indiana leg-islature and is now embroiled in a tight race for the2nd District’s open congressional seat –– meets withGOA Director of Federal Affairs John Velleco.



05 Esty (D) FRoraback (R) C

DELAWARE01 Carney (D) F

Kovach (R) A

FLORIDA01 Bryan (D) F

Miller (R) A02 Lawson (D) C

Southerland (R) A03 Gaillot (D) NR

Yoho (R) A04 Crenshaw (R) A05 Brown (D) F-

Kolb (R) NR06 Beaven (D) D

DeSantis (R) A07 Kendall (D) C

Mica (R) A08 Posey (R) A

Roberts (D) NR09 Grayson (D) F

Long (R) A10 Demings (D) NR

Webster (R) A11 Nugent (R) A

Werder (D) NR12 Bilirakis (R) A

Snow (D) NR13 Ehrlich (D) NR

Young (R) B-14 Castor (D) F-

Otero (R) A15 Ross (R) A16 Buchanan (R) A

Fitzgerald (D) F17 Bronson (D) A

Rooney (R) A-18 Murphy (D) NR

West (R) A19 Radel (R) A

Roach (D) NR20 Hastings (D) F-21 Deutch (D) F-22 Frankel (D) F

Hasner (R) A23 Harrington (R) B

Wasserman-Schultz (D) F-24 Wilson (D) F-25 Diaz-Balart (R) A26 Garcia (D) F

Rivera (R) A27 Ros-Lehtinen (R) B

Yevancy (D) NR

GEORGIA01 Kingston (R) A

Messinger (D) NR02 Bishop (D) D

House (R) A03 Westmoreland (R) A04 Johnson (D) F-

Vaughn (R) A05 Lewis (D) F-

Stopeck (R) NR06 Kazanow (D) NR

Price (R) A07 Reilly (D) NR

Woodall (R) A08 Scott (R) A09 Collins (R) A

Cooley (D) NR10 Broun (R) A+11 Gingrey (R) A+

Thompson (D) F12 Anderson (R) A

Barrow (D) C13 Malik (R) NR

Scott (D) F14 Grant (D) NR

Graves (R) A

HAWAII01 Djou (R) D

Hanabusa (D) F-02 Crowley (R) A

Gabbard (D) NR

IDAHO01 Farris (D) NR

Labrador (R) A02 LeFavour (D) D-

Simpson (R) B

ILLINOIS01 Peloquin (R) NR

Rush (D) F-02 Jackson (D) F-

Woodworth (R) A-03 Grabowski (R) A

Lipinski (D) F04 Concepcion (R) NR

Gutierrez (D) F-05 Quigley (D) F-

Schmitt (R) NR06 Coolidge (D) F

Roskam (R) A07 Davis (D) F

Zak (R) NR08 Duckworth (D) NR

Walsh (R) A+09 Schakowsky (D) F-

Wolfe (R) A10 Dold (R) C

Schneider (D) F11 Biggert (R) A

Foster (D) D12 Enyart (D) NR

Plummer (R) A13 Davis (R) A

Gill (D) D14 Anderson (D) F

Hultgren (R) A-15 Michael (D) NR

Shimkus (R) A16 Kinzinger (R) A

Rohl (D) NR17 Bustos (D) NR

Schilling (R) A18 Schock (R) A

Waterworth (D) F

INDIANA01 Phelps (R) NR

Visclosky (D) F02 Mullen (D) NR

Walorski (R) A03 Boyd (D) NR

Stutzman (R) A04 Nelson (D) NR

Rokita (R) A05 Brooks (R) A

Reske (D) A06 Bookout (D) NR

Messer (R) A07 Carson (D) F-

May (R) A08 Bucshon (R) A

Crooks (D) NR09 Yoder (D) NR

Young (R) A

IOWA01 Braley (D) F

Lange (R) A02 Archer (R) NR

Loebsack (D) F03 Boswell (D) D

Latham (R) A04 King (R) A

Vilsack (D) NR

KANSAS01 Huelskamp (R) A02 Jenkins (R) A

Schlingensiepen (D) NR03 Yoder (R) A

04 Pompeo (R) ATillman (D) NR

KENTUCKY01 Hatchett (D) F

Whitfield (R) B02 Guthrie (R) A

Williams (D) NR03 Wicker (R) A

Yarmuth (D) F-04 Adkins (D) B

Massie (R) A05 Rogers (R) B

Stepp (D) A06 Barr (R) A

Chandler (D) C

LOUISIANA01 Scalise (R) A02 Richmond (D) F-03 Boustany (R) A

Landry (R) A04 Fleming (R) A05 Alexander (R) A06 Cassidy (R) A-

MAINE01 Courtney (R) A

Pingree (D) F-02 Michaud (D) D-

Raye (R) A

MARYLAND01 Harris (R) A02 Jacobs (R) A

Ruppersberger (D) F03 Knowles (R) A

Sarbanes (D) F-04 Edwards (D) F-

Loudon (R) A05 Hoyer (D) F

O'Donnell (R) A06 Bartlett (R) A+

Delaney (D) NR07 Cummings (D) F-

Mirabile (R) A08 Timmerman (R) A

Van Hollen (D) F-

MASSACHUSETTS01 Neal (D) F02 McGovern (D) F-03 Golnik (R) A

Tsongas (D) F-04 Bielat (R) A

Kennedy (D) NR05 Markey (D) F-

Tierney, T (R) NR06 Tierney, J (D) F-

Tisei (R) A07 Capuano (D) F-08 Lynch (D) F

Selvaggi (R) B-09 Keating (D) F-

Sheldon (R) NR

MICHIGAN01 Benishek (R) A+

McDowell (D) A02 German (D) NR

Huizenga (R) A03 Amash (R) A+

Pestka (D) NR04 Camp (R) A

Wirth (D) NR05 Kildee (D) NR

Slezak (R) A06 O'Brien (D) NR

Upton (R) B07 Haskell (D) A

Walberg (R) A08 Enderle (D) D

Rogers (R) A09 Levin (D) F-

Volaric (R) A10 Miller (R) B

Stadler (D) C-

11 Bentivolio (R) ATaj (D) NR

12 Dingell (D) D-Kallgren (R) A

13 Conyers (D) F-Sawicki (R) NR

14 Hauler (R) CPeters (D) F

MINNESOTA01 Quist (R) A

Walz (D) D02 Kline (R) A

Obermueller (D) C03 Barnes (D) D

Paulsen (R) B04 Hernandez (R) NR

McCollum (D) F-05 Ellison (D) F-

Fields (R) NR06 Bachmann (R) A

Graves (D) NR07 Byberg (R) A

Peterson (D) A-08 Cravaack (R) A

Nolan (D) F

MISSISSIPPI01 Morris (D) NR

Nunnelee (R) A02 Marcy (R) A

Thompson (D) F03 Biggs (D) NR

Harper (R) A04 Herrington (D) NR

Palazzo (R) A

MISSOURI01 Clay (D) F-

Hamlin (R) A02 Koenen (D) NR

Wagner (R) A03 Luetkemeyer (R) A

Mayer (D) NR04 Hartzler (R) A

Hensley (D) C05 Cleaver (D) F

Turk (R) A06 Graves (R) A

Yarber (D) NR07 Evans (D) NR

Long (R) A08 Emerson (R) A

Rushin (D) F

MONTANA01 Daines (R) A

Gillan (D) NR

NEBRASKA01 Fortenberry (R) B

Reiman (D) NR02 Ewing (D) NR

Terry (R) A03 Smith (R) A

Sullivan (D) NR

NEVADA01 Edwards (R) A

Titus (D) D02 Amodei (R) A

Koepnick (D) NR03 Heck (R) A

Oceguera (D) NR04 Horsford (D) C

Tarkanian (R) NR

NEW HAMPSHIRE01 Guinta (R) A

Shea-Porter (D) D-02 Bass (R) B

Kuster (D) NR

NEW JERSEY01 Andrews (D) F

Horton (R) A02 LoBiondo (R) B-

Shober (D) F03 Adler (D) NR

Runyan (R) A04 Froelich (D) NR

Smith (R) D05 Garrett (R) A

Gussen (D) F06 Little (R) A

Pallone (D) F-07 Chivukula (D) F

Lance (R) B08 Karczewski (R) NR

Sires (D) F-09 Boteach (R) NR

Pascrell (D) F-10 Kelemen (R) NR

Payne (D) NR11 Arvanites (D) F

Frelinghuysen (R) B-12 Beck (R) NR

Holt (D) F-

NEW MEXICO01 Arnold-Jones (R) A

Grisham (D) NR02 Erhard (D) NR

Pearce (R) A03 Byrd (R) A

Lujan (D) F

NEW YORK01 Altschuler (R) A

Bishop (D) F-02 Falcone (D) NR

RatingsContinued from page 2

Continued on page 6

Republican Congressman Jim Jordan, meeting herewith GOA’s Erich Pratt, has been a consistent sup-porter of gun rights during his tenure.



ond Amendment supporters as possible in the Senate. Thanksto its constitutional duty of “Advice and Consent,” the Senatehas the power to slam the brakes on a president’s agenda.

Unless we elect Senators who are willing to stand againstanti-gun judicial nominees with lifetime appointments — and,

frankly, we could see bad nominees being appointed by eitherpresidential candidate — gun rights in America will take abeating in the courts for decades to come.

Primary Victories GOA has already made several key endorsements. Through-

out the summer and fall, we have been contacting and mobiliz-ing gun owners in states that have contested primaries.

For example, gun owners enjoyed two huge victories inRepublican primaries for U.S. Senate in Indiana and Texas.

Gun Owners of America Political Victory Fund supportedRichard Mourdock in his successful race against incumbentRichard Lugar, the most anti-gun Republican in the Senate.

And GOA-PVF supported Ted Cruz in a primary and runoffelection against David Dewhurst. Cruz is expected to winhandily in November, while the Mourdock general election raceis hotly contested.

GOA is also involved in dozens of House races, none more

important than two primaries on the last day of July.On that sweltering Tuesday, Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA),

cruised to victory over his primary challenger. Rep. Broun isnot only the Chairman of the House Second Amendment TaskForce, but he is also a Life Member of GOA and the sponsor ofa bill to protect Constitutional Carry against federal usurpation.

That same day, former Rep. Steve Stockman (R) won afierce primary runoff in the brand new 36th District in Texas.

Longtime GOA members will recall that Steve Stockman ledthe charge to force a vote in the House repealing the Clintongun ban, and that he authored legislation to repeal the Bradylaw.

The next Congress will be markedly more pro-gun becauseof these two victories.

Voting Tool: GOA Candidate RatingAs the election season quickly draws to a close, GOA is

reaching out to the gun rights community with the 2012 Con-gressional Candidate Rating Guide.

GOA’s rating is an important toolfor gun owners, and is compiledusing objective standards. Whileincumbents are scored based on theirvoting records, we researched therecords of many candidates who heldother elected office.

GOA also sent surveys out to allcandidates. Several refused torespond — usually a troubling sign.Look with suspicion on candidateswith an NR rating (Not Rated), andask them why they did not respond tothe GOA survey.

It is becoming increasingly unpop-ular to be anti-Second Amendment,so many candidates will simplyignore the issue and hope no onenotices.

By now you’ve heard it over andover again that this is the most impor-tant election in our lifetimes. Thatstatement is not far from the truth thisyear.

If ever there was a time for theSecond Amendment community tostand up and be counted, it is now.So please use this voter guide, share

it with your friends, and let’s work for a pro-gun majority in the House and Senate to slow down the march to civilian disarmament. ■

GOA 2012 Election Voter GuideContinued from page 1

Montana Democrat Sen. Jon Tester (left), who claims to be pro-gun but voted for all of Obama’s radical judicial and executivenominees, is facing a tough challenge by strong gun rights sup-porter Rep. Denny Rehberg.

In the race for the Indiana Senate, GOA is strongly backing “A” rated RichardMourdock in the general election. Mourdock won a very difficult primaryin May and thankedGun Owners of America for helpinghim bump off theentrenched anti-gunincumbent in that contest.

Florida Republican Rep. Connie Mack (right), an “A” rated can-didate supported by GOA, is running to take on F-rated Democratincumbent Sen. Bill Nelson.

Copy and distributeGOA’s Candidate Rating.

Go to www.gunowners.org/2012



by John VellecoAs sporting goods stores prepare for the upcoming holiday

season, many are laying out two strategies based on the out-come of the presidential election. If Obama wins, gun salesare expected to soar.

Gun owners, and prospective gun owners, fear the worst:that a “lame duck” Obama will wage an all out war on the Sec-ond Amendment.

But President Obama is also weaving a counter storyline,one that plays the gun issue shrewdly — despite the fact thathe’s, arguably, the most anti-gun president in history.

An incident early in the Obama administration suggestedhow the gun issue would be handled under the new regime.Recently confirmed Attorney General Eric Holder toldreporters in a February 2009 interview that President Obamawould like to reinstitute the ban on the sale of assault weapons.

The reaction from the White House? In the book, Kill orCapture, Daniel Klaidman writes that the famously foul-mouthed Emanuel was furious:

He slammed his desk and cursed the attorney general.Holder was only repeating a position Obama had expressedduring the campaign, but that was before the White Houseneeded the backing of pro-gun Democrats from red statesfor their domestic agenda. The chief of staff sent word toJustice that Holder needed to ‘shut the f___ up’ on guns.

Obama was determined not to pursue an overtly anti-gunagenda. To the contrary, gun owners will this year hearaccounts of how Obama is the most pro-gun candidate on theballot.

After all, he says, he signed a repeal of the gun ban innational parks and a loosening of gun restrictions on Amtraktrains (notwithstanding that these were relatively modestamendments attached to what Obama considered to be huge“must pass” legislation.)

We Won’t Get Fooled Again (Will We?)The Obama 2012 campaign strategy is not new, but a carry-

over from his first run for president. In 2008, Obama outper-formed expectations in many rural areas, and knowing how hedid it will shed light on what how he’s presently campaigning.

After the 2008 election, Obama outlined to a NY Timesreporter his strategy to win over the pro-gun vote.

Number one, he said, was simply to show up. Obama wentright to the people who were most skeptical.

For instance, he opened more than 50 offices in Virginiaalone, a state Al Gore and John Kerry all but ignored exceptwhen flying through Reagan National Airport in the previoustwo presidential elections.

Number two was to address the gun issue head on. AsObama told one rural Virginia crowd:

I believe in the Second Amendment. I believe in the peo-ple’s lawful right to bear arms. I will not take your shot-gun away. I will not take your rifle away. I won’t take

your handgunaway. So if youwant to find anexcuse not to votefor me, don’t usethat one! It justain’t true.

The final key forObama in pulling offthe rural strategy was toget popular Democrats– dubbed “validators” –to vouch for his “conser-vative” bona fides.

On that same stage inVirginia, for example,stood Rick Boucher, a longtime moderately pro-gun Democratcongressman.

A similar scenario played out in other states where Obamawas not expected to be competitive.

No one pretended that Obama was going to become the can-didate of choice for rural gun owners, but he only needed tocut into that vote a few points and add it to the reliably Democ-rat votes of many unions, urban areas, minorities and new,young voters in order to win erstwhile solid Republican states.

Gun Owners Beware!Obama merely needs to hold onto enough of the conserva-

tive Democrat vote in the rural areas in a few swing states tohelp push him over the top.

This is why — in a remarkable show of restraint consideringthat this is a President who once indicated support for a totalban on handguns — Obama had a somewhat measuredresponse to the Arizona and Colorado shootings.

And that is why he will tell crowds, as he said in a July2012 speech in New Orleans following the Aurora shooting,that: “I, like most Americans, believe that the Second Amend-ment guarantees an individual the right to bear arms.”

Nevertheless, Obama nominated Sonia Sotomayor and ElenaKagan — neither of whom believes in the individual right toown firearms — to the Supreme Court.

It is in the executive actions apart from Congress that wecan get a better picture of where Obama stands on gun rights.What does Obama really think of the Second Amendment?

Look to his picks of Sotomayor, Kagan, and a host of fer-vently anti-gun lower level federal judges who now enjoy life-time appointments. The next president may well choose one ortwo new Supreme Court justices.

Look not only at Eric Holder, but also State Department toplegal advisor Harold Koh, who supports a worldwide gun con-trol agenda. Look to regulatory czar Cass Sunstein, whowould ban all hunting. It may be hard to imagine, but Obamapicks in a second term could be even further to the left.

Continued on page 8

Former White House Chief of StaffRahm Emanuel (left) worked hard to suppress Barack ‘anti-gun viewsduring his first term.

How Obama Toys with the Second Amendment–– And what a “Lame Duck” President wouldmean for gun owners



King (R) F03 Israel (D) F-

Labate (R) NR04 Becker (R) B

McCarthy (D) F-05 Jennings (R) NR

Meeks (D) F-06 Halloran (R) B

Meng (D) F07 Velazquez (D) F-08 Bellone (R) D-

Jeffries (D) F09 Cavanagh (R) NR

Clarke (D) F-10 Chan (R) NR

Nadler (D) F-11 Grimm (R) A

Murphy (D) NR12 Maloney (D) F-

Wight (R) NR13 Rangel (D) F-14 Crowley (D) F-

Gibbons (R) NR15 Della Valle (R) NR

Serrano (D) F-16 Engel (D) F-

McLaughlin (R) NR17 Carvin (R) NR

Lowey (D) F-18 Hayworth (R) A

Maloney (D) NR19 Gibson (R) A

Schriebman (D) NR20 Dieterich (R) NR

Tonko (D) F-21 Doheny (R) A

Owens (D) B22 Hanna (R) A

Lamb (D) NR23 Reed (R) A

Shinagawa (D) NR24 Buerkle (R) A

Maffei (D) F25 Brooks (R) NR

Slaughter (D) F-26 Higgins (D) F

Madigan (R) NR27 Collins (R) A

Hochul (D) NR

NORTH CAROLINA01 Butterfield (D) F

DiLauro (R) NR02 Ellmers (R) A

Wilkins (D) NR03 Anderson (D) NR

Jones (R) B04 D'Annunzio (R) A

Price (D) F-05 Foxx (R) A

Motsinger (D) F06 Coble (R) A

Foriest (D) D07 McIntyre (D) B

Rouzer (R) A08 Hudson (R) A

Kissell (D) C-09 Pittenger (R) A

Roberts (D) NR10 Keever (D) F

McHenry (R) A11 Meadows (R) A

Rogers (D) NR12 Brosch (R) A

Watt (D) F13 Holding (R) A

Malone (D) NR

NORTH DAKOTA01 Cramer (R) A

Gulleson (D) NR

OHIO01 Chabot (R) A

Sinnard (D) NR02 Smith (D) NR

Wenstrup (R) A03 Beatty (D) F

Long (R) NR04 Jordan (R) A

Slone (D) NR05 Latta (R) A

Zimmann (D) NR06 Johnson (R) A

Wilson (D) D07 Gibbs (R) A+

Healy-Abrams (D) NR08 Boehner (R) A09 Kaptur (D) F

Wurzelbacher (R) A10 Neuhardt (D) NR

Turner (R) B11 Fudge (D) F-12 Reese (D) NR

Tiberi (R) A13 Agana (R) NR

Ryan (D) D-14 Blanchard (D) F

Joyce (R) NR15 Lang (D) NR

Stivers (R) A16 Renacci (R) A

Sutton (D) F-

OKLAHOMA01 Bridenstine (R) A

Olson (D) D-02 Mullin (R) A

Wallace (D) NR03 Lucas (R) A

Murray (D) B04 Bebo (D) NR

Cole (R) A05 Guild (D) NR

Lankford (R) A

OREGON01 Bonamici (D) F

Morgan (R) NR02 Segers (D) F

Walden (R) B03 Blumenauer (D) F-

Green (R) NR04 DeFazio (D) D-

Robinson (R) A05 Schrader (D) D-

Thompson (R) NR

PENNSYLVANIA01 Brady (D) F-

Featherman (R) NR02 Fattah (D) F-

Mansfield (R) NR

03 Eaton (D) NRKelly (R) A

04 Perkinson (D) NRPerry (R) A

05 Dumas (D) NRThompson (R) A

06 Gerlach (R) BTrivedi (D) NR

07 Badey (D) NRMeehan (R) A

08 Boockvar (D) NRFitzpatrick (R) B

09 Ramsburg (D) CShuster (R) A

10 Marino (R) AScollo (D) NR

11 Barletta (R) AStilp (D) NR

12 Critz (D) BRothfus (R) A

13 Rooney (R) NRSchwartz (D) F

14 Doyle (D) F-Lessmann (R) NR

15 Daugherty (D) NRDent (R) B

16 Pitts (R) AStrader (D) NR

17 Cartwright (D) NRCummings (R) A

18 Maggi (D) NRMurphy (R) A

RHODE ISLAND01 Cicilline (D) F-

Doherty (R) NR02 Langevin (D) F-

Riley (R) NR

SOUTH CAROLINA01 Rose (D) F

Scott (R) A02 Wilson (R) A03 Doyle (D) D

Duncan (R) A04 Gowdy (R) A

Morrow (D) NR05 Knott (D) NR

Mulvaney (R) A06 Clyburn (D) F07 Rice (R) NR

Tinubu (D) NR

SOUTH DAKOTA01 Noem (R) A

Varilek (D) NR

TENNESSEE01 Roe (R) A

Woodruff (D) S02 Duncan (R) A

Goodale (D) C03 Fleischmann (R) A

Headrick (D) F04 DesJarlais (R) A

Stewart (D) NR05 Cooper (D) D-

Staats (R) A06 Black (R) A07 Amouzouvik (D) NR

Blackburn (R) A08 Dixon (D) NR

Fincher (R) A09 Cohen (D) F-

Flinn (R) A

TEXAS01 Gohmert (R) A

McKellar (D) NR02 Dougherty (D) NR

Poe (R) A03 Johnson (R) A04 Hall (R) A

Hathcox (D) D05 Hensarling (R) A

Mrosko (D) NR06 Barton (R) A

Sanders (D) NR07 Cargas (D) F

Culberson (R) A08 Brady (R) A

Burns (D) NR09 Green (D) F-

Meuller (R) A10 Cadien (D) F

McCaul (R) A11 Conaway (R) A

Riley (D) NR12 Granger (R) A

Robinson (D) NR13 Thornberry (R) A14 Lampson (D) C

Weber (R) A15 Brueggemann (R) A

Hinojosa (D) F16 Carrasco (R) NR

O'Rourke (D) NR17 Flores (R) A18 Jackson-Lee (D) F-

Seibert (R) C19 Neugebauer (R) A20 Castro (D) F

Rosa (R) NR21 Duval (D) NR

Smith (R) A-22 Olson (R) A

Rogers (D) D23 Canseco (R) A

Gallego (D) NR24 Marchant (R) A

Rusk (D) F25 Henderson (D) F

Williams (R) A26 Burgess (R) A

Sanchez (D) NR27 Farenthold (R) A

Harrison (D) NR28 Cuellar (D) D-

Hayward (R) A29 Green (D) D-30 Bernice-Johnson (D)F

Washington (R) NR31 Carter (R) A

Wyman (D) F32 McGovern (D) NR

Sessions (R) A33 Bradley (R) B-

Veasey (D) NR34 Bradshaw (R) A

Vela (D) NR35 Doggett (D) F-

Narvaiz (R) A36 Martin (D) F

Stockman (R) A+

UTAH01 Bishop (R) A

McAleer (D) NR

02 Seegmiller (D) B-Stewart (R) A

03 Chaffetz (R) ASimonsen (D) NR

04 Love (R) AMatheson (D) C-

VERMONT01 Donka (R) A

Welch (D) D-

VIRGINIA01 Cook (D) NR

Wittman (R) B02 Hirschbiel (D) NR

Rigell (R) B03 Longo (R) NR

Scott (D) F-04 Forbes (R) A

Ward (D) NR05 Douglass (D) NR

Hurt (R) A06 Goodlatte (R) A

Schmookler (D) NR07 Cantor (R) A

Powell (D) A08 Moran (D) F-

Murray (R) B-09 Flaccavento (D) NR

Griffith (R) A10 Cabral (D) NR

Wolf (R) D11 Connolly (D) F-

Perkins (R) NR

WASHINGTON01 DelBene (D) F

Koster (R) A02 Larsen (D) F

Matthews (R) A03 Haugen (D) NR

Herrera Beutler (R) A04 Baechler (D) F

Hastings (R) A05 Cowan (D) D

McMorris-Rogers (R)A06 Driscoll (R) NR

Kilmer (D) NR07 Bemis (R) NR

McDermott (D) F-08 Porterfield (D) F

Reichert (R) B09 Postma (R) A

Smith (D) D-10 Heck (D) NR

Muri (R) A

WEST VIRGINIA01 McKinley (R) A

Thorn (D) NR02 Capito (R) B

Swint (D) B-03 Rahall (D) C-

Snuffer (R) A

WISCONSIN01 Ryan (R) A

Zerban (D) NR02 Lee (R) B

Pocan (D) F03 Boland (R) NR

Kind (D) C-04 Moore (D) F

Sebring (R) A05 Heaster (D) NR

Sensenbrenner (R) A06 Kallas (D) NR

Petri (R) B07 Duffy (R) A

Kreitlow (D) D08 Ribble (R) A

Wall (D) NR

WYOMING01 Henrichsen (D) NR

Lummis (R) A

RatingsContinued from page 3

GOA Vice-Chairman Tim Macy (center) meets withTexas Senate candidate Ted Cruz (left) and SenatorJames DeMint (R-SC).



ARIZONACarmona (D) NRFlake (R) A

CALIFORNIAEmken (R) NRFeinstein (D) F-

CONNECTICUTMcMahon (R) NRMurphy (D) F

DELAWARECarper (D) F-Wade (R) A

FLORIDAMack (R) ANelson (D) F

HAWAIIHirono (D) FLingle (R) D

INDIANADonnelly (D) C-Mourdock (R) A

MAINEDill (D) NRSummers (R) A

MARYLANDBongino (R) B-Cardin (D) F-

MASSACHUSETTSBrown (R) B-Warren (D) F

MICHIGANHoekstra (R) B-Stabenow (D) F

MINNESOTABills (R) AKlobuchar (D) F

MISSISSIPPIGore (D) NRWicker (R) A

MISSOURIAkin (R) AMcCaskill (D) F

MONTANARehberg (R) A+Tester (D) F

NEBRASKAFischer (R) AKerrey (D) D

NEVADABerkley (D) FHeller (R) A

NEW JERSEYKyrillos (R) NRMenendez (D) F-

NEW MEXICOHeinrich (D) DWilson (R) B

NEW YORKGillibrand (D) F-Long (R) NR

NORTH DAKOTABerg (R) AHeitkamp (D) NR

OHIOBrown (D) FMandel (R) A

PENNSYLVANIACasey (D) FSmith (R) A

RHODE ISLANDHinckley (R) AWhitehouse (D) F-

TENNESSEEClayton (D) ACorker (R) C

TEXASCruz (R) ASadler (D) NR

UTAHHatch (R) B-Howell (D) NR

VERMONTMacGovern (R) ASanders (I) F

VIRGINIAAllen (R) A-Kaine (D) F

WASHINGTONBaumgartner (R) ACantwell (D) F

WEST VIRGINIAManchin (D) DRaese (R) A

WISCONSINBaldwin (D) FThompson (R) B

WYOMINGBarrasso (R) AChestnut (D) NR

United States Senate

10042



Gun OwnersTHE

GOA Fighting to Bolster theSupreme Court’s Heller Decision

Sen. H.L. Richardson (Ret.)Founder and Chairman

Tim MacyVice-Chairman

The Gun Owners publication is not copyrighted.Copies may be made freely, but it is requestedthat attribution be made together with GOA’saddress, phone number and web site location.

GUN OWNERS OF AMERICA8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102Springfield, Virginia 22151703-321-8585Web Site: http://www.gunowners.org

Larry PrattExecutive Director

Erich PrattDirector of Communications

John VellecoDirector of Federal Affairs

by Larry PrattGun Owners of America and

its foundation are in the middleof a seminal fight in the courts— a fight which could determinewhether the federal courts will beof any use in protecting our Sec-ond Amendment rights for theforeseeable future.

That fight will determine whether the Founders — or theliberal nut cases who govern the People’s Republic of Mary-land — will dictate the scope of the Second Amendment.

First, a little background. As you remember, the Supreme Court’s decisions in DC

v. Heller and McDonald v. Chicago recognized that the Sec-ond Amendment was an individual right — and that it was aright that applied to the states.

Unfortunately, on page 54 of the Heller decision —which struck down the DC gun ban — the majority opinionsuggested that it might uphold some unconstitutional anti-gun laws, in spite of the Second Amendment’s absolute banon such restrictions.

In effect, the court invited federal courts to apply a “bal-ancing test” to the Second Amendment. And, since thattime, the federal courts have upheld a large portion of theunconstitutional gun bans challenged by gun owners.

This is where the Maryland case comes in. The ironically dubbed “Free State” is, in fact, one of the

least free jurisdictions in the country.On guns, you have to have a permit to carry one. That

permit can be denied if you don’t show a “good and sub-stantial purpose.” And whether you have a “good and sub-stantial purpose” is a subjective decision that can be deter-

mined in virtually any way Maryland’s anti-gun fruitcakeschoose to interpret it.

How does Maryland reconcile that with the SecondAmendment?

The answer is that it doesn’t. Its 46-page brief quotes theSecond Amendment at the outset and spends the remaining45 pages talking about something else.

Says Maryland, the Second Amendment is essentiallyidentical to the 1689 English Bill of Rights.

Wrong! The Second Amendment codifies a God-givenright which comes from — well, ah — God.

If, as Maryland contends, our Second Amendment rightsare no broader than English rights, this means governmentcan seize all of our guns and outlaw gun ownership acrossthe board.

Says Maryland, “a majority of nineteenth-century courtshad upheld the constitutionality of complete prohibitions onthe carry of concealed weapons.”

If Maryland prevails on this proposition, the Heller caseis worthless — and your God-given right to defend yourself,your family, and your friends is essentially meaningless.

This is why the Gun Owners Foundation has filed a briefon your behalf on appeal before the Fourth Circuit Court ofAppeals in Richmond.

Know that what happens in this case before the FourthCircuit and, if necessary, before the Supreme Court, coulddetermine whether the Heller decision has any meaning —or is just a useless pile of platitudes. ■

Mike Hammond contributed to this article.

Look to how this administration cir-cumvented Congress to impose restric-tions on gun dealers in border statessupposedly to help stem the violencealong the U.S.-Mexico border (all the

while denying its role in arming violentMexican drug cartels with thousands offirearms through Fast and Furious).

Consider Obama’s support for a mas-sive UN Arms Trade Treaty, whichcould negatively impact tens of millionsof U.S. gun owners. Although no treatywas agreed to after a month long meet-ing this summer, Obama is pushing to

restart negotiations.Despite Obama’s claim of not being

a threat to the Second Amendment,market predictions tell a different story.If large sporting goods companies canbe used as an indicator, a second termObama — unencumbered by having torun for reelection — will be gun own-ers’ worst nightmare. ■

Obama Toys with Second AmendmentContinued from page 5

Help GOA win in the Courts!Support Gun Owners Foundation by using Agency Number 10042when giving to the Combined Federal Campaign. See page 7.

gu · is possible that the nation may be slid - ing into the unthinkable for american gun owners...

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