U.S.A. –-(AmmoLand.com)- In an unusual analysis by Washington Post Congressional Bureau Chief Paul Kane, Democrats now have a glimmer of hope “that they can limit some of their potential losses and outperform expectations, especially in statewide races for the U.S. Senate and governorships.”
All they must do is run on “culture war” issues: gun control and abortion.
It’s something of a cinch they cannot run on their economic record. Kane appears to acknowledge this by leading his essay noting, “The top lines for Democrats continue to be brutal heading into the November midterm elections: Voters are furious about inflation, they overwhelmingly believe the country is heading in the wrong direction, and President Biden is not at all a popular figure.”
Underscoring this observation is Rasmussen’s Daily Presidential Tracking poll from Aug. 5, showing 21 percent of likely voters “strongly approve” of Biden’s job performance, while 44 percent—more than twice as many—“strongly disapprove” of Biden’s performance. It’s been that way for months, with the Presidential Approval Index rating bouncing up and down from about -22 percent to -30 percent.
The situation got worse for Democrats over the weekend with the 51-50 passage of the so-called “Inflation Reduction Act,” with Vice President Kamala Harris casting the tie-breaking vote.
Republicans, who have a nasty habit of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, “heaped scorn on Democrats” for passing the legislation, according to Fox News.
So, since they can’t win on the economy and seem to be distancing themselves from Joe Biden, it’s got to be emotional issues on which Democrats hope to retain power in the Nov. 8 midterms.
Clearly, from reading Kane’s analysis, Democrats must fire up their troops with rhetoric about guns and abortion. There appears to be “a surging interest among Democratic voters and many independents toward gun control and protecting abortion rights.”
But wait a minute. Gun rights activists have no less an interest in protecting their rights against anti-gun Democrats, who just narrowly passed (217-213) a ban on so-called “assault weapons” in the House, though the establishment press predicts the ban will go nowhere in the Senate.
There is more. Recent high-profile actions by armed citizens, at an Indiana shopping mall and a California liquor store, reinforced the importance of fighting back and having a gun. Like it or not—and anti-gunners don’t—the public cheers when good guys with guns win.
The Second Amendment community is eager to recapture Congress and rescue the right to keep and bear arms from ban-hungry Democrats. Among the more than 1,300 responses to the WaPo article was this observation:
“There are two problems for the Democrats using gun control as an issue.
“First there is little to no evidence that a lot of the proposed measures would really work. Comparing so-called ‘firearms homicides’ with certain other countries ignores the fact that plenty of countries with strict gun control have much higher murder rates than the U.S. Likewise it ignores the fact that some of the most pro-gun American states have some of the lowest murder rates. In short guns are not the operative variable in murder rates.
“Second, when support for increased gun control is a mile wide much of it is only an inch deep. At the same time support for the Second Amendment goes all the way to the bottom of the Marianas Trench! The pro-gun side is much more committed and that is without the support of billionaire donors and the mass media!”
The Associated Press reported, “The Supreme Court ruling expanding gun rights threatens to upend firearms restrictions across the country as activists wage court battles over everything from bans on AR-15-style guns to age limits.”
Gun rights advocates are quick to respond that the high court’s ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen did not “expand” anything. It simply restored the right of New Yorkers—and citizens in a half-dozen other states with similar laws—that a law-abiding citizen cannot be required to provide a “good cause” to exercise a constitutionally-protected right.
The AP story included a complaint from Jonathan Lowy, chief counsel and vice president of the Brady gun control group that, “We will see a lot of tax dollars and government resources that should be used to stop gun crime being used to defend gun laws that are lifesaving and wildly popular.”
He may believe such laws are “wildly popular” among the gun ban crowd, but that is hardly the sentiment of the firearms community.
If Lowy were to poll Ammoland News readers, for example, whether they support a ban on so-called “assault rifles,” he’d likely get a unanimous thumbs-down.
Kane’s analysis acknowledged the narrow focus of Democrat voters when he noted those in so-called “battleground” states “now rank abortion rights as, far and away, their most important policy topic.” It’s not the economy or foreign policy.
Kane subsequently concedes, “If Biden and congressional Democrats cannot blunt some of the inflation anger, voters are likely to tune out their appeals on guns and abortion.”
Heading into the midterms, gun owners—who are also consumers and taxpayers—have been handed something of a road map. Continue focusing on the economy, and support legal actions against local gun control laws by supporting the groups filing those challenges. It’s easy to remind neighbors, in-laws and hunting and shooting buddies they’re paying $2 more for a gallon of gas than they were when Biden took office. It’s easy to remind them they’re paying more for groceries, and will be paying higher taxes if the horribly misnamed “Inflation Reduction Act” passes in the House; the same House that just passed a ban on the most popular sporting rifle in the U.S. today.
Bill Clinton, who was no friend to gun owners, had it figured out: “It’s the economy, stupid.”
It has become more than that, however. It’s constitutional freedom as well, and that’s what is really up for grabs in November. If you’re not registered to vote at your current address, fix that and prepare to vote in three months.
RELATED:
- While Gun Ban Bill Passed House, Odds Are Against Senate Passage
- Following NYSRPA Victory, Other Gun Laws in Jeopardy?
About Dave Workman
Dave Workman is a senior editor at TheGunMag.com and Liberty Park Press, author of multiple books on the Right to Keep & Bear Arms, and formerly an NRA-certified firearms instructor.
“It’s the Economy stupid”.
Someone from the Brady Cult finally said something that makes sense.
Yeah Mr. Lowy, I don’t like the fact that my tax dollars are freely used by the government in its attempt to nullify my constitutional rights! The anti ginners in government are like petulant children that keep insisting on ice cream for dinner no matter how many times they’re told NO!
It’s still the economy and the Democrats are still stupid. They are shoving everything through congress while they have a monopoly er majority.
Democrats are not gun owners friends / I truly believe that democrats don’t even like each other. You have touched on some of today’s issues most Americans have never heard of. The “Un World Economic Forum On Development those 17 sustainable goals which China aka the Chinese Communist Party is now entrenched in deeply. The abbreviated SDGs this was Created and the CCP highest level members worked behind closed doors with the United nation during Trump’s presidency 2015 was a banner year under Obama . At the root, food shortages and policies that will squeeze farmers off their land creating… Read more »
From an economic standpoint, the Democrats are a one trick pony. Always seeking to take from the haves and give to the have nots. The assumption being that the have nots represent far more voters than the haves. They do not engage in deal making that adds revenue to the treasury unless they take it from American citizens by taxation. However, thankfully, Democrats seldom see the forest for the trees. They don’t think in terms of economic sense, their goal is to appease voters with money, and they don’t have the foggiest idea about how to increase revenue other than… Read more »
Culture vs wallet? Most I suspect would choose their money. Dems are either the stupidest people on the planet or pure genius, to think that they could sell their rhetoric while at the same time stealing you blind. The statistics of massive gun purchases doesn’t seem to balance that America wants or needs to be disarmed.
The Democratic Socialist Party of America has a simple fix to the violence problem; pass more gun laws. Their simple fix to the economic problem is the same; print more money, and give it to anyone who promises to vote for the DSA candidate. Or are we talking about the Democratic Party? I can’t tell them apart.
Read between the lines and a marxist society emerges Agenda 2030 The new Goals and targets will come into effect on 1 January 2016 The 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets which we are announcing today demonstrate the scale and ambition of this new universal Agenda. critical importance for humanity and the planet: three dimensions of sustainable development: the economic, social and environmental. We are determined to protect the planet from degradation, including through sustainable consumption and production economic, social and technological progress occurs in harmony with nature. Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, based the lives of all will… Read more »
The WaPo article if typical of Progressive New Left magical thinking. They cherry pick polls, depend upon long discredited polling agencies and string together a stream-of-consciousness lated diatribe on what they want to see happen vice what is actually happening under their noses. The ‘culture war’ issues they reference are generally not front of mind for most Americans. Guns become an issue only after mass shootings and those bubbles burst quickly. As those bubbles burst more and more folks learn that firearms features and firearm in the hands of the law abiding are not the problem. Abortion is not front… Read more »
OF COURSE it won’t pass. You should’ve been more worried about the “Inflation Reduction Act”.
you’re finally right on one issue.