Forbes | Second Amendment -- Or Second-Class Citizens? Forbes In our blue states, many politicians have a deep animosity toward private ownership of firearms. (Yes, you also find some like that in red states, but they seldom have the political clout to do much damage to our Second Amendment rights ... |
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Second Amendment -- Or Second-Class Citizens? - Forbes
State Sen. Brad Zaun Published 11:34 a.m. CT April 21, 2017 | Updated 16 hours ago
Brad Zaun(Photo: Special To The Register)
This session was a big one not just for me, but for our constituents and all Iowans who wanted to see results. We were not elected for more of the same. We were elected to make big changes and bold decisions.
We were able to bring a number of bills to the floor for debate that had never been previously discussed. These include our overhaul of laws regarding the Second Amendment in Iowa, voter ID and life.
Our focus this session has continually been economic growth and development. We worked to pass several of the priorities we set out the first week of session, including requiring jobs impact statements for administrative rule changes and legislation to help our small businesses and job creators. We passed Senate Joint Resolution 9, allowing the people of Iowa to vote on putting a 99 percent expenditure limit amendment to the Iowa Constitution. This would provide confidence to Iowa families and job creators that the state will live within its means in the same way they must live within their means.
We made a series of changes to regulations in this state with the goal of allowing our job creators to spend less time fending off frivolous lawsuits and focus on expanding their businesses in our communities.
This year we were able to pass supplemental state aid for our schools on time, setting budgets early and allowing school districts more time and predictability to plan their school year budgets. We passed collective bargaining reform, allowing school boards and administrators to reward good teachers and get rid of bad teachers.
We also passed a bill that had been pushed for years transportation equity for our rural school districts. This bill is important to many rural districts across the state as they seek to provide the best education to their students regardless of where they live in Iowa.
Bills were passed to give more local control to school boards and how they spend their money.
We passed common-sense laws supported by a majority of Iowans, such as one of the largest gun bills in recent history, expanding the rights of every gun owner across the state. We were also able to require a government-issued identification in order to participate in one of the most important things you can do as a citizen casting your vote.
This session was a productive one for the people of Iowa. I appreciate all the emails, phone calls and messages this session. In the coming months, please continue to contact me with your questions, concerns and any problems you are having. It is an honor to serve as your state senator.
STATE SEN. BRAD ZAUN, R-Urbandale, represents District 20 in the Iowa Senate, which includes Johnston, parts of Urbandale and Grimes and areas of northern Polk County to Saylorville Lake. He can be reached at brad.zaun@legis.iowa.gov or at the Statehouse at 281-3371.
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Zaun: Session saw strides for Second Amendment, schools, economy - DesMoinesRegister.com
Candidates for Montana's special election to replace Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, launched combative ads showcasing their support for gun rights on Thursday.
Democrat and country music singer Rob Quist is running against Republican Greg Gianforte, a millionaire businessman who unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2016.
After receiving criticism for comments made in January suggesting he would be open to a national gun registry, Quist's campaign launched a video ad, "Defend," on Thursday showing him in a field holding a rifle.
"I won't stand by while a millionaire from New Jersy tries to attack my Montana values," the Democrat said just before shooting a television screen.
Just hours later, Gianforte responded with an ad claiming Quist wanted to establish a national gun registry loaded with constituents personal information.
"Some folks just don't get it. Our Second Amendment rights are not up for negotiation," Gianforte said while shooting a computer screen with a shotgun.
Following the congressional special election in Kansas, and anticipated June runoff in Georgia, attention has shifted to Montana's upcoming special election which is set to take place on May 25.
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Montana special election candidates trade Second Amendment shots - Washington Examiner
On April 6,Breitbart News reported that the South Carolina House passed permitless carry legislationsponsored by stateRep. Mike Pitts (R-14). That legislation,which would abolish the need for concealed carry permits, is now with the Senate.
Pitts bill would recognize South Carolinians right to carry a handgun openly or concealed without a permit for self-defense.The Post and Courierquoted Pitts saying, This bill is a very simple bill. It means, by definition of the Constitution, it gives you the ability to keep and bear arms without having to be permitted by the country.
Governor McMaster concurs.According to The Charlotte Observer, McMasters spokesman, Brian Symmes, said, Governor McMaster appreciates the Houses hard work on this bill, believes it is constitutional and will sign it if it reaches his desk.
There are currently12 states that require no permit for exercising the Second Amendment right to bear arms: Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming, and West Virginia. And permitless carry is the law of the land in99.4 percentof Arkansas and Montana.
AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and host of Bullets with AWR Hawkins, a Breitbart News podcast. He is also the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.
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SC Governor: The Second Amendment Is Your Concealed Carry Permit - Breitbart News
Your news article "Gorsuch dives into the fray on first day emphasized the originalist constitutional legal philosophy of the newest Supreme Court justice. Neil Gorsuch made repeated references to the plain words and plain texts of the law he was considering. He asked, Wheres the ambiguity? And, Wouldnt it be a lot easier if we just followed the plain text of the statute? Like the late Antonin Scalia, Gorsuch claims to decide cases based on the literal words of the law, not its purpose or how it has been interpreted by lower courts.
That brings us to the plain unambiguous text of the Second Amendment: A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. For too long well-regulated meant any firearm any place any time and militia meant individual person.
Your story said the Supreme Court decided to take no action on a California case in which gun owners sued when they were denied a permit to carry a concealed weapon. Eventually the Supreme Court, including Gorsuch, will have to rule on a Second Amendment issue. Then we will see if he actually follows his originalist philosophy and uses the plain unambiguous meanings of well-regulated and militia in his decision. If he doesnt then we can conclude his originalist philosophy is a pretext used only to rationalize his ultra-conservative political ideology just like Justice Scalia before him.
Bob Barth, Chicago
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How will Justice Neil 'Plain Words' Gorsuch tackle the Second Amendment? - Chicago Tribune