Billll wonders if the push for gun control at the state level is connected. I'd say yes and there's a rationale that seems to fit. Biden has called 4 Colorado dems to give them a pep talk on these gun owner control bills. That makes me think that my initial hunch was correct. I'll spell it out:
Biden and Obama both know that if they pass serious gun control nationally the repubs will retain the House and gain the Senate in '14. But perhaps the election dynamics will work differently at the state level. That's what I think they're banking on, and they may be correct. So, pushing for gun control laws at the state level will do 2 things; the first is it will likely have less blow-back for the dems nationally or locally, the 2nd is that it could be used to embolden the dems in the national legislature to vote for gun owner control.
It's speculation, but if what I'm seeing is correct, then the democratic party, at the national level, is encouraging dems at the local level to push gun owner control through. Colorado was a swing state in the last 2 elections, and the dems used a strategy that was effective both times here. I think this is either a continuation or expansion of that strategy, but with a slightly different focus.
The #2 guy in the party calls up the local boys to make sure they still got religion? I can't view that as coincidental. I just wonder if it's overt pressure or if its persuasion - promising to help them in tough campaigns caused by their voting for gun owner control - that's keeping them in line.
I'd predict that if successful (and it does appear to be working) the national dems will use the same methods in other states where they have some influence, and possibly upping the ante in states where dems have more control.
So watch Colorado, and by all means help if you can. The same thing may be coming to your state, if it hasn't already.
Posted by Publicola at February 16, 2013 12:01 AM | TrackBack