At the start of the session legislative Democrats were confident to the point of cocky about their gun control legislation. Only a few weeks later, after a national controversy erupted over Rep. Joe Salazar’s (D-Thornton) remarks about rape and Magpul Industries threatened to leave the state over a proposed high capacity magazine ban, the issue has shifted, and fast.
And there is no Colorado politician better attuned to the shifting winds of the Colorado electorate than Governor John Hickenlooper.
Reports Colorado Public Radio:
[Feb. 20, 2013] Governor John Hickenlooper says he’s still weighing whether to support a Democratic bill limiting ammunition magazine size.
“We haven’t taken a specific position on that bill yet,” said the governor after moderating a forum on gun police Tuesday night, “but I from time to time have said contradictory things on it.”
When asked about his support for the bill last week, the governor said a limit somewhere between 15 and 20 rounds “might make sense.”
Hickenlooper, a generally pro-business governor, is likely concerned about the negative economic ramifications that the mag ban would have. As The Denver Post reported, it not only would kill hundreds of jobs at Magpul Industries, but could decimate the plastics manufacturing sector in Colorado.
Notably, the Guv also sees merit in Republicans’ argument that high capacity magazines help protect people, as he told CPR:
“It’s a tough issue: I mean, how many lives do you save, and how real is the inconvenience to the people who want to have a larger capacity magazine and feel it’s essential for defending their house?”
Hickenlooper wouldn’t be the first Democrat to back off gun control legislation after a public backlash. Earlier this week in Minnesota, a state far more liberal than Colorado, a ban on high capacity magazines was pulled.
Reports the Star Tribune:
The Minnesota Senate will not act to ban assault weapons or high-capacity ammunition clips this year, a DFL leader said Monday.
Sen. Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park, who is chairing the Senate’s gun hearings this week, said he will focus on closing the loopholes in background checks and leave the issue of banning weapons or ammunition to Congress.
“The assault weapons ban and high-capacity magazine ban proposals are highly divisive,” said Latz, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Legions of concerned gun owners turned out for three days of hearings on gun issues last week, and Latz said such bans also do not have strong support from law enforcement.
While legislative Democrats have so far shown little concern for the economic impact of their gun grab legislation, could Hickenlooper be returning to the side of the angels and veto this job-killing bill?
Have Democrats so blown their gun grab messaging that the titular head of their party in Colorado is throwing in the towel on their behalf?
I am from Grands Rapids MI and live her in CO for fours years now. I will not longer hunt this fucking state again.
Not to mention that any infringement on our rights is unConstitutional.
Most criminals are happy to see all this as they will be left with a heard of sheep with no guard dog!
Its true these measures will do nothing to curtial crime in any case but Iam a pro gun American and hope the gov. is not trying to remove the 2nd ammendment
I will take my business and family back to Texas for sure!
RECALL ELECTIONS ARE NEEDED RIGHT NOW! I am very upset that the Democrats in my great state of CO are pushing for more gun control. I cannot believe this is what the majority in CO want. I think the best way to stop this nonsense in it's tracks is to begin recall elections for those Dem legislators that won by very small margins in 2010 and 2012 and that support gun control. Senators on that list include Gail Schwartz (district 5), John Morse (district 11), Jeanne Nicholson (district 16) Evie Hudak (district 19, mine), and Cheri Jahn (district 20). I'm not sure how these 5 will vote on these gun control bills when they get to the Senate, but if they vote for these bills, they need to feel some real heat and need to answer for their votes BEFORE the next election and BEFORE the masses forget how they voted. It sounds like it can be done to turn this around, but we need some organizations to step up and coordinate with volunteers to file the paperwork and collect signatures. Better yet, if we get some recalls started before these Senators vote on these gun control bills, I believe we can tilt the votes to kill this horrible legislation. If a recall election was pending, I don't think these 5 would dare vote for this crap. What do you think CO conservatives; anybody know how to organize this? http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Laws_governing_recall_in_Colorado
We know these liberals want Gun confiscation so lets not be fooled by their bs argument of gun free zones or safe zones etc….. They know criminals do not see a gun free zone and say "ok let's go somewhere else"
“said the governor after moderating a forum on gun police Tuesday night,”.
‘gun police’, eh? I suppose that was supposed to be ‘gun policy’ but am afraid it might really be correct as written. As proposed in WA, citizens may be required to accept, without warrant or cause, a ‘gun police squad’ searching their homes. Orwell may turn out to be a documentarian.
Tell Salazar to go get a "blow job" instead of just blowing smoke up everyone's butts!
Aside from the fact that all they think about is what "sounds good" not what will actually work. Liberalism is a mental disorder!
I'm sorry, but no woman deserves rape,,, no matter what color, age or if their stupid husbands don't get it,,,, but she should be standing up as a woman, in her own right, to speak her peace and not follow blindly
If you watched any of the circus that the Democrats ran last week, you would have seen what an idiot Salazar is!
Sean Devos – Do you feel sorry for Hillary Clinton, too? Birds of a feather, my friend – birds of a feather. There are exceptions, but the exceptions are rare.
"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." ~C.S. Lewis
Big biz Wins again!
I'm right there with ya, if this crap passes I'm either moving to TX or AK.
The Liberal concept of force multiplier is for a woman to piss herself and blow a whistle at the same time.
Sean Devos, I am trying to be charitable, but she is still married to the guy isn't she?
The Liberal concept of force multiplier is for a woman to piss herself and blow a whistle at the same time.
They most certainly do skew the polls! I go to CU-Boulder, and I had someone ask me what I thought of the HBs. The group of 5 or so students were with the campus media, and they are active in organizing student rallies, protests, etc. I saw them diligently jotting down other people's opinions, getting quotes for their articles. When approached and asked what I thought, I told the person that I opposed every one of them. He didn't even take the time to write down anything. He only wanted to talk to people who are anti-gun. The group wanted to collect "data" from a bunch of idealistic, 19 year old students in Boulder and try to extrapolate those "findings" to the rest of the state.
Similarly, people like Rhonda Fields are constantly quoting statistics like "80% of Coloradans support universal background checks". Here's the thing: the average American/Coloradan doesn't know the first thing about how statistics are formulated. For a statistic to represent how Coloradans truly feel, a poll would have to make a point to include thousands of people of all ages, races, sexualities, religions, genders, etc. Some of the stats the Dems use are not scientifically valid; they are merely a scare tactic to rally the support of the uninformed.
When Hick walks down the street without a surround of CSP Troopers., he can talk about guns. There is no room for any more gun laws because they are unconstitutional. Give him and all the Dems an assault whistle instead.
In Colorado we can use the initiative process to put into our constitution anything from every child should have a drawer full of M&M's to tax issues. Sounds like we need to start the process of an initiative to protect our 2nd Amendment rights in the Colorado Constitution so there is no doubt in our elected officials what the citizens of Colorado want. Heck, we put marijuana into our constitution; this one should be a no brainier. Come on Colorado, comments? Make your voices heard.
Jed McKenney It's not her fault her husband is a moron…Shouldn't punish her for him being that way.
some times whole states are lights in the middle of darkness
we are in the world not of it. be a light in middle of darkness
Good work fellow patriots. Keep the heat on him. All 4 bills need to fail see our next target http://www.newsmax.com/TheWire/comcast-bans-gun-ads/2013/02/20/id/491200?s=al&promo_code=12851-1
That is because King Hussien, I guess since he was reelected, keeps saying that MOST AMERICANS AGREE WITH ME….I am assuming that since he won enough votes to say he got the "majority" that he is playing off this as "MOST AMERICANS"! Well, MOST Americans still have a brain, still believe in the Constitution, and about 113 million of them will FIGHT FOR THEIR RIGHTS with whatever it takes! Not everyone in this country has succombed to the Pussification of a ONCE GREAT NATION!!
Pledge to drive those that vote for it out of office. http://dearcoloradopoliticians.com
Matt Newcomb – That's the problem with the politicians in general. They think most Americans want the things they are pushing for.
With the statements Democrats made on the House floor last week, I imagine it's pretty embarrasing to be a Democrat in Colorado right now.
Salazar made the Dems transparent. Rhonda Fields was often worse; making up words and unable to assemble a complete sentence.
Republicans made logical, reasoned arguments and asked questions. Democrats emoted. You can run the state on emotion–hopefully Hick knows better.
"How many rounds do you have? Oh crap, we better take out some of these bullets so we don't break the law before we commit this crime!" said no criminal ever.
Globalism, one world gov't is what they want, that's it, and they want it now.
That's the problem with the Left in general. They think most Americans want the things they are pushing for.
We can't rest yet! We must write to all our state Senators and the Governor NOW, and express our displeasure at the anti-gun bills that the House passed. Governor Hickenlooper requires calling him at (303) 866-2471 or sending email through his web site form at http://www.colorado.gov/govhdir/requests/opinion.html.
Here is a list of Senate email addresses! [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] , [email protected] , [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],
and i will be moving out of colorado
he must like drinking alot of lemonade
How does any infringement 'make sense'! It makes treason.
Judge Andrew Napolitano: The Second Amendment is about the right to shoot tyrants, not deer!
“…The historical reality of the Second Amendment’s protection of the right to keep and bear arms is not that it protects the right to shoot deer. It protects the right to shoot tyrants, and it protects the right to shoot at them effectively, WITH THE SAME INSTRUMENTS THEY WOULD USE UPON US…”.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jan/10/the-right-to-shoot-tyrants-not-deer/
Hickenloopy has dreams of way higher office… I don't think he'll kill the bills though, Joey B was calling the Reps on the fence last week encouraging them to vote. Unless the next local election is completely stolen, these guys could get voted out. Some of them are in districts that based on color alone, they'll win. Which is the stupidest thing about politics… people don't even read up on the issues and what their "representatives" stand for. They see the world as a "D" and an "R" and don't much attention to who is really screwing them.
Salazar likes it when his wife pees… 😉 too soon?
My family's vacation plans teeters on how this pans out. I will not support any state, city, or municipality that infringes on the 2nd Amendment. My reservations to stay in Ouray will be canceled if this goes through.
I don't, she doesn't deserve a whistle.
Clearly Joe Salazar has let it slip that what they intend to pass are rapist protection acts, and they think women can go blow if they don't like it.
I moved to colorado last june29 if these bills pass I will be gone by june 29 this year back to utah or wyoming I am retired so can live where people have some common sense.
Hey Steven Jump , Hicky stirred the pot , F him , he ask the left to bring him legislation and this is the SHIT we got.
Keep up the good fight
The headline gave me hope but reading the content now I'm not so sure. Everyone needs to keep up the pressure. I am posting on places like Cabela's and asking hunters to boycott Colorado if these pass. Even I, a native, plan to hunt in Nebraska for birds and Wyoming for big game. This is such BS and what part of this article that is SOOOOO true is the cocky attitude several of the Dems in the house have over all this. Salazar, Kagan, Fields, Ferrindino, Carroll, etc. They are OUT OF CONTROL.
As a Michigan hunter, I will no longer spend thousands each year to hunt in Colorado if this bill is passed. Neither will many others from MI.
These pricks millions of gun owners will remember this come election day! They will be working at Mickey D S! Guaranteed!!!!
Print on the whistles "Salazar Blows"
I do not understand these elected officials. More is at stake then their involvement and arm turning to ban guns and mags. These people do not look at their laws like a chess game, what piece you take now, will make or break you down the road, 5 or ten moves. Idiots.
Agreed,everyone needs to intensify the letters and E mails.Phone Calls,We need everyone at the Day of Resistance Rally Sat Feb 23 2013,Everyone,We may have them on the run.
I'm getting the signal that Hick is not liberal enough for you (a DINO?)– So who will you vote for? Joe Salazar? He's a proven Liberal loon Democrat–but the only drawback there is, he is unelectable as Gov cause his political career is over!
So u want to disarm the honest man but do nothing to disarm the criminal , how Stupid are you
The Democrats could care less about what the opposition thinks or how many jobs will be lost. They have zero research or facts to support their positions. They are driven purely by ideology. Nothing else matters to them.
Apparently, some people did at the Capital and were kicked out. I hope there's more to it than just that, though.
As for Rep. Salazar, I hope the GOP hands out whistles as campaign ads against him when he runs for re-election!
They keep trying to get you to believe that these bans are what the people want with selective reporting, made-up polls, and skewed facts. The true fact is that this is indicative of a liberal leftist agenda, and it's not what the intelligent people want.
All four measures H.B. 1224;1226;1228;1229 need to all be defeated. They will do nothign to stop crime and will cause good citizens to become lawbreakers. I hope Salazar gave his wife a whistle.
Hickenlooper is a Democrat in name only. I can't wait to vote him out of office.
Gov has higher aspirations. Gun and mag bans are where political careers go to die. Just ask the Dems in Congress after the 1994 ban! I suspect Hick knows this.
Hey Raymond Jump. Maybe not so fast. Out Democratic Guv may not like these so called gun control measures. You may have counted your chickens before they hatched.
NOT until these bills DIE will THI fight be over…..for this round. The Liberals still do NOT understand that criminals do NOT obey the law, only the law abiding do.
thank God, there is some common sense on the dem side.