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<DIV>>I guess I'm a moderate conservative or libertarian on the issue.</DIV>
<DIV>>I think the Second Amendment creates an individual right and</DIV>
<DIV>>that that individual right clearly isn't meant to cover every</DIV>
<DIV>>conceivable form of weapon. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I would argue that the intent was self-evidently
for it to cover every conceivable type of weapon. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The constant constitutional crisis the US finds
itself in --not just for an armed populace but for school and religion issues
and for medical procedures and out-of-control spending-- can be traced to the
Supreme Court decisions in the 30s? obliterating the Enumerated Powers clause.
Originally, the limitations on the regulation of arms only applied to
the Federal government as did issues of free speech and the establishment
of religion. Many towns in the Old West had total gun bans, just as some
states had established churches supported with tax dollars. Since the
Bill of Rights is now understood to be irrevocable by states and
municipalities, we have unresolvable paradoxes. Many of our political
discussions --including abortion and marijuana (medical and recreational)--
could be resolved with local and state elections if the USSC would
merely dust of the Enumerated Powers and say that
the Federal government doesn't have the right to do or regulate
anything not explicitly declared in the US Constitution. But that
would take away from the power of the Supreme Court, and Senators on the
Judicial Committee would lose the opportunity to expose themselves on TV
whenever there is a SC opening.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>J</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>