What Do The ACLU And NRA Have In Common?

They are both host to DBK, from Blanton's and Ashton's. Apparently the NRA's gun safety policies sold DBK (why did he change from frogsdong??), who believes in the right to bear arms. Well, that's not a particularly surprising statement, even from a liberal. Indeed, a commenter from Cynical Nation even said that he too belonged to both the ACLU and the NRA. I guess what it made me realize is that anti-gun liberals never seem to take on the gun issue with as much vigor as they could. Not even the most left leaning congressmen from the most anti-gun districts challenge the right to bear arms.

Maybe that's because the 2nd ammendment clearly states that the right to bear arms will not be infringed. But what about the first two clauses of that sentence? A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state... The word that sticks out to me is regulate. This ties into Section 8, Clause 16 of the Constitution, which gives Congress the duty of organizing, arming, and disciplining the Militia.

So the 2nd ammendment says that a well regulated militia is necessary for a safe nation. And the same piece of legislation clearly defines congress as the regulatory authority on the manner. So if congress decides that BB-Guns are sufficient arms for the men of the nation, who will make up the militia in times of war, so be it.

Isn't Confirmation Enough?

Baristanet, the hometown blog, was the focus of a left vs right battle after the Alito confirmation. The 190 comment thread was prompted by Debbie Galant's blunt characterization of Alito's confirmation:

Alito Confirmed

Get you abortions while they last.

Although some characterized the quip as crude, it seems closer to the truth than the bulk of commentary that followed the post.

Republicans Against Alito

So far there's only one: Lincoln Chafee, of Rhode Island.

Chafee, by far the most liberal Republican in the Senate, was widely considered the most likely to vote against Alito, but was nonetheless considered an unlikely opponent, due to his record on presidential appointees.

This is a surprising move to say the least. Voting against Alito could potentially help Chafee in the general election, and he will gain the support of liberal interests such as labor and issue advocacy groups like NARAL. However, as Chafee's record becomes more liberal, the threat of a tough Republican primary intensifies. Bush's campaign friends have been lending the senator a helping hand but may defect if they decide that he's not much better than a Democrat.

Are the Democratic strategists rooting for a Chafee loss in the primaries to a right winger who will almost surely lose in the general election? Until the Democrats come within striking distance of the majority, having moderate and liberal Republican votes makes a big difference in pursuing a progressive agenda. However, if the Senate is split 50-50 next January, Chafee will be as annoying as any other Republican.

What is preventing Chafee from switching? He faced this decision a few years ago. Have things changed enough since then?