SECOND TESTIMONY THIS WEEK–I’M ON A ROLL!
I just got done testifying before the Senate State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee in favor of passing S.B. 14-100. This Bill, if passed, will repeal the limitation on the number of rounds a gun magazine can hold. It’s the Senate version of House Bill 1151 which went down in flames two days ago.
CONTENT OF MY TESTIMONY
I had all of three minutes to voice my opinion. The following is the content of my testimony:
Two days ago I sat in this Chamber and testified on behalf of House Bill 1151.
The Old Supreme Court Chamber
Unfortunately, the Bill was declared Dead On Arrival days before the hearing. The pundits gave the bill little chance of passing because the committee was dominated by Democrats. In fact, there were seven Democrats and four Republicans, and, after five hours of testimony, the Bill was defeated along party lines 7 to 4. I am convinced the representatives had already made up their minds as to how they were going to vote. All of the eloquent arguments and the impassioned pleas did not persuade a single member of that committee to change their predetermined positions.
This month a Quinnipiac Poll had this to say about Coloradan’s feelings with respect to the issue before us, today, “Voters are divided on a ban on high capacity ammunition magazines with 50 percent in favor of a ban and 47 percent opposed.” That’s a scant 3 percentage point difference. Those of you who have, not just read, but studied the Constitution of the United States know that the Framers had tremendous respect for the minority, and, in this case, a significant minority of 47 percent, and they would not have wanted us to be ignored. Yet, the House Committee did just that. The Democrats exhibited profound disrespect for the Coloradans who make up the 47 percent minority by not sending the Bill to the Floor for consideration by the full House of Representatives.
Chairman Ulibarri, Senator Aguilar, and Senator Jones [the Democrats on the Committee]—I’m not here to talk you out of your vote. I have a high regard for your obligation to reflect the will of your constituents. I’m asking you to give the millions of Coloradans not represented here a chance to have their voices heard. The Framers established a Representative Constitutional Republic not an oligarchy. Let the rest of us be represented by our Senators. Vote yes on Senate Bill 14-100, not to make it law, but to merely pass it along to the full Chamber so we can all be represented in these proceedings.
FINAL THOUGHTS–NUMBERS DO MATTER
On Monday (2/10/14), during the House Committee debate, the Old Supreme Court Chamber was nearly full. Today (2/12/14), the showing was not nearly as impressive. Numbers do count. If Conservatives, Second Amendment advocates, and those of us who cherish the Constitution and this Great Country would have turned out in greater numbers, the message to the Democrats on the Committee would have been much more powerful. I was surprised at the anemic response on both sides.
MORE FUN THAN A MAN SHOULD BE ALLOWED!
As with so many things in my life, if I would have known how easy, and how personally gratifying it is to get more actively involved, I would have done so when I was much younger. In life we will always look back with regret on the things we should have done but didn’t. Get involved, you’ll never regret it.
Just One Man’s Opinion
One Man's Opinion 