Obviously, no democrat or independent is going to vote for these clowns so this section is for the Republican bretheren.

    How is the second amendment, long a pillar of Republican values,  represented by the so called front runners?

    Mc Cain has received an F from Gun Owners of American for his senate votes over the last 3 years. He has thrown in his lot with antigun billionaire Andrew McKelvey and supported shutting down gun shows. Complete story

    Romney has boasted that his view on firearms was "not going to make me the hero" of the gun lobby. He supported the Brady bill and the semi-auto ban. During his run for governor he said "We do have tough gun laws in Massachusetts; I support them, I won't chip away at them; I believe they protect us and provide for our safety." Complete story

    Giuliani has a  long record of backing gun control. He supported the Brady bill and the semi-auto ban. He supports mandatory gun locks and has called for the federal registration and licensing of all gun owners. Complete story

    In short, a vote for McRomliani is a vote against the second amendment. Firearms owners should be ashamed to vote for any one of them.  Fyi, Newt Gingrich received a D on his report card and Fred Thompson is the best of the worst with only 14 antigun votes out of 33.

    There is however one top tier pro-gun candidate and Larry Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America has this to say;

    Ron Paul has been a leader in the fight to defend and restore the Second Amendment. He has sponsored legislation to repeal the following:

• the Brady law;
• the requirement to lock up your guns;
• the law permitting the US to be part of the UN (which seeks to ban privately transfered firearms);
• the federal prohibition on importation of guns on a sporting basis test;
• federal prohibitions on any pilot wishing to carry a handgun to and in his cockpit; 
• the so-called "assault weapons" ban (prior to its sunsetting in 2004).

Paul also has sponsored legislation requiring states to treat the concealed carry permit of one state the same as they do that state's driver's license.

Paul has viewed his opposition to a national ID card as a protection for gun owners. A national ID card would most likely identify the bearer as a gun owner, among other things of interest to government officials.

Paul acknowledges his underdog status in the 2008 presidential race. He argues that he is offering himself as a pro-Second Amendment alternative to the candidates who have initially led the field, none of whom have a pro-gun record. Paul hopes to use his long experience in raising grassroots support to gain sufficient funding to become the pro-gun alternative to the current leaders of the field.

       Dr. Paul himself had this to say in the House of Representatives Jan 9, 2003

Mr. Speaker, I rise to restore the right the founding fathers saw as the guarantee of every other right by introducing the Second Amendment Protection Act. This legislation reverses the steady erosion of the right to keep and bear arms by repealing unconstitutional laws that allow power-hungry federal bureaucrats to restrict the rights of law-abiding gun owners.

Specifically, my legislation repeals the five-day waiting period and the "instant" background check, which enables the federal government to compile a database of every gun owner in America. My legislation also repeals the misnamed ban on "semi-automatic" weapons, which bans entire class of firearms for no conceivable reason beside the desire of demagogic politicians to appear tough on crime. Finally, my bill amends the Gun Control Act of 1968 by deleting the "sporting purposes" test, which allows the Treasury Secretary to infringe on second amendment rights by classifying a firearm (handgun, rifle, shotgun) as a "destructive device" simply because the Secretary believes the gun to be "non-sporting."

Thomas Jefferson said "The constitutions of most of our States assert that all power is inherent in the people; ...that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed." Jefferson, and all of the Founders, would be horrified by the proliferation of unconstitutional legislation that prevents law-abiding Americans from exercising their right and duty to keep and bear arms. I hope my colleagues will join me in upholding the Founders' vision for a free society by cosponsoring the Second Amendment Restoration Act.