No. 1 Reason I am Voting Republican Nov. 6

The number one reason I am voting Republican in the November 6, 2012 election has to do with the political parties' national platforms on the Second Amendment to the Constitution.

The Republicans: 

We uphold the right of individuals to keep and bear arms, a right which antedated the Constitution and was solemnly confirmed by the Second Amendment. We acknowledge, support, and defend the law-abiding citizen’s God-given right of self-defense. We call for the protection of such fundamental individual rights recognized in the Supreme Court’s decisions in District of Columbia v. Heller and McDonald v. Chicago affirming that right, and we recognize the individual responsibility to safely use and store firearms. This also includes the right to obtain and store ammunition without registration. We support the fundamental right to self-defense wherever a law-abiding citizen has a legal right to be, and we support federal legislation that would expand the exercise of that right by allowing those with state-issued carry permits to carry firearms in any state that issues such permits to its own residents. Gun ownership is responsible citizenship, enabling Americans to defend their homes and communities. We condemn frivolous lawsuits against gun manufacturers and oppose federal licensing or registration of law-abiding gun owners. We oppose legislation that is intended to restrict our Second Amendment rights by limiting the capacity of clips or magazines or otherwise restoring the ill-considered Clinton gun ban. We condemn the reckless actions associated with the operation known as “Fast and Furious,” conducted by the Department of Justice, which resulted in the murder of a U.S. Border Patrol Agent and others on both sides of the border. We applaud the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives in holding the current Administration’s Attorney General in contempt of Congress for his refusal to cooperate with their investigation into that debacle. We oppose the improper collection of firearms sales information in the four southern border states, which was imposed without congressional authority.

The Democrats:

We believe that the right to own firearms is subject to reasonable regulation. We understand the terrible consequences of gun violence; it serves as a reminder that life is fragile, and our time here is limited and precious.  We can focus on effective enforcement of existing laws, especially strengthening our background check system, and we can work together to enact commonsense improvements – like reinstating the assault weapons ban and closing the gun show loophole – so that guns do not fall into the hands of those irresponsible, law-breaking few. 

(As an aside, I find it ironic that the Democrats cite the fragility of life and the limited and precious nature of our time on this mortal plane as considerations in curtailing God-given rights, then abandon those considerations in favor of murder of the unborn children on demand.)

There you have it.  The needs of the collective.  The touchy-feely illogic of the majority giving up rights to control those "irresponsibile, law-breaking few".   The "commonsense" surrender of our rights.

I'm not going for it.  Although I think that Mitt Romney is not a good conservative and is far from being a Libertarian, he is not a collectivist, anti-Constitutionalist, personality cultist, pseudo-savior, unvetted Manchurian candidate.   He will be getting my vote on November 6, 2012.


Hat tip to Kurt Hofmann at The Examiner for the information on the parties' platforms.