explaining Bernie's rationale for his votes. You have to keep in mind Bernie represents Vermont, which is one of the most pro-gun states in America. In fact, Vermont's approach to firearms makes Texas and the rest of the southern states look like New York City by regulatory comparison.
It's clear though that Bernie is positioning himself at present to be viewed as a politican sympathetic to gun control. He also voted in favor of the AWB in 94 and 2013. He certainly didn't win any points with me for those votes.
He did vote for the PLCAA, which was a huge help to the pro-gun cause. Back in the late 90s/early 2000s the primary gun control manuever was what is referred to as a frivolous lawsuit. The idea was to get a bunch of big city mayors together and sue gun companies into bankruptcy by making them defend frivolous legal challenges. The effort was coordinated by Andrew Cuomo who was Clinton's HUD secretary at the time. PLCAA was a response to that effort.
First, President Clinton showed extraordinary leadership in this issue from the start, raising this issue and keeping it in the center of our public discourse. The President pushed hard everyday for common sense gun legislation and had the courage to stand up and say that HUD would support a lawsuit against the gun industry, a bold step indeed on a different course.
Today we see the fruits of the President's vision. Mr. Ed Schultz, President and CEO of Smith & Wesson, who showed outstanding leadership and also showed good business judgment knowing that these continued lawsuits would be ultimately the death of the gun industry; the cities, counties and states who started this process months ago.
http://archives.hud.gov/remarks/cuomo/speeches/smwsagr.cfm
Thankfully, Cuomo's plan to abuse the judicial system to attack lawful articles of commerce associated with a constitutionally protected right was foiled by PLCAA.
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