I read a lot of arguments in editorial pages and news commentary that our nation’s Founding Fathers did not intend the Second Amendment to allow citizens to own semi-automatic firearms or even modern-era firearms. The argument goes that, since the Second Amendment was written at a time when muskets were the most common weapons available, the Second Amendment was intended to ensure any citizen could own a musket.
I’ll refrain from reminding everyone that iPhones, websites or even high speed printing presses would not be covered under the First Amendment if that logic held true – I have another point to make.
On Wednesday, people across Maine were treated to pictures of Congresswoman Chellie Pingree participating in a ‘sit-in’ in the U.S. House of Representatives. The ‘sit-in’ was billed as a demand for action on gun control in the wake of the Orlando terrorist attack.
In a nutshell, Democrats in the House decided to break House rules and turn the lower chamber of Congress into a circus side-show to demand a chance to vote on bills that attack the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding U.S. Citizens.
At first I found it interesting that Rep. Pingree was involved, knowing she had just been in Maine and had apparently flown quickly back to D.C. only to get her picture taken sitting on the floor obstructing the work of a government, that in Abe Lincoln’s words, should be “of, by and for the people” of these United States.
Of course, as some may remember, the last time Rep. Pingree made news for where she was sitting, it was because she was sitting on the private jet of a hedge fund manager, contradicting her own public statements on such behavior.
But back to the ‘sit-in.’ I think in the initial hours, a lot of people watching were being led to believe that this ‘sit-in’ was some sort of spontaneous action by a determined group of well-meaning lawmakers.
And then… the fundraising emails started.
The DCCC (Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee) sent no fewer than six – yes, SIX! – emails, using the sit-in to solicit donations from their email list.
Several of the emails were signed by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Rep. John Lewis.
For those who have never dealt with writing fundraising appeals and getting them approved for release, when signed by a top-elected official, I can tell you one thing, it is pretty much a guarantee those were all pre-written and approved before the sit-in began.
This can only mean that these Democrats, including Rep. Chellie Pingree, planned the event, knowing full well that they were about to bring the work of the people of the United States to a grinding halt by breaking House rules and using the victims of the Orlando shooting as props in a fundraising campaign.
I, for one, do not believe that taking over the U.S. House of Representatives to raise money off the murder of innocent Americans is what the Founding Fathers intended when they established the U.S. House of Representatives any more than they intended the Second Amendment to mean ‘you can only have muskets.’
But I welcome Rep. Pingree to explain to me where I’m wrong. I’ll even do the meeting on her terms. I’ll sit with her on a floor or even in a cushy leather seat on a private jet, to let her explain it to me.
