July 22, 2009 05:44 PM UTC

Stupid Senate Tricks -- Concealed Carry Edition

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• by: ThillyWabbit

POLS UPDATE: We got a kick out of this press release from Udall’s office. Who wrote the first line, Steve Harvey? “Since 2003, Colorado has had a relatively relaxed reciprocity statute recognizing the conceal-carry permits of 27 other states.” Uh, what?

Update: Both Colorado Senators voted for the amendment which, thankfully, was defeated by Senators with better judgment.

Original post follows:

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GJ Sentinel:

Both Colorado senators are undecided about a vote today on a measure that would allow holders of concealed-carry permits to travel with their firearms across state lines.

Sens. Michael Bennet and Mark Udall, both Democrats, are reviewing the measure proposed by Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., according to their Washington, D.C., offices.

Both Colorado senators voted earlier this year to allow holders of concealed-carry permits to carry their weapons in national parks and monuments, as did Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

Make no mistake, this red-meat eating, gun-toting, concealed carry permit holding wabbit is no gun control nut. In fact, I’d be an NRA member if they weren’t so overtly partisan.

But this amendment stinks to high heaven.

We live in a Constitutional Republic. From the original 1876 Colorado Constitution, Article II Section 13:

The right of no person to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person and property, or in aid of the civil power when thereto legally summoned, shall be called in question; but nothing herein contained shall be construed to justify the practice of carrying concealed weapons.

On the frontier in 1876 when everybody had a gun and wasn’t afraid to use it, our state’s founders saw fit to specifically reserve the right to regulate concealed carry. The Thune amendment would make Alabama’s law (where you don’t even have to have eyesight to get a permit) apply in Colorado, where we have minimal, but slightly more sensible requirements.

Our Senators should vote it down.