Seems like Governor Ehrlich is learning that when you try to make everyone happy, you often end up making everyone resent you instead. Our gov’ has tried to straddle the gun issue as best he can, looking for a safe middle ground (alas, this is one issue where none is to be found for the most part) and hoping the issue will go away if he ignores it.
My gut feeling is that it was unlikely that Ehrlich ever considered playing it any other way, but for a couple years now I’ve been fairly certain that it was going to come back to bite him. While he hasn’t done any real favors for the antigunners, he’s certainly not pressured the Commandant of the MD State Police to adopt a “will issue” (generally issuing permits where people articulate a decent enough reason, such as living in or traveling to high crime areas). As much as it hurts to do, I have to give Purtilo his due–he’s right that by trying to placate the antis at our expense, he’s ended up with little to show for his efforts.
Would I have played the gun issue differently as governor? You betcha–no matter what he did, the antis were still going to hate him because of his refusal to vote for an AWB extension in 1996. They’ve lied about him via Doug Duncan’s reprehensibly and mendacious campaign ads; no matter what Ehrlich did as governor, he was unlikely to make many friends in the antigunner crowd. Instead, he ended up splitting the pro-gun crowd into two factions–the Ehrlich loyalists who’ll vote for him no matter what, and the non-loyalists who might end up staying home this November because they recognize that the gubner has been taking them for granted.
The older I get the more “one issue� I become and personal safety now tops the list. Politicians who devalue my life cannot expect my vote. I will help send them packing (no pun intended).
Comment by rambling_one — May 30, 2006 @ 5:14 pm
You have to look at reality.
If Ehrlich did get the MSP to go fair-issue, I guarantee you dollars-to-donuts that publicity hound Ceasefire MD board member Doug Gansler or some other anti-gun-owner personality would sue the MSP for “deviating from its permitting authority.” Joe Curran would have agreed with the plaintiffs and folded, legal ethics be damned, thus getting a court precedent that says the MSP must ONLY use the “death threat” standard for issuing permits. Plus the WashPost and BalSun would revel in the whole affair and give it front page billing as “Ehrlich supports blood in the streets.” Think of how that would have gone over with the folks sitting around the Silver Spring metro stop or shuffling around Brookside Gardens.
While I would like a lot of things repealed here in MD, I am still happy with Ehrlich’s job straddling the fence. I am able to own an AR15 if I so choose, and happy that SIGs are also available since that the handgun roster board approved the Interbore-style locks in 2004. These two things would only be a mere wish if KKT was voted in instead of Ehrlich.
As one THR poster says sarcastically in his/her sig line, “Don’t worry - I’m sure Gov. O’Malley will help restore our rights.” That’s the unfortunate reality here in MD for firearms owners: Ehrlich or le deluge . . .
Comment by K-Romulus — May 31, 2006 @ 8:58 am
I didn’t vote for Ehrlich in ‘02 because I just knew that he’d never move on gun rights. So now it makes it even easier to not vote for him in ‘06. He’s been positively cowardly on the issue.
Comment by The Hook — May 31, 2006 @ 10:54 pm
Let me repeat that one:
“Don’t worry - I’m sure Gov. O’Malley or Gov. Duncan will help restore our rights.�
Comment by K-Romulus — June 1, 2006 @ 8:34 am
I didn’t vote for Ehrlich either in ‘02. I voted for Spear Lancaster, the Libertarian. Unfortuantely, the Libertarians will likely not be running anyone for governor this year. Now FWIW, the Green party will fielding a candidate for Governor this fall: Ed Boyd. According to the Baltimore city Green party website, some of his views can be found at: http://baltimoregreens.org/boyd0216.php
I was told he may be reasonable on gun issues, but this is pure hearsay. He is obviously what I’ll call a ‘grass roots’ progressive on other issues. Green party activists Dave and Anne Greene will be hosting a Q&A session at their home in north Baltimore on Saturday June 17th. For more information, contact the Baltimore city Green Party office at 410-662-8169 or The Greenes at 410-435-0967.
Comment by klutch — June 5, 2006 @ 10:53 pm
I’ve actually been thinking about the Green Party, apparently they’re looking for candidates to run for local offices here in the city. I’d be interested in doing that, but their platform (on the official city party site anyway) seems to include registration and bans on all semiauto firearms.
If they’re willing to relent, the rest of their platform seems pretty agreeable to me: environmental protection, focus on schools, and other than guns a lot of positive beliefs about personal liberties re: marriage, religion, reproductive rights, etc.
Comment by Administrator — June 6, 2006 @ 6:49 am
I was able to go to the get-together at the Greene’s yesterday. While I disagree with Boyd on certain economic issues, he is reasonable on the right to keep and bear arms. It was not an issue that came up during the meeting, but I asked about it in a one-on-one conversation we had afterward. His campaign website is: http://www.edboydforgovernor.org/
Comment by klutch — June 18, 2006 @ 5:52 pm
There is another “pro gun progressive” running for governor in Maryland. He is Chris Driscoll and he is running on the Populist ticket. This was the state party which ran Ralph Nader in 2002. His running mate is Ed Rothstein. The website is http://www.driscoll2006.com/.
Comment by klutch — August 5, 2006 @ 7:47 pm