How many times does Chris Shays change his mind? He’s flip-flopped more than the bunker at Seaside Park. This is a convenient pattern in a Republican primary where the latest Q Poll shows the Bridgeport resident has lots of ground to make up on Linda McMahon. From the New Haven Register:
Chris Shays said Friday that he now opposes a ban on assault weapons, though as a U.S. Representative he co-sponsored a bill to do just that.
In 1994, Congress passed a 10-year ban on so-called assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines. When the ban expired a decade later, attempts to renew the prohibition began, one led, in part, by then-4th district U.S. Rep. Shays, now a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate.
According to liberal news site ThinkProgress, that ban on assault weapons would have covered one of the weapons police say James Holmes used when he killed at least 12 people during a Midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises” in Aurora, Colo.
But during a Friday editorial board meeting at The New Haven Register, Shays said he’s since changed his mind.
“In the end it was controversial but it didn’t accomplish anything,” Shays said.
Shays called Friday’s massacre “horrific,” and said he favors swift accountability for those who abuse the Second Amendment.
“I voted for the assault weapon ban in ’93. I actually was the lead advocate with former Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Ill. It passed by one vote. It was allowed to sunset. I don’t think it had any impact. My conclusion is that the Second Amendment is pretty firm. People have the right to have weapons,” Shays said in an interview with the New Haven Register editorial board.
If convicted, Shays said Holmes should face the death penalty.
“This is an horrific crime. That is an example, in my judgment, of someone who should face the death penalty,” Shays said.
He also said, “I don’t own a weapon,” but said the Second Amendment supports the right to possess weapons.
“The answer is not whether you should, it is the matter that people have the constitutional right to have that weapon as much as they have the constitutional right to free speech,” said the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate.
Asked if he draws the line with a particular weapon, Shays said: “I wouldn’t let you have machine guns,” but he couldn’t say how that fits in constitutionally. “I don’t know. I guess it is what you call reasonableness.
“The fact is if you go to the assault weapons ban, then you would have to eliminate every semi-automatic and you’d be going back to bolt action … I tried to apply common sense with the assault weapon ban … in the end it was controversial and it didn’t achieve anything,” said the 21-year congressman for the 4th District.
Shays said he would be tough with those who misuse weapons.
*** Shays is right, ban or no ban it has not achieved anything when it comes to criminals getting their hands on assault-type weapons. Besides, politicians change their minds all the time depending which way the majority votes are going and who benefits from it! What’s Linda’s experience and view on assault weapons, etc. in general I wonder? Experience is life’s best teacher and Shays beats McMahon in political settings hands down, no? ***
Chris must be down at The Vibes because the way he is flippin’ he must be trippin’.
It’s a Bummer!
All I know is SHAYS went to Iraq 19 times and that is 17 times more than he went to Bridgeport (downtown), and what in 21 years did he do for Bridgeport??? 19 nothings I think!
Black Rockin, I agree with you; 19 trips to Iraq, it was more important for Shays to fight a war that would bring us nothing instead of trying to help build the City he resides in. Just look at his last 10 years in Congress and look how tight he and Newt were, in fact I’m surprised he’s not a member of the “Tea Party.” Somewhere down the road he lost his way, he forgot why Democrats in Bridgeport would always come out and vote for him.
He hasn’t lost his way … he’s just always been in the wrong party.