Washington (CNN) - A Republican lawmaker said Friday that senators should ask all judicial nominees about their views on the Second Amendment, which protects the right to keep and bear arms.
Speaking at the National Rifle Association's annual meeting, Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, singled out Elena Kagan for special scrutiny. President Obama nominated Kagan for the Supreme Court on Monday.
"One of the biggest threats that I think that we face going forward," Thune told the gathering of gun rights supporters, "is when it comes to appointments to the federal courts."
Thune told the activists that, in his opinion, confirming judges to the federal courts was "one of the most awesome responsibilities" that senators have.
"We need to make sure that as United States senators we take that responsibility very seriously. And we need to ask appointees, nominees to the federal courts – including Elena Kagan – what is her view on the Second Amendment? How is she going to make decisions?"
Thune framed his comments in the larger context of what he called "two competing visions about what the future of this country is going to be like."
"One consists of more government and less freedom," the senator said early in his address, "and the other one consists of less government and more freedom."
Thune, viewed as a possible GOP presidential contender in 2012, ended his remarks by telling the gun rights supporters that they should let leaders in Washington know "we choose freedom."
He added, "Never quit battling for our Constitution. Never quit defending our Second Amendment."
Related: Speakers at NRA convention target Washington, midterms
From CNN Politics
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This country has never been successfully invaded due to the fact that most households possess one or more firearms. Repealing the 2nd Amendment could start a snowball effect resulting in the loss of our overall liberty as a nation.
Why are liberials always so quick to give up there rights and have the government do all their thinking for them and telling them whats best for them?
Response to Sniffit @ 4:48pm
I don't need talking points in order to formulate rational thoughts. I have a brain and I use it frequently. I suggest you do the same.
Lowest tax rate in fifty years, more gun-nut freedom (concealed in our parks?!), more troops in Afghanistan, 250K new jobs last month, Dow recovered from 7K to over 10K, most conservative and religiously motivated Supreme Court in years, and the Repubs/tea-baggers still spread lies contrary of all this to demonize our President.
It's got everything with their sacrificing anything and everything to get back in power and continue the de-evolution of the US that was started under the Bush/Cheney regime.
"Those of you who will give up your guns and Freedoms for Security, DESERVE NEITHER.
Thomas Jefferson
Chew on that"
Yeah, guns, bibles and Jeezuss! Would you like me to smother you in Jefferson quotes regarding his feelings about institutionalized religion, particularly the Catholic Church and its bastardization of Jesus' teachings to obtain and consolidate power and wealth and the New Testament he felt was a work of radical fiction? Hint: Stay away from "founding fathers" arguments if you only want to use them selectively.
Don't even ask the GOP, just put them down for NO
Yes, cause it's ALL ABOUT the guns! Get a grip Republicans, there are far more pressing issues facing America and NO ONE is threatening to take away your guns.
Do you want to know if she'll look at the facts of each individual case and apply legal precedent to make a decision as it relates to the 2nd amendment or if she'll side with you every time Senator?
"Lowest tax rate in fifty years, more gun-nut freedom (concealed in our parks?!), more troops in Afghanistan, 250K new jobs last month, Dow recovered from 7K to over 10K, most conservative and religiously motivated Supreme Court in years, and the Repubs/tea-baggers still spread lies contrary of all this to demonize our President."
Why wouldn't they? They're apparently making great strides in creating their utopian christian theocratic answer to all those scary brown muslims that make them so afraid and angry. America seemed to finally really be waking up to it all in 2008, but it turned out we were just farted and rolled over.
Thune knows this is a meaningless question for a Supreme Court nominee. Thune would have to provide a very specific context for his question because, unless they're activists, Justices can only make rulings based on the details of the cases they're asked to review. As stated in this article, Thune's question is an intentional trap. And a rather clumsy one at that.
GI Joe May 14th, 2010 4:19 pm ET
You republicans are a broken record!!
NO ONE is taking your freakin' guns !! Go into those bars armed, get drunk and kill each other.
--------------
NO Joe! You and everyone else chanting "they won't pull your guns" have this one wrong. What did New Orleans do after Hurricane Katrina. Did Nagin and his police chief, pull guns from registered owners? YES they did! Did they pull guns from the criminal element? NO the didn't! Don't tell me "NO ONE is taking your freakin' guns" because it already happened!
Does see need to carry a gun to be a judge and to make a decision. Stupid idiot GOPer......Geez
Dear Kevin, because liberals can spell, not to mention think, reason, analyze, and compromise.
All things that conservatives consider to be too much work.
I think most people who are in favor of any type of gun control want to keep guns out of the hands of crooks and folks that might shoot unarmed doctors in churches or haters that shoot guards at places like the Smithsonian. Of course you have a right not only to protect yourself and family but to hunt as well. Yet the NRA wants to make it seem that ANY Democratic president (they did it with Clinton as well) wants to unarm EVERYONE and leave us without guns. I'm sure after President Obama signed into a law a bill that allows guns in National Parks that he wants to take their guns as well. Too bad the far right base can't see this or they just refuse to see it.
It is just like nearly every other decision he's made to date. Of all the thousands of sitting Judges in this country, the wisdom of the Obama administration nominates someone who has never heard a single case for a seat on the highest court in the country. This is a slap in the face to the entire judicial system.
The only people talking about taking your guns away are the ones who make money when you buy one (NRA), and the Repubs who get money from the company that sells the guns.
The NRA has used Obama's election to set up a major conspiracy about him abolishing gun rights. He has not said or even indicated anything about taking away guns from the wing nuts! The NRA is using you! You have been had....bet they have added to their collections with this non-sense.
Of course, you folks NEVER let facts get in the way of rhetoric and believe whatever the NRA tells you to believe.
"I don't need talking points in order to formulate rational thoughts. I have a brain and I use it frequently. I suggest you do the same."
Rational thought is generally predicated upon modus ponens. For example, start with this premise:
"If Obama is a radical leftist trying to get rid of gun rights, he will appoint a radical leftist judge who supports getting rid of gun rights."
Now, what you need to do is ESTABLISH that Obama is a "radical leftist trying to get rid of gun rights." This would allow you to say that the predicate has been met, so the conclusion must follow. To establish that predicate, you need FACTS and EVIDENCE indicating that it is true. Unfortunately for you and the rest of the meatheaded conservative pantwetters running around with ideological blinders on, the FACTS and EVIDENCE not only do not exist in support of that predicate, BUT PROVE THE OPPOSITE. You can crawl back under your rock now.
I think Kevin from Co forgets that the conservatives get a kick out of telling women what exactly they can and can't do with their bodies, conservatives want to determine who should and shouldn't marry whom, and conservatives want to make sure we all say their prayers in public schools and courthouses.
Elitest liberals don't fight our wars. Conservatives with guns fight our wars.
@ Dennis at 450pm
hey I agree with you..he should have picked somebody from Fisk, Howard, or one of the other tradional black universities in Atlanta. Rush and the far-right would have had a FIELD DAY if did that!!
In response to Save America-impeach the treasonous republicans:
I'm a U.S. Citizen and I think all legal Americans should carry papers also in case they are stopped because it will help the Police Officer determine the person is in this country legally since illegal aliens can also look and speak like Americans.
Do you realize that German Heidi Klum looks American?
as does Canadian Pamela Anderson and Canadian Michael J. Fox?
What do you think illegal aliens look like?????
Really? Mr. Thune is a narrow minded individual who obviously is accustomed to taking short cuts to thinking. It would be awfully nice if the world and our country could be conveniently divided into two camps of thought. Unfortunately, life isn't that neat. Perhaps Mr. Thune would be better served (as would his constituency) if he were to realize that any threats to the 2nd Amendment are fictional and that there are a hell of a lot more pressing concerns facing our nation and the world.
Please, frenetic, check out the views of most Veterans groups. Most lean to the left. You are sadly mistaken if you think there are no liberals and no moderates in the military.
The right to keep and bear arm is absolute. We can be proud to be the only people on the planet with the right to keep and bear any weapon, even those not imagined by the writers of the constitution. I will feel very free and safe when I go to sleep tonight knowing that I have my own personal nuclear device under my bed and the trigger switch clutched in my hands.
NOT!