Tiahrt helps the Gun lobby

Usually when a lone gunman shoots up a school killing lots of people, the locals don't want pro-gun nuts coming around and trying to make an issue of gun rights while people are still burying their dead. But National Riffle Association and others do and of course our own idiot Kansas Rep. Todd Tiahrt has gotten into the mess arguing against keeping tabs on who buys guns. The NRA would be proud
For Kans. Rep. Todd Tiahrt, it's the wild west and may the best gun win. There has been the argument that if the students had guns they could have ended this early. Well, most are too young to buy them and those who aren't may have just snuck out the window with the rest of the students rather than face a hallway of bullets coming from a mad man. But Don't Tell Tiahrt that. He's busy protecting his gun lobbyist interest.

In The Wichita Eagle Saturday:
"Debate over sharing gun data turns a little testy
BY DAVID GOLDSTEIN
Eagle Washington bureau
WASHINGTON - Rep. Todd Tiahrt of Kansas and Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City are waging a gunfight.

It's not quite loaded pistols at 20 paces; more like political sniping via long distance.

Their feud: an amendment that Tiahrt wrote in 2003 that puts strict limits on how broadly the government can share gun tracing data. The data identifies the original dealer and buyer of a weapon used in a crime.

Tiahrt and others say the restrictions are necessary because disclosure could reveal names of undercover officers and informants, or tip off targets involved in investigations related to those weapons.

Bloomberg and more than 200 other mayors counter that the restrictions handcuff their efforts against violent crime where illegal guns are involved because they can't trace their source.

"That's why trace data is so important in the post 9-11 era," said John Feinblatt, Bloomberg's criminal justice coordinator. "Why wouldn't you let cops connect the dots?"

The tone of their debate has grown testy. Now Tiahrt wonders about the "motive" behind Bloomberg's strong stand beyond just getting "guns off the street."

And Feinblatt questions who Tiahrt is "trying to protect" by backing a rule that appears to shield illegal gun dealers from exposure."


To the gun nuts the answer is always give people more guns and the bad guys will get shot. How far do we take this? Do you give first graders guns so they can shoot trouble makers in the school yard?

As war strategy fails, Tiahrt doesn’t get it

It was inevitable that the Fighting in Iraq would spill over to Lebanon. The war in Iraq is like a fire that is out of control. Now organizations are spreading to nearby countries where stability is fragile. There is also fighting in parts of Palestine now.
This is the results of the so called “American Century” that President George Bush’s people believed they could force on the whole Middle-East.
From the BBC




"Thousands flee Lebanon violence
Thousands of people have been fleeing from a refugee camp in northern Lebanon after three days of heavy fighting between troops and Islamist militants.

Palestinian residents of the Nahr al-Bared camp were trapped as troops exchanged fire with Fatah al-Islam fighters holed up in the camp.
Witnesses said many took advantage of a lull in the fighting to leave.
UN head of humanitarian affairs John Holmes appealed to the warring sides to allow aid supplies into the camp.
He said it was outrageous that a relief convoy had been forced to turn back after coming under fire on Tuesday.
There was a reduction in the fighting, although sporadic clashes were reported.
UN aid convoys entered the camp to deliver food and water, but one was forced to leave after shells exploded near its vehicles.
'No power, no food'
Witnesses said that as the fighting lessened, a mass exodus began."

Of course Tiahrt is the same boot licker he always was:

Congressman Todd Tiahrt’s U.S. Capitol Update
January 12, 2007

Discussing Iraq War Strategy with President Bush
On Wednesday, President Bush addressed our nation to discuss the new U.S. strategy in Iraq. I am pleased the President’s plan includes moving Iraqi security forces to the front, with U.S troops serving in a support role. This is something I have been proposing for months and reiterated with the President when I met with him at the White House on Tuesday.
In our meeting, I told the President that I want to bring our troops home as soon as possible. I also told him that when it comes time to kick the doors down, I want that job to be done by Iraqi forces instead of by American troops.
Some Democrat House Members have talked about cutting funds for U.S. troops in Iraq. As a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, I will continue to support our troops by working to see that they receive adequate funding.

MoveOn pressures Tiahrt to vote for ending the war

Dear MoveOn members,

This afternoon the House is going to vote on their latest plan for Iraq. We received word late last night that there could be a vote today on an amendment that would call for a mandatory withdrawal from Iraq by early 2008—the strongest attempt to end the war we've seen come to the floor of this Congress. At the same time, Republicans are trying to strip out any measures that hold the president accountable on the war.
Can you call Rep. Tiahrt right now and tell him to vote for the McGovern amendment to mandate a withdrawal from Iraq? Make sure he understands that we want to end the war quickly—not hand the president another blank check for Iraq.

Congressman Todd Tiahrt
Phone: 202-225-6216

Then, please report your call by clicking here:
http://pol.moveon.org/call?tg=FHKS_04&cp_id=496&id=10306-3189845-5GTaOr&t=3
As more and more Republicans break with the president, Congress should strengthen their efforts to impose a mandatory timeline for withdrawal.
Just yesterday, 11 Republicans went to meet with the president to send him a message that he needs to change direction in Iraq.1 And a CNN poll released yesterday showed that 57 percent of Americans favor continued Democratic efforts to attach a timeline to any additional funding for the war.2 It's a moment to keep pushing, not cave in.
Please call Rep. Tiahrt and tell him to vote for a mandatory swift withdrawal from Iraq.

Thanks for all you do,
–Nita, Tom, Justin, Marika and the MoveOn.org Political Action Team
Thursday, May 10th, 2007
1. "NBC: 11 Republicans Berate Bush Over Iraq In Private White House Meeting," Thinkprogress, May 9, 2007
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/09/iraq-meeting/
2." Poll: Most back Congress over Bush in war funding fight," CNN.com, May 9. 2007
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2568&id=10306-3189845-5GTaOr&t=4
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