I'm surprised Sen. Whipple voted for SB 436 in the first place.  Originally, the bill passed 31-9, which would have been enough to override.

Voting with the Republicans for guns again.

There is no excuse of a NoVA democrat to vote along with the gun guys and against the safety of law enforcement and the general public. Policemen don't need the added worry of approaching a car with a gun hidden in the glove compartment. And we all know guns and alcohol don't mix. Even Miss Kitty made you leave your guns at the door.  

I don't get the Whipple vote at all. I suspect a story there, no idea what it is, though.

I would like to ask everybody here who agrees that these bills were a bad idea to STOP what you are doing RIGHT NOW and REACH FOR THE PHONE. Call Governor Kaine at 804-786-2211 and leave a message to THANK HIM  for standing with law enforcement and vetoeing these dangerous bills.

Yes, yes, I know you have a lot going on and there is a heated presidential primary that is sucking away all our energy and time and focus. But a phone call will only take a minute of your time and it would be a very good thing.

While you are at it, call your state senator and leave a message there, too. Our state reps do not hear often enough from us.  

Here are a few phone numbers just to make it easier for you:

George Barker: 804-698-7539
Chap Petersen: 804-698-7534
MM Whipple: 703-538-4097.  

this is not a Democrat or Republican issue. It is a pro gun and anti gun issue. That knows no party lines.

But neither Barker, nor Petersen are running for Governor.

Deeds is.  

Sorry Willie, I guess I should have said Deeds sides against Virginia again.

Northern Virginia.  Nor do a lot follow your line of thought.

Let me explain something that has not gotten through the heads of some people in the party:  2nd Amendment Rights is not a Republican issue and hasn't been for years. There are millions and millions of Democrats in America who own firearms.

I am a long-time Democrat. I am a former vice-chair of my local party, current committee member, Obama booster, a frequent campaign volunteer and occasional donor to Democratic campaigns. And I am also a gun-owner, a hunter and the holder of a Concealed Weapon Permit. I know many, many other people like me.

YOU DO NOT HAVE A MONOPOLY ON THIS PARTY. You do not get to tell us what our issues can be. You do not get to question our loyalty to our party. There is NOTHING in liberal or progressive philosophy that demands a particular set of restrictions on firearms.

The Democratic Party is not the exclusive party of suburban soccer moms who think anything that goes bang is scary. The Democratic Party is the party that represents the interests of working people all over America.  Including rural areas where gun ownership is as common as car ownership and also in urban areas where your odds of getting mugged in a bad neighborhood are pretty good and a little protection is probably a smart thing for some people.

I've spent the last couple of years busting my ass to win Reagan Democrats back to the Democratic party. Highlighting Howard Dean's stances on 2nd Amendment rights, pointing out our lionization in 2006 of pro-gun Democrats like John Tester.  And the work has borne fruit. I've gotten a lot of people to vote for Democrats for the first time in 20 years because I have convinced them gun rights are no longer a partisan issue.

And then people like you come along and you piss all over the work that I've been doing. Playing perfectly into the stereotype and undoing all of those efforts to win new souls for the Democratic Party. As we continue to fight to win more new seats for Democrats throughout Virginia, YOU are more of an obstacle for that work in rural and southern VA than any Republican is.

I don't mean to be overly harsh. But you've just essentially insulted me and a lot of other Democrats very personally by saying that when a Democrat votes in favor of a gun related issue, he is supporting the Republicans.  

has killed many a democrat's quest for office in Virginia.  I for one am glad there are dems who shy away from that attitude.

 Also, after reading SB 476, it seems that the bill would actually would increase controls on how people with "conceal carry" permits must act when entering private restuarants and bars with their guns.  If I am right about this, why would any gun-control advocate be against such a bill.

from supporting democratic candidates.  I guess one could say "good ridance," but one does so it at their peril.  It really is unproductive.  The only reason the US Senate is controlled by democrats is because Montana and Virginia chose people like Tester and Webb.  If either of them had taken your view on guns, we would still have a GOP Senate and perhaps even George Allen as the GOP Presidential Nominee.  (Be careful what you wish for.)

This issue is not GOP vs. Democrat.