For those taking notes in the Texas Governors' race...

[stevie_d_64]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_texas_governor_guns" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

AUSTIN, Texas – If he were running for governor of New York, Democrat Bill White would probably be considered a pro-gun enthusiast. He's got a shotgun and a 9 mm pistol, opposes any new laws on firearms and says he'd like to sign up some day for a concealed weapons permit.

But this is Texas, where incumbent Rick Perry recently shot a coyote while out jogging and enjoys hunting deer with a bow and arrow. The love of weaponry is so ingrained in state culture that having a legal permit to carry a handgun will get you waved through the Texas Capitol security lines without going through a magnetometer.

Against that backdrop, the former Houston mayor heads into the 2010 governor's race playing defense on a powerful political issue. The biggest liability for White is his past membership in a New York-based gun control group. White says he resigned after finding its positions too restrictive, but his participation in Mayors Against Illegal Guns riled up those who live to preserve Texas' pro-gun culture.

"Anywhere in the civilized world you would be able to make the argument that everybody should be able to be against illegal guns. But we're not in the civilized word. We're in Texas," said Southern Methodist University political scientist Cal Jillson.

White only needs to look a few years back to find candidates who have lost campaigns over the issue. The last Democrat who was elected governor, Ann Richards, lost her re-election bid in 1994 in part after opposing concealed handgun legislation and vetoing a referendum on it.

George W. Bush signed the bill into law in his first year after defeating her to become governor.

"There is really no such thing as a moderate position on guns that's going to help in Texas," said Jim Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin.

As mayor of Houston, White joined Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a group that supports individual gun rights, but wants more controls on gun show sales, restrictions on the reach of conceal-and-carry laws and more oversight of federal gun purchase records.

White said he joined the gun-control group in 2006 at the urging of its founder, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. That year, Houston's crime rate hit a 12-year high.

"I joined because Mayor Bloomberg told me that that we needed to do more to crack down on guns which were transported in violation of federal law," White told The Associated Press. "I believe that people shouldn't steal guns and sell them to people where it's against the law for them to have guns, period."

In 2009, facing his first statewide political campaign, White quietly resigned from the group. White says he quit because the group opposed a federal law that would have allowed conceal-carry permit holders to carry their firearms across state lines.

Perry spokesman Mark Miner questioned White's reason for leaving the group, saying he only quit after he caught flak from pro-gun Democrat John Sharp when both were running for the U.S. Senate. White's name had appeared earlier on a letter opposing the expansion of rights for conceal-carry permit holders.

"He's totally lying," Miner said. "He is anti-gun and he'll do anything including lying to try to get elected."

Out of more than 500 mayors, Mayor Richard Ward of Hurst, a Fort Worth suburb, is the lone remaining Texan in the group. A Republican NRA member who owns six guns, Ward says he's been called a "commie" and worse in over 100 e-mails.

Meanwhile, Perry, a Republican and the longest-serving governor in state history, long ago wrapped up the endorsement of the Texas State Rifle Association, aligned with the National Rifle Association, in his bid for an unprecedented third full term.

That was before Perry shot a coyote on his morning jog and inspired the manufacture of a special-issue, Ruger .380 caliber handgun — "for sale to Texans only" — the same kind the governor used on the howling varmint.

He also recently supported a plan to let people licensed to carry a handgun enter the Texas Capitol without going through newly installed metal detectors.

It surprised no one that the NRA gave Perry an "A+" on its latest scorecard of candidates for state elective office. White got a "B."

"He went outside of the state of Texas and aligned himself with out-of-state mayors for heaven sakes," said Alice Tripp, legislative director of the Texas State Rifle Association.

Though they have pushed gun control measures in the past, Democrats are now mostly staying away from the volatile issue. Gun sales spiked in 2008 on fears that Barack Obama and a Democratic Congress would clamp down on firearms. But Obama later signed a bill allowing guns in federal parks and gun control advocates have criticized the White House and Democratic leaders for shunning their agenda.

White told The AP he considers individual gun ownership a bedrock constitutional right and opposes new restrictions on it. He also said any portrayal of him as antigun is "ridiculous" and predicted firearms would not be a major issue in his race.

White, who says he owns two guns but has only hunted once in the last 10 years, complained that he hasn't yet been able to find the 10 hours he needs to train for a concealed weapons permit. He doesn't need one to take his Springfield 9 mm to the shooting range — or, as far as he's concerned, to be elected governor.

"I haven't had anybody tell me they only vote for permit holders," White said.

[RPB]

I visited Houston last week, and found out that Bill White must have been chosen over the Devout Muslim who sends lots of money to the PLO/Palestinians from his hair care product company in Houston.

I never cared for the way right after Bill was elected he got the entire freeway system tore up, instead of repairing a section and finising it, then tackling another section, but I do understand he wanted to affect the entire city at once to let them all know "something" was being done, since it had been a while since the freeways had been repaired/replaced.

While there I waved to the guys doing construction on Interstate 10 and realized those were the same guys looking through the same telescope surveying thingy at about the same spot I saw them right after I evacuated there for Rita. I guess progress is slow, if they had 8 more of them scopes, the 8 guys watching the other look through that scope wouldn't have to wait their turn. Perhaps if that lady in that apartment closed her curtains, the freeway wouldda been finished.

Hadn't really even considered Bill's stance on guns and him "wanting more controls on gun show sales, restrictions on the reach of conceal-and-carry laws and more oversight of federal gun purchase records", (from article above)
...but I'm glad I moved away, glad Bill isn't in charge of where I live now, regardless of his stance on guns, but because of how he runs things.

Thanks for that article ..

White said he joined the gun-control group in 2006 at the urging of its founder, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. That year, Houston's crime rate hit a 12-year high.
"I joined because Mayor Bloomberg told me that that we needed to do more to crack down on guns


"Because he told me to" ... really good reason politically to make decisions, (Wonder about his judgment if he thinks it's a good political move even admitting that as the reason... he told me to, so i did) ...might be better if he had attempted to make an informed decision on an important issue huh?

I call that an I D TEN T error ( ID10T )

We do need to change some laws though ... so that Perry can be both President of the USA, and Governor of Texas at the same time.

[Dan20703]

Bill White has lied over and over again since he decided to run for governor. It all depends on who he is speaking to at the moment. He turned Houston into a sanctuary city for illeagal immigrants. Told the police department he has been in favor of 287g and then speaks in El Paso on how he is against it. Typical slime running for office. A lib at heart trying to lie his way into running and ruining our state.

[74novaman]

While I may find things wrong with Rick Perry, there is so much wrong with Bill White I will have no hesitation casting my vote for Rick.

He certainly can wiggle around the issue, can't he? Just because he owns guns doesn't mean he thinks any of the rest of us heathens should have any.

[Kythas]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_texas_governor_guns

"I joined because Mayor Bloomberg told me that that we needed to do more to crack down on guns which were transported in violation of federal law," White told The Associated Press. "I believe that people shouldn't steal guns and sell them to people where it's against the law for them to have guns, period."

Well, this is a pretty simple solution. We just make it illegal to steal guns and we make it illegal to sell or give guns to people to whom it's against the law to possess a gun.

Oh, wait...

[Skiprr]

"Anywhere in the civilized world you would be able to make the argument that everybody should be able to be against illegal guns. But we're not in the civilized word. We're in Texas," said Southern Methodist University political scientist Cal Jillson.

Hm. Methinks Cal Jillson needs to get a new job at George Washington University and move to DC.

For heaven's sake, Cal, don't walk, RUN away from this uncivilized backwash that you are forced to suffer through every single, painful day.

[RPB]

"Anywhere in the civilized world you would be able to make the argument that everybody should be able to be against illegal guns. But we're not in the civilized word. We're in Texas," said Southern Methodist University political scientist Cal Jillson.

Hm. Methinks Cal Jillson needs to get a new job at George Washington University and move to DC.

For heaven's sake, Cal, don't walk, RUN away from this uncivilized backwash that you are forced to suffer through every single, painful day.

As far as I know, every law-abiding CHL along with most other Texans, is/are against "ILLEGAL" guns, (excluding criminals.)

I don't think I've ever seen any "ILLEGAL" gun though there may have been some illegal short barrelled firearms bought by the Austin P.D. last week according to the News reporters, though I wasn't there to see them. (Of course, they would have been LEGAL short-barreled guns if the guy had paid his $200 Tax to the BATF, but he didn't. Apparently he wanted to get $100 for selling it instead of paying $200 to keep it LEGAL.)

I wonder who Cal Jillson hangs out with that influenced Cal to believe that Texans want "ILLEGAL" guns? Perhaps Cal should choose better freinds...Some which would change Cal's "World View" or Cal's perception or opinion of Texans if Cal believes we are all "Pro-Criminal" and for "ILLEGAL" things

Birds of a feather ... Cal needs better freinds if the perception is that every Texan supports ILLEGAL activities ...

[MechAg94]

"Anywhere in the civilized world you would be able to make the argument that everybody should be able to be against illegal guns. But we're not in the civilized word. We're in Texas," said Southern Methodist University political scientist Cal Jillson.

Hm. Methinks Cal Jillson needs to get a new job at George Washington University and move to DC.

For heaven's sake, Cal, don't walk, RUN away from this uncivilized backwash that you are forced to suffer through every single, painful day.

He is a Political Scientist at a university located in Texas yet he calls Texas uncivilized. I think he needs to find a dictionary.

My understanding is that Bill White was only considered a good Mayor when compared to Mayor Lee P Brown who preceded him. That isn't much to speak of. I don't know if he could be considered anti-gun, but he certainly isn't pro-gun. I wouldn't trust him to NOT sign anti-gun legislation and I wouldn't trust him to sign any pro-gun legislation that was sent his way either.

Perry wins this comparison any way I look at it.

[AEA]

Perry does have some skeletons in his closet. But with regards to gun rights in Texas, I'm afraid he's the best we are going to get for quite a long while.

Here's a shot of him at a South Texas hunting lodge with a couple of my relatives.

[joe817]

I see he's wearing those Hawaiian pants I've been looking for to go with my Hawaiian shirt.

Yes, Perry has my vote(again) in the election.

[RPB]

AEA ... that gate ... over to the right in that photo ... wasn't there 2 coyotes on it before?

[KD5NRH]

"Anywhere in the civilized world you would be able to make the argument that everybody should be able to be against illegal guns. But we're not in the civilized word. We're in Texas," said Southern Methodist University political scientist Cal Jillson.

Hm. Methinks Cal Jillson needs to get a new job at George Washington University and move to DC.

Anybody know a cheap source for bulk highway maps? IMO, all of us who like Texas should mail him one with the outbound routes marked.

[Salty1]

My votes this year are going to be very simple for me, anybody with a "D" next to their name is not getting my vote. Makes no difference what they have done, I will not forget the "chubbing" from the last session that brought our Parking Lot and Campus Carry Bills to a screaming halt....

[stevie_d_64]

My votes this year are going to be very simple for me, anybody with a "D" next to their name is not getting my vote. Makes no difference what they have done, I will not forget the "chubbing" from the last session that brought our Parking Lot and Campus Carry Bills to a screaming halt....

Excellent thing to remember!!!