On November 6, 2012 Americans will go to the polls to vote for the next President of the United States of America. Either Barack Obama or Mitt Romney will win this contest.
It has become cliché, but this really is the most important election in our lifetime.
In the last few years, gun owners have celebrated two of the most important Second Amendment rulings the in our nation’s history. Heller v D.C. and McDonald v City of Chicago have set the stage for national reciprocity and the elimination of discriminatory “may issue” concealed carry laws. But we can lose it all and more in the blink of an eye.
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and Anthony Kennedy, both Reagan appointees are 76 years old. Ruth Bader Ginsburg is 79. Stephen Breyer is 74.Clarence Thomas is 64 and Samuel Alito is 62. Losing one vote in a 5-4 ruling means losing your rights. The next President will almost surely appoint one or more justices. Obama’s appointments Sotomayor and Kagan are openly hostile toward your rights, which are hanging by a single vote.
The last time our nation faces such a “generational election” was 32 years ago. In 1980 we had high fuel prices, economic uncertainty, dashed hopes for the future and problems in the middle east, including assaults on our embassies (which are American soil) where American’s died. Sound familiar?
We would decide to continue with the failed policies, weak leadership and appeasement foreign policy of President Jimmy Carter, or the bold, strong, “America is special” vision of Ronald Reagan. We chose Reagan, returned America to greatness, ended the cold war, and ushered in a period of prosperity that lasted nearly 30 years.
Other elections that set the course of our nation not just for years, but for decades, were the election of Dwight Eisenhower after WWII, and Abraham Lincoln. This year is another such vital election for our country.
While there are other candidates on the ballot, they cannot and will not win. Either Romney or Obama will win this election. A vote for anyone else is throwing your vote away.
I have voted for third party candidates. I have voted in primaries for candidates that have already dropped out of the race. I understand voting for the “best” candidate rather than one the big parties are pushing. There are times this is a great idea. But now is not that time.
Votes for Ross Perot enabled Bill Clinton to defeat George H.W. Bush in 1992. Votes for Ralph Nader enabled George W. Bush to defeat Al Gore in 2000. This year’s election is too critical to help the worst candidate win because you think the other candidate is “not good enough.” Failure to vote, or voting for other candidates, will result in supporting the wrong candidate.
Supreme Court Justices are appointed for life. This election will shape your firearms rights not just for a few years, but most likely for the next 20-30 years, and possibly longer. Cast your vote like your rights depend on it, because they do.
Jim Irvine is the Buckeye Firearms Association Chairman, and winner of the NRA-ILA’s 2011 “Jay M. Littlefield Volunteer of the Year Award.”
As many of you know, we, as in NYFirearms.com, as well as myself, personally, have supported NYSRPA (New York State Rifle & Pistol Association) for quite some time now. We’ve held raffles, advertised in their newsletter, and generally sent as many people towards them as we can. We truly believe in their organization.
I personally have trained with, and had the great pleasure to call my friend, Joe DeBergalis. He is currently running for re-election to the NRA Board of Directors. Many of you already know what a great part of the firearms industry Joe is and how much he has done to protect our 2A rights. He works tirelessly on the NRA Board now, is vice president of NYSRPA, Chair of the NRA Education & Training Committee, Chair of the AR15.COM/Rockcastle Shooting Complex ProAM, and part of many other 2A organizations.
We absolutely need more people like Joe working for our rights, and I will be voting for Joe on the NRA Board again, and you should too. If you do not know who Joe is or would like to read more about what he has done or is doing, and want more information on how to vote, visit his website at Joe DeBergalis for NRA Board 2012.
Now if we could only get Joe to write some articles for us on here! 🙂