Let’s acknowledge from the outset that “because it’s popular” is not always a compelling argument for a public policy. Sometimes useful legislation is widely disliked and sometimes legal garbage enjoys broad support. Fine.
But whether the argument is reliable or not, when used, it should at least be accurate.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) said on the Hill yesterday that he has no regrets about letting the federal ban on assault weapons expire because of his read on the polls.
“I think the will of the American people is consistent with letting it expire, so it will expire,” Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., told reporters.
Look, if Frist told the truth, he’d just admit the ban is expiring because the NRA demands it. If Frist wanted to fudge things, he could simply say the House doesn’t have time for the legislation right now.
But for him to say this somehow represents the “will of the people” is utterly ridiculous.
The University of Pennsylvania’s National Annenberg Election Survey did a poll last fall and asked if Congress should extend the law or not. It wasn’t even close — 71% wanted the law to stay on the books, 23% did not. (Even self-identified NRA members were narrowly divided — 46% supported the ban, 49% did not.)
Moreover, the Senate took up the measure in March and support for renewing the ban passed with bi-partisan support. In May, moderate Republicans who support current law suggested they had the votes to renew the law in the House, if only Tom DeLay would bring it up for a vote.
So the public supports the law, the Senate supports it, the House appears to have a majority that support it, and Bush is on record saying he supports it. But Bill Frist, in his infinite wisdom, wants us to believe letting the law die is a reflection of popular will? Please.