Michael Steele becomes first black RNC chairman

[Pathfinder]

This is good news, beats the roll over and play dead predecessor.

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

First 3 paragraphs . . .


WASHINGTON – The Republican Party chose the first black national chairman in its history Friday, just shy of three months after the nation elected a Democrat as the first African-American president. The choice marked no less than "the dawn of a new party," declared the new GOP chairman, former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele. Republicans chose Steele over four other candidates, including former President George W. Bush's hand-picked GOP chief, who bowed out declaring, "Obviously the winds of change are blowing."

Steele takes the helm of a beleaguered Republican Party that is trying to recover after crushing defeats in November's national elections that gave Democrats control of Congress put Barack Obama in the White House.

GOP delegates erupted in cheers and applause when his victory was announced, but it took six ballots to get there. He'll serve a two-year term.

[2HOW]

I saw it , good for him. It may be a great restart for the RP.

[fullautovalmet76]

I'm not so sure this is a good thing. Below is a quote of him from a Washington Post interview in 2006.

Q: Your views on gun control?

A: My views are pretty much in line with the governor's. I grew up under some of the strictest gun control laws in the country. You can have all the gun control laws in the country, but if you don't enforce them, people are going to find a way to protect themselves. We need to recognize that bad people are doing bad things with these weapons. It's not the law-abiding citizens, it's not the person who uses it as a hobby.

Q: Should people have access to buy assault weapons?

A: Society should draw lines. What do you need an assault weapon for, if you're going hunting? That's overkill. But I don't think that means you go to a total ban for those who want to use gun for skeet shooting or hunting or things like that But what's the point of passing gun laws if we're not going to enforce them? If you want to talk about gun control, that's where you need to start. We've got 300 gun laws on the books right now. At the end of the day, it's about how we enforce the law.

My problem is with his answer to the second question. The next thing we know he'll be giving candidates that support a PIF ban campaign money; because who really "needs" one of those rifles?

[ericire12]

Whats that the dems were saying during the election about the GOP being just a bunch of white guys???

[fullautovalmet76]

Whats that the dems were saying during the election about the GOP being just a bunch of white guys???

And I believe they will continue to say that. It didn't stop them when Condolezza Rice and Colin Powell were in the Bush administration and it will not deter them now.

[Sponsor]

[tombogan03884]

Whats that the dems were saying during the election about the GOP being just a bunch of white guys???

When did something like reality ever effect the arguments of dums ?
We need to lean on this guy and let him no the the 2A wasn't about Bambi, but about making politicians toe the Constitutional line. And THAT is why Americans need PIF's.

[Dakotaranger]

While he may not totally have a great grasp on the 2nd Amendment, he at least will stand up for other principles where RINOs are a bunch of wusses.

I'm sure Uncle Ted will pigeon hole Michael on this...He got zumbo turned around (even if I wish zumbo would just go away)

[m25operator]

Steel is from my state, and all republicans and independents  should message him and let him know our stance. At the RNC convention, He said the platform vote was going back, in a big way to our roots of conservatism, and that it was hard but passed, but Mc Cain backed off, not us, He ignored the principal, played his game and lost, Palin showed our true colors, but was not enough to carry us through. Liberal bias in the media, Yeah   The economy going to the crapper, Charles Schumer for starting it by letting a slip about a bank, and then it and many others fall fast. If he had kept his mouth shut, since it was not true, things would not be what they are, He should be prosecuted IMHO.

I'm proud so far, for the the repubs, on the bailout, and give kudo's to the 11 dems who agreed to go against it. They should have stood their ground on the 1st as well, but hopefully they are learning this is not going to help at all. Mc Cain would have done well to have gone against it, but now he is out of the picture, and should be. We, our children and grandchildren will have to pay for this, and probably cannot.

[Thanos]

What do you need an assault weapon for, if you're going hunting?

I am not going hunting, nor is my rifle an assualt rifle, it is an automatic rifle.

[ccd]

Charles Schumer for starting it by letting a slip about a bank, and then it and many others fall fast. If he had kept his mouth shut, since it was not true, things would not be what they are, He should be prosecuted IMHO.

As much as I personally despise Sen. Schumer, his comments about IndyMac had nothing to do with starting the banking crisis. Our current mess is the result of a bipartisan fiscal/monetary policy of the late 1980's-present  that has utterly failed, as it was doomed to do so. Banking and government cannot be your largest national industries, and if they are you will not last very long.  The markets did exactly what they are supposed to do when they are being artificially inflated for more than 15+ years. But unfortunately we are in for more of the same. The same people are in charge now under the Kenyan as have been since Bush the Elder's administration. As long as the Fed, the SEC, and the Treasury Dept are allowed to monopolize control over the the US economy we will continue to falter. If/when the Fed fails in it's "game" of keeping interest rates low the US debt will resort to junk status and then things will get really interesting. 

As to Mr. Steele, even though he has a less than exemplary position on the 2nd Amendment, his views are much better than our recently departed President's. Mr. Steele's most important job now is to raise as much money as possible for campaigns, and to field/find candidates that will win elections. If you want the GOP to be more 2nd Amendment friendly get involved in your local county party and help choose(or even run yourself to be) one of the state delegates. Or find and support someone you respect/agree with to run for various offices.