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The Republican National Convention is history and the Democratic National Convention will also be over by the time you receive this issue of Gun Week. The 2000 presidential election campaign is about to begin in earnest and continue down to the wire on Nov. 7.

Despite what some polls and pundits may say at this time it is expected to be a close race, and one of extreme importance to the future of the right to keep and bear arms. Which party controls the House and Senate for the next two years will also be decided on Nov. 7.

During the coming weeks, Gun Week will report on the presidential as well as congressional races, but at this time we can provide below a snap-shot of the candidates’ positions on the gun issue.

Gore’s Gun Agenda
Should anyone in America still be wondering about Gore’s position on guns, besides his record during the almost eight years of the Clinton-Gore Administration, let me summarize some of the points directly from his campaign website (www.algore2000.com).
Gore’s proposed “comprehensive plan to get guns off our streets” includes the following:

Require photo licensing for handgun purchases.
Ban “junk guns.
Increase gun-related criminal penalties.
Limit gun sales to one-a-month and require a three-day waiting period for purchases.
Close the “gun show loophole” by requiring background checks for private sales.
Require child-safety locks on handguns.
Oppose special legal protections for gun manufacturers.
Oppose weakening restrictions on concealed weapons
Improve efforts to trace gun ownership.

In addition to his agenda for the future, Gore’s website includes a list of votes and “accomplishments” related to regulating guns and gun ownership

Bush’s Gun Agenda
The Bush campaign website (www.georgewbush.com) lists these positions on gun issues:

Supports stronger enforcement of existing gun laws, would provide more funding for aggressive gun law enforcement programs such as Project Exile in Richmond, VA.
Supports automatic detention for kids who commit crimes with guns.
Supports requiring instant background checks at gun shows by allowing gun show promoters to access the instant check system on behalf of vendors.
Supports law-abiding American’s constitutional right to own guns to protect their families and home.
Supports the current ban on automatic weapons.
Supports banning juveniles from possession of semi-automatic “assault” weapons.
Supports increasing the minimum age for possession of a handgun from 18 to 21.
Supports banning the importation of foreign made, “high-capacity” ammunition clips (sic).
Gov. Bush supports voluntary efforts to equip all handguns with child safety locks. If Congress passed legislation requiring mandatory trigger locks for all new handguns, he would sign it. He is concerned, however, that such legislation not be seen as a panacea, because adults still have to be responsible for using the trigger locks and for monitoring their children’s actions.
Opposes government mandated registration of all guns owned by law-abiding citizens

Bush’s website also notes that as governor of Texas he signed into law that state’s current “right-to-carry” law as well as state legislation to prevent municipalities and counties from filing frivolous lawsuits against the firearms industry

Third Party Gun Agendas
There are prospective voters who are interested in the firearms issue positions of third party candidates. None of the minor party and independent candidates is likely to win the election but they may influence which of the major party candidates does.

The most important of the third parties in possible influence is the Green Party, whose candidate is Ralph Nader. Nader and the Green platform lay claim to supporting the Second Amendment but their support for many gun initiatives are problematic. People who are interested can get details of those positions on their websites, www.greenparty.org or www.nader2000.com.

The Libertarian Party, whose candidate is Harry Browne, is the most clearly pro-gun and its candidate the most unequivocal on the right to keep and bear arms. For details on the Internet, log on to www.lp.org.

The Reform Party’s situation is still uncertain. Pat Buchanan, who is pro-gun, claims to be the party’s candidate for president. John Hagelin, who is also pro-gun, also claims the party’s endorsement. Which candidate will actually represent the party may not be decided until after appeals to the Federal Election Commission and court challenges.