The NRA gives Maine candidates the opportunity to let citizens know where they stand on our constitutional right to keep and bear arms. Democratic candidates in Franklin County, Irving Faunce contesting for the Maine House in District 90, Ann Woloson running for the Maine Senate 18, and Yvette Robinson running for House District 89, failed to respond to the call.
I am a firearms owner myself, and I am concerned that the Democrats, true to decades of their history in Maine, will do what they can to outright ban firearms use, or harass firearms owners with pesky taxes, or innumerable picayune restrictions, that, in the end, greatly curtail our freedoms to keep and bear arms.
I would really like to know where these three politicians stand on our rights. I speculate that they did not reply to the NRA’s call for information because they feared that their views would not look good to the voters. Firearms owners ought to be very wary about voting for them unless they respond to the NRA questions or otherwise take a clear stand on an issue of concern to thousands of hunters and gun owners in Franklin County.
Bill Reid
New Sharon
I support the second amendment and the right to bear arms. It’s unfortunate my opponent refused to publicly debate me on this and other issues important to people living in the district. Thanks for asking the question. Also, I received an “A” candidate rating from the Sportman Alliance of Maine (SAM), for my commitment to protect and preserve Maine’s outdoor hunting, fishing and sporting heritage. .
The question Ann and to all democrats mentioned was not what you say now it is why didn’t you respond when asked. Anything you guys write now is just cover your butt time. You had the chance to answer the NRA questionare and refused. I am an NRA member I saw your report card. NO ANSWER you cannot have both sides this issue. You either make a stand for gun owners or you dont and as far as I am concerned it is to late for all of you mentioned above.
Sorry Ann, TOO LATE. You had your chance to show your support for our second amendment rights, but you decided to remain silent. Now when it is politically convenient for you to try and show that you would be a supporter of my 2nd amendment rights, you fail As a Frankilin County Democrat, and gun owner, I will voting for none of the above mentioned names this fall. Your support from my gun rights have been luke warm, so you can expect the same from me at the polls.
2nd Amendment.
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
When is government going to start supplying me with free guns?
it would be cheaper then health care!
Ann where do you stand on trapping
“We have Democrats for one reason — to drag the ignorant hillbilly-half of this country into the next century, which in their case is the 19th,” Bill Maher
that is the general thinking of liberals! aka, democrats!
Thanks Ann – and thank you too, for having more on your mind than just guns! Let’s work to create a world where people have steady work and a chance for good health and there won’t be so much preoccupation with having a gun – or using it on someone.
Bill, Bill, Bill,
Have you stooped to teabagger fear mongering now?
I ,for one, have no fear that “they” are coming for my guns.
I respect your intellect and expect better of you.
Mark Ancker
Do they realize that taking or taxing my firearms is a good way to start a civil war, this is absolutely nuts,DO THE POLITICIANS HAVE ANY OTHER TOPICS TO DISCUSS LIKE JOBS,TAXES OR HEALTH CARE??LEAVE MY GUNS ALONE!!!!!!! do they have any sense? how about a bow an arrow, they want to take that too?stand up for your rights folks, they just think we are dumb enough to hand over our freedoms, what an insult to the veterans of all the wars that died for us, please folks exercise your right to vote, and god bless america,
What about Sunday hunting for landowners?
As I was prepared to say at the Candidates’ Breakfast Wednesday in Farmington, I support the rights of gun owners guaranteed under the Second Amendment. My wife and I make our Wilton Blueberry Farm land available to hunters and allow snowmobile use over our property. I received an “A” rating from SAM. I support landowners hunting on their own property on Sunday. I could and would have made these points, and more, in a one-on-one debate with my opponent as was requested by the Daily Bulldog. I agreed immediately to the debate and offered 17 dates in October on which I was available. Unfortunately for voters, my opponent refused to debate.
How can any politician from rural western Maine refuse to stand up for Gun owners? Janet Mills was a democart and she answered these questions and was endorsed by the NRA. She was raised here and understood the value that we place on hunting and shoting sports.
This very weekend thousands of folks from all over western Maine will take to the woods in prusuit of deer. Something familes have done for decades here. Fathers daughters and sons will spend quality time in the woods together. WOW this is a shocker that three people running for office here would choose to remain silent on this issue that brings so much enjoyment and jobs to the area!
Although the NRA membership may be predominately Republican, the organization’s ratings are non-partisan being based purely on the 2nd Amendment issue. Hence it endorses such Democrats as congressman Mike Michaud, Sen. Bill Diamond, Sen. Troy Jackson, and Rep. Stephen Hanley, not to mention Sen Harry Reid.
It gave its endorsement to Michaud because his votes have gone their way. It gives an AQ to Levesque because of his answers to their questionnaire. He has not voting record.
The NRA’s issue is primarily constitutional. It’s not primarily about hunting. Saviello and Harveel get endorsemetns because of their answers and their record. Russell Black gets an AQ because of their answers.
Ann Woloson, Irv Faunce and Yvette Robinson each get a “?” because they refused to respond to their questions. Whatever their pesonal opnions they all know that some fraction of the Democratic vote comes from people who don’t own guns, don’t like guns and think other people should not own guns, should not like guns; AND BY GOD THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!
Woloson, Faunce and Robinson has an opportunity to make their position on the 2nd Amendment clear. They chose not to take it. Some may favor a restrictive interpretation of the 2nd Amendment, but Bill Reid is absolutely right about the obligation of candidates to be clear and frank about issues important to thousands of their constituents. The fact that some don’t care is not relevant to his point.
Wont answer a question abut guns? Wow I didn’t realize Portland had come so far north. Seems that now the anti gun crowd has taken over the Franklin county democrats. Where are the Janet Mills anymore where are the Mike Michauds at least they got this issue right. Is this what it has come to with liberals?
Good point, TYLER, Janet Mills was willing to make her commitments known and received the NRA endorsement in return if I’m remembering correctly.
What a smokescreen. Are you all sure this is a real issue? Have you noticed the Supreme Court decision lately in support of 2d Amendment rights? Has the democratically controlled congress tried to pass any legislation limiting this right in the past two years? Has the Obama administration? More importantly, has any legislator from Franklin County ever sponsored gun control legislation? Mr. Frary seems to believe that a non-response to the NRA equates to advocating gun control. That’s like saying that if someone takes a photo at a public event and Tom Saviello isn’t in the picture, the event never happened.
California outlawed the purchase of any .50 cal high powered rifle such as the Barret SINGLE shot rifle.. chambered in .50 cal bmg.This rifle is like 4 feet long and weighs better than 30 lbs. My point is this. There has never been a crime commited by anyone useing one of these firearms, but they OUTLAWED them. If any state can outlaw a firearm that never is used to commit a crime, common sense suggests they will go after ones commonly used in crimes,and any others they “think”, could ,maybe, possibly , be used to commit one.There are thousands of stupid gun laws on the books that dems have passed that help protect nobody. A few years ago a clip holding more than 10 shots for a semi auto pistol could not be purchased.Somebody figured a 13 or 15 shot clip was dangerous, but a 10 shot one was not. The law has since expired and gee wizz, no jump in crime. Stupid law, but there are thousands more just as lame and the anti-gun people will pass a 1000 more if they can and most of them are liberal dems. Its not about paranoia or fear mongering teabagging. Its fact. Look at the gun laws on the books and see who passed them and make your own mind up. Just my opinion, but I think this Ann Woloson, stepped in it and now is trying to do the backstroke and it’s too late. Any one running for office in this part of Maine should have known better. One last thing, the author of the California law was Assemblyman Paul Koretz, a Democrat .
This is such a Stupid, “Its the stupidity, stupid”, Non-Issue. We do have the 2nd amendmendment and nobody has, to my knowledge, suggested its repeal.
I feel that anyone hyping this non-issue is only trying to put up a smoke screen to hide the real issues that face us all.
I also encourage everyone thinking of voting Republican to actually READ THE MAINE GOP PLATFORM!!! Really, read it! READ the state GOP platform.
’nuff said
Its not a smoke screen ancker, these are people’s opinions and concerns. stupid as you may think they are. If you have never heard of anyone wanting to repeal the 2 nd amendment then you either live far, far away, or like you said, you have no knowledge. I would guess the latter. I read the gop platform and the dem platform. It’s the democratic platform thats the one to worry about. Just look at what the dems have done to Maine in the last 30 years. Time to throw out the politicians who got us where we are today, a nanny state that hates business and likes high taxes, borrows too much money,cant pay it’s bills ’cause we are broke. “nuff said.