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Say What You Will About Jeb Bush, On Guns He Was A+

Posted in gun rights, Politics, tagged 2015 NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits, Campaign 2016, Jeb Bush, presidential politics on April 13, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Jeb Bush was one of the line of announced and probable 2016 Presidential candidates who addressed a sold out crowd at the NRA-ILA Leadership Forum on Friday during the NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits. During his remarks, he reminded folks that during his term as Governor, he signed more pro-rights legislation than any other governor before him. Via Jim Geraghty of National Review Online on the laws Bush signed:

One: A law to make it easier for hunters and fishermen to register to vote. Two: A law establishing a baseline number of acres of public hunting lands. Three: A law prohibiting the confiscation of firearms following hurricanes, inspired by the behavior of New Orleans authorities in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Four: A law to restrict non-law-enforcement access to records on concealed-carry licenses, to ensure gun owners’ personally identifying information isn’t released to the media or the public. Five: A law ensuring Florida citizens had the right to carry firearms for self-defense and other lawful purposes while in National Forests and State Parks in Florida. Six: A law to assist men and women serving on active duty in military service to our nation with renewal of their concealed weapons and firearms licenses. Bush also boasted that he had signed Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law. Some on the Left attacked the law in the wake of the Trayvon Martin shooting, even though most legal experts asserted the law didn’t apply to George Zimmerman’s circumstances, and his lawyers never cited the law in their successful legal defense of him.

I have to say I am surprised that Bush did not back away or at least skip mentioning the “Stand Your Ground” law given how the anti-rights crowd continues to mischaracterize it. Since Bush is quoted as having said he needs to find a way to win the nomination without the GOP conservative base, he could simply have skipped over that one. Bush knew his audience however. Geraghty also noted that Bush took a dig at former Texas Governor Rick Perry when Bush noted that thanks to him, more Floridians have a Florida concealed carry permit than Texans who possess a Texas permit. Conservatives may take issue with Jeb Bush on things like illegal immigration and education, but on our issue, he earned his NRA “A+” Rating.