Senate Voted 62-36 To Restore Gun Rights In DC

On February 26, 2009, the US Senate voted 62-36 to restore gun rights to DC residents. The amendment, sponsored by Senator Ensign (R.NV), was attached to the bill to give DC a vote in the House. Twenty-two Democrats along with forty Republicans voted "yes". One Republican (Lugar, IN) along with thirty-five Democrats voted "no". Senator Kennedy did not vote. One senate seat from Minnesota is vacant.

YEAs ---62
Alexander (R-TN) Barrasso (R-WY) Baucus (D-MT) Bayh (D-IN) Begich (D-AK) Bennet (D-CO) Bennett (R-UT) Bond (R-MO) Brownback (R-KS) Bunning (R-KY) Burr (R-NC) Byrd (D-WV) Casey (D-PA) Chambliss (R-GA) Coburn (R-OK) Cochran (R-MS) Collins (R-ME) Conrad (D-ND) Corker (R-TN) Cornyn (R-TX) Crapo (R-ID)	DeMint (R-SC) Dorgan (D-ND) Ensign (R-NV) Enzi (R-WY) Feingold (D-WI) Graham (R-SC) Grassley (R-IA) Gregg (R-NH) Hagan (D-NC) Hatch (R-UT) Hutchison (R-TX) Inhofe (R-OK) Isakson (R-GA) Johanns (R-NE) Johnson (D-SD) Kyl (R-AZ) Landrieu (D-LA) Lincoln (D-AR) Martinez (R-FL) McCain (R-AZ) McCaskill (D-MO)	McConnell (R-KY) Murkowski (R-AK) Nelson (D-NE) Pryor (D-AR) Reid (D-NV) Risch (R-ID) Roberts (R-KS) Sessions (R-AL) Shelby (R-AL) Snowe (R-ME) Specter (R-PA) Tester (D-MT) Thune (R-SD) Udall (D-CO) Udall (D-NM) Vitter (R-LA) Voinovich (R-OH) Warner (D-VA) Webb (D-VA) Wicker (R-MS)

NAYs ---36
Akaka (D-HI) Bingaman (D-NM) Boxer (D-CA) Brown (D-OH) Burris (D-IL) Cantwell (D-WA) Cardin (D-MD) Carper (D-DE) Dodd (D-CT) Durbin (D-IL) Feinstein (D-CA) Gillibrand (D-NY)	Harkin (D-IA) Inouye (D-HI) Kaufman (D-DE) Kerry (D-MA) Klobuchar (D-MN) Kohl (D-WI) Lautenberg (D-NJ) Leahy (D-VT) Levin (D-MI) Lieberman (ID-CT) Lugar (R-IN) Menendez (D-NJ)	Merkley (D-OR) Mikulski (D-MD) Murray (D-WA) Nelson (D-FL) Reed (D-RI) Rockefeller (D-WV) Sanders (I-VT) Schumer (D-NY) Shaheen (D-NH) Stabenow (D-MI) Whitehouse (D-RI) Wyden (D-OR)

Not Voting - 1

Kennedy (D-MA)

Tenth Circuit Ruled For Guns At The Job

Oklahoma had passed a law making it unlawful for business owners to prevent workers from storing guns in workers' locked cars on the property of business owners. Businesses brought suit in the Northern District of Oklahoma and won a permanent block on enforcing the Oklahoma law. The lower court argued that the law is preempted by federal law, and specifically regulations dealing with work place safety (Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1970). The lower court also heard arguments that the Oklahoma law was an unconstitutional taking of property because business owners were deprived the ability to regulate who may enter upon of their property. The lower court dismissed that claim.

On February 18, 2009, the US Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the lower court. You may read the opinion here.

The Cursing Mr. Obama

Go here, and to listen, scroll down and click on the audio links.