Some Democrats in eastern Oregon want a pro-gun platform for the state party.

Saying they’re tired of the gun control issue costing them defections to the GOP, Baker County Democrats voted last week to approve a platform resolution in support of gun ownership that they hope the state party will add to its platform.

The adoption came after a spirited debate over the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which reads: “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.”

Chuck Butcher of Baker City, who crafted the county party’s resolution, said he will personally deliver it to the state party platform committee when it meets June 25 at West Linn. 

The local resolution states, in part, “The Democratic Party of Oregon resolves as follows: To recognize and support the right to keep and bear arms in Section 207 of the Oregon State Constitution and the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution as an individual right not granted by the government but rather guaranteed by the government.

“In recognition of the tremendous personal responsibility engendered by the right to keep and bear arms, the Democratic Party of Oregon further advocates severe penalties and their enforcement for criminal use or misuse of this right.”

Butcher said he wanted to submit “a clear resolution without a lot of hedging, and frame it in language that could pass overwhelmingly, if the argument is presented correctly.”

They got the part about it being a right recognized rather than granted.  I give them extra credit for that!  But I suspect their chances of getting that, as written, adopted at the state level is asymptotically close to zero.  It’s just not going to happen.  If they weasel word it a WHOLE bunch then maybe 50-50.

Thanks for trying guys.  I know you are on our side and you have to fight the battle but you are going to lose at least the first few rounds.  Keep at it.