My letter:

Dear Representative xxxx,

I am writing you today to voice my concern about a bill the legislature will consider this session. HF 3324 , or the "Pistol and semiautomatic military-style assault weapons provisions modified" bill, is currently in committee. Please encourage your colleagues in the Public Safety and Civil Justice Committee to not bring this piece of bad legislation to the floor.

While on the surface the bill sounds like a noble effort to curb gun crime, in reality this very expensive and overreaching piece of legislation will do nothing more than make firearms less accessible for law abiding citizens. The bill attempts to eliminate private property transfers between law abiding citizens, and register all firearms transfers in a state-wide database. We all know that criminals will simply ignore a law like this, while the rights of law abiding gun owners take another hit.

I am personally a hunter, and a competitive sport shooter. I own firearms for self defense as well. This bill will add an unnecessary cost and layer of complexity to buying and selling firearms.

Please stop this legislation before it has a chance to gain momentum. Urge your colleagues in committee to kill this bill before it makes the floor. I would appreciate a reply.

Sincerely,

VikesFan

Sent my email to Rep. Paymar and Sen Cohen, my local statehouse critters.

Save your stamp. Better yet, move.

Knew it before I sent it. So I used email, no stamp wasted. But I think that it is good to let them know that there is not complete monolithic thought even within their district.

My senator, Limmer, is on the Judiciary Committee, so we'll see what he has to say.

The strib has an article about this, today:

http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/15926837.html

They call the legislation "bipartisan". Legitimately, because two R's have signed on as authors - Ron Erhardt and Neil Peterson - House Districts 41A and 41B.

I no longer live in 41 - but I have to say that I am very disappointed in the two of them providing political cover for the metrocrats in this way.

Do we have anyone in the group who is still in SD41? The SD41 GOP hasn't yet endorsed anyone - their convention is March 4th.

Jeff, I was unaware of this until I saw your post. I am just as disappointed as you are. I still live in 41B and I am a Republican party delegate again this year. I'll need to talk to Rep. Peterson about this. (btw, the endorsing convention is Saturday March 8.)

Bill

Saturday, March 8th - Southview Middle School, 8:15 AM. (Sorry, I'd fumble-fingered before.)

Erhardt and Peterson were two of the six in the House to vote to override Pawlenty's veto of the DFL tax increase, as well.

If they're endorsed, I will be pissed.

I just read that too. I can't believe this! What is going on with those two?

Does anyone know how to go about withholding a party endorsement from a candidate? I'd be willing to organize something in District 41.

It's up to the delegate's at the SD41 endorsing convention on March 8th. If they choose to endorse someone else, or choose not to endorse, or simply choose to temporarily withhold endorsement, that's what will happen.

In 41A, Erhardt already has a pretty serious challenger in Keith Downey. I don't know of any in 41B. But a decision to delay endorsement might be appropriate. That's what they did in 49B. Rep. Tingelstad voted for the bill, and 49B's delegates chose not to delay endorsement. Now she's voted to override, and my guess is they'll endorse someone else.

I agree 100% - make your opinion KNOWN! Get as many others out of their stupor to do the same. As it is said, 10 people being vocal *is* going to be noticed. Wouldn't it be great if everyone who griped about taxes would get vocal and active and let the government know we are sick and tired of it and will be pushing to make changes?

How much longer are we all willing to sit here and bitch without doing something? Where will we all move to Kimberman? (thinking, no fool would dare commit a crime there...)

Some years ago, during the "cohousing" fad (a bunch of locals were looking at it, and, in fact, there is at least one cohousing development somewhere in the city) a couple of friends and I idly looked at the possibility of encouraging folks to move into an "inverse block" (sharing an alley, rather than a street) in a bad neighborhood of Minneapolis. (Why bad? Because the property values would be low, initially. A few years improvements and it would be sort of small-scale gentrification.)

Kind of a moshav setup; private ownership of homes, but a common shop/lawnmowers/snowblowers/reloader etc.

Now is probably the time where it could be done, if there were enough interest and leadership. (I'm not volunteering, mind you.)

Well, there are a number of foreclosures on my block, so if anyone wants to get started, I'll email you the MLS numbers.

Yup; it was the foreclosures that I was thinking about. Terrific time for somebody with a good job/credit to get into a house at a good price. There aren't any on my inverse block, although there are a couple of houses for sale.

why haven't I seen an email blast from MN GOCRA or whatever MN CCRN changed their name to?

I think a good 'ol email blast sent out to that email list would do good to generate some phone calls and emails/letters.