Our United States Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords survived an assassination attempt. And though she survived the assassination attempt, this did not move the mostly Republican and a few Democrats from supporting background checks.

Will it take an assassination of another United States President in order to change the minds of those  Senators who voted against background checks?

After all, Abraham Lincoln, John F.Kennedy, James A. Garfield, William McKinley were assassinated by angry and politcally charged men.  Two Presidents  who were injured in attempted assassinations included former Presidents Ronald Reagan and Theodore Roosevelt.

A 2nd amendment supporter and United States Senator John McCain said:

“Just as I have long defended the Second Amendment to the Constitution, I have also long believed that it is perfectly reasonable to use available tools to conduct limited background checks, as this amendment prescribes, to help ensure that felons and the mentally-ill do not obtain guns they should not possess. In my view, such background checks are not overly burdensome or unconstitutional.”

McCain further addressed the concerns that the background checks would lead to a national registry. “If this amendment would establish such a registry, I would oppose it, but it does not,” he stated.  Meanwhile, Arizona’s other senator, Jeff Flake, said Monday on his Facebook page that he opposes Background Checks Amendment because he feels it went too far.

See John McCain’s video response below:

Something to be aware of … according to WIKI, here is a list of the assassination attempts on the current President:

2008

North Carolina Waffle House threats

Jerry Blanchard, an accountant from Charlotte, North Carolina, was indicted for threatening to kill Obama during a July 15, 2008 breakfast at a Charlotte Waffle House.^[5][10] Two customers said Blanchard told them, “Obama and his wife are never going to make it to the White House. He needs to be taken out and I can do it in a heartbeat.”^[5] The customers contacted the Secret Service, who questioned Blanchard. He denied making the threats, but allegedly told the Secret Service agents he believed Obama was the “Antichrist” prophesied in the Bible.^[5][10] The Secret Service later got a second call from an employee of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Charlotte,^[11] where Blanchard was overheard in the lobby restroom saying into his cell phone, “I’ll get a sniper rifle and take care of it myself. Somebody’s got to do it … We both know Obama is the anti-Christ.”^[5] Blanchard had claimed he would buy a sniper rifle and pistol from the Hyatt Gun Shop in Charlotte. The gun shop owner said Blanchard has visited the store but did not buy any weapons.^[5] Blanchard was placed into custody on felony charges of making threats against a major candidate for president, and a psychiatric evaluation was ordered. It has been questioned how much evidence existed that he planned to actually go through with an assassination attempt.^[5][10]

Miami bail-bondsman training threats

Raymond H. Geisel was charged with making threatening statements against Obama during a bail-bonds training class on July 31, 2008, in Miami, Florida.^[10] During the course, Geisel referred to Obama with a racial epithet and said, “If he gets elected, I’ll assassinate him myself.”^[2] Geisel also threatened to put a bullet in the head of then-President Bush, although Geisel later claimed he was joking. In his hotel room, authorities found ammunition, body armor, a combat-style hatchet, tear gas, a loaded 9 mm handgun and four loaded magazines. Geisel said he collected firearms, and was only using the gun for his bail-bonds course. Geisel remained in custody for a month.^[2][10]

Assassination scare in Denver

Main article: Barack Obama assassination scare in Denver

Three men allegedly discussed shooting Barack Obama, then the 2008 Democratic Party presidential nominee, during his acceptance speech on the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. Cousins Tharin Gartrell and Shawn Adolf, and their friend Nathan Johnson, allegedly came to Denver specifically to kill Obama, and discussed in their hotel room how they could assassinate him.^{[1][12][13][14]} On August 24, 2008, Gartrell was arrested when police found his truck filled with weapons and narcotics.^[15][16][17] Johnson and Adolf were arrested shortly thereafter and, during a televised interview, Johnson later indicated Adolf was the one who planned the alleged threat.^[13][18] Authorities later downplayed the threats and indicated the trio had little chance of successfully killing Obama.^[4][13]

Assassination scare in Tennessee

Main article: Barack Obama assassination scare in Tennessee

Paul Schlesselman and Daniel Cowart, two men with strong white supremacist beliefs, allegedly planned a murder spree of 88 African Americans in Tennessee, many of whom were to be young students at an unidentified, predominantly African-American school. They allegedly planned to end the spree by driving their vehicle toward Barack Obama as fast as they could and shooting at him from the windows.^[19][20] The two men were arrested on October 22, 2008, after they bragged to their friends about firing shots at a church in Brownsville, Tennessee.^[19][21] Schlesselman and Cowart were in possession of several guns during their arrest, and they allegedly told police they intended to rob a firearms dealer and other stores to secure more weapons for the attack.^[22]

Scranton “Kill him” threat

In October 2008, it was widely reported that someone yelled “Kill him” at a Scranton, Pennsylvania Sarah Palin rally when Obama’s name was mentioned. The Secret Service denied this claim, but a Scranton Times-Tribune editor said, “We stand by the story. The facts reported are true and that’s really all there is.”^[23] However, MSNBC clips of McCain rallies, while unclear, appear to show two similar incidents.^[24]

2009

Hawaii threats against Michelle Obama

Kristy Lee Roshia, 35, called the Boston office of the Secret Service on November 10, 2009, and told them she planned to “blow away” First Lady Michelle Obama while the family visited Honolulu, Hawaii for a Christmas vacation. She also indicated she planned to shoot members of the United States Marines Corps.^[6][7][8] Roshia told authorities she knew “the exact location” the Obama family would be staying. Information that Roshia provided to the Boston office was consistent with the itinerary of the Obama family at the Secret Service office in Hawaii, and authorities believe Roshia had observed Secret Service agents in the area of the Kailua Beach home where the Obamas had previously stayed.^[7] Roshia had a history of calling the Boston office and making threats, and told the agency in 2004 that she intended to assassinate then-President George W. Bush, although she contradictorily added that she had no desire to hurt him. Following her threatening call, Roshia was arrested two miles from the Honolulu house the Obama family had booked for their vacation. She allegedly struck an officer in the face and arms while he tried to detain her. Roshia was charged with threatening a family member of the president and assaulting a federal agent while being arrested.^[6] A federal judge has ordered Roshia to undergo a mental competency examination.^[7]

2010

Incident in North Carolina

On April 25, 2010, Joseph McVey, 23, was arrested in Asheville, North Carolina. Police say he impersonated a police officer at the city’s airport as the President left the airport on Air Force One. McVey is being held on a charge of going armed to the terror of the public as well as being charged for false impersonation of a police officer, according to the Buncombe County jail’s booking office. McVey’s bail was set at $100,000. Airport police Capt. Kevan Smith said the suspect was driving a car that was made to look like a law enforcement vehicle with working lights and sirens. He would provide no further details about the suspect, but emphasized that the president was never in any danger.^[25]

As a result of a trial in North Carolina following the arrest, the original charge of Going Armed to the Terror of the Public was dismissed due to a lack of supporting facts. During the trial, police who arrested McVey revealed that nothing McVey had in his vehicle, a Pontiac Grand Prix (a vehicle no law enforcement agency regularly uses), was there without valid reason for his public service volunteering in Ohio. Further, McVey was found guilty of a violation of city ordinance (the same charge applied to those caught skateboarding on a city sidewalk).^{[citation needed]}

2011

Khalid Kelly

In May 2011 Irish militant Khalid Kelly was arrested for threatening to assassinate Barack Obama. In an interview with the Sunday Mirror he said that al-Qaeda was likely to kill Obama on his upcoming trip to Ireland. He reportedly said he would like to do it himself, but was too well known. He stated, “Personally I would feel happy if Obama was killed. How could I not feel happy when a big enemy of Islam is gone?”^[26]

Shots fired at White House

Around 9pm on Friday November 11, 2011, Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez fired a Romanian Cugir semiautomatic rifle from his car parked on Constitution Avenue. Nine rounds were fired, one of which was found lodged in a window of the first family’s living quarters. He was arrested five days later in a hotel in Indiana, Pennsylvania. Obama was not at the White House at the time of the shooting, but was at an APEC Meeting in Hawaii. Nevertheless, Federal prosecutors launched an investigation to determine if Hernandez acted out of hatred for Obama.^[27] Subsequently, writings by Hernandez and testimony from those who knew him showed that he believed President Obama was the antichrist and the “devil”.^{[28][dead link]}

2012

Plot by anarchist militia within US Army

In 2012, a case was brought against four U.S. Army soldiers in the U.S. state of Georgia claiming that they formed an anarchist militia within the U.S. military with plans to overthrow the U.S. federal government. Private First Class Michael Burnett pleaded guilty to manslaughter and gang charges in the December 2011 slayings of former soldier Michael Roark and his girlfriend Tiffany York who were killed because they knew of the militia group’s plans. The group purchased $87,000 worth of guns and bomb-making materials and plotted to take over Fort Stewart, bomb targets in Savannah and Washington state, and assassinate the president.^[29]

I like Ryan Trabuco.  He is an amigo and an old friend from California who is now leaving the Republican Party in light of the fiscal cliff crisis.

I could not believe my ears when he told me he was considering leaving the GOP.  He’s a strong conservative.  I cannot say that I blame Ryan for leaving the GOP particularly when the California Republican Party hands over the microphone to extremists like Tim Donnelly who is running for California Governor.  (You would think that the California GOP would have learned by now considering Prop 187 and the fast growing Mexican-American and/or Latin population there). The Republican National Committee should have started changing their platform yesterday after suffering a devastating loss on November 6, 2012.  Now they are acting as if they have a leg to stand on after the devastating blow with regard to the fiscal crisis issue. The GOP keeps giving the soapbox over to the likes of Tea Party extremist Jim DeMint.  [My God -- how in the heck do they expect the party to grow with tools like that?]

Here is why Ryan chose to be an independent / no party preference voter … and I think it is important to share his story with fellow Arizonans — particularly since California is a neighboring state.

Ryan Trabuco writes:

 

No Party Preference

Posted on January 3, 2013

“I am an American; free born and free bred, where I acknowledge no man as my superior, except for his own worth, or as my inferior, except for his own demerit.” — Theodore Roosevelt

My decision. My choice. Certainly, this wasn’t easy. Allow me to think this through.

I’ve always admired Theodore Roosevelt. He fought corruption, spoke out passionately about his beliefs in much-needed reforms, and was noted for his fairness in policy and politics.

Of course, you may also read that folks at the turn of the 20th century considered him belligerent and opinionated. Hell, I’ve been called worse. For every one of his critics, however, there were many more who considered him “the hero America needed” as author Michael L. Cooper penned in his 2009 biography on our nation’s 26th President.

What I admire most about Teddy’s legacy and leadership, was his ability to bring folks together — often transcending partisan politics — and in doing so, for the good of our country.

Many of Teddy Roosevelt’s decisions were not easy, such as leaving the Republican Party in 1912 — a party he was active in and helped lead as a New York Assemblyman, Police Commissioner, Governor, Vice-President, and President. The Republican Party had left him and tacked a hard right turn, and Roosevelt, through the passion of defiance, left the party to continue to champion those reforms, values, and ideas he held dear.

Today, I feel it’s the same path I must take as well. Today, I re-registered to vote as “No Party Preference” (a.k.a. “Independent”).

I assure you, no decision could have been harder for me, personally.

Freedom. Opportunity. Self-Reliance. State’s Rights. Government efficiency.  There’s a sense of tradition and a value system — that I cherish and hold dear — you just don’t find in other political parties.

There’s a proud history of nearly 10 years here registering Republican voters. Volunteering. Fundraising. Knocking on doors, calling voters, doing anything I could possibly do to help Republican candidates win elections — pouring blood, sweat, and often tears into these efforts. Oh Lord, did I mention the tweeting?

For now, in this moment, I just felt it was the right choice to make.

As unfortunate (for a number of reasons) that I felt 2008 was a bad year politically, nothing could’ve prepared me for the slaughter of 2012. Of course, in the heat of election cycles, it’s easy to re-hash the talking points of a campaign, and paraphrase why you feel it’s better that voters should choose your side. There’s facts, graphs, logic, and ideology at play. What’s often overlooked though is governing, and the plan to govern.

There hadn’t been much thought about re-registering until recently, while watching the fiscal cliff debate play out over weeks on end. Speculation. Finger-pointing. The constant will-they-won’t-they approach to politics. Quite honestly, it was sick. For as bad as it was for Democrats, I couldn’t honestly sit back and defend the Republicans’  seemingly hands-off approach to governing.

I kept asking myself, “Where’s the leadership? Where’s the plan?”

Then, allowing the Democrats to figure it out on their own and then dictate the terms of whatever the compromise would be was embarrassing to say the very least. I can’t defend that.

I admit, I said for a long time that wild horses couldn’t drag me from my party — and they didn’t. The selfish behavior of those who would rather bring our country to its’ knees, rather than face the challenges ahead of us have drug the party away from me. The constant kowtowing to the Tea Party and like-minded ideologues have damaged the brand, the mission, and the spirit of the Republican Party.

Look at California. The Republican Party, here, is a mess. Enough said.

In San Diego, it’s not nearly as bad but there’s problems here as well. There’s nothing wrong with good-natured, well-intentioned, and much-needed government reforms, but there is a significant problem when you allow a single elected official — an emotional and personality equivalent to Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride — to dictate the focus of the party, and whether you are or aren’t welcome within the apparatus.

When Nathan Fletcher left the Republican Party last spring, I admit, I was more than disappointed and reflected those feelings to him over the phone. He said he was tired and over the drama. All the critics said it was political. After much soul-searching these last few weeks, I have to say that Nathan was right. I’m tired and over it, too.

All in all, I don’t feel there’s leadership. Or focus. I don’t feel there’s necessary attention being paid to strengthen the Republican Party. All talk, no action. I’ve said for years that the GOP needed to embrace it’s roots founded in the original 1856 Platform — a document that reads more like the blueprint for ideas in freedom and governance, rather than today’s GOP platform which specifically says what you can or can’t do in life.

Where’s the allure? What’s the difference between the Republicans and the Democrats, aside from being polar opposites on the political spectrum? Nothing. God forbid you find yourself in the political center. You have no where to go.

All that said, where do we go from here?

I’m sure folks will say I’ve always been a squish. Not committed. Not conservative enough. That’s fine. That just shows that those folks have very little respect for the consistent work I did all those years. All the more reason for my decision to step aside, and re-register.

I am now a simple, registered voter who states that I have NO PARTY PREFERENCE. That doesn’t change who I am or what I believe. Our spending needs to be under control, I’m not in favor of big government or higher taxes — we need some desperate spending cuts, for sure. However, if I ever served as an elected official, I would have sense enough to know not to bring a government to its knees because of hard-headedness (a heartfelt sentiment to both parties).

Thankfully, I have no designs on political office. I’m too honest for it.

Now, there are good Republicans, and there are good Democrats. I’m honored to know both. It’s the self-interested ones on both sides of the aisle who need to reappraise their purpose in politics.

Hopefully, there will be a time in the very near future when the Republican Party evaluates itself in the tradition of Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt. I pray it does.  It would be an honor to re-register as a Republican under such circumstances. Until then, I will spend my time focusing on my commitments and service to my community, and encouraging camaraderie among others — no matter what their political persuasion may be.

Teddy Roosevelt once said, “Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.” I’ve always been inspired to reach for the stars, and although I’m no longer a Republican, I feel as grounded as I’ve ever been.

On a last note…

Americans are getting sick and tired of the do-nothing Congress because they cannot seem to pull their heads out as elected official to do what is in the best interest of the United States. We are fed up with their bickering and their inability to work together in a bipartisan fashion.

It is no wonder why we are seeing a sharp rise in independent voters (or no party preference) across our Nation. We are on the brink of an independent revolution, and am glad to see new leaders like Ryan emerge.