Jeff Crank Show, Scott Tipton, January 5, 2013
Station: KVOR, 740 AM
Show: Jeff Crank Show
Guests: Tipton
Link: http://www.kvor.com/page.php?page_id=321
Date: January 5, 2013
Topics: Gun Control, Second Amendment, Gun Safety, 9/11, Box Cutters, Airplanes, Fiscal Cliff, National Debt, Deficit, Taxes, Aurora Theater Shooting, Timothy McVeigh, Oklahoma City Bombing, Propane Bombs, Columbine School Shooting, Harris and Klebold, Sequestration, Tax Rates, Pueblo, Unemployment Rate, Unemployment Benefits, Raises for Congress Members, President Obama, Executive Order, Dianne Feinstein, Assault Weapons, Large Ammunition Clips, Mental Illness, Violent Video Games
HOST JEFF CRANK: Welcome back to the Jeff Crank Show, here on Colorado’s 740, KVOR. Joining me right now, my good friend, Congressman Scott Tipton joins us. Congressman, how are you doing?\
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE SCOTT TIPTON: Hey, great to be with you, Jeff!
CRANK: Yeah. Good to have you. Obviously you represent a lot of listeners who listen to us in Pueblo. Thanks for your hard work. Listen, I was so proud to see every Republican in the [Colorado] delegation vote against that disastrous Fiscal Cliff compromise. You know, it seems like we wouldn’t want to fix our deficit budget problems by adding 3.9 trillion dollars over 10 years to our national debt, and increasing taxes. At least you had the common sense to understand that. Your thoughts on how this whole process just broke down – I think conservatives just folded on this thing. What are your thoughts?
TIPTON: You know, I think we lost the messaging several months ago.
CRANK: Right.
TIPTON: When we did have the focus on the debt in this country, we are winning the argument because people around their kitchen tables understand that you can’t continue to spend more than you take in. We’ve kicked the can down the road once again. The extension package that the Senate put forward put off the sequester for two months, so we’re going to have another manufactured crisis. This did not have to happen. We had passed a bill back in August to be able to extend the current tax rates, to be able to deal with the sequestration, and more importantly, we had multiple bills that passed with bipartisan support out of the House that were never addressed in the United States Senate to be able to get our people back to work. And your listeners, particularly down in my District, in the Pueblo area, fully understand this because we have a real unemployment level that’s exceeding 20 percent down in Pueblo. Our folks aren’t looking for a handout. They aren’t looking for an unemployment check. They are looking for a paycheck. Uh, this president and his policies are not helping the economy and getting Americans back to work. But we are increasing debt. With this package we are going to be collecting forty-two more dollars in tax revenue to every one dollar in debt reduction. Uh, the American people get it.
CRANK: Yeah, they do get it. And we are so frustrated by it. You know, at some point, and we’ve already been down this road with the debt limit increase votes, time and time and time again, but I’ve got to tell you – I’m just going to ask you, point blank, I mean, is John Boehner going to stand up and fight on a debt limit increase, or are we just going to fold and say, “Oh, well, you know, it’s – we lost the election, there are consequences to losing the election.” We elected a Republican majority in the House for a reason!
TIPTON: Um, uh, we had a lot of conversations – we had numerous conferences of the Republican caucus over the last few days, and that was the focus. The Speaker, in front of the caucus, said we will draw the line on the debt ceiling increase. We must. And so, I believe that we’re going to have to hold the Speaker to that. We have to be able to get this debt under control. We’re crippling businesses’ abilities to be able to create jobs and to be able to borrow. And Jeff, as you’re probably well aware, just to show you how disconnected this president is with reality and where money really comes from– and that’s out of people’s paycheck, uh, he—through executive order, he’s trying to give Congress a raise. I cosponsored a bill last week to stop that raise for Congress and for federal employees.
CRANK: Good for you!
TIPTON: We’ve got people right now that just want a job. And they would love to be in a position to be able to get an automatic raise. We can’t be doing this on the backs of the American people.
CRANK: Yeah. It’s insane. By the way, I got my new paycheck for the new year, and there’s $81 taken out more in taxes this year. So, I figure I got a tax increase because of the fiscal cliff fix. I got 3.9 trillion dollars in additional debt, uh, more government spending. And I’m still trying to figure out how this was good for America. So, if you figure that out, you let me know, Congressman.
TIPTON: Well, I think we know the answer. It’s not.
CRANK: [laughing] Yeah, no question. Let me ask you about guns for just a minute. Um, I know you’re a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, uh, there’s been this rush to judgment about guns because of the tragedy in Connecticut. And you know, my view is the longer the period of time is between that tragedy and when Congress actually takes action, the better off we’ll be, because we shouldn’t be reacting to this on emotion. Um, there are — some of your colleagues in the House particularly, and in the Senate — Senator Dianne Feinstein and others, um, are really looking to exploit this tragedy — and there is no other way of saying it — but exploit this tragedy for their own political gain. I think the President is willing to do that. Are we going to be able to preserve our Second Amendment right, as law-abiding citizens, to protect ourselves and our homes and elsewhere, because of this onslaught from Leftists who want to take away our guns?
TIPTON: You know, I believe out of the House of Representatives, we will stand up for that Second Amendment right. If our First Amendment right is important, so is the Second Amendment and I share with you the belief that all Americans feel that the horrific tragedy in Newtown [CT] was just unimaginable. That same day, or the day after in China, some person with a mental illness went in with a knife and wounded better than twenty-two children. The implements, obviously, you can point to in a tragedy, but it is far deeper issue that we aren’t willing to deal with and that is mental illness that is out there. Some societal concerns, as well. When we looked at what we are fostering in our children through some of the video games that are out there, to where there is that disconnect with reality that real harm, real pain, real loss really exists. And these are the deeper issues. It’s not our Second Amendment right, to be able to keep and bear arms which we must be able to defend. And we do see some on the Left who do want to be able to use a tragedy for political gain, for their political purposes. But we’ve got to be able to protect that Second Amendment right.
CRANK: Well, and I think, Congressman Tipton, we’ve got to continue to call people out who do that and who exploit this tragedy. I mean, if we exploited something for the purpose of the Second Amendment, they would be all over the new calling us out on that. But that’s precisely what they’re doing , is trying to take a tragedy and exploiting it. And they’ve basically said as much. I mean, I just played earlier in the show a clip from Diane Feinstein from the original assault weapons ban, where she basically said, “If I could get fifty-one votes on the floor of the US Senate to basically – to ban all guns, and have Mr. and Mrs. America come turn their guns in, I would do that. I can’t get the votes.” That’s what this is about. It’s about control — government control over our lives.
TIPTON: You know, I still remember the story of a woman several years ago who had gunned down—she had purchased a — what’s labeled as an assault rifle, multiple clips, you have to be able to pull the trigger. And her house was invaded. She did not kill the guy because she had as many bullets as he had. She was able to shoot his legs and to be able to stop him and [inaudible] it is a matter of self defense, to be able to protect it. And again, our friends on the Left that want to be able to infringe on our Second Amendment rights, need to understand that this is a right that is guaranteed in our Constitution. But more importantly, let’s get down to the deeper issues that they don’t want to be able to deal with and that is some mental health and uh, some of the things that we are encouraging through media and through video games and a variety of things. That’s — We all understand that’s not a complete answer, but a knee-jerk response right after a tragedy is not sensible. I like to quote our governor’s original statement because we had our own tragedy right here in Colorado, up in Aurora, when he said there is no law that would be able to prevent this. You know, when we look at Timothy McVeigh, he was able to kill a lot of people by mixing together some fertilizer. If somebody is that demented, they will find a method to be able to do rampage. The young boys up at Columbine had rigged bombs to propane tanks as well. There’s always a way, if you want to create carnage, to be able to do that. But let’s protect that Second Amendment right for Americans. Let’s not punish people who do abide by the law, because the bad guys will always find a way.
CRANK: Yeah, well, and the greatest tragedy on American soil was committed by box cutters in airplanes.
TIPTON: That’s right.
CRANK: So, no firearm was used. And, you know, you can’t outlaw evil. Well, thank you so much, Congressman, for protecting. I know you’ve got to run. Are you – I think you’re hopping on a plane, aren’t you?
TIPTON: We are. I’m getting– I get to head west, and that is a good thing. […] back to Colorado today. […]I am. And congratulations on your new position [as Chief Operating Officer for the national office of Americans for Prosperity], as well, and I look forward to getting an opportunity to get together with you, Jeff. I’ll look forward to it.
