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Jim Webb presidential campaign, 2016/Federalism
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 Jim Webb |
U.S. Senator (2007-2013) |
 Democratic candidates: |
2028 • 2024 • 2020 • 2016 |
This page was current as of the 2016 election.
Judiciary
- In 2010, Jim Webb voted to confirm Elena Kagan as a United States Supreme Court Justice.[1]
Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution
- During the October 13, 2015, debate, Jim Webb said he favored some restrictions on gun ownership, but also stressed the need to allow law-abiding citizens to protect themselves. Webb said, “So we do need background checks. We need to keep the people who should not have guns away from them. But we have to respect the tradition in this country of people who want to defend themselves and their family from violence. ...There are people at high levels in this government who have bodyguards 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The average American does not have that, and deserves the right to be able to protect their family.”[2]
- Following the shooting at two Marine recruiting offices in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in July 2015, Webb argued military service members should be allowed to carry weapons at military facilities.[3]
- In 2009, Webbvoted in favor of an amendment to S 1390 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010, which proposed sought to allow individuals with concealed carry permits in one state to carry their firearms to any other state that granted concealed carry permits.[4][5]
- In 2007, after one of Webb's aides was arrested "for carrying a gun into one of the Senate office buildings," Webb expressed his support for Second Amendment rights. He said, "I’m a strong supporter of the Second Amendment; I have had a permit to carry a weapon in Virginia for a long time; I believe that it’s important; it’s important to me personally and to a lot of people in the situation that I’m in to be able to defend myself and my family."[6]
Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution
- In his book, "Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America," Jim Webb explained how the Confederacy interpreted the Tenth Amendment. He wrote, "The states that had joined the Union after the Revolution considered themselves independent political entities, much like the countries of Europe do today. The 10th Amendment to the Constitution reserved to the states all rights not specially granted to the federal government, and in their view the states had thus retained their right to dissolve the federal relationship."[7]
Executive powers
- In 2013, Jim Webb criticized President Barack Obama for using executive orders to bypass Congress. He wrote, "The Obama administration has proven itself to be acutely fond of executive orders designed to circumvent the legislative process in domestic politics. Thus, it is not surprising that this approach would be used also in foreign policy."[8]
- Webb voted against S.Amdt.499 to S.679, which proposed ending "the appointments of presidential Czars who have not been subject to the advice and consent of the Senate and to prohibit funds for any salaries and expenses for appointed Czars."[9]
Crime and justice
- Webb co-sponsored S.1789 - the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010, which "Amends the Controlled Substances Act and the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act to: (1) increase the amount of a controlled substance or mixture containing a cocaine base (i.e., crack cocaine) required for the imposition of mandatory minimum prison terms for trafficking; and (2) increase monetary penalties for drug trafficking and for the importation and exportation of controlled substances." It became law on August 3, 2010.[11]
- While serving in the Senate, Webb focused on reforming the criminal justice system. He sponsored S.306 - National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2011, which proposed creating a commission to reform the criminal justice system.[12]
- During a September 2011 interview with Newsweek, Webb said, "Once a kid is incarcerated, that’s it for him. We need smarter ways of dealing with people at apprehension, and even whether you decide to arrest. The types of courts they go into—drug courts, as opposed to regular courts. How long you sentence them. How you get them ready to return home."[13]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term Jim + Webb + Government
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ Congress.gov, "On the Nomination (Confirmation Elena Kagan of Massachusetts, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the U.S.)," accessed April 6, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "The CNN Democratic debate transcript, annotated," October 13, 2015
- ↑ MSNBC, "Jim Webb: Slain Marines should have had guns," July 17, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.1618 to S.1390," accessed April 6, 2015
- ↑ Senate.gov, "S.Amdt. 1618 to S. 1390 (National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010)," accessed April 6, 2015
- ↑ NBC News, "Gun arrest gives Webb political opening," March 27, 2007
- ↑ Politico, "Webb's rebel roots: An affinity for Confederacy," June 10, 2008
- ↑ USA Today, "Ex-senator Webb criticizes Obama over executive power," March 28, 2013
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.499 to S.679," accessed April 6, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.1925," accessed April 7, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.1789," accessed April 7, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.306," accessed April 7, 2015
- ↑ Newsweek.com, "Jim Webb's Criminal-Justice Crusade," accessed April 7, 2015
