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Gun Control Tag

Posted by Fuzzy Slippers on June 21, 2016 16 Comments
Four gun control measures—two sponsored by Democrats, two by Republicans—failed in the Senate on Monday. USA Today provides a brief overview of each amendment (to a DOJ spending bill):
► An amendment by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., would allow the attorney general to deny a gun sale to anyone if she has a "reasonable belief" — a lesser standard than "probable cause" — that the buyer was likely to engage in terrorism. The proposal is popularly known as the "no-fly, no-buy" amendment, but wouldn't just apply to people on the "no fly" terrorist watch list. ► An Republican alternative by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, which would require that law enforcement be alerted when anyone on the terror watch list attempts to buy a weapon from a licensed dealer. If the buyer has been investigated for terrorism within the past five years, the attorney general could block a sale for up to three days while a court reviews the sale. ► An amendment by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, would make it more difficult to add mentally ill people to the background check database, giving people suspected of serious mental illness a process to challenge that determination.

Posted by Mark Finkelstein on June 16, 2016 47 Comments
There was a stunning moment on today's Morning Joe, when Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson was stumped when asked a simple question. With all the brouhaha over gun control in the wake of the Orlando massacre, what law could have stopped Omar Mateen? It was, of all people, Sam Stein of the Huffington Post who asked the killer question. Stein pointed out that Mateen was not on the no-fly or terrorist watch list, and had passed a background check. "So what is the actual legislative response" that would have stopped the Orlando attack? Johnson resorted to claiming that Congress had "a lot of ideas," but could not name one that would have made a difference. He also repeatedly recited the new mantra: gun control is a matter of homeland security. Bottom line: the Dem clamor for gun control is a political stunt. It's about increasing vote totals, not public safety.

Posted by Mike LaChance on June 09, 2016 38 Comments
Bonnie Schaefer, a member of the Democratic Party's platform committee, recently said that, in her opinion, no one should own a gun. As you absorb this story, bear in mind that her statement wasn't caught on a hidden camera. This was said plainly and openly as if she was opining on her favorite kind of music. Aaron Kliegman reported at the Washington Free Beacon:
DNC Platform Committee Member Doesn’t Think ‘Anyone Should Have a Gun’ A member of the Democratic National Committee’s Platform Committee said at a planning event Wednesday that she does not believe anyone in the United States should own a gun.

Posted by Mike LaChance on June 05, 2016 12 Comments
Hillary Clinton has been endorsed by the Michael Bloomberg affiliated group Everytown which claims she's the only candidate who's serious about the issue. Gun control has never been a winner for Democrats at election time so it's surprising that this is being touted as a win for her. CNN reports:
Gun control group with Bloomberg ties endorses Clinton A major gun safety advocacy organization announced Friday it is endorsing Hillary Clinton for president. Everytown for Gun Safety president John Feinblatt said in a statement: "Gun Sense Voters have a champion in Hillary Clinton. Our litmus test is simple: does a candidate side with the public or with the gun lobby? Hillary Clinton passes that test with flying colors -- pushing back against the NRA's extreme 'guns for everyone, everywhere' agenda, and ushering in a new political calculus that saving lives from gun violence is a winning issue."

Posted by Mary Chastain on May 25, 2016 22 Comments
Katie Couric's documentary Under the Gun edited out remarks by a guns rights group to make them look unprepared for a simple question. Couric sat down with the Virginia Citizens Defense League and asked them, “If there are no background checks for gun purchasers, how do you prevent felons or terrorists from purchasing a gun?” The clip shows the members sitting silently for around nine seconds, but audio provided to the Washington Free Beacon's Stephen Gutowski shows the group provided an answer.

Posted by Mike LaChance on February 17, 2016 16 Comments
Jesse Hughes is the front man for Eagles of Death Metal, the band which was performing in the Bataclan theater during the Paris terror attack. The band is returning to finish their show and Hughes gave an interview to a French TV show. When guns came up, things got interesting and emotional. Eric Scheiner of CNS News reports:
Eagles of Death Metal Frontman: 'Did Your French Gun Control' Stop Anyone From Being Killed at Bataclan in Paris? In a recent interview with French iTélé, Hughes said that French gun laws did nothing to help the victims.

Posted by Mike LaChance on February 14, 2016 48 Comments
The left comes up with this stuff faster than anyone can keep up with them. Just in time for Valentine's Day, the left-wing Cosmopolitan Magazine is pushing an anti-gun narrative under the heading of gunsplaining:
Why You Should Never Date a "Gunsplainer" We've all met mansplainers, but have you ever met a similarly dreadful gunsplainer? He's the type of guy who will attempt to hit on you by calling you "schnookums" and, like the mansplainer, he will condescend to you about why you're safer in a world where guns are easier to buy than Sudafed, or how a good guy with a gun is the best antidote to a bad guy with a gun.

Posted by Andrew Branca on February 04, 2016 35 Comments
In 2013, Maryland enacted its Firearms Safety Act (FSA). With its passage, effectively banning its residents from owning any of the large majority of semi-automatic rifles owned by American citizens (exceptions were made for retired law enforcement officers). The FSA also imposed other restrictions, such as banning certain standard-capacity magazines. Such laws are common in blue states, of course, and when challenged in the Federal courts on the grounds that they violate the Second Amendment they are typically subject only to intermediate (or lesser) scrutiny. Generally speaking, if the State can articulate virtually any purportedly reasonable basis for the gun law, it survives scrutiny. Merely uttering the words "public safety" is usually sufficient for this purpose. Of course, normally laws that arguably infringe an enumerated Constitutional rights are not subject to mere intermediate scrutiny, but rather they are subject to strict scrutiny. To survive strict scrutiny the law must advance not merely any governmental interest, but in particular a compelling governmental interest. It is perhaps arguable that "public safety" would serve to meet this requirement. In addition, however, the law must also be narrowly tailored to actually achieve that interest. It is this second requirement that almost invariably leads to the law in question being found to be unconstitutional. In a nutshell, then, if intermediate scrutiny is applied to almost any law, the law survives. If strict scrutiny is applied to almost any law, the law falls.

Posted by Mike LaChance on January 31, 2016 31 Comments
Liberals in politics and media love to talk about the so-called gun show loophole. You've heard it a thousand times from Obama, Hillary, Bernie and countless talking heads. If these people are to be believed, anyone can waltz into a gun show and buy an automatic or semi-automatic weapon with no background check. The Heritage Foundation's Daily Signal recently cleared up some of these myths.

Posted by Mike LaChance on January 08, 2016 26 Comments
Obama's "Guns in America" town hall event on CNN last night was a quiet event with plenty of respectful questions from the invitation only audience but failed to present any new ideas for dealing with gun violence short of making it harder for people to buy guns. Within the first 15 minutes, Obama complained that every time he tries to do something on guns, his message is distorted by his critics. ABC News reported:
Obama Slams Charge That He's Taking Away Guns as 'Conspiracy' The president quickly emphasized that he has "respect" for people who want a gun for hunting and sportsmanship, but it "makes sense to keep guns out of hands of people who would do others harm." Obama and moderator Anderson Cooper pointed out that the National Rifle Association was invited to participate in the forum, but declined to attend. Still, the president said he was "happy" to meet with the NRA to discuss his proposals.

Posted by Andrew Branca on January 05, 2016 75 Comments
Obama can once again lay credible claim to the title of "Best Gun Salesman Ever." His recently announced policy changes on guns not only do nothing to discourage gun purchases, they if anything facilitate even greater volumes of gun sales, and in particular machine guns, suppressors, short-barreled rifles/shotguns, and other highly controlled "NFA" items.  The ATF guidance purported to close the "gun show loophole" (spoiler: it doesn't, because there isn't such a thing) and the ATF policy "change" on NFA items are both embedded at the bottom of this post. Warning: Like Obama himself, both documents are extremely wordy and with little real-world effect.

Obama is "Best Gun Salesman Ever"

This is entirely consistent with Obama's actual effect on gun sales over both of his terms, during which sales have skyrocketed compared to prior administrations. The past 7 years of the Obama administration constitute only 40% of the time the modern NICS system has been in place, but nearly 60% of all NICS checks run.

Posted by Mike LaChance on January 02, 2016 37 Comments
Now that the holidays are over it's back to business as usual. In Obama's case that means pushing a pet issue with no authorization from congress. The Wall Street Journal reports:
Obama Ready to Act Alone on Gun Control President Barack Obama, who has bypassed a reluctant Congress on issues ranging from immigration to climate change, is preparing to take executive action on gun control, including expanding background checks on buyers. But even as he gets set to act, Mr. Obama has only limited levers he can pull without Congress, and any unilateral action will face hurdles similar to those it has encountered during earlier attempts to tighten access to guns.

Posted by Mike LaChance on December 28, 2015 35 Comments
Virginia had an election in November which Democrats, including governor Terry McAuliffe, hoped would give them control of the state senate. They campaigned in part on gun control and lost, but that hasn't stopped them from pushing their agenda. After failing to achieve their goals through the democratic process, top Democrats are enacting gun control measures at the executive level. The Washington Post reported:
Virginia to stop recognizing concealed carry gun permits from 25 states

Posted by Mike LaChance on December 22, 2015 9 Comments
Recently in Nashville, a man decided to kick in the door of a house. Little did he know, the homeowner was at home and armed. Things didn't turn out well for the criminal. ABC News in Nashville reported:
Man shot after kicking in door to Madison home One man is in the hospital after being shot while attempting to break in a home. Police told News 2 that a man knocked on the door of a home in the 1700 block of Cumberland Station Blvd near Madison.

Posted by Mike LaChance on December 17, 2015 38 Comments
While everyone in the media was talking about the Republican debate yesterday, Obama quietly met with former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg to discuss gun control. Jordan Fabian reported at The Hill:
Obama meets with Bloomberg to talk guns President Obama on Wednesday met with former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, an ally of the White House on gun control. The meeting, which was not on the president's public schedule, comes as he is weighing new executive action on guns in response to a series of mass shootings that have marred his presidency. Obama huddled with Bloomberg "as part of the administration's continuing push to address gun violence in America," the White House said in a statement.

Posted by Fuzzy Slippers on December 11, 2015 22 Comments
In stark contrast to French president Francois Hollande's strong response to the Paris terror attacks, Obama gave a half-hearted address to the nation four days after the San Bernardino terror attack . . . and busied himself with gun control. According to the AP, the Obama administration is working on an executive order that would "close the gun show loophole":

President Barack Obama's advisers are finalizing a proposal that would expand background checks on gun sales without congressional approval.

White House adviser Valerie Jarrett says the president has asked his team to complete a proposal and submit it for his review "in short order." She says the recommendations will include measures to expand background checks.

Posted by Mike LaChance on December 11, 2015 55 Comments
As you may have heard, gun sales are soaring following the terror attack in San Bernardino. In fact, Black Friday saw more applications for necessary background checks than ever before. According to Josh Earnest, the White House doesn't appreciate this. David Rutz reported at the Washington Free Beacon:
White House: Recent Surge in American Gun Sales is ‘Ironic and Tragic’ White House spokesman Josh Earnest called it “ironic and tragic” Thursday that a spike in American gun sales has occurred in the wake of mass shootings in places like San Bernardino and Colorado Springs. On Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, the FBI did 175,754 background checks, part of the seventh consecutive record-breaking month in gun purchases. Gun rights experts told the Free Beacon that recent terrorist attacks and the Democratic push for more gun control have fueled this surge.

Posted by David Gerstman on December 08, 2015 12 Comments
In the early days of blogging there was a blog called Oh, that liberal media, which regularly exposed instances of liberal media bias. In fact in the early days of blogging that was one of the top achievements of the blogosphere, to point out the easy political bias most supposedly objective news sources engaged in. I used to think that the blogosphere would serve as a necessary corrective to the media, but that hasn't happened. In recent years, I don't think that the criticism has had the same effect, even if in some ways the media cocoon has worsened. I think that conservative media critics have convinced all those who can be convinced of the bias and now either people accept the bias because they agree with it or look to alternative news sources because they don't trust the MSM. And the MSM started paying less attention to the criticism. Most of those who were persuadable have been persuaded. (As far as those who deny that such bias exist ... it's hard to deny when prominent journalists have boasted of the bias.) But I still believe that it's possible for the media to jump the shark. At some point the media will show that they are so hopelessly out of touch with most voters, that even non-ideological types would cease to believe them.
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