2016 has been breaking records for gun sales since it began. In fact, records were being broken seven months before 2016 began. We only have records until the end of May, but they show a clear trend. If that trend were followed, then 2016 would have set the record for the most American gun sales in a year, ever.
But that trend just got bumped, jumped, and Trumped. It is now taking off like Falcon SpaceX rocket. The reason, of course, is politics.
The fact is, more than half of Americans associate guns with safety. That trend has been building for decades. It is supported by theory and facts. It is the result of education and cold hard thinking. But thinking got thrown out the window on June 12th. With the Islamic terror attack in Orlando, the ruling Obama administration just had its worldview kicked in the teeth, knocked to the gutter, and has started to bleed out. But the people who rule the Democrat party cannot let that worldview die. Their entire life and lifes investments depend on keeping it on life support. What to do, what to do?
Attack a scapegoat who had nothing to do with the attack, but who is a consistent Democrat boogyman. Attack the NRA and guns.
President Obama, Hillary, and Bernie all agree: Americans have too many guns, the wrong kind, and they can use them too easily. This will not fly with most Americans, but it will fly with enough to scare the majority into a gun buying spree such as we have never seen. The last seven years, which set record after record after record, will look tame.
A couple of weeks ago, I predicted that NICs instant checks would reach 28 million for the year, an all time record. I though I was stretching my neck out.
I was much too conservative. Consider 30 million, maybe 32 million for 2016. We won't know until the ATF releases figures early in 2018, but that is my prediction now. The Obama administration and its surrogates, Hillary, Bernie, all the old media, will be pushing panic and fear of guns as hard and fast as they can, right up to the election.
That will scare the 53% that associate guns with safety into buying guns like never before.
©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch