tooo damn funny...
Posted on 10/30/2009 4:56:10 AM PDT by Past Your Eyes
Vermont State Rep. Fred Maslack has read the Second Amendment to the U.S.. Constitution as well as Vermont 's own Constitution very carefully, and his strict interpretation of these documents is popping some eyeballs in New England and elsewhere.
Maslack recently proposed a bill to register non-gun-owners and require them to pay a $500 fee to the state. Thus Vermont would become the first state to require a permit for the luxury of going about unarmed and assess a fee of $500 for the privilege of not owning a gun.
Maslack read the "militia" phrase of the Second Amendment as not only affirming the right of the individual citizen to bear arms, but as a clear mandate to do so. He believes that universal gun ownership was advocated by the Framers of the Constitution as an antidote to a "monopoly of force" by the government as well as criminals.
Vermont's constitution states explicitly that "the people have a right to bear arms for the defense of themselves and the State" and those persons who "conscientiously scrupulous of bearing arms" shall be required to "pay such equivalent." Clearly, says Maslack, Vermonters have a constitutional obligation to arm themselves so that they are capable of responding to "any situation that may arise".
Under the bill, adults who choose not to own a firearm would be required to register their name, address, Social Security Number, and driver's license number with the state. "There is a legitimate government interest in knowing who is prepared to defend the state should they be asked to do so," Maslack says.
Vermont already boasts a high rate of gun ownership along with the least restrictive laws of any state - it's currently the only state that allows a citizen to carry a concealed firearm without a permit. This combination of plenty of guns and few laws regulating them has resulted in a crime rate that is the third lowest in the nation.
LOL!
Novel!
Well, finally. If a hiker can be billed for a rescue effort, then why not tax those who will not arm themselves? They are more likely to need public services due to lack of defense.
No gun, injured or killed during burglary - hospital services (Obamacare is coming soon ya know), ambulance services, potential cost of police ammunition if they have to fire at perp.
Why should the gunless get to freeload on the coattails of those that own weapons? Just my tongue-in-cheek $0.02
tooo damn funny...
Doesn't their License plate say: "Live Free or Die"
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This was posted on a gun thread, and there are no links to provide any substance to this.
Vermont already boasts a high rate of gun ownership along with the least restrictive laws of any stateI'm surprised no one jumped on that...
I think Vermont’s says, “Hubby, Hubby.” I had a hard time telling the men from the women in Vermont anyway.
It’s an interesting take on the issue, my only qualm would be that if implemented, it could also as a reverse gun registration system of sorts.
Clearly, there are places in this country where crime rates are lower due to concealed carry laws.
Some people need to stop whining about guns and acknowledge the deterrent effect of gun ownership.
[This is also an albeit long ping for the article, I am really liking the term “monopoly of force” ]
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(NJ, of course, is different -- here, the conservatives don't even get a voice! But we are here -- watching, waiting....)
very nice...heheheheh
i meant the big one fingered salute to the brady bunch et al...
NH wasn’t overly liberal in their political system until a few years back when the flatlanders were flooding up there from MA. I lived in NH for about 5 years and left shortly before things got too liberal. It’s sad what has happened to such a great state.
How is this not de facto registration? If you have everyone’s name on a list that doesn’t own a gun, that’s 99% equivalent to having everyone’s name on a list that DOES own a gun.
Sometimes it's hard to tell the wimmin from the cattle.
The last two elections have ruined this state.
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