Kentucky’s Bizarre Bill to Destroy Resources for Irrational Purposes

AmmoLand ^ | March 1, 2022 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

A bill before the Kentucky legislature aims to roll back a reform of firearms law enacted to preserve resources for the benefit of the public. In 2000, on July 14, a Kentucky gun law reform bill became effective. The bill prevented departments from destroying valuable property. It required police departments to send the property to the Kentucky State Police (KSP) to be auctioned to firearm dealers instead of being destroyed.

The funds obtained by the auction are used to help make police departments more effective. Since the year 2000, about 20 million dollars of revenue has been generated by the program. As more people own more guns, more guns are confiscated. In 2022, $1.1 million dollars was generated by the program, according to Fox56news. The average revenue generated in the last five years is 1.09 million dollars per year, based on KSP records obtained by AmmoLand and other reports of 6555 guns seized in 2023.

All auctioned firearms are placed in the ordinary channels of commercial sales. They are subject to all the restrictions and limitations placed on the sale of new firearms.

Basic economics apply: At any given time, the demand for a product can be satisfied by a new product, product obtained on the used market, or a combination of both new and used products. It is also possible for consumers to be manufacturers and make their own products.

The more used firearms are sold, the more demand for new firearms is reduced. The practical effect of selling confiscated and surrendered firearms is to reduce the profit of firearms manufacturers while satisfying the demand created by those seeking legal firearms.

[marktwain]

The effect of police destroying guns that come into their hands is to put more money in gun manufacturers pockets.

[FreedomPoster]

That’s basic economics.

Unfortunately, assuming anyone involved in the process making this policy understands basic economics might be a leap. They’re more interested in political grandstanding. “WE TOOK THE GUNS OFF THE STREET!”

[Bartholomew Roberts]

I have a friend whose father was in the KSP. Years ago he showed off his gun collection and described where they came from.

The majority were firearms that “left the building” after whatever court cases were finalized or were forfeited by felons.

He had a bunch!

[Paal Gulli]

This reminds me of the idiocy of Richard Leaky, son of Louis Leakey, discoverer of the Zinjanthropus Man fossils. Richard (now dead) was the driving force behind Kenya burning as much as 100 tons of confiscated elephant ivory.

Th problem with that plan is that black market ivory is a commodity. Reducing supply invariably will increase demand and the asking price. So burning it increases motivation for the elephant poachers.

On the other hand, it could have been sold and the proceeds used to hire hundreds more game wardens, or modernize their equipment and methods.

It is not mere coincidence that the African nations with the best-kept elephants are those that license elephant hunting, only allow those in need of culling to be taken, and put the proceeds from the "trophy fees" toward protecting the rest.

[PeterPrinciple]

Destroying guns only makes sense if there is a limited supply of guns. In reality, the supply of guns is unlimited. The reason to destroy a gun in this scenario is to propagate the ideology “guns are bad”. Such irrational ideology should be rejected and opposed at all levels of society.

---

Proper Thinking