Obama and the Second Amendment

foxnews.com ^ | January 12, 2009 | John R. Lott, Jr.

[neverdem]

Despite a huge Democratic Senate majority, Eric Holder’s confirmation hearings are going to be difficult. He has a long record to defend. Whether it is his involvement and inconsistent statements about Bill Clinton’s pardon of fugitive financier Marc Rich’s or his pushing Clinton’s clemency of the FALN terrorists or his failure to disclose his work for troubled Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich after Blagojevich's legal problems surfaced, he faces tough questions.

But Holder’s nomination raises other questions about what President-elect Barack Obama claimed he believed during the campaign. Numerous times he promised that he supported an individual’s right to own guns and that he wouldn’t do anything to take away people’s guns.

Just last year in a brief to the Supreme Court, Holder argued that “the Second Amendment did not protect an individual right to keep and bear arms,” that it only protected government militias’ rights to guns. He claimed that the Second Amendment posed no obstacle to implementing gun bans.

I can’t find even one gun control law that Holder has opposed. On every gun control regulation he has discussed, he has been supportive, including: bans, raising the age that someone can possess a gun, registration and licensing, one-gun-a-month limit on purchases, and mandatory waiting periods.

Even more troubling, while Holder served in the Clinton Justice Department, he oversaw the background check system, but he has never been asked to explain why the system broke down so consistently while he ran it.

The constant breakdowns of "instant" background-check systems during the Clinton administration halted gun sales for hours or even days at a time, costing stores untold sales and additional costs. Even by the end of the Clinton administration, from September 1999 to December 2000, the system was down about one hour for every 16.7 hours of operation. The breakdowns...

[Stepan12]

What about Elian Gonzales?

[ducdriver]

What about the Constitution? Oh, forgot, we don’t need that anymore unless it supports the libcommies in some way.

[Carry_Okie]

Even more troubling, while Holder served in the Clinton Justice Department, he oversaw the background check system, but he has never been asked to explain why the system broke down so consistently while he ran it.

No mention of FIST.

[Lexinom]

Apparently it protects a mother’s right to slaughter her child, so that’s something...

[Cicero]

What about him? Clinton justice. Now returning as Obama justice.

[Carry_Okie]

In 1996, a “Commission” for the Bureau of Justice Statistics developed a computer database, FIST (Firearms Inquiry Statistical Tracking), through which all information regarding gun purchases must flow: name, address, Social Security number, drivers license number, age, sex, race, height, weight, home and business phone, firearm make, model, serial number, caliber and barrel length, information regarding the final outcome of the background check, and more!

All of the above information is sent from the dealer to the Chief Law Enforcement Officer (CLEO), who is supposed to retain the information for only 20 days, but is in effect accountable to no one for doing so.

Note that FIST was not a law; it was in fact illegal. The Bureau of Justice Statistics instituted the program on their own without congressional mandate or oversight, effectively criminal malfeasance with Federal funds. The only people this system harmed were those who made a legal purchase.

[randomhero97]

“the Second Amendment did not protect an individual right to keep and bear arms,” that it only protected government militias’ rights to guns.

Why are these fools so stupid?

1st Amendment - "the right of the people peaceably to assemble,"

2nd Amendment - "the right of the people to keep and bear arms"

4th Amendment - "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated,"

9th Amendment - "shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."

It's the same damn people.

[Buchal]

They’re not stupid, they’re evil. The great failure of the conservative movement is to confuse the two.

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

Eric Holder is a dangerous enemy of all freedom-loving Americans and a threat to liberty in America. The son of a bitch is a tyrant who would enslave us at his whim.

[neverdem]

How he goes on Second Amendment matters might be very illuminating. I’m not optimistic, but I’m not sure if he wants to go hard left or “centrist.”

[GeronL]

easily confirmed. GOP will not fight. They have no backbone.

[Josh Painter]

Obama doesn’t believe people should own guns. Pesky Second Amendment...

[Doc91678]

I also understand that Mr. Holder defended the Chiquita Corporation for materially supporting Columbian terrorists.
Hmmm... Seems not one Corporate biggie was indicted, convicted, or sent jail. In fact they are still feeding money to AUC.
Is this what we can expect from the DDOJ if approved to the position?
That doesn't preclude the other little goodies as described...
Watch out for your firearms. That will be number one on both Obama’s and Holders agends.

[Doc91678]

I also understand that Mr. Holder defended the Chiquita Corporation for materially supporting Columbian terrorists.
Hmmm... Seems not one Corporate biggie was indicted, convicted, or sent jail. In fact they are still feeding money to AUC.
Is this what we can expect from the DDOJ if approved to the position?
That doesn’t preclude the other little goodies as described by the rest of you here....
Watch out for your firearms. That will be number one on both Obama’s and Holder’s agendas.

[neverdem]

Clarification: I’m pretty sure Holder is far left. I’m pretty sure Obama is far left too. I’m just not sure how much Obama is ready to show it.

[Travis McGee]

I wonder if they're smart enough to understand what a "third rail" issue this is?

[stubernx98]

There is a song that should be used for Obomanation coronation. It is by The Highwaymen recorded in the 60’s entitled “Here comes Alibama”. It fits. About a African Tribe that was visited by a old trading ship, called the Alabama and got goodies.

Maybe you could pass it on to somebody who could put together a you tube thing.

[SuperLuminal]

bttt

[SuperLuminal]

"I’m pretty sure Holder is far left. I’m pretty sure Obama is far left too. I’m just not sure how much Obama is ready to show it."

Good grief! You are just "pretty sure"???

I'm "pretty sure" that you may be a long-time embedded troll. (demoncrud or RINO???)

There is nothing about the marxist-elect that isn't "absolute"!