The # of individuals who sell more than 50 firearms per year is trivial, which means that this EO is just to mollify some of Obama’s anti-gun base while needlessly stirring up our side against something minor.
Sure, we hate *any* restriction on firearms...hate away...but this EO is far milder than the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban (AWB).
It’s also an easy EO to reverse once we have the White House in 2017.
It’s tiny indeed. It might, however, be a nose under the tent. “Now I have to lower the amount to five.” “Now 3.” “Now 2.”
Yes, a currently almost-meaningless gesture.
Methinks it opens up all kinds of pro-gun progress.
FFLs having been deeply culled under Clinton, now individuals have a reason to get an FFL (heck, it’s only $200 and some paperwork) because they _MIGHT_, in theory, sell 50/year - and the Executive will have just told the BATFE to approve them despite all the reasons & pressure Clinton gave to disallow/discourage ‘em.
Now individuals will have grounds to demand a right to sell personal property to private sellers without an intervening license.
Now the BATFE will be swamped with applications, and shortly thereafter inundated with litigation over “it’s taking too long” (again, one is just trying to sell personal property - a la “I’m facing risk of prosecution for selling 50 at a loss, while he’s just fine for selling 49”).
Easily reversed too, but don’t EVER let “we’ll just wait this one out” stand.