I roger that. Great minds think alike! $;-)
I have a feeling there's going to be a "gold rush" for a while, and then things will settle down, both in supply and price. I'm making my move then.
Posted on 08/16/2004 10:46:20 AM PDT by neverdem
You have it exactly backward on the federal "assault-weapon" ban. You claim it is expiring on Sept. 13 due to "political pressure" by its opponents ["Extend the ban," Aug. 9]. To the contrary, federal law requires it to expire.
The "political pressure" being waged is by gun prohibitionists who want the ban renewed and expanded, as shown by your high-pressure editorial in which you compare semi-automatic firearms to "bazookas" and describe people who oppose gun control as "zealots."
Despite the pressure, the ban isn't being renewed because most in Congress know that it imposed irrational restrictions on law-abiding Americans and did not affect criminals. In fact, the House of Representatives voted to repeal the ban in 1996.
Not one shred of evidence has been produced in 10 years to validate this law as a crime-fighting measure. Even the rabidly anti-gun Violence Policy Center admits, "You can't argue with a straight face that the ban has been effective."
The motives of those who pushed the ban a decade ago, and the way that legislators and the public were deceived about it are explained on our clintongunban.com Web site.
The ban's history is interesting, but people should be more immediately concerned about the future. Sens. John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, and Ted Kennedy are now co-sponsoring S. 1431, a bill that would effectively ban all hunting and sporting semi-automatic shotguns and detachable-magazine, semi-automatic rifles.
Faced with such assaults on their Second Amendment rights, millions of sportsmen and gun owners across America will be applying true "political pressure" on Election Day.
Chris W. Cox
Fairfax
Chris W. Cox is executive director of the National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action.
Section 922(v)(3) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking `(3)' and all that follows through the end of the first sentence and inserting the following:
`(3) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any firearm that--
`(A) is manually operated by bolt, pump, level, or slide action;
Is there going to be a stampede to buy new level actions so there will be more blood on the streets like cowboys in the Old West or drive-bys in the 'hood?
This guy is from NRA-ILA. I think the CA Congressman is also a 'Chris'.
I also like this section:
(L) A semiautomatic rifle or shotgun originally designed for military or law enforcement use, or a firearm based on the design of such a firearm, that is not particularly suitable for sporting purposes, as determined by the Attorney General. In making the determination, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that a firearm procured for use by the United States military or any Federal law enforcement agency is not particularly suitable for sporting purposes, and a firearm shall not be determined to be particularly suitable for sporting purposes solely because the firearm is suitable for use in a sporting event.'.
Goodbye, M-1 Garand, M1A, etc. Same for pretty much any semi-auto rifle or shotgun (what hasn't been procured for "use" by the military or the Fibbies? Every gun must be procured by them for SOME use).
These people can Forbes themselves.
The Friendly But Incompetent will have to burn me out of my house to get my AR. Period.
I think that Bush has pulled off a real masterful piece of strategery here. I think that he's a LOT smarter than most folks, on either side, give him credit for, and this is one that proves it. Politicians as a group may be foolish, crooked, etc., but one thing that they can do is count. Any fool, let alone someone whose ticket into and for maintaining power is dependant on votes, knows that gun control was a LOSING issue for its proponents in the 1990's (Carolyn McCarthy may be the only exception). The Dems lost 54 seats in '94, and even Clinton admitted that the AWB cost them at least 20 seats. The sitting Speaker of the House, once a loyal pro-gunner, lost in his bid for re-election after having voted for the AWB. Gore lost in 2000 because he couldn't even convince the folks in his OWN state that he wasn't going to register and collect guns.
Whether Bush is as pro-gun as "Machine Gun" Cheney or Thomas Jefferson is not the issue...as long as he knows that he will lose hundreds of thousands of votes, and the next election, by signing a reauthorization of the AWB, we can all be assured that it won't get signed. Given that gun owners have been very solid supporters of the GOP for decades, that it is political suicide to pi$$ off your base, and that Bush hasn't lifted a finger to get any successor to the AWB out of committee (let alone to his desk), I'd say that he gets it - and has since before the 2000 election.
Let's look back at what he said then...words to the effect that he favored the law "as it stands." Well, folks, "as it stands" included the sunset - a point lost on most people, both pro- and anti-gun.
Another point to consider: how many votes does anyone think that Bush will gain by signing a new AWB, vs. votes that would be lost be doing so? I'll bet that anyone opposed to him wouldn't change their mind if he became an all-out gun grabber, simply because there are 50 other issues out there about which they strenously disagree with Bush. The possibility of gaining a handful of blissninnie soccer mom votes, vs. the certainty of hundreds of thousands or more lost votes to certified "gun nuts" will prevent the law from seeing the light of day (because Bush has probably already told DeLay and Hastert that he damned well better NOT ever get an AWB renewal on his desk).
However, for the record, if any of the provisions of the AWB are reenacted, or if harsher provisions are enacted (obviously with a GWB signature), then I WILL NOT vote to re-elect the President - PERIOD!!! Are you listening, Karl?
(42) PISTOL GRIP- The term `pistol grip' means a grip, a thumbhole stock, or any other characteristic that can function as a grip.
ANY stock functions as a grip.
Don't give them any ideas.
Bush is a man of his word though. If it makes it to his desk, he'll sign it. Odd that one of the things I like about him is also one of those things that could keep me from voting for him.
It's up to the House and Senate committees to bury it deep. The Hate America First crowd is gonna make that tough to do though.
I missed that. I thought this was the Congressman. Wishful thinking I guess that a member of Congress could be so firm and decisive.
As I'm sure that Squantos will agree, the key to success in any endeavor is not to do exactly as one's opponent expects. In the event of a hypothetical gun ban and subsequent confiscation, I'll bet that the assorted alphabet agencies expect that gun owners will mostly turn in their guns, and that the rest will stay home and wait to be burned out (which, as we all know, has moved well beyond exact science, and has been developed into something of an art form). What they aren't counting on is those who will likely be doing the exact opposite to those who give unconstitutional orders (note, this is NOT a recommendation, incitement to commit any act of violence or advice, only my personal opinion of what will happen).
One bit of optimism: even our sheep-like neighbors to the north haven't registered all of their guns, not be a long shot (pun intended). If Canada has massive non-compliance, I'll bet that the folks that we are speaking of have nightmares about what would happen in this country - and that's a GOOD thing, as it prevents that particular dream from becoming a reality.
You're right that Bush would likely sign it if it came to him - he's yet to veto ANYTHING. I do, however, think that it is buried VERY deep right now, and only 5 legislative days isn't enough time to get it passed in the Senate, taken to conference committee - with the House Conferees agreeing - then back to the Senate and the House for floor votes. I just don't think that it'll happen.
However, that is no excuse for any of us to slack off in our phone calls or letter writing - we can't reduce the pressure!
And yes, I've reminded my Congress Critters a couple times already. Ball is in their court.
I won't put it past them. Not until the day after the AWB sunset. Even after, Eternal Vigilance and all that.
Thanks for the post!
Honestly, if Bush knew the AWB had a chance of passing in Congress he would have said he'd veto it. Look, you have to remember that a lot of people are very uneducated and uninformed when it comes to guns. These people think assault weapons literally means heavy automatic machine-guns and weaponry used in actual combat, when we all know it also applies to ordinary shotguns and rifles used by law-abiding gun owners. So by saying he'll "sign" the AWB, Bush is simply smoothing over those people's fears while at the same time neutralizing the gun grabbers.
Where you been troop ?!?!?!? I've missed yer educational posts !
BTTT
I've been around, lurking here and there when I get time. I've been real busy this year and have not had much time to add more quote posts. I have a couple simmering on the back-burners I'll try to get up soon, but I can't promise anything.
I roger that. Great minds think alike! $;-)
I have a feeling there's going to be a "gold rush" for a while, and then things will settle down, both in supply and price. I'm making my move then.
I will be building a better cache for the rainy day sure to come again.........
Stay safe !
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.