Posted on 09/09/2004 6:53:28 AM PDT by from occupied ga
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Police officials from across the country on Wednesday warned that dangerous assault weapons will flood U.S. streets if the ban on those guns expires next week but Republican congressional leaders expressed no concerns about letting the restriction lapse.
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"I think the will of the American people is consistent with letting it expire, and so it will expire," Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a Tennessee Republican, told reporters.
Asked why Congress wanted to legalize the military-style weapons again when public opinion polls found broad public support for keeping them illegal, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, a Texas Republican said, "We don't do things by polls."
The politically powerful National Rifle Association gun lobby has made killing the ban a top priority, and some lawmakers are fearful of crossing the NRA weeks before congressional elections.
The Consumer Federation of America released a report this week, based in part on manufacturer catalogs and Web sites, that concluded that "assault weapons will be more lethal and less expensive... Prices will drop as supply dramatically increases."
Under the 10-year ban enacted in 1994, weapons such as AK-47s, TEC-9s, and Uzis were outlawed, as were high capacity ammunition magazines holding more than 10 rounds. That law expires next Monday and Congress does not plan to extend it.
The Senate did vote earlier this year to renew the ban but that measure was part of a larger gun bill that was defeated at the NRA's behest. The House leaders have not allowed a vote on the ban this year.
Even groups that back renewing the law acknowledge the gun industry found loopholes and that dangerous weapons do remain on U.S. streets. But they argue that without the ban, the problem will grow worse.
New York Democrat Sen. Charles Schumer (news, bio, voting record) said letting a successful law expire reminded him of "Alice in Wonderland," and called the NRA influence "a dysfunction in our politics."
Representatives from law enforcement groups gathered in a Senate hearing room to urge lawmakers to switch course and renew the ban. They had hoped to gather at a national memorial to slain officers but rain forced them inside.
Several of the chiefs spoke of how their officers are already outgunned by the bad guys, and fear it will be even worse after next week if drug dealers, gang members, or even people on U.S. terror watch lists can legally purchase these lethal weapons.
"They are a threat to the safety of our dedicated police officers and the public," said Washington, D.C. police chief Charles Ramsey.
"We're sick and tired of picking up young bodies off our streets," said Richard Pennington, Atlanta's police chief and a top leader of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. (as well as consummate liar) "We're sick and tired of seeing our young people getting killed and destroyed, injured and maimed on our streets."
Several pro-ban lawmakers repeated their call for President Bush (news - web sites) to speak out for the continued prohibition on these weapons. Bush in his 2000 campaign backed the ban but has not worked for its extension.
DeLay said, "If the president asked me, it'd still be no.. It will expire Monday, and that's that." (Additional reporting by Thomas Ferraro)
Nice biased "reporting" too. Notice the lies by the police are not contradicted or even that an alternative viewpoint is presented.
Good riddance.
DeLay said, "If the president asked me, it'd still be no.. It will expire Monday, and that's that."
I am liking him more and more.
Typical Reuters spew; it's "news media" like that that prove to me the need for an armed populace.
Looking forward to the next gun show.
Prices for hi-cap mags will plummet. Wait about 3 months.
Duh!
Earth to Reuters:
Economic activity obeys the laws of economics!
Wrongo!
That "measure" was defeated at MY behest!
Me and a few million of my friends!
Dunno. I'll bet the manufacturers are already gearing up for mass production.
Several companies are already taking orders for LEO only trade in normal capacity magazines. I have ordered ten formerly prohibited Glock 17 mags that will be legal next monday. They were 11 bucks per. Tues morning they will be shipped..
Put that in your bong and smoke it Mzz Brady...BITE ME.
HA!
Poor ole Chuckles.
I'll wager this monster will be back in early 05, under a new improved name. With all the goulish scare tactics that it was created with.
Maybe 3 days? LOL!
The tooling for the high-cap mags is still right there, and they've been using it.
All they've got to do is pull out the stamp that says "Law enforcement only" and we're good!
I'm planning on buying a couple more 14-rd mags for my P14, maybe a hig-cap mag or two for the 10/22, might even go and buy me a high-cap 9mm of some sort.
Any recommendations? Gotta be made from metal, though.
I like the subtle threat that lawlessness will begin once the criminal are no longer bound by the weapons law. Availability/legality doesn't automatically equal crime.
The Muslim kerrorists have been brining their own weapons over the border, the lapse in this law isn't going to change that.
What with a large portion of the Muslim world, part of Europe, and our own Democraps wanting to use my kids as target practice, the death of this law is for the good.
It's not introduced yet, but I'll post it here if it is.
Now if we could just get rid of the '86 ban on newly manufactured full auto and the '68 ban on medium caliber weapons.
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