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Illinois bill banning semi-automatics threatens jobs at area gun makers
The Dispatch (Moline, Ill.) ^ | May 06, 2010 | Stephen Elliott

Posted on 05/07/2010 7:47:49 AM PDT by neverdem

selliott@qconline.com

Illinois House members are preparing to vote on a bill to ban the sale of certain firearms by Illinois gun manufacturers to Illinois residents.

The legislation would affect four area gun manufacturers -- Springfield Armory and ArmaLite in Geneseo, Rock River Arms in Colona and Lewis Machine and Tool in Milan -- that employ several hundred people. Gun manufacturers say the bill -- and other repeated gun legislation attempts -- put undue stress on their workers while failing to solve the problems associated with crime.

The sales prohibition appears in House Bill 5751, sponsored by state Rep. Edward Acevedo, D-Chicago, which moved out of committee this week on a 6-4 vote. When introduced in February, the bill banned manufacturing and selling or possessing semi-automatic assault weapons. This week, the bill was amended to prohibit the sale of those weapons to state residents by Illinois gun manufacturers.

The same guns, however, could be sold to residents of all other states and Illinois police officers. The bill includes a 90-day clause grandfathering in weapons if already purchased.

State Rep. Pat Verschoore, D-Milan, plans to vote against the bill. Some of the weapons it would ban are used for deer and turkey hunting, he said. Bill opponents also say it could precipitate the loss of Illinois gun manufacturers.

ArmaLite owner Mark Westrom is weighing that move. His Geneseo company, which makes .50-caliber rifles and other firearms, employs 75 people.

"Would it force us to leave the state? Perhaps," he said. "I have contingency plans to decamp the state. I have a slug of other states that haven been recruiting me.

"Actually, it would be an immense problem,"he added. "The most valuable part of a good operation is the people. My staff have family, friends, school commitments. They can't just pack up and leave."

Mr. Westrom said the bill has the same problem as similar ones before: It doesn't address crime problems in Chicago or Cook County. Sponsors of such legislation are well-intentioned, he said, but misguided.

"They (Chicago) have social issues to address," he said. "This step isn't going to do it."

Tom Mannard, executive director of Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence, said he is seeking compromise between legislators and gun manufacturers. Gun bans can minimize dangerous risks throughout Illinois, he said.

"Most residents, whether they're from Rock Island or Moline, would tell you they believe weapons like AK-47s and AR15s are probably not the type of weapons that should be sold to anybody," he said. "I think the majority of people in our state say certain weapons are not appropriate to be in our community."

But parts of the bill would hurt Springfield Armory in Geneseo and its 170 employees, said co-owner Dennis Reese.

"The 10-round magazine capacities would affect us in the bill," he said. "Rifles have magazines in excess of 10 rounds. It would have a huge impact on us as we sit in Geneseo.

"It's a shame we have to waste our time and energy dealing with these things," he said of gun ban bills. "It makes families working for us very nervous and uncomfortable if they have to think about looking for a job."

While Mr. Reese doesn't expect HB5751 to force his firm to move, he said an Illinois gun manufacturer would be "a very irresponsible businessman if you didn't consider it."

Rep. Acevedo defended his bill, saying it would not hurt hunters and sportsmen. There is a battle being fought in the streets of Chicago and other Illinois cities because of these weapons, he said.

"It's unnecessary to go hunting with an Uzi or a .50-caliber rifle," Rep. Acevedo said. "These weapons were made for mass destruction. They're made for the battlefield."

Illinois gun manufacturers still could sell firearms in 49 states, he said -- just not in Illinois -- and to Illinois law enforcement officers.

However, National Rifle Association lobbyist Todd Vandermyde said the bill was confusing because most gun manufacturers don't sell directly to law enforcement. Henry County Sheriff Gib Cady, an outspoken supporter of gun rights, said state lawmakers need some common sense.

"There is a very, very serious lack of reasoning and intelligence," Sheriff Cady said. "The bad guys are always going to have guns."


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Extended News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: banglist; gibcady; yankee
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There's something about living in cities that wants to kill common sense and liberty, IMHO.
1 posted on 05/07/2010 7:47:50 AM PDT by neverdem
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To: neverdem

They should leave IL. Tons of other states would kill for those jobs including AZ. IL is $11 billion in debt and may go belly up.


2 posted on 05/07/2010 7:49:26 AM PDT by Frantzie (McCain=Obama's friend. McCain/Graham = La Raza's Senators & Estefan-Rubio)
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To: DMZFrank; endthematrix; Chgogal; NotJustAnotherPrettyFace; Lawgvr1955; Petruchio; stylin19a; ...
BANG!
3 posted on 05/07/2010 7:50:12 AM PDT by neverdem (Xin loi minh oi)
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To: neverdem
IDIOTS.

How can such stupid and corrupt legislators in IL get elected year after year after year?????

4 posted on 05/07/2010 7:59:36 AM PDT by Jerrybob
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To: neverdem

Come on down here to Tennessee, y’all be welcome.


5 posted on 05/07/2010 8:02:42 AM PDT by libstripper
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To: neverdem
Rep. Acevedo defended his bill, saying it would not hurt hunters and sportsmen. There is a battle being fought in the streets of Chicago and other Illinois cities because of these weapons, he said.

The antis again are implying that the 2nd Amendment is all about hunting, and that guns are responsible for violence.

The battle is being fought because of criminals, not guns.

6 posted on 05/07/2010 8:09:45 AM PDT by Disambiguator (Progressivism, Socialism, Marxism, Communism - it's all shades of black.)
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To: neverdem
The legislation would affect four area gun manufacturers -- Springfield Armory and ArmaLite in Geneseo, Rock River Arms in Colona and Lewis Machine and Tool in Milan -- that employ several hundred people. Gun manufacturers say the bill -- and other repeated gun legislation attempts -- put undue stress on their workers while failing to solve the problems associated with crime.

You do realize all of those are within 10 miles of the state line, yes? Three of them probably within 5. They could even keep the same employees. I mean, in one sense, if the bill passes, it's not going to matter which state the manufacturer is in. If they're in IL, they'll be able to sell to customers outside IL but not within, whereas if they're in IA, they'll be able to sell outside of IL, but not inside.

But there's the whole thing of "If the state of Illinois disrespects and persecutes our business, why on earth would we EVER see so much as a penny of tax money go to your filthy Marxist collectivist state coffers? You don't like gun manufacturers, fine. But you don't get to benefit from their existence while slamming them on TV and legislating against their interests."

7 posted on 05/07/2010 8:11:31 AM PDT by Still Thinking (Freedom is NOT a loophole!)
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To: neverdem

Any State in the South would take in a firearms manufacturer. The Yankees have no idea what they are missing.


8 posted on 05/07/2010 8:15:51 AM PDT by CodeToad
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To: CodeToad

Model 1 Sales recently moved from up north to the Dallas Fort Worth area - in fact, I think it was IL they moved from.

Springfield was reportedly scouting around for real estate down here last year, too.


9 posted on 05/07/2010 8:18:35 AM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: neverdem

Simple solution. Springfield Armory should just move out of Illinois. Plenty of states would be glad to have them.


10 posted on 05/07/2010 8:21:23 AM PDT by Roklok
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To: Spktyr

Screw Illinois.

Come on down to Texas!


11 posted on 05/07/2010 8:23:55 AM PDT by smokingfrog ( - Free Men will always be armed with the Truth. -)
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To: neverdem
Welcome to Massachusetts
12 posted on 05/07/2010 8:24:00 AM PDT by pabianice
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To: neverdem

“Tom Mannard, executive director of Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence, said he is seeking compromise between legislators and gun manufacturers. Gun bans can minimize dangerous risks throughout Illinois, he said.

“Most residents, whether they’re from Rock Island or Moline, would tell you they believe weapons like AK-47s and AR15s are probably not the type of weapons that should be sold to anybody,” he said. “I think the majority of people in our state say certain weapons are not appropriate to be in our community.”

Exactly WHAT kind of guns does Mr. Mannard (there’s a misnomer - probably a real wussie) approve of??

THe Bill of Rights is NOT subject to a popular vote.

Nutty states like Illinois and New Jersey sa brooderies for ridiculous gun laws which idiots like Mannard then try to foist off on other states and the Feds.


13 posted on 05/07/2010 8:24:25 AM PDT by ZULU
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To: neverdem

Libs don’t know what “semi-automatic” means.
Most of them think it means “select fire”.

I had a discussion with a young lib who’d been raised to be a lawyer instead of raised to be a man.

He was decrying that “semi-automatics” were legal to buy, especially at gun shows.

I asked him what “semi-automatic” meant.
I’ll give him credit, he said “I don’t know”.


14 posted on 05/07/2010 8:25:58 AM PDT by MrB (The difference between a (de)humanist and a Satanist is that the latter knows who he's working for.)
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To: neverdem

I say this once and I will say it again. When the states entertain suing tobacco companies, the tobacco folks thought they were too big and rich to sue, and did nothing until the lawsuits spread to too many states. If the tobacco companies pulled their products from the first state that tried to sue them and let tax revenues from cigarette taxes plunge and cause social chaos as smokers freak out when cigarettes are suddenly unavailable, states may think about suing the tobacco companies. The same with gun companies. The first state that starts to screw with any of the products, ALL gun companies and ammo companies plus gunsmiths should boycott services and products to that offending states law enforcement and agencies. Imagine if IL police can not get guns, ammo, mags and gunsmith services and the criminal can get all that. Too bring the lessons home, allow only single shot weapons available for IL gov and law enforcement, and see how they like living like the under armed civilians facing criminals with higher firepower.


15 posted on 05/07/2010 8:27:01 AM PDT by Fee (Peace, prosperity, jobs and common sense)
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To: ZULU
Nothing in the founding of the United States of America could lead an intelligent person to conclude that the purpose of the Revolution was so that the government could tell the people what they should or should not do or possess. Once that premise is understood, most of the laws of this country can be plainly seen as violating the Constitution.
16 posted on 05/07/2010 8:31:10 AM PDT by Pecos
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To: neverdem
The same guns, however, could be sold to residents of all other states and Illinois police officers.

Were I these companies, I'd tell them to pound sand. No sales to your law enforcement (ala Barrett) if you ban our guns in the state.

17 posted on 05/07/2010 8:31:14 AM PDT by IYAS9YAS (Liberal Logic: Mandatory health insurance is constitutional - enforcing immigration law is not.)
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To: Spktyr

Springfield would find a good home in Texas.


18 posted on 05/07/2010 8:35:12 AM PDT by CodeToad
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To: neverdem

More nonsense from America’s domestic enemies.


19 posted on 05/07/2010 8:36:02 AM PDT by Noumenon ("Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed, that he has grown so great?" - Julius Caesar)
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To: ZULU
Exactly WHAT kind of guns does Mr. Mannard (there’s a misnomer - probably a real wussie) approve of??


20 posted on 05/07/2010 8:53:34 AM PDT by TLI ( ITINERIS IMPENDEO VALHALLA)
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