The Great Virginia Gun Fraud

Townhall,com ^ | January 15, 2020 | Bob Barr

[Kaslin]

Virginia Democrats flexed their muscle in Richmond this week; passing four gun control bills through the Senate Judiciary Committee. This action had been promised by Gov. Ralph Northam since his Party gained majorities in both houses of the state legislature last November. As with other state governors who believe that the best way to stop criminals from committing murder is to make it more difficult for law abiding citizens to purchase and possess firearms, these measures will do just that – make it harder for law abiding citizens of Virginia to exercise their rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment.

Specifically, the Northam-endorsed proposals will limit citizens to one handgun purchase a month, mandate universal background checks, and allow local governments to selectively ban firearms from public events. Most troubling, one measure authorizes law enforcement to preemptively seize firearms from individuals they deem to be a threat (a so-called “red flag” law). But there’s more.

The “crown jewel” of Northam’s expansive gun control agenda is a ban on so-called “assault weapons.” This measure is expected to pass through committee this week, which then will trigger a long-anticipated showdown in the General Assembly.

In a concession of sorts, Northam agreed to include in the gun ban a “grandfather” clause allowing individuals who currently own a to-be-banned firearm, to continue to do so without automatically violating the law. They would, however, be required to register their newly banned “assault weapon” with state authorities.

This change illustrates the true fraud behind Northam’s gun control push – it was never really to address an “emergency” about public safety. Rather, it is a partisan “spiking the football” following the electoral sweep by Virginia Democrats last November. In grandstanding about their legislative clout and mocking concerned citizens as “losers” and “nuts,” however, Democrats have needlessly provoked an intense confrontation in the state.

This is no ordinary political stand-off. Democrats indicated they had every intention of doing whatever it took to implement their sweeping gun ban; including, if necessary, using the National Guard. This overheated rhetoric, on top of the radical policies being proposed, prompted more than 90 Virginia localities to declare themselves “gun sanctuaries,” placing local law enforcement and government officials in direct confrontation with Richmond and state officials.

All this is to say that if Democrats knew their promises were nothing more than a gimmick that would be partially rolled back at the 11th hour, it was highly irresponsible to push the confrontation this far knowing how it was tearing the state apart. This process has fostered genuine fear in the eyes of Virginia’s that their fundamental rights were going to be taken away, by force if necessary. As governments have understood for centuries, creating fear then becomes justification for more and expanded government power.

It need not have played out this way. Northam and his Democrat cohorts could have taken the time to craft specific legislative proposals that might actually address real-world gun violence issues -- for instance, cracking down on “straw purchase” gun sales, and funding improved mental health programs in the Commonwealth. Such measures would have enjoyed bipartisan support and would not have raised the serious constitutional problems inherent in the gun control measures Northam is pursuing now.

Working to implement measures that actually might reduce the risk of further gun violence, however, would have involved real effort on the part of the Governor and Virginia legislators; effort they obviously were unwilling to expend. In their calculus, taking the low road and regurgitating the tired rhetoric about the dangers posed by “assault weapons,” “silencers” and “high capacity magazines” – while at the same time and clamoring for absolute “universal background checks” -- was the easier course; even if it meant having to back down a bit when confronted with reality.

In the most fundamental sense, pursuing any course other than that on which Northam, et al. now have embarked, would not fit the gun control model to which the Democrat Party in Virginia and nationally has become so tightly bound.

Northam and the Virginia legislature are remaking the Commonwealth of Virginia in the image of Michael Bloomberg and George Soros; an image bearing no resemblance to the model of freedom and liberty designed by truly great Virginians like George Washington, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. For the sake of their, and our posterity, let us pray that this rebranding of Virginia will be reversed in the coming election cycles.

[SkyPilot]

Soros and the Globalists are calling the shots.

When Trump was elected, and we had a Republican House and Senate, I fully expected to see National Reciprocity passed and signed into law.

It would have been a dagger to the heart of state "gun control" unconstitutional laws.

But alas, that opportunity was squandered. Steve Scalise (the victim of the Bernie Sander's campaign worker maniac) who opened fire while he and Republicans practiced for a baseball game) lobbied the President to include National Reciprocity in "must pass" legislation, but failed.

Soros, the Democrats, and the Globalists saw the GOP inaction and seized the opportunity.

New Jersey, California, Colorado, Vermont, New York, Virginia, Florida, and many others passed a ton of "gun control" laws.

And do I believe the "school shootings" were Deep State operations? Yup. Call me crazy.

We are losing our gun rights, despite the Trump Presidency.

[LittleSpotBlog]

It is so sad what has happened to Virginia, but I am so glad I now live two time zones away.

[wastoute]

The 2nd Amendment has a feature none of the others enjoy. You can’t use your Right to Speech to prevent it from being taken away.

[Theophilus]

They say: "Virginia is for lovers." Find a girl you love. Marry her. Reject birth control (hormonal castration/abortion). Have many children. Teach them to shoot and love your guns. Teach them to vote.

Now Virginia is for armed lovers!

[Vaquero]

Meet in Richmond on January 20th and let the politicians know

[LouAvul]

This is why I hate liberals. They pompously congratulate themselves with these thoughtless, selfish laws. They know less guns = more crime but they're so obtuse as to ignore the obvious.

They're stupid. Liberals. Libertarians. Neocons. They're all the same bastard children of the the same dysfunctional family.

[Reno89519]

It truly seems like these Democrats are on drugs, the adults are away, and they are running amuck. I’m guessing that everyone should stand aside, let them run away with all of their wild and fancy ideas, enact them all, then let the courts promptly void them all, maybe even the supreme court as in a new Heller-like decision, but one with some more clarity to apply nationally, even to California and elsewhere—the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. We are long overdue for a serious reset on the value and meaning of the first amendment, it is equal to the 1st and others. Imagine if the Democrats were doing the same with the 2nd?

[Fightin Whitey]

It truly seems like these Democrats are on drugs, the adults are away, and they are running amuck.

They are drunk on the near-grasp of power...and after decades of making nothing of it, they feel the thrill of evil, corruption and destruction.

Bloodthirsty beasts. We'd better hope we know how to handle dumb beasts.

[central_va]

Where is our “Trump” Federal judge to stop this?

[Poison Pill]

We are losing our gun rights, despite the Trump Presidency.

Despite? You're kidding right?

What the hell has that guy ever done for the 2A?

[TokarevM57]

...yes, indeed, but..... leave your guns at home....! Gov. Blackface has decreeed NO firearms on Virginia’s Capitol grounds....despite Virginia’s open carry laws... yet another slap in the face of law-abiding citizens.....(Ref. today’s Richmond Times-Dispatch)

[marktwain]

It was Paul Ryan who killed national reciprocity an NFA reforms from 2016-2018.

Not to mention John McCain in the Senate.

[Pining_4_TX]

Why do we let leftists hijack the language? There is no such thing as gun violence, there is criminal violence. The only way to reduce criminal violence is to let the police do their job and put violent criminals in jail for a loonnng time. Instead, with so-called justice reform, more criminals will be on the street and violence will increase. This is, of course, part of the leftist plan, because when there are more shootings, they will call for more gun control.

[Truth29]

And the Dems intend to go further. The narrative is already set for next week’s VCDL lobby day. Expect scary headlines and false flag incidents: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/northam-to-ban-guns-from-virginia-capitol-grounds-sources-say/2020/01/14/3366049c-3743-11ea-bf30-ad313e4ec754_story.html

[Georgia Girl 2]

I think They have now pulled the assault weapons ban bill from committee.

[dljordan]

“As with other state governors who believe that the best way to stop criminals from committing murder is to make it more difficult for law abiding citizens to purchase and possess firearms”

He doesn’t care about stopping criminals that’s just the excuse.

[iontheball]

I think They have now pulled the assault weapons ban bill from committee.
_____________________
They did pull one, but there is an identical bill awaiting action in the other chamber, so yesterday’s withdrawal may be a faint.

[Arlis]

Did just that!

Passing through Virginia in ‘72, met my wife, stayed here, had 8 kids [she didn’t want any], home-schooled them (wife & I former public school teachers), & they all believe and live the freedom addressed in 2A - AND we have our own shooting range on our property in the woods in the country!

[Wonder Warthog]

"We'd better hope we know how to handle dumb beasts."

The usual equipage is "whip, chair, gun".