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Unarmed for the Election (McClintock, Schwartzenegger, and Gun Rights)
National Review ^ | September 30, 2003 | Dave Kopel

Posted on 09/30/2003 1:04:48 PM PDT by Korth

Arnold Schwarzenegger doesn't know the basics of California gun laws.

Arnold Schwarzenegger's recent appearance on the Sean Hannity Show regarding gun control suggests that he is amazingly ignorant of current gun laws in California.

Hannity asked Schwarzenegger what he thought of the "assault-weapon" ban and the Brady Bill. Schwarzenegger replied, "Yes I do support that. And also I would like to close the loophole on the gun shows."

While the federal ban on so-called "assault weapons" is scheduled to sunset in September 2004, the much more severe California prohibition has no sunset date. The federal and the state law are both based on cosmetics — on the idea that a gun is bad if it has a bayonet lug, or other small features that have nothing to do with the gun's firepower.

Schwarznegger also endorsed the Brady Bill — which never affected California gun sales, because the state's gun laws were more restrictive than the requirements of the 1993 Brady Bill. And these California restrictions are why Schwarzenegger's comment about gun shows was so appallingly uninformed.

In 1989, the California legislature passed, and Governor George Deukmejian signed, a bill that abolished gun-owner privacy and eliminated private gun sales. As a result, every gun transfer must be routed through a licensed firearms dealer, and must receive prior approval from the government. This even applies if a man wants to buy a Christmas present for a friend, or if two members of a target-shooting club want to trade guns, of if a retired hunter wants to give his old gun to a young friend as a college graduation present.

There are a few small exceptions to the California law against private transfers; gifts among close relatives are still allowed. However, the law contains no exception for gun shows.

So, for example, if a hunter owns five shotguns, and decides to sell three of them to help pay for his family's summer vacation, he might rent a table at a gun show one weekend. Under federal law, the man is not in the business of selling firearms, so the laws about firearms dealers do not apply to him: He does not have to fill out federal paperwork, nor is he required to call the FBI for permission to sell a gun to a particular buyer.

The laws of most states, like federal law, distinguish firearms dealers (who are engaged in the business) from occasional, casual sellers (who are not in the business). These federal and state laws apply equally no matter where a gun sale takes place. If you are engaged in the firearms business, then the federal and state requirements apply to you regardless of whether you sell a gun from a storefront, from a home business, or at a gun show. Conversely, if you are not in the firearms business, the laws applying to you are the same whether you are at a gun show, a gun club, a home, or anywhere else.

Thus, the "gun-show loophole," is a fiction invented by the gun-prohibition lobbies. Gun shows are not some kind of armed Brigadoon, where gun laws magically vanish for the weekend. The laws about selling guns at gun shows are exactly the same as the laws for selling guns anywhere else.

In California, where privacy for gun sales was abolished 14 years ago, there is certainly no "gun-show loophole." If a Californian who owns one gun wants to sell it at a gun show, he will have to pay a fee to a licensed firearms dealer at the gun show; the dealer will contact the California Department of Justice, and if the DOJ approves, the sale may be consummated a few weeks later. The same procedure would apply to any other firearms transfer by a California citizen.

So in other words, the "loophole" that Schwarzenegger "would like to close" was actually closed 14 years ago. How much more contemptuously ignorant can a candidate get? Surrounded by high-priced advisers and consultants, Schwarzenegger apparently cannot hire anyone who will explain to him the elementary facts of California gun law.

On The Larry Elder Show, Schwarzenegger said that he thinks there should be a law for mandatory gunlocks. Apparently Schwarzenegger has no idea that California enacted such a law several years ago. It was this law which led directly to the death of two children in Merced, California, in August 2000. When an insane killer with a pitchfork attacked their home, their older sister — who was a trained shooter — was unable to protect them because the family guns were locked in a safe.

If during the campaign Schwarzenegger will not bother to learn simple facts about gun law, what is the likelihood that he would pay any more attention after being elected governor?

California's gun laws are over 158,000-words long (about twice the size of all the federal gun laws, combined). When the California legislature passes a gun bill, the bill often involves technical changes to an already hyper-complex law. A governor making a decision to sign or veto the bill must be able to understand the legal analysis of the bill, and to make his own evaluation of his staff's recommendation. Given Schwarzenegger's willful obliviousness to the easy part of the California gun laws, it is unlikely he could ever make a well-informed decision about the law's many complexities. It seems more likely that he would just go along with his vehemently antigun wife, and sign any antigun bill the legislature passed.

Schwarzenegger does claim to support the Second Amendment, but do Charles Schumer and Rudolph Guiliani, both of whom find their support of the Second Amendment compatible with their support of every antigun law which has any political viability.

Of course most of Schwarzenegger's competitors (past and present) in this recall race haven't been very impressive on the gun issue either. According to veteran firearms lobbyist and activist Neal Knox, Peter Ueberroth "did his best to torpedo all Olympic shooting when he headed the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics."

Governor Gray Davis has signed a string of very repressive laws restricting gun-owner rights. Neal Knox reports that if Davis survives the recall, California Democrats will make a push for handgun prohibition, and may succeed.

The only serious candidate in the California governor's race who supports Second Amendment rights is State Senator Tom McClintock. As demonstrated by McClintock's June 2001 speech on freedom and firearms, McClintock analyzes the gun issue in a very profound way.

He accurately connects the gun-control movement to the "despotic principle" popularized by the 19th-century German philosophers Marx, Hegel, and Nietzsche: "rights come not from God, but from the state. What rights you have are there because government has given them to you."

McClintock rejects this philosophy, and he recognizes the right to arms to be one of those inalienable rights "endowed equally to every human being by the 'laws of nature and of nature's God.'" If a man has "no right to self-defense," then he is a slave, for his "rights are at the sufferance of his master — whether that master is a state or an owner."

Could you imagine Schwarzenegger talking like that? Of him speaking from his heart about freedom, without having to check his remarks with his political handlers?

Arnold Schwarzenegger knows how to pretend to use guns in childish action movies which glamorize gun violence. Tom McClintock understand that responsible gun ownership is one of the pillars of a free society.

— Dave Kopel is coauthor of the new book Supreme Court Gun Cases.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: 2amd; bang; banglist; california; constitution; davis; firearms; freedom; gunrights; guns; liberty; mcclintock; politics; recall; rkba; schwarzenegger
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To: novacation
From your homepage...

If you live in California ALL IS LOST!

That attitude explains much.

101 posted on 09/30/2003 4:27:14 PM PDT by PRND21
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To: PRND21
It's a joke stupid. Not too funny, but a joke. Got it! A joke. Like you.

From PRND21'S homepage:PRND doesn't have sufficiant imagination to write anything on his home page.

102 posted on 09/30/2003 4:39:22 PM PDT by novacation
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To: novacation
It's a joke stupid

Like Tom's bullheaded ride into the sunset.

103 posted on 09/30/2003 4:53:57 PM PDT by PRND21
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To: novacation; PRND21
Chill out, people. God...
104 posted on 09/30/2003 5:06:43 PM PDT by jmc813 (How ironic is it that Arnold turned out to be the spoiler?)
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To: jmc813
You are right of course...done.
105 posted on 09/30/2003 5:11:28 PM PDT by PRND21
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To: jmc813
Good idea.
106 posted on 09/30/2003 5:13:17 PM PDT by novacation
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To: Korth
Schwarzenegger does claim to support the Second Amendment, but do Charles Schumer and Rudolph Guiliani, both of whom find their support of the Second Amendment compatible with their support of every antigun law which has any political viability.

So do all politicians, including Peter Camejo, Arianna Huffington, Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante, and Governor Gray Davis.

107 posted on 09/30/2003 5:13:33 PM PDT by heleny
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To: PeoplesRep_of_LA
I hope his show eventually gets pulled off of 790 KABC and replaced with 3 hours every day of elevator music because all those "uhs" and blathering to Flipper is a waste of a perfectly good AM station.

Their competition is KFI640 with Dr. Laura Schlessinger. Sean Hannity only has to beat her audience, so the risk of alienating McClintock supporters while keeping Schwarzenegger supporters (including nationwide fans of Arnold) is a reasonable business decision.

Has Dr. Laura said anything about the recall? She supports life and conservative family values, and I think she lives in the Los Angeles area. I don't listen to the radio during that time slot anymore... I used to try to catch Hannity once in a while, but it's just been a waste of time ever since the recall qualified for an election.

108 posted on 09/30/2003 5:35:57 PM PDT by heleny
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To: heleny
Their competition is KFI640 with Dr. Laura Schlessinger

Technically, Medved on 870 is more his competition, although I am ashamed to admit that, because I too have stopped listening for the same reason you have stopped listening to Sean AdHominemannity. His analysis of Conservatism in California is so New York beltway its comical, if it wasn't so destructive. He makes mistakes, he says things proven untrue, and the entire time he is as cocky as can be.

Also, George Putnam on AM830 is politics, I believe he is only in LA. He is a HUGE Tom Supporter, might want to give him a listen.

109 posted on 09/30/2003 5:43:40 PM PDT by PeoplesRep_of_LA (That's pre-election bogus, Arnold Schwarzenegger.)
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To: going hot
He has consistently voted and spoken out against anti-gun legislation, and I would consider that "something" to thwart anti-gun legislation.
110 posted on 09/30/2003 6:07:27 PM PDT by mvpel (Michael Pelletier)
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To: mvpel
So have I,for over 30 of my 52 years. So has virtually everyone with whom I have close association. That in itself has done exactly what for the deluge of antigun legislation that sits on the governor's desk annually? Without sufficient power to can legislation,or sufficient power to rewrite or block it, talking the talk does squat.

The average citizen,writing in avalanches will cause more change, yet in CA we are currently powerless because of the stuffing of the legislature with anti gun zealots.

In this climate,I see very little effect on legislation while sitting on the sidelines. Also, I seriously do not think a letter written to governor busty will receive any more attention than to gov grey has prior to now.

111 posted on 09/30/2003 6:32:54 PM PDT by going hot (Happiness is a momma deuce)
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To: PeoplesRep_of_LA
Thanks for the other options. It's hard to listen to the radio during the day, though. I might listen for a few minutes, but as soon as the next commercial break begins, I stop paying any attention to the radio and don't notice when the host returns. If I kept listening, I'd have no time to get anything done!

Rush's show is the best I've heard, but the time (9 AM to noon) is really inconvenient.

112 posted on 09/30/2003 7:16:35 PM PDT by heleny
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To: Korth
Arnold doesn't understand the AWB or gun show loophole any more than Bush does.

They are only supporting it because that's what they are being told to do, and because as elites, they are instinctively opposed to us peasants having arms.

Note that Arnold supports every major gun control initiative being pushed by the gun grabbers. He supports the AWB ban, banning private sales, and banning 50 caliber rifles.

Likewise, if the anti-gun Nazis were pushing for legislation calling for all guns to be painted pink, and all magazines stamped with a picture of Bozo the clown, he's support that also.

And when the gun-grabbers call for registration, confiscation, and life sentences for those who refuse, you can be that good old Fritz will support that too.

113 posted on 09/30/2003 7:38:37 PM PDT by Mulder (Fight the future)
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To: NoControllingLegalAuthority
I've been claiming to be a RINO myself. Even as a libertaian I'm far too conservative to really be a Republican.
114 posted on 09/30/2003 7:49:07 PM PDT by Eagle Eye (There ought to be a law against excessive legislation.)
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To: Saundra Duffy
I can't believe the FReepers who are willing to give up their gun rights! Amazing!

They really aren't any diferent than Clinton's soccer moms.

115 posted on 09/30/2003 7:50:59 PM PDT by Roscoe
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To: going hot
Therefore,Tom Mclintock must actually win the plurality vote to become the governor, and THEN veto stuff.

He would. Arnold would NOT.

116 posted on 09/30/2003 7:54:45 PM PDT by Roscoe
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To: Roscoe; .38sw; Theodore R.; tophat9000; Itzlzha; SierraWasp; Reagan Man
Do you think Feinstein and (R)nold will sit around in smokey backrooms and talk about power and hypocracy?


117 posted on 09/30/2003 8:02:46 PM PDT by PeoplesRep_of_LA (That's pre-election bogus, Arnold Schwarzenegger.)
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To: PeoplesRep_of_LA
Also, George Putnam on AM830 is politics, I believe he is only in LA. He is a HUGE Tom Supporter, might want to give him a listen.

George Putnam is he still around? dang.. I don't think i've heard him since he left KTLA TV news...he goes back to the days when right wing in LA was George Putnam and Joe Pine

118 posted on 09/30/2003 9:08:11 PM PDT by tophat9000 (California taxpayers w/Rnulled .. you just dropped the soap)
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To: Korth
Outlawing guns is not the right method of eliminating the problem. If you outlaw guns, people will still have them illegally. In Europe, they're outlawed everywhere. They have very strict gun control in Italy. Yet the Pope was shot. They have very strict gun control in Germany. Yet you see pimps shooting one another. Arnold Schwarzenegger, 1988


http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/968440/posts
119 posted on 09/30/2003 9:43:46 PM PDT by Tamzee ("Big government sounds too much like sluggish socialism."......Arnold Schwarzenegger)
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To: Korth
None of the conservative issues matters
"Winning isnt the thing...its the only thing!"- Lombardi
It doesnt matter how far left the Republican Party has to swing ...
Moral Conservative schmoral conservative...
Its the Fiscal Conservatism that counts...
Besides a little schwinging never hurt eh?
BRing in the gym slut its party time
120 posted on 10/01/2003 9:41:40 AM PDT by joesnuffy (Moderate Islam Is For Dilettantes)
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