·11250 Waples Mill Road · Fairfax, Virginia 22030 ·800-392-8683
Posted on 02/04/2011 10:44:00 PM PST by neverdem
| Feinstein Asks President To Tighten Import Restrictions On Semi-Automatic Rifles |
| Friday, February 04, 2011 |
|
On Tuesday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) sent a letter to President Barack Obama, urging him to have the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives review its interpretation of the federal law that provides for the importation of firearms "generally recognized as particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes." Adopting a narrower interpretation of the law would, Feinstein claimed, help reduce violence in Mexico and the United States. As the Supreme Court said in District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), the Second Amendment protects the right to keep and bear arms primarily for self-defense. This means the "sporting purposes" limitation imposed by the Gun Control Act of 1968 is constitutionally suspect, to put it mildly. What makes matters worse is that BATFE repeatedly misinterprets the law to serve political ends, which is precisely what Feinstein has in mind. In 1989, under orders from the White House, BATF (as it was then called) disapproved the importation of 43 models of semi-automatic rifles of a type BATF had approved for importation for over 20 years. To reach that decision, BATF said it recognized that "sporting purposes" included "the traditional sports of target shooting, skeet and trap shooting, and hunting," but limited its interpretation of "target shooting" to "organized marksmanship competition." Next, BATF failed to acknowledge that the most traditional, organized marksmanship shooting competitions in the United States for more than a century -- the NRA National Rifle Championships and the Civilian Marksmanship Program National Rifle Matches, authorized by Congress since 1903, and the hundreds of local, state and regional matches that precede the national events each year -- were dominated by rifles like those BATF prohibited. In 1993, President Clinton made BATF play politics with federal law again, in order to ban the importation of so-called "assault pistols." Such pistols had long been approved for importation because they garnered enough points under BATF's longstanding "Handgun Factoring Criteria," which assign point values to handgun features and characteristics such as weight, caliber, and sights. To ban the pistols, BATF simply disregarded the criteria. In 1998, the BATF went further on rifles, banning the importation of previously importable semi-automatics that are capable of using a magazine that holds more than 10 rounds. BATF claimed that its action was justified because the federal "assault weapon" ban of 1994 had prohibited new magazines of over 10 rounds capacity. Of course, the 1994 ban didn't prohibit rifles on the basis of their ability to use such magazines. The White House bragged "We're taking the law and bending it as far as we can." Sen. Feinstein's call for more restrictions comes on the heels of last week's news that a BATFE working group has proposed banning the importation of various shotguns under the sporting purposes test, even while recognizing that the shotguns are commonly used in three-gun and other practical shooting competitions. The working group said it didn't want to give consideration to practical shooting competitions, because doing so might require BATFE to reconsider its previous bans on rifles and pistols. In each case, BATFE has disregarded the plain language of the sporting purposes test, defining "generally recognized," "suitable," and "sporting" in whatever way supported the restrictions its political bosses demanded. And it completely ignored the law's provision for firearms that are "readily adaptable" to sports. Under the latter standard, even a hypothetical firearm designed solely for defensive purposes is qualified for importation if it is readily adaptable to sporting purposes. Of course, while the BATFE deserves criticism for its repeated misinterpretations of the law, and Feinstein deserves criticism for encouraging yet another misinterpretation, the primary problem is the law's "sporting purpose" limitation. Imposed in 1968, in the pre-Right-to-Carry and pre-Heller days, when government enjoyed a near monopoly on the use of armed defense outside a person's home, the law is ripe for a remedy in Congress or the courts. NRA members can help right now by sending their comments to the BATFE concerning its working group's proposal to ban the importation of shotguns that have magazines that hold over five rounds, rail systems for lighting devices, adjustable stocks, and other features listed in the group's report. Comments should be sent to BATFE no later than May 1, 2011, at shotgunstudy@atf.gov, or by fax to (202) 648-9601. Faxed comments may not exceed 5 pages. All comments must include name and mailing address. |
except for her and the mole husband of hers
This because it can’t be legislated. Another end run by one of the communists’ most infamous.
Buy American! Quick.
Nothing that BATF can do will lessen the violence in Mexico
thats for sure:
(Warning graphic video violence and executions.Reported by illegal rogue site in Mexico.)
Sure Diane, (the BATFs re-interpretations will help no one.)
What really needs to be done is to abolish BATF. Regulating firearms makes as much sense as as regulating free speech.
FUDIFI!!!!!;)
Feinstein Tries to Milk Semi`s
Always wondered why we have an entire bureau for 3 legal products.
If the BATF wants to decrease the Mexican violence, I’d support sending their entire agency down there until things are completely cleaned up. :)
She’s such a hypocrite.
And in my own case, I have 2 Colt ARs and a Garand so she can go to hell - mine are ‘merican anyway.
Oh, and a 10-22 - gotta have a fun gun here & there.
The stupidity inherent in her actions are only bested by the stupidity of voters who re-elect her. This public parasite will, at the drop of a hat, latch onto any issue that doesn't require any thinking on her part (because she can't) but sheer emotion to affect some "law" be proposed to correct some 'imagined' social ill. If she keeps it up, eventually she'll have to ban herself from office, for this I pray.
As ignorant as this bitch is, for California it is nothing because we actually have some even stupider. Barbara Boxer and Jerry Brown come to mind. Of course, you might add the occasional Mexican descendant whose child who stabs someone to death and gets off, and who just happens to have been House Speaker, but what the heck.
I'm not sure how to spell Gomorah, but it must rhyme with California. The Sodome part we've got down. Feinstein would put bathhouses on your property if she had the 'power'. Wait, she has the power! She just hasn't proposed it yet.
Banning guns seems a preoccupation of this Jewish princess as it does her counterpart in NY, Chuck Schumer (or Michael Bloomberg). See, it's not the perp but the weapon that causes the crime. Just like it wasn't the Germans but the gas chambers that killed 6 million Jews. If gas chambers had been 'banned', all of those people would be alive today.
What truly frightens is that people like Feinstein actually ran the concentration camps. It was their duty to perform to their party's expectations. They couldn't see the truth beyond the lies they were taught. Forget the Taliban, we have our own 'Tali-libs' here in San Francisco on the public payroll. Evidence indicates they can't see beyond their tyrannical tendencies no matter what. They're blind to the Truth. This ought to scare the shit out of any Californian. It certainly does the thinking ones,anyway.
For those on the East Coast: If we happen to engage and win against the left, fine. You're OK. If we lose, and this shit spreads, it's coming your way. Fine? Good luck, brothers and sisters.
“If the BATF wants to decrease the Mexican violence, I’d support sending their entire agency down there until things are completely cleaned up.”
Hellava good idea. I’ll even take care of their troves of confiscated weapons “until they get back.”
Is she going to keep milking that cow until the teets fall off?
Thinking About Ronald Reagan: On 100th Birthday, He's Remembered for Good Reason
How to Understand Rush Limbaugh
MSNBC's Matthews On Handling Of Egypt: "I Feel Ashamed As An American" (video)
Some noteworthy articles about politics, foreign or military affairs, IMHO, FReepmail me if you want on or off my list.
Regarding the pres. controlling such things, when does "president" end and "dictator" begin?
bump
Attention DIFI - something else you haven’t read:”A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall NOT be infringed.” (emphasis mine)
If I have the money, I have the right to buy and own any weapon, up to and including a nuclear weapon. However, I do NOT have the right to use that weapon, illegally.
KEEP YOUR F’N HANDS OFF ALL GUNS.
The 10-22 is the best pop can killer devise ever made. Hook mine up with a 3 to 10 power scope and it is a laser.
I remember when a brick of 22 cost ten bucks....now they are into the 25 dollar range.
Fienstein is another polictal type that keeps her brain in her wallet.She take it out once in a while to look at it.
They are all out to dismantle the greatest country on the face of the Earth.
Does Fineswine still have both her California and Federal concealed carry gun permits?
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.