It was supposed to be the thunderous confirmation that Gun Control was here to stay and that the evil forces of the NRA and its minions (Gun Owners) were about to be thrown down the precipice of history. Foils were being unwrapped from the champagne bottles at the HQs of all Gun Control Groups.
It turned into flat soda.
According to The Ulsterman Report, there was real concerns that the original ideas were going to come back to bite Democrats so hard in the buttinski they wouldn’t even be covered by Obamacare. If rumors are to be believed, Congress was flooded by calls/faxes/emails in the rate of nine against any new Gun Control against one in favor. Those are not good numbers in anybody’s Government specially if you consider how much bad press, aspersions and name calling were used against guns and gun owners in general. It was a huge expenditure of political capital that resulted in negative returns as people flocked to buy more guns, magazines and ammunition and the NRA picks up 250,000 new members.
This is not to say they are done. Allow me to expose my Firefly-Geek credentials for a second and quote from Shepherd Derrial Book:
They’ll come at you sideways. It’s how they think. It’s how they move. Sidle up and smile. Hit you where you’re weak. Sort of man they’re like to send believes hard. Kills and never asks why.
They will present a new front when Sen. Feinstein introduces her all-compassing gun control bill. I predict that it will also get a “me” specially since NY State went full blow stupid with a similar law that without doubt will be challenged in court and hopefully harpooned to death. If that happens, the Gun Control Bill of 2014 will go into the shredder, specially if killing is done by SCOTUS late summer 2016, right before midterms. They do not want another electoral massacre like in 1994 where after 60 years of absolute control, the Democrats lost the Capitol Building.
The following are my thoughts about the Executive Orders as I read them yesterday. I might probably change some stuff later as I get better versed on some dark areas, but I wanted to leave the initial thoughts I had.
Here are the directives
1. Issue a Presidential Memorandum to require federal agencies to make relevant data available to the federal background check system.
(Is this an admission that they were not doing it in the first place?)
2. Address unnecessary legal barriers, particularly relating to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, that may prevent states from making information available to the background check system.
(I saw this addressed before and with the non-forced commitment for dangerous patients is one of the reasons we have so many problems with really dangerous individuals loose. Expect resistance from ACLU on this one.)
3. Improve incentives for states to share information with the background check system.
(Actually the NICS system should me streamlined and improved to reduce the huge amounts of false positives it gives.)
4. Direct the Attorney General to review categories of individuals prohibited from having a gun to make sure dangerous people are not slipping through the cracks.
(Danger Will Robinson. Remember we have an administration that has an Enemy’s list and they are not the ones wearing turbans. And this AG shouldn’t even be in the job anyway.)
5. Propose rule making to give law enforcement the ability to run a full background check on an individual before returning a seized gun.
(Here I smell BS. If a firearm was seized means an individual was arrested and/or charged with a crime. If released or acquitted and the individual is not a prohibited person, his property must be returned. Some jurisdictions are already notorious for dragging their asses in returning firearms to lawful individuals.)
6. Publish a letter from ATF to federally licensed gun dealers providing guidance on how to run background checks for private sellers.
(Jesus! I almost choked when I read this one. After Fast & Furious and the “It is OK , Joe, go ahead and sell them the 50 AKs”? Seriously?
7. Launch a national safe and responsible gun ownership campaign.
(All of you wanna bet the NRA will not be invited to use the most effective campaigns ever designed for responsible gun ownership? Don’t expect Eddie Eagle to be in this White House anytime before 2018.)
8. Review safety standards for gun locks and gun safes (Consumer Product Safety Commission).
(Feel good BS. Most USA manufacturers do a great job producing magnificent safes. One only has to go to Youtube and see the torture tests.)
9. Issue a Presidential Memorandum to require federal law enforcement to trace guns recovered in criminal investigations.
(Oh I am sure detectives everywhere are going “Gee! How come I never thought of that before!. Good idea Mr. President!”)
10. Release a DOJ report analyzing information on lost and stolen guns and make it widely available to law enforcement.
(Hmmm, if it starts something like “80% of all the guns submitted for tracing by Mexican authorities and found in Mexican Drug crimes scenes come from the United States” I may have to wonder about effectiveness of this measure.)
11. Nominate an ATF director.
(Time to get rid of the ATF altogether. The Alcohol and Tobacco revenue was transferred to the Dep. of Agriculture. Make new legislation transferring firearms investigations to the FBI and making sure NONE of the actual department heads or supervisors get a free trip to become part of the FBI or have nothing to do with firearms enforcement.)
12. Provide law enforcement, first responders, and school officials with proper training for active shooter situations.
(Gee! Ya frigging think? Oh wait… school officials get to attack active shooters with rulers and waste baskets.)
13. Maximize enforcement efforts to prevent gun violence and prosecute gun crime.
(You know they were saying “Mr President, we need to make the list longer. Generic statements OK?”)
14. Issue a Presidential Memorandum directing the Centers for Disease Control to research the causes and prevention of gun violence.
(CDC could not find squat the first time around so I will let them have it again with the proviso that a strict peer review must be done before ANY announcement of findings.)
15. Direct the Attorney General to issue a report on the availability and most effective use of new gun safety technologies and challenge the private sector to develop innovative technologies.
(Smart Gun Part…. three I think. The idea of Lawgiver does wet their pants. Very popular with lots of people except for those who actually know guns as it is a very unsafe technology.)
16. Clarify that the Affordable Care Act does not prohibit doctors asking their patients about guns in their homes.
(And patients will tell doctors to go perform unnatural acts on themselves…or simply lie.)
17. Release a letter to health care providers clarifying that no federal law prohibits them from reporting threats of violence to law enforcement authorities.
(Oh so they didn’t know that already? Or maybe they were confused with all the legal carp coming down from Washington?)
18. Provide incentives for schools to hire school resource officers.
(Holy crap… I can feel the pain here…. Having to admit the NRA was right? OUCH!)
19. Develop model emergency response plans for schools, houses of worship and institutions of higher education.
(All due respect, leave that to the local people in charge. They know what they have and what they need. We wouldn’t want a supreme blind directive from DC mock up what happens in the real world just as what happened with School Lunches.)
20. Release a letter to state health officials clarifying the scope of mental health services that Medicaid plans must cover.
(I have no frigging idea what this have to do with the matter at hand.)
21. Finalize regulations clarifying essential health benefits and parity requirements within ACA exchanges.
(See #20)
22. Commit to finalizing mental health parity regulations.
(I’ll let somebody explain this and the 2 before on in the comment section.)
23. Launch a national dialogue led by Secretaries Sebelius and Duncan on mental health.
(This is one that will go nowhere. The denstitutionalization of mental health patients was the great Civil Rights achievement for the white Hippies in the 60s. The concept is so entrenched right now, I doubt they will have support from their side to even get it started.)
Not sure how true it is but according to nymag Obama did not sign any executive orders. If that’s the case, it is an important technical distinction. Couple that with how most of them are worded “launch a discussion blah blah blah” and they all sound even more feckless and noncommittal.
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/01/obama-23-executive-orders-actions-gun-control.html
from what I read it was 3 presidential findings and one proclamation…all of which IIRC have the force of law…same as EO’s
#5 is to give access to NICS to law enforcement. Currently, they only have access to criminal history.
#6 I have a copy of the letter, it just tells FFLs that it’s ok to collect a fee for transfer and to treat transfer like a normal sale, except the seller keeps the money. They only have to log the transfer in the bound book. If they only did a NICS and no 4473, I bet more people would do this voluntarily.
#10 He’s wanting participation from all the states to require reporting of lost and stolen guns from the theft victims.
#13 He’s specifically talking about prosecuting prohibited persons attempting to possess a firearm and prosecuting straw buyers on the federal level.
#18 Having to admit the NRA was right? OUCH! LOL and at a cost of a billion dollars to the tax payers. The NRA offered to do it for free.
#20 This it to target 750,000 people under 25 years old with mental health issues, presumably to get them into the database. look out for Project AWARE
#21 and #22 is to extend medicade for mental health treatment
What’s also included, but not publicized is some movement to ban armor piercing ammunition. There was a claim that although it’s against the law to manufacture or import, it’s not against the law to posses. and:
Eliminate restrictions that force the ATF to authorize importation of dangerous
weapons simply because of their age: ATF is required to authorize the
importation of certain “curio or relic” firearms, and outdated regulations include
all firearms manufactured more than 50 years ago in the definition of “curio or
relic.” But today, firearms manufactured more than 50 years ago include large
numbers of semiautomatic military-surplus rifles, some of which are easily
convertible into machine guns or otherwise appealing for use in crime. Congress
should get rid of restrictions that prevent ATF from changing this definition,
enabling ATF to ensure that firearms imported as curios or relics are actually of
interest as collectibles, rather than letting these rules be used as a way to acquire
fully functional and powerful military weapons.
They’re going after the Mosins and other C&Rs
With two States making pot smoking legal and others legal for medical reasons, it will be interesting to see how Federal Gun Laws will effect the purchase of firearms say in Colorado? And how the Doctor/ patient infromation will be used?
States rights?
I’ve wondered how that will work as well considering at least some states have provisions that make it illegal to sell a firearm to a known drug addict or habitual substance user.
1. Who decides what’s relevant? Our worst enemies?
2. Possible confidentiality issues here.
3. Ayup.
4. Enemies list: check. Irony is thick with Holder of Fast and Furious infamy leading the way.
5.This is a free pass for LE to deny return of the gun on trumped up “something or other”.
6. John-boy can’t sell (give, or will, either) his gun to his friend Jim-bob without the consent of the goobermint. There will be a fee. This borders on the outer limits of executive orders. Smacks of being a royal decree. The People’s Demokratik Republik of Kollyvornia (PDRK) already does this.
7. Eddie eagle will never see the White House again. We have reached a tipping point this last election where the socialist voters outnumber the Patriots.
8. Useless as tits on a boar hawg.
9. This can only be meant to shame the last legal owner of the gun.
10. More padding of “crime gun” numbers.
11. Ayup.
12. Yeah, right. “Proper training”, but NOT PROPER WEAPONS!
13. Prosecute crime, O.K. Prevent gun violence? Only way to do that is to steal, er “confiscate” everyone’s guns. Ain’t gonna happen in this country. Best way I know to start a war with the people. This really sounds like a royal decree.
14. Didn’t pick the right “peers” last time. This time he means to get the results he wants, not the truth.
15. LEOs and the military want nothing to do with this “technology”. Why should we be saddled with it? Is the government planning on disabling “smart guns” with an EMP?
16. Ayup.
17. Ayup.
18. They aren’t admitting any such thing. They hate that the NRA came up with it first, and have no shame about stealing it, and ignoring the NRA. However, I subscribe to let teachers and principals who are willing carry to do so. Resource officers smacks of “TSA for tots”.
19. Ayup.
20. Apparently, lip service to the mental health issue.
21. See 20.
22. See 20. Whole lotta nuthin’ here.
23. Ayup.
So. Most of this is just window dressing, but there is some expansion of powers, much of which is the wrong thing to do. But there is room for corruption and abuse, especially where he gave LEOs a free pass to just keep any gun they seize. At least he didn’t really issue a royal decree and just ban them, thus making himself king. He’s leaving the real attacks for Congress, where I believe they’ll fail. Too many live in districts where they stand a good chance of being thrown out if they vote for this. Feinstein will introduce her draconian bill, as she is bombproof int he PDRK, but Congress will shred it.
What if the Obamao came out with a 23 item executive order on restrictions for the first amendment?
How do you think that would go over?
And why should there be no restrictions on the first and restrictions of the second?
The answer is that the progs and libs don’t want the second amendment but if they get rid of the second amendment the first amendment will be next. But they are too stupid to see that.
There are multiple, long-standing and accepted restrctions to freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom to assembly, freedom of the press and ability to petition the government. I am perfectly happy with the second amendment but it also must be subject to appropriate regulations for the common good/public safety No law currenly proposed can be construed to confiscate guns from any law-abiding citizen.
Are you required a Background check to buy books? Must you be fingerprinted to attend you local church?
I am all for the Second Amendment to be restricted the same way the First is…
then you aren’t paying attention to the fine print. Or did you miss what happened in the State of New York? 1.Lets see they rammed through a restrictions bill in the middle of the night behind closed doors.
2. the Journal News put up an interactive map up on their website with the names and addresses of every permit holder in two counties…
3.. since last week 2 of those homes have been broken into. One just yesterday. The breakers cracked 2 safes and walked off with a 3rd, all of the guns in those safes AND the permit paperwork for them. You really don’t want to know what I think should be done about that one.
4. That useless idiot of a Governor in Maryland is talking about trying to pass similar if not even more stringent laws in Maryland
5.Diana Feinstein that shrill dictatorial ‘do as I say, not as I do” shrew from California will be proposing what everyone who has leaked it or read it, has said is downright nasty and won’t just ban weapons to be sold yet but will also all those already legally out there., a long with restrictions on magazines that hold 10 or more for any weapon.
That one passes and starts being enforced you can expect the dying to start.
6. What part of “shall not be infringed” do people not grok? I mean seriously? the point of the 2nd amendment was never about hunting. If you didn’t hunt back then you didn’t eat. It was never about sportsmanship..they didn’t DO competitions like we do now. Private individuals owned everything from pistols to cannons.
7. As for the asinine argument that some are bringing up in this debate[note Barbara I’m not saying you specifically on this one because YOU haven’t made this argument…] that our forefathers couldn’t possibly have imagined the weapons we have today that fire rounds rapid fire singly or on full automatic?
Horseshit. the first gatling gun was invented and used in 1861.Less than 90 years after the passage of our constitution. One of our founding fathers Ben Franklin was an inventor and tinkerer and if you don’t think he didn’t see the advent of multishot weapons….
The Nock Gun…a 7 barrel smooth bore musket invented in 1779.
The Pepperpot…a multibarrel pistol invented in the frelling 15th century. most popular in the 1800’s though. Generally a 4 shot.
Many derringers or pocket pistols were multiple barrel in many cases, between 2-4.
8. The 2nd amendment is about defense from a tyrannical, oppressive or corrupt government. Our federal government and some states are certainly embodying the last 2 and are rapidly approaching the 1st. Ensuring the citizens have weapons parity as much as possible. That’s why it says “the right of the PEOPLE to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed” instead of the right of the militias. Don’t think a people can deal with a corrupt government if need be? Google The Battle of Athens, also called the McMinn County War.
The 2nd amendment is the only “gun permit” any of us need. The rest is unconstitutional bullshit. The only laws on the books for restrictions should be in the case of convicted felons not being allowed to own guns, and the option to make it a death penalty case if they use one in the commission of a crime. Whether anyone is actually harmed with that weapon or not.
I think politically, we’re hammering them good. As far as ignorance of the public, had an interesting talk where a member of an RP forum I’m in basically tell me he thinks we should all go back to 5-round bolt action rifles and 6-shot revolvers with his definition of an ‘assault weapon’ basically encompassing any and all semi-automatic weapons.
That dude is a darwin award winner waiting to be collected. I SWEAR[loudly and profanely] that if it weren’t for warning labels on every frelling thing most of these moronical automatons would have self selected for extinction and wiped themselves off the planet by now. Thereby saving us all a whole lot of trouble