Stroke of the pen, law of the land
Obama exploring executive orders for gun control. Seriously, the conflation of gun safety or violence with gun control is silly. As to the proposals, nothing specific. But it is interesting that the article notes how Wal Mart didn’t plan on attending and now does.
January 9th, 2013 at 4:15 pm
Be gone with your pesky constitution!
I’m waiting for BHO to announce he has dissolved Parliament.
January 9th, 2013 at 4:17 pm
Yep, here it comes. I have been fearful of his Exec Order abuse for months if he were re-elected, and here we are.
January 9th, 2013 at 4:23 pm
Picking a fight: It is inevitable that a hot headed gun owner or two will resort to a “Second Amendment Remedy” in response to any new draconian rule or law. Once that happens, expect the President to declare martial law, and the TSA VIPR teams will be busy.
January 9th, 2013 at 4:34 pm
It was only a matter of time.
January 9th, 2013 at 4:34 pm
The lines are being drawn.
January 9th, 2013 at 4:35 pm
Not the law of my land. I took an oath.
January 9th, 2013 at 4:36 pm
No way, i call bullshit. I mean everyone said during the campaign that BHO was no threat to our guns. The woookie suiters were sure romney wold be just as bad. So this must be just a gag. Can’t be happening. We were all “winning” just a month ago,, right?
January 9th, 2013 at 4:37 pm
Yeah, he knows it’s unlikely any new legislation will pass, so he’s going to try the Executive Order end-around. I’m not the least bit surprised. Never waste a good crisis, I guess… Sometimes makes me wonder if the crisis was manufactured to order.
January 9th, 2013 at 4:38 pm
Not sure how one can use an executive order in the gun case. Executive orders need to be issued to federal agencies, and can’t contradict an existing law. So, while he can order no more background checks to be processed, but that would just trigger the 3-day delay provision. He can’t change the NFA definitions as those are written in a law and need to be redone via a law. I think that’s reason why it’s put up as the big bogey man thread but without anyone (not even the Brady campaign) making concrete proposals for what he should order.
January 9th, 2013 at 4:42 pm
OK, raise your hand if you DIDN’T see this one coming.
It will be an EO. My best guess: complete ban on importation of all semi-automatic handguns, rifles, magazines, or parts. That’s completely legit under the GCA of ’68, and can be implemented without Congressional debate by the Treasury Secretary.
As for the domestic market: EOs and new regulations governing “dangerous substances and chemicals” used in the manufacture of firearms and ammunition. These will be so onerous and expensive that anyone involved in making firearms or firearms parts will be driven out of business.
Next step beyond that: “gun buyback” programs funded by the federal government, with additional rewards for the surrender of semi-automatic firearms and standard capacity magazines. This can be an amendment to a “must-pass” bill like the NDAA.
Next step beyond that: New regulations under ObamaCare that stipulate gun ownership as a significant “health risk factor”. Individuals who desire to enroll through the Exchanges will be required to certify that they do not own firearms. Failure to certify will delay health insurance enrollment indefinitely, for the individual and his/her family. (Note: Any NRA-inserted provisions will have been struck out or nullifed via regulation.)
See? No need to bother Congress with the pesky details. Not a single Democrat will vote for gun control, so no electoral backlash will take place. Just a slow, steady, unremitting whittling until only very, very few retain arms.
And then? Well…. History is a cruel bitch, and her lessons will not be ignored.
January 9th, 2013 at 4:51 pm
@Mu: The definitions for the NFA are not as fixed as you think. 26 USC 5845 defines a “machine gun” as any weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. The term shall also include the frame or receiver of any such weapon, any part designed and intended solely and exclusively, or combination of parts designed and intended, for use in converting a weapon into a machinegun, and any combination of parts from which a machinegun can be assembled if such parts are in the possession or under the control of a person.
All he has to do is designate the receiver of a semiautomatic weapon as being a part which can be readily used to assemble a machine gun. Stroke of the pen, every semi auto in the country becomes a machine gun, which cannot be registered if manufactured after 1986.
January 9th, 2013 at 4:53 pm
@Divemedic
And then what?
January 9th, 2013 at 4:54 pm
After the first felony, the rest are free!
January 9th, 2013 at 4:57 pm
I expect an approach involving taxes or fees through the BATF or environmental restrictions on ammo through the EPA. Either of those could be done without law, and while they could be challenged in court, we just saw what the Supreme Court thought of the ability to use a tax to trample on civil rights through Obamacare.
January 9th, 2013 at 4:59 pm
I wonder how many people will be saying “but he can’t do that!” after he does it.
January 9th, 2013 at 4:59 pm
@ bluesun: I suspect the first attempted confiscations will start in states with registration. I doubt it will take long after that for the shooting to start, and then things will go to hell.
January 9th, 2013 at 5:02 pm
And all my left leaning friends called me “crazy” at suggesting Obama would look to go this route before he was re-elected.
January 9th, 2013 at 5:03 pm
Mu,
Remember the incident with the Airsoft guns that ATF said were “readily restored” to machine guns? I can see Obama issuing an executive order for ATF to review the rules on this issue and use that precedent to pull most semi-autos into the NFA.
Of course, if he can get a ban through Congress, he’ll be on more firm footing, so I think he will try that first, but if the House blocks him, he may try to swing for the fences since “we can’t wait for Congress!”
January 9th, 2013 at 5:09 pm
Also, regarding Wal-Mart, I posted this earlier at Sebastian’s:
Ok, everybody, don’t call stores, call corporate. Here’s the number: (479)273-4000
That gets you the home office. Tell them you want to express an opinion and they’ll immediately transfer you to another line where you will talk to a real person who will take your comment and record the call.
They are getting calls going both ways right now. They said that they have made not decisions going forward except to hear what Biden’s group says and then weigh that with the comments from their customers.
So start calling. Have your family and friends call. Overwhelm their switchboard with calls and we may keep them on our side. We just have to show them that the numbers are in favor of the Second Amendment.
January 9th, 2013 at 5:14 pm
@ Jake: not just them, but remember ATF has extensive firearms purchase records. Defunct dealers that sent their bound books in, the large retailers like Cheaper than Dirt, Dicks, and WalMart that play ball and voluntarily give up records, and others. Remember the DC sniper, and how the ATF had a record of who in the DC area owned certain weapons?
The resulting raids will be enough for a few gunfights, after which the President will have enough reason to either get Congress to give him the bill he wants, or a declaration of martial law.
January 9th, 2013 at 5:22 pm
So its coming to an Executive Order versus a Civic Order.
January 9th, 2013 at 5:33 pm
This can’t happen I voted for Gary Johnson
January 9th, 2013 at 5:33 pm
The left claims they support civil rights, especially the 4th and 5th Amendments, but will be happy to have Obama trample them for gun control—not remembering the old adage, “what goes around, comes around”.
January 9th, 2013 at 6:03 pm
“The left claims they support civil rights…”
You have to understand that by “civil rights” they’re not necessarily referring to the inalienable rights protected by the Constitution.
January 9th, 2013 at 7:13 pm
I called Walmart and left a comment with their urgent support team or whatever they called themselves, expressing my desire as a customer that Walmart firmly stand against any gun control. Asked the lady how many calls they’re getting, and she said ‘a few, but not too many’. FYI.
January 9th, 2013 at 9:30 pm
It is inevitable that a hot headed gun owner or two will resort to a “Second Amendment Remedy” in response to any new draconian rule or law.
Don’t fool yourself; millions of Leftists are wishing, hoping, praying for that right now.
The bad faith on that side of things is so thick that I can’t even immediately dismiss the notion that some Leftist somewhere isn’t pondering a false-flag kamikaze attack to push this over the top should it look like they won’t get anything.
It makes sense that this issue is the one that deranges Lefties the most; it’s the one point on which their assault on individual rights has actually been in a slow retreat, as opposed to merely having their advance slowed down.
January 9th, 2013 at 9:33 pm
Joe Biden is at least as batshit crazy as he was in the VP debate so his comments might mean a great deal, or nothing. I think the most accurate analysis that I have seen is that Biden came to the realization that the NRA has the votes to defeat the AWB and is trying to lower expectations on the left.
Hubris begets Nemesis. Liberals are, as Joe Biden would say, literally, out of control and the Elders of the democratic party must be shuddering to think of what awaits them in 2014 if they don’t rein this in.
Some of the predictions of revolution in the post apocalyptic wasteland have made great reading and I have already cut one of the sleeves off my motorcycle jacket in anticipation, but I think that the most likely outcome is that Obama, once he realizes that he is headed for a humiliating defeat, will make some small changes through EO at the margins and declare victory.
On the other hand, Obama’s arrogance is nearly boundless; I could easily be wrong so I better have the V-8 Interceptor (OK, minivan) gassed up and ready to go.
January 9th, 2013 at 9:34 pm
Re; Walmart, it might help, if you get the chance, to makre sure that they realize that they won’t be gaining Lefty customers to replace the pro-liberty ones lost. At best, those who hate Walmart now will give them about ten minutes of cursory applause right before going back to attacking them as usual.
Pity they didn’t realize that before they came down for Obamacare.
January 9th, 2013 at 9:40 pm
the Elders of the democratic party must be shuddering to think of what awaits them in 2014 if they don’t rein this in.
I wish, but not likely. 2012 has emboldened all of them like never before; it is that, not so much the body count, that potentially separates 2013 from 1999. After the Republicans blew that chipshot in 2012, you can’t blame them for wondering what they could get away with, nearly two years away from 2014.
January 9th, 2013 at 10:45 pm
Like any good magician, we should be watching the ‘other hand’ There is so much media/net noise on this for cover, I wonder what else ‘they’ are doing/planning where the ‘other hand’ is. I have no doubt ‘they’ will do everything they can to limit the 2A, but “What’s behind the curtain”?
January 10th, 2013 at 5:42 am
Seerak, I am genuinely puzzled by what I’m seeing. One thing is certain, the lie of “compromise” on “reasonable gun control” is exposed. They are going for the whole enchilada and we need to be communicating that to every gun owner so that they can never get away with it again.
January 10th, 2013 at 11:10 am
People need to wake up, even if they’re not gunowners, that anyone who wants to disarm others while they stay armed are evil people. It’s the way criminals operate.
The “useful idiots” ask, “why does anyone need a semi-automatic?”
Because they are the most effective guns for self-defense; especially against multiple assailants or intruders.
Remember: ONLY YOUR ENEMY WANTS YOU DISARMED
January 10th, 2013 at 12:17 pm
Thanks for the voice of reason, Steve.
Some of the comments here give me flashbacks to the Black Helicopter days of the early ’90s, where a good percentage of American gun owners were convinced Bill Clinton was preparing to allow an invasion of the US by peacekeeping troops of the UN.
January 10th, 2013 at 2:11 pm
And while the media is in full meltdown over this…what AREN’T they reporting on?
January 10th, 2013 at 2:26 pm
Just checked the mags on my LCP, SR9, P226s & P229. They are all made in Italy, some of the SIG factory mags even say Mec Gar on the opposite side.
A quick EO to ban all imported magazines would indeed put a crimp in the industry. And fast.
Sure, PMags are made here in the USA, as are my Mini 14 and P95 mags. But shutting off the magazine supply for thousands of domestically-produced firearms would slow things down for a bit.