About those gun reforms
Looks the Obama administration may go the executive order route:
But in a nod to the difficulties of getting legislation through a Republican-run House of Representatives, only executive orders or administrative actions — and not an actual bill — are expected to be handed to Congress.
And:
Administration officials were coy on the specifics, from the reforms the Department of Justice would recommend or when it would actually make those recommendations.
Lacking any specifics or no real plan at all?
July 11th, 2011 at 10:05 am
Probably a combination, which includes “How badly are Democrats up for reelection screaming about the consequences?”
July 11th, 2011 at 10:11 am
This will not end well.
July 11th, 2011 at 10:17 am
“Lacking any specifics or no real plan at all?”
So basically it’s just like his Presidency so far?
July 11th, 2011 at 10:19 am
If they actually did this there could be two positive outcomes 1) it would upset enough of the vocal Right to maybe push Obama out in 2012 and 2) being executive orders it would be easy enough for the next President to reverse.
If the orders are crazy enough it might actually prompt reasonable measures on the next go around.
July 11th, 2011 at 10:49 am
III
July 11th, 2011 at 10:52 am
Contrary to popular belief, the president can’t do whatever he wants via executive order.
Unless the Congress and Supreme Court stand by and let him.
July 11th, 2011 at 10:54 am
Except for the fact that the Dems control the Senate and won’t let a vote to overide the EOs come to the floor.
July 11th, 2011 at 10:59 am
Case 1: Reform disfunctional govt approach which we really need. (Waco, Ruby Ridge, Gun Walker, etc.) Unlikely, but could help him in 2012.
Case 2: Backdoor gun control pandering to the left. Likely I fear, and he begins “slouching toward impeachment”.
Case 3: A please-everybody approach will just serve to piss off everyone and pleases no one.
July 11th, 2011 at 11:02 am
I’m inclined to say that he’s just “talkin’ shit”, because of the vagueness and delays, but as president there are things that he can do, so it’s not a good idea to tempt fate.
How far he goes may depend on how much political risk he wants to take, though his political position now is so weak that it would be imprudent for him to take much risk, if any. Still, he may feel the need to “do something” to appease his leftist base, though that is not really necessary, since they will be voting for him regardless. If he goes too far, he’ll have the political right a whoopin’ and a hollerin’, and a wavin’ their fearsome tommyhawks and scalpin’ knives in the air (I keep mine sharp).
His best bet is to try to appeal to independents, but how he’s going to make any difference on gun control among independents by taking only limited, and ultimately token gestures on gun control is beyond me. His best bet would be to do almost nothing, though with his administration’s series of missteps, I expect him to do too much and then have it come back on him on election day. Obama has been fleshing out the details of his one-term, political obituary, and I expect that terminal trend to continue. There’s too much economic pain in the country for the American people to continue with his sorry excuse for leadership. Change? Check. Hope? Not yet, but maybe after 2012.
July 11th, 2011 at 11:06 am
Anointed One issues Edict, ATF runs with it, Formally Law-Abiding Gun Owner gets arrested and charged and Guns Confiscated, and after 3 years in Court, is found Unconstitutional, but the Formally Law- Abiding Gun Owner has shelled out $100,000 in Lawyers Fees to fight the Bastards, but he’ll never get his guns back, because ATF has already destroyed them.
Multiply by 10, a 100, a 1,000…..
July 11th, 2011 at 11:37 am
I think he has no concrete plans to bring anything forward. I think he has some feelers out there, but there only seems to be some sad sack nod to some crap can background check mechanism that he will try to will through. I think this is really more a sign of his weakness than anything else. He threatens some executive action but cannot be specific about it. The only thing he can nod toward is extra background checks? Seriously? I mean What happened to all bluster about an AWB reinstatement? I guess that is what happens when you are running for reelection. I hope he likes losing Pennsylvania and New Hampshire!
July 11th, 2011 at 11:49 am
Maybe the congress and judiciary should be reminded that they don’t get secret service protection.
July 11th, 2011 at 12:20 pm
I seem to remember a President using an EO to ban the importation of rifles that had no sporting purpose. Does anyone here think that this can’t happen again?
July 11th, 2011 at 12:38 pm
I’ll believe it when I see it. This administration tends to talk more than anything else, and not just on gun control.
July 11th, 2011 at 12:53 pm
This is what I have been expecting.
I look for a broad, overreaching EO which covers a lot of things I like (e.g. non-10 round magazines and black rifles).
July 11th, 2011 at 2:44 pm
These EO’s are evil things. They should only apply to employees in the Federal gov’t carrying out laws passed by Congress.
Pertaining to “the militia” and gun laws,the Federal Gov’t only has delegated power “for governing such part of them (militia) as may be EMPLOYED in the SERVICE of the United States” (Article I, Section 8.16)
Any EO which goes outside this delegated power is UNLAWFUL and should be regarded as criminal and tyrannical.
July 11th, 2011 at 7:48 pm
There IS a plan, but it’s pretty close hold at DOJ, and it will be by EO (can we say fiat?) And yes, it will take years to overturn one…
July 11th, 2011 at 8:52 pm
>being executive orders it would be easy enough for the next President to reverse.
Yep, That 922(r) imported parts count nonsense put into place by Bush the first didn’t last very long, did it?
Sure it would be easy, if they wanted to do it.
July 11th, 2011 at 9:47 pm
http://www.nraila.org/News/Read/NewsReleases.aspx?ID=15313
Is that seriously the best the antigunners can muster, even though it’s just ridiculous?
“multiple rifle sales reporting?”
July 11th, 2011 at 10:51 pm
And the multiple rifle sales reporting will be only on the four border states.
How long do you think it will take for the drug runners and ATF to just buy guns in other states and run them south.
I mean silly regulations invoke transparent evasions.
Obama will give a big talk, do something to get the press to say ‘gee wiz’ and then move on to his next vacation.