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Posts Tagged ‘Barack Obama and Guns’

Obama to Move Swiftly on Guns

Posted in gun rights, Politics, tagged , , , on January 9, 2009| 2 Comments »

Or so it seems based on commentary from folks close to the firearms industry.  The best information on all of this came last Sunday when a number of knowledgeable people were guests on Tom Gresham’s Gun Talk radio program.  These experts included The Shooting Wire‘s Jim Shepherd (by far the best segment of the program), and The War on Guns‘ David Codrea.  Shepard is a longtime veteran of the media and he has well placed sources who tell him that the new administrationwill move on the so-called assault weapons ban sooner rather than later.  Shepard was on the program for the entire second hour with the most important parts of his analysis coming in the last ten minutes.  I can’t do it justice here so I recommend you listen to his comments yourself.

Codrea’s comments were made during the first hour of the program.  Today he also linked to a post by Michael Bane that talks about how the administration will multi-task by taking on the recession and guns at the same time.

Basically, Bane says his insider source explains due to the fact Obama has taken such a beating from the “moonbats” on the left over the Rick Warren inaugural invocation and the fact Obama is installing a third Clinton administration, he has to “rebuild his left-wing creds.”  Taking on the assault weapons ban so soon will burn a huge amount of political capital, but it will “drive a stake in the ground” to prove Obama means what he says about “change” regardless of the consequences.  Plus, the Republicans are so disorganized and the Blue Dogs in his own party are less likely to band together early in his administration that striking early makes sense.  The source also posed that the “gun lobby” is as weak now as it is ever going to be.

After the reaction to his economic stimulus plan by members of his party in the Senate I don’t know if I completely agree with the Blue Dogs not rebelling this soon but the reasons for a quick strike given by Bane’s source (there were a total of six) make sense to me.

Needless to say there are storm clouds on the horizon for gun owners and they are getting darker as January 20th approaches.

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Another Story about Gun Sales in ’08

Posted in gun rights, tagged , on January 5, 2009| Leave a Comment »

This one from Colorado.  According to the Rocky Mountain News,  gun sales reached record levels in Colorado in 2008.  The paper said many attributed the increase to fears that Barack Obama’s election will mean tougher firearms laws.  The paper reports that background checks to clear buyers exceeded 200,000 for the first time in history.   More than a quarter occurred after the Nov. 4 election.

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Ken Blackwell on Eric Holder

Posted in Politics, tagged , on December 17, 2008| Leave a Comment »

Ken Blackwell has a great article over at National Review about Obama’s pick of Eric Holder as Attorney General. While many of Obama’s picks have been applauded, Blackwell points out that even the Washington Post has raised questions about Holder. You can find the article here.

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Obama Nominees Have Consequences for Gun Owners

Posted in gun rights, hunting, tagged , , , , , on December 16, 2008| Leave a Comment »

Gun owners have already been treated to the nomination of anti-gun Eric Holder as Obama’s pick for Attorney General.  Wh should be wary of who he may pick at Interior and EPA as well.

On Friday, December 12, Greg Lawson, Director of Communications for the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance was on NRA News‘  Cam and Company.  Lawson talked to Cam Edwards about the speculation surrounding who will become President-elect Barack Obama’s Secretary of the Interior.  Lawson said two names have moved to the head of the pack: U.S. Representatives Raul M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Mike Thompson (D-CA).

Rep. Grijalva is a favorite of the anti-hunting crowd.  He received a 100 percent rating from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) in each of the last six years.  In Defense of Animals, another large anti-hunting organization, issued an action alert to its followers asking supporters to contact the PResident-elect’s transition team and urge Rep. Grijalva’s appointment.  Additionally, the HSUS’ legislative arm has come out in support of Rep. Grijalva.  Of interest to gun owners, Grijalva was rated an “F” candidate by the NRA in 2008.

Rep. Thompson’s HSUS approval rating last year was 58 percent.  Thompson is a sportsman, a member of the Congressional Sportsmen Caucus, and was endorsed by the NRA-PVF in 2008, receiving a rating of “B+”.  The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance signed a letter, along with other conservation organizations, encouraging his consideration by the new administration.

While many of the daily issues that affect sportsmen are dealt with at the state government level, the Secretary of the Interior wields great influence, overseeing key conservation agencies like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Interested sportsmen are encouraged to contact the Obama transition team and let them know their thoughts on this nomination.  You can contact the head of the team, John Podesta, by faxing 202-682-1867 or emailing John.Podesta@ptt.gov.  You can also click here and send your comments directly to the transition team web site.

Over at EPA, Lisa Jackson’s name has surfaced as a possible nominee to head EPA.  Jackson played a pivotal roll in New Jersey’s cancellation of its balck bear hunting season.  As head of EPA she could do the bidding of the anti-hunting groups by setting rules related to the use of lead ammunition – rules that could be detrimental to hunters and shooters.  She could also play a role in reducing access to public land for hunting.  While the Interior Department has over site of federal lands, the EPA could use environmental concerns as a means of trying to restrict use of those lands.

Sportsmen and gun owners need to remain vigliant.  If Obama appoints individuals with verifiable anti-hunting records, it will be one more sign that Obama’s rhetoric on the campaign trail was meant to divert attention form his real record on issues important to gun owners and sportsmen.

Update: The Campaign Spot is reporting that Obama has chosen Colorado Senator Ken Salazar as Secretary of the Interior.  In 2004, Salazar received a “D” rating from the NRA-PVF but he has been no friend of HSUS.  According to Project Vote Smart, his ratings from HSUS have been no better than 50% and have mostly been 0-25% support for HSUS legislation.

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Obama – Gun Onwers Have Nothing to Fear From Me

Posted in gun rights, Politics, tagged on December 8, 2008| Leave a Comment »

According to an AFP report, Barack Obama said yesterday during a press conference that gun owners have no reason to stock up on guns.

“I believe in common sense gun safety law, and I believe in the second amendment. And so, lawful gun owners have nothing to fear. I’ve said that throughout the campaign. I haven’t indicated anything different during the transition, and I think that people can take me at my word.”

Obama always adds he has no intention of  “taking away folks’ guns.”  True enough. But he has made statements that make it very clear he plans to make it as hard as possible, or in some cases impossible, to get certain types of guns. I think actions speak much louder than words and given Obama’s past record, and the fact that he has announced a very anti-gun nominee for Attorney General, gun owners should be very wary.

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Do Gun Distributors Compete with Gun Dealers

Posted in gun rights, Politics, tagged , , on December 3, 2008| Leave a Comment »

Jim Shepherd writes in today’s Shooting Wire that one of the consequences of the run on tactical rifles is that some of the distributors that service gun retailers end up competing with the folks they are supposed to be servicing. Shepherd writes:
More than one dealer is complaining that one distributor is not only raising prices to dealers, they’re selling that same inventory direct to consumers – for the same price. …As one former dealer told me, “it’s always been up to the dealer to make his own money, a distributor can sell to anyone they please as long as the transaction is completed through an FFL.” But, he confided, he wouldn’t bet on the distributor winning any friends in the dealer ranks.  Some call it an example of supply and demand; others say it’s no different than the “entrepreneurs” who snapped up all the available plywood in their areas and trucked it to the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina. There, they sold that plywood to disaster victims – at astronomical markups.

You can read all of Shepherd’s article here.

Uncertainty is driving gun sales – uncertainty about the economy and political uncertainty. But on the political side, Obama can’t do anything the day he takes office and the legislative process means that it will be weeks, if not months before any potential gun control bill comes up for a vote. So for now, as demand for these firearms continue to outpace manufacturing capacity, patience should be the word of the day.

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AR-style Rifles in Short Supply

Posted in gun rights, tagged , , , , , , on November 21, 2008| Leave a Comment »

On of the hottest items in the increase in gun sales the last couple of months has been AR style semi-automatics.  Many dealers are reporting they are sold out and manufacturers are trying to fill orders as quickly as possible.

Jim Shepherd over at the Shooting Wire reports today that:

…the gorging on AR-style rifles and semiautomatic pistols continues unabated. In fact, some retailers tell us that consumers upon hearing there are no AR-style rifles available (a commonly heard story growing even more common daily) are immediately snapping up semiauto pistols and ammunition.

Sebastian told Ahab on Gun Nuts Radio earlier this week that buyers can take a long view.  Obama does not take office until January 20th.  It’s not like on January 21st that he signs a gun ban.  The bills will not be introduced until the new congress convenes and then they have to wind there way through committee before making to the floor for a vote.  “We are talking weeks if not months after Obama takes office,” Sebastian said.  He’s right.  If you don’t have the money right now to make a purchase or your favorite dealer is out of the firearm you want to purchase, you have some time before you have to worry about a ban becoming law.

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Holder at Justice a Diasater for Gun Owners

Posted in gun rights, Politics, tagged , , on November 19, 2008| Leave a Comment »

Word is Barack Obama has chosen another Clintonista, former Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder to serve as the next Attorney General.  Holder is no friend of the Second Amendment.  Dave Kopel writes in this month’s NRA magazine America’s First Freedom that Holder was one of the individuals that signed on to the Reno amicus brief supporting the D.C. gun ban in the Heller Case.  That brief claimed that every Justice Department since Franlin Roosevelt through Clinton always believed that the Second Amendment did not protect an individual right to guns for personal use.  After the decision came down from the Court that the Second Amendment does indeed cover an individual right to keep and bear arms Holder complained it would mean greater access to firearms and more guns on the street.

Obama is batting three for three on attacking gun owners.  First he appoints Clinton’s gun control point man, Rahm Emmanuel, as his Chief of Staff.  Then he posts a very specific gun control agenda on his transition web site.  Now he appoints Eric Holder as Attorney General.

If you are not an NRA member and a member of your state gun rights (all of them) organizations, join them today because we are going to need every gun owner in this battle.

Update: More on Eric Holder can be found here.

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Gun Rights Activists React to Obama Questionnaire

Posted in gun rights, Politics, tagged , , , , , on November 17, 2008| Leave a Comment »

Last week the blogosphere was all abuzz with talk about question number 59 on the Obama Employment Questionnaire.  That is the question asking prospective administration employees

“Do you or any members of your immediate family own a gun?  If so, provide complete ownership and registration information.  Has the registration ever lapsed?  Please also describe how and by whom it is used and whether it has been the cause of any personal injuries or property damage.”

Jake Tapper, ABC News’ Senior White House Correspondent, referred to the questionnaire this morning on his blog as a list of “intrusive and extensive” questions.   

Cam Edwards covered the topic extensively on his Thursday and Friday shows and NRA’s Executive Vice President, Wayne LaPierre was interviewed by NRA News‘ Ginny Simone about what has become known as “question #59.”  Tapper writes that South Carolina Congressman Jim Demint has also jumped into the fray saying,

“I am deeply disturbed that President-elect Obama is asking job applicants whether they or members of their family own guns. Millions of law-abiding Americans own firearms and they should not be discriminated against. The questionnaire already seeks information about illegal activity so there is no reason to ask this question unless the Obama Administration plans to use it to discriminate based on lawful activity. For this reason, I will seek to enact legislation to prohibit this type of discrimination.”

Is this much to-do about nothing?  Obama’s minions say yes.  They told Tapper that the question is not about discriminating against gun owners, but is meant to insure anyone with a gun has one within the “parameters of the law.”  They compare question #59 to the one about whether the prospective employee has had run-ins with the law over any law or regulation, or ever gotten a traffic ticket of more than $50 in fines.

Bill Bennett’s guest host this morning, Kevin Wall, said the questionnaire is a way for the Obama transition team to make sure they don’t run into the problems that Clinton ran into to with some of his nominees in the first term.

Forgive me it I think something else is afoot.  Obama has shown a disdain for guns and gun owners his entire public life.  This is just one more reason not to trust the guy when it comes to our gun rights.

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The Story That Will Not Go Away

Posted in gun rights, Politics, tagged , , , on November 8, 2008| Leave a Comment »

Another local Richmond television station (WRIC TV8) ran a segment last night on gun sales – this time the angle is the run is a by-product of the Obama election victory.  Before the stories were how people were preparing for a possible Obama win.  Gun owner fears were correct – yesterday the Official Transistion web site went live and under “Agenda” you will find a section on “Urban Policy” and under that section you will find a section on “Crime and Law Enforcement.”  That section states:

Address Gun Violence in Cities: As president, Barack Obama would repeal the Tiahrt Amendment, which restricts the ability of local law enforcement to access important gun trace information, and give police officers across the nation the tools they need to solve gun crimes and fight the illegal arms trade. Obama and Biden also favor commonsense measures that respect the Second Amendment rights of gun owners, while keeping guns away from children and from criminals who shouldn’t have them. They support closing the gun show loophole and making guns in this country childproof. They also support making the expired federal Assault Weapons Ban permanent, as such weapons belong on foreign battlefields and not on our streets.

ABC Nightline ran a segment last night on the surge in gun sales as a reaction by gun owners to the Obama Victory. 

AR-15s appear to be in short supply according to the story.  They also had to take the “drive-by” swipe at the NRA saying the organization had scared gun owners into believing Obama was going to take our guns.  Shouldn’t expect anything less from the media.  Fact is NRA never said Obama was going to take our guns – they did warn that he would do everything he could to make it harder to buy new ones – guns like semi-auto firearms.  NRA was right.

I said Obama would try to strike while the iron was hot and it appears I was correct.

Gun Owners, we are in for a rough four years.

Update: A gun shop owner in Arizona was interviewed for a Reuters story and he shares my thoughts on this issue:

I’d rather that (Republican Sen. John) McCain got in and there’s not a big scare and we just followed our normal sales,” Chee told Reuters, rather than say right now we are going to make a lot of money for a few months, and then in a few months, possibly, our business could be shut down.

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