Archive for the 'Gun Control' Category

Substack.

The bill requires a psychological evaluation of a minimum of three, likely four, possibly five people before granting each license. Could be eight or more in a big household. Let’s say four on average.

There were over 100-million-gun owners in the United States at the beginning of 2020. The “Covid-19 toilet paper hoarder prepper” gun-buying-spike, the “BLM fear of police” gun-buying-spike, the “suburban fear of police defunding” gun-buying-spike, and the “fear of gun controlling politicians seizing guns” gun-buying-spike, all intersected to increase that number by an additional five million more new gun owners, most of which were liberals, some of which voted for the bill’s sponsor Sheila Jackson Lee. One in 20 gun owners today is a new owner, by conservative estimates. 105-million-gun owners at a minimum, likely more.

This bill would require the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms to perform 420 million psychological evaluations within the span of three months. A psychological evaluation takes between 30 to 90 minutes to complete, so let’s say an hour.

There are 106,000 licensed psychologists in the United States. If every single psychologist in the country were drafted into the Army and then repurposed to aid the ATF in their registration effort, each psychologist would have to perform 3,962 hours worth of evaluations in order to handle the load, or approximately two full years of 40-hour work weeks. If, on the other hand, they were required by their new ATF slave drivers to process the full load within the three-month timeframe specified by the law, they would be doing seven million evaluations per day, requiring 66 hours worth of work in each 24-hour day for three months. This is third grade math. Even kindergarteners know there aren’t 66 hours in a day.

And that’s all presuming that you even could draft every psychologist in the country into the ATF somehow, and further presuming that all those psychological patients they’re seeing and helping could be put on hold for two years without serious drawbacks, such as perhaps maybe one of them shooting up a school.

The average psychologist’s salary in the USA is $105,000 per year. There are around 1960 hours in a work year for federal employees presuming they get federal holidays off and two weeks vacation. That means 214,285 work years to process these permits just on the psychological evaluation criteria alone, at a salaried cost of 22.5 billion dollars. This is approximately the same cost as building two manned moon bases, presuming that the ATF is efficient enough to line up eight evaluations per psychologist per day, which they assuredly won’t be.

Further, we happen to already know how many people such an effort would save from homicide. A mathematical analysis I performed for Open Source Defense showed that based on solid science by Michael Siegel at Boston University, almost every gun control measure ever studied had zero impact on gun homicide. And while this bill includes plenty of elements which are scientifically proven not to work …

The absurdity of the proposal is obvious to everyone with two brain cells.  There are several possibilities.  First, this turns into a massive FedGov program designed to slow down and even stall completely the exercise of God-given rights (does a FedGov program do otherwise?).  Second, the proposal is so awful and ridiculous that gun owners nationwide give a big sigh of relief when what comes out isn’t quite as bad, with leaders jumping to the front of the line to Negotiate Rights Away.

Via David Codrea, our friend Dave Hardy is trying to help out fight the forces of totalitarianism.

BELLEVUE, WA – The Second Amendment Foundation today filed an amicus brief in a federal case that is trying to force the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to define certain firearms components as “firearms.”

“Forcing ATF to adopt the new approach to classification of certain gun components that the plaintiffs in this case are demanding would greatly expand ATF authority beyond the 1968 Gun Control Act,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “If their effort succeeds, it would violate rights protected by the Second Amendment by imposing restrictions on otherwise lawful Second Amendment activity excluded from the GCA.”

Consistent with congressional intent under the GCA, ATF long ago determined that unfinished frame and receiver blanks without any machine work or indexing have not yet reached a stage of manufacture in which they are classified as firearm frames or receivers under the GCA. Various special interests are now challenging ATF’s interpretation in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The case is known as City of Syracuse, NY et al v. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives et al.

The lawsuit was filed last year by the Cities of Syracuse, N.Y., San Jose, Calif., Chicago, Ill., and Columbia, S.C. along with the billionaire-backed Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund. In addition to ATF as an agency, defendants include Acting ATF director Regina Lombardo in her official capacity, plus the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney General.

At issue are such things as frame blanks or partially-manufactured frames for firearms, also commonly known as “80% frames” or “unfinished receivers.”

Because you see, unless you’re a member of a control freak cult, a box of aluminum is just a box of aluminum.  Beyond that, a complete receiver is just an additional collection of springs and a few parts.

News from New Zealand.

The New Zealand Police summarized the newly prohibited firearms as follows:

• Semi-automatic pistols (semi-automatic firearms less that 762mm in overall length) that are not “small” semi-automatic pistols.

• Note: a “small semi-automatic pistol” (excluded) is a semi-automatic pistol that:

• has an overall length of 400 millimetres or less, excluding any silencer, pistol carbine conversion kit, or other muzzle-fitting attachment; and

• has a barrel length of 101 millimetres or more; and

• is capable of firing specified ammunition (ammunition used on pistol shooting ranges approved by the Commissioner) only at a muzzle velocity of 1,600 feet per second or less; and

• is suitable for shooting on a certified pistol range.

• Centrefire pump-action rifles that are capable of being used with a detachable magazine, or that have a non-detachable magazines (tubular or otherwise) that are capable of holding more than 10 cartridges commensurate with that firearm’s chamber size.

First it was long guns, now it’s pistols and believe it or not, repeaters.  Pump action centerfire rifles.

All gun control is wicked has its roots in government fear of the people.  If not for government malfeasance and corruption, they would have no reason to fear the people. The government of New Zealand is literally fearful of the people owning repeaters.

The text of bill H.R. 127 is up, and boy is it a doozey.  It’s the entire package of awfulness the controllers have wanted forever.

So here are some takeaways for this bill, but I’ll link the FPC summary momentarily.

Federal registration of all firearms.

A national gun registry.

Limitations on types of firearms.

Federally mandated insurance, expensive, and managed by the FedGov (some $800 per year).

Psychological evaluations by state-approved psychologists for approval to purchase firearms.

Those evaluations are extended to family members (including former spouses).

Prohibition of person-to-person transfers.

Prohibition of standard capacity magazines.

From the FPC.

Summary: Establishes a nationwide gun registry that is searchable by the general public, mandates licensing to own or possess a firearm and requires a psychological evaluation prior to obtaining such a license, and institutes magazine & gun bans. 

The bill text is finally out and HR 127 is worse than we were even speculating.

HR 127 establishes a federal firearms registration system that will be accessible by federal, state, and local governments, including the military – even the GENERAL PUBLIC! The system will track the make, model, and serial number of all firearms, their owners, the dates they were acquired, and where they are being stored.

You read that right. HR 127 would make public your most private information to anti-gunners who can then dox, harass or even attack you while knowing full well every intimate detail of your self-defense systems. 

The system will also track firearms loans, including the ID of the loan recipient and for how long it is being loaned. This bill applies retroactively, so current firearms owners will have three months to supply their gun information to the federal government from the bill’s effective date.

HR 127 also establishes a federal licensing requirement. Applicants will have to be at least 21, undergo a NICS check, complete a psychological evaluation, complete 24 hours of firearms training, and pay $800 for firearms insurance from the government.

TRANSLATION: You not only have to PAY the government for the privilege of owning guns already in your possession; you also have to convince an anti-gunner that you deserve to keep your rights!

For the psychological evaluation, a licensed psychologist will interview individuals’ spouses and at least two other family members or associates to “further determine the state of the mental emotional, and relational stability of the individual in relation to firearms.” Licenses will be denied to individuals hospitalized for issues such as depressive episodes; no duration for license disability is specified, and it does not matter whether the individual sought help voluntarily.

And who gets the say in whether you can exercise your fundamental rights: the Attorney General, who will in all likelihood be Merrick Garland – an anti-gun extremist previously nominated to the Supreme Court by Barack Obama.

HR 127 will also establish licensing requirements for the display of antique firearms and for the right to possess “military-style weapons.” To display an antique, applicants have to prove they own an antique firearm, describe how they will display it, and demonstrate that they have “safe” storage for it. To possess a “military-style weapon”, applicants will have to undergo 24 hours of safety and live fire training. It is unclear whether this training is in addition to the base 24 hours of training required to possess firearms and ammunition. “Military-style weapons” are defined as they are under assault weapons bans like those in California and New Jersey – weapons are identified by name or because they possess two or more features found on commonly owned, modern semiautomatic firearms such as an adjustable stock, pistol grip, etc.

Finally, HR 127 also criminalizes the possession of “large-capacity magazines” (those carrying greater than 10 rounds) and “ammunition that is 0.50 caliber or greater.”

Presently, there is no grandfathering clause in this legislation. Meaning you will have to choose between keeping your magazines and being fined and sent to prison.. potentially for decades!

Importantly, it would be IMPOSSIBLE to comply with this legislation. The bill doesn’t even specify how any of these measures will be implemented. Instead, it tasks the Attorney General with creating systems for enforcement while still holding gun owners to ironclad compliance dates.

Reddit/Firearms is discussing this here, here, here, here and here.

I suspect one of the intended consequences of this legislation is that there would be massive noncompliance.  Larger manufacturers like Daniel Defense and Aero Precision would undergo large layoffs and cutbacks, while smaller manufacturers would simply go out of business.

Merely purchasing a firearm from an FFL would involve FedGov paperwork, and noncompliance will involve not purchasing from an FFL.  This would have a large effect on the firearms market – again, all intended.

I learned today at AR15.com was down, and currently if you go to their site you get their backup website.

Ammoland gives a little more detail.

AR15.com Backup Site [is now] Live, Switching to First Amendment Friendly Site Registrar On Monday, January 11, 2021, I received notice from our site registrar that AR15.com had violated their terms of service and that AR15.com would be shut down immediately. The registrar’s decision to de- platform AR15.com was final and no method to appeal was offered.

It remains unclear specifically what content allegedly violated the registrar’s terms of service. However, I am happy to report that we have found a new, First Amendment-friendly site registrar and we have begun the process of transitioning AR15.com to the new registrar. We expect the switchover to take up to 5 days. During that time, our famous “AR15.com” URL will not be usable. Once the switchover is complete, AR15.com will be fully restored to normal function. In the meantime, I welcome freedom lovers and firearm enthusiasts to visit us at our temporary URL: www.ar15-backup.com. We will post on the backup site when the normal AR15.com has been completely restored.  ~ Juan Avila, President & Co-Founder, AR15.com.

I’m just keeping you posted.  These are the initial shots over the bow.  More to come.

Go Daddy (whomever that is) is responsible.  I consider it to be an unwise decision.

First up is VCDL.  Nothing has affected their web site, but their Facebook page is gone.  Permanently, I would guess.  I don’t know if they’re seeking a replacement.

Second, 2A Sanctuary Groups is being censored.  They now have a MeWe page.

H.R.127.

“To provide for the licensing of firearm and ammunition possession and the registration of firearms, and to prohibit the possession of certain ammunition.”

Also see Guns.com.

I’m sure everyone feels safer with that #off the streets.

#offthestreets this week pic.twitter.com/KDb8J2ZVhH

— Toronto Police Service Guns Seized #offthestreets (@TPSGunsSeized) January 4, 2021

NPR.

On the hot-button issues of abortion, guns and race, the court’s conservative majority is most likely to start moving aggressively next term and thereafter.

Will Roe v. Wade, the court’s 47-year-old abortion rights precedent, be overturned? There are two schools of thought on that. One is that the court will systematically hollow out the right to abortion so that it is a right on paper only.

The other school of thought is that leaving Roe a shell is not enough for those opposed to abortion. “There is, I think, a galvanizing view within the pro-life movement that the time has come to call the question,” observes New York University law professor Melissa Murray.

If Roe is to be overturned, however, it likely will take more than a year or two to come to fruition. Former Obama-era Solicitor General Donald Verrilli has said that he thinks it likely will happen within five years or so.

On guns, though, the court looks — for the first time — to have a clear majority that is hostile to gun regulation. Last term, the court once again punted, and punted again on the issue, declining to hear 10 gun-rights cases. Presumably, Chief Justice Roberts’ then-deciding vote was still in doubt.

But now, with Barrett newly on the court and Ginsburg gone, there appear to be five conservative votes ready to march down the path of expansive gun rights, and Second Amendment activists are teeing up new cases.

“I can tell you people are getting more aggressive,” says professor Blackman, a gun-rights advocate. Gun-rights groups “are emboldened to try to push new frontiers” now.

If we’re reminded of nothing else with this sorry lot of people, we’re reminded in 2020 of the traitorous, treacherous nature of the black-robed tyrants.

I’d just as soon they stay out of the second amendment.  Here is a prediction: they’ll do nothing positive for your liberties, and they may make it much worse.  I think people are fabulating support for gun rights that doesn’t exist within the judiciary.

They have a fundamentally different world and life view than you do.

Wheeeee … it’s a spending spree!  You can’t work, you’re going bankrupt, you have to wear a diaper over your face, we require you to sit at home and wait on the crumbs that fall from our table at the Congressional lunch room.

We know how to spend your money wisely.

They will do it until they fear you.