ATF 41P updates & rumors

One of the “under the radar” gun control activities the POTUS has been working on pertains to BATF. Along with getting a White House pick for Director of the agency a couple executive orders were issued for ATF rule changes. You see, the ATF can change many of its rules without having to pass laws through Congress.

41P proposes to make these changes to the National Firearms Act (NFA), which governs possession of items like the ones pictured above: 

The Department of Justice is planning to finalize a proposed rule to amend the regulations of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) regarding the making or transferring of a firearm under the National Firearms Act. As proposed, the rule would (1) add a definition for the term “responsible person”; (2) require each responsible person of a corporation, trust or legal entity to complete a specified form, and to submit photographs and fingerprints; and (3) modify the requirements regarding the certificate of the chief law enforcement officer (CLEO).

The first two changes are annoying but not horrible. The requirements change to require a CLEO signoff for corporations and trusts, however, is a big change. People who qualify as CLEO are typically elected officials- and a large number of them choose not to sign on any NFA items- so people cannot obtain them. That’s called gun control, ladies and gentlemen. Which of course is exactly what the DOJ and White House want.

The strange thing is that initial speculation was that this rule change would be slammed through in record time- especially with the public comment period ending the week of the anniversarry of the tragedy in Newtown, CT. But the link above indicates that the rule change won’t take effect until June 2014. That leaves people who want to purchase NFA items time to get paperwork filed – GunTrustLawyer is a good place to read up on the process if you are interested. 

And for a jaw-dropping rumor (and it’s only a rumor right now)–I ran a cross a claim that a Class 3 (NFA) firearms dealer says his ATF examiner said that the whole rule change is a “No go” and that “nothing has changed, or is expected to“. Wow- if that proves to be true it would be a collossal FAIL for the White House on expanding gun control. I’m tempering my hopes but it’s a very pleasant thought, isn’t it?  If you can substantiate this rumor please leave a comment below citing the source.

The real threat to ammo manufacturing

There has been lots of reporting on the closure of the Doe Run primary lead smelter in MO this week. Plenty of hysterical ravings about an impending ammunition shortage in 2014 and general doomsday predictions that all bullet material will have to be exported for processing and reimported. That’s not true- as noted by Emily Miller and Bob Owens. 

However there is a real threat to the production of bullet material in the US- and its part of the Obama Administratration’s War on the 2A. I have a couple friends who work in the lead industry who help supply ammunition manufacturers. Lately their insight into ammunition rumors has been pretty useful. With that as a backdrop here are a few ongoing attacks on ammo manufacturers that the MSM overlooks in its reporting:

• The EPA has been at war against lead for several administrations and the Obama Administration has finally imposed regulations on a major producer of domestic ammunition that will limit their ability to manufacture lead bullets (I promised not to name them but its a name everyone would recognize). With strong White House backing the EPA went full press on this company and they had to cease in-house projectile manufacturing and switched to buying up processed material at a much greater expense
• Executives at that well-known ammo manufacturer have expressed concerns that they were only the first name on a White House ‘hit list’ and that the EPA will be expanding these attacks to the rest of the ammuntion producers as quickly as it can
• The EPA has not levied any new or heavy handed regulations on the battery manufacturing industry – which is interesting because battery manufacturing employs about 24,000 people while the ammunition manufacturing industry employs nearly 45,000 people. Way to look out for the economy, Washington!

Once lead processing for bullets is limited and eventually regulated out of existance with selective enforcement of EPA and state-level regulations (like CA where lead projectiles are banned) what are our options? Well steel and copper come to mind. Both are classified in many cases as ‘armor piercing’ projectiles and subsequently outlawed in as many places as Progressives can get laws passed. Is it clear where this road leads? It’s more sneaky gun control, nothing more.

 

There is only one way to derail this train – be an active and informed voter. Drag EVERYONE you can with you to the polls (so long as they agree on our candidates). Stay vocal to your Congressional and State reps- let them know how angry you are that businesses are being regulated out of existance at a time where the economy desperately needs support.

 

Bonus lead industry rumor: all the major manufacturers are planning to bring new rimfire lines up in the coming months — that means .22 ammo should enjoy a resurgence very soon. Provided the manufacturers can keep the cost of projectiles down.

 

Another sneak attack on the 2A underway

Troubling news from the US Supreme Court: the DOJ  (Eric Holder’s US Department of Justice) is arguing that international treaties can override the US Constitution. The case is Bond vs. United States and the DOJ is arguing that the Federal Government can prosecute a person for violating an international treaty. 

How does that have anything to do with the 2A? Quite a bit as it turns out- remember when the White House signed the UN Weapons International Gun Registration and Confiscation Treaty? While signing the treaty, Secretary of State John Kerry said:

“Make no mistake, we would never think about supporting a treaty that is inconsistent with the rights of Americans, the rights of American citizens, to be able to exercise their guaranteed rights under our constitution.“

How interesting DOJ would follow up so quickly to try to set a legal precedent that an international treaty could supersede the US Constitution. This SCOTUS decision could have vast implications on the rights of every American citizen- Senator Cruz characterized what’s at risk if the High Court rules in favor of the DOJ :

“That is a radical interpretation of the treaty power. That is what is at issue in Bond: does the treaty power enable the Federal government to circumvent the structural limitations on the authority of the Federal government?”

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It’s important to remember that the Senate would have to ratify the UN Arms Treaty to actually make any of its provisions enforceable, and the current body is strongly opposed to the treaty. The problem is that all treaties signed by the US but not ratified by the Senate remain in limbo forever. At any time in the future the treaty could be revisited by the Senate and the approved. 

This is troubling attempt to lay the groundwork for canned gun control including: registration, ammo control and ultimately confiscation- just add an Anti-2A Senate majority. Watch this space for updates.

What is the Civilian Disarmament Movement up to these days?

Earlier this year the gun control civilian disarmament movement won big at the state level in Colorado, New York and strengthened its stranglehold on California. They also lost big at the federal level with Universal Background Checks Gun Registration. But the POTUS swore to return with new energy and to get gun owners’ little dogs too.

Despite the best efforts of the Journolists, public support for expanded gun control is back to pre-Newtown levels – about 48%. So what is the Progressive Machine doing to press the agenda forward?

Officials from the White House Office of Public Engagement, which reports to senior Obama aide Valerie Jarrett, are now carrying the administration’s gun control efforts. OPE officials hold a regular meeting with the major gun control groups known as the Gun Violence Table…

The weekly sessions often include OPE Director Paulette Aniskoff or official Paul Monteiro along with representatives from Mayors Against Illegal Guns, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Moms Demand Action, the Center for American Progress, Organizing for Action and Americans for Responsible Solutions.

Wow- talk about the forces of evil roundtable – let’s run down the scandals staining the character of some of these enemies of Liberty:

• Mayors Against Illegal Guns but don’t forget about these 16 examples either
• Brady Campaign to prevent gun violence
• Moms Demand Action  
• Americans for Responsible Solutions 

 And of course these amazing humanitarians wouldn’t let a chance to dance in the blood of victims go to waste:

The groups are coordinating a November lobbying effort and planning events to commemorate the first anniversary of the Newtown, Conn., massacre last December.

This effort is part of a long term strategy to keep giving these ‘community’ organizers press time to help fan the flames of a grassroots movement to drive gun control back onto the Congressional agenda. How sneaky is it to coordinate the lobbyists in weekly sponsored meetings at the White House and then turn them loose for preferential media coverage? 

It’s all with a goal of convincing the low-information voters to rally in support of expanded gun control. The split is so close right now (nearly 50-50) that they could turn the tide without a lot of effort. The mainstream media (MSM) has all their speaking points ready to roll and gleefully reports them every chance they get. This isn’t about debating the Antis- it’s about recruiting that 2-3% of Americans to support their cause. Most people don’t know that gun violence is down 49% since 1993 – even including recent high-profile mass shootings. Most people are to aware that gun crimes have all steadily trended down as firearms ownership has increased among law-abiding citizens in the US (refer to the infographic above). Sadly the MSM won’t let that cross the eyes or hears of the public. 

We can stop them though- here are 3 ways each and every one of us can help:

1. Vote in every election. Make sure you do it and you know which candidates support your issues ( preserving the 2A for example).
2. Make sure your like-minded friends and relatives also vote. Talk to them about the elections and make sure they know which candidates are supporting your issues.
3. Be an ambassador for the 2A: take someone shooting for the first time. Show them how enjoyable shooting can be. Don’t talk politics or gun control – just enjoy some range time. Don’t do things to intimidate people who don’t understand firearms ownership. The deck is stacked against gun owners because the media is always demonizing them. Prove them wrong and this can make a difference too.

In case you already forgot

MCN would like to remind us about a topic that a certain POTUS just won't leave in the past. It was shameful to see his knee-jerk response to the tragic events at the DC Navy Yard this week and instant pandering for Civilian Disarmament.

To set the record straight on the DC Navy Yard:

• Despite initial untrue media reports NO AR-15 was used in the shootings
• The evil man who murdered those people had a history of mental illness. The problem is mental health, not guns.

Here is a trifecta of facts to back up Mr. Noir:

Universal Background Checks won't prevent crimes – including the tragic shooting at the DC Navy Yard.

Gun free zones are chosen by mass murderers more than 2/3 of the time.

For every shooting victim in the the US there are twice as many people in the who die from unintentional falls.

 

Hollywood isn’t doing us any favors

MCN takes Sarah Silverman to task on her NRA-bashing with the sort of class you can expect:

Hollywood is not helping out the 2A with its wholly fictional portrayal of firearms in TV and film. The problem is that there are many low-information voters out there who actually do believe what they see on TV and in the movies. The falsehoods perpetuated by Hollywood are used by the Civilian Disarmament industrial complex to manipulate people into cheerfully surrendering Americans' inalienable rights- whether those applauding it exercise one rights or not.

A few of my pet peeves about the portrayal of firearms in entertainment include:

• Firearms that never need a reload. Many people have irrational fears of firearms because they see actors discharge firearms for half a movie without ever reloading. This is a big reason for the myth of the high-capacity standard capacity magazine. Count the shots off next time you see a Hollywood firearm in action- it's astounding.
• Full Auto is even more magical. Machine guns are not magical death machines. Far too often Hollywood depicts full auto weapons firing even more endlessly than semi-automatic weapons. A typical full auto firearm expends a standard magazine (30-50 rounds) in 2-4 seconds. That's it, then it needs a reload. Not to mention the complexities of muzzle climb or the tremendous amount of heat generated by a full auto burst.
• Incomprehensible accuracy. Effective accuracy while moving is a difficult skill to learn and master, much less execute under fire. Yet we see throngs of actors effortlessly run through fatal funnels and shoot one handed, all the while dropping bad guys with single hits. This is pure fiction- and it makes the uninformed believe that a one with a gun is an instant Rambo.

Executive Order Update: $4.5 Billion Later…

Many may recall President Obama's Executive Orders issued in January 2013 with a goal of progressing America toward Civilian Disarmament. 21 of the 23 EOs have either been implemented or have begun implementation. Don't worry about the fact that these 23 little gems are projected to cost American taxpayers over $4.5 Billion. Instead let's focus on Executive Order 14: Issue a Presidential Memorandum directing the Centers for Disease Control to research the causes and prevention of gun violence.

Dont confuse this with the DOJ memo released in January 2013 that highlights the ineffectiveness of gun control on crime (Doh!) – we are talking about the new, focused report sanctioned in the knee jerk frenzy of reaction to the tragedy in Newton, CT. So what does the CDC have to say about this so-called 'epidemic' of gun violence?

Don't expect to hear much about this study from the White House- the CDC returned facts, not feelings. The report , titled, Priorities for Research to Reduce the Threat of Firearm-related Violence, reveals the following:

1. Suicides, not violent encounters with guns, represent over 60% of all gun related deaths. Take the suicides out of the statistical analysis and the US has one of the lowest per capita death by guns statistics in the world (page 13).
2. Those using a gun to defend themselves have consistently and significantly LOWER injures in violent encounters than those without a gun to defend themselves (page 16).
3. Defensive use of guns are at least as common as offensive uses by criminals, with estimates of citizens using guns to defend themselves more than 3 million times per year!(page 15)
4. Overall, gun related deaths are declining, during the same period that gun ownership has soared (page 26)

Don't me wrong- there is plenty of doubletalk in this report- dancing around the mental health issue of course. Stick to the Facts in this debate- and the next time you hear some misinformed gun grabber say, “If there's even one step we can take to save another child…” don't politely nod your head or quietly accept this rediculous arguement- take some advice from Dr. Ingatious Piazza and demand an answer to this question: “Why are you asking the American people to sacrifice 3 million responsible citizens EVERY YEAR to save one child?”

 

Syrian Rebels need weapons but law-abiding Americans can’t be trusted

Does that sound paranoid or delusional? That doesn't matter because it's true.

The President of the United States has openly and condescendingly mocked Americans who say they need “assault rifles” to protect against the possibility of a tyrannical government. Yet he’s intent on providing assault rifles to “rebel” forces who oppose a “legitimate” (i.e., UN recognized) government. The President does so in the name of ending the slaughter that accompanies tyranny.

As if that's not enough it gets better:

• Syrian Rebels have pledged loyalty to Al-Qaeda
• The Syrian Rebels are considered the best-equipped arm of the Al-Qaeda organization in existance today

So let me get this straight- the POTUS mocks law-abiding citizens of his own nation when they demand that their natural right to protect themselves be preserved.

At the same time it is perfectly acceptable to prop up the most dangerous arm of Al-Qaeda in existance and provide thousands of arms to drug cartels who continue to erode what's left of Mexico.

Want this to change? Research candidates and vote. 2014 is the first opportunity to clean house in Washington.

 

Draw your own conclusion here…

An armed society is a civil society. At least that's what the facts indicate- the blue areas on the maps below are also the areas with the nations most restrictive gun control laws.

If we truly want to make progress on the gun violence issue we have to stop the violence prevention groups from trying to legislate morality.

 

Medical Negligence vs. Gun Violence

Gregory Smith got me thinking recently… Americans are 24.5 times more likely to be killed by a negligent doctor than a firearm. Two things came to mind after reading this:

1. if there were any doubts about whether or not the collossal f^ckups in the Federal Government should be taking control of healthcare, this should help resolve them.

2. Doctors have no business telling anyone that gun control is a good idea– through their own negligence doctors kill 2450% more Americans than all types of gun-related deaths (including suicides) every single year. When it comes to The 2A they should be listened to 24.5 times less often than they average American.