Posted on 12/03/2012 1:48:00 PM PST by Red Steel
WASHINGTON (AP) - Should veterans deemed too mentally incompetent to handle their own financial affairs be prevented from buying a gun?
The issue, for a time last week, threatened to become the biggest sticking point in a $631 billion defense bill for reshaping a military that is disengaging from a decade of warfare.
Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., sought to amend the bill to stop the Veterans Affairs Department from putting the names of veterans deemed too mentally incompetent to handle their finances into the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, which prohibits them from buying or owning firearms.
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., objected, saying the measure would make it easier for veterans with mental illness to own a gun, endangering themselves and others.
"I love our veterans, I vote for them all the time. They defend us," Schumer said. "If you are a veteran or not and you have been judged to be mentally infirm, you should not have a gun."
Currently, the VA appoints fiduciaries, often family members, to manage the pensions and disability benefits of veterans who are declared incompetent. When that happens, the department automatically enters the veteran's name in the Criminal Background Check System.
A core group of lawmakers led by Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., has for several years wanted to prohibit the VA from submitting those names to the gun-check registry unless a judge or magistrate deems the veteran to be a danger. This year's version of the bill has 21 co-sponsors. It passed the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee by voice vote, a tactic generally reserved for noncontroversial legislation. Coburn's amendment to the defense bill contained comparable language.
(Excerpt) Read more at koaa.com ...
Evil never sleeps.
This is no reasoned measure — virtually nothing coming from Democrats dealing with guns is. It’s a gun grab.
There already IS civil process for cases of suspected mental illness or incompetency, and it should be required to address weapons issues explicitly or else not impact them. No restriction of rights without full court hearing!
Maybe the question should be re-phrased:
Should politicians deemed too mentally incompetent to handle the country’s financial affairs be prevented from buying a gun?
this pretty much sums up democrat's opinion of ALL Americans any way.
If this goes through we will have to fight at the state level to get the States to ignore these types of marks from the FBI background check.
“civil process for cases of suspected mental illness or incompetency, and it should be required to address weapons issues explicitly or else not impact them. No restriction of rights without full court hearing!”
YES!!! That’s known as the right of every citizen to DUE PROCESS!!!
I’d be banned forever if I posted what I really think about that evil snake Schumer. GRRRRRRR!!!
):^(
Schumer is one of the biggest pushers of all regs and laws that would eventually use mental health related issues to disqualify huge numbers of Americans from gun ownership. I predict anyone who ever had a prescription for any kind of drug like Zoloft, Prozac, etc, even if just one time in your life no matter how long ago......your name will eventually end up on the no buy list.
Of course the consequences of this, once the public becomes more aware is people avoiding the help they may need out of fear of losing gun rights.
too mentally incompetent to handle their own financial affairs
When did that become the standard for having the right of self-defense?
It would seem like Obama Voters would fit that description right off the bat.
Silly me, I always thought it was used to prevent a person from buying a firearm.
Banned? Jim Rob would put you on the honor roll.... :-)
A decade of warfare? The Air Force has been engaged in combat ops continually since 1991.
When math tests are needed at gun ranges, then we can talk about this. It’s stupid otherwise. No restriction of rights without full civil process.
It’s actually maddening to see them make their little incremental moves based on the tragedy de jour.
The nation suffers attacks from terrorists – they respond with the due-process free terror watch list method of incremental civilian disarmament.
There are mass shootings in “Gun-Free” zones and mental competence suddenly becomes a primary concern.
Watch them take advantage latest tragedy to use the issue of domestic violence to push it a little further.
I’m telling you – this little mental health scam they are pulling won’t be the end of it by a long shot.
Expect them to try to encompass this over the civilian realm. Expect them to use Obamacare in this part and other parts of the scam.
Expect them to push the mythical gun shop loophole until you can’t sell or buy a gun without Federal oversight. [This their Big Kahuna]
Expect them to push the implications of Demand letter three over the entire nation and begin registering guns.
Expect them to disallow millions from ‘registering’ their guns (and confiscating them) based on all of the above.
Well, that would be an honor. Mucho thanks!
But we should call FASCISM wherever we see it. In the case of our gun rights, your local Gestapo informer could be your own physician if he/she belongs to “Docs against Glocks”.
“Failure to fully answer this questionaire will be reported.”
Verstehss?
This is known as a primary marker for Stalinist tendencies, based on my study of Soviet commie history.
Your final sentence is the true tragedy in this situation, IMO.
Oooor,
Should people deemed too mentally incompetent to handle their own personal financial affairs be prevented from receiving government handouts?
Should people deemed too mentally incompetent to handle their own personal financial affairs be prevented from voting?
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