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Posted on 04/11/2013 11:27:11 PM PDT by Perseverando
Friday, 12 April 2013 00:25 Written by Gun Owners of America
But there’s still a very good chance we can win!
“Gun Owners of America [has] been pressing lawmakers who may have wavered on this emotional issue of background checks.” - CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, April 10, 2013
We've been fighting these gun control battles for almost 40 years now. And we almost always win. But it's almost always a nail-biter.
And so it is on Obama's gun control agenda.
We'd hoped that we could stop the gun control bribe-o-thon early (and risk-free) by blocking the motion to proceed to the package. But thanks to sell-outs like Pennsylvania's one-term senator, Pat Toomey, we're going to have to take a different battle position and defeat the package at a later stage.
The Senate today overcame the Paul-Cruz-Lee filibuster and voted to move to proceed to Harry Reid’s gun control bill (S. 649). Where Reid needed 60 votes, the tally was 68-31. Click here to see if your Senator sold you out by voting to “move to proceed” to the bill.
Republican defectors who voted anti-gun were: Alexander (TN), Ayotte (NH), Burr (NC), Chambliss (GA), Collins (ME), Corker (TN), Coburn (OK), Flake (AZ), Isakson (GA), McCain (AZ), Heller (NV), Hoeven (ND), Kirk (IL), Graham (SC), Toomey (PA) and Wicker (MS).
So, here's where we are. Right after the Senate proceeded to the gun control bill, Harry Reid used his privileged recognition to put a bunch of amendments in place. In Senate parlance, they are referred to as an "amendment tree;" and they contain the universal registry bill, the Feinstein gun ban, and the magazine ban. These will be voted on in upcoming days.
As for the Toomey-Manchin-Schumer universal registry bill, don't believe the press' efforts to sugar-coat it. If you have ever had an "Internet ... posting" on (or related to) your gun, you can sell it only by going to a dealer and filling out a 4473 and getting the government's approval. Only a cave man would be exempt.
And once you have a 4473? Well, the ATF is going from dealer to dealer, copying the information on these forms, and feeding it into a database. But, says Toomey, he's against universal registries. This is where it would have helped if Toomey had consulted someone who knew something about guns.
Registration and violation of privacy.
First of all, Toomey’s anti-registry language prohibits photocopying the 4473's, but it doesn't prohibit going into the FFL with a laptop and copying all the information. Second, ATF takes the position that the data it's accumulating in a database is not a "registry," so Toomey's ban does no good. Third, guess what the sanction is for violation of Toomey's anti-registry language? Answer: Eric Holder has to choose to prosecute himself and his own department.
But this isn't the only bad thing about Toomey-Manchin-Schumer.
Section 107 of the sell-out also waives any federal privacy prohibitions under HIPAA to sending the names of Americans with PTSD, ADHD, and post partem depression to the gun ban database. But that’s not all.
Believe in Jesus, hand in your guns?
Because private shrinks will be able to add patients names into a federal database of the mentally ill - without due process - you will be at their mercy.
As Red State editor, Erick Erickson says, “Activist mental health providers will probably be overly aggressive in adding people to the list. Give it five years in liberal areas and people who believe in the physical resurrection of Christ will probably get automatic entry onto the list.”
And as for veterans? Toomey-Manchin-Schumer reinforces the proposition that bureaucrats in the Department of Veterans Affairs can take away veterans' rights without any due process. If a veteran has $30,000 to spend getting back the rights Toomey-Manchin-Schumer wrongly took from him, the sell-out creates yet another redundant money-trap for restoration of rights that shouldn't have been taken away in the first place.
Repealing gun owner protections.
What if you want to travel across the country? McClure-Volkmer allowed you to do that with an unloaded gun in the trunk (18 U.S.C. 926A). But, under the Toomey-Manchin-Schumer sell-out, unless you can "demonstrate," to the satisfaction of the New York police (1) where you came from, (2) where you're going, (3) that you're legally entitled to possess the gun in the place you can from, and (4) that you're legally entitled to possess the gun in the place you're going, they will arrest you in New York.
The Toomey-Manchin-Schumer sell-out creates a Biden-like commission to insure that the cries for gun control continue.
Like sprinkles on a pile of dung, Toomey and Schumer steal some of the proposals we drafted and try to use them to get us to buy onto gun control. But it won't work.
The gun movement is united against this disgusting pile of gun control.
Here is the new battlefield. Because of the Senate rules, many of the upcoming gun control votes will need 60 (out of 100 votes) to move forward. That will almost certainly be the case with the Toomey-Manchin-Schumer proposal. And because the entire Second amendment movement - GOA, NRA, etc. - is against the Toomey language, it virtually ensures his amendment will fail.
And if Toomey-Manchin-Schumer doesn't pass, then Reid probably won’t have enough votes to overcome a second filibuster on the bill - as it would contain the original anti-gun language sponsored by Reid and Schumer. This all but guarantees that the legislation would die, as Republicans and a half-a-dozen Democrat Senators would then team up to keep the bill from getting the required 60 votes.
One last question or thought: Did we waste our time supporting the Paul-Cruz-Lee filibuster and fighting the motion to proceed? No, because we forced Obama to fire most of his ammunition, as he dragged his human props around Washington in an effort to exploit them for political gain.
If Obama had been able to wait to play this card until Toomey-Manchin-Schumer came up for a vote, that vote would be a lot harder for us to win.
But Obama has already played this card for his "they deserve a vote" theme. Okay, they're getting their vote. But by the time we reach the vote on cloture on Toomey-Manchin-Schumer, Obama's exploitation of the victims of Newtown will begin to be realized for the cynical exploitative political ploy that it is. And he will be less able to shift gears and use the victims for the theme “They deserve a ‘yes’ vote.”
ACTION: So contact your Senators. Tell them to vote against cloture on the Toomey-Manchin-Schumer sell-out.
Click here to send your Senators a prewritten email message.
The Toomey-Manchin Kill The Bill of Rights Bill.TITLE ONE: GETTING ALL THE NAMES OF PROHIBITED PURCHASERS INTO THE BACKGROUND CHECK SYSTEM
Summary of Title I: This section improves background checks for firearms by strengthening the instant check system.
- Encourage states to provide all their available records to NICS by restricting federal funds to states who do not comply.
By "all their available records" just what records are they blackmailing states for with that statist bilge water? "All" is a pretty big word when only a very few records are applicable to denying someone their right to keep and bear arms.
- Allow dealers to voluntarily use the NICS database to run background checks on their prospective employees.
Does that means dealers can run NICS checks on prospective employees without their knowledge or consent? I have no idea what the word 'voluntarily' means there. Does it mean dealers will be allowed to not run NICS checks if they prefer not to?
- Clarifies that submissions of mental health records into the NICS system are not prohibited by federal privacy laws (HIPAA).
Submissions of mental health records? Since when has it been legal to deny any American their rights without due process? Isn't it required that a person be adjudicated mentally deficient by a court of law to do that? Mental health records are entirely irrelevant except to those court proceedings. This bill sounds like Stalinist purge material.
- Provides a legal process for a veteran to contest his/her placement in NICS when there is no basis for barring the right to own a firearm.
Is that an admission that the Bill of Rights doesn't cover veterans or an admission that it doesn't cover anyone anymore?
This bill is worse than any ban on some specific models or types of guns. It's a huge foot in the door to trash the 4th Amend., the 5th Amend. and the 10th Amend. as well as the 2nd Amend. Was all of this gun control demagoguery really just a Trojan Horse to sneak this Bill of Rights killer into law?
GOA rocks!
Sorry, we are fighting a losing battle! You have a group of Democrats (really Socialists/Communists) and a group of GOP Representatives that think that they are God’s given gift to the Media. How can you win that battle? McCain is a ignoramus example... Just look how he preens!
All you have to do is give the Media the idea that you are for compromise (their idea of compromise) and you become an instant hero to the left. That translates to many hours of Media coverage for their benefit. They actually think that it is best for them.
It may be time to admit that we have lost the battle - Our College students are being propagandized, our Middle School students are being propagandized, and not even out Kindergarten students are being propagandized...what are you going to do about it? Seems too little and too late to me.
Lets all gather and thank our wonderful GOP for taking us this far...geez!
Good description. No matter how many pretty sprinkles you put on it, it's still a bunch of crap.
Thank you for contacting me regarding the current debate on gun violence in America. I appreciate having the benefit of your views and welcome the opportunity to respond.
First and foremost, please be assured that as a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, I am committed to protecting the rights of law-abiding gun owners in the United States. On April 11, 2013, the Senate conducted a vote to bring legislation on gun violence before the full Senate so it can be debated and discussed. In fact, the NRA supported and encouraged a yes vote on the measure which was just a vote to move forward to debate and discussion.
I do not support the Reid bill or the Manchin-Toomey bill and do not intend to vote for them.
I am confident that by working together, we can find solutions to reduce violence and make our nation safer for all, without infringing on the Second Amendment or other rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. Again thank you for taking the time to contact me. If you have further concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my office at (202) 224-2551.
Sincerely,
John Hoeven
United States Senator
Okay, Senator, smile, you're on candid internet.
We'll see just how much you are a man of your word. We're watching.
Thank you for contacting me regarding gun control. It was good to hear from you.
I appreciate hearing your opposition to further gun control measures. As you may know, in January President Obama outlined his plan for reducing gun violence. The plan calls for a ban on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Further, it includes provisions for universal background checks and new gun trafficking laws.
Like you, I support the Second Amendment rights of North Dakotans and believe that honest and law abiding Americans should have access to guns for self-protection, hunting, and sport.
I am very concerned with several pieces of legislation that have been introduced in the Senate. The first is Senator Dianne Feinstein's Assault Weapons Ban (S. 150) which was withdrawn on March 19, 2013. In my view, S. 150 is unduly restrictive and infringes on the Second Amendment rights of Americans. I also have concerns with some of the legislation concerning background checks with regard to private transfers and temporary transfers.
I believe that gun violence in America must be dealt with in a multifaceted way. There is no single measure that can alone eliminate instances of gun violence, including a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. The ultimate solution must address mental health services and school security measures. We must also build a system that encourages parents, family members, and school and health care professionals to report persons who may present a serious risk to our schools and communities.
Again, thank you for contacting me. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any additional questions or concerns in the future.
Sincerely,
Heidi Heitkamp
United States Senate
We'll see Senator. You, too are on record for the world to see. From my inbox to their screens.
Lose this one and the Republic is down the toilet.
Period.
End of file.
Sounds like the Pubbies may actually have used some strategy here. This lets senators from purple states vote ‘yes’ initially in order to show the bluer folks back home how sensible and moderate they are, then vote ‘no’ when it really matters. Also like the point about the filibuster forcing the Democrats to use their PR ammo too early.
“Lose this one and the Republic is down the toilet.”
This Republic went down the toilet at Waco.
It hit the sewer when this administration endorsed racism by tossing the ‘08 NBP voter intimidation case, and endorsed narco-terrorism with fast and furious.
you have a good point there, Waco appeared to be a terrible event (our government using military style force to kill innocent Americans in their homes ... When, if an arrest of Koresh was deemed necessary, he regularly went out for walks and probably would not have resisted arrest anyway).
That such an event occurred in USA is horrible. That the mass media never pursued any justice for it ... means that it has stood as precedent for any tyrannically-minded later administration (not that we could imagine THAT ever happening, could we!?)
Yes, Waco was a terrible terrible terrible event.
“Yes, Waco was a terrible terrible terrible event.”
Years later, the NRA tried to get the “illegal” firearms from Waco X-rayed to determine if they had been converted before or after the fire. Illegal parts installed after the fire would not show signs of high heat.
They were denied access, of course. The hearings were a pathetic whitewash that put Koresh on trial instead of the ATF.
Due process is what separates America from fascist hellholes, and Koresh was denied due process of law.
Koresh was denied due process or law, right.
(he was also denied his life)
As I have said for years, “so much for NRA Ratings”.
I just happened to be in ND on the day Heidi won her Senate seat. I was stunned, knowing the party she represented. Now, Heidi, in just one week, has shown just who Heidi really is, as if anyone with a brain didn’t already know. First same sex marriage, now guns, the Constitution, and the Bill or rights, and to quote a familiar radio host, “it doesn’t stop there”.
Does Smokin’ Joe know what the good Senator’s NRA rating is?
Bump
Yup.
Folks, it’s time for massive civil disobedience. Refuse to obey these laws if they’re passed. Don’t make a big deal about it, but refuse the obey them. If the authorities try to take someone into custody because of disobeying these laws, rally to his defense. Don’t let him be taken. It’s coming down to the government vs. the people. Don’t let them win because of some vestigial respect for their putative authority. If they’re outside their constitutional authority, disobey them. It’s time to reassert the primacy of the people.
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