For more than 200 years following the adoption of that amendment, federal judges uniformly understood that the right protected by that text was limited in two ways: First, it applied only to keeping and bearing arms for military purposes, and second, while it limited the power of the federal government, it did not impose any limit whatsoever on the power of states or local governments to regulate the ownership or use of firearms. Thus, in United States v. Miller, decided in 1939, the court unanimously held that Congress could prohibit the possession of a sawed-off shotgun because that sort of weapon had no reasonable relation to the preservation or efficiency of a “well regulated Militia.”
It is telling that this senile fool cites Miller as justification, but of course fails to point out that only the government provided briefs and argument. Miller, a bootlegger, was unrepresented, as he had died. Imagine the pro abortion crowds reaction if the court ruled on abortion “rights” after hearing only the pro life arguments.