Free Republic

Congressman Donald M. Payne Jr. (D-N.J.-10), has recently reintroduced “The Safer Neighborhoods Gun Buyback Act” (pdf). It is the same bill as one that was filed last year.  I have written about the bill, HR-4278.   It makes no economic sense, for the Nation as a whole, and it will not reduce crime one iota. It has little chance of passing.   But on close examination of what the bill actually does, it is a  “briar patch” that  Second Amendment Supporters might not mind being thrown in.  We are far past the point where there is any sense or connection between...

Congressman Donald M. Payne Jr. (D-N.J.-10), has recently reintroduced "The Safer Neighborhoods Gun Buyback Act" (pdf).  Academics have routinely labeled such measures as ineffective at fighting crime.  Perhaps the most famous of these is Alan Binder of Freakonomics fame: When it comes to gun buybacks, both the theory and the data could not be clearer in showing that they don’t work. The only guns that get turned in are ones that people put little value on anyway. There is no impact on crime. On the positive side, the “cash for clunkers” program is more attractive than the gun buyback...

There will be a gun turn in event on Saturday, 12 December, 2015 in Clearwater, Florida.  Clearwater is in Pinellas County.  While these events are commonly labelled with the propaganda term "buyback" the guns were never owned by the people attempting to buy them. The event will be held at the Joe DiMaggio Sports Complex parking lot, 2450 Drew St. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. From suncoastnews.com: This will be the Clearwater Police Department’s first buyback event since June 2011, when it collected 189 guns. Hall said officers plan to buy about $10,000 worth...

A small gun turn in event was held on 7 November, 2015 in Selma, Alabama.  These events have been characterized by the propaganda term "buy back", but as the organizers never owned the guns in the first place, they cannot be "bought back".  The events have become less popular in recent years as private buyers have arranged to offer more for the more valuable guns taken to these events.  That was the case in Selma.  Robert W. Kennedy, Jr. was a private buyer at the Selma event, and commented on it.   From selmatimesjournal.com: My name is Robert W....

There will be a gun turn in event in Selma, Alabama on Saturday, 7 November,  2015.  While these events are commonly labelled with the propaganda term “buyback”, the guns were never owned by the people attempting to buy them.  The turn in event will be at 2013 Clinton Ave, at the Macedonia Apostolic Church.The event is scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 10 a.m. to 11:59 both at the same source.   People often turn up early at these events.  Those that show up early get the deals or the incentives.  These events often...

I have previously written that the primary purpose of gun turn in events has been political theater designed to teach the lesson that guns are bad and should be turned in to the police.  A number of academics have done studies that show that gun turn in programs are ineffective in decreasing crime.  Even the “progressive” economics author of “Freakonomics” says that they are counter-productive for actually decreasing crime.   From the “Freakonomics” web site: When it comes to gun buybacks, both the theory and the data could not be clearer in showing that they don’t work. The only guns...

Darrail Smith On another article, I pointed out that mere possession of a stolen item is not enough to convict a person of receiving stolen property, at least in most states.    My understanding is that virtually all "possession of stolen property" crimes involve an element of "knowing" that the property was stolen.   Arizona has a "Trafficking in stolen property" statute: A. A person who recklessly traffics in the property of another that has been stolen is guilty of trafficking in stolen property in the second degree. B. A person who knowingly initiates, organizes, plans, finances, directs, manages or supervises...

With the Federal Reserve’s quantitative-easing program out of the picture, share buybacks are now the preferred way to boost stock prices in the face of softening earnings. But like QE, it is unclear how long the buyback boom can last. In the first quarter of 2015, companies in the S&P 500 index SPX, -0.05% returned more money to shareholders than they earned. The last time that happened was in the fourth quarter of 2008, when the entire S&P 500 reported a slight loss for the quarter but still spent $110 billion on dividends and buybacks. “This is not a normal...

This "Mexican" Browning High-Power was one of many fine /firearms turned in at the Los Angeles gun "buy back" in May of 2014.  It stands out because of the custom grips, which appear to be mother of pearl, inlaid with Mexican emblems and framed in silver. The pistol has the slide at the full rear position, yet the barrel is only showing about 5/8ths of an inch in front.  It should show about 1 3/8ths.   Look at the other side. The barrel is extending half way back above the magazine!  It should not be in that position. Someone disassembled...

A gun turn in (buy back) event was held in San Jose, California, on the 6th of June, 2015.   The number of firearms turned in was meager for such a large population center, with one fourth turned in by one person.  There are no photographs of the firearms turned in available yet, but it is highly probable that the 47 firearms turned in by one person were the collection of a family member who died.  That is a common source of guns turned in at these events.  From mercurynews.com : SAN JOSE -- A no-questions-asked guns buyback run by...

Cerberus Capital Management LP told its investors Friday that it has created an avenue for them to sell their stakes in a gun maker that the private-equity firm has been under pressure to divest since the Sandy Hook school shooting in 2012. Cerberus sent a letter to its investors, which include pension funds and endowments, telling them that it has separated Remington Outdoor Co., the maker of Remington and Bushmaster rifles formerly known as Freedom Group Inc., from its funds and will allow any investor wishing to cash out of the company to do so, according to a person familiar...

In an unnamed gun 'buy back' that is reported to have occurred in June of 2014, These four homemade slam fire shotguns were turned in for cash.  The piece of pipe that acts as a barrel slides in the front.   It is much like the slam fire shotguns that were developed and used in guerrilla fighting in the Philippines in WWII.  From countercurrentnews.com: The self-described “gun rights activist,” who we are not naming, brought in a duffel bag full of home made, “slam-fire” shotguns (all of legal length). He was paid $50 for each of these improvised guns. This low...

NLPC Associate Fellow Mark Modica was a guest yesterday on "Closing Bell" on CNBC. We will post the video soon, but here is a transcript: Sara Eisen : At first it seemed like it was just another activist investors at work but our next guest says something else is in play here. We're talking about Harry Wilson, the restructuring expert who served on President Obama's auto industry task force during the financial crisis and was instrumental in bringing GM out of bankruptcy. Now Wilson is a GM activist investor and represents hedge funds holding a total of 34 million shares...

There was a gun turn in event, 'no questions asked' in Newport, Oregon last Saturday, the 17th of January.   A number of second amendment supporters planned for the event, and attended.    From centaloregoncoastnow.com: Fred Meyer Gift Cards will be available for working order guns (limit 3 gift cards per person, but more than 3 guns will be accepted). All firearms must be unloaded and transported in the trunk of your car or comparably secured in your pickup truck. No questions asked. $175 Assault or assault-like rifle $125 Handgun $ 75 Long guns, such as rifles or shotguns $ 25...

Guns procured for a similar amount at a Phoenix, AZ, event on 4 May of 2013 Most gun turn in events are political theater, designed to gather publicity, denigrate the ownership of guns, and promote the idea that guns have no legitimate utility.  For this reason, publicity is highly sought, pictures of guns turned in are prominently splashed across friendly media, and separate news "events" are created when guns are destroyed.  All of this is pretty much standard practice by  those who conduct the political theater known by the propaganda term "buy back".   You would think it would be...

Long Guns Recently Turned In at Phoenix event in May, 2013 The New Orleans Jefferson Parish and Kirsha Kaechelel, will be hosting a gun turn in event on 25 October, 2014. While these events are commonly labeled with the propaganda term "buyback" the guns were never owned by the people attempting to buy them. The event will be held at The Embassy located  at  1200 Franklin Avenue, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. It appears that they will be giving out cash.   $75 will be given to those who turn in a handgun, $200 will be...

I missed the notifications of this 8 September 2014 event.   It seems that those notifications are coming closer and closer to the event date, almost as if those conducting the events do not want anyone to do any pre-planning.   Toledo has a checkered history of police bullying private buyers and sellers.   Buckeyefirearms.org did a great job of exposing this last year, with four videos:  Video 1, Video 2, Video 3, and Video 4.  It did not matter much.  There were plenty of private buyers there this year. This year, the police seem to have learned more about the law. ...

At the recent Cleveland gun turn in event, "buy back", the public turned in 270 guns to the police.    Second amendment supporters were there in force, and purchased about 100 guns, some of the most valuable of those brought to the event, for cash.   From guns.com: “Overall we saved about 100 guns. Anything worth saving was saved. I would say less than 10 guns of actual value made it through us to get turned in to police. If the guns weren’t worth anything, we directed them over to the police to at least get something for them. And we...

There have been many academic studies showing that gun turn in events, also known by the propaganda term "buy back", have little or no known effect on crime.   They are considered a waste of police resources.  They are also a waste because there is no reason to destroy the valuable firearms collected, other than to send the propaganda message that guns are bad and should be destroyed. Several states have enacted legislation to stop this practice.  If those who organize these events wished to make them more effective, they would coordinate with private buyers so that valuable guns would...

Cleveland held its annual gun turn in "buy back" today, 6 September.   People turned in 270 firearms.  The term "buy back" is a pure propaganda term, because the guns never belonged to the people who are buying them.   From 19actionnews.com: The Cleveland Police Department's eighth annual buyback seemed successful, taking in 270 weapons during the event, including seven shotguns, 10 rifles and 253 handguns. Some of the guns were much more valuable than the $100 gift card given for handguns, or the $200 gift card given for semi-automatic long guns.   Some of the guns, such as the older...