Free Republic

I’m a Democrat, I’m socially liberal, and I’m a gun owner. And when I say a new law won’t stop criminals from getting guns, I hope readers will at least pause for a moment to consider. The bill’s unintended consequences will further polarize politics, while doing nothing to keep guns away from criminals.

GRANTS PASS -- A man who owns a gold-mining claim on federal land in southwestern Oregon asked for help defending it after U.S. authorities ordered him to stop work, but he is now telling his armed supporters to back off. Rick Barclay said Thursday that he hoped to prevent his fight with federal regulators from turning into the kind of high-profile standoff at a Nevada ranch last year. He initially called in a local chapter of constitutional activists known as the Oath Keepers because he thought the U.S. Bureau of Land Management would seize the equipment on his mining claim...

An Oregon sheriff said Tuesday that he will not enforce an upcoming state law that expands gun background checks to include private sales, The Herald and News reported. Sheriff Dave Daniel, from Josephine County, which sits on the border with California, told the paper that it appears that the law is not in line with the county’s charter and said he does not have the personnel to pursue violators committing a misdemeanor.

BLM issued a cease and desist order without a court order and without 'Coordination Authorization'....with local authorities. Federal officials acting lawlessly. Possible federal land grab to seize gold rich property on behalf of Chinese government. snip Galice Mining District, JOSEPHINE COUNTY, OREGON-The next Bundy Ranch incident is developing in Josephine County, Oregon. The BLM has served notice to gold miners that they have until April 25, 2015 to stop gold mining….Oath Keepers are on site…Militia on the way. BLM DID NOT seek ‘Coordination Authorization’ with the local community….Sheriff Dave Daniel is NOT considered to be a Consitutional Sheriff. Josephine County...

An Oregon lawmaker proposed legislation Monday creating uniform standards for hand dryers in public restrooms, citing the proliferation of powerful dryers that, while efficient, can sometimes trigger tinnitus or cause discomfort for people with development or sensory disabilities. The measure would require all new or replacement dryers to operate at a noise level no louder than 84 decibels. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that is about as loud as a school cafeteria. It also wouldn’t allow hand dryers blowing air downwards to blow air faster than 115 mph, in case the hand-dryer manufacturer doesn’t label...

A biological father and daughter in an incestuous relationship have lost custody of their second baby after the first son, plagued with genetic problems, was also taken away. The baby boy was removed from their care four days after he was born in Oregon last year, Eric Lee Gates and his adult daughter, Chalena Mae Moody, had asked the appeals court to overturn a decision for the baby to be put in foster care, but their case was rejected, reports the Register Guard.

“This investigation highlights something we’ve known for a long time – that the online market for guns leaves a gaping loophole for criminals and other dangerous people to buy a gun without a background check,” said Sarah Finger McDonald, one of 50,000 Oregon members of the group Moms Demand Action. According to Everytown’s research, gun sales online eclipsed sales at gun shows by a factor of four. More guns were sold by unlicensed vendors online in a week than at a year of Oregon gun shows.

The report from Everytown for Gun Safety said that sellers using just four popular websites may be transferring as many as 25,000 guns a year in Oregon without conducting criminal background checks. Everytown also conducted a sting-like operation by posting 17 ads that had inquiries from 11 people with criminal records who are legally prohibited from buying firearms. Among them were two felons with a record of methamphetamine use as well as two others with domestic violence convictions.

On March 27 215 Gabby Giffords backed Oregon Democrats in pushing all future Oregon gun purchasers to pass the same background check Jared Loughner passed to acquire the firearm with which he attacked Giffords and eighteen others in Tucson. The legislation–SB 941, sponsored by [longtime gun banner] state senator Floyd Prozanski (D-Eugene)–would require a background check for every gun sale and/or transfer in Oregon–whether retail or private–except for sales between “close relatives,” which would continue to be a privilege the government allows.

While Oregon Democrats stood with Gabby Giffords and the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence to push expanded background checks on April 1, Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer stood for the law-abiding citizens whom the checks will target by describing the gun control push as “borderline treasonous.” Palmer also made clear that if the Democrats pass the measure there is zero chance of his office enforcing it.Breitbart News previously reported that the push for expanded background checks in Oregon is being spearheaded by state senator Floyd Prozanski (D-Eugene). His efforts are strongly supported by the Brady Campaign and Giffords.

After Friday afternoon's release of 94,000 emails between Cylvia Hayes and former Gov. John Kitzhaber's staffers, reporters poured over the documents dating back to the beginning of his third term in 2011. Now it's your turn. Cast of characters The Governor's office Mike Bonetto, Kitzhaber's chief of staff, had a front-row seat to the blurring between Hayes' public and private roles. No longer working in the governor's office. .........snip........ You can access the same archive as reporters by going to this link on Gov. Kate Brown's state site.

(Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said on Thursday it was unlikely to approve new or expanded uses of certain pesticides while it evaluates the risks they may pose to honey bees. The so-called neonicotinoid pesticides are routinely used in agriculture and applied to plants and trees in gardens and parks. But their widespread use has come under scrutiny in recent years after a drop in the number of honey bees and other pollinating insects, which play key roles in food production. The decline is attributed to factors including pesticide and herbicide use, habitat loss and disease, according...

Republican presidential hopefuls are united in blasting President Obama for his chaotic enforcement of marijuana laws, but the unity quickly breaks down when they are asked how they would handle things if they were in the White House. Some have sent mixed signals, saying state decisions should be respected while questioning how Mr. Obama has respected those decisions. Others have refused to say how they would wield the federal bureaucracy against marijuana. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is one of the few potential candidates to take a firm stance, saying he would insist on following federal statutes that outlaw the drug....

The Western Governors' Association released a report today highlighting the voluntary efforts in 11 states to conserve the habitat of sage-grouse as part of an effort to avoid a federal listing of the bird under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The association, which represents the governors of 19 Western states, said that “the breadth and depth of voluntary conservation efforts across the region, if allowed to run their course, will provide the bird with the necessary habitat to live and thrive.” The greater sage grouse is found in 11 states and its habitat encompasses 186 million acres . The U.S....

Robert Yuille, whose wife, Cindy, was killed in the Dec. 11, 2012, shootings at Clackamas Town Center, said, "I'm here today for Cindy because she no longer has a voice." He argued that expanding background checks was a "no-brainer" because they help keep guns out of the hands of felons and others who are prohibited by law from possessing guns.

A man who pulled a gun on two teens and said, "Get ready to die," had the weapon knocked out of his hand by a man wielding a motorcycle helmet, according to deputies. The situation began at 4 p.m. Sunday in Salem. Investigators said two 17-year-old boys crossed the street in front of a truck on Center Street near Lancaster Drive Northeast. Deputies said the driver, 59-year-old Edward West, yelled at the teens to get out of the street. When they yelled back, deputies said West drove into a nearby parking lot and confronted them. A verbal altercation ensued, deputies...

The Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a public hearing on the measure 8 a.m. Wednesday at the state Capitol in Salem. Members of the public are invited to testify, but there's no guarantee that everyone will get a chance. Oregonians also can also email or call their senator. Contact information for all 30 senators is on the Legislature's website,www.oregonlegislature.gov .

Well, Oregonians, are you ready to lose your ability to privately transfer guns? A senate bill under consideration would require you to appear before a gun dealer and go through a background check. How fun would that be? It probably won’t be cheap and it certainly won’t be private. Here’s an email blast we received from the Oregon Firearms Federation:

Matthew 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. What if Ted Cruz could win the General election and everything the experts know about politics is wrong? What if you don’t have to choose a candidate that mirrors the Dem selection and Americans are not as liberal as the media claims it is? The reason these questions are never asked or answered is that conservative voters have been shamed into a corner so they will...

Oregon lawmakers are gearing up for another round of debate over firearm regulations. Democrats introduced a measure Thursday that would require criminal background checks for most private gun sales. If the proposal sounds familiar, it's because similar measures were introduced and failed in the last two legislative sessions. The difference now? "It's all about the votes,” said bill co-sponsor state Senator Ginny Burdick, a Democrat. "We have the votes now and we did not have the votes before. That's the main difference."