Clinotus
05-03-2009, 03:23 AM
http://230grain.com/images/articles/editorial.jpg
230grain isn't a news analyst website by any means, but on occasion we apply some Hoppes to an old Singer Typewriter near the copier and let rant a few thoughts on current events.
Gun Control, lets talk about it.
Over the past eight years fervent supporters of the Democrats and members of the Democratic Party have pushed for some manner of gun control and in November of 2008, suddenly the chance occurred. But here it is 2009 and nothing has occurred. The new Democratic administration has stated that they would rather use the existing laws on the books rather than start out with new laws or bans. Why the about face?
When half the country goes out and gets armed after your party wins the platform, you might have a slight problem introducing gun control. The way I see it the democrats have got a hot potato on their hands and they know it.
Many attribute the parties staggering losses in 1996 to the 1994 Democratic sponsored assault weapons bans, while many tout that as truth, there really is no great evidence supporting that theory. But years later its taken on almost a mystical truth.
What did the ban at the time really accomplish? Studies undertaken show that its effect on crime was negligible at best. Most of the weapons used in crime and other criminal enterprises are not registered or legal weapons past the fact that the majority of them were stolen from legal owners. And actual “Assault Weapons”, meaning the fully automatic battle field weapons, are locked in such a tight market since the 1986 Hughes Amendment that anyone dropping the five digits, the time, and the research to obtain one certainly is not the sort of person to lend them out, rob gas stations, or shoot into crowds of other law abiding citizens.
Where the last AWB was most effective was on cosmetics. The ugly kids got the stick. Banned were things like shortened stocks, certain grips, and bayonets . Magazine capacity was suddenly a no no. But most of the magazines produced were the same, the only variation being, 'LEO only' stamped on the side of some higher capacity magazines. The older ones were still available, just like the older guns, just like the older ammunition, just like...well everything.
So with a negligible effect on crime, and the ban becoming nothing more than just a talking point on crime, the AWB of past was largely nothing more than the public failure of a political experiment. When it sunset in 2004 everyone let loose a sigh of relief but the breath was bated...waiting. We knew, we knew it was coming and with the Democratic takings in 2006 and again in 2008 it was just a matter of time. Knowing that this time on the the horizon the new ban, an effective ban would surely take place.
The front runner at the time told us not to worry...but Dem or Rep..he was a politician and his lips were moving. We figured we could take him at face value, but it would just take one incident to turn that argument against us. Then in 2009 we saw horrific violence 'reported' by the media, the Upstate NY killings, the California Police slayings, the father killing his 4 children and himself...then even more police officers....
And nothing...
For once the democrats seem to look like the republicans, letting the people and local laws decide the level of the law rather than coddling and overbearing. Will it last?. Who knows...but one thing is certain. Its not just the patriots that are armed...perhaps the revolution many spoke about has already started and it was all about a mental change.
230grain isn't a news analyst website by any means, but on occasion we apply some Hoppes to an old Singer Typewriter near the copier and let rant a few thoughts on current events.
Gun Control, lets talk about it.
Over the past eight years fervent supporters of the Democrats and members of the Democratic Party have pushed for some manner of gun control and in November of 2008, suddenly the chance occurred. But here it is 2009 and nothing has occurred. The new Democratic administration has stated that they would rather use the existing laws on the books rather than start out with new laws or bans. Why the about face?
When half the country goes out and gets armed after your party wins the platform, you might have a slight problem introducing gun control. The way I see it the democrats have got a hot potato on their hands and they know it.
Many attribute the parties staggering losses in 1996 to the 1994 Democratic sponsored assault weapons bans, while many tout that as truth, there really is no great evidence supporting that theory. But years later its taken on almost a mystical truth.
What did the ban at the time really accomplish? Studies undertaken show that its effect on crime was negligible at best. Most of the weapons used in crime and other criminal enterprises are not registered or legal weapons past the fact that the majority of them were stolen from legal owners. And actual “Assault Weapons”, meaning the fully automatic battle field weapons, are locked in such a tight market since the 1986 Hughes Amendment that anyone dropping the five digits, the time, and the research to obtain one certainly is not the sort of person to lend them out, rob gas stations, or shoot into crowds of other law abiding citizens.
Where the last AWB was most effective was on cosmetics. The ugly kids got the stick. Banned were things like shortened stocks, certain grips, and bayonets . Magazine capacity was suddenly a no no. But most of the magazines produced were the same, the only variation being, 'LEO only' stamped on the side of some higher capacity magazines. The older ones were still available, just like the older guns, just like the older ammunition, just like...well everything.
So with a negligible effect on crime, and the ban becoming nothing more than just a talking point on crime, the AWB of past was largely nothing more than the public failure of a political experiment. When it sunset in 2004 everyone let loose a sigh of relief but the breath was bated...waiting. We knew, we knew it was coming and with the Democratic takings in 2006 and again in 2008 it was just a matter of time. Knowing that this time on the the horizon the new ban, an effective ban would surely take place.
The front runner at the time told us not to worry...but Dem or Rep..he was a politician and his lips were moving. We figured we could take him at face value, but it would just take one incident to turn that argument against us. Then in 2009 we saw horrific violence 'reported' by the media, the Upstate NY killings, the California Police slayings, the father killing his 4 children and himself...then even more police officers....
And nothing...
For once the democrats seem to look like the republicans, letting the people and local laws decide the level of the law rather than coddling and overbearing. Will it last?. Who knows...but one thing is certain. Its not just the patriots that are armed...perhaps the revolution many spoke about has already started and it was all about a mental change.