Following the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on gun control in the McDonald v. Chicago case, Libertarian National Committee Chairman Mark Hinkle issued the following statement June 30:
"We are very pleased that the Supreme Court has ruled that the Second Amendment protects individuals from state governments wishing to violate their right to own handguns.
"Libertarians have always firmly supported the individual right of self-defense.
"Now there is some hope that Chicago's horrible violent crime problem can be reduced by law-abiding citizens who will now be able to deter and resist criminals. More guns = less crime.
"It is disturbing that four justices voted to uphold Chicago's gun ban. Their position is an attempt to pursue a policy goal from the bench, not to apply the Constitution -- and to make matters worse, it is a policy goal that would be very harmful to the people of Chicago, and potentially to everyone in America.
"This ruling follows the District of Columbia v. Heller ruling, which overturned D.C.'s ban on handguns. That case was originally brought by Dick Heller, Libertarian Party member and treasurer of the D.C. Libertarian Party.
"We hope that this ruling will lead to further court decisions that reduce the government's ability to infringe on gun rights with burdensome restrictions and red tape.
"Republicans and Democrats both deserve blame for violating gun rights. While Republicans often position themselves as Second Amendment defenders, it is worth noting major examples to the contrary:
"Republican 2008 presidential nominee John McCain received an F- rating from Gun Owners of America;
"Republican president George W. Bush supported a program called Project Safe Neighborhoods that sought to toughen and federalize prosecution of gun control laws;
"When he was running for Massachusetts Governor in 2002, Republican Mitt Romney said, 'We do have tough gun laws in Massachusetts; I support them; I won't chip away at them; I believe they protect us and provide for our safety.';
"In 1991, former Republican President Ronald Reagan announced his support for the Brady federal gun control bill."
The Libertarian candidate for New York Governor, Warren Redlich, has commented that the ruling will affect New York gun control laws. On June 28 Redlich wrote, "This landmark ruling will require New York State to take immediate action to amend its gun laws so they do not violate the constitution. It is a striking victory for gun owners and for anyone who believes in the fundamental rights the constitution provides."
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage
Showing posts with label second amendment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label second amendment. Show all posts
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Libertarians take aim at Sotomayor’s anti-gun stance
America’s third largest party reiterated its opposition Wednesday to the Supreme Court nomination of federal judge Sonia Sotomayor after the nominee refused to give a firm answer on whether individuals have the right of self-defense.
“Is there a constitutional right to self-defense?” Sotomayor asked when questioned by Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) whether or not the Constitution guaranteed him the right of self-defense. “ I can’t think of one. I could be wrong.”
“Whether you agree with her position or not, Judge Sotomayor has had no problem stating that things not directly found in the Constitution are ‘settled law.’ That’s why it’s troubling that when confronted with a constitutionally-enshrined principle she disagrees with, the right to keep and bear arms for the defense of one’s rights, things are suddenly muddled and up for debate,” said Donny Ferguson, Libertarian National Committee Communications Director.
“The Libertarian Party is the only party that never compromises in its defense of our Second Amendment-guaranteed rights. That’s why we have opposed Judge Sotomayor’s nomination from the moment we reviewed her troubling anti-gun record. Judge Sotomayor’s answers Wednesday further show she believes the law should flow from her own personal biases and not the literal wording of the Constitution,” said Ferguson.
Judge Sotomayor is the latest in a long line of hardline anti-gun activists nominated by President Obama to government positions where they would have the power to infringe on gun rights. Libertarians also opposed the nominations of anti-gun Attorney General Eric Holder and anti-gun State Department legal adviser Harold Koh.
“The Libertarian Party will hold accountable at the ballot box any senator who votes to confirm Judge Sotomayor. America’s nearly 90 million gun owners come from all walks of life and political beliefs – and they decide their vote on this issue. Libertarians look forward to speaking with them about the LP’s fundamental belief in gun rights, and their senator’s voting record on it,” said Ferguson.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.politicalpotluck.com
Political News You Can Use
“Is there a constitutional right to self-defense?” Sotomayor asked when questioned by Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) whether or not the Constitution guaranteed him the right of self-defense. “ I can’t think of one. I could be wrong.”
“Whether you agree with her position or not, Judge Sotomayor has had no problem stating that things not directly found in the Constitution are ‘settled law.’ That’s why it’s troubling that when confronted with a constitutionally-enshrined principle she disagrees with, the right to keep and bear arms for the defense of one’s rights, things are suddenly muddled and up for debate,” said Donny Ferguson, Libertarian National Committee Communications Director.
“The Libertarian Party is the only party that never compromises in its defense of our Second Amendment-guaranteed rights. That’s why we have opposed Judge Sotomayor’s nomination from the moment we reviewed her troubling anti-gun record. Judge Sotomayor’s answers Wednesday further show she believes the law should flow from her own personal biases and not the literal wording of the Constitution,” said Ferguson.
Judge Sotomayor is the latest in a long line of hardline anti-gun activists nominated by President Obama to government positions where they would have the power to infringe on gun rights. Libertarians also opposed the nominations of anti-gun Attorney General Eric Holder and anti-gun State Department legal adviser Harold Koh.
“The Libertarian Party will hold accountable at the ballot box any senator who votes to confirm Judge Sotomayor. America’s nearly 90 million gun owners come from all walks of life and political beliefs – and they decide their vote on this issue. Libertarians look forward to speaking with them about the LP’s fundamental belief in gun rights, and their senator’s voting record on it,” said Ferguson.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.politicalpotluck.com
Political News You Can Use
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Libertarians urge Supreme Court to overturn anti-gun Illinois ordinances
America’s third largest party Wednesday urged the Supreme Court to hear an appeal challenging handgun bans in Chicago and the Illinois village of Oak Park, and to rule such gun bans violate the Second Amendment. A U.S. Court of Appeals panel ruled Tuesday that it could not hear challenges to the anti-gun ordinances filed by both the National Rifle Association and attorney Alan Gura after the Supreme Court ruled in 2008 that a handgun ban in the District of Columbia was unconstitutional.
In a 3-0 decision, the panel ruled it was bound by past rulings claiming the Second Amendment does not necessarily apply to states, and only the Supreme Court could overturn the handgun bans. That precedent has since been put into question by its 2008 decision in Heller v. District of Columbia ruling handgun bans were unconstitutional in that federal district. Gura was lead attorney in the Heller case and filed a similar suit in Illinois.
“The court simply ruled it cannot overturn precedent, not that gun control is a mythical right held by government as anti-gun radicals now claim. Libertarians urge the Supreme Court to hear this case and uphold the clear language of the Second Amendment by overturning gun bans in states and municipalities as it did in the District of Columbia,” said Donny Ferguson, Libertarian National Committee Communications Director.
The panel heard a combined appeal from the NRA and Gura challenging a Dec. 4, 2008 decision by the Seventh Circuit to throw out their three lawsuits against the cities of Chicago and Oak Park challenging the constitutionality of their anti-gun ordinances. The three suits, McDonald v. City of Chicago, National Rifle Association of America v. City of Chicago and National Rifle Association v. Village of Oak Park were consolidated by the court for the appeal.
“The intent of the Second Amendment is clear. Allowing citizens to keep and bear arms is critical to the defense of an entire nation, and therefore cannot be infringed. We urge the Supreme Court to make the Second Amendment one of those constitutional guarantees of freedom that comes without asterisks or disclaimers,” said Ferguson.
Ferguson also urged members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to have Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor clarify her position on gun rights, as she will likely hear the Illinois case should she be confirmed.
“Considering the fact Sonia Sotomayor will likely hear this case should she be confirmed to the Supreme Court, senators have an obligation to ask her if she agrees with the plain text of the Second Amendment that it confers individual rights, and whether she believes states are bound by it,” said Ferguson.
“I would hope they would refuse to confirm a judge who thinks the Second Amendment somehow gives government rights, or that states are free to ignore it,” said Ferguson. “The Libertarian Party has already announced its opposition to Sotomayor and her history of ruling against individual and property rights in favor of her personal agenda of identity politics and more powerful government.”
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.politicalpotluck.com
Political News You Can Use
In a 3-0 decision, the panel ruled it was bound by past rulings claiming the Second Amendment does not necessarily apply to states, and only the Supreme Court could overturn the handgun bans. That precedent has since been put into question by its 2008 decision in Heller v. District of Columbia ruling handgun bans were unconstitutional in that federal district. Gura was lead attorney in the Heller case and filed a similar suit in Illinois.
“The court simply ruled it cannot overturn precedent, not that gun control is a mythical right held by government as anti-gun radicals now claim. Libertarians urge the Supreme Court to hear this case and uphold the clear language of the Second Amendment by overturning gun bans in states and municipalities as it did in the District of Columbia,” said Donny Ferguson, Libertarian National Committee Communications Director.
The panel heard a combined appeal from the NRA and Gura challenging a Dec. 4, 2008 decision by the Seventh Circuit to throw out their three lawsuits against the cities of Chicago and Oak Park challenging the constitutionality of their anti-gun ordinances. The three suits, McDonald v. City of Chicago, National Rifle Association of America v. City of Chicago and National Rifle Association v. Village of Oak Park were consolidated by the court for the appeal.
“The intent of the Second Amendment is clear. Allowing citizens to keep and bear arms is critical to the defense of an entire nation, and therefore cannot be infringed. We urge the Supreme Court to make the Second Amendment one of those constitutional guarantees of freedom that comes without asterisks or disclaimers,” said Ferguson.
Ferguson also urged members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to have Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor clarify her position on gun rights, as she will likely hear the Illinois case should she be confirmed.
“Considering the fact Sonia Sotomayor will likely hear this case should she be confirmed to the Supreme Court, senators have an obligation to ask her if she agrees with the plain text of the Second Amendment that it confers individual rights, and whether she believes states are bound by it,” said Ferguson.
“I would hope they would refuse to confirm a judge who thinks the Second Amendment somehow gives government rights, or that states are free to ignore it,” said Ferguson. “The Libertarian Party has already announced its opposition to Sotomayor and her history of ruling against individual and property rights in favor of her personal agenda of identity politics and more powerful government.”
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.politicalpotluck.com
Political News You Can Use
Friday, April 17, 2009
Libertarians call out Obama for fake gun stats
Libertarians are taking President Barack Obama to task for once again intentionally spreading false information about the source of guns used by Mexican drug cartels and blaming the United States for crime in Mexico.
“This war is being waged with guns purchased not here, but in the United States. More than 90 percent of the guns recovered in Mexico come from the United States,” said Obama in a face-to-face meeting Thursday with Mexican President Felipe Calderon in Mexico City.
That claim, however, is blatantly false. According to information supplied by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) the real number is closer to only 17 percent.
“There is a reason Obama is intentionally spreading false information about American firearm businesses. He opposes the Second Amendment, promised anti-gun groups he would enact gun bans and is hoping to scare people into voting away their own rights,” said Donny Ferguson, Libertarian National Committee Communications Director.
“The first casualty in Barack Obama’s war on the Second Amendment is the truth. Not only does Obama want to renew failed gun bans here in the United States and register all gunowners, he’s hoping to literally scare up enough support for an international anti-gun treaty the Senate has been rejected for over a decade,” said Ferguson.
Obama hopes to enact the Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives and Other Related Materials (CIFTA,) requiring all guns to be marked and tracked by the government. It was signed by then-President Bill Clinton in 1997, but never ratified.
“The people who wrote that treaty know you can’t ban and confiscate guns unless you know exactly where they are,” said Ferguson.
Backers of the treaty, such as Calderon, hope it will be the first step towards gun registration and prohibition in the United States. Obama hopes to push the Senate into finally ratifying the anti-gun treaty.
But Obama’s “90 percent” talking point has absolutely no factual basis.
ATF Special Agent William Newell tells Fox News that between 2007 and 2008, around 11,000 guns used in Mexican crimes appeared to come from the United States and were submitted to the ATF for tracing. Of those, only 6,000 could be successfully traced. Of those, only 5,114, according to testimony in Congress by William Hoover, were found to have come from the U.S.
Obama’s “90 percent” number refers, not to the percentage of “guns recovered in Mexico,” as Obama claims, but to the "percent of the traced firearms” according to a BATFE spokeswoman.
But Mexican authorities report that in those two years, a total of 29,000 guns were recovered at crime scenes. That means 68 percent of the guns recovered by Mexican police did not even appear to come from the United States.
That means only 5,114 out of 29,000 guns used in Mexican crimes were found to have come from the United States. That figure would be 17 percent, not the 90 percent repeated by Obama.
Further weakening Obama’s case is the fact firearms manufacturers such as Colt legally shipped some of those United States-originated guns into Mexico for permitted uses, such as by the Mexican military.
Research finds most of the guns used by Mexican criminals come from overseas black markets, Russian crime organizations, South America, Asia, Guatemala and even the Mexican army.
“No reasonable person would think Obama didn’t consult the BATFE to get numbers before coming up with his talking points, and this information has been public for over two weeks. Barack Obama chose to intentionally spread fake information because he hopes to use fear to ram his anti-Second Amendment agenda through the Senate,” said Ferguson.
During his term in the Senate, Obama earned an “F” rating from Gunowners of America, as well as the National Rifle Association. In an April 11, 2008 campaign speech in San Francisco, Obama claimed gunowners are simply “bitter,” racist people who “cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them.”
“Obama is ‘bitterly clinging’ to falsified numbers, hoping he can take away the constitutional rights of ‘people who aren’t like’ him,” said Ferguson.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook
“This war is being waged with guns purchased not here, but in the United States. More than 90 percent of the guns recovered in Mexico come from the United States,” said Obama in a face-to-face meeting Thursday with Mexican President Felipe Calderon in Mexico City.
That claim, however, is blatantly false. According to information supplied by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) the real number is closer to only 17 percent.
“There is a reason Obama is intentionally spreading false information about American firearm businesses. He opposes the Second Amendment, promised anti-gun groups he would enact gun bans and is hoping to scare people into voting away their own rights,” said Donny Ferguson, Libertarian National Committee Communications Director.
“The first casualty in Barack Obama’s war on the Second Amendment is the truth. Not only does Obama want to renew failed gun bans here in the United States and register all gunowners, he’s hoping to literally scare up enough support for an international anti-gun treaty the Senate has been rejected for over a decade,” said Ferguson.
Obama hopes to enact the Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives and Other Related Materials (CIFTA,) requiring all guns to be marked and tracked by the government. It was signed by then-President Bill Clinton in 1997, but never ratified.
“The people who wrote that treaty know you can’t ban and confiscate guns unless you know exactly where they are,” said Ferguson.
Backers of the treaty, such as Calderon, hope it will be the first step towards gun registration and prohibition in the United States. Obama hopes to push the Senate into finally ratifying the anti-gun treaty.
But Obama’s “90 percent” talking point has absolutely no factual basis.
ATF Special Agent William Newell tells Fox News that between 2007 and 2008, around 11,000 guns used in Mexican crimes appeared to come from the United States and were submitted to the ATF for tracing. Of those, only 6,000 could be successfully traced. Of those, only 5,114, according to testimony in Congress by William Hoover, were found to have come from the U.S.
Obama’s “90 percent” number refers, not to the percentage of “guns recovered in Mexico,” as Obama claims, but to the "percent of the traced firearms” according to a BATFE spokeswoman.
But Mexican authorities report that in those two years, a total of 29,000 guns were recovered at crime scenes. That means 68 percent of the guns recovered by Mexican police did not even appear to come from the United States.
That means only 5,114 out of 29,000 guns used in Mexican crimes were found to have come from the United States. That figure would be 17 percent, not the 90 percent repeated by Obama.
Further weakening Obama’s case is the fact firearms manufacturers such as Colt legally shipped some of those United States-originated guns into Mexico for permitted uses, such as by the Mexican military.
Research finds most of the guns used by Mexican criminals come from overseas black markets, Russian crime organizations, South America, Asia, Guatemala and even the Mexican army.
“No reasonable person would think Obama didn’t consult the BATFE to get numbers before coming up with his talking points, and this information has been public for over two weeks. Barack Obama chose to intentionally spread fake information because he hopes to use fear to ram his anti-Second Amendment agenda through the Senate,” said Ferguson.
During his term in the Senate, Obama earned an “F” rating from Gunowners of America, as well as the National Rifle Association. In an April 11, 2008 campaign speech in San Francisco, Obama claimed gunowners are simply “bitter,” racist people who “cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them.”
“Obama is ‘bitterly clinging’ to falsified numbers, hoping he can take away the constitutional rights of ‘people who aren’t like’ him,” said Ferguson.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Pelosi: 'We Want Registration'; Holder: 2A Won't 'Stand In The Way'; SAF: 'Gloves Are Off'
/PRNewswire/ -- Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on April 7 acknowledged that gun registration is on her agenda, days after Attorney General Eric Holder told reporters in Mexico that the Second Amendment would not "stand in the way" of administration plans to crack down on alleged gun trafficking to Mexico.
"These are alarming remarks from Speaker Pelosi and Attorney General Holder," said Second Amendment Foundation founder Alan Gottlieb. "It appears that the Obama administration and Capitol Hill anti-gunners have dropped all pretences about their plans for gun owners' rights, and it looks like the gloves are coming off."
Pelosi's revelation came during an interview on ABC's Good Morning, America. While insisting that Congress "never denied" the gun rights of American Citizens, Pelosi told Roberts, "We want them registered. We don't want them crossing state lines..." Gottlieb noted that citizens' rights do not stop at state lines.
"But that doesn't really matter," he observed. "History has shown that around the world, registration has always led to confiscation."
In Mexico, according to the Wall Street Journal, Holder was asked if the administration might encounter constitutional issues as it tries to crack down on alleged gun trafficking. His response: "I don't think our Second Amendment will stand in the way of efforts we have begun and will expand upon."
"These comments belie administration promises and Democrat rhetoric that party leaders respect the rights of law-abiding Americans to own the firearm of their choice," Gottlieb said. "They imposed registration of semi-autos in Pelosi's California and it led to a ban, but it certainly didn't disarm criminals, like the convicted felon who killed four Oakland police officers last month. We know from Holder that the Obama administration wants to renew the nationwide ban on such firearms, but that won't prevent crime, either.
"The administration and Congressional anti-gunners have declared war on gun rights," Gottlieb said. "The press seems deliberately blind to the statements from Pelosi and Holder, who blame our gun rights for their incompetence in dealing with crime. More than 90 million gun owners haven't hurt anybody, and they are tired of being treated like criminals."
The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation's oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 600,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage
"These are alarming remarks from Speaker Pelosi and Attorney General Holder," said Second Amendment Foundation founder Alan Gottlieb. "It appears that the Obama administration and Capitol Hill anti-gunners have dropped all pretences about their plans for gun owners' rights, and it looks like the gloves are coming off."
Pelosi's revelation came during an interview on ABC's Good Morning, America. While insisting that Congress "never denied" the gun rights of American Citizens, Pelosi told Roberts, "We want them registered. We don't want them crossing state lines..." Gottlieb noted that citizens' rights do not stop at state lines.
"But that doesn't really matter," he observed. "History has shown that around the world, registration has always led to confiscation."
In Mexico, according to the Wall Street Journal, Holder was asked if the administration might encounter constitutional issues as it tries to crack down on alleged gun trafficking. His response: "I don't think our Second Amendment will stand in the way of efforts we have begun and will expand upon."
"These comments belie administration promises and Democrat rhetoric that party leaders respect the rights of law-abiding Americans to own the firearm of their choice," Gottlieb said. "They imposed registration of semi-autos in Pelosi's California and it led to a ban, but it certainly didn't disarm criminals, like the convicted felon who killed four Oakland police officers last month. We know from Holder that the Obama administration wants to renew the nationwide ban on such firearms, but that won't prevent crime, either.
"The administration and Congressional anti-gunners have declared war on gun rights," Gottlieb said. "The press seems deliberately blind to the statements from Pelosi and Holder, who blame our gun rights for their incompetence in dealing with crime. More than 90 million gun owners haven't hurt anybody, and they are tired of being treated like criminals."
The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation's oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 600,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Potential Gun Rights Crisis Imminent in Washington, Notes Senior Rights Activist
/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- "A potential legislative gun rights battle looms today in Washington, D.C.," says Washington senior rights activist John M. Snyder.
"When President Obama submits his budget blueprint this week, reports indicate the proposal may include language designed specifically to repeal the Tiahrt Amendment," says Snyder, named the senior rights activist in Washington by Shotgun News.
"This repeal is an objective long sought by gun-grabbing politicians, the anti-gun Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence and other extremist groups," he added.
The Tiahrt Amendment, named for Rep. Todd Tiahrt of Kansas, is included in the annual appropriations for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives of the U.S. Justice Department. It prohibits gun-grabbing mayors and other repressive officials from obtaining federal gun trace data intended for use only for law enforcement purposes and using the data instead in harassing and costly third-party civil lawsuits against the firearms industry.
Snyder says, "Anti-right to self-defense extremists such as New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and others seek to undermine law-abiding Americans' gun rights by making it more and more difficult for them to obtain the firearms they want. Repeal of the Tiahrt Amendment would further their purposes. On Friday, The New York Times editorialized for repeal.
"America's 90 million law-abiding firearm owners oppose attempts to undermine their individual Second Amendment civil right to keep and bear arms. If Obama proposes repeal of Tiahrt, tens of millions of gun-owning voters can be expected to oppose it and make their opposition reverberate in the halls of Congress. There well may be a major congressional battle soon over the issue."
Snyder says law-abiding, gun-owning voters throughout the United States may contact their Representatives and Senators and urge them to stand firm on Tiahrt.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
"When President Obama submits his budget blueprint this week, reports indicate the proposal may include language designed specifically to repeal the Tiahrt Amendment," says Snyder, named the senior rights activist in Washington by Shotgun News.
"This repeal is an objective long sought by gun-grabbing politicians, the anti-gun Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence and other extremist groups," he added.
The Tiahrt Amendment, named for Rep. Todd Tiahrt of Kansas, is included in the annual appropriations for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives of the U.S. Justice Department. It prohibits gun-grabbing mayors and other repressive officials from obtaining federal gun trace data intended for use only for law enforcement purposes and using the data instead in harassing and costly third-party civil lawsuits against the firearms industry.
Snyder says, "Anti-right to self-defense extremists such as New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and others seek to undermine law-abiding Americans' gun rights by making it more and more difficult for them to obtain the firearms they want. Repeal of the Tiahrt Amendment would further their purposes. On Friday, The New York Times editorialized for repeal.
"America's 90 million law-abiding firearm owners oppose attempts to undermine their individual Second Amendment civil right to keep and bear arms. If Obama proposes repeal of Tiahrt, tens of millions of gun-owning voters can be expected to oppose it and make their opposition reverberate in the halls of Congress. There well may be a major congressional battle soon over the issue."
Snyder says law-abiding, gun-owning voters throughout the United States may contact their Representatives and Senators and urge them to stand firm on Tiahrt.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Libertarian Party Urges 'No' Vote on Holder
America’s third-largest political party urged the Senate Wednesday to reject the nomination of Eric Holder to be Attorney General, citing his record of hostility to Second Amendment rights.
“The Attorney General is expected to defend our Constitutional rights, not infringe them,” said Libertarian Party spokesman Donny Ferguson. “Gun owners value the precious rights protected by the Second Amendment, and they demand the Senate reject this nomination.”
Nominated by President Barack Obama to lead the Justice Department, Holder earned the ire of gun rights groups while Deputy Attorney General under then-President Bill Clinton, from 1997 to 2000.
Holder supported mandatory licensing and registration of gun owners, banning certain types of legal ammunition, waiting periods for handgun purchases, restricting law-abiding gun owners to purchase only one gun a month and regulations intended to drive gun shows out of existence.
Holder was also a key figure in a 2000 attempt by the Clinton administration to sue several firearms manufacturers who did not agree to restrict certain lawful sales, despite the fact Congress earlier rejected such proposed rules.
The companies were told the government lawsuits would be dropped if they agreed to restrict certain sales to lawful purchasers and stop manufacturing certain types of legal firearms. Only one, Smith & Wesson, agreed.
Holder also sided against gun rights in the Supreme Court’s 2008 District of Columbia v. Heller case seeking to overturn Washington, D.C.’s gun control laws. In a brief, Holder argued the Second Amendment confers collective rights on the government and does not protect individual rights of Americans. The Court ruled otherwise, declaring gun ownership to be an individual right.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
“The Attorney General is expected to defend our Constitutional rights, not infringe them,” said Libertarian Party spokesman Donny Ferguson. “Gun owners value the precious rights protected by the Second Amendment, and they demand the Senate reject this nomination.”
Nominated by President Barack Obama to lead the Justice Department, Holder earned the ire of gun rights groups while Deputy Attorney General under then-President Bill Clinton, from 1997 to 2000.
Holder supported mandatory licensing and registration of gun owners, banning certain types of legal ammunition, waiting periods for handgun purchases, restricting law-abiding gun owners to purchase only one gun a month and regulations intended to drive gun shows out of existence.
Holder was also a key figure in a 2000 attempt by the Clinton administration to sue several firearms manufacturers who did not agree to restrict certain lawful sales, despite the fact Congress earlier rejected such proposed rules.
The companies were told the government lawsuits would be dropped if they agreed to restrict certain sales to lawful purchasers and stop manufacturing certain types of legal firearms. Only one, Smith & Wesson, agreed.
Holder also sided against gun rights in the Supreme Court’s 2008 District of Columbia v. Heller case seeking to overturn Washington, D.C.’s gun control laws. In a brief, Holder argued the Second Amendment confers collective rights on the government and does not protect individual rights of Americans. The Court ruled otherwise, declaring gun ownership to be an individual right.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Stephen Halbrook Testifies Against Confirmation of Eric Holder for Attorney General at Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing
/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today the Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing for the controversial nomination of Eric Holder to the position of Attorney General of the United States.
Independent Institute Research Fellow and attorney Stephen Halbrook is among the witnesses testifying, arguing that Holder's reputation as a steadfast opponent of Second Amendment rights makes him an unfit candidate for the job.
Halbrook, author of the new Institute book The Founders' Second Amendment: Origins of the Right to Bear Arms, filed an amicus brief on behalf of more than 300 members of Congress in the recent Supreme Court case District of Columbia v. Heller. But the landmark decision, affirming an individual right in the Second Amendment, conflicts with Holder's track record, claims Halbrook. In fact, Holder joined in a brief arguing that the Second Amendment only concerns the "State's operation of a well-regulated militia" and does not protect an individual right, a position at odds with President-elect Barack Obama's approval of Heller.
"When Mr. Holder served as Deputy Attorney General (1997-2001) and Acting Attorney General (2001), the Department of Justice implemented policies hostile to Second Amendment rights," states Halbrook in his prepared written testimony. "In the establishment of the national instant criminal background check system ('NICS') in 1998, the Department claimed the authority to keep records on lawful firearm purchasers for an alleged 'audit log' for six months, despite the law's requirement that such records be destroyed and its prohibition on registration of firearm owners."
"In that same period, the Department circulated draft legislation that would be included in a bill introduced by Congressman John Conyers as H.R. 1768 (106th Cong., 1999). The bill would have: Imposed felony penalties on a person who planned a gun show without registering with and reporting to ATF; made it unlawful for persons under age 21 to possess firearms, even though they vote, serve on juries, and serve in the military; imposed a 3-day waiting period, and limited handgun purchases to one per month."
"After terrorists struck with box cutters on 9/11, Mr. Holder responded with an op ed arguing for 'background checks on all gun sales,' which would have extended felony penalties to the otherwise innocent, intrastate conduct of law-abiding private individuals. He added: 'Congress should also pass legislation that would give the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms a record of every firearm sale.' Under the guise of combating terrorism, every American firearm owner would thus be registered with the government," Halbrook states.
Continuing to reveal Holder as a staunch opponent of the Second Amendment, Halbrook concludes, "Eric Holder has taken a constricted view of Second Amendment rights. Millions of law-abiding Americans exercise the right to keep and bear arms. Mr. Holder's opinion is that the people have no such right unless they are commanded to exercise it in a formal militia, which renders the right meaningless... Many Americans have reason to be uneasy about Mr. Holder's nomination for Attorney General. They deserve to have a person in this role who is committed to upholding all parts of the Constitution, including the Second Amendment. Unfortunately, Mr. Holder has proven himself not to be that person."
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Independent Institute Research Fellow and attorney Stephen Halbrook is among the witnesses testifying, arguing that Holder's reputation as a steadfast opponent of Second Amendment rights makes him an unfit candidate for the job.
Halbrook, author of the new Institute book The Founders' Second Amendment: Origins of the Right to Bear Arms, filed an amicus brief on behalf of more than 300 members of Congress in the recent Supreme Court case District of Columbia v. Heller. But the landmark decision, affirming an individual right in the Second Amendment, conflicts with Holder's track record, claims Halbrook. In fact, Holder joined in a brief arguing that the Second Amendment only concerns the "State's operation of a well-regulated militia" and does not protect an individual right, a position at odds with President-elect Barack Obama's approval of Heller.
"When Mr. Holder served as Deputy Attorney General (1997-2001) and Acting Attorney General (2001), the Department of Justice implemented policies hostile to Second Amendment rights," states Halbrook in his prepared written testimony. "In the establishment of the national instant criminal background check system ('NICS') in 1998, the Department claimed the authority to keep records on lawful firearm purchasers for an alleged 'audit log' for six months, despite the law's requirement that such records be destroyed and its prohibition on registration of firearm owners."
"In that same period, the Department circulated draft legislation that would be included in a bill introduced by Congressman John Conyers as H.R. 1768 (106th Cong., 1999). The bill would have: Imposed felony penalties on a person who planned a gun show without registering with and reporting to ATF; made it unlawful for persons under age 21 to possess firearms, even though they vote, serve on juries, and serve in the military; imposed a 3-day waiting period, and limited handgun purchases to one per month."
"After terrorists struck with box cutters on 9/11, Mr. Holder responded with an op ed arguing for 'background checks on all gun sales,' which would have extended felony penalties to the otherwise innocent, intrastate conduct of law-abiding private individuals. He added: 'Congress should also pass legislation that would give the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms a record of every firearm sale.' Under the guise of combating terrorism, every American firearm owner would thus be registered with the government," Halbrook states.
Continuing to reveal Holder as a staunch opponent of the Second Amendment, Halbrook concludes, "Eric Holder has taken a constricted view of Second Amendment rights. Millions of law-abiding Americans exercise the right to keep and bear arms. Mr. Holder's opinion is that the people have no such right unless they are commanded to exercise it in a formal militia, which renders the right meaningless... Many Americans have reason to be uneasy about Mr. Holder's nomination for Attorney General. They deserve to have a person in this role who is committed to upholding all parts of the Constitution, including the Second Amendment. Unfortunately, Mr. Holder has proven himself not to be that person."
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Statement from John Oxendine on Second Amendment
A Statement from Commissioner John Oxendine:
Like many Georgians who support the Second Amendment, I was disappointed Casey Cagle all but abandoned his support for the Second Amendment during his annual pre-Session press conference.
Casey Cagle was emphatic that pro-Second Amendment legislation sponsored by State Senator Mitch Seabaugh, which would allow law abiding Georgians to expand the areas they can legally carry their concealed weapon, would be dead on arrival in a Casey Cagle Senate.
Casey Cagle stated he has "no appetite for it" and Georgians "should be content with where we are."
Casey Cagle may not have an appetite for expanding and protecting the Second Amendment Rights of Georgians, but I do. I support those legislators who stand for the Second Amendment.
Casey Cagle may be content and want a respite in standing up for our Second Amendment rights, but I will never rest until we ensure that we have protected the Second Amendment and made every effort to ensure our Constitutional Right to Keep and Bear Arms.
I am a proud Life Member of the National Rifle Association, the Georgia Sports Shooting Association and GeorgiaCarry.org. I remain unapologetic and offer unqualified support of the Second Amendment. I will always have an appetite to protect and defend the Second Amendment.
It is of concern that people can legally carry guns in more places in states such as, California and Oregon. Georgians who understand the principles of the Second Amendment will not be content until we have the legal right in Georgia to enjoy the blessings of our liberty.
John Oxendine
Oxendine Working for Georgia
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Like many Georgians who support the Second Amendment, I was disappointed Casey Cagle all but abandoned his support for the Second Amendment during his annual pre-Session press conference.
Casey Cagle was emphatic that pro-Second Amendment legislation sponsored by State Senator Mitch Seabaugh, which would allow law abiding Georgians to expand the areas they can legally carry their concealed weapon, would be dead on arrival in a Casey Cagle Senate.
Casey Cagle stated he has "no appetite for it" and Georgians "should be content with where we are."
Casey Cagle may not have an appetite for expanding and protecting the Second Amendment Rights of Georgians, but I do. I support those legislators who stand for the Second Amendment.
Casey Cagle may be content and want a respite in standing up for our Second Amendment rights, but I will never rest until we ensure that we have protected the Second Amendment and made every effort to ensure our Constitutional Right to Keep and Bear Arms.
I am a proud Life Member of the National Rifle Association, the Georgia Sports Shooting Association and GeorgiaCarry.org. I remain unapologetic and offer unqualified support of the Second Amendment. I will always have an appetite to protect and defend the Second Amendment.
It is of concern that people can legally carry guns in more places in states such as, California and Oregon. Georgians who understand the principles of the Second Amendment will not be content until we have the legal right in Georgia to enjoy the blessings of our liberty.
John Oxendine
Oxendine Working for Georgia
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)