Recently in Politics Category

Was out of town and missed it, but Illinois Carry and Freedom Folks have coverage. Looks like things went decently well.

Via Uncle.

Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, has some advice for those who might see a crime being committed or a victim in need of help: "If you see trouble walk away"

Via Jay Tea at Wizbang, who writes:

A city where no one will get involved in helping a neighbor being victimized is a city full of potential victims who can count on getting no help from anyone when they are the victim.

What a sad path Britain appears to be on.

Yesterday I posted on Chicago suburb Wilmette suspending its gun ban, and now another one, Morton Grove, has done the same thing.

This seems good, but beware Chicagoland politicians bearing gifts. Rivrdog writes Gun law "Moratoriums" will outflank Heller and there's no reason to think that the banners will go quietly into the night.

The battle has not ended. It's merely changed.

Wilmette Suspends Local Handgun Ban

Wow:

WILMETTE, Ill. -- Wilmette has suspended enforcement of its 19-year-old ordinance banning handgun possession in the wake of a U.S. Supreme Court decision that appears to invalidate such bans.

In a 5-4 decision, the court struck down Washington, D.C.'s ban on handguns, a prohibition similar to those used in several major cities, including Chicago, and a handful of suburbs including Wilmette, Evanston, Winnetka and Oak Park.

"The Law Department and the Police Department have suspended enforcement of the ordinance pending further review by the Village Board," Wilmette village attorney Tim Frenzer said Thursday. "Based on the decision today, at a minimum it calls into serious question the continued viability of the ordinance."

I'll readily admit that I never expected anything like this. I know that rural Illinois does not share much of Chicao Mayor Daley's maniacal anti-gun agenda, but to see a suburb of the Windy City play along so quickly took me by surprise.

From Not Always Right, which features conversations with customers:

Customer: "Yeah, I got my kids guns for their birthdays!"

Coworker: "How old are they?!"

Customer: "In their 20s."

Coworker, shocked: "But guns kill people!"

Customer: "Well, they may need to protect themselves someday, you know."

Coworker: "From what? Wild animals?"

Customer: "No, from Democrats!"

I guess if you look at it from the perspective of "I'm giving my kids guns now so that they can protect themselves in the future even if Democrats manage to make it too difficult to buy guns", it makes perfect sense.

No one has proven that Sean Penn didn't sink in Iowa.

KDT via Rustmeister:

• Why aren't all of the Hollywood celebrities holding telethons and asking for help in restoring Iowa and helping the folks affected by the floods?
• Where are the Dixie Chicks, and Sean Penn in his rescue boat?
• Why isn't the media asking the tough questions about why the federal government hasn't solved the problem?
• Where are all the FEMA trucks and trailers?
• Why isn't the Federal Government relocating Iowa people to free hotels in Chicago?
• When will Spike Lee say that the Federal Government blew up the levees that failed in Des Moines?
• Where are all the 24/7 lurid news tales of cannibalism and unnecessary drownings?
• Why did Iowans evacuate so prematurely; why are they not holed up in deathtrap sports centers?

Read all of them at KDT's.

I think it's only fair to point out that, for all we know, Sean Penn WAS there with his rescue boat. We can't rule out the possibility that it sank again but he didn't get out this time and he's at the bottom of the river.

Regardless, Iowa seems to be getting by fine without him.

Comment on the Jersey gun ration:

OK, so NJ "limits" you to one gun a month. Then SCOTUS rules gun ownership is an individual right. So everyone is now ENTITLED to one gun a month.

Not sure if that would stand up to scrutiny. But it sounds good to me.

They apparently vote today on NJ Assembly bill A-339, which would limit purchases to one handgun in any 30-day period.

Sebastian outlines the current New Jersey requirements, which are more than a bit burdensome and time-consuming already, and notes:

If requiring this for each and every handgun purchase has not been sufficient to stop criminal trafficking of firearms, it's beyond insane to believe that adding one more requirement, one that rations the number of purchase permits police may issue, is going to be what does the trick.

This, of course, is not really "beyond insane." Or, rather, it is certainly "beyond insane" to believe that, but that isn't what those behind the bill really believe. Gun control activists virtually all have a desired end state of "no guns for anyone anywhere." Some of them will, maybe, deny it, but most of the leadership of the various is pretty clear about their methodology. They intend to nickel and dime their way to total bans.

They get what they can get when they can get it. Require a license. Require an additional purchase permit. Require this. Require that. Limit the number of guns you can buy. Limit the number of days a week guns can be sold. Limit the locations of gun stores. Limit the places you can carry them. Anything at all to chip away at the freedom to buy and own firearms.

So while it's beyond insane to expect a one gun a month limit to have an impact on crime, it's not beyond insane to use such a limit to further restrict lawful gun owners.

Scott Bach:

The criminal misuse of any lawful product is not a function of the number of units sold to honest citizens; it's a function of how effectively society deals with those who misuse them.

Whoa, there, buddy! Not only allow people who don't break the law to purchase legal products, but ALSO punish lawbreakers?

Now we're talking crazy.

UPDATE: It passed 47-28.

Denver stocks up on pepper weapon

Rocky Mountain News:

Denver police are stocking up on guns that fire a pepper spray-like substance instead of bullets - a less-lethal weapon used to disperse crowds - in advance of the Democratic National Convention.

The department recently ordered 88 Mark IV launchers and projectiles at a cost "in the low six figures," the company that makes the weapons stated in a news release Monday.

The request was for delivery in advance of the DNC, according to Louisville- based Security With Advanced Technology Inc.

The convention, scheduled for Aug. 25 to 28 at the Pepsi Center, is expected to draw thousands of protesters to sites throughout Denver.

Here's the Veritas Mark IV:

• .68 Caliber
• 15 Round Magazine
• Air Supply in the Magazine
• One to one scale to an M4
• Point target Accurate to 50 Meters
• Easily index between rounds at the chamber
• Hard Target / Area engagement to 100 Meters
• Accepts most aftermarket accessories for M4/M16

More info at Veritas Tactical.

The City of Denver doesn't want to release specifics of what they're spending money on in preparation of the convention because they fear it will give protest organizers an opportunity to counter the plans.

The comments section of the news story has a bunch of (apparent) Lefties thinking that it's going to be "Right-Wing Extremists" who are rioting at the DNC. Yeah. Whatever.

I can't decide if all the "Recreate 68" talk is serious or not. Or, rather, I can't decide if the talk is seriously going to attract serious people. There's no doubt a certain lunatic fringe element wants to wreak havoc, but whether or not they will gather sufficient numbers or like-minded people is uncertain.

I'm guessing that the big riot is going to be a letdown for all the hippies, though I won't be surprised if I'm wrong.

Say Uncle on Jackson's protest rally outside the Illinois firearms manufacturer:

Call me crazy, but I just don't think thugs in Chicago are using $5,000 rifles to commit crimes.

I don't see how thugs in Chicago can be using any sort of firearm to commit crime. Anyway, why hasn't Chicago outlawed crime?

Also, just because Uncle is right about this issue does not mean that he's not crazy. Just saying.

This letter to the editor about California bill 2062 appeared recently in the Eureka Times-Standard:

The California Assembly voted to restrict lawful commerce in the state by outlawing the Internet sales of handgun ammunition (not excluding .22-caliber rimfire ammo). Assembly Bill 2062 states that transactions of more than 50 rounds a month will require a permit, which may be granted by the Department of Justice after a $35 application fee and background check, and up to a 30-day wait.

Vendors also face complicated permitting and extensive background checks on their employees. Left with huge exposure to liability, many stores will not sell ammunition. Handgun ammunition sales will require registration within a central database crosschecked with the firearms you own, and data will be included in your driver's license magnetic strip.

This complicated and draconian legislation contains over 6,000 words and sounds like something Mr. Hitler would have dreamed of before sending many of his constituents off to concentration camps.

It will do nothing to prevent crime, and only eliminates access to target practice and organized pistol and .22 rifle competition. Government and police, of course are exempt, further driving a wedge between the common citizen and our protectors.

Please read AB 2062 and contact State Senator Patricia Wiggins urging a no vote on this erosion of commerce and freedom.

Yes, the letter suffers for a Hitler comparison, but otherwise is solid. California AB 2062, noted recently here, is just one of many ammunition restriction efforts underway across the nation.

Joe Huffman on the Seattle buffoonery:

The Seattle PI had an opinion piece where they said:

Mayor Greg Nickels' plan to forbid guns on a host of city properties is a measured response to the gunshot injuries to two people at Seattle Center during the Folklife celebration.

...

The city would ask people legally carrying concealed weapons not to bring the guns into city parks, community centers and other city facilities. Anyone discovered with a gun could be asked to leave under trespassing statutes.

...

He represents his city well on the issue.

In the comments it's pointed out that the order is illegal under Washington state law. Huffman responds:

But it's expensive and time consuming for people to fight it.