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It’s All About Him

June 5, 2012 by 2 Comments

If I were Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett (D), I’d have done my damnedest to keep Jesse Jackson out of Wisconsin and not there campaigning for the recall of Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI). Because with Jesse, it is all about him and his agenda.

Attending a rally of “workers” in Milwaukee on Sunday, he shows up in a two-car cavalcade consisting of a Mercedes S550 and a Cadillac Escalade ESV. The combined price of those two vehicles is about $175,000. The best you can say about that is at least one of the cars was from Government Motors.

I’m guessing he got to Milwaukee after his rally in Racine where he called for a march on gun shops in Kentucky. Remember, this is about recalling Gov. Scott Walker and replacing him with his 2010 rival Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.

If Jesse is trying to say that the guns traced to crimes in Wisconsin are coming from Kentucky, he needs to try a bit harder. The BATFE just released a state-by-state analysis of traced firearms for 2011. Kentucky was tied with Arizona for next-to-last in the top 15 states for traced firearms in Wisconsin with a total of 11. The number one state after Wisconsin itself was Rev. Jackson’s home state of Illinois.

Now I have a shameful admission to make. In 1988, when I was young, stupid, and a Democrat, I actually voted for Jesse Jackson in the North Carolina primary as a protest against Al Gore. I did come to my senses in November and voted Republican.

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24 Months And Counting

June 5, 2012 by 5 Comments

May marked the 24th straight month in which the NSSF-adjusted NICS checks were greater than the same period in the year before. While not a perfect correlation with gun sales, the NICS checks are indicative of the direction of the firearms market and the associated sales. The NSSF adjusts the gross NICS checks by dropping out the checks from Michigan, Kentucky, and Iowa that are used for CCW permit application purposes as well as those from checks on active CCW permits.

The May 2012 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 840,412 is an increase of 20.6 percent over the NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 696,947 in May 2011. For comparison, the unadjusted May 2012 NICS figure of 1,305,392 reflects a 7.0 percent increase from the unadjusted NICS figure of 1,219,872 in May 2011.

May 2012 also marks the highest number of NICS checks for the month of May over the last 13 years. It is almost double what is was in the year 2000.

One often cited reason for the growth in NICS checks – and presumably gun sales – is the fear of an Obama re-election. However, I tend to agree with Michael Bane who has argued that the growth in sales is more a reflection of the growth of Gun Culture v.2.0 and the new entrants to gun ownership especially for personal defense.

While the presidential election is rather tight, it is not a runaway in favor of Obama and the latest Rasmussen daily poll actually puts Romney in the lead. Nonetheless, if it looks like Obama is solidly in the lead come September and October, I think then it will be Katie bar the door for gun and ammo sales. I really hope it doesn’t come to that.

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Two Responses To The Nordyke Decision

June 4, 2012 by 8 Comments

Two California gun rights organizations, the CalGuns Foundation and Cal-FFL, released statements on the 9th Circuits decision (finally after 13 years) in Nordyke v. Alameda County. That case challenged the ban on gun shows by Alameda County at the Alameda County Fairgrounds. The decision can be read here.

The response from CalGuns Foundation:

San Carlos, CA (June 4, 2012) – In an astonishing eleventh-hour about-face, the County of Alameda’s “sweeping concessions” in open court to allow gun shows at the Alameda County Fairgrounds was accepted by the Ninth Circuit in its opinion for Nordyke v. King, released on Friday.

As was noted in a concurring opinion by Circuit Judge Diarmuid O’Scannlain, the County’s representation at oral arguments that Plaintiffs could, in fact, now hold gun shows at the Fairgrounds, “change the game.”

“While it’s certainly fantastic that the Nordykes are once again able to have gun shows on Alameda County property, it’s clear to us that the County was willing to stop at nothing to dodge the Second Amendment bullet,” explained Calguns Foundation chairman Gene Hoffman.

“The Calguns Foundation is eager to see gun shows – long standing in our history and protected under the Constitution – at suitable public venues across the state of California. We stand ready to ensure that the rights of gun owners to gather and trade in self-defense arms are respected in every locale. California state law already severely regulates gun shows and these additional local requirements are solely an attempt to go beyond regulation into prohibition.”

And from Cal-FFL which is a newer organization representing California firearms dealers, range owners, collectors, and training professionals:

Madera, CA (June 4, 2012) – In a decision holding that “the County now concedes that [gun shows] can be held with firearms present and available for meaningful physical inspection by potential buyers,” the Ninth Circuit has settled a thirteen-year lawsuit between the County of Alameda and plaintiffs Russell and Sallie Nordyke, owners of TS Trade Shows, who operated gun shows at the Fairgrounds until the County enacted the gun show ban ordinance in 1999.

“Gun shows are important opportunities for firearms dealers, manufacturers, and buyers to connect with each other under one roof,” said Cal-FFL president Brandon Combs. “These events offer people the chance to browse thousands of products in the fast-growing self defense marketplace at one time, rather than being limited to the inventory of one or two area stores.”

While avoiding the question of how the Second Amendment might apply to gun shows, the court said in its opinion that “[s]hould the County add new requirements or enforce the ordinance unequally…. Plaintiffs or others similarly situated may, of course, bring a new Second Amendment challenge.”

“California gun dealers and manufacturers rely on gun shows to educate thousands of people over the course of a weekend,” Combs explains. “Cal-FFL looks forward to helping the Nordykes, other promoters, and our federal firearms licensee members succeed in holding gun shows at county fairgrounds and similar public places throughout the state.”

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One Percenters For You Know Who

June 3, 2012 by 3 Comments

I really don’t see how having events like this will let you connect with the middle class but I guess when you need campaign cash you’ll do anything.

The best comment on this campaign video comes from David “Iowahawk” Burge who wrote on his Facebook page:

Rejoice, you bitter clingy filthy flyover hillbillies! Thanks to the Obama campaign, you finally have a chance to live the dream of every American: rubbing elbows with chic lefty fashionistas. Dessicated Eurotrash Vogue editor Anna Wintour explains it for you in what will go down in history as the WORST CAMPAIGN AD EVER.

You have until tomorrow to enter to attend this event!!! Think of all the fun you could have by asking Anna her opinion of 9mm Luger versus .45 ACP.

UPDATE: It didn’t take the Republicans long to use this video. As Ed Morrissey of HotAir says of it, the Republicans played it straight but it may as well be a parody called “When Obama Wears Prada”. Also, on the same day the Wintour ad appeared and the jobs report was released, Obama appeared at six – count’em six – campaign fundraisers.

And today I got emails from both Michelle Obama and Sarah Jessica Parker inviting me to donate and to enter the contest. I’m thinking donating one cent might cost them a lot more in processing that the donation. Hmmm. Just think of the blogging opportunity…..

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CCRKBA Nails Chinese On Hypocritical Comments

June 1, 2012 by 2 Comments

I mentioned the Red Chinese criticizing the US for human rights violation the other day. For the ChiComms, those violations were that we allowed citizens to own firearms. I thought that was rich and so does the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.

BELLEVUE, WA – When the People’s Republic of China accused the United States of violating human rights because of our Second Amendment, they voluntarily became the world’s laughing stock, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today.

China’s State Council Information Office in Beijing criticized the United States’ human rights record because of this country’s high level of firearms ownership. In their report, the Chinese alleged, “The United States prioritizes the right to keep and bear arms over the protection of citizens’ lives and personal security and exercises lax firearm possession control, causing rampant gun ownership.”

An outraged CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb noted, “It’s appalling that the Chinese complain that our constitution and Bill of Rights allows wide civil liberties latitude, including the right to keep and bear arms.” He accused the Chinese of engaging in world class hypocrisy by complaining about poor human rights in another country.

“The Chinese have hardly set a sterling example for protecting and advancing human rights,” he observed. “Perhaps what offends them most is that our Second Amendment was authored to prevent this country from going down the same road toward totalitarianism that rulers in the People’s Republic have embraced. We are not like China, and we will never be like China so long as American citizens retain their right to keep and bear arms, and they know it.”

The Chinese also criticized this country’s crime rates, to which Gottlieb responded that in the United States, citizens accused of crimes have the right to a fair trial, legal counsel and judgment by a jury of their peers.

“We don’t imprison political dissidents simply for speaking their minds,” Gottlieb noted. “We consider people to be innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, not the other way around. We afford an array of legal rights to people accused of crimes. Of course we don’t have a perfect system or a perfect country, but it’s better than all the rest. When was the last time we saw an American asking the Chinese embassy for political asylum?”

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Batteries For Life – A Nice Bonus From Crimson Trace

June 1, 2012 by 1 Comment

Crimson Trace has started a program to encourage owners of their laser products to register their lasers. Free batteries is a nice bonus on top of a great product.

Crimson Trace Extends Popular ‘Batteries For Life’ Program

(Wilsonville, OR) Crimson Trace, the Oregon-based manufacturer of the World’s only grip-activated laser sights today announced plans to extend its hugely popular ‘Batteries for Life’ scheme. CTC customers will receive free replacement batteries for the lifetime of their laser sights, in exchange for registering their products with the company’s customer service department.

“There are very few things in life that are truly free,” said Nate Hoke, Director of Customer service for Crimson Trace. “This is one of them. Just register online or via our 800 number and every year, we’ll send a fresh set of batteries for your Lasergrips® or Laserguard® product for as long as you own it.” Hoke reported that many customers were still using the original batteries in their sights after six or seven years. “While Crimson Trace products have the longest run times in the industry, laser sights are safety devices and as such, should have regular battery changes. We’re proud to be able to offer this program to our loyal customers – it’s one more way for us to show our appreciation to the people who have supported us over the years.”

All Crimson Trace products are proudly designed engineered and manufactured in the USA and fit the widest range or popular self-defense handguns, including Glock, Smith & Wesson, Kimber and Springfield.

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Update On HB 489 – The Effort To Negate The Bateman Win

June 1, 2012 by 3 Comments

Grass Roots North Carolina sent out an update yesterday evening on HB 489. This was the attempt to re-write North Carolina’s state of emergency gun ban that would have negated the win in Bateman v. Perdue. It now appears that all efforts to re-write the gun ban have failed and that the NC General Assembly will just vote to repeal the offending law.

From GRNC:

Congratulate yourselves on applying pressure that has resulted in another GRNC win added to a growing trend of recent pro-freedom victories. As you recall, in the case Bateman v. Perdue, GRNC and SAF won the lawsuit over North Carolina’s ban on transporting firearms outside the home during declared states of emergency, resulting in the law being declared unconstitutional under the Second Amendment. Because the state chose not to appeal, the decision stands and our unconstitutional law had to be repealed.

Rather than simply repealing the ban, however, NC Senate staffers apparently ran amok and drafted replacement language which was worse than the original law. But after GRNC issued alerts to tens of thousands of gun owners, your input shut down the committee and forced them to reconsider.

Suffice to say you made quite an impression. Instead replacing an unconstitutional gun ban with yet another unconstitutional gun ban, and even including language to “authorize” your right to bear arms in your home during emergencies, as did HB 489, the SOE gun ban is headed for repeal pending an almost certain floor vote in the Senate and House concurrence. This is what should have happened from the very beginning, and serves as a reminder that we need to remain ever vigilant against anti-gun legislation.

This is good news. More importantly, it emphasizes the need to keep an eye on the state legislature to nip these bills in the bud. Without an organized and aggressive state level organization this might have gone through. If you don’t belong to a state level gun rights organization like GRNC, CalGuns, or whatever your state has to offer, you should strongly consider it. The NRA-ILA can only do so much and state-level organizations fill in the gap. Or in the case of organizations like GRNC and CalGuns, lead the way.

WizardPC at Guns, Car, & Tech is assembling a list of these organizations. Check there to find your state’s organization if you don’t know it already.

UPDATE: Two North Carolina gun bloggers, Knitebane and Mark of a Free Man, have been doing some detective work into just who rewrote HB 489 in an effort to negate the Bateman win. No state senator is taking credit for the substitute language and the chairman of the Senate Judiciary I committee won’t identify the author. The person that they come up with makes sense to me. Go here to read the full story. It makes for some interesting reading.