From GOA: Some Republicans still don't understand why mainstream America is so upset with their Party. Now that Sen. Arlen Specter has defected to the Democrat Party, many prominent Republicans are openly recruiting liberal Republicans to run against Specter. And at the top of their list is Tom Ridge. Ridge is the turncoat Republican whose vote was crucial in passing the semi-auto ban in 1994. After having opposed a similar ban in 1991, then-Rep. Tom Ridge flip-flopped and teamed up with Charles Schumer (D-NY) to pass the semi-auto gun and magazine ban. The gun ban passed narrowly, 216 to 214, thanks to Tom Ridge. Later, as Governor of Pennsylvania, Ridge signed one of the most restrictive gun control laws in the State's history - the infamous Act 17 which registered and taxed long gun buyers and placed other restrictions on Keystone State gun owners. As the head of the Department of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge opposed arming pilots. He asked, sarcastically, if pilots carry guns, then should we also arm railroad engineers and bus drivers? As DHS Director, Ridge should have led the charge to arm pilots and people in other positions that fell under the agency's purview... http://gunowners.org/a050709.htm --- Bill Would Restore National-Park Carry: U.S. Sens. Mike Enzi and John Barrasso, R-Wyo., have added their names as co-sponsors of a bill that would allow individuals to carry concealed weapons into national parks. The legislation, called the Preservation of the Second Amendment in National Parks and National Wildlife Refuges Act, seeks to replace an administrative rule that has been mired in court proceedings since January that would also allow visitors to carry concealed weapons into national parks. A federal judge in April struck down that administrative rule, which was set in place last December by the outgoing Bush administration, after several conservation and other groups filed a lawsuit... http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=4567 --- Empathy versus Law: ...When the Supreme Court in 1995 declared that carrying a gun near a school was not "interstate commerce," there was consternation and outrage in the liberal press because previous decisions of the Supreme Court in years past had allowed Congress to legislate on virtually anything it wanted to by saying that it was exercising its authority to regulate interstate commerce. When the Supreme Court decided by a narrow 5 to 4 vote that carrying a gun near a school was not interstate commerce, it was saying something that most people would consider too obvious for words. But it was considered outrageous that the Supreme Court recognized the obvious and refused to rubberstamp the sophistry that allowed Congress to pass laws dealing with things that the Constitution never authorized it to deal with. Incidentally, carrying a gun near a school was something that states had the authority to deal with, and the great majority of states had already banned it. What is at stake in Supreme Court nominations is the power of the federal government. "Empathy" is just camouflage, a soothing word for those who do not look beyond nice-sounding rhetoric. (Note that Congress subsequently reinstated a federal Gun Free School Zones Act. This is from the fourth in a series of essays by Thomas Sowell; the earlier ones are archived at http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell.) http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2009/05/08/empathy_versus_law_part_iv?page=full --- The 90% Lie: U.S. guns and Mexican criminal syndicates have been frequent topics of late, not because I have a special affinity for the relationship, but because the anti-gun government/activist/media coalition, henceforth referred to as the "gun grabber cartel," keeps forcing their spin on the connection down our throats. Before exploring new information, I'd like to recap where we've been to give an introduction to readers new to this and to refresh the memories of of regular readers...Wait a minute - they have the guns all neatly stored in a warehouse, inventoried, cataloged...if this is such a huge problem, we can't just get a printout? Mexican bureaucracy (if you buy into that being the real reason) won't allow it? So the easier solution is to adjust your and my rights accordingly? ... http://www.examiner.com/x-1417-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m5d7-Mexican-warehouse-exposes-gun-grabber-cartel-lies The House Judiciary Committee heard proposals Wednesday for increased gun control inside the United States as a means of cutting down on drug violence along both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. "How many officers have to be killed before we impose more gun regulation?" asked Texas Representative Jackson Lee, a Democrat. Democrats have called on better gun control in the U.S., which they say supplies 90 percent of the firearms seized in Mexico, contributing significantly to the violence. Mexico itself enforces strict gun laws where residents are limited to non-military, low-caliber guns with long prison terms for gun violation. Republicans on the Judiciary Committee argued against gun control in the United States, arguing that Mexican officials need to do more to stop the smuggling of guns into Mexico... http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/05/07/House_Committee_Debates_Guns_and_Mexican_Border.htm --- Polls Show Politicians out of Touch: Recent national polls by CNN, NBC News and the Wall Street Journal have revealed that support for new gun control measures is declining in the United States, despite efforts by the Obama administration and its media cheerleaders to demonize guns by sensationalizing recent shooting incidents, and the bloody drug war in northern Mexico. In April, CNN polling found that 46 percent of Americans say existing gun laws are adequate, and another 15 percent believe they ought to be relaxed, while only 39 percent of those responding want stricter gun laws. Also last month, an NBC News/WSJ poll revealed that support for restrictions on so-called "assault weapons" had dropped from 75 percent in 1991 to 53 percent today, which may have something to do with the rush on gun shops over the past six months by people buying those guns and case upon case of ammunition for them... http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-4525-Seattle-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m5d7-Polls-show-pundits-politicians-and-press-out-of-touch-about-gun-rights --- Brady Bunch Berates Big Brother: The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence is profoundly disappointed that President Obama has failed to follow through with his promises for 'openness' by reaffirming much of the so-called Tiahrt Amendments. This means a continuation of the reckless Bush-era policies that endanger public safety and make it easier for criminals to obtain illegal firearms. President Obama's proposal undermines the landmark Brady Law by continuing the dangerous Bush administration policy requiring the destruction of most Brady background check records in just 24 hours... (Isn't the avowed purpose of NICS to make sure that purchasers are not prohibited from possessing firearms, not to create a registry of purchasers?) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-helmke/obama-administration-fail_b_199190.html ... Meanwhile, the administration is steering away from another politically-sensitive fight by proposing only minor changes to a legislative language, known as the Tiahrt Amendments after Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kansas), which limit the use of gun tracing data maintained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Obama's budget would slightly ease restrictions on the use of the data. The changes would allow the tracing data to be shared with state and local officials even outside the context of a investigation of a specific crime. Localities could use the data to identify gun dealers who sell lots of guns traced to crimes, but rules prohibiting the use of such data for civil suits would remain in place.... http://www.politico.com/blogs/joshgerstein/0509/Obama_picks_fight_on_alien_jail_funds_dodges_on_gun_tracing.html --- McCarthy, Castle Attack Gun Shows: Today, with the U.S. Capitol in the background, Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE) and Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) kicked-off a campaign to pass The Gun Show Loophole Closing Act, legislation to require background checks on all firearm sales at gun shows. Every year there are thousands of gun shows across the country and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has estimated that at least 25% of the gun-sellers at these events are unlicensed. Requiring background checks on all gun sales at gun shows, not just transactions with licensed dealers, will help ensure that firearms do not fall into the hands of criminals, terrorists or the mentally ill. Reps. Castle and McCarthy believe that now is the ideal time for this bill to gain traction in Congress as Senator Frank Lautenberg recently introduced similar legislation and on the 2008 Presidential campaign trail, the concept enjoyed the bipartisan support of both candidates... http://carolynmccarthy.house.gov/?sectionid=155§iontree=189,155&itemid=1035 --- Massachusetts Governor Seeks More Infringements: Governor Deval Patrick is filing legislation today to reduce gun violence that includes a provision to restore a crime-fighting tool for prosecutors that was taken away by a court ruling Monday. The bill would allow suspects to be held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing for charges that involve illegal possession, use, or trafficking of guns, the governor's office said. The legislation would also create a new felony of using a gun while committing a misdemeanor, limit gun purchases to one per month, and require sales of guns by private parties to be recorded by licensed gun dealers... (Massachusetts is a stranger state than I thought - they don't appear to have much of a separation between the executive and legislative branches if the governor can file legislation.) http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/05/gov_patrick_fil.html --- California Ammo Bill Tabled: One of the worst pieces of anti-gun owner legislation in a number of years effectively has been tabled by the California legislature when Los Angeles Democratic Assemblyman Kevin De Leon's AB962 was put in the Suspense File by the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Wednesday this week. While the bill can be revived, it is likely dead for this year. The bill would have stopped the private transfer of more than 50 rounds of ammunition per month between individuals or by stores to individuals. It would have licensed and taxed anyone selling ammunition commercially and forced these stores to get background checks on anyone selling ammunition. It would have required a thumbprint from anyone buying handgun ammunition (and a costly bureaucracy to manage those thumbprints) and it would have banned all mail-order ammunition sales... http://www.sbsun.com/sports/ci_12323443 --- Another Test for Open Carry in Wisconsin: Four teens knocked a 42-year-old Racine man from his bike Friday night. He thought they were going to rob him. The man pulled a Smith and Wesson revolver from his side holster, pointed it at the sky and yelled, "Gun!" The four suspects ran, and the man flagged down a Racine police officer. The incident will perhaps mark the first time a new opinion allowing open carry of firearms is put to the test here, as it conflicts with another state statute that makes it illegal to possess a gun within 1,000 feet of a school, if not on private property... (Four against one is clearly a disparity of force that should justify the display or use of the firearm. The issue appears to be one of a gun-free school zone. Under federal law, this point would be moot if the possessor held a state-issued carry permit but there is no such thing in Wisconsin.) http://journaltimesonline.com/articles/2009/05/05/local_news/doc4a00cc4767cb9957429120.prt --- Oops, Wrong House: An armed burglary that ended with a homeowner's brother fatally shooting a suspect was preceded by a rash of similar crimes in the area, deputies said... When Chris Derocher, who was away from home, arrived, he noticed his garage window was damaged and a motion-sensor light inside the garage was turned on, deputies said. Chris Derocher and his brother, who was armed with a handgun, opened the garage door and found the two men inside, deputies said. One of the suspects, Terry Hayes, 34, brandished the BB gun at the men, and Bryan Derocher fired two shots, one of which struck Hayes in the torso. Hayes died at the scene, deputies said. Hidalgo said Hayes' BB gun was indistinguishable from an actual gun... http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20090507/ARTICLES/905079928/1211?Title=Schriever-man-fatally-shoots-armed-burglar --- Germany to Impose More Restrictions: The German government has agreed to curb gun rights, two months after a 17-year-old killed 15 people with a pistol taken from his father's bedroom, according to press reports on Thursday. The left-right 'grand coalition' has agreed to present a series of measures to parliament in late May tightening arms control laws, several dailies said... The proposals on the table include banning paintball, a game in which players use air rifles to shoot ammunition filled with paint at opponents. Lawmakers say the sport 'simulates killing' and should be outlawed. The draft law would also bar youths under the age of 18 from shooting high-calibre guns at target practice and permit police to conduct checks at the homes of gun owners to ensure their weapons are under lock and key. An electronic registry of firearms would also be introduced along with, eventually, biometric security systems to help ensure weapons are only used by their rightful owners. In addition, lawmakers would introduce an amnesty for owners of illegal firearms if they turn them in to authorities. http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/World/Story/STIStory_373650.html --- Be Careful with Multiple Purchases: A guy in Texas claims he was visited by F Troop, with a request to inspect his gun safe and record serial numbers, as a result of having made several purchases (presumably from licensed dealers) recently. He implies that this is related to Big Brother's push to curtail illegal transfers to Mexico. This report is a forum posting so you will have to make your own assessment of the accuracy. Note, however, the comments counseling against making two purchases from the same dealer within the same week. http://gunfighterforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=3226#3226 -- Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .