Governor Terry McAuliffe signed the deal that offers Virginia near universal reciprocity in exchange a few things he wanted that don’t honestly amount to much. I guess now I can shred the applications for Utah and Virginia non-resident permits. Bitter’s family is in Nashville, and Virginia is an awfully large portion of that trip when we decide to make it. We had actually worked out a plan that bypassed Virginia, but it added about an hour to the trip.
Bloomberg, however, is having none of this:
“Governor McAuliffe cut a backroom deal with the NRA. It betrays both gun violence survivors and gun safety advocates and endangers the safety of Virginians. We expected more from Governor McAuliffe – and we will continue pressing him to stand up for the 91 Americans a day killed by gun violence and hundreds more who are injured.â€
Early on in Bloomberg’s gun control activism, you could find his spokespeople saying they wanted to bring NRA’s “take no prisoners” approach to the fight for more gun control, believing that it was the key to NRA’s success. What they failed to understand is the breadth and depth of NRA’s support among ordinary Americans. Ordinary Americans who may not be all the quick to anger, but when roused, can become a force of nature. McAuliffe likely noticed this and that’s why he looked for a face-saving way out.
What did Bloomberg offer grassroots-wise? A 3000 signature petition and sad letters from a small handful of victims. Virginia has 363,274 residents with permits, according to John Lott’s survey. Not everyone who has a permit is an NRA member, or even a Republican. Bloomberg isn’t going to win trying to pay NRA’s game because he fundamentally can’t play NRA’s game. There isn’t enough breadth or depth from the gun control movement.
Most of the people who signed the petition, and have been lobbying here, appear to be from out of state. Not sure if that’s actually true, they just might be the loudest voices, but it certainly seems that way.
If it weren’t for the Newsmedia/Hollywood/billionaires axis powers, the gun control movement would have dried up and blown away decades ago. There is no grass-roots supporting gun control.
Herring’s wholesale reciprocity cancellation roused the pro-gun fraction of Virginia. I have to wonder if he had done it a state at a time over a year or two, would that have just resulted in a lot of grumbling.
In the last Virginia gubernatorial election, I thought McAuliffe was one of the sleaziest serious candidate I’ve seen. He hasn’t done much damage though, probably because the House of Delegates is firmly in Republican control and he doesn’t seem to have a driving agenda, much less one with broad-based support. Now, I think he’s basically a deal maker, a political insider who has been parlaying up greased pole for no other reason than he wants to be the biggest frog in whatever pond he is in. (This is about how I feel about Trump as well.)
He was the Clinton bagman. Believes in nothing but cash.
I think that is a pretty astute analysis.
Like I’ve said before it’s an okay deal. Would I like Constitutional Carry, you bet. But it’s not happening in VA right now (and it may never happen with Northern VA-Fairfax, Arlington, and Alexandria City being blue). I did get a PA non resident permit, since most of my family lives there, just in case. Two is one, and one is none.
Don’t blame NoVA for not getting permit-less carry, it’s the weak kneed Republicans who bitterly cling to the permit system.
Well, one republican senator voted with the dems to make it a 20-20 tie on the constitutional carry bill, with the lt. gov. getting to cast the deciding vote. Not one dem senator from NoVA voted for it.
I’ve lived in NoVA for the past 20 years, and it’s has become more blue, and the delegates and senators are even bluer. My two nitwit representatives are vehemently anti-2nd Amendment. The senator has introduced anti-gun bills numerous times. The delegate is a liberal fascist in a safe district.
This was a status quo compromise.
Status quo? They went from the number of states that could carry in virginia being slashed to a situation where virtually anyone can carry in Virginia, and it will open up states where Virginians can carry. Sounds like a good deal.
Well the VSP can now perform “voluntary” background checks at gun shows. Granted they were already there, but voluntary things somehow end up being mandatory? That is what will have to be monitored going forward. The addition of potential states will hopefully begin on 1 July 2016, which is a good thing (supposedly CO, GA, and NH will be added once the law goes into effect on 7/1). The domestic violence law is okay by me.
The internet rumor of the day is certain states (maybe PA with your idiot felon AG, of course in VA we have our own idiot AG) may still drop reciprocity on March 1? Not good. But I am still trying to verify it as yes or no.
I think it is/was the political BS that the democrats, and this was all democrats, did back in December which leaves me with a bad taste. An AG who won office by less than 1000 votes, decided to play games with peoples lives, with the blessing of McAwful and their money man the little tyrant himself, Bloomberg. Well because of this episode, I joined the VCDL, re-upped in the NRA, and wrote worthless letters to my state reps (both are anti-gunners 24/7/365). Even though my letters hit the circular file, I voiced my opinion on this crapola in a nice polite way.
I really suspect that that vote was part of the deal. permit-less carry was NOT going to pass this year. The gov. would have vetoed it and there was no override majority. What that vote did was let the Gov. avoid vetoing it and piss off the pro-gun side even more.
Again, no loss.
During lobby day in Richmond, Everytown showed up with 3,000 signatures. The pro side showed up with 1500 live people. Which do you think has a greater impact?
I hope the Big Nanny has a stroke as a result of him being humiliated.