NRA and CPRA seem to be preparing to run a lawsuit against California’s lead ammo ban, among other things. The argument would appear to not be that California can’t ban lead ammunition for the purposes of taking game, but that the regulations are overly broad and interfere with mere firearms possession which is unrelated to the taking of game. Actually, most of this seems to be that the California Fish and Game Commission lacks statutory authority to regulate firearms possession in the manner they have chosen to regulate it.
Westchester Not Backing Down
They appear to want to proceed with the lawsuit on their safe storage ordinance, and have proffered perhaps one of the most stupid quotes I’ve seen from a politician in a long time:
“When this legislature passed these laws, they were constitutional,” said Legislator Martin Rogowsky, D-Harrison, and chairman of the Committee on Public safety and Security. “If we were passing the laws today, we might pass the same laws.”
No. They were always unconstitutional, the Supreme Court just hadn’t told you yet. Now they have. The Supreme Court threw out safe storage laws that made a firearm unavailable for self-defense. All they are doing is wasting the tax dollars of the residents of Westchester County on a pointless lawsuit.
The safe storage law requires that unlocked guns be in the owner’s immediate possession. It does not make an exceptions for households without children. It’s just a hair less restrictive than DC’s “safe storage” law. It should be a pretty unambiguously unconstitutional.
Like You and Me, Only Better
In Tam’s neck of the woods, it looks like the powers that be are looking for excuses to not prosecute a local cop who, sauced up to .19BAC, killed some motorcyclists. Sadly this kind of thing goes on lots of places.
The Plot Uncovered
Joe reports that some guy on a forum has figured it all out, and that the NRA has been secretly funding the Brady Campaign. Code ten to HQ, repeat, code ten to HQ. Send in “The Piano Tuners”. If I were this guy, I would highly suggest building a bunker from all the fundraising letters you’ve received. Now you know what they are for. Not that it’s going to help!
A New Phenomenon
NPR, of all outlets, comments on a new trend: politicians featuring guns in their ads in an attempt to appeal to gun owners. It’s really nothing new, but years ago getting them into a duck blind, or posing with a shot gun at a clay range, was about the best you could hope for. Now we have politicians firing submachine guns and bragging about it. I consider this progress.
Someone Had to Do It
Presidential Pasttimes
Dave Kopel thinks people should lay off Obama for playing so much golf. Personally, if he’d rather golf than continue ruining the country, I’m fine with that. Presidents need hobbies. If I were elected President, you can be sure the media would be abuzz of the wasted taxpayer dollars and time loss associated with weekly Presidential submachine gun practice with the Secret Service. It’s fun for the whole cabinet.
The Bears Are Getting Hungry in Yellowstone
Scientists are saying people may not necessarily be off the menu. Remember that National Parks are peaceful, gentle places, and no place for firearms. Though the article points out that even high-powered rifles aren’t a perfect guarantee from bear attacks. Still, humans, before they developed a capacity to make weapons, were often called dinner. I’m not sure why some want us to voluntarily return to that state.
Attention Washington State Gunnies
This 2010 election is highly important, and there are some great opportunities to get involved. There’s a Senate where the anti-gun incumbent is vulnerable. Washington has always struck me as being similarly situated as Pennsylvania is regards to the gun issue. You have a large city with a lot of anti-gun D’s, new transplants from out of state who are against gun rights, and deteriorating support within the Democratic Party for gun rights, yet still a large number of people who will pull the the lever for the D candidate regardless of their position on the issue.
Quote of the Day
Far too many gunnies spend their time trying to be right, whether it’s compiling facts about private gun ownership and crime or digging up quotes from the Founding Fathers, and not nearly enough time on how to actually implement their ideas.  Anyone who has ever seen the floor debates on gun bills in Albany knows that a rational discussion on the facts never comes up from the other side.  Why worry about it then?  There is nothing wrong with simply telling a legislator to vote your way or else you will work against them next election cycle.
This is to a large degree true, but more  now that the philosophical ground work on the issue has largely been validated by the Supreme Court. I don’t think, however, you can completely ignore the philosophical roots of the issue, because that is the primary means you can use to persuade some people to your side and motivate them. That doesn’t work with everyone, however, and most politicians don’t really give a crap about your issue (whatever your issue is). They have a lot of competing interests to balance. If you want them to pay attention to you, the dynamic duo of votes and money works every time.
That’s not to say there aren’t true believers. But those are rare birds. Most politicians are true believers in areas where they have a specific self-interest. A shooter Congress Critter might have a heartfelt interest in protecting gun rights, a doctor critter might have strong feelings on health care, etc. But for the most part you’re going to be using the carrot and the stick when dealing with elected official more than facts, figures and persuasion.