All Hail the Second Amendment

[Minimalist]

There is nothing inexplicable about it.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/10/opinion/do...nd-checks/

Federal law prohibits selling guns to felons or the mentally ill. Background checks are the only way to enforce that law. So, besides criminals and the insane, who could possibly oppose universal background checks?

Gun manufacturers.

They are the ones who call the shots at the NRA, and they are the most important people in the opposition. The manufacturers don't want anything that interferes with total gun sales and profits.

Background checks would impose a minor burden on gun transactions, but more importantly, limit the size of the market (and therefore, profits) in two ways.

The death merchants unleash their scumbag lobbyists on our gutless politicians and here we are.

[The Grand Nudger]

-Gun- merchants....guns, not death, guns.  They don't make death in their factories, you won't find any death in their inventories.  You -will- find alot of guns.  Yes, gun merchants spend their resources in service of their business interests, as do the manufacturers of any product.  Our legislators are -supposed- to leverage discretion and better judgement, as they do when they tell cigarette manufacturers that children are not a valid focus group for their products.  As they do when they tell pesticide manufacturers that protocols must be established and followed for their design and use. As they do when they tell toy manufacturers to leave the lead out of the paint.

Background checks don't infringe upon my right to own a firearm. I know this, because I go through one at the checkout line and they let me walk off with a gun, everytime. Takes all of 5 minutes, usually less time than it takes for the cashier to count the change at walmart when her little dispenser goes down. That matters very little to manufacturers, though, because direct sales are not their business model. That's nickel and dime shit. They sell in bulk. If anybody had a problem with background checks, for that reason, it would be walmart...but walmart doesn't have a problem with background checks, they require them.

Isn't that disturbing, btw, walmart has a better handle on reality than our government?

Go to any major manufacturers website and try to order a gun. You will be redirected to a licensed dealer. Savage, for example, doesn't see the sense in assuming liability or sales issues that others will happily take off their hands. They will agree to sell you a gun, if you push hard, preferably a custom or bulk job in excess of a few thousand dollars, but who wouldn't...if you shove your money in their face hard enough. They'll then have you fill out a background check or provide your dealers creds.

This isn't the manufacturers problem. They're the ones consistently making safer, better engineered firearms despite the fact that there is no requirement that they do so. Pointing the finger at them allows those actually responsible to shirk their culpability, and importantly, their liability. Our government is failing, A: to write meaningful legislation...and B: to enforce their meaningless legislation.

[Minimalist]

-Gun- merchants....guns, not death, guns.

They make shitty paperweights.  Guns have one purpose.  To fire bullets.

[The Grand Nudger]

From the manufacturers point of view that's not their purpose at all, their purpose is to be traded for money.  The manufacturers don't care if we -did- use them as paperweights, they'd advertise them to retailers as the best damned paperweights money could buy, that everyone wants and no one can get enough of.  

If I wanted to curb the amount of illicitly purchased firearms in the US, I wouldn't crack down on manufacturers.  I'd crack down on retailers.  Strangely enough, the big boys aren't the problem here.  It's John Q Gunshop.....who thinks that he's somehow immune to both law and best industry practice because he has a right that he's clearly misunderstood, or that the law is unlikely to ever get around to holding him accountable.   We give John Q every reason to think either or both of these two things.

How about background checks, no exceptions, anyone found breaking this law does hard time as an arms smuggler, full seizure of assets......because that's what they actually are. We shoot those guys overseas on sight....

[Darkstar]

The manufacturers don't care if we -did- use them as paperweights, they'd advertise them to retailers as the best damned paperweights money could buy, that everyone wants and no one can get enough of.  

But then they wouldn't be able to sell as many bullets!  

[The Grand Nudger]

Different manufacturers, actually. Sort of like how the guys that make the cars don't make the tires. Shotgun shells make fantastic paperweights, btw, and they help to keep malingering bullshitters out of your office and on the factory floor.

[Darkstar]

Different manufacturers, actually.  Sort of like how the guys that make the cars don't make the tires.  Shotgun shells make fantastic paperweights, btw, and they help to keep malingering bullshitters out of your office and on the factory floor.

Well see, there you go! The gun manufacturers will be run out of business because the guys who make the bullets can sell their paperweights at a far lower price per unit mass! 

---

Strangely enough, the big boys aren't the problem here. It's John Q Gunshop.....who thinks that he's somehow immune to both law and best industry practice because he has a right that he's clearly misunderstood, or that the law is unlikely to ever get around to holding him accountable.

You're probably right...

[Minimalist]

Not so different.....

[Minimalist]

The Daily Dead Kid Lottery turns up in Arkansas.

http://katv.com/news/local/police-invest...-in-benton

"It's a shock. It's not a good feeling. Nobody likes to hear of a kid being killed by a gun. It's not right," Ashley said. He told Channel 7 the toddler accidentally shot himself with a pistol.

[Minimalist]

Guns will keep you safe..... and single.

http://www.wptv.com/news/region-st-lucie...led-fiance

St. Lucie County man says he accidentally killed fiancée

Her finance, Philip Nisa, Jr., 52, was at the scene when deputies arrived.  The sheriff’s office said Nisa is cooperating with deputies and detectives. They say Nisa told them he accidentally fired his gun at Glenda after mistaking her for an intruder.

Sure.