I'm a member on a national pro-gun forum and one of the issues ardently discussed there is passing of a Federal Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) reciprocity law as promised by Trump during his Presidential campaign .
To my amazement, a sizable percentage of gun forum contributors (those living in free States with less gun regulations) oppose such a law on the premise that once the Federal Govt regulates CCW issuance by law, when the next Democrat majority Congress takes charge it can use the same law to restrict CCW issuance nationally.
Here is my response to them (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on any of the points):
Here is why I believe it is not only defeatist but also stupid to reject a nationwide CCW reciprocity:
1. To my knowledge (I may be wrong so please correct me if I am) out of 50 States there are only 4 that have "may issue" CCW laws: California, New York, New Jersey and Hawaii.
The rest of 46 states either have "shall issue" laws or "constitutional carry"
In the past decade the trend towards CCW carry policies in 46 states was and continues toward liberalization, not restriction. That liberalization happened during both GW Bush and Obama administrations and it wasn't opposed by Democrats at Federal level even during the 2 years time they had a super-majority. The Dems could have easily passed an anti CCW law (just as the chicken littles here are afraid of), but they didn't. They remember what happened when Clinton passed a Federal AWB law and they are afraid of a backlash 3 times as big if they mess with the right to carry.
2. Being afraid "the Dems will use CCW reciprocity to push for federal restrictions when they regain majority" is not only a defeatist but also quite stupid attitude.
Why?
Because they could do it just as well without a reciprocity law. They could do it the same as they already did with Obamacare a couple of years back. Meaning they could pass a federal law regulating and transforming the permit issuing policy from shall issue to may issue. This will have precedence over the 50 States laws. But they know (just like they are about to learn very soon with the Obamacare fiasco) that a law rammed down our throats without the slightest bi-partisan support will be repealed the moment Republicans gain the mahority and the White House again. And the political damage they do to themselves for practically nothing but a law that is guaranteed to be repealed in a couple of years, isn't just worth the risk.
3. We are practically just a month and a half away from a new SCOTUS nomination that will give our side a 5-4 pro-gun Court again. It also is extremely likely the oldest and most anti-gun Judge Ginsburg will either retire or croak within the next 4 years (she's 83 and in poor health). That will give us a solid 6-3 majority. It's very unlikely any anti CCW law passed by a Dem majority after Trump leaves the White House will stand SCOTUS scrutiny in a Court solidly dominated by conservatives.
4. We need to be bold and relentlessly push our agenda just as the our enemies are. You will never, ever hear the anti-2nd Amendment activist pigs saying "we mustn't push for new laws because in the future the NRA and the gun zealots may turn around our legislative initiatives to their gain" This just never happen. They have an objective: gun control (and eventually total gun confiscation) and they just keep on going at it day after day, year after year during Democrat administrations or Republican administrations.
5. California has the second highest number of gun owners in the US (after Texas). Think about the immense benefits for the national gun rights movement when millions of law abiding Californians will be able to carry concealed, and the streets will NOT run red with rivers of blood (just as it happened everywhere else in the US). What arguments will the Pelosis and Boxers and Schumers and the rest of of the anti-gun scumbags in DC will have when trying to pass a Federal law restricting CCW issuance? Stop gun violence perpetrated by legal CCW-ers? Doesn't happen, statistics prove citizens who carry concealed are less prone to break the law than even LEOs! Turn California shall issue and the facts will speak louder than any anti-gunners arguments.
6. The lucky stars of gun rights are in perfect alignment for us. We have majority in both Houses, a pro-gun President AND very soon a pro-gun SCOTUS Judges majority. We mustn't leave this opportunity pass us by, just because in the future the Democrats may or may not take advantage. Again, we need to be bold, to be brazen and to relentlessly push our agenda just like our enemies do. Actually, to quote the great Andrew Breibart: if liberals push you, you need to push back twice as hard.
To my amazement, a sizable percentage of gun forum contributors (those living in free States with less gun regulations) oppose such a law on the premise that once the Federal Govt regulates CCW issuance by law, when the next Democrat majority Congress takes charge it can use the same law to restrict CCW issuance nationally.
Here is my response to them (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on any of the points):
Here is why I believe it is not only defeatist but also stupid to reject a nationwide CCW reciprocity:
1. To my knowledge (I may be wrong so please correct me if I am) out of 50 States there are only 4 that have "may issue" CCW laws: California, New York, New Jersey and Hawaii.
The rest of 46 states either have "shall issue" laws or "constitutional carry"
In the past decade the trend towards CCW carry policies in 46 states was and continues toward liberalization, not restriction. That liberalization happened during both GW Bush and Obama administrations and it wasn't opposed by Democrats at Federal level even during the 2 years time they had a super-majority. The Dems could have easily passed an anti CCW law (just as the chicken littles here are afraid of), but they didn't. They remember what happened when Clinton passed a Federal AWB law and they are afraid of a backlash 3 times as big if they mess with the right to carry.
2. Being afraid "the Dems will use CCW reciprocity to push for federal restrictions when they regain majority" is not only a defeatist but also quite stupid attitude.
Why?
Because they could do it just as well without a reciprocity law. They could do it the same as they already did with Obamacare a couple of years back. Meaning they could pass a federal law regulating and transforming the permit issuing policy from shall issue to may issue. This will have precedence over the 50 States laws. But they know (just like they are about to learn very soon with the Obamacare fiasco) that a law rammed down our throats without the slightest bi-partisan support will be repealed the moment Republicans gain the mahority and the White House again. And the political damage they do to themselves for practically nothing but a law that is guaranteed to be repealed in a couple of years, isn't just worth the risk.
3. We are practically just a month and a half away from a new SCOTUS nomination that will give our side a 5-4 pro-gun Court again. It also is extremely likely the oldest and most anti-gun Judge Ginsburg will either retire or croak within the next 4 years (she's 83 and in poor health). That will give us a solid 6-3 majority. It's very unlikely any anti CCW law passed by a Dem majority after Trump leaves the White House will stand SCOTUS scrutiny in a Court solidly dominated by conservatives.
4. We need to be bold and relentlessly push our agenda just as the our enemies are. You will never, ever hear the anti-2nd Amendment activist pigs saying "we mustn't push for new laws because in the future the NRA and the gun zealots may turn around our legislative initiatives to their gain" This just never happen. They have an objective: gun control (and eventually total gun confiscation) and they just keep on going at it day after day, year after year during Democrat administrations or Republican administrations.
5. California has the second highest number of gun owners in the US (after Texas). Think about the immense benefits for the national gun rights movement when millions of law abiding Californians will be able to carry concealed, and the streets will NOT run red with rivers of blood (just as it happened everywhere else in the US). What arguments will the Pelosis and Boxers and Schumers and the rest of of the anti-gun scumbags in DC will have when trying to pass a Federal law restricting CCW issuance? Stop gun violence perpetrated by legal CCW-ers? Doesn't happen, statistics prove citizens who carry concealed are less prone to break the law than even LEOs! Turn California shall issue and the facts will speak louder than any anti-gunners arguments.
6. The lucky stars of gun rights are in perfect alignment for us. We have majority in both Houses, a pro-gun President AND very soon a pro-gun SCOTUS Judges majority. We mustn't leave this opportunity pass us by, just because in the future the Democrats may or may not take advantage. Again, we need to be bold, to be brazen and to relentlessly push our agenda just like our enemies do. Actually, to quote the great Andrew Breibart: if liberals push you, you need to push back twice as hard.
