Showing posts with label NRA. Show all posts

Saturday, March 28, 2020

Did NOT see this one coming!

DHS Says Firearms Retailers, Manufacturers ARE ‘Essential Businesses’: BREAKING NEWS

USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Under the Trump Administration's guidance, the Department of Homeland Security has declared firearms manufacturers and retailers “essential businesses,” possibly driving a spike through the heart of various state and local “emergency powers” declarations that had classified gun stores to be “non-essential” during the current Coronavirus panic, and had ordered them closed.

The reference to gun shops is found in a document released Saturday titled “Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce,” in the section dealing with “Law Enforcement, Public Safety, and Other First Responders.”

The document released by DHS simply says that “Workers supporting the operation of firearm or ammunition product manufacturers, retailers, importers, distributors, and shooting ranges” are considered essential.

Article quoted from Ammoland.com, emphasis in original.

Friday, March 13, 2020

GOAL Post 2020-10 & Final

Up at this link, also linked over on the right side of the screen.

As usual, most bills did not make it to the governor's desk.

The bills that passed are HB 2467 (centralized firearm background checks), HB 2555 (background checks for receivers), HB 2622 (firearm surrender on court orders), SB 5434 (day care centers gun free zones) and SB 6288 (Office of Firearm Safety and Violence Prevention).

HB 2467 could be good or bad. 17 other states now conduct all or partial firearm background checks, and most seem to work smoothly (ATF calls them “point of contact” states. The biggest issue here is the $18 authorized for every check. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which conducts all background checks in that state, does it for $5 – more than today’s free FFL:NICS check but much less than $18. HB 2555 essentially mimics federal law – a receiver/frame is already a firearm under federal law. SB 5434, extending gun free zones to day care centers is overreach, but it does allow licensed carry under certain circumstances. And the Office of Firearm Safety and Violence Prevention is long on “firearm” and likely nonexistent on “safety” or “violence prevention” – unless our side gets active and seeks grants for safety education and criminology studies to identify who and where the violence is being committed (don’t hold your breath on that one – the FBI’s annual Uniform Crime Report has been telling you exactly who the “who” is for decades, and it has been ignored just as long).

The ban on standard capacity magazines died when the Republican delegation filed over 100 amendments.

Unfortunately, the repeal of the ban on "assisted opening" knives also did not pass.

Joe makes a point of naming the pro-gun, pro-Second Amendment, pro-freedom Democrats in the state legislature:

One last point: we DO have some Democrat friends in Olympia. Senators Tim Sheldon, Dean Takko, Steve Hobbs and Kevin Van Dew Wege and Representatives Brian Blake, Mari Leavitt and Dave Paul. They have clearly demonstrated their loyalty to their oath of office despite caucus pressure in the other direction. Remember them in August for the primary and again in November.

Sunday, March 1, 2020

GOAL Post 2020-8 is up

GOAL Post 2020-8, Legislative Update from Olympia 28 February 2020 - Gun Owners Action League of Washington

I haven't been posting these, since they are now regularly posted to that web site, and let's face it, I haven't been posting much at all.

Legislative season is almost over, although with the clown show Olympia has become it is no longer accurate to suggest that our money or freedom are safe if the legislature is not in session. We're talking about a state where the state tried to sue the voters for an initiative we passed, after all.

Berthold Brecht would have been right at home here.

Anyway. It sounds like most of the bills are dead, although, as Joe points out, these clowns are always willing to pull a Miracle Max on bills that should have died...

Plus there's always the possibility that Steyer and Bloomberg will finance another corrupt initiative to back an even worse law.

One good bill remains, that would remove the restriction on spring-assisted knives. I have a lot of respect for the late Glenn Ford, Capt. USNR (RET), but The Blackboard Jungle resulted in silly restrictions on knives you can open with one hand, which sounds like a minor inconvenience until you need both hands to do a job, and a third to access the tool you need to do it. ("No shit, there I was, 30 feet up a ladder...")

The majority of the rest of the remaining gun-related bills should die in a fire.

Sunday, April 28, 2019

NRAAM Day 3 part 2

Press room is closed, but the wi-fi still works (ATM).

These were actually taken today.

Fixit Sticks. Handy little field tool kit.

This Fixit Stick kit has torque drivers.

Primary Arms "Cyclops" Prismatic sight.
A good option for those that suffer from astigmatism...

May not be able to tell from this photo, but the reticle really popped pout.

More pretty antiques up for auction.

Medford Knives. I assumed they were from Oregon,
but it's a family name.

That's one beefy knife!

New Aimpoint Acro red dot...

...eagerly awaited, with rumors that it hadn't been released yet...

Beefy, should be durable.

Streamlight has a new shotgun fore-end, they say less expensive than the Surefire.

Looks to be easier on the hand for a high-shell count class, but that shouldn't be a serious consideration for most uses.

NRAAM Day 3, Part 1

Sitting in the media room trying to brain. Coffee hasn't kicked in yet, so maybe just a bunch of pics...

Haydon (sp?) is an ex-pat Brit...
That's a Henry .410 shotgun, BTW.

I'm going to ensure he can never return to Blighty.

Remington R1, case-hardened frame, and gorgeous grip panels.
Photo doesn't do it justice.

This is the B&T Personal Defense Weapon that
DOD just bought for Personal Security Details.
(Edited to add link, correct firm name.)

The opposite of lily-gilding: Gold engraved Glock.

Another look at the Aimcam glasses-mounted camera.
www.aimcam.com

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Whoops; NRAAM Day 2

Got over to the media room at the convention center, and realized I left both my laptop and my tablet in the room. Crap. Well, looks like light blogging during the day...

In other news, someone paid for a light plane to circle the convention center towing a banner accusing the NRA of "selling out", due to"Red Flag" laws passing.

Klickabiggen

Once again, the only possible reason a law contrary to our interests could possibly pass is because the NRA sold us out...

Lot of walking around. Saw a lot of stuff. Debating whether I can afford some stuff. Also debating whether I want to go walk some more or sit here and take a load off a while longer...

NRAAM -- Our Story Thus Far

Saw some stuff, met some people, had dinner...

Finally met Tam and Bobbi in person, not to mention DaddyBear's better half Irish Woman, and their son Boo. Last night we went to the Liter House in Broad Ripple, had schnitzle and beer, a good time was had by all, although the arty kept growing and they had to keep adding tables. I'm not sure what the folks at our end of the table thought about OldNFO, DaddyBear, and my war stories. (Well, DaddyBear and OldNFO's, mine are pretty mild.)

POTUS and VPOTUS were in town, spoke to the meeting, but so far as I can tell didn't come close to the actual meeting floor, so security there was not outrageous. Spent it in the media room, wondering if Bruce Springsteen knows they were using his songs to fell in dead spots...

Here are some pics from yesterday:

New Ruger Wrangler .2LR

Keltec KG7 bullpup 12 ga. They're "thinking" about a 20.

Aimcam shooting glasses mounted camera. I'll have more on this.

What's behind that picture frame?

Oh!

Tactical pens in non-tactical colors.

Belly bands with kydex holsters! Rigid, no floppyness around the trigger!

Suppressed M3A1 Grease Gun...

Friday, April 26, 2019

Lafeyette, We Are Here!

Except Lafayette, IN, is a ways northwest of Indianapolis...

Flight was good, not a lot of turbulence, until about 10 minutes before we started final approach and it started to get bad. I've never heard cabin crew announce "The restrooms are locked" over the PA before...

OldNFO landed shortly before I did, and kindly offered to give me a lift in his rental; all the major hotels are clustered around the Indianapolis Convention Center, connected to it by a system of skybridges, so I didn't splurge on a rental of my own.

After checking in we met Kelly (Ambulance Driver) and Gary (EMS Artifact) for dinner at Dicks Last Resort, which seems to be a chain with an unusual schtick, but the fish and chips were good, and the beer was cold.

Back to the room to finish unpacking, some texting with Mrs Drang -- I was going to call, but she started texting, so... -- and then bed.

Now we're siting in the Media Room, drinking free coffee, and waiting for exhibits to open.

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

WA GOAL ALERT 2019-1

Washington State Legislative ALERT!!! Olympia is consider a bill to release the names of all that turned their bump stocks in.

Whatever you think about bump stocks, this is an outrageous violation of privacy.

Joe's Alert message below has been edited slightly for some typos and punctuation.

****

FROM: GOAL-WA (Joe Waldron) GOALWA@COX.NET

TO: undisclosed recipients

SENT: Wed 4/24/2019 2:25 AM

SUBJECT: GOAL Alert 2019-124 April 2019

Legislative Alert from Olympia

Last week we reported that a public records request had been submitted to the Washington State Patrol asking for the names and addresses of all of the individuals who turned in “bump stocks” and were compensated by the state. Under the current Public Records Act (RCW 42.56), this information MUST be released.

An emergency bill has been filed in Olympia to block this action for purposes of public safety. The bill is HB 2182, was filed by:

Representatives Shea <http://leg.wa.gov/house/representatives/pages/default.aspx#shea>,

Klippert <http://leg.wa.gov/house/representatives/pages/default.aspx#klippert>,

Boehnke <http://leg.wa.gov/house/representatives/pages/default.aspx#boehnke>,

Kretz <http://leg.wa.gov/house/representatives/pages/default.aspx#kretz>,

Dufault <http://leg.wa.gov/house/representatives/pages/default.aspx#dufault>,

Walsh <http://leg.wa.gov/house/representatives/pages/default.aspx#walsh>,

Orcutt <http://leg.wa.gov/house/representatives/pages/default.aspx#orcutt>,

Young <http://leg.wa.gov/house/representatives/pages/default.aspx#young>.

More than 25 years ago the Washington legislature followed the lead of several other states and restricted access to public records concerning concealed pistol licenses. Why give burglars a heads up of where to go “shopping,” or anti-gun activists the opportunity to publish lists of CPL holders as some have done in other states?

Bill text can be found

here: http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2019-20/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/2182.pdf

Again, a reasonable assumption can be made if an individual had a bump stock, he or she also possesses a firearm suitable for use with such a device. For those liberals who think this is a reasonable measure, ask them how they would feel about a public records release of the names of all women who received an abortion using public funding as is done in Washington under MEDICAID. Try that and watch the liberal rockets being fired!

YOU MUST TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TODAY IF THIS BILL IS TO MOVE. Again, the bill is HB 2182.It is imperative you contact YOUR state legislators today and ask them to support the bill. Your legislator is a liberal? Use the abortion example I cited above as an argument.

Contact information for your legislators may be found at https://app.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder. When you insert your address, a box will pop up with links to your state Senator and two state Representatives. Or you can do it the old-fashioned way and look in the “blue” Government pages in your telephone directory.

Timing is critical. One report indicates the WSP intends to release the information as early as tomorrow, Friday, even before the mandatory release deadline.

Will Democrat leadership in both the House and Senate act, and will Governor Inslee sign an emergency bill?

Saturday, April 20, 2019

GOAL Post 2019-15

Joe sent out the latest GOAL Post last night, and reported that his ISP is acting up again/still, and since the report is still not on the web site, I'll go ahead and post it here. Usual rules, minor editing for formatting for the blog, not textual changes.

FWIW, here is my thought about a Special Session, mentioned by Joe: The Democrats in Olympia, as in Seattle, are unhappy that the state constitution prohibits an income tax being levied by either the state or a municipality. They are trying their hardest to impose at least a "millionaire tax" or pretending that a capital gains tax would not be a fancy name for a tax on income.

It should be noted that it has been reported that there's a budget surplus right now, and they have no actual plan to use the money they want to try and wring out of the people of Washington State, but they still think our income is rightfully theirs.

So if there's a special session, I think that the focus will be trying to get more blood from the turnip.

In other news, I received media credentials for the NRA Annual Meeting, so I guess I'd better practice pretending how to be all journalistic and stuff. Better yet, I'll ask questions and report what I see, instead of staying in the bar and making it up...

***

FROM: GOAL-WA <goalwa@cox.net>

TO: undisclosed recipients

SENT: Fri 4/19/2019 5:35 PM

SUBJECT: GOAL Post 2019-15

Legislative Update from Olympia 19 April 2019

RALLY FOR YOUR RIGHTS
BILLS PASS, ONE DIES
CONCURRENCE VOTES
ONE MORE WEEK
SPECIAL SESSION LOOMS
BUMP STOCK WARNING
LATE DISSEMINATION
ON THE ROAD

A pro-gun “Rally for your Rights” will be held on the Capitol Campus on Saturday, 27 March at 12 noon. A little late in the session, but still an opportunity to show your support. It IS on a Saturday. Try to make it and show them the gun lobby is not a paper tiger...

Several bills passed by the end of the second chamber cut-off on Wednesday evening.

House Bills 1465 (handgun delivery), 1739 (undetectable/untraceable firearms), 1786 (firearms/protective orders) and 1934 (military online/mail CPL renewal) all passed out of the Senate. HB 1934 was rushed off to Governor Inslee for his signature. The remainder await a concurrence vote or conference committee action because they were amended in the second chamber. It’s not over yet!

Senate Bill 5782 (assisted-opening knives) died on the House floor without a vote. What a surprise!

The Senate has concurred in House amendments to HBs 5027 (Extreme risk protection orders, under 18), 5181 (firearms/mental health) and 5205 (firearms/incompetence for trial). All three are on their way to the governor.

There is one week left for the House and Senate to review difference between passed versions of the bills and kick them to the governor – or they die for the session. That doesn’t mean they won’t be back next year… or in a week or two in a special session. The regular legislative session ends at midnight on Sunday, 28 April.

It appears the Democrats who control the House and the Democrats who control the Senate can’t agree on how much to raise taxes for the biennium. This means it is likely we will enter one or more 30-day special sessions until they get it sorted out. Apparently there is no honor among thieves. As the saying goes, neither you life nor your wallet are safe as long as the legislature is in session.

An individual with what appears to be a fictitious name, “Yati Arguna,” has sent a Public Records Act request to the State Patrol asking for the names and addresses of everyone who turned in a bump stock for cash compensation. That’s about 1,000 individuals. Unless a judge blocks the release (reasonable as a public safety measure), state law requires the names be released. Who is behind this and where or how the information will be used remains to be seen. Should one assume that anyone who turned in a bump stock has a Modern Sporting Rifle in their home?

I will likely hold off on posting next week’s GOAL Post until Sunday night (when I’ll be flying back from the NRA annual meeting in Indianapolis) or Monday, when we know for sure what passed and what died. Recognize that in the event of a special session ALL BILLS from the previous regular session come alive again and may be considered, voted on, and passed.

The week after I’m off for Europe – allegedly. I’ll be flying on an airline family pass, so it’s “space available” and any movement will depend on empty seats available AND my (very low) seniority number. I sent my wife to visit family ten days ago, and now I have to go bring her back. This living alone (not entirely alone, I have a Lab, but she doesn’t talk) isn’t all it’s cracked up to be when you’ve had a wife to spoil you for 50+ years now!

Should a special session be called, it is my intention to continue GOAL Post… all dependent on information being available to me wherever I am. Historically they don’t use special sessions to drag back gun bills, so unless there’s a major gun incident, we should be safe. Operative word “should.”

BILL STATUS/GOAL POSITION:

GOAL Post 2019-13

Joe sent out the latest GOAL Post but says he is having ISP issues, and it has not been posted to the GOAL web site, so I'll go ahead with it here.

Usual thing, slight editing for formatting, no change in text.

So, while there has been good news, it is not all good news, we may be getting a "Red Flag" law, which would make it oh, so easy for a angry ex- or spiteful neighbor to use a phone to deprive you of your rights.

****

FROM: GOAL WA

TO: Undisclosed recipients

SENT: Fri 4/5/2019 2:39 PM

SUBJECT: GOAL Post 2019-13

Legislative Update from Olympia 5 April 2019

POLICY COMMITTEE CUT-OFF; BILLS MOVE, BILLS DIE
ACTION SHIFTS ONCE AGAIN TO CHAMBER FLOORS
17 APRIL CHAMBER CUT-OFF, 28 APRIL SINE DIE

The legislature is moving into the final leg of its 105 day/15 week regular session. Just over three weeks left. The primary focus of the long session in odd-numbered years is supposed to be development and adoption of the biennial budget, Whether a budget agreement will be reached or a special session will be called is hard to say right now. Both the House and Senate have passed budget bills, but the bills are $750 MILLION apart – in new spending only! The overall biennial budget runs over $52 BILLION. Now to guns…

The second chamber policy committee cut-off occurred two days ago. A few more gun bills died, others moved forward. Unless there is a dispute between the House and Senate versions of a bill, it must clear the legislature with a floor vote by April 17^th. Bills in dispute have until the last day, 28 April.

SB 5434 (expanded gun free zones) died in House Civil Right & Judiciary.

SBs 5027 (extreme risk protection order, under 18) and 5508 (WSP background checks for CPLs) both passed the Senate with amendments. Both now go to a concurrence vote or a conference committee.

HB 1949 (single POC/firearm background checks) passed out of the Senate. It, too goes to a concurrence vote or a conference committee.

SBs 5205 and 5782 are in House Rules awaiting a floor vote.

SB 5181 still sits in House Appropriations awaiting a committee vote.

Both HBs 1225 and 1934 passed out of committee and sit in Senate Rules awaiting a floor vote.