- May 22, 2005
- 122,889
Helmke makes $250K? You're getting hosed, man.
well, to be fair it was only $249,555
Helmke makes $250K? You're getting hosed, man.
well, to be fair it was only $249,555
well, to be fair it was only $249,555
Ok, we can start paying you that kind of coin, but we're gonna have to cut Spot's salary.
.
Where does it all lead? Let's assume that in a few years we have maybe 45 or 48 states with Shall Issue? How would the last 2 or 3 or 5 hold-outs be handled?
I would surmise WE (the people) would seek a National Reciprocity case, in order to get a decision on your National Right to Bear, as you cross state lines.
Why Adopt a Vermont-style CCW Law?
Several states are considering adopting "Vermont-style" concealed carry legislation. Most of the Carry Concealed Weapon (CCW) laws in the country require citizens to first get permits. But in a couple of states, like Vermont, citizens can carry a firearm without getting permission . . . without paying a fee . . . or without going through any kind of government- imposed waiting period. There are many reasons for a state to adopt a genuine right to carry law:
1. Carrying a firearm is a "right" not a "privilege"
The Second Amendment guarantees that "the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." This means that law-abiding citizens should not need to beg the government for permission to carry a firearm. That would turn the "right" to bear arms into a mere "privilege." Likewise, one should not have to be photographed, fingerprinted, or registered before they can exercise their Second Amendment rights. Criminals certainly do not jump through these "hoops." The Second Amendment is no different than any of the other protections enumerated in the Bill of Rights. That is, honest citizens should not need a government issued permission slip; rather, they should be able to carry as a matter of right.
2. The issuing of permits can be abused by officials
a. Refuse to issue
* New York City: Officials in New York City routinely deny gun permits for ordinary citizens and store owners because -- as the courts have ruled -- they have no greater need for protection than anyone else in the city. In fact, the authorities have even refused to issue permits when the courts have ordered them to do so. (1)
* Gary, Indiana: Then-Mayor Richard Hatcher let it be known in 1979 that he would not be approving any citizens' concealed carry applications. He then said if they wanted to challenge his authority, they were welcome to take him to court. It took citizens over 10 years (and thousands of dollars in legal fees) to get any relief. (2)
* San Jose, CA: Joseph McNamara, a former police chief and anti-gun spokesman, bragged in his 1984 book, Safe & Sane, that "in San Jose, I have made it considerably tougher for residents to get handgun permits." (3)
b. Require fingerprints -- Virginia applicants for concealed carry permits were forced to submit to FBI fingerprint background checks without any authorization requiring such checks. (4)
c. Revoke for politically incorrect speech -- In Oregon, officials have been known to revoke concealed carry licenses because of one's political views. In one case, a permit holder had his license revoked because he was the editor of a pro-life newspaper. (5)
d. Print licensee holders' names in newspapers -- In several states, newspapers have frequently printed the names of concealed carry permit holders, which are almost always public information. (6)
3. Officials can "raise the hurdles" in order to get a permit
* The power to license a right is the power to destroy a right
a. Arbitrary Delays -- While New Jersey law requires applications to be responded to within thirty days, delays of ninety days are routine; sometimes, applications are delayed for several years for no readily apparent reason. (7)
b. Arbitrary Denials -- See the examples above from New York City, Indiana and California.
c. Arbitrary Fee Increases -- In 1994, the Clinton administration pushed for a license fee increase of almost 1,000 percent on gun dealers. According to U.S. News & World Report, the administration was seeking the license fee increase "in hopes of driving many of America's 258,000 licensed gun dealers out of business." (8) This example clearly shows how easily government officials can abuse the issuing of carry permits. Instead of using lower fees to merely pay for the processing of permits, officials can raise the fees to keep people from exercising their rights.
4. Vermont has a genuine right to carry law (i.e., requires no permits) and yet boasts one of the lowest crime rates in the nation.
Wow. A one paragraph blurb pointing to the Washington Post article. No commentary, no support, no credit...no nothing.
Yet a front page story about the new Chicago case they are "supporting".
WTF?
+ 1.I guess I am just trying to point out how awesome your posts on these subjects are.
Thank you for taking the time to do the research and present facts to support your opinions.
Not a dig at you but when I saw the last post on this thread was from you I was expecting more. I hope you don't take that the wrong way. I guess I am just trying to point out how awesome your posts on these subjects are.
Thank you for taking the time to do the research and present facts to support your opinions.
Thanks, guys. Can't always aim for the high walls.
Right now I'm wondering where the heck all the briefs, arguments and decisions are in the multitude of cases that are pending nationwide. Not just the new stuff (NY/MD/NC), but things like Palmer, Nordyke, Sykes...all way past time right now. I'd think we'd at least get some decent briefs to chirp over. Paging Krucam...
Until then we just get to beat up on the NRA, I guess.
"When" the CCW is allowed for the average person, will the permit write out exactly what I will/allowed carry? ex.. 9mm .45?
Maybe a silly question, but where do we go from here? The lawsuits are filed, the checks have been cut, do we sit back and watch? Surely there is something we can do in the meantime. Our Founding Fathers would have built a fire, and placed irons in it, so when the shooting started, they could slap hot iron to the wounded, thus cauterizing it. They also may have melted lead to mold bullets, filled their powder horns, sharpened their long knives, etc... As we wait for the battle to unfold, is there something else we could be doing?