Gun Politics New York

I was interviewed by North Country Public Radio yesterday.  Despite audio problems they were able to use some of what I said:

“… Specifically, the last shooting out in California, the president was trying to talk about guns because he didn’t want to talk about Islamic terrorists,” Rieper said …”

Which is true:

“… the Obama administration was still hesitating Friday to declare that the massacre was terrorism. “It’s far too early to reach that kind of conclusion. We’re still learning exactly what was motivating these individuals, what steps they took to carry out this terrible crime,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters …”

El Presidente issued his executive orders.  As expected it’s mostly hot air:

… Require gun dealers, whether they sell in a store, at gun shows or over the internet, to conduct background checks on those wanting to purchase a firearm …

This is already law.

… The order will require people purchasing [NFA] weapons through trusts or other legal entities to undergo a background check …

Don’t know much about the NFA, but pretty sure this is already done.

… Attorney General Loretta Lynch has written a letter to states urging them to provide complete information, such as criminal history, to the federal database that’s used for background checks …

Why not send them a letter urging everyone to be awesome?

… To speed up and modernize NICS, the order directs the FBI to hire more than 230 staffers – a move that would double staff size – and complete technical updates to the database …

All this will likely do is speed up gun purchases which are way up under his administration.

… Dealers are required to report lost or stolen weapons from their inventory but the laws related to guns that go missing during transit aren’t as clear. Under the new order, the licensee shipping the gun will be responsible for reporting it missing or stolen …

I don’t think this does much of anything.

… The White House is proposing to spend $500 million for increased mental healthcare services. Other provisions include reporting of Social Security information to the background check system, a move designed to keep those with mental health issues or who receive disability payments due to mental impairment from purchasing firearms …

NRA covered this several months back. I suspect either legislative or legal action will kill this.

… The president is issuing a memorandum to … increase research into gun safety technology. The memo also directs the agencies to promote the use and acquisition of new firearm technology …

Isn’t much this already being done for government purchases when they replace/upgrade inventory?  Any smart gun nonsense is not going to be funded by Congress.

… The White House said the president’s 2017 budget will include funding for 200 new Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearm agents to enforce gun laws. Another $4 million will go towards enhancements to the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network, which tracks evidence that can be used to link gun-related crimes …

This looks like a whole lot of nothing.

The antis are not happy about this.  See this op-ed at the Huffington Post, “Obama’s Executive Actions On Gun Control May Not Do Much. But He’s Doing More Than Congress.“

President Obama announced awhile back his intention to take executive action on gun control.  We still don’t know what exactly his plans are, but given it won’t be coming through Congress I suspect it will be mostly symbolism and questionably legal decrees.

The Post agrees:

“… On gun control, word is that an executive order to expand background checks on certain gun sales will come this week.  Look: This issue’s been before Congress for at least two years — and gone nowhere. Worse, Obama’s claim that he has the power to act here is legally … imaginative.  So the action is nothing more than red meat for the culture warriors on both sides — plus provocation of the legislative branch …”

This plus I think he’s hoping Bloomberg will open his wallet for Democrats who promote the issue.