McCarthy pushing lost & stolen bill

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In an attempt to appear at least somewhat relevant and justify her re-election bid, Carolyn McCarthy plans to introduced a bill requiring reporting lost and stolen handguns to the police.  According to her press release:

“… Straw purchasers often rely on the “I lost it and forgot to report it,” loophole to get off the hook. Lost or stolen handgun reporting would help seal that hole – with zero impact on responsible, law-abiding owners …”

This is part of the new strategy the antis have been formenting for some time, shifting to gun owner liability and lead/environmental issues.

If a persons gun is stolen, how exactly would her proposal make it easier for police to track down the criminal, prosecute them and return the gun to its rightful owner?  Answer: It doesn’t.

“… When police discover a handgun at a crime scene, it is usually possible to trace it back to an original purchaser …”

By her own admission, all police can do it track it back to the original purchaser.  Since Pataki’s 5-point plan New York has had a 24-hour reporting requirement and I have never once heard of it being used against someone for illegally buying firearms for a prohibited person.  Plus it is a crime to file a phony police report so a straw buyer can already be charged if they report the guns they bought were stolen.  Her bill does nothing more than create a new victimless  paperwork crime specifically targeted at someone who was the victim of a real crime by a real criminal.

Discussing microstamping

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The sponsor of the Oneida microstamping resolution Councilman Michael Kaiser wrote a letter to the Oneida Daily Dispatch, “Micro-stamping issue should be discussed“:

“… A few weeks ago I received a mailing from Mayors Against Illegal Guns, an organization that advocates measures that they feel will help reduce crimes involving firearms. The mailing was seeking support for NYS Senate Bill S6005, a bill requiring micro-stamping capability on all semi-automatic handguns in New York State by 2012. I believe the other councilors and the mayor received this mailing as well …”

I knew Bloomberg was behind this.

“… I wasn’t familiar with the issue …”

This was his first mistake.

“… and wanted to learn more, so the first thing I did was read the bill … The bill is only four pages long and pretty straight forward …”

It is 4 pages long and pretty straight forward if you understand firearms technology and the mentality of the politicians pushing the bill.  This is the second mistake.  Did you notice it refers to making imprints on two places on each shell casing?  One can assume the firing pin would make the first impression.  Where’s the second one?  The bill doesn’t say.  The antis in the legislature think it would be done inside the chamber when the round is fired.  Seriously.

“… I did a little more research to try to understand the arguments supporting and opposing the bill by individuals and organizations on both sides …”

Google is your friend.  A search for “firearms” and “microstamping” would have brought up enough information to show the unproven science behind the technology and that the bill amounts to a defacto ban on new handgun sales in New York.

“… When the Oneida Common Council agenda was made public and the resolution item was listed, I began to receive e-mails and phone calls regarding the issue. I believe the other councilors and the mayor received them as well …”

Yep, that was me.

“… Most of the e-mails and phone calls were opposed to the resolution. I wasn’t surprised at the responses as I know people feel strongly about this issue …”

Third mistake, bringing up an issue you know is going to piss people off.  Not surprisingly it did.

“… Caitlin Traynor of the Oneida Daily Dispatch wrote an article on July 6th regarding the action, or lack of action, taken by the council at our last meeting on this issue. Caitlin wrote “Inaction by the Common Council sent a message in itself that city leaders do not support microstamp ammunition legislation.”  I disagree with Caitlin, who is a fine writer and reporter, on this point. I think the message from the council was “we don’t want to talk about this.” …”

I think the message was “we’re smart enough not to get involved in this.”

“… One councilor who told me in the morning that he would be voting for the resolution apparently changed his mind by the time of our 6 p.m. meeting …”

Good move.

“… Although I understand the politics involved, I’m disappointed that we didn’t get to discuss this issue, but I won’t be deterred from bringing issues of public policy to the council that I think are important and worthy of discussion …”

Assuming this is true, then he made the fourth mistake by making a conscious decision to insert himself into a political fight outside the domain of the Common Council.  This issue will come up again when he is up for re-election next year.

Oneida microstamping resolution fails

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The City of Oneida Common Council’s resolution in support of microstamping failed.  It got a motion, no second, and died.

News of the day

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Microstamping will not die.

The City of Oneida Common Council is floating a resolution in support of it at tonights meeting.

Senator Jim Seward pens an op-ed to the Catskill Daily Mail, “Gun control legislation derailed.”  Derailed, yes.  Dead, no.  The legislature has not gone into recess yet as there’s still no state budget.  I believe they are coming back again next week.

Pundit Bob Confer opines on the pistol license lists being public information in his op-ed to the Niagara Gazette, “The issue of handguns and privacy.”

Westchester legislator Tom Abinanti is running for AD-92 and he “[points] to his work ridding the garbage industry of organized crime, cracking down on tobacco and guns, and being able to be independent outside of the party dogma” as a reason for supporting him.

There is some concern that Carl Paladino might not get enough signatures to primary Rick Lazio for the GOP line.

George from OCSHOOTERS.COM will be on WTBQ next Monday morning at 9:10am talking about the Heller and McDonald decisions.

Opponents of microstamping are liars

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Times Union reporter Jay Jochnowitz says we’re all liars. In today’s op-ed, “A legacy to honor as your own“:

“If you haven’t read the Declaration of Independence lately, or ever, give it a read today. It is an inspiring piece of work that will send a chill down your spine. It’s at once genuinely humble and openly proud. It knows the graveness of its message and the consequences of its defiance. From the outset, it seizes the high road — holding out the self-evident truths of equality and the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness — and never strays from it. It explains and justifies, yet makes no apology. It doesn’t merely call King George III a tyrant, it submits facts “to a candid world” — more than three dozen grievances in all … Do we do it justice when, as we saw in the fight over a proposed New York law to require microstamping of shell casings in semiautomatic weapons, supposed defenders of the Second Amendment assert that the law would effectively bar the sale of such guns in the state if the technology wasn’t ready? The law, in fact, would do no such thing, but the “big lie” prevailed…”

Common Cents

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I will be a guest on this Sunday’s Common Cents radio show.  I just finished recording the program.  The show airs in the Utica area.  Microstamping was the topic of discussion.  It was me and one of our members, a retired LEO and firearms instructor.  I was told MAIG spokesman Angelo Roefaro was invited to be on as well, but for whatever reason, he didn’t make it.

Jim Wallace for NRA BoD

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Jim Wallace from GOAL is running for the NRA Board.  I will be voting for him.

Category: NRA

Falling all over themselves

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Candidates are falling all over themselves looking for support from the gun vote.  From the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, “5 candidates for 2 seats say they favor gun rights“:

“… All three candidates in New York’s 23rd Congressional District and all two in New York’s 20th District say they agree with a federal Supreme Court decision Monday that said the federal constitutional guarantee of an individual’s right to bear arms overrides laws that state and local governments pass …”

The Second Amendment: The new normal.*

For CD-20:

“… Chris Gibson says he is “an outspoken supporter of the right to bear arms and to protect one’s life, loved ones and property,” …  “This ruling reaffirms our constitutional right and protects this right from overreaching state and local governments who forget that they too are obligated to uphold the constitution …”

“… 251 representatives and 58 senators who signed an amicus curiae brief asking Chicago’s handgun ban be overturned … Rep. Murphy, D-Glens Falls, who said he signed it “because the government does not have the right to violate the Second Amendment and strip American citizens of this critical freedom. This landmark decision will further strengthen the constitutional precedent and protect our rights from unjust laws for years to come.” …”

For CD-23:

“… Bill Owens says he is a “strong supporter of the Second Amendment.” Doug Hoffman, however, says he is a “vocal supporter of our Second Amendment rights,” while Matt Doheny says he is “a firm believer in our right to bear arms.” …”

* quote stolen from Uncle.