John Richardson is reporting that September NICS checks are at record levels, meaning President Obama is still the world’s greatest gun salesman. A lot of gun folks really have the barest idea of how this politics stuff works, so when they hear about “executive action on gun control,” they have little idea of what Obama can and can’t do with that power. They get scared and panic buy. To be sure, Obama can do plenty of damage with executive action, but probably not as much as the people panic buying are imagining.
I’ve seen a lot of talk about the gun issue in my Facebook feed among left-leaning folks. Not much more than after Sandy Hook, but it’s there. I follow a lot of other media too through a web of Google Alerts. The left are out there pushing gun control, but there’s a sense of desperation about it. I see and read a lot of angry things, and I don’t think anger is a trait of a movement arguing from a position of strength.
UPDATE: Trigger finger thinks it’s more about venting anger than panic: “… but there have been enough calls for gun control in Obama’s second term that did not go very far nationally that I doubt panic is really being felt. I think it’s more about anger at this point.” That could be. The best way to take out your anger on the media is to cancel the subscriptions and cut the cord. You can use the money you save to buy more guns!
I see a lot of people pushing for gun control in places I haven’t seen it since Sandy Hook- like the tech people I follow. And a lot of pushing for bans. It’s the same thing though “why can’t we just do something?” And their something wouldn’t have stopped anything.
But a week later, they are silent. While we are not. The passion difference is huge.
“But a week later, they are silent. While we are not. The passion difference is huge.”
I’ve noted the same thing. It’s the passion of the week. Lots of anti-gun posts for a few days, struggling for a message outside of ‘bad guns’, then moving onto another topic for the most part outside of an easy click/share.
A lot of it is just social signaling.
To be sure, Obama can do plenty of damage with executive action, but probably not as much as the people panic buying are imagining.
Depends on what you mean by “can” and “can’t”. EOs are intended to clarify existing law, but Obama can write up and sign any demand he damn well pleases, regardless of whether he has the Constitutional and legal authority to make it.
(See also: the ACA. There’s no way to “clarify” statutory text that reads “goes into effect on [date]” to mean “goes into effect on [nebulous future date]”, but he’s been allowed to get away with it regardless.)
The trouble is, once the order is signed, some fool will want to enforce it — again, whether or not they have the legal authority to do so — and the order will remain “on the books” unless and until it’s challenged.
I would go with anger buying. My last couple of firearms and a bunch of ammo were bought in response to Democrats/Progressives/Socialists opening their pie holes and spouting excrement.
When you have an arsenal it is no longer about panic, it’s about giving them the finger.
Shamelessly stolen quote:
Only my enemy wants me disarmed.
Another stolen quote:
“If someone is making a serious effort to disarm you, it’s not paranoid to wonder what they plan next.”