Local municipalities in Pennsylvania are preempted from enforcing any ordinance relating to guns. This is pretty well-established under our law. But that doesn’t stop them from passing ordinances, and a popular thing to do is for Boards and Councils to use their positions to lobby state lawmakers to let them have a go at gun regulation, or lobbying on behalf of some legislation or another that the majority of the Board or Council would like to see. It’s like what we do, only they get to do it with taxpayer dollars.
On a rumor, I dragged a bunch of club people out our township meeting with the belief that they might try to pass something like they did after the Vegas shooting. It was shot down after Vegas, because the three Republican Supervisors could outvote the two Dems. However in November, the Dems flipped a seat, and took control of the Board. The Dems this time were assuring members who e-mailed that no gun issue was on the agenda, and they would be taking no action. Even though they are preempted, I like my politicians to learn early about the gun voter. Also, getting them on the record is helpful if they try to run for higher office.
Last night we get through most of the meeting and nothing comes up. Good, that’s victory. But now I’m worried about having a dozen or so people questioning why I dragged them out to a meeting to hear a retirement speech, watch a few appropriations votes, and hear the Chief of Police give his report. Then, at the end, right before adjournment, the big anti-gun Dem on the Board decides he can’t help himself and opens his yap. Wonderful! Thanks for pulling my ass from the fire there! I was starting to worry they might begin to think I cry wolf, and I won’t be able to rally troops the next time I need them. But then again, if he had let the meeting just adjourn, he probably wouldn’t have gotten hisself in the papers.
Well done, sir! WELL DONE!!! :-)
Keeping the local legislative nanny staters honest is an important job of citizens. Good for you Good for the locals to know their job is on the line if they stray.
The political left wants to lower the age to vote to 14, and raise the age to buy a gun to 34, because that works for them. What part of GTFO don’t they understand?
Coupla’ thoughts …
1. As pro-gun guy with with a kid in High School that doesn’t like the thought of 18 year old seniors being able to buy rifles/shotguns … perhaps the solution is something like 19 WITH a GED or H.S. diploma. 21 for those without. (BTW — there are a lot of 18 year old seniors because so many suburbanites held their kids back for an extra year where they could). While I agree with your arguments … moving the purchase age for rifles to 21 will not be the death of the 2nd amendment (and I doubt they’ll be able to change possession requirements — I hope).
2. It is Republican’s doing it, but it appears they are insisting on packaging it with other reforms. The anti-gunner goal would be “ban semi-autos so the next mass murder is with a pump shotgun, then ban them, then wait for the next mass murder with a pistol …” until they’re all gone. I would assume there will be a package of changes presented and not just anti-gun.
3. Trump has to walk a fine line here or he loses his base. I’m not happy, but bringing in the angry people to let them vent was wise I think (there was as wave building, better to get some of the energy out of it now) and then turn things over to a partisan bickering congress where dem’s refuse to accept anything based on protecting students and watch them kill the reform because they hate guns more than they love kids.
We’ll wait and see. But if they can get this much traction with a republican administration … can you imagine what they would be doing by now with President Hillary/Majority Leader Schumer/Speaker of the House Pelosi?