…in an amusement park with a pocket full of money and three golden retriever puppies on leashes has a long attention span than President Trump. Except when it comes to Israel, then there is no question. He has laser focus, as befits the King of Israel. When it comes to things important to his base? You are lucky if you can keep him on target for a whole day.
Gun rights are one of those areas where Trump seems like a spastic drunk baby. In the aftermath of the El Paso and Dayton shootings it seemed like Ivanka was whispering in his ear about gun control but then earlier this week there was a report from Infowars suggesting he was backing off: TRUMP SHELVES GUN CONTROL AFTER TED NUGENT SAYS “TRUST THE PRESIDENT” ON SECOND AMENDMENT and Herschel at Captains Journal posted Trump Allegedly Tells LaPierre UBC Off The Table, so it seemed like the fever to “do something” had subsided. But then Herschel posted this late last night: “Let’s Call Wayne”: Trump Reverses Course On Universal Background Checks Again. Trump is reported as saying he has an “appetite” for background checks. So what the hell is he doing?
No one thinks “universal background checks” are going to reduce gun violence. The problem is the same as ever, laws only impact people who are already inclined to follow the law and as such those people pose no danger to others. Criminals intent on breaking the law are by definition not dissuaded in the least by laws. That is what makes them criminals.
However UBCs do serve a few purposes. It allows politicians to be seen as “doing something” and they love that. In general the best response to any crisis is for the government to figure out how it can be doing less to address the problem but in reality the urge to seem engaged and taking strong action is overwhelming.
It also reduces the flow of unregistered guns. If you buy a gun through a regular dealer you have to do a background check already and the sale is registered to that gun with that serial number is associated with you. But if you buy a gun from a private party or at some gun shows or flea markets, there is no record. You give them the money, they give you the gun and you now have a firearm with a serial number that is not associated with you. There are no doubt millions of guns in this country that are outside of the registration system, purchased by private parties or given as gifts to relatives or whatever. That doesn’t even count the stolen guns being traded illegally on the street, the source of most actual gun violence.
Expect to see them try to slip in the bill language about gun parts. The ability to buy 80% lowers that you finish yourself and 3D guns allow people to manufacture their own firearms without the need to register the serial number drives globalists crazy. Any economic activity that they don’t have their fingers in drives them nuts and when it involves firearms it increases exponentially.
You have to always remember the ultimate goal. For example, when pro-life advocates push smaller restrictions on infanticide, the ultimate goal is the abolition of abortion, something I support. For gun control activists, the ultimate goal is complete disarmament including confiscation. Confiscation is easier when they know who owns which guns and of course it is harder when they don’t. The additional background checks are not making anyone safer, they are just adding a layer of difficulty in purchasing firearms and making it easier to compile a more comprehensive list of gun owners for that day when they think they will send local cops to kick in doors and get shot at by gun owners. It isn’t going to play out that way but that is their little fantasy.
We can’t trust Trump on guns. Or on border security. Or on suppression of speech and censorship. The only thing we can trust is that he will always ask “What is best for Israel” and that isn’t going to encourage anyone to vote for him that wasn’t going to anyway.
Trump is looking like One And Done.
One and done if . . . there was credible opposition. Me? I still think the economy will tell the tale.