You’re about to read a story involving California. If you were a millennial snowflake, you could consider this your trigger warning. You can expect to read something equal parts stupid and dangerous and 100 percent asinine. Nevertheless, we have to stay informed in order to stay in the fight, and when it comes to gun rights, California is very much fighting against the constitution.
This time around, they’ve found a rather sneaky way to try and discourage gun sales. It’s not the first time gun taxes have been the discussion of the hour, but overlooking this one would be a mistake.
The Plan
California lawmakers have introduced a proposal. It suggests a new tax on the sale of every semi-automatic firearm, long gun or handgun. This would be in addition to a number of unique firearm taxes that already exist within the state.
There’s no set number on the tax yet, and ideas have ranged from somewhat low to exorbitant. There’s a good chance California will just carbon copy a similar law already in place in Seattle (as per usual). The tax there is a flat $25 on every firearm purchase. This might not seem like a great sum to anyone with an extensive collection and taste for high-end weapons, but it is enough to make a purchase noticeably more difficult for most first timers. That’s not a coincidence.
Why it Sounds Nice
California is disturbingly liberal enough to champion such a law as is. That hasn’t stopped them from playing optics. Attached to the proposal is a requirement for 100 percent of the collected tax to go into a violence prevention fund. The revenue would be run through the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Program. It funnels money to municipal and community organizations that fulfill its requirements.
The programs vary as much as you might expect. They can include help for people suffering from abuse, advice on gun safety or de-escalation techniques and frivolous practices that have nothing to do with violence or firearms. Despite the range in potency, the Program fund distributed $8 million to a number of groups last year. Considering California saw over 1 million taxable firearm sales last year, you can see how easily this new tax could grow the Prevention Program ledger. An extra $25 million a year sound good to anyone?
The Ugly Truth
Here’s the problem. Not one of those funded programs has been able to demonstrate an impact on violence or crime levels in their areas. Conversely, responsible gun owners have been proven to stop crime at a higher rate than any other method or program studied in our country. If you want safer streets, more responsible gun owners is your best choice.
That’s not all. Even at $25, the new tax will disproportionately impact low-income families in California. One of the aims of the tax is to discourage first-time gun purchases, but that overlooks why many Californians might enter into such a demographic. Simply put, minorities bear the brunt of poverty in the state, and living in impoverished areas in the Golden State is exceedingly dangerous.
While this law probably wasn’t proposed with racist intent, it will have a racist outcome. To be specific, this law will disproportionately victimize minorities in violent crimes — all for a measly $25.
There’s a third issue to consider with this law: the 2nd Amendment. The wording is pretty clear. The right to bear arms shall not be infringed. This applies to excessive taxation as much as any other infringement the cooks in California can manifest. It doesn’t take a Constitutional scholar to surmise that the founding fathers might have had taxes in mind when they wrote the 2nd Amendment. Perhaps they wanted a way for the citizens to combat corrupt taxation?
Regardless of the clarity of the Constitution, you can assume that some form of this bill will make it through the state government. From there, it will be up to concerned citizens (probably through the organization of an activist group like the NRA or GOA) to push the bill into judicial review. This battle is more important than it might seem. If we don’t battle against excessive firearm taxes right now, we might find them priced out of everyone’s range within a few years.
They need all that revenue because there isn’t enough for the crooked politicians and the illegals on the state’s dole! What a shame to ruin a beautiful state for illegals and fools. The police are up in arms because the California leaders are jackasses galore. The Dems should be in jail. The criminals can roam about with nothing to stop them. The smmart Californians are leaving in droves to make room for the illegal trash.
Yet again Another violation attempt by state government that is taxing it’s citizens into leaving the state. There is no such thing as gun violence or assult weapons. Violence is a human caused problem as old as humans. Semi automatic military replica firearms are a product of technology that gives citizens almost the same chances of survival in an attack on thire lives and property as an American soldier has to survive in combat. There is no logical reason to restrict or take that ability away from any law abiding Americans. If public safety is the real reason our elected representatives are looking for it’s obvious they have no real understanding of the dynamics of this issue. It would make any rational adult draw the obvious conclusion that both political and Lawenforcement leadership are both incompetent and criminally stupid. They promise us protection from violent crime, then tell us they have no individual responsibility to protect us. To add insult to injury they push to violate our civil rights provided and protected by the Bill of Rights. Lawenforcement, Politicians and Celebrities as well as the wealthy in America are protected 24/7 by a platoon of private security professionals armed with the latest modern weapons technology makes available without any of the restrictions they impose on use mere peasants. Any person forced to fight for their lives would want the most powerful and effective weapon that technology provides. If you say not so you’re a DAMN FOOL. When it’s you’re ass or a loved one on the block 2nd best don’t cut it. Firearms safety and responsible ownership is a simple concept. As a boy I grew up in a house full of firearms. My father and all of my male family members enjoyed all lawful uses of both Morden and antique firearms. Target shooting, competitions, hunting, collection were as common as any other form of recreational activities. Gun safety was taught in public schools. Shooting teams and compition was common. Boy Scouts required both rifle marksmanship and Archery to earn enough merit badges to earn the title of Eagle Scout. All of us Boys worked hard to achieve this goal. Nobody ever thought of bringing a gun to school to commit mass murder. A large majority of law abiding Americans owned and lawfully carried or had within easy reach a firearm they knew how to use to protect themselves, family, property and those around them If attacked by any vicious animals both 2 or 4 legged. America was a much safer place to live back in those days. The Army promoted and provided equipment, rifles, pistols and ammunition to civilian commpition to promote skills with small arms. This provided a pool of skilled citizens that the military could draw from In times of war with the skills of the basic weapons they need to fight with. Small arms are just as relevant today as they were in 1775. Ask any military veterans that had boots on the ground in the lateist war being faught. Mass shootings would stop or be as rare as the were when I was growing up If as many or more Americans took on thire responsibility of protecting themselves and loved ones as well as their fellow citizens. How could mass murderers Do what they do If the moment they reveal themselves they would be stopped. Libtards claim that the Bill of Rights especially 2A are obsolete. They say Americans don’t need the right to individual protection. They say just call 911. Good luck with that. Remember the advice given to us by the retard Joe Biden? All we need is a double barrel shot gun and fire it in the air to scare you’re attackers away. Really Joe? Committ the felony of reckless conduct in a failed attempt to protect yourself. Remember the famous statement Bill Clinton made when Americans punished Congress and the Senate for passing his Assult Weapon ban? ” The trouble with Americans is they have too many Rights ” You can’t make this stuff up.Average Police response time is 18 minutes in any populated areas or could be hours even days away in more remote areas. Relying on individual protection from any Government employee is foolish. Odds are they will investigate you’re murder rather than save the day. No negative reflection on them, that’s just realities of life. They tell us there hasn’t been a hostile Indian attack or roving bandito raide in over 100 years. Oh ya… Ask anybody that lives in one of America’s major cities. More Americans are slaughtered every year by violent criminals than all the war zones Americans are in today in 17 years of war. Lawenforcement is hopelessly overwhelmed and are targeted themselves these days. They can’t make America safe from criminal gangs and psychotic zombies living among us. Evil people have and always will walk among us. It’s up to the individual to defend themselves and those around them in the right here and right now. When seconds count Police are minutes away. That is reality like it or not. Unless you have body guards it’s you’re problem. If you’re really that stupid you think out sourcing the protection of the most pressious thing you’ll ever own, You’re life, is the way to go you are a fantastic idiot. You’re foolish belief that the Government is you’re answer to all, you’re in for a tragic surprise. Understanding these realities one would small a political rat. What is the real reason our Government wants to dissarm Americans? History shows us over and over again that every Government that has disarmed its population as turned on and slaughtered them. History shows that every Government has had to eventually to fight it’s people and every people has had to fight it’s Government. Americans have done this twice in our history. Are we heading that way again? The majority of Americans will fight to keep our rights and liberties. We are an armed population of free citizens, not a population of subjects or surffes that keep our masters in power. If the Communist/ Socialist/ Progressive elements in America think they can tear up the Bill of Rights and Constitution you’re in for an experience you won’t forget for the rest of you’re pecker sucking sniveling lives.
Add that to the $25-30 they have to pay as a NICS transfer fee, and more for the ammo purchase fee, and it starts to get hefty. Then I suppose they will add a registration fee, then demand brass disposal and charge a disposal fee, or tax reload components up the ying-yang. Maybe a no-burn ban to include ammo and all gunpowders. Is there any way Congress can vote CA out of the US?
I live in California, that is a name given to the safe harbor for illegals as well as the most corrupt politicians in this country! I know, why don’t you move? Well I am too old at this point, and this state was not like it is now when I moved here in 1974! This state is totally out of hand! The IDIOTS that run it, the moonbeams and the other creatures of the night, must realize that this state, as well as all of the others, are allowed to call themselves states, because of GUNS!! This country’s independence was not won by throwing rocks and yelling obscenities at the ‘enemy’, it was won by firing weapons at them! So Jerry and Gavin, you keep it up and try to take our guns, and We the People WILL turn on you, and you will not like it! The government in this state IS THE ENEMY! I will NOT live under the thumb of some idiotic politicians! Laws were written for honest people, because criminal do not care!
Did the Founders have taxes in mind when they wrote the 2A? The Congress with the 1934 NFA and the Supreme Court in Miller v. US did not seem to think o.
California lawmakers need to thrown in jail for defrauding and misleading the people of California!! If you bought a car in California 30 years ago you still a notification to register that car by mail 90 days prior to the due date but when California passes in gun laws they DO NOT NOTIFY THE LEAGAL OWNERS IN WRITING TO Give them time to comply basically making thousands of law bidding citizens criminals that not what elected officials are voted to office to do! It’s time we fight back and protect our Constitutional Rights
I can’t understand why people don’t realize that a right can not be taxed, period. If the government can charge a dollar, they can charge ten dollars, If they can charge ten why not 100, or 1,000. They can effectively prevent you from claiming a right.
I been to all the different forums with everyone complaining about the situation on gun control. In these forums, it is preaching to the choir.
The question is what are we all going to do about it?
I have been a life member of the NRA for over 20 years. NRA has abandoned California all together. So much for the membership and the unity of power. I’ve been a member of CPRA too. Yet we continue to lose ground.
Aside from all the continued bitchin’ and crying in these forums and joining all these organizations, what else can we do to stop this? I see we are losing.
I spoke yesterday with a friend in Orange County. He said the whiz kids in Sacramento want to require a background check on every buyer of ammunition every time they purchase ammunition. The cost will be $21per background check. This especially impacts peace officers wo must regularly qualify with off-duty firearms and league shooters who cannot afford several hundred dollars for ammunition at a time to avoid having to repeatedly pay for the background check when they purchase ammunition. When will the madness end?!