State Pol calling for Iowa gun right amendment

Chris Rants actually does something I can agree with. Rants calls for state gun rights amendment

Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Rants of Sioux Ctiy [sic] is calling for another new amendment to the state’s constitution, one that guarantees Iowans have the right “to keep and bear arms.”

Iowa is one of six states which do not have such an amendment in their state constitution, and Rants says that’s important given today’’s announcement that the U.S. Supreme Court will hear a gun rights case.

I was really thinking of maybe, kinda, sort of coming around to the guy. But then we find out this:

Rants is not a gun owner or a hunter

“I still believe that’s a right that someday I may want to take advantage of,” Rants says.

No, he's just an opportunistic politician puke, who's trying to drum up support from gun owners in Iowa.

Well, good luck with that.

This putz is willing to have State Troopers carry guns to protect his sorry backside if he became governor, and he's perfectly willing to pull the wool over Iowans' eyes to get there.

I can't wait for him to show up at the ubiquitous politician pheasant hunt at the big-time donor's pasture. I hope he knows the four rules and passes his hunter safety test.

Des Moines Register has a brief article, too. Rants: Iowa needs to protect the right to bear arms

No, we need statesmen not politicians.

Update:This sparked communication between Rep Rants and myself - My apology to Rep Rants

But I thought they got them from gun shows

Going a little out of my territory (Iowa), I found this little nugget from Tennessee: Former Nashville police officer indicted in gun smuggling case

According to an indictment made public Tuesday, the men conspired to buy semiautomatic pistols, revolvers and ammunition from Middle Tennessee gun dealers and ship them to Guatemala, where they were distributed to members of two South American drug cartels.

In all, agents said, they managed to get 18 guns into the hands of the Lorenzana and Mendoza drug cartels. Authorities confiscated five other guns that allegedly were bound for Guatemala, and five additional sales were in process when the bust occurred.

Good work getting these guys indicted. But they blew it when the attorney said this:

"It's a big find," U.S. Attorney Ed Yarbrough said.

18 guns = a big find? Actually they only caught 5 guns going out and 5 more ready to go. Sorry, I don't see the "big find". But kudos for nabbing the bad guys and stopping them

Police put more demands on Badger Guns

Local police put the strong-arm to Badger Guns in West Milwaukee. I posted earlier about their initial investigation of the gun store Badger Guns investigation But what we have now is borderline harassment. Mayor, chief demand more ID checks at Badger Guns

Milwaukee leaders raised the heat Tuesday on Badger Guns, demanding the owner immediately make changes to stem the flow of crime guns coming from the store.

Mayor Tom Barrett called on Badger immediately to begin scanning the identification of everyone coming into the store, like some bars do, and to look up anyone who wants to shoot on the range to make sure he isn't a felon.

Police Chief Edward Flynn suggested that anyone who comes into the store to buy a gun or shoot on the range sign a sworn affidavit saying he is not a criminal or committing a crime. Then store managers should allow police to inspect it, he said.

Hey, Chief Flynn, here's a news flash: Anyone buying from an FFL already has to fill out some kind of "affidavit" and sign it, swearing under penalty of jail, that they are not excluded from gun ownership. Genius, he's not.

So the owner is supposed to identify, track, and then turn over that info to any cop who demands it? It might be a good business practice to make sure honest and trustworthy people are using your range. In other words, know who you are doing business with. But demanding businesses to track customers and turn the owners into quasi-cops? Needing a warrant, maybe?

But the root of this gun shop is this: if Badger Guns is actually doing something illegal as an FFL holder, don't you think the ATF would be all over this place. I seem to recall Red's Trading Post getting more scrutiny for being accused of much less.

Getting lectured by a Limey*

A sanctimonious swipe at America's "gun culture" by some weak kneed Brit with a case of PSH. The cost of America's gun addiction

Tossing out statistics and links to NY Times the author just has to lecture us.

However, for those of us who do not believe this trade-off is acceptable, then how dare we be shocked, shocked every time this happens? We need to stop being shocked every time someone gets shot to death in a "safe" community and start acting unsurprised and outraged instead.

Comments by Zak Smith point out the obvious but is oblivious in his remark

Although I would very much prefer to have the right to own firearms, you can't help but notice that the ban on handguns in the UK is effective. Knives remain the weapon of choice for criminals and even "bad-ass" criminals resort to carrying reactivated replica pistols of dubious worth, which a US gangsta wouldn't dream of carrying.

The disconnect being the "effective" gun ban translating into criminals carrying other weapons. He doesn't seem to realize what he wrote. I guess Zak didn't hear of this event about the shotgun toting rapists: The War on Guns: Meanwhile, Across the Pond in Sarah Brady Paradise...

*Before anyone goes all wiggy about using "limey," I came from the British Island with a little Scotch-Irish thrown in, along with several other nationalities like the "frogs" and "krauts". So I'll use them any time I wish.

Jumping Joe Biden to speak at Dem fundraiser

Plagiarizer and vice-pres Joe Biden will speak at the annual Jefferson-Jackson dinner for Iowa democrats. Biden to speak at event in Des Moines on Nov. 21

"We are absolutely thrilled to have the vice president back in Iowa," Kiernan said. "There is a great deal of admiration for Joe Biden among Iowa Democrats."

That's Democratic Party Chairman Michael Kiernan and I don't know what he's talking about. Biden got like what .15% (I'm exaggerating, but not by much) of support at the 2008 Iowa caucus and Kiernan is saying there's admiration for the bum. I don't get it, but that's politics for you.

I wonder if he has that same tingly feeling in the leg for Biden that Chris Matthews has for Obama.

Earn the big bucks from NEA grants

Iowahawk helps out by giving instructions on getting big government grants from the NEA. In a return to classic comic book style Earn Big $$$ the NEA Way! he reminds us to poke fun at them about a serious subject.

While we're talking about big money:

Found here: ACORN Screw robbery kid! You can earn BIG money with ACORN! - Buzz Baxter

Too bad it's for real.

Listen to what she speaks

No matter what one thinks of Phyllis Schlafly and her Eagle Forum organization, they hosted a “How to Take Back America” conference in St. Louis which featured Kitty Werthmann. An 84-year-old woman who grew up under the Nazi's control. The Washington Independent Reports Take Back America Conference and includes some wisdom from this woman:

“What would you suggest we do,” asked one activist, “if we are asked to give up our guns?”

“Don’t you dare give up your guns!” thundered Werthmann. “Never, never, never!”

Iowa's representative Steve King was a speaker there as the conference was dominated by "right wing" issues.

I have no support for bigotry of any kind so let's throw all else aside for a moment and concentrate on the experiences of a woman who saw the changes in her native country. Changes that allowed evil to take root and grow while the rest of world and those within Germany ignored the threat. We should take heed of her advice.

I have no opinion of anything else that was in the article, just Ms. Werthmann. [I do have an opinion, just not for this post - ed] Besides DailyKos and Huffpost loudly criticize this woman, so maybe she is worth listening to.

Update: I found this at World Net Daily that gives more details on Ms. Werthmann: Austria in the '30s: Mirror to America

"Those of us who sailed past the Statute of Liberty came to a country of unbelievable freedom and opportunity." Werthmann concluded. "After America, there is no place to run."

Avoid the hyperbole there too, but I'm willing to listen to her experiences.

On the Left Coast (CA) - Fed court hears appeals

Federal appeals court listened to arguments Thursday 9/24 regarding whether Alameda county can restrict guns on property it owns. Court considers county's right to regulate guns In 1999, the county outlawed all firearms on its property.

(09-24) 14:43 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- A divided federal appeals court wrestled Thursday with potentially the most important gun case in its history, a dispute over a firearms ban at the Alameda County Fairgrounds that has expanded into a constitutional battle over state and local authority to regulate gun possession.

But it seems not all the judges agree with each other. Some agree with "gun rights advocates" while Judge Susan Graber thinks the Constitution doesn't matter.

And one judge [Graber] suggested the court should uphold the ordinance as a valid public safety measure without deciding the constitutional issue.

In other words: The Constitution be damned!

In 2005, the Iowa Legislature attempted to pass a ban on gun shows at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. It failed in committee.

Hi Dollar Sportman's Auction 9/26&27 Recap

Jerry Wohler ran another successful sportsman's auction this weekend. Hi Dollar Auction 9/26

The auction was dominated with recreational guns for plinking and hunting. There were a few collectible guns there but not as much as he's had in the past and only one "assault" rifle. The crowd was lighter than his last sale but they were in a buying mood when it came to the firearms. If you were selling, this was a good place to consign your guns. He had his usual collectible ammunition but there were some bargains on the shootable ammo.

What caught my attention on Saturday was someone had consigned their reloading setup. A Lee turret press, dies and accessories. I bought it at a fair (to me) cost.

I avoided taken the plunge into reloading for quite a few years, but now it makes sense. From a cost standpoint but also as a skill set, this seems like something I need to do.

The staff at Hi Dollar Auctions are friendly and professional and Jerry and Ron worked hard to get the best prices for those who consigned.

Badger Guns target of investigation

Badger Guns in West Milwaukee is the target of an investigation by police for having a very high number of guns that fall into the hands of criminals. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's article: Police stake out gun store on lookout for felons, straw buyers

According to this quote the paper had access to trace data.

A total of 1,880 crime guns recovered in Milwaukee were linked to Badger between January 2006 and Sept. 1 - or more than one a day, according to a Journal Sentinel analysis.

I thought trace data was only to be shared with local law enforcement. Something smells here.

But the data pointed to Badger Guns and police (not the ATF???) are catching the felons. If the dealer is doing something illegal, then why isn't he in jail?

I'm not going to judge just yet and I think we need more information to decide if this dealer is on the up-and-up.