The Right Agenda: Buy Guns

Many of the items in this series are particular to Republican officials, or at least political activists. But there is at least one thing that all ordinary citizens can do: buy guns.

Judging by numerous media reports, this agenda item is already being put into effect, as gun sales have spiked dramatically since the election.

So why buy guns?

One significant reason is the increasing danger of greater gun control, or even gun confiscation, being put into effect during Barack Obama's presidency. Despite Obama's glib assurances on the campaign trail, he is the most anti-gun candidate ever elected President. Obama admitted years ago to economist John Lott that he doesn’t believe that people should be allowed to own guns. He filled out survey as a state senate candidate saying that handguns should be banned. He later claimed that an aide had filled it out without his knowledge, but his own handwriting was on the survey. Obama also stated that be believes that concealed carry should be banned.

Obama’s actions since taking office have not given any comfort to gun owners. He has endorsed several gun control bills on his transition website. He has included a question on his survey for applicants for White House jobs asking whether they or their family own guns and demanding “ownership and registration information”. He has also nominated Eric Holder to be Attorney General. Holder has a long record supporting gun control and has stated that the Second Amendment is not an individual right.

Why buy a gun that might be banned? For one thing, any ban would probably have a “grandfather clause”, allowing currently owned guns. The alternative to this would be massive disobedience and possibly significant violence if the government actually tried to confiscate guns. Thus buying a gun now would allow you to have it later, after the ban. Also, if there was a ban, legally owned grandfathered guns would significantly increase in value.

Another reason to buy guns is the increasing possibility of civil unrest. The current economic troubles are likely to get worse. They will certainly get worse if Obama and the democrats impose higher taxes, government spending, and regulation on America. Bad economic times usually lead to an increase in crime. It is possible that some of the people at the margins of society who feel entitled to government largess and now face foreclosure will turn to crime. The increasing possibility of massive inflation to fund an endless string of bailouts also portends civil unrest.

It’s unknown whether Obama and company will implement the “soft on crime” policies of an earlier generation of liberals, but his policies are unlikely to be as effective against crime as those Republicans.

An individual is responsible for his own defense. Armed citizens are the biggest force in preventing and deterring crime. Police investigate crimes and apprehend criminals after the fact, but they rarely disrupt crimes in progress. As one pro-gun slogan says, “when seconds count, police are only minutes away”.

How likely are gun control, gun confiscation, and civil unrest? It remains to be seen whether Obama will make a major push for gun control. Despite their rhetoric, Obama and the democrats still hate private gun ownership. The political environment is the best for democrats that it has been in a while. On the other hand, gun owners remain a potent political force. Obama may decide that pushing gun control is too difficult and pursue other parts of his agenda instead.

Gun confiscation could never happen in America, right? But it already has. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, police broke into people’s houses and took away their guns. This was totally illegal. The NRA and other groups sued New Orleans, and after many delays have succeeded in getting people’s guns returned. Almost the same thing happened in Greensburg Kansas after a tornado flattened most of the town. The sheriff’s department went around confiscating guns. Both these incidents happened during the “pro-gun” Bush administration.

We really don’t know how likely civil unrest is, but for the reasons given above, it is more likely now than it has been.

With the dollar losing value, guns may actually be a good investment. With proper maintenance, they last practically forever and can be a good store of value.

Many of the recommendations in this series are limited to political activists and party insiders. But buying guns is something that everyone can do. Buying a gun is a vote against gun control and a vote for freedom. Conservatives and all people of good will should strongly consider stocking up.

See these articles for more information:
Arming Yourself for the Future
Buying Your First Handgun