Friday, May 28, 2010

Political Corruption and Gun Rights

Opinione has posted an interesting article on the relationship between Gun rights and political corruption.
A prime example of how a political action committee like the NRA has put its own interests first at the expense of the individual, is the Connecticut gun law requiring a resident who wants to own a handgun to take a handgun safety course. While this may appear to be a good law in itself, the required fee of $ 125 paid to a “licensed NRA instructor” proves without a doubt of how the NRA got legislation passed to benefit itself at the expense of the gun owner. This is evident in the fact that the entire $ 125 fee paid by the Connecticut resident goes entirely to the licensed NRA instructor and not a single dollar of that “fee” goes to the state. This “fee” is nothing short of a revenue-generating stream for the NRA, enabled by a corrupt political system, where the elected officials often act as agents for the people and groups they receive money and gifts from. This is one of the reasons why the United States is only ranked as the 17th most democratic in the world and the 18th least corrupt government.
While reading the rest of the post, I wondered what the Prince is trying to say. I suppose, less infringement on gun rights is one idea, plus big government is bad. What did you think of it?

Please leave a comment.

10 comments:

  1. "This is evident in the fact that the entire $ 125 fee paid by the Connecticut resident goes entirely to the licensed NRA instructor and not a single dollar of that “fee” goes to the state."

    As it should. If I have to pay a "fee" to exercise a right, i'd rather it go to a person who supports my rights than "the state".

    The real corruption is in the fact that there is a fee in the first place. If the government is going to mandate I be trained to exercise my rights, they should pay for the training.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow, this guy has a theory that everything is corrupt so he makes up a story to support his theory. How dishonest.

    The reason that the majority of the states require that training be conducted by an NRA certified instructor is that there are no other instructor programs that maintain the same level of training and competency for their programs as does the NRA. In addition to NRA Certified Instructors, most states including Connecticut also allow the classes to be taught by their own state certified law enforcement instructors.

    Finally, the NRA does not receive any part of the fee that the instructor charges. Instructors are only certified by the NRA and do not work for them.

    The whole premise that the NRA is receiving a cash flow from this law is bullshit. The author obviously wrote this solely from supposition and not from any research.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AztecRed, the government does not hve the money to train American citizens to be a well trained militia. The government howerver as the passing of the latest 60 billion slush fund proves, has the money and the political will to train Afghani and Iraqi citizens to use firearms.

    ReplyDelete
  4. It's a payoff to the NRA, pure and simple. A bribe.

    Look, NRA instructors are no more qualified to teach gun safety than FWM is to teach fitness.

    The scam of NRA instructors is that anyone can become an NRA instructor---you pay the fees, you'll get the license.

    --JadeGold

    ReplyDelete
  5. Look, NRA instructors are no more qualified to teach gun safety than FWM is to teach fitness.

    Another shot at FWM and his weight. Man, with that tire you are carrying around your waist, I wouldn't be tossing stones there fatty.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jade,

    How is it a payoff or a bribe when there is no money?

    You are so full of shit. And what "license" are you referring to? Something else you made up?

    ReplyDelete
  7. I made the statement that food we eat is not regulated and that claim in backed up by understanding that genetically modified food is not labeled in America because the food corporations don't want consumers to be able to link any adverse reactions they may have to a GM food back to their corporations. Money talks the loudest in Washington. You can’t ignore that fact.
    Next I made the statement that laws protecting the environment are also compromised by lobbyist money. Just follow the money related to the oil spill in the Gulf and you will see that the money given by the oil and gas industry helped to convince politicians not to require more safety and leak prevention equipment when drilling. Don’t say these corporations donate money and don’t want anything in return.
    Finally as a legal gun owner from the state of Florida, I can not even ship my gun to Connecticut until I take a gun safety course. The state gets no money from this and all the money benefits the gun shop owner. It is the same thing as requiring someone who wants to buy a computer to pass a typing class and show they know how to send an email, or create a blog. Funny how the anti government people give the NRA a pass on this requirement. It is a bullshit law and the lobbying of the NRA on elected officials proves they are no different than the oil, defense, banking, insurance, food, etc lobbyists.
    I have the movie Freedom to Fascism and see any government bullshit regulation as an infringement on my rights. However, as a political scientist I know that I have more choices than just voting for a democratic or republican party candidate. I have the ability to vote for a third or even a fourth political party candidate.. One of the reasons why the political system and this country is going into the shitter is because the two party system protects itself first and then the politicians interests and then and only then will they think of passing laws to help the average American. Just look at the latest defense spending bill that sails through congress and will cost 60 billion dollars , where a majority of that money will be spent over seas supporting the likes of MikeB, instead of helping honest hard working Americans who can’t find a job and need help paying their bills. The bankers get help when they need it, but average Americans are thrown into the gutter.

    ReplyDelete
  8. "Just look at the latest defense spending bill that sails through congress and will cost 60 billion dollars , where a majority of that money will be spent over seas supporting the likes of MikeB,.."

    Mike, you are getting the majority of 60 Billion, really? Buddy, pal, friend. Can I have some? I promise not to buy guns with it.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Dear Principe, That was a bit harsh, I'm glad we've got FWM to help me see the humor in it.

    ReplyDelete
  10. The us military has over 40 military bases in Italy spending over 2 billion dollars a year in support alone for those bases. The US government also has funds embassies and consulates and several UN organizations in Italy. As a political scientist i Know that the us government will find money for the people connected to the government, while Americans living in America are ignored.

    ReplyDelete