Tuesday, July 12, 2011

A Better Effort

From the AP by way of MSNBC:

US to require gun-buyer information on border

The goal is to stem the illicit flow of weapons into Mexico

In an effort to stem the illicit flow of weapons into Mexico, the Justice Department announced Monday that all gun shops in four Southwest border states will be required to alert the federal government to frequent buyers of high-powered rifles.
The new policy comes amid criticism of a flawed federal probe aimed at dismantling large-scale arms trafficking networks along the Arizona border with Mexico.
In the probe, called Operation Fast and Furious, several agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives say they were inexplicably ordered by superiors to stop tracking some small-time "straw" buyers who purchased large numbers of weapons apparently destined for drug cartels.
Twenty low-level gun buyers have been charged in the operation. In December, two assault rifles that one of the now-indicted small-time buyers under scrutiny in Fast and Furious had purchased from a gun shop in Glendale, Ariz., turned up at the scene of a shootout that killed Brian Terry, an agent of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. In recent congressional testimony, ATF agent John Dodson estimated that 1,800 guns in Fast and Furious were unaccounted for and that about two-thirds are probably in Mexico.
Story: Firearms from U.S. being used in Mexico drug violence
Under the new policy, federal firearms licensees in Texas, California, Arizona and New Mexico must report purchases of two or more of some types of rifles by the same person in a five-day span. The requirement applies to purchases of semi-automatic rifles that have detachable magazines and a caliber of greater than .22.
ATF estimates it will generate 18,000 reports a year.
Deputy Attorney General James Cole said the new reporting measure will improve the ATF's ability to disrupt illegal weapons trafficking networks that funnel firearms to criminal organizations
Rep. Elijah Cummings, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said the new policy "is exactly what ATF agents on the ground told Congress — that reporting multiple sales of military-grade assault weapons is a crucial tool to identify and disrupt Mexican drug cartels engaged in gun trafficking."
One of the critics of Operation Fast and Furious called the new policy "the height of hypocrisy." The Obama administration is restricting the gun rights of border state citizens, "when the administration knowingly and intentionally allowed guns to be trafficked into Mexico," said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith, R-Texas.
"Limiting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens is not going to solve the problem," Smith said.
Mexico's federal security spokesman, Alejandro Poire, praised Obama's action.
ATF estimates the requirement will cover nearly 8,500 gun store operators in the four states, though less than 30 percent of those operators are expected to have multiple sales to report.
ATF will retain the information and if no investigative leads have been realized after two years, it will be purged.
Holders of federal firearms licenses already report multiple sales of handguns. The results go to the National Tracing Center, and ATF says it has led to successful prosecutions for firearms trafficking.

24 comments:

  1. If this will do so much, maybe they should actually pass a law so this is legal.

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  2. It is already legal.

    You conservatives, you claim you want smaller government, but you keep arguing for more unnecessary legislation -usually the most intrusive.

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  3. Wait, so government making laws that restricts government’s power over the people means “big government” to you? Nice spin job.

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  4. "It is already legal."

    Do you have a cite to the law that allows this or are you just JadeGolding us?

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  5. Under the new policy, federal firearms licensees in Texas, California, Arizona and New Mexico must report purchases of two or more of some types of rifles by the same person in a five-day span.

    Well, I guess since you will still be allowed to purchase two high-powered rifles every week without being reported to ATF, or approximately 100 weapons per annum, this shouldn't interfere with the activities of the ordinary gun enthusiast.

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  6. I guess the BATFE will have to report itself when they allow multiple sales and then allow them to "walk" across the border.
    BATFE should be abolished and its functions turned over to FBI and Treasury Dept. The upper management are a bunch of incompetent fucks.

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  7. Ohhhhhhhh, gun enthusiast, you must be learning the anti 2nd amend talking points from certain posters on DU

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  8. dog gone, its you liberals that keep wanting more and more restrictions on the private ownership of firearms, face it, you liberals wet dreams are a complete ban on private ownership of guns, didn't you liberals learn from the asskicking you received in 1994? Please keep pushing for more gun restrictions and we conservatives will own the congress

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  9. cow: Maybe they are incompetent.

    But what does that say about the NRA and quislings like you? At best, we can say you're ignorant but I suspect the truth is closer to being a supporter of terrorism.

    After all, you and your masters support shipping guns to criminals and terrorists not just in Mexico but everywhere.

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  10. C: We're still recovering from the ass-kicking we got in 2010 when the NRA (actually, you) spent over $40M to defeat Barack Obama.

    That taught us.

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  11. Jadegold, spoken like a true ignoramus, the only one shipping guns to criminals and terrorists are the BATFE.
    Whats the matter, gun control not going your way and all you have left are insults and lies?
    The RKBA movement is winning and winning big and it just pisses you off doesn't it?
    Well here is a suggestion, get the fuck over it and move on.

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  12. Jadegold, and how much gun control has legislation has Barack Obama proposed?
    As a matter of fact, he has sided with the NRA on a few gun laws like guns in national parks, allowing the transport of guns on Amtrack. I think that pretty well sums up the power of the NRA also, over half of congress have an A rating from the NRA, so all in all, I think we're doing pretty damn good

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  13. Flying Junior: “Well, I guess since you will still be allowed to purchase two high-powered rifles every week without being reported to ATF, or approximately 100 weapons per annum, this shouldn't interfere with the activities of the ordinary gun enthusiast.”

    More like it shouldn’t interfere with the activities of the ordinary gun runner. The enthusiasts who doesn’t want to be tracked by the AFT (maybe put on a terrorist watch list), can no longer buy two guns at the same time- even if they only buy two a year. I don’t think this is a huge deal, but I still don’t want to see the government overstepping their bounds, and it is hard to argue for its necessity when the ATF actually *tries* to get guns into Mexico.

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  14. Cowman: so, the NRA was secretly hoping for Obama to win? And they spent $40M of your money to hide that fact?

    I'm glad you cleared that up for us.

    Actually, we're winning.

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  15. Jadegold, please enlighten me as to how you anti's are winning?
    this ought to be good

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  16. You call this winning? Let's just examine your statement. 49 states now have some form of concealed carry, more states are now adopting Castle Doctrine and Stand your Ground laws, your wet dream of a renewed AWB are dead, If thats winning, I shudder to think what you consider losing

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  17. Cow: We're winning.

    Even with the Heller and McDonald decisions--which in some ways represent a defeat for you in that the SC has positively affirmed guns can be regulated and that certain folks can be barred from possessing them---you haven't achieved anything you didn't already have.

    In fact, most NRA members favor the AWB and many are opposed to the NRA leadership--which is why very few NRA members tend to stick around long enough to vote in NRA elections.


    Moreover, you cite the 1994 elections--an event almost 2 decades ago--as if time has stood still since then. Yet, the NRA spent an unprecedented amount of money to elect Repugs in 2010 and they got their butts whipped. Why?

    If gunloons are so powerful, why isn't there this all GOP majority? Why is it that a majority of those who identify as NRA members don't support NRA positions?

    The answer, of course, is apparent.

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  18. BTW, Cowman, if you need further evidence, consider this: At a time when the economy is in the tank, historically US Presidents have a difficult time being reelected.

    Yet, Barack Obama will likely win by a far greater margin in 2012 than he did in 2008. Why?

    I see a Michelle Bachmann or a Herman Cain out in front of the GOP and laugh. The fact is the GOP can't field a candidate that is certifiably sane.

    Yes, we're winning big time.

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  19. Jade, now I know you are delusional, republicans did win a majority in the house and took some seats in the senate and most of those elected have an NRA A rating, so, yeah, I'd say pro RKBA is just kicking your ass. and once again if your side is winning, why hasn't Pres. Obama proposed sweeping gun control measures as he did as candidate Obama? Maybe because he realizes that gun control is a poison pill for his party unlike those idiots like Schumer, Feinstein, Biden, Lautenberg, McArthy.

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  20. And yet Pres. Obama won't enact your wet dream of more gun control, and don't count on him getting re-elected with this suck ass economy

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  21. Cow: You're already seeing more gun control.

    Again what you're demanding we believe is that the NRA wants Obama to win rather than some gunloon like Bachmann or Cain.

    We both know that's not the case.

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  22. Jade: “You're already seeing more gun control.”

    What? We have NO gun control in this country. Remember those sage words?

    Jade: “We have no gun control. Period. End of story. Full stop.”

    How are you “winning” when you have NO gun control? None. Your words.

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  23. "How are you “winning” when you have NO gun control? None. Your words."

    Because he is a lonely troll and when we answer him, it gives his life some meaning and something for him to look forward to. That is why he will swing back and forth so that he can be fed and "win".

    This week, the NRA is all powerful, next week it is insignificant. Depends which med he stops taking.

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  24. Cowman says JadeGold is dilusional and that his (Cowman's) side is winning. Yet, Cowman says the ONLY ones shipping guns to criminals and terrorists are the BATFE.

    I needed a good laugh just back from my vacation. Thanks.

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