Add the domestic sales of handguns and rifles and you've got all the motivation you need to justify almost anything. Certainly a bit of bribery and corruption disguised as the lobbying system can be expected.In 2011, the United States experienced its biggest year ever in weapons exports: According to an annual study by the Congressional Research Service [PDF] released earlier this week, the US overseas weapons sales jumped to $66.3 billion last year (77.7 percent of the $85.3 billion global market in 2011), from $21.4 billion in deals in 2010.In just one year, the US more than tripled its revenue in arms deals with foreign countries. The $66.3 billion also sets a new cash total record, easily surpassing the previous record of $31 billion in sales in fiscal year 2009.
What do you think? Please leave a comment.
So the Nobel Peace prize went to a president with the three highest totals in foreign arms sales in our history?
ReplyDeleteThe gun industry is one of a handful that aren't suffering in this current period of economic woe. Gun makers need lots of workers. They produce a legal product.
ReplyDeleteBut if you genuinely believe that nonsense about bribery and corruption, why don't you ask a prosecutor to bring charges? Those are actual crimes. Of course, you'd get laughed out of the office.
Bribery and corruption are always a possibility in any aspect of government ... which also includes any systems for gun control.
ReplyDeleteWhen a government employee is corrupt in a gun control scenario, they arm criminals whose sole intent is to harm citizens financially and/or physically. That is why I will not relinquish my right to defend myself with firearms.
Gee, I wonder why the NRA and their gun manufacturer puppeteers oppose the U.N. Small Arms Treaty? (hint: it has nothing to do with "Second Amendment rights").
ReplyDeleteHow about all the language in the draft treaty about countries setting up licensing and other regulations of small arms within their borders? But some of my favorite authors are British--shall we have a book treaty as well?
DeleteSo are replies allowed? What's going on with comments?
DeleteWould someone please explain why comments keep disappearing?
ReplyDeleteInstead of deleting comments, why not just explain what's going on?
ReplyDeleteMoney talks, bullshit walks.
ReplyDeleteMikeb, yesterday, comments were disappearing. I'm not the only one to have noticed this. I think that you've had some kind of web snafu or malware. But it was a real event. Everything seems back to normal now.
DeleteDidn't you see the explanation in the other comment thread? Many comments were picked up lately by the spam filter. I wasn't calling you a liar for reporting it, but it sure as hell seemed like you were calling me a liar about not deleting them.
DeleteWhen I say I don't delete comments, why isn't that enough?
It's been going on for a while now, but yesterday was particularly bad. The problem here, though, illustrates the broader problem between our two groups. Neither side can trust the other. Do you really imagine that any compormise is possible in that climate? As things stand, it's going to be all or nothing on the question of gun rights.
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