NRA loses appeal of California firearm fee

[DonViejo]

Source: Reuters


Thu Jun 1, 2017 | 2:06pm EDT

By Jonathan Stempel
The National Rifle Association failed to persuade a federal appeals court to overturn a California law requiring that $5 of a $19 fee imposed on firearms transfers be used to fund enforcement efforts against illegal firearm purchases.

In a 3-0 decision on Thursday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said the law advanced California's interest in disarming people who are forbidden from possessing guns and rifles, while imposing only a "minimal" burden on core constitutional rights under the Second Amendment.

California's prohibition covers people convicted of felonies or violent misdemeanors, people subject to domestic violence restraining orders, and the mentally ill. "The government has demonstrated an important public safety interest in this statutory scheme, and there is a reasonable fit between the government's interest and the means it has chosen to achieve those ends," Chief Judge Sidney Thomas wrote.

Thursday's decision is a defeat for the NRA, the California Rifle and Pistol Association Foundation and four other plaintiffs.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/california-nra-idUSL1N1IY1KS

[Lyricalinklines]

1. Republicans are selective in their use of "people who play must pay" rules.

The party claims voters must select and pay for insurance so they can go to the doctor without incurring expenses that would lead to bankruptcies. Publicly they've supported those with pre-existing conditions pay more because "those people haven't taken care of themselves and shouldn't expect those who do to pay for their irresponsibility." Therefore, if you own, use or sell guns then those voters need accept the responsibility for the regulations surrounding gun usage. They can't have our both ways. They can't expect the government taxpayers to pay for a regulating system for without paying extra for those priveleges. Yes, I know it's a constitutional "right". Yet the privilege of exercising that right can be lost when you are convicted of certain crimes.

[gilbert sullivan]

2. This needs to be appealed to SCOTUS

If someone can craft a law that will actually ensure that guns won't get into the hands of thugs, criminals and terrorists, I'll support it but I have no idea what sort of language will magically persuade such people to suddenly start obeying the law.

The fanatical advocates of more and more "common sense gun control" are just like the Little Moron in the old joke, where he had his car taken to the shop and told them "The brakes don't work, put in a louder horn".