Politifact rates Clinton's claim about Vermont's gun pipeline to NY "HALF TRUE"

[pantsonfire]

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/apr/12/hillary-clinton/look-hillary-clintons-claim-about-vermonts-gun-pip/

Our friends at the Washington Post Fact Checker gave Clinton’s claim Three Pinocchios out of a maximum of four -- not a very favorable score. But we’ll take a fresh look here.

But it’s important to note that Clinton said "per capita." So we divided the per-state gun haul by the state’s population and confirmed that Vermont does indeed have the highest rate per capita, thanks to its tiny population.

However, the academic experts we checked with echoed the concerns from the Fact Checker article -- that the raw numbers matter much more than the per-capita numbers do.

Clinton’s specific statistical computation is accurate. But beyond the numbers, Clinton’s claim is misleading for a varied number of reasons. From a policy perspective, experts say raw numbers of gun flows are likely a better measure. And while the ATF data set is the best we have, Clinton’s bold comment glosses over some important caveats about the data, including whether the guns it captures are representative and whether they line up with "trafficking." These caveats call into question whether Vermont’s gun policies are having the effect Clinton suggests.

The statement is partially accurate but leaves out important details and context, so we rate it Half True.

[grasswire]

1. about fifty guns a year migrate across the border from Vermont to NY State.

I have yet to see a report of any of those guns being used in a violent crime in NYC.

[karynnj]

2. I guess they don't bother to note that NY is the primary source of illegal drugs in Vermont

A source that provides far more than half of the problem here. Unlike VT, which provides less than 1% of the guns.

[pantsonfire]

3. Let's hope he quickly closes down this argument and...

....brings up that very issue of the heroin epidemic hitting Vermont, largely due to drugs going from New York to Vermont.

This may shed some light on how heroin and guns are intertwined.
1. Someone purchases a gun legally in Vermont.
2. Drives down to sell it.
3. Buys Heroin to take back to Vermont
4. Sells the Heroin in VT for 1400% profit.

http://inthesetimes.com/article/18168/guns-heroin-vermont-new-york

[karynnj]

4. The Burlington Free Press has covered that each time they are able to

catch someone (usually from NY) bringing in drugs. I wonder if they can use that to push to make gun sales more difficult. the profit because of how much more they can sell the drugs for here would unfortunately still make it profitable. The difference in price is astonishing.

[GeorgiaPeanuts]

5. Friendly reminder Politifact is owned by the Tampa bay times

Tampa bay times endorsed Hillary

[pantsonfire]

6. Something like CNN and NBC should disclose, but that ain't gonna happen..

[JackRiddler]

7. Well that is titanically big news.

Now all it needs is a clickbait headline and it will become even more important. I used to read books and try to think for myself, but then thanks the Lord littlefuckifact came along with its pinnochios!

[pantsonfire]

8. Go read a book or go to the Good Reads section....

....perhaps "Saving Capitalism" by Robert Reich?