Snowflakes in Hell

I’ve heard Fred Thompson say enough good things lately to really start hoping he runs. I am currently registered as a Libertarian, which means I don’t vote in primaries in Pennsylvania, but I would gladly switch my registration to either of the two parties if they can front someone I’d be willing to vote for.

I was thinking I might actually register Democrat so I could vote for Bill Richardson, but if Fred decides to throw his hat into the ring, I’ll register Republican and vote for him. Given that my other choice are the three stooges on the Republican ticket, Thompson seems like he might be a breath of fresh air.

It’s still early yet, and there’s plenty of time to disappoint, but given that Obama might actually beat Hillary, I might find myself hard pressed to find a Republican I won’t vote for given that choice.

UPDATE: Be sure to check out Frank J’s Daily Fred Thompson Fact

I have gotten an update on the status of the Pennsylvania Gun Registration bill from Representative Sam Rohrer. Here’s the relevant excerpt:

The provisions of House Bill 760 are, in my opinion, unconstitutional, impractical and simply outrageous. Without question, a requirement to register all firearms with the State Police, to submit to fingerprinting, to provide full home address and social security number or be guilty of a summary offense as House Bill 760 would require, is an example of the clear violation of the citizen’s right to keep and bear arms. For any member to sponsor, cosponsor or support legislation that clearly infringes upon constitutionally identified and guaranteed rights raises a serious question as to whether this action violates the oath that Members took to defend and protect the citizen’s rights as guaranteed in the Constitutions of the United States and of Pennsylvania.

House Bill 760 would not only impose a violation of our constitutional rights through invasive government requirements, it would also tax our right to own firearms through a $10.00 tax to be levied every year on each firearm.

On Wednesday, April 18, 2007, Representative Caltagirone, who is the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, was quoted in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review. In reference to the House Bill 760 moving out of Judiciary Committee, Representative Caltagirone said, “It’s not going anywhere.” His decision has much to do with the responses from each and every one of you.

Good work on both the part of Representative Rohrer and Pennsylvania gun owners. But he goes on to remind us that we have to remain vigalilent. It’s been my opinion that HB 760 was never meant to get anywhere, but serves as political cover for one-gun-a-month. By giving gun rights advocates something to focus their energies on, that had no chance of passing, it would wear us out in the fight to make sure gun rationing never becomes law in the commonwealth.

I think he’s right this bill isn’t going anywhere, but beware of gun rationing. That issue won’t go away.

The Allegheny County Sportsman’s League (sort of like PA’s version of VCDL) is holding a Gun Rights Conference today in Harrisburg:

We all knew the challenges we would face after last year’s election and our darkest fears are being realized. The only way to defeat this is to join together once again and show those who would take our freedoms that we will not yield.

We will join together for an early preemptive strike on our issues by having a lobbying and education day, focusing on freshmen legislators, and connect that with launching our pro-gun agenda, as we did last year. Members of the Pennsylvania grassroots and gun owner’s coalition, which has been so successful for us on other issues, met with Representative Daryl Metcalfe in early December to devise a strategy for the upcoming session so that we would be prepared to deal with these issues. The date we have agreed upon is April 24^th and we will combine our meeting and lobbying with another Pro-Gun Press conference to introduce our pro-gun/pro-sportsmen agenda of legislation. We can also use this opportunity to excoriate the anti-gun forces, legislators and issues.

I went to the last rally at Harrisburg last September, where the house defeated, pretty overwhelmingly, the gun control wishlist of the Philadelphia politicians in the Committee of the Whole.  I feel bad that I can’t get to this one to cover it, especially given that I have a freshman state representative, but I could end up short on vacation this year.  Maybe next time.

It’s destroying our history.  If it weren’t for the FOPA provision that made registering new machine guns illegal, this piece of our history wouldn’t be at risk.

According to SayUncle, Charles Schumer and Carolyn McCarthy have re-introduced the NICS Improvement bill. To be honest, I don’t really oppose the idea of improving NICS records, provided:

1. There are due process protections for adjudicating someone a mental defective. This means there needs to have been a hearing, and the defendant able to make a defense and face his accusers. This might actually require modifying the language of GCA 68 to make what “adjudicated mental defective” means exactly.
2. That NICS receive no other information other than the person is prohibited from possession of firearms.
3. There is an administrative remedy to challenge the system and get your name out of NICS.
4. The bill include a repeal of the Hughes Amendment.

Do those things, and I’ll be happy to not oppose this bill. Use this as a covert means to disarm people without due process, and I’m fighting it. The Hughes Amendment thing is really just a goodwill gesture, you know. Considering who’s pushing this bill, I expect something in there to show you’re not just out trying to screw lawful gun owners.