Author: Buckeye Firearms Association

The Role of Single Issue PACs

Posted on by Buckeye Firearms Association

An editorial response by multiple contributors

On July 11, 2010, Buckeye Firearms Association, a single issue Ohio political action committee (PAC), endorsed the reelection of incumbent Democrat Governor Ted Strickland over Republican challenger John Kasich.

To "insiders," this endorsement decision was expected. However, we realize that not all of our readers are "insiders" and do not necessarily follow politics closely. For them, a decision from a gun group that was not "GOP=Endorsement" might cause some initial contrarian reactions.

As such, we felt it might be helpful to respond to some of the generic concerns that have been expressed to us.

Gun Control Doesn’t Work

Posted on by Buckeye Firearms Association

by Jeff Knox

If firearms were indeed as inherently dangerous as gun control advocates suggest, there should be millions of crimes, murders, suicides, and accidents involving firearms each year, and those numbers should be escalating since the total number of firearms and firearms owners have risen substantially over the past few years.

In reality, numbers of firearms related crime and accidents have steadily dropped while gun sales have gone through the roof and more states have liberalized laws dealing with the carry of arms in public. Independent, peer reviewed studies show that firearms are used 5 times more often to stop crime than to commit crime – and that doesn’t count police use or the deterrent factor of criminals knowing their intended victims might be armed. Guns are used by private citizens to stop criminal activity some 2.5 million times each year and rarely do they even fire a shot doing it. Recreational shooters fire billions of rounds each year, but firearms injury accident numbers keep going down and are at record lows.

Gun control laws only impact those who obey them – the law-abiding. There is no logic – or evidence – to support restrictions on the good guys.

Buckeye Firearms Association endorses Richard Cordray for Ohio Attorney General

Posted on by Buckeye Firearms Association

Buckeye Firearms Association (BFA) is pleased to announce our endorsement of Richard Cordray (D) for Ohio Attorney General in the 2010 general election.

Cordray has exhibited strong support for the Second Amendment and for the rights of Ohio gun owners during his first term as Attorney General.

In 2009, Buckeye Firearms Foundation sued the city of Cleveland seeking a court order to stop the city from persecuting law abiding gun owners, in conflict with state law. Attorney General Cordray promptly filed a “Motion to Intervene” in this case, in order to “defend this state law.”

The Attorney General’s office also filed an “Answer of Proposed Intervenor”, which “sets forth the following preliminary and/ or jurisdictional defenses”:

  • R.C. 9.68 is constitutional in all respects.
  • R.C. 9.68 is is a valid general law of the State of Ohio.
  • R.C. 9.68 does not violate Article XVIII, Section 3 of the Ohio Constitution.

In addition, Cordray is involved in defending Ohio’s statewide “preemption” law (R.C. 9.68) from a constitutionality challenge by the City of Cleveland. Last November, when a three judge panel in the 8th Ohio District Court of Appeals sided with the City of Cleveland, and declared the law to be unconstitutional, Cordray appealed the case to the Ohio Supreme Court. In May 2010, via the Solicitor General, Cordray filed a strong merit brief in support of upholding Ohio law. Oral arguments in the case are expected to be heard this fall.

“The central question in this case is the validity of a state law designed to protect gun ownership and possession in Ohio,” said Cordray. “The General Assembly determined that Ohio should have one comprehensive state law defining the rights of gun owners instead of a patchwork of regulations, and we will continue to defend that decision.”

Cordray aggressively pursued concealed carry reciprocity agreements with other states, having signed agreements with Nebraska and North Dakota.

“The concealed carry law, which I support, is an excellent example of how the ‘wild, wild west’ predictions were way off base, and it isn’t the law abiding citizen gun owner that we should be worried about,” said Cordray.

Cordray has also represented Ohio gun owners well on a national level.

Let’s Face It, Chicago’s Mayor Richard Daley Wants to Ban Guns, All Guns

Posted on by Buckeye Firearms Association

by John Lott

As always, gun control proponents say they merely want “reasonable” gun control laws. Yet, when listing the actual laws they favor, they go well beyond what most people would possibly consider “reasonable.” Just look at the gun bans in Chicago and Washington, D.C. that local politicians and gun control organizations such as the Brady Campaign and the Violence Policy Center have fought to protect.

Last Friday [July 2], just days after the Supreme Court struck down Chicago’s handgun ban, Chicago enacted strict new gun control laws. These new restrictions surely do not seem “reasonable” but rather intended to make life as difficult as possible for those who legally want to own a gun. Among the regulations is a complete ban on selling guns in Chicago. Also five hours of training is required, which may seem reasonable, but that training is forbidden to take place within the Chicago city limits.

And the list of odd restrictions in Chicago goes on.

Ohio Restaurant Association continues opposition to SB239

Posted on by Buckeye Firearms Association

Editor’s Note: On June 16, Buckeye Firearms Association Region Leader published an open letter to the Ohio Restaurant Association and its members. Following is a response from the Association, and follow-up commentary from Mr. Moore.

Dear Larry:

I received your letter this morning and read it with interest. it was well-reasoned and well-written. You very effectively articulated your point of view and I appreciate the fact that you took the time to write.

Over the course of the past few months, we have heard form others who disagree with our position on SB239. A number of Ohioans have also contacted us to thank us for our point of view on this controversial subject.

Larry, I certainly respect your position. While we may not agree on SB239, I think we would agree that we are fortunate to live in a society where we can make our own decisions and speak freely about the issues of the day.

Sincerely,

Richard Mason
Director of Governmental Affairs

Follow-up commentary by Larry S. Moore:

Reminder: Now’s the Time to Enroll for Hunter Education

Posted on by Buckeye Firearms Association

If you’re a new hunter or you’re planning to take someone on a first hunt this fall, the National Shooting Sports Foundation reminds you that summer is the perfect time to take a hunter education course and acquire the certification necessary to purchase a hunting license.

“Don’t have your fall hunting plans spoiled by forgetting to take that all-important hunter education course,” said Chris Dolnack, NSSF senior vice president. “New hunters who are excited about going afield for the first time will need a hunter ed certificate to buy their hunting license, whether in their home state or out of state.”

For this reason, July, August and September are popular months to enroll in hunter ed classes. Check with your state’s wildlife agency to find a class that is convenient for you to attend, keeping in mind that a class may take up to 16 to 18 hours to complete. A commitment to multiple evenings or a weekend will be necessary depending on the state you live in and the course you take, though the investment in time will be well worth it. The NSSF website www.huntinfo.org provides links to each state’s wildlife agency and can help you locate a class.

NRA Supporting Chicago Residents New Suit Against Mayor Richard Daley and the City of Chicago

Posted on by Buckeye Firearms Association

The National Rifle Association is supporting a lawsuit against Mayor Richard Daley and the City of Chicago’s newly adopted gun control ordinance, which violates the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling in McDonald v. City of Chicago. Last Friday [July 2], the City Council rushed through passage of this ordinance in response to the Court’s June 28th decision rendering Chicago’s draconian handgun ban unconstitutional.

“The Supreme Court has now said the Second Amendment is an individual freedom for all. And that must have meaning,” said Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the National Rifle Association. “This decision cannot lead to different measures of freedom, depending on what part of the country you live in. City by city, person by person, this decision must be more than a philosophical victory. An individual right is no right at all if individuals can’t access it.”

Democrats mistaken to think Supreme Court ruling took guns off the table in 2010 election

Posted on by Buckeye Firearms Association

by Chad D. Baus

As the dust begins to settle on the historic McDonald v. Chicago Supreme Court ruling, the analysis of the political fallout has begun in earnest.

One opinion piece, scurrilously mislabeled as a “news article” by The Politico, deserves some attention.

According to a June 29 article by Kasie Hunt, entitled “Democrats quietly cheer high court gun ruling“, Democrats “won the day in politics” when the McDonald ruling was announced:

For them, the court’s groundbreaking decision couldn’t have been more beneficial to the cause in November. Now, Democratic candidates across the map figure they have one less issue to worry about on the campaign trail. And they won’t have to defend Republican attacks over gun rights and an angry, energized base of gun owners.

“It removes guns as a political issue because everyone now agrees that the Second Amendment is an individual right, and everybody agrees that it’s subject to regulation,” said Lanae Erickson, deputy director of the culture program at centrist think tank Third Way.

A House Democratic aide agreed that the court’s decision removed a potentially combustible element from the mix.

“The Supreme Court ruled here that you have a fundamental right to own and bear arms, and that means at the national level it’s harder — whether it’s Republicans or whether it’s the [National Rifle Association] — to throw that claim out: If Democrats are in charge, they’re going to come get your guns,” said the aide. “It pretty much took that off the table.”

Wow. I haven’t heard that much wishful thinking since President Obama claimed the recession was over.

For any Democratic candidate tempted to believe this rubbish, I have two words:

Elena Kagan.

Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax Improvement Act Moves Forward in the Senate

Posted on by Buckeye Firearms Association

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), joined by Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and a bipartisan group of senators, offered the Firearms Fairness and Affordability Act of 2010 (S. 632) as an amendment (No. 4444) to the Small Business Lending Act (HR 5297), which is now pending in the Senate. Earlier this week, the House passed (412-6) the Firearms Excise Tax Improvement Act (HR 5552).

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