Nov. election and the future of the Second Amendment

The election of the nation’s first black President in Nov. 2008 was the big story of 2008. Anti-gun and anti-Second Amendment advocates celebrated. Second Amendment and gun rights supporters were not pleased and had opposed Obama. However, in June 2008 the U.S. Supreme Court had already released its decision in D.C. v. Heller, holding that the Second Amendment protects the rights of individuals not connected to any militia. The Supreme Court decision, however, did not reassure many gun owners who ratcheted up gun purchases following Obama’s election. The President-elect’s connection to anti-gun groups and causes was of concern. His bitter-gate incident also caused controversy.

“Obama was caught in an uncharacteristic moment of loose language. Referring to working-class voters in old industrial towns decimated by job losses, the presidential hopeful said: "They get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations." Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/14/barackobama.uselections2008

(Supporters of First Amendment freedom of religion were also troubled by the remarks). The NRA and others realized that Heller was a 5-4 decision and that Obama would be nominating any Supreme Court replacements for at least four years. In the same elections the Democrats increased their control over the House and Senate. Research has shown that, in general, Democrats are more hostile to gun rights than Republicans.



In June 2010, the Supreme Court made the Second Amendment applicable to the states in McDonald v. Chicago. Again, it was a 5-4 decision. Many were not reassured. Obama's appointee (Sotomayor) voted against making the Amendment applicable against the states. One new anti-gun Justice on the Supreme and McDonald (like Heller) could be history. Chicago, D.C., California and others still went forward and enacted legislation that is likely unconstitutional. (see, for e.g. Ezell v. Chicago where the concurring judges wrote that Chicago had “thumbed it’s nose at the Supreme Court.) See http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/files/9c0nwf4m.pdf



Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s former Chief of Staff is now mayor of Chicago. After it became obvious that the first post-McDonald Chicago ordinance would be found unconstitutional, City Council and Mayor Emanuel tried another, less strict, but obviously gun-in-the-home, ordinance that will also probably be found unconstitutional.



Many were reminded of state and local opposition to the Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education.



BATF’s Operation Fast and Furious scandal (hundreds of illegally purchased firearms allowed to get into Mexico) appears to have been motivated by the Obama administration’s desire to create evidence of gun leakage from the U.S. into cartel-decimated Mexico to gather support for further gun control legislation. Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31727_162-57338546-10391695/documents-atf-used-fast-and-furious-to-make-the-case-for-gun-regulations/



"On March 30, the 30th anniversary of the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan, Jim Brady, who sustained a debilitating head wound in the attack, and his wife, Sarah, came to Capitol Hill to push for a ban on the controversial "large magazines." Brady, for whom the law requiring background checks on handgun purchasers is named, then met with White House press secretary Jay Carney. During the meeting, President Obama dropped in and, according to Sarah Brady, brought up the issue of gun control, "to fill us in that it was very much on his agenda," she said.

"I just want you to know that we are working on it," Brady recalled the president telling them. "We have to go through a few processes, but under the radar."Source: http://nation.foxnews.com/guns/2011/05/25/obama-were-working-gun-control-under-radar#ixzz1ibVi2TxZ



Not surprisingly, in light of the events outlined above and others, the NRA and other Second Amendment and gun rights groups have come out again strongly in opposition to Obama in the upcoming Presidential election. Although there are lots of issues emerging, such as ObamaCare (nationwide mandatory health insurance), Presidential power, (e.g., ignoring the War Powers Act,) allegations that Obama wants to institute European-style socialism, the future of gun control and the Second Amendment may be on the line. It takes only one new anti-gun Justice on the Supreme Court to overrule both Heller and McDonald. If you believe Heller and McDonald were correctly decided, civil liberties are a very high priority to you,(incl. freedom of religion) and you realize that civil liberties are weaker in the socialist democracies of Europe, you should be able to figure out how to vote