Reading the Tea Leaves: In the weeks before Barack Obama's inauguration, pay close attention to the discussion about who Obama will appoint for some key positions. In particular, gun owners should be watching the names discussed for attorney general, secretary of state and head of the ATF. The attorney general will have a lot of power in our post-Heller world, especially with the number of Second Amendment-related cases working their way through the court system. The Secretary of State will be working closely with the members of the United Nations pushing for an Arms Trade Treaty. And of course, an anti-gun ATF director could make life miserable for gun owners, even those working inside the agency... (I'm betting on Arizona governor Janet Napolitano for AG - bad for the country but it would get her out of Arizona for a while and would leave us with a truly Republican governor.) http://www.nranews.com/blogarticle.aspx?blogPostId=465 --- From the Website of the President-Elect: ...Address Gun Violence in Cities: As president, Barack Obama would repeal the Tiahrt Amendment, which restricts the ability of local law enforcement to access important gun trace information, and give police officers across the nation the tools they need to solve gun crimes and fight the illegal arms trade. Obama and Biden also favor commonsense measures that respect the Second Amendment rights of gun owners, while keeping guns away from children and from criminals who shouldn't have them. They support closing the gun show loophole and making guns in this country childproof. They also support making the expired federal Assault Weapons Ban permanent, as such weapons belong on foreign battlefields and not on our streets... http://change.gov/agenda/urbanpolicy/ --- Building a Stronger F Troop: As a Chicago 'community organizer' and member of the Illinois and U.S. Senate, Barack Obama established a strong anti-Second Amendment record. But as a candidate for President, the former Joyce Foundation board member sought to convince voters that his administration would offer no threat to their gun rights, despite having selected NRA "F"-rated Joe Biden as his vice president...Like Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden, Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel has established a solid anti-gun record, having voted against a law prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers and against prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse, and voiced support for mandating "smart gun" technology. While Obama ran as the "change" candidate, Obama's choices point to a "change" back to the 1990's. The story goes on to note that John Podesta, Bill Clinton`s former White House chief of staff, is heading the Obama transition team. Gun owners will remember Podesta well for his work as President Clinton's point man on gun control, coordinating federal lawsuits against the firearm industry and Clinton`s failed effort to mandate universal firearm-owner licensing... (F Troop was a mid-60's sitcom about a troop of bumbling cavalrymen and is a nickname for the BATFE.) http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/node/6190 --- Brady Bunch Post-Election Report: Across the country, from the Presidential race to U.S. Senate, U.S. House and state races, voters elected candidates supporting sensible gun laws, while gun lobby messages using outdated scare tactics about government seizure of privately-owned guns fell flat, and millions spent by the National Rifle Association went to waste. How the gun issue played in this election - and worked to the benefit of the majority of Americans that want to make it harder for dangerous people to get dangerous weapons - is reviewed in a special post-election report being released today by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence... http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Brady-Post-Election-Report-Supporters/story.aspx?guid={90E1796F-6AC9-488E-A9A9-414A5BE35B2D} The Report: ...The 2008 election marked a major victory for common sense gun laws. Never in our nation's history have we had an incoming President and Vice President more supportive of strong gun laws. The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence strongly endorsed the Obama-Biden ticket, and for good reason. Barack Obama has consistently supported strong sensible gun violence prevention laws throughout his career, and Joe Biden has been a leader in Congress for strong gun laws. After eight years of an Administration that catered to the gun lobby, deprived gun violence victims of their rights, and turned a deaf ear to law enforcement and communities seeking to strengthen, not weaken, our gun laws, the incoming Obama- Biden administration represents an historic opportunity for this country to responsibly address our gun violence problem... http://www.bradycenter.org/xshare/pdf/reports/guns-2008election.pdf --- When Will Big Brother Start Seizing Guns?: ...But despite the fact that Obama's recent pro-gun rhetoric is obviously blatantly false, should Americans worry that Obama will take away their firearms? In my opinion: not just yet. To even contemplate such an action, Obama would either have to be sure that he had nothing to lose (the be-all and end-all of most politicians' lives) or be sure that it would succeed with little political fallout for the Democratic Party. If nothing else, Obama is, after all, very politically savvy... http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/election/498 --- Obama's Election Boosts One Segment of Economy: Barack Obama said he would improve the economy. Turns out he already has, at least in one retail niche: gun sales. Starting in the days before the election, gun shops have been mobbed by buyers who fear that Obama and a larger Democratic majority in Congress will restrict firearm sales. Many were stocking up on things such as assault rifles, high-capacity magazines and handguns that they think would be the most likely targets of new laws, though practically everything related to shooting has been selling more quickly. "It's been an absolute madhouse," said Trey Pugh, a manager at Jim's Pawn Shop in Fayetteville, which is selling 15 to 20 AR-15 assault rifles a day. "I'm getting guys come in and say I always wanted that gun, and give me that one too and that one and, oh, I need a gun safe, too." Distributors are running out of assault rifles, he said, and prices are rising... http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/07/uselections2008-barackobama --- Beat the Pre-Inauguration Rush: When 10-year-old Austin Smith heard Barack Obama had been elected president, he had one question: Does this mean I won't get a new gun for Christmas? That brought his mother, the camouflage-clad Rachel Smith, to Bob Moates Sports Shop on Thursday, where she was picking out that special 20-gauge shotgun - one of at least five weapons she plans to buy before Obama takes office in January. Like Smith, gun enthusiasts nationwide are stocking up on firearms out of fears that the combination of an Obama administration and a Democrat-dominated Congress will result in tough new gun laws... http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gHIVt7MERGIbR6SEMaTMPoeCiuiwD94ABV9G1 --- And Back to Texas...: Some Texans are flocking to gun shops, stocking up on ammo and firearms. In fact, sales at many stores in the state are up significantly among fears that President-elect Obama may tighten some gun bans. KLTV 7's Courtney Lane took a look at that trend here in East Texas. Oscar Davila was out today, shopping for his first gun. "Little bit of a fear, I guess, of what may be to come. You know, you hear all these rumors of what Obama may do. You never know, plus I don't have one and I feel it may be necessary just for home protection more than anything else," said Davila... http://www.kltv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9313729 --- And in Connecticut...: One store owner said people are buying guns now while they can. Many customers said they're stocking up on guns because they think the new administration will move quickly to restrict sales. They said Democrats now control all three branches of the government and they feel the Democrats don't want the average American to have the right to defend themselves with guns... Connecticut stores have seen a similar spike, store owners said. They said the increase is about 50 percent... http://www.wfsb.com/news/17932841/detail.html#- --- And in North Carolina: North Carolinians are among gun enthusiasts nationwide stocking up on firearms out of worries that President-elect Obama and a Democrat-majority Congress will create tough, new gun laws. "Virtually every customer coming in right now is in fear of that," said Clay Ausley, owner of Fuquay-Varina Gun and Gold. "'I gotta get it before Obama gets in,' we hear all day." Over the past two days, sales have jumped roughly 60 percent, primarily for high-capacity firearms, Ausley said. Customers have come from Virginia, South Carolina and across North Carolina and signed up for waiting lists as demand exceeded manufacturers' supplies... http://www.wral.com/news/national_world/national/story/3919742/ --- Georgia Gun Shop Alters Sign: A local gun shop that used Barack Obama's name to hawk weapons has backed down, saying the message was meant to champion gun rights, not threaten violence. Georgia Outdoor Sports owner Carrie Mentel said she advertised an "OBAMA SALE!" - on "GUNS AMMO ARCHERY" - outside her Hull store Wednesday morning, hours after the election, because firearms enthusiasts are worried the new Democratic president soon will step all over their Second Amendment right to bear arms. But some passing motorists interpreted the sign as a call for violence against the country's first black president. After receiving complaints, Mentel on Thursday arranged new letters on the roadside sign, instead urging potential customers to "SUPPORT THE 2ND AMENDMENT..." http://onlineathens.com/stories/110708/new_353056948.shtml --- General Comment: If we could get all these new gun owners and those buying "social work" firearms for the first time involved in the RKBA movement, we would have a good chance of limiting the damage by the incoming regime. --- Heller Cited Favorably in New York Ruling: ...The Court further held that the requirements that a handgun be rendered inoperable, or locked in such a manner that it is not immediately accessible when possessed in the owner's dwelling also transgresses on this right to bear arms, because the 2nd Amendment also includes a corollary right to self-defense...Simply put, the State of New York and its agencies are no longer in a position to require that a handgun be stored in an inoperable condition or otherwise locked up if it is otherwise legally present in the owner's dwelling... http://www.nysrpa.org/files/colaiacovo_v_dormer.pdf --- Pittsburgh Student Push for Campus Carry: ..These Pitt students are part of "Students for Concealed Carry on Campus," a university-sanctioned group with about 100 members at the school and some 34,000 members nationwide. The group has more than 300 chapters in 50 states made up of students, faculty, parents and individuals who all believe in the right to carry a concealed handgun on campus. "People get scared whenever you hear of a gun on campus. But you can walk down the street and have a gun. But once you step on the sidewalk on campus, you can't. I don't see the difference," said member Mark Sabatini... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27582448/ --- Former California Sheriff Dinged for Relaxing CCW Requirements: ...Haidl said he and the sheriff eventually created a special category of reserve officers and filled it with wealthy executives who were issued badges but not required to complete the hundreds of hours in training that reserves needed to meet state guidelines for volunteer peace officers. Carona also modified the policy for issuing permits to carry concealed weapons so that members of the special reserve unit, known as Professional Services Reserves, would automatically qualify, Haidl testified... (Under California law, each police chief or sheriff has the discretion to set his own standards for "good cause" for the issuance of CWP's. Thus, some counties are essentially "shall issue" and others don't issue to anyone not involved in law enforcement, such as reserve officers.) http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-carona8-2008nov08,0,603562.story --- South Carolina Gun-Tax Holiday in Limbo: Some confusion still surrounds state legislation passed earlier this year, waiving the sales tax on handgun, rifles and shotguns during the 48 hours following the Thanksgiving holiday. The bill passed in the General Assembly on June 4, was vetoed by the Governor on June 11 and was then overridden by the legislature later that month. On Thursday, the Department of Revenue issued a press release announcing what they are calling the "Second Amendment" Sales Tax Holiday, but Sen. Greg Ryberg, R-Aiken said an unrelated portion of the bill that addressed ethanol blended fuel was found unconstitutional by the State Supreme Court and in-turn the sales tax holiday would not occur this year. Other lawmakers, however have said only the portion dealing with the fuel was eliminated. Ryberg spoke with a Department of Revenue attorney Thursday who he said he was looking into the matter further. The senator said he hoped to have some clarification soon... http://www.aikenstandard.com/local/1107TaxFreeGuns --- Texas City Rejects City-Hall Gun Ban: Guns are still allowed at Lubbock City Hall. This comes after the city council rejected a resolution that would ban concealed weapons at public meetings. Two council members proposed to post a standing sign prohibiting concealed handguns just outside council chambers. The only exception would be commissioned peace officers...DeLeon argued under the state's penal code councils can ban concealed weapons during public meetings. "It's something very important for us to honor with a sign and I've seen it at other buildings and we need to protect our employees here from those other than commissioned peace officers," DeLeon said... http://www.kcbd.com/Global/story.asp?S=9308060&nav=menu69_1_3 --- Local Gun Ban Clarified in Missouri: The Webster-Kirkwood Times recently received several questions from readers concerning its Oct. 24 reporting on the Webster Groves City Council's passage of an amendment to the city code governing unlawful carrying of any lethal weapons in public, either openly or concealed. Chief of Police Dale Curtis, told the Times that the intent of the amendment is to better protect the public's health, safety and welfare by limiting public carry. He said that Webster, in accordance with state statute, prohibits the carrying of concealed weapons except for those who are qualified, have applied for, and been granted a permit by Missouri or any other state that recognizes and grants a permit for concealed carry... http://www.websterkirkwoodtimes.com/Articles-i-2008-11-07-82343.113117_Webster_Chief_Clarifies_Amendment_On_Concealed_Carry.html --- Oops, Wrong House: A homeowner who shot and killed a robber during a home invasion Thursday night has been charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; but authorities say early indications are that the shooting was in self-defense...According to a police report, Isaac Collins, 31, of the 5700 block of Sunberry Circle in Fort Pierce, was shot by Glenn Everett Hedrick, 54, about 8:45 p.m. Thursday as Collins and two other men broke into Hedrick's home in the 1200 block of South Raymond Avenue in Fort Pierce...Humm said the firearm possession charge against Hedrick has no bearing on whether the shooting is ruled self-defense... http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/nov/07/homeowner-seriously-wounds-intruder-fort-pierce/ --- Rule Two Reminder: ...A jury in September concluded that McLean never intended to kill Powell when he pointed a high-powered rifle at the unarmed teenager in a bid to get him to leave the Coker Avenue house he shared with now ex-wife Erin McLean... Testimony showed Erin McLean and Powell had been flaunting the affair in Eric McLean's face. Jacks told Leibowitz on Friday that Powell believed the McLeans had an "open marriage" that allowed the spouses to date other people... (Rule Two: Don't let the muzzle cross anything you're not prepared to shoot.) http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/nov/08/eric-mclean-gets-47-days-death/ --- Canadian Women Take Up Hunting: With her manicured nails, Prada heels and slim 5-foot 9-inch figure, Kelly Miller can hold her own at any cocktail party. But this week the mother of four swapped her chai lattes for a Winchester rifle, matched wits against the wilds of Northern Alberta - and caught a doe in the crosshairs for the first time. "I am really not sure who was more scared," she said in a text message from the bush. "Me or her." "Sex and the City meets cammo" is how the 31-year-old occupational health inspector describes herself. But, she admits, that's "not exactly the stereotype of what a hunter looks like..." http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20081107.LHUNTER07/TPStory/ --- NRA-ILA Alerts: Alerts for the week are posted on the NRA-ILA website. http://www.nraila.org/GrassrootsAlerts/read.aspx --- Tangentially Related - Election Commentaries: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122608587402009103.html http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122608587402009103.html --- Tangentially Related - Alarm Systems: ...At the top of the security wish list is a comprehensive home security system with remote monitoring, because thieves are more likely to target a house that appears not to have an alarm rather than risk breaking into one that does, said Frank Santamorena, a principal at Security Experts, Consulting and Design in Rhinebeck, N.Y... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/07/AR2008110701744.html?hpid=sec-tech -- Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .