We have District 8 Senator Russell Olson's first meathead sponsorship of the session: our senator's name appears (along with GOP yahoos like Reps. Brunner and Howie and apparent sponsor Sen. Rhoden) on Senate Bill 70, a measure that would repeal the 48-hour waiting period to buy a pistol.Bill text isn't up as of this posting, so I eagerly await the chance to read the bill. I even more eagerly await Senator Olson's explanation of how this bit of deregulation serves any greater purpose than keeping his NRA rating up.
So I already have crackerbarrel question #1: Is it really wise to facilitate buying pistols on impulse? If someone runs into Wal-Mart and says, "I've got to have a pistol RIGHT NOW!" that's exactly the kind of person I should direct toward law enforcement, either for their protection or for ours.
If you want to pack heat, I don't think it's too much to ask that you plan ahead a couple days.
Oh, and crackerbarrel question #2: what happened to the issues Olson actually campaigned on, like the wind energy or Chester superintendent Mark Greguson's capital-outlay-for-fuel plan? Olson has posted no bills on those issues yet. Is repealing the pistol purchase waiting period really a higher priority than energy and education?
Well, for some Republicans, the answer appears to be yes.
Instead of a 2 day waiting period on guns, there should be a 2 day waiting period on alcohol and cars.
ReplyDeleteMore people were killed by drunk drivers than were murdered in 2007 with hand guns.
12998 people were killed by a drunk driver versus 7361 killed by murder with a hand gun.
Now you could compare all deaths by a gun to all deaths by auto accidents, but auto accidents would still dwarf the gun related deaths.
So it goes to show you, a liberal with a glass of wine is far more dangerous than a republican with a hand gun.
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811016.PDF
http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2007/data/table_20.html
Cory, Again, you use terms like meathead and GOP Yahoos to discuss your liberal agenda. Then, you have the nerve to tell people to remember your not the story, your just the messenger. Then, you whine if someone gets to personal for your taste. The right to bear arms is a national treasure and when the ammemdment was passed there were no waiting periods. Deal with it. You want all the conservative christians to forget about issues like abortion, homosexuality and the like, yet you sit here and blog about guns. Why don't you hook up your little bike to a generator, create some energy, and do something positive, without the name calling.
ReplyDeleteTerry, God bless you. I love this argument. Yes drunk drivers kill people. And that is why we restrict liquor sales to certain people at certain times of the day. There are some days you can even BUY liquor. Some nights the police will even stop all cars and check to see if anyone is breaking the law.
ReplyDeleteTo drive a car you have to get a license, and then have it renewed at regular times. You even have to register each car you have, and renew that regularly. And even if you have never done anything wrong with it, you have to get insurance on it, just in case you do something wrong.
Bottom line if we placed the same restrictions on guns as we do cars, we would not be having this conversation.
So here is to Russ Olsen. He's a good guy, and one who you'd love to have a beer with. Just don't give him the keys to your government afterwords!
Terry: waiting period on alcohol purchases? Deal! (Don't forget, I'm a teetotaler...)
ReplyDeleteSearaven: Again, you can't handle a policy debate, can you? It is meathead legislation. Legislators who think deregulating guns is a more pressing matter than funding education (and several other issues) deserve to be called yahoos. Olson, Rhoden, et al. are not paying enough attention to issues that will make a concrete difference in the lives of all South Dakotans.
I'm looking for a good bike generator. Send me a catalog. In the meantime, why don't you hook up your little nickname to a real identity and say something positive, without the cowardly anonymity?
Anon 4:55: wonderful! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteCory, Again, someone disagrees and you call them a coward. Does this mean you are challenging me to a cage fight? I'd be careful! I simply pointed out that you cannot debate unless you call somebody meathead or yahoo and then have the nerve to say they deserve it. I am married with no kids. I pay $4200 in property tax of which $2500 goes to education. Why does someone who is married with no kids have to cough up this much money for education. You know what, I have been happy to do it until I found out it probably is helping someone like you through the educational process. When I received my Masters I took out the loans and I'm still paying the bill. I did not qualify for grants because I held a full time job. You whine about education. Get a real job, where you work 12 months out of the year. If you figure out what teachers make for 9 months, I'd say they are compensated fairly. If not switch professions. By the way, your art, NOT A FAN!
ReplyDeleteThe two-day waiting period is waived if you have a state permit to carry a concealed weapon if I remember correctly. Personally, I like the idea of impulse gun buyers waiting 48 hours, especially when economic times are most trying. Those who have their concealed weapon permit have been through the rigors of a background check by law enforcement. Nothing liberal or unconstitutional about it. Just makes good common sense in today's society.
ReplyDeleteThe waiting period is only forty-eight short hours? Yikes!
ReplyDeleteAnon 10:35, you sound a little like our new president, saying that the issue isn't liberal ideology but simply what works, what makes sense.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I read, even Army recruits don't touch a rifle until Week 3 of basic training. (Sgt. Thompson and others, care to add some informed perspective?) Are you telling me a civilian walking in off the street asking for a weapon can't wait for two days?
I was told by a so so source the concealed weapons permit is nothing more than spending $15, a criminal report is run, and they send you your card. It's nothing rigorous, but a joke they thought.
ReplyDeleteSearaven - anonymous comments are generally fine, but if you are going to personally criticize someone, you should sign your name. If you're unwilling to take responsibility for your words, then keep them to yourself, or they don't add anything meaningful to the blog. John Hess
If Rhoden,Olson, et al. manage to get rid of the 48-hour waiting period, will they at least sponsor legislation requiring gun purchasers to certify in writing they understand that if they shoot a person with the newly purchased gun, that might result in terminating the life of a whole separate, unique living human being? The purchasers should also be told they’re putting themselves at greater risk of suicide and homicide (the stats bear out the greater risk of both when a gun is in the home).
ReplyDelete