Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick attacks NRA and Supports expanded background checks

[Charles L. Cotton]

Chas.

[Charles L. Cotton]

Contrast Patrick's position with that of Tara Mica, NRA Lobbyist for Texas.

Chas.

WHY YOU SHOULD OPPOSE UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECKS
By Tara Mica, NRA-ILA State Director

Imagine being forced to pay fees as high as $50-$100, complete extensive federal paperwork, and obtain government approval before selling or loaning your personally-owned firearms to immediate or extended family members, longtime friends, neighbors, and co-workers, or fellow hunters, competitive shooters, and gun club members.
That's what so-called "universal background check" laws do. They turn traditional innocent conduct into a criminal offense. They target law-abiding gun owners and not criminals who, by their very definition, will violate new or expanded background check laws.

In their worst form, these laws mandate background checks on EVERY transfer, sale, purchase, trade, gift, rental, and loan of a firearm between any and all individuals. All such transactions would need to be conducted through a federally licensed firearms dealer because private individuals cannot access the national instant criminal background check system (NICS) system.

It is ALREADY a federal felony to be engaged in the business of buying and selling firearms, for livelihood and profit, without having a federal firearm dealers license.

It is ALREADY a crime for a federally licensed dealer to sell a gun without doing a background check - that's all dealers, everywhere, including at retail stores, gun shows, flea markets or anywhere else.

Further, it is ALREADY a federal felony for any private person to sell, trade, give, lend, rent or transfer a gun to a person you know or should have known is not legally allowed to own, purchase or possess a firearm. State law also provides penalties for similar unlawful conduct.

The penalty for selling a gun to a person who is a felon, mentally ill, mentally incompetent, a domestic abuser, or an alcohol or drug abuser is a 10-year federal felony. That's now, today, with no changes to the law.
It is even a federal felony to submit false information on a background check form to purchase a firearm.

According to a September 2018 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, 112,090 people were turned down for gun purchase in FY 2017, and there were 12 prosecutions by U.S. Attorneys Offices as of June 2018. Why, when criminals are caught in the act of lying on the form to illegally attempt to purchase a firearm, are they not prosecuted? Why, when existing background check laws are not being enforced, are there calls for expanding those laws to cover private firearms transactions?

As Texas politicians wade into this divisive issue, it's instructive to look at other states' experiences with similar laws. California always provides one of the most striking examples of failed gun control policies, including expanded background checks. But let's look at a few other states which have adopted so-called "universal background check" laws.
A 2017 study by gun control researchers looked at "universal background check" laws in Colorado and Washington State. They found that the laws had "little measurable effect": there wasn't much difference in the number of background checks that were done after the laws went into effect as compared with the estimated number expected without the law. This was most likely attributable to noncompliance and lack of enforcement. (Washington State did not even have its first charge brought for a violation of that State's law until after it had been in effect for almost two years.)
Gun control advocates claim overwhelming public support for so-called "universal background check" laws. Voters in Maine defeated an Everytown-backed November 2016 ballot initiative to require background checks on private gun sales and transfers in that State, and Nevada voters only approved a similar measure by less than one percent of the vote, despite Michael Bloomberg's national gun control organization spending $20M on that effort. Once gun owners and the public became educated on exactly what such a proposal means and how it will impact them, opposition grows significantly.

So-called "universal background checks" are ineffective, intrusive, and unpopular when explained beyond a sound-bite. But perhaps worst of all, they are UNENFORCEABLE without a firearms registration scheme. A 2013 internal U.S. Department of Justice memo summarizing so-called violence prevention strategies stated that the effectiveness of background checks depends on "requiring gun registration."
This particular gun control agenda item focuses on peaceable citizens, not violent criminals who obtain guns on the black-market to carry out unspeakable crimes already prohibited under federal and state laws. Instead of stopping crime and eliminating criminal conduct, they are creating more criminals - they are targeting you.

That's why NRA and TSRA members need to oppose and fight these misguided proposals that have nothing whatsoever to do with curbing criminal violence but everything to do with stripping us of our guaranteed civil rights and our freedom.

[IlliniBill]

He says "we don't have all the facts yet" but still has no problem recommending a policy change.

[oljames3]

I contacted Gov, LT Gov, and Speaker voicing opposition to Universal Background Checks as well as any new gun control law. I job ended on 2 Sep. I have more time now to actually go to the capitol.

[Flightmare]

[philip964]

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politic ... nd-checks/

So it’s started with Dan.

[Soccerdad1995]

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politic ... nd-checks/

So it’s started with Dan.

With friends like this, who needs enemies. I especially liked this part:

Patrick said he's spoken with gun store owners. They reportedly said they'd be happy to assist private sellers, by arranging for them to meet prospective buyers at their stores. The owners would run the buyers through the National Instant Background Check System.

"It takes a minute," Patrick said. "It's not a big deal."

So clearly these checks would be free, right? Are FFL's on board with this, Dan?

[Charles L. Cotton]

FAIRFAX, Va.– The National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action released the following statement on Friday regarding Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's recent comments on gun control proposals:

"With due respect, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s “proposals” would resurrect the same broken, Bloomberg-funded failures that were attempted under the Obama administration. Like most political gambits, Lt. Gov. Patrick’s “solution” precedes his possession of the facts, including this critical concession by the Obama administration: Criminalizing private firearm transfers would require a massive, governmental gun registration scheme. Instead of trampling the freedom of law-abiding Americans, the government should focus upon actual solutions: fixing our broken mental health system, prosecuting known criminals and enforcing the existing gun laws that require follow-up whenever a prohibited person tries to buy a firearm. In the meantime, the NRA remains at the forefront of legitimate efforts to combat crime in our country. We encourage Lt. Gov. Patrick to join us in support of the same."


Arm yourself with the facts at nraila.org.

https://www.nraila.org/articles/2019090 ... -proposals

Like Speaker Bonnen before him, Lt. Gov. Patrick seems to be under the erroneous belief that a prior good voting record means he can do and say anything he wishes without alienating gun-owners and former supporters.

Chas.

[BeanCounter]

I called his office. The phones are busy so I left a short message. I reminded him that defying "the NRA" is defying the people that voted for him and donated to his campaign. He just lost my vote, my donations and my respect.

[cirus]

When will people learn that if someone is in a position of power or wealth they can't be trusted. Think about all the people you know who are wealthy. They will never sacrifice wealth for freedom. They have to much to lose. Do you think someone with money is gonna stand shoulder to shoulder with you and scacrfice anything ? Do you actually think they will fight and die for a cause?. Stop putting your hopes in someone who sees you as inferior. You are on your on.

[powerboatr]

I called his office. The phones are busy so I left a short message. I reminded him that defying "the NRA" is defying the people that voted for him and donated to his campaign. He just lost my vote, my donations and my respect.

mine to ..he is really going far far away off the rails..

[03Lightningrocks]

When will people learn that if someone is in a position of power or wealth they can't be trusted. Think about all the people you know who are wealthy. They will never sacrifice wealth for freedom. They have to much to lose. Do you think someone with money is gonna stand shoulder to shoulder with you and scacrfice anything ? Do you actually think they will fight and die for a cause?. Stop putting your hopes in someone who sees you as inferior. You are on your on.

[hondo44]

Not surprised at all considering the nonsense Abbott was peddling yesterday. Both he and Dan Patrick are nothing more than mouthpieces for the liberal media and gun grabbers.

[hondo44]

When will people learn that if someone is in a position of power or wealth they can't be trusted. Think about all the people you know who are wealthy. They will never sacrifice wealth for freedom. They have to much to lose. Do you think someone with money is gonna stand shoulder to shoulder with you and scacrfice anything ? Do you actually think they will fight and die for a cause?. Stop putting your hopes in someone who sees you as inferior. You are on your on.

This sort of anti- wealth, anti- capitalism nonsense is nothing but socialist garbage. Go to Cuba if you want to live in a socialist paradise where everyone is equal and nobody has wealth.

[Grayling813]

And this is how Lt. Gov. Patrick never becomes Gov. Patrick. Good we know now instead of after electing him.