BATFE is ready to step up efforts at spying on gun owners

[Chee-to]

OK, it's official !!!!!!

Radical 'Regulatory Czar' Could Pose Problems for Gun Owners
-- While BATFE is ready to step up efforts at spying on gun owners

Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://gunowners.org/ordergoamem.htm


Friday, September 11, 2009

Yesterday, another radical extremist joined the ranks of the Obama administration.

Cass Sunstein, who is an old friend of Barack Obama, is now our new Regulatory Czar. You will recall that he is the guy who wants animals to sue hunters and other Americans.

He also supports gun control.

While his nomination as head of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs passed the Senate by a 57-40 vote yesterday, the REAL vote was actually much closer -- losing only by three votes.

That vote occurred on Wednesday, when Republicans tried to kill his nomination using a filibuster -- a procedure which required Democrats to muster 60 votes. Every Democrat (except for three) voted for Sunstein. The three Senators who voted against Sunstein on the filibuster were Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Mark Pryor (D-AR) and James Webb (D-VA).

Unfortunately, a handful of Republicans crossed party lines to help Sunstein overcome the procedural roadblock. The Republican traitors who crossed party lines on Wednesday were Senators Bob Bennett (UT), Sue Collins (ME), Judd Gregg (NH), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Richard Lugar (IN) and Olympia Snowe (ME).

Dishonorable mention goes to Republican-turned-Democrat Senator Arlen Specter (PA) who voted for Sunstein -- as well as Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR), who waited until the end of the voting period to finally cast his ballot against Sunstein.

Regarding Pryor, you will remember that in August, he waited until the last minute to cast his vote in favor of the concealed carry reciprocity amendment. When it became clear the anti-gunners had a comfortable margin of victory, Sen. Pryor actually switched his vote at the last minute.

GOA members will be receiving a newsletter soon that shows an actual picture of the Senate tally sheet, which documents Pryor's vote switch. (Not receiving GOA's newsletter? Go to http://gunowners.org/ordergoamem.htm and become a GOA member today!)

The cloture vote on Wednesday -- ending the filibuster on Sunstein -- was 63-35. You can see how your two Senators voted on the filibuster and on final passage by going to http://capwiz.com/gunowners/issues/votes on the GOA website.

As the Regulatory Czar, Sunstein will provide the final touches on new federal regulations. No firearm or ammunition needs to be banned outright -- that would be too transparent. As the coauthor of Nudge (2008), Sunstein has already laid out how "choice architects" should carefully guide (or nudge) Americans into making better choices.

So with a little regulation here... a little regulation there... Sunstein can strengthen the iron fist of the federal gun police (otherwise known as the BATFE). Or, he can implement additional federal requirements which will result in firearm and ammunition manufacturers paying more for their merchandise.

Of course, these costs will be passed on to the consumer as new "taxes" that will "nudge" Americans away from purchasing firearms or engaging in the shooting sports.

In short, be prepared for more "change" from Washington and less spare change in your pockets.


Be vigilant about BATFE spying!

GOA has received a report from a very well-known journalist at a big newspaper that the FBI and BATFE are teaming up together to get off-the-record information on gun owners. The project, known as Vigilant Eagle, involves federal agents going to gun stores and doing "meet and greets" with shop owners in the hopes of obtaining informal information on people buying guns.

If you are a shop owner who is contacted by the FBI or BATFE as part of this program -- or if you are a gun owner who becomes aware that this program is going on in your area -- please contact GOA by going to http://gunowners.net/cgi-bin/ttx.cgi?cmd=newticket and giving us the details of what you know. The journalist wants to run a story exposing Vigilant Eagle to the entire country.

Read More

 

[wichaka]

I wonder what "informal" info. they are looking for. They can go thru transfer records anytime to get the real stuff, so am not sure what they hope to get.

 

[Chee-to]

I wonder what "informal" info. they are looking for. They can go thru transfer records anytime to get the real stuff, so am not sure what they hope to get.

Goggle "operation Vigilant Eagle" lot's of info. one can only speculate their motives, Hmmmmmmmmmm

Here's an article from the Wall Street Journal;

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123992665198727459.html

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Bureau of Investigation earlier this year launched a nationwide operation targeting white supremacists and "militia/sovereign-citizen extremist groups," including a focus on veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan, according to memos sent from bureau headquarters to field offices.

The initiative, dubbed Operation Vigilant Eagle, was outlined in February, two months before a memo giving a similar warning was issued on April 7 by the Department of Homeland Security.

Disclosure of the DHS memo this week has sparked controversy among some conservatives and veterans groups. Appearing on television talk shows Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano defended the assessment, but apologized to veterans who saw it as an accusation.

"This is an assessment of things just to be wary of, not to infringe on constitutional rights, certainly not to malign our veterans," she said on NBC's Today Show.

The documents outlining Operation Vigilant Eagle cite a surge in activity by such groups. The memos say the FBI's focus on veterans began as far back as December, during the final weeks of the Bush administration, when the bureau's domestic counterterrorism division formed a special joint working group with the Defense Department.

 

[CEF1959]

OK, it's official !!!!!!
Radical 'Regulatory Czar' Could Pose Problems for Gun Owners

My neighbor "could" rob a bank tonight too. Obama "could" nuke Argentina tomorrow. I "could" win the lottery.

Whatever. I don't think I'll be staying up to find out. Wake me up if there's a real threat though. And thanks for the latest in a series of breathless alerts.

 

[Chee-to]

My neighbor "could" rob a bank tonight too. Obama "could" nuke Argentina tomorrow. I "could" win the lottery.

Whatever. I don't think I'll be staying up to find out. Wake me up if there's a real threat though. And thanks for the latest in a series of breathless alerts.

You're welcome CEF. What took you so long ? OK now, gonna hold ya to it, you promise not to post in any threads unless you deem them noteworthy, and you totally approve their content.........

 

[Stomper]

I'll bet he was all a fluster when the Patriot Act was passed...

 

[Scott]

Too much MSNBC for him. Matthews, Maddow, Oberman, and Ed Sullivan and all of Obama's clones. Journalism at it's finest. Must be nice to have all the media talk about their vacation. Keep watching CE you will never have anything to worry about watching them.

 

[dario541]

I think when he considers the time to be right, Obama Bin Laden will sic his viscious dogs (BATFE, FBI, ETC.) on gunowners. He has his own media mouthpieces (TV, Newspapers, magazines such as Time, Newsweek, etc.) all primed and waiting for the word: "SIC 'EM!!!" ARE YOU READY???

 

[dynarider]

hope it's not to late when he does get woke up

 

[SVT]

My neighbor "could" rob a bank tonight too. Obama "could" nuke Argentina tomorrow. I "could" win the lottery.

Whatever. I don't think I'll be staying up to find out. Wake me up if there's a real threat though. And thanks for the latest in a series of breathless alerts.

I bet the Jews felt that way once....

 

[Scott]

My neighbor "could" rob a bank tonight too. Obama "could" nuke Argentina tomorrow. I "could" win the lottery.

Whatever. I don't think I'll be staying up to find out. Wake me up if there's a real threat though. And thanks for the latest in a series of breathless alerts.

Breathless alerts? I remember when Saddam Hussein was talking about invading Kuwait for several months. The reason I know this is because I was there. The media did not think much of it and for that matter most people like you thought they were just useless comments. Then guess what? It happened and he and his worthless thugs invaded the country. You just keep believing that these breathless alerts mean nothing and you will be thanking people who keep preparing for the firearm rights fight. Keep sleeping you are better off.

 

[Stomper]

That's right, thoust unbeliever caught in the currents of the river of denial... YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!!

 

[fingolfen]

My neighbor "could" rob a bank tonight too. Obama "could" nuke Argentina tomorrow. I "could" win the lottery.

Whatever. I don't think I'll be staying up to find out. Wake me up if there's a real threat though. And thanks for the latest in a series of breathless alerts.

CEF - Have you ever played chess??? If so, then you understand that chess strategy requires getting all of your pieces in the right places and then executing that strategy utilizing all of them. Politics is a lot like chess. For the past several months the administration has been trying to put pieces in place. Cass Sunstein is a pawn. On his own he's not much of a threat, but put him in the right position with the right support, and he can be a huge threat...

To win a chess (or politics, or life) you have to prevent your opponent from executing his strategy while successfully executing your own. You seem content to let your opponent put pieces anywhere he wants and then try to respond when you're about to be checkmated. By then, it's too late!

 

[dario541]

In the process of protecting one's rights, it's just like sports: A good offense will usually win over a good defense. We're better off being on the offense.

 

[Oldfart]

Regarding the original post: Has anyone else noticed a recent increase in the numbers of police officers who are joining local gun clubs?

Just sayin'.

 

[Stomper]

CEF - Have you ever played chess??? If so, then you understand that chess strategy requires getting all of your pieces in the right places and then executing that strategy utilizing all of them. Politics is a lot like chess. For the past several months the administration has been trying to put pieces in place. Cass Sunstein is a pawn. On his own he's not much of a threat, but put him in the right position with the right support, and he can be a huge threat...

To win a chess (or politics, or life) you have to prevent your opponent from executing his strategy while successfully executing your own. You seem content to let your opponent put pieces anywhere he wants and then try to respond when you're about to be checkmated. By then, it's too late!

Well put, Mike!

 

[wichaka]

Everyone here can post their opinion on the topic of the thread, please don't flame another for their opinion, after all...it's their opinion.

You may not agree with it, but it's their opinion based what they know, past experience etc. Ask clarifying questions why they may think a certain way, but flaming them for their opinion won't get anyone anywhere.

 

[Trlsmn]

I smell Taliban.

For a living? or is that just a hobby?

 

[CEF1959]

Do you see why people refer to gun rights advocates as kooky? Are you reading any of your posts? This fascination with my posts is bizarre. My only point is being a right wing kook hurts gun rights. I am in favor of gun rights. Therefore, I oppose right wing kookiness. Only in a kooky world can that be controversial.

"You must espouse the most extreme possible right wing view, or we will destroy you." Taliban.

And it takes like, what, a dozen of you guys obsessing about one dissenter from your dogma? How weird is that? Come on. Where is the tolerance for other peoples' views? Slam mine. I slam yours. That's fair. But this collective obsession with my dissent from the hard right point of view is pathological.

 

[Trlsmn]

Do you see why people refer to gun rights advocates as kooky? Are you reading any of your posts? This fascination with my posts is bizarre. My only point is being a right wing kook hurts gun rights. I am in favor of gun rights. Therefore, I oppose right wing kookiness. Only in a kooky world can that be controversial.

"You must espouse the most extreme possible right wing view, or we will destroy you." Taliban.

Actually your point has consistently been sit back and be quite until we have now right and if we are concerned we must be right wing extremists!

Here mull these two words over:

What the forum members are:

Diligent

Diligence:

1. constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken; persistent exertion of body or mind.

2. Law. the degree of care and caution required by the circumstances of a person.

3. care; caution.
------------------------------------------------------------
What you say the forum members are:

Extremist

Extremism is a term used to describe the actions or ideologies of individuals or groups outside the perceived political center of a society; or otherwise claimed to violate common moral standards.

In democratic societies, individuals or groups which advocate that democracy should be replaced with some kind of authoritarian regime are usually branded extremists.