Obama: Don't stock up on guns

[darrels joy]

Obama: Don't stock up on guns

Recommend (48)

December 8, 2008

BY ABDON M. PALLASCH Political Reporter

As gun sales shoot up around the country, President-elect Barack Obama said Sunday that gun-owning Americans do not need to rush out and stock up before he is sworn in next month. (Says you!)

"I believe in common-sense gun safety laws, and I believe in the second amendment," Obama said at a news conference. "Lawful gun owners have nothing to fear. I said that throughout the campaign. I haven't indicated anything different during the transition. I think people can take me at my word."

But National Rifle Association spokesman Andrew Arulanandam said it's not Obama's words — but his legislative track record — that has gun-buyers flocking to the stores.

"Prior to his campaign for president, his record as a state legislator and as a U.S. Senator shows he voted for the most stringent forms of gun control, the most Draconian legislation, gun bans, ammunition bans and even an increase in federal excise taxes up to 500 percent for every gun and firearm sold," Arulanandam said.

Obama answered "yes" in 1996 to a questionnaire from an Illinois group on whether he supported a handgun ban. But he later said a staffer filled out that answer and he did not support a ban.

Nationally, background checks for gun purchases jumped nearly 49 percent during the week Obama was elected, compared with the same time period last year, according to the FBI's National Instant Background Check System.

Anecdotally, gun dealers around the country have reported spikes in sales. The Illinois State Rifle Association Reports gun sales for November were 38 percent higher than last year.

"We don't dispute [the gun sales hike] because the numbers from the federal system certainly confirm that there is increased activity out there. We just think it's a bit stupid," said Peter Hamm, spokesman for the Brady Campaign against Gun Violence.

"Anyone who thinks they need to rush out and buy a firearm clearly has not been paying attention to how quickly we make progress on this issue. (No, that's just it, people are paying attention to your progress.) We don't think these are first-time buyers. We think they are people who already have more than enough guns at their homes to protect themselves (how many is that?) and are buying more."

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politic...120808.article

[reconeil]

Doesn't matter Joy,...whatever it is that Barack Hussein Obama II or Jr. publicly states: "I believe".

What actually does matter is what American People can sensibly believe (or not) about what comes out of mouth of an obviously even Duplicitously Slicker Self/Clique-Serving ABOVE ALL ELSE Politician, than Bill Clinton.

I will always instead believe Barack's very own words from his book: "The Audacity of Hope" infinitely MUCH MORE SO, rather than just another of his many politically expedient subterfuges. Hell,...believing him when saying: "I believe in the second amendment", and one might just as well also stupidly believe that Rep. Barney Franks should still remain Oversight Committee Chairman for America's FAILED Finances & Banking, or even that Insurance Companies & Large Unions need: "Bailing Out" by The U.S. Taxpayer.

Besides, don't Obama's words in book of: "I will stand with Muslims should the winds change in an ugly direction" seem MUCH MORE Sincere, Honest, Realistic & Believable than most all else spouted, anyway?

Such sure-as-hell-seem-so,...to me.

Neil