Same old, same old on the gun control front?

I suppose we should, as one of us here at TPOL often says, not be surprised. Some people never give up. In case their cause is worthy and desirable, that is great. When they are bent on doing wrong, and when they are mentally unstable and challenged, it gets old.

In a move that has already sparked intense debate, U.S. Representative Lucy McBath (D, GA-7 – suburbs of Atlanta) has introduced a bill (HR-8600) in the US House of Representatives aiming to ban all gas-operated semi-automatic firearms. This proposal, labeled the “Gas-Operated Semi-Automatic Firearms Exclusion” (GOSAFE) Act, was submitted on 3 June, ramping up discussions around gun control in the States.

The bill targets a wide range of firearms, aiming to address gun violence while raising concerns among gun rights advocates, as discussed by Guns & Gadgets 2nd Amendment News in a video.

(McBath is a longtime hoplophobe and hoploclast, entering politics after her 17-year-old son was killed in a confrontation in Jacksonville, Florida, in 2012. His killer claimed he was “standing his ground” in a dispute over too loud music from her son’s car, but a jury decided that the killer was not justified and sentenced the man to life in prison.)

The GOSAFE Act mirrors the proposal (SB-3369) by Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM, web factsheet here) [warning: full of lies]. For Gun Violence Prevention Month, McBath has introduced the House bill, supported by the usual suspects. (Several senators such as King, D-Maine, and Kelly, D-Arizona, and prominent gun control advocacy groups such as Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action.) This highlights the ongoing push for stricter gun control measures based on claims of increasing gun violence.

The GOSAFE Act is broad, regulating the sale, transfer, manufacture, and possession of gas-operated semi-automatic weapons. Unlike previous bans that focused on specific models or cosmetic features, this bill addresses the internal mechanism of firearms. Supposedly, this approach addresses the “inherent lethality” of these weapons, in which propellant combustion gases cycle their action to reload “automatically.”

True, the bill includes some exemptions. But the vast majority of semi-automatic firearms are banned. What exemptions? Some make no sense: firearms chambered in .22 rimfire or less, bolt-action rifles (never run across a gas-operated bolt-action; have you?), semi-automatic shotguns, and handguns with permanently fixed magazines of specific capacities. However, most other firearms using gas-operated systems and detachable magazines would be banned. This includes any weapon using short or long-stroke gas pistons, direct impingement actions, and may or may not include recoil-operated systems. (The bill, at first glance, seems to be poorly written and vague: is this intentional or is there a conspiracy among Congressional ghost-writers to create problems?)

McBath, hoplophobic as they come, emphasizes the need to protect communities while respecting constitutional rights. The bill, which does neither, has garnered support from various organizations and celebrities. Their arguments are the usual: that regulating these firearms can prevent mass shootings and other gun violence.

We here at TPOL see it as trashing God-given, Second Amendment-protected rights. We see no way that it will effectively deter criminals.

If passed, the GOSAFE Act would significantly impact American gun owners. Worse, the bill includes measures to regulate the future design and manufacturing of gas-operated firearms, requiring new designs to receive approval before production. It also claims to prevent unlawful modifications and self-assembly of firearms. For current owners, the bill proposes a voluntary buyback program. As always, another killing joke.

Clearly there would be a huge impact on gun manufacturers and retailers. We know there are millions of gas-operated semi-automatic firearms and high-capacity magazines currently in circulation. The proposal would disrupt the market, leading to significant economic consequences for those involved in the industry, retail sector, and personal and home defense. Expect massive fundraising drives by advocacy groups mobilizing to oppose the bill.

The GOSAFE Act goes to the House Committee on the Judiciary, where it faces a contentious battle. The current political landscape, with a narrow Republican majority in the House, suggests that passing the bill will be challenging. But more and more GOP elected officials are hoploclasts – except in government hands, of course. Clearly, the proposal reignites discussion on gun control and the balance between public safety and individual rights. And once again, the proposal is based on a wide and wild variety of false claims, including the idea that criminals obey gun laws while breaking other laws!

Obviously, opponents of efforts to take self-defense rights away are calling for action, encouraging gun owners and advocates to contact their representatives at phone 202 224 3121 and express their concerns about the bill’s potential implications.

Insane and handicapped as McBath and Heinrich and their ilk are, they are smooth talkers and backed by powerful people and groups. And it is Republican incompetence that allows them to be elected and do the  Regressive nonsense that they do. This effort is perhaps a bit more sophisticated from the usual “assault weapon ban” but still is a threat that must be squashed.

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