Even Democrats Oppose Obama On Gun Control Treaty

For awhile now I’ve gotten e-mails from people concerned about Pres. Obama and this administration restricting gun rights. I honestly thought they were being a bit conspiratorial. That is, until I read this:

Twelve Democratic senators have joined 45 Republicans in a fast growing movement to halt progress on an Obama-backed United Nations effort that could bring international gun control into the United States and slap America’s gun owners with severe restrictions.

Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester’s office today provided Whispers with their letter, signed by 11 other Democrats, urging the president to press for significant changes in the treaty. Their major concern: that domestic manufacture, possession, and sales of firearms and ammo will be included, thereby giving an international authority the right to regulate arms sales already protected by the Second Amendment. They also said any move for an international gun registry would be a non-starter

When Democrats themselves are joining Republicans to defend our 2nd Amendment rights, you know you have something to worry about.

Speaking to La Raza the other day, Pres. Obama said, “I know some people want me to bypass Congress and change the laws on my own,” (to which the crowd changed “Yes you can!” (Scary, right?) Then Obama added, “Believe me, the idea of doing things on my own is very tempting.”

In this case, so tempting he decided that if he can’t change the laws here, he could just bypass them by an international treaty.

The U.N. Arms Trade Treaty, which the Bush administration had opposed, would regulate with the international trade of arms. It would cover the trading of conventional firearms likes those used by collectors and sportsmen and women.

The goal of the treaty is to come up with internationally recognized rules governing the trade of guns and ammo.

Sen. Jerry Moran wrote in a letter to Pres. Obama, “Our country’s sovereignty and the Second Amendment rights of American citizens must not be infringed upon by the United Nations. Today, the Senate sends a powerful message to the Obama Administration: an Arms Trade Treaty that does not protect ownership of civilian firearms will fail in the Senate. Our firearm freedoms are not negotiable.”

This sort of thing is not out of the ordinary for Pres. Obama. Bypassing Congress with Executive Orders is something he’s gotten very good at doing. From actions using his executive power to advance energy and environmental policy, to getting us involved in the war in Libya, Obama sees no need to let Congress in on these decisions.

Instead of letting Congress enact laws about guns at our border, earlier this month, through an Executive Order (of course), the Obama administration is implemented new restrictions on the sale of certain weapons in border states, and increasing the penalties for violating certain firearms laws.

All Presidents have used Executives Orders to their own end, but this trend is truly concerning for gun owners, and for those who believe in our 2nd Amendment rights.

Posted by Kathleen McKinley on July 26, 2011 at 7:19 pm