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Financial Gun Control? GE Capital Quietly Cuts Off Lending to Gun Shops

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General Electric, Co. has been quietly informing gun shop owners that the company will no longer be providing lending services to them, the Wall Street Journal reports. GE Capital is apparently reconsidering its relationship to firearms companies following the Sandy Hook shooting.

Earlier this month, Glenn Duncan, owner of Duncan’s Outdoor Store in Bay City, Mich., claims he received a letter from GE Capital Retail Bank announcing its “difficult decision” to stop providing financial services to his business. Other gun shops have received similar notices, the Journal notes.

More from WSJ.com: “GE is at least the second big financial firm to retreat from the gun business following the school shootings, which claimed the lives of 20 first-graders and six adults in December.

Days after the killings, private-equity firm Cerberus Capital Management LP said it would try to sell the gun company it owns—Freedom Group Inc.— which makes brands including Remington, Bushmaster, Marlin and H&R . . .

GE is based in Fairfield, Conn., and many of the GE’s employees live around Newtown, and several have children in the Sandy Hook elementary school, where the shootings took place. Peter Lanza, the father of Sandy Hook gunman Adam Lanza, is an executive at GE Capital. GE Chief Executive Jeff Immelt held a town hall meeting with affected employees after the shooting, and the board has been updated on efforts to help staff, a person familiar with the matter said.”

Read more from this story HERE.

The Brilliant Gun Confiscation Trap

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It is so simple and will be so effective it is simply nuts! I am referring to the trap that is being carefully laid by liberals to confiscate the guns of a significant number of law abiding Americans. It would be crazy to try and push their full agenda at once, so they do what liberals are much better at doing than conservatives: they will take it one step at a time and slowly tighten the noose.

Here’s how it will work: it seems to be common sense that no one wants the mentally ill to have access to firearms. After all, the shooters from Columbine to Aurora to Sandy Hook were mentally ill (at least judging by the fruit of their actions). Most of us would probably agree that no one wants individuals like that to be armed. Thus lies the rationale to clamp down on background checks and create a national ‘database’ to filter these individuals out.

Any politician who shows the smallest amount of hesitation to such a common sense plan will be immediately crucified in the media and will be shouted down so loud that any concerns they might have will not be able to be heard. So, the bill for a mental health ‘check’ will be passed for all firearm purchases. In conjunction, there will be an allowance for guns to be ‘secured’ (read confiscated) for those already possessing them and deemed ‘mentally ill.’

Now for the bait and switch. Who decides who is mentally ill? Your and my definition likely differs from those who are eyeing this as the path to confiscation. Once there is a legal path to any type of confiscation, such as outlined above, the flood gates will open. While it likely starts with those taking prescription medications with known psychotic side effects, it will then expand to almost all that are on medications for psychological reasons, including depression (even seasonal SAD). A small segment of the gun owning population will lose their firearms as they are demonized by the media for objecting to such actions.

Why would it stop there? It will then be time to consider all who see a psychologist as unfit for owning firearms. Once again it is another relatively small population segment that will not be able to fight back the overwhelming force of DHS, ATF, or whatever is the chosen acronym (heck even the IRS is heavily armed these days). As a result, many will no longer get the counseling or other mental health services they need for fear of their firearms being taken away. Spun carefully by the media, these confiscations will seem not only logical, but they will make it seem as though it is irresponsible to handle the situation any other way.

But it won’t stop there. If you thought the Saudi ‘person of interest’ from the Boston Marathon bombing was deported way too fast, you can be classified as a profiling bigot. There must be something wrong with you mentally. Off with your guns!

If you think abortion is wrong you are now considered anti-woman and will need to check in your guns with the government (though I suspect if your name is Kermit Gosnell you may get to keep your scissors).

What if you don’t support ‘marriage equally’ and realize it will lead to the normalization of legal polygamy and even bestiality? You are clearly hate-filled and mentally ill. Your firearms will need to go to big sister for safe keeping!

What if you are a Bible believing Christian? Just for that you lose you guns since you are obviously deranged in the eyes of those classifying mental illness.

Each group disarmed will make the next group’s disarming progressively easier even though the accusations will become more and more preposterous. That is how it works. They will have full media cover for each ‘common sense’ gun grab and history shows that people generally let tyranny slide until it impacts them personally. And then only after the pain becomes too great. By then it will be too late.

It starts by making a law that allows the taking the firearms of the ones generally dismissed as ‘mentally ill’ since no one can defend not supporting such a plan. However once that is legal, YOU will be branded as ‘mentally ill’ in some form or fashion. Call me crazy for suggesting such a scenario. I am sure the government gun grabbers already do.

Obama Taking Executive Action on Guns after Senate Vote

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Photo Credit: Svadilfari

Blocked by Congress from expanding gun sale background checks, President Obama is turning to actions within his own power to keep people from buying a gun who are prohibited for mental health reasons.

Federal law bans certain mentally ill people from purchasing firearms, but not all states are providing data to stop the prohibited sales to the FBI’s background check system. A federal review last year found 17 states contributed fewer than 10 mental health records to the database, meaning many deemed by a judge to be a danger still could have access to guns.

The Obama administration was starting a process Friday aimed at removing barriers in health privacy laws that prevent some states from reporting information to the background check system. The action comes two days after the Senate rejected a measure that would have required buyers of firearms online and at gun shows to pass a background check. That’s already required for shoppers at licensed gun dealers.

Stung by the defeat, Obama vowed to keep up the fight for the background check expansion but also to do what he could through executive action.

“Even without Congress, my administration will keep doing everything it can to protect more of our communities,” Obama said from the Rose Garden shortly after the Senate voted. “We’re going to address the barriers that prevent states from participating in the existing background check system.”

Read more from this story HERE.

Senator Cruz on Obama's Real 'Gun Control' Record

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Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore

From yesterday’s Rush Limbaugh Show:

CRUZ: In 2010, roughly 48,000 felons and fugitives attempted to illegally purchase firearms. Out of those 48,000, the Obama Justice Department prosecuted only 44.

RUSH: Right.

CRUZ: Let me repeat those numbers because those numbers, in my opinion, are quite staggering. Out of 48,000 felons and fugitives who in a single year tried to illegally purchase firearms, the Justice Department prosecuted just 44 of them. In our judgment, that’s unacceptable.

RUSH: What Cruz is doing here is called push-back. He’s a freshman, won election. He’s Tea Party. He’s got a great future. People very much appreciate what Cruz is willing to stand up and say. But did you know the specifics here, the nut of what he said here? It proves the point. Forty-four prosecutions out of 48,000 felons and fugitives who tried to illegally purchase firearms. We’ve already got plenty of law. We only prosecuted 44 of ’em in 2010. Why? Because we don’t want to create the impression we have enough gun laws. In fact, let’s turn it around 180 degrees. The Democrats want the impression created we don’t have enough law.

So you have all of these fugitives, all of these felons committing these horrendous crimes, and we’re not pursuing and we’re not prosecuting ’em, and the reason, “We need more law, Mr. Limbaugh. We don’t have enough law to go after these people. The gun control laws are woefully inept, we need more.” That’s what they want everybody to conclude. Just like we don’t have the laws necessary to deal with immigration. Yes, we do. All we would have to do is enforce current law, and we could reform the immigration problem without anything new.

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Scarborough says GOP ‘Moving Toward Extinction’ after Blocking Gun Legislation

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Photo Credit: Daily Caller

“Morning Joe” host Joe Scarborough says the senators who voted against expanded background checks for gun buyers on Wednesday are providing “the opportunity for terrorists, for gang members, for criminals, for violent rapists” to purchase firearms.

The former Republican congressman also predicted that new gun control measures would eventually be passed.

“Most of the time, I know, when you lose, you lose,” Scarborough said Thursday. “I agree with Howard Dean on this one — we have only begun to fight. This is just the beginning. With every violent act that occurs in the future, and with guns being shipped from one gang to another. With terrorists going on the Internet advertising how easy it is to kill Americans because of our weak background check system, Mike [Barnicle], this has just begun. This will not end until we have a background check system that keeps our families and Americans’ families safer.”

Scarborough also criticized Senate Democrats for not pursuing filibuster reform at the beginning of the Congress and warned New Hampshire Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte that her vote against background checks would come back to haunt her.

Read more from this story HERE.

Why GOP Must Have a Senate Majority in 2014: Harry Reid Promises to Bring Back Gun Control Bill

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Photo Credit: Getty Images

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Thursday announced that the Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate would shelve its gun control legislation — for now.

“Yesterday, President Obama said it was a shameful day for the Senate, and it probably was, I agree,” Sen. Reid said. “But we should make no mistake: This debate is not over, in fact this fight is just beginning.”

The Nevada Senator said that the legislative body would “take a pause and freeze the background check bill where it is” and “return to it at an undetermined date,” according to the Washington Post.

“We’re going to come back to this bill,” Reid said…

“The underlying bill hasn’t been defeated and is still technically on the legislative calendar. As majority leader, Reid can bring up the bill again at a moment’s notice,” the report explains.

Read more from this story HERE.

Reid Warns of ‘Unreasonable Extremists’ in Gun Debate

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Photo Credit: J. Scott Applewhite

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, kicked off Monday’s session by saying the victims of December’s Connecticut shooting rampage deserve a vote on gun legislation and warning of “unreasonable extremists” who may try to derail or delay the process.

Mr. Reid said protecting citizens’ Second Amendment rights and working to prevent gun violence are “both worthy goals, and they should not be mutually exclusive goals.”

The Senate on Monday begins debate on a gun-control bill, the expected centerpiece of which is a amendment that would expand gun-purchase background checks to gun sales online and to all vendors at gun shows…

Presently, only licensed firearms dealers are required to conduct background checks.

Read more from this story HERE.

Anti-Gun John Kerry in Japan: Foreign Students 'Scared' to Study Abroad in U.S. Because of Gun Violence

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Photo Credit: Getty

Secretary of State John Kerry told CNN Monday that foreign students are increasingly “scared” of studying abroad in the United States because of gun violence.

America’s top diplomat has been in Asia to confront North Korea’s increasing aggression but, speaking from Tokyo, he pivoted to American politics.

In “quiet conversations” with officials, Kerry said he has discussed “how safe it is over here in this country [Japan], where people are not running around with guns.”

Watch video here:

Read more from this story HERE.

Not so fast Washington: Americans want Bills on Guns and Immigration Read Before You Vote on Them

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Photo Credit: IrishCentral

Last time there was a headlong rush to pass legislation in Washington, Obamacare was birthed. 2,500 pages of excruciating small print, plopped on legislators desks just days before they were expected to vote on it. 2,500 pages purchased with “sweeteners,” “arm twisting” and coercion. Almost all of it done behind closed doors.

Speaker of the House at that time, Nancy Pelosi, brazenly told Congress and the American people, that we could get to know what was in Obamacare after they passed Obamacare,….egregiously misnamed “The Affordable Healthcare Act.”

Pelosi was right, Obamacare has proven to be full of surprises as the 2,500 pages of “Frankenstinian” details and regulations get exposed to the reality of actually trying to implement the law. Hidden taxes and fees, miles of red tape and special dispensation to Obama supporters are just some of the “surprises.”

The new immigration bill is reportedly 1,500 pages long already and it too has been negotiated in secret behind closed doors, by the gang of 8 bi partisan Senators.

How much devil is hidden in these details? No one in the media has seen it to report on the good, bad or ugly that lies within.

Reportedly it will be sprung on the Senate Tuesday and leader of the Senate, Harry Reid, has uncharacteristically promised a swift vote.

Why? What’s the rush Harry? Shouldn’t the public and the Senate have plenty of time to read through and debate these 1,500 pages of proposed legislation? This legislation can profoundly affect the very make up of our country.

Under Reid’s leadership the Senate has turned into a very “deliberative body,” remember it took 4 years to produce one budget.

The same can be said for gun control legislation. The knee jerk response from the politicians is to attack America’s 2nd Amendment rights, in order to look like they are doing something. When in reality, they are really just putting a band aid on an arterial wound.

The root cause of violence is too difficult for them to tackle because it will affect their base of support in big cities and Hollywood. So instead, they go after the guns and not the mental health issues, the street violence and violence in films.

Ask the Obama Justice Dept why it isn’t enforcing the laws already on the books? Out of 15,700 fugitives and felons who tried to illegally purchase a firearm, the Obama Justice Department prosecuted only 44. Perhaps if they just enforced the existing laws, there would be far less violence.

The American people don’t want anymore surprises sprung on them hidden within benign sounding legislation.

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Ed Farnan is the conservative columnist at IrishCentral, where he has been writing on the need for energy independence, strong self defense, secure borders, 2nd amendment, smaller government and many other issues. His articles appear in many publications throughout the USA and world. He has been a guest on Fox News and a regular guest on radio stations in the US and Europe.

Senators Uncertain how Vote on Gun Bill Will Swing; Co-Sponsors Look for GOP Support

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Photo Credit: AP

Lawmakers on both sides of a proposal to expand gun-purchase background checks to sales online and at gun shows said Sunday that they don’t know whether it will pass — a hurdle that, if not cleared, likely would kill the prospects of significant gun control legislation on Capitol Hill.

The circumspect posturing underscores the sensitivity of negotiations on the issue and flies in the face of a long tradition of predetermined outcomes on Capitol Hill, even on high-profile legislation.

“I think it’s an open question as to whether or not we have the votes,” Sen. Patrick J. Toomey, Pennsylvania Republican and co-sponsor of the amendment, said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “I think it’s going to be close.”

Senate Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin, Illinois Democrat, said his party hasn’t started formally counting votes on the measure, which was crafted by Mr. Toomey and Sen. Joe Manchin III, West Virginia Democrat.

“We haven’t whipped it,” Mr. Durbin said on “Fox News Sunday.” “I can tell you this: When it gets down to it, we’ve got to ask the basic question, ‘Should we try to keep guns out of the hands of felons and people so mentally unstable they shouldn’t own a firearm?’ If the answer is ‘yes,’ Manchin-Toomey is a step in that direction.”

Read more from this story HERE.