Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Gun Measure Included in Credit Card Legislation

The credit card bill is horrendous, but at least they threw this in there. 

Gun rights advocates found an unlikely ally in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives on Wednesday as lawmakers passed a measure allowing concealed, loaded firearms to be carried in national parks.

The proposal passed 279-147, winning overwhelming Republican support and that of a significant number of more conservative rural and western Democrats.

The Senate voted 67-29 on Tuesday to attach an identical measure to a bill cracking down on credit card fees. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, was among 27 Democrats backing the measure.

Under the measure, any person with a state permit to carry a concealed weapon would be able to bring that weapon into parks and wildlife refuges unless a state law specifies otherwise.

(12) Comments
Posted by Owen at 2135 hrs
Firearms + Politics + Politics - General

  1. This “reform” is a travesty.  Because the card issuers can no longer pass on the costs of delinquency and lack of responsibility to those who abuse their credit cards, people like me who pay their entire bill in full every month will now have to pay interest from the date of purchase to the date of payment.  That’s right, there’s no longer an interest-free period for purchases repaid on or before the due date.  Responsible people like me get dinged to subsidize the losses caused by the riff-raff who believe a credit card is a license to spend.

    Substitute Obama for Nehemiah Scudder and we’re living Heinlein’s “If This Goes On.”  I’ve been a member of the Cabal for 20-odd years; it might be time to go back to meetings.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 20, 2009 at 2242 hrs


  2. who pay their entire bill in full every month will now have to pay interest from the date of purchase to the date of payment.  That’s right, there’s no longer an interest-free period for purchases repaid on or before the due date.

    I guess I could just go on-line everyday and pay my bill.  That might get old after a while though.


    On a bigger point, this crap is what I can’t stand about Washington.  Don’t put random stuff in bills that doesn’t belong there.  Have another bill for crying out loud.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 21, 2009 at 0721 hrs


  3. The language has been strongly pushed by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Oklahoma, who saw an opportunity to grab on to a comparatively fast-moving target since Obama and the congressional Democratic leadership have made the credit card bill such a high legislative priority.

    Coburn should be removed from office - immediately.  If it is unrelated to the main part of the bill, it is wrong, unethical and (should be) criminal to attach unrelated amendments to any bill.

    An before anyone accuses me of being anti-gun, I have no horse in this race.  I have no opinion on the merits or lack thereof of the amendment on its own.  I simply don’t care.  However, it should be debated in its own bill and not slapped on as a cheap way to get votes for it, even if “that’s the way things are done.”  That may be the way things are done, but that alone does not make the practice good.

    And yes, the Credit Card bill is a total abomination.  But what can you expect from politicians who couldn’t hold a real job for more than 3 days.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 21, 2009 at 0725 hrs


  4. What is the difference between have Joint and Several Liability attached to the budget and having a gun law attached to Credit Card Reform other than your own preferences, Owen?

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 21, 2009 at 0728 hrs


  5. They are both inappropriate and shouldn’t be in the legislation, but at least this is a good idea as opposed to the joint and several liability idiocy.

    Posted by Owen on May 21, 2009 at 0730 hrs


  6. Since Wisconsin does not currently have a conceal and carry permit system, this provision is meaningless in this state.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 21, 2009 at 0834 hrs


  7. Owen,

    Not sure how to read this post.

    While I know your stand on guns, do you think this is the way to craft legislation?  Take an unrelated item and tack it onto a bill that is designed for another purpose.  Sure it is done all the time, but I have never liked that method of legislating.

    So Owen, what are your thoughts on the process….not the gun or credit card matter…but this method of crafting legislation.

    I have long considered, for lack of a better term, myself a ‘process democrat’, and think that most conservatives would tend to be the same.  But I find that I am wrong about that.

    How about you?

    Posted by Gregory on May 21, 2009 at 1137 hrs


  8. As I said to grumps, I think the process was horrible.  It’s disgusting how they cobble together legislation regarding disparate issues.  But I support the measure.  If I had my druthers, it would be proposed and passed as separate legislation, but I’m certainly not going to complain about concealed carry folks being able to carry in national parks.

    Posted by Owen on May 21, 2009 at 1225 hrs


  9. Maybe a positive from this would be that people start to realize this is how things work in Washington and it needs to stop.  I think right now people don’t know how common this crap is

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 21, 2009 at 1547 hrs


  10. What ever happened to the campaign promise of a five day public review of legislation?  Does transparency not mean that something is “transparent” anymore?

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 21, 2009 at 2343 hrs


  11. Boo Hoo the poor credit card companies. They will now have to be more responsible for who they give credit to instead of mailing out offers to every tom dick and harry. Credit card companies are not going to go under because they can’t gouge costumers they should have never given credit to in the first place. If this limits the number of credit cards and thier use all the better.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 22, 2009 at 1446 hrs


  12. I’m with Owen - I’m disgusted at the process, but support the measure.  Just to clarify a few things:

    1) This is NOT CCW.  This is carry in any manner that is in accordance with state law.
    2) Permits are not required by this law; only compliance with applicable state laws.
    3) This is NOT tied to the laws for the state parks, only to general state law.

    So, yes, this does apply to WI, as I would be in accordance with WI laws openly carrying in the Apostle Islands, for instance.  It also means I can now go to, say, the Grand Canyon, and openly carry, as you do not need a license to do so in AZ.  In fact, off the top of my head, this opens up open or concealed carry for WI residents in federal parks in 27 or 29 states (AK and VT require no permit for OC or CC).

    I really do want to vomit on a congressman after reading this bill, though, even with my support for this provision.

    Posted by Mike Gallo on May 22, 2009 at 1808 hrs


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