It’s just like that movie 2016 warned us about!!!!
Just Kidding. I don’t know what that movie warned us about as I never saw it. But I’m sure it had something to do with his evil socialist schemes!
Just thought I’d use that headline to see if i can stir up some traffic. In the eight years of blogging, I’m not sure if I’ve ever done that or not. I just figure… What the hell. It’s an experiment. Lets see if it works.
Anyway, here is the list of directives coming down from the executive branch, followed by any thoughts or murmurings. Just glancing at the list, I’m pretty sure they are mostly going to be murmurings.
1. Issue a Presidential Memorandum to require federal agencies to make relevant data available to the federal background check system.
There is a Federal Background Check system? Is this new, and, if so, did anyone bitch and moan when that was implemented? (I’m betting someone did)
2. Address unnecessary legal barriers, particularly relating to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, that may prevent states from making information available to the background check system.
Clarification on what can and can not be allowed within the confines of a law is always good. Still of the opinion that the ACA, on the whole, is going to end up being a boondoggle, but this doesn’t really do much to it one way or the other.
3. Improve incentives for states to share information with the background check system.
Because the Fed just doesn’t bribe the states enough already.
4. Direct the Attorney General to review categories of individuals prohibited from having a gun to make sure dangerous people are not slipping through the cracks.
OK. No problem with that.
5. Propose rulemaking to give law enforcement the ability to run a full background check on an individual before returning a seized gun.
OK. This does not increase the parameters for gun confiscation..
6. Publish a letter from ATF to federally licensed gun dealers providing guidance on how to run background checks for private sellers.
Shouldn’t this have been done a long long time ago?????
7. Launch a national safe and responsible gun ownership campaign.
This is pretty useless. Responsible gun owners already do this. Those who don’t care now will ignore it.
8. Review safety standards for gun locks and gun safes (Consumer Product Safety Commission).
More pointless stuff that looks good on one side of the political fence.
9. Issue a Presidential Memorandum to require federal law enforcement to trace guns recovered in criminal investigations.
Um… Wait… You mean they don’t already do this? And who exactly will be doing the tracing?
10. Release a DOJ report analyzing information on lost and stolen guns and make it widely available to law enforcement.
Looks like busy work to me. What purpose will this serve?
11. Nominate an ATF director.
Um… Mr. President… Isn’t this something you do anyway???
12. Provide law enforcement, first responders, and school officials with proper training for active shooter situations.
That sounds like a good thing.
13. Maximize enforcement efforts to prevent gun violence and prosecute gun crime.
Vague, though I do understand every administration focuses law enforcement more in one direction than in others. And since there are only so many resources to be applied – my favorite economics principle, opportunity cost – what is going to be relaxed… The stupid drug war maybe?
14. Issue a Presidential Memorandum directing the Centers for Disease Control to research the causes and prevention of gun violence.
More busy work. There is already tons of research on this topic. It’s always inconclusive because there are too many parameters that cloud a formative conclusion. But, that said, this one is easy, and the CDC doesn’t have to lift a finger.
………………………………………………..
Causes are:
Criminals.
The drug black market (did we learn nothing from alcohol prohibition?).
Gang culture.
Poverty.
Mentally ill / unstable individuals.
Prevention:
?
…………………………………………
Other than the mental health side of the equation, the CDC is not going to have much in the way of suggestions on what to do to prevent gun violence. It’s not their expertise.
15. Direct the Attorney General to issue a report on the availability and most effective use of new gun safety technologies and challenge the private sector to develop innovative technologies.
OK. More busy work. But OK.
16. Clarify that the Affordable Care Act does not prohibit doctors asking their patients about guns in their homes.
Don’t know why it would prohibit that, as it’s not my doctors place to ask, unless I come in with a gun shot wound every other week or so.
17. Release a letter to health care providers clarifying that no federal law prohibits them from reporting threats of violence to law enforcement authorities.
More busy work. Doctors already know this.
18. Provide incentives for schools to hire school resource officers.
More bribery. Personally, I’d rather see more money going to the nursing staff, which is woefully underfunded.
19. Develop model emergency response plans for schools, houses of worship and institutions of higher education.
This should be done at the local level. The Fed is going to screw this up for sure.
20. Release a letter to state health officials clarifying the scope of mental health services that Medicaid plans must cover.
Yet more busy work.
21. Finalize regulations clarifying essential health benefits and parity requirements within ACA exchanges.
Are we doing one of those Sesame Street “Which if these things does not belong” things? Cause this just doesn’t belong in this list of things to do to adddress guns and gun violence.
22. Commit to finalizing mental health parity regulations.
OK. Should have been done years ago.
23. Launch a national dialogue led by Secretaries Sebelius and Duncan on mental health.”
Well, being that often they seem deranged, this is the equivalent of the blind and insane leading the blind and insane!
Just kidding on that last comment… Well, kind of.
So, while driving around today, and on facebook, I’ve been hearing many exclaim that President Obama, with today’s “Gun Control” speech, is “tearing up the Constitution” and once again “acting like a dictator / tyrant!”.
I’m sorry, but these are about the weakest executive orders I’ve seen in quite a while. There have been far worse, like ones that proclaim the executive branch is immune from certain laws, for instance. And then there are those who say executive orders are illegal and unconstitutional and the President should be impeached for using them… Which is funny when you consider the first U.S. President to use them was….
Wait for it…
George Washington!
Looking at the history of the use of executive order, the previous President sure did issue a ton of them. This President, instead of rescinding some of his predecessors, which was some of the change we were hoping for, is instead on a pace to have issued just as many. Sad really.