THE GOP AND THE NRA

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Between our GOP-controlled Congress and this President the NRA seems to get whatever it wants even if it makes no logical sense at all. The market is flooded with more powerful guns that are easier to use and harder to trace. According to the GAO, someone on the terrorist watch list can walk into a gun dealership and legally purchase weapons such as an Uzi, Tec-9 or AK-47. In the first half of last year 35 different gun sales were made to people on the nation's terrorism watch list -- knowingly. So al-Qaeda can't board our planes or ships (well they're not supposed to be able), but they can buy guns. Not just guns, assault weapons. I mean, it didn't make sense to me to sell that to our own citizens let alone our known enemy, who we are supposed to be at war with. We're talking about armoured peircing assault weapons that can spray areas with multiple rounds of bullets. Just what ya need fer huntin' squirl.

There used to be a ban on clips that carried more than 10 rounds of ammunition. Not any more. So, if some Columbine situation should occur in the future we are guaranteed it will be more disastrous than Columbine or Red Lake. If you don't think Bush is in the pocket of the NRA, why would he have signed a bill last year requiring the destruction within 24 hours of all records from background checks of gun purchasers. Congress (those guys are sure doing their jobs for us) mandated that ATF data tracing weapons used in crimes be kept secret from the public. And nothing's been done about the so-called "gun show loophole" allowing unregulated sales of firearms at gun shows without background checks regulated dealers must conduct.

So with the NRA' s new muscle, Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) and Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) are introducing a bill that wouldgive almost blanket protection to gun manufacturers and dealers. That's more than any other industry enjoys. Bottom line, if the sell someone a gun and a crime is committed and the dealer is proven to be careless and negligent, too bad. Every time I read something about what this administration is doing I feel safer and safer and safer.

Want to feel safer. This bill also adds the provision that would diminish the oversight authority of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives by barring "administrative proceedings" which is what ATF uses to investigate and regulate unscrupulous dealers.

This is so blatantly obvious, I can't understand why there isn't an uproar.