Lauren Victoria Burke
+ Follow15 Million Jobless, 49 Million Poor … and Congress is Focused on Guns
There are more poor people in the United States — 49 million — than the population of Canada: 34 million. There are 15 million unemployed in the U.S. — 2 million of whom no longer qualify for unemployment assistance. The national debt, the issue so many fiscal conservatives and Tea Party candidates campaigned on to overtake control of the House in 2010, officially reached 15 trillion yesterday.
With so many pressing issues at hand, a Congress with a 9% approval rating (the lowest in American history) passed gun legislation through the House this week.
The legislation makes it easier for people to carry a concealed firearm across state lines, allowing people to use their concealed gun permit in any state without regard to requirements in other states. If the legislation becomes law, a person rejected for a concealed carry permit in their home state could travel to another state and get a concealed carry permit to use it any state other than their own.
Even with larger issues at hand and a debt crisis in Europe, the House passed a measure, (already passed in 1956) to reaffirm In God We Trust as the national motto on November 1. Though the words are already embossed in big gold letters in the House and Senate chambers, the House took time to debate the measure in a lengthy Judiciary Committee markup and pass it on the House floor on November 1.
The attention given to that issue followed by a focus on concealed carry laws was another example of the “God, guns, gays” agenda seen over 10 years ago when Tom DeLay and Dennis Hastert controlled the House in better economic times.
There are approximately 100,000 people shot each year in the U.S. According to the CDC, 66,000 people were treated for gun injuries in emergency rooms in 2009. Though many gun deaths are suicides, 31,000 people died from gun violence in 2008 (latest year statistics are available). According to the National Institute of Justice, 477,040 were victims of a crime committed with a firearm in 2005 and 11,000 were killed.
That a member of the U.S. House, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was seriously injured after being shot in the head as six others were murdered in January, including a Federal judge and a nine year old girl, appears not to have had an effect on legislative direction.
The one-size fits all legislation was criticized on the House floor before passing 272-154. “This is a federal power grab coming from a majority who claims to be a defender of states rights,” said Rep. Jim Moran during the debate.
“Law enforcement is trying to curb illegal gun smuggling. This bill allows traffickers with concealed carry permits to transport firearms into destination states and present an unverifiable permit if stopped by police. This is a blatant legislative overreach presumably because it was next on the NRA’s legislative wish list,” added Moran.
“It’s a situation where weaker state laws become the national law,” said Rep. Bobby Scott. All major law enforcement associations opposed the legislation, including the the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
“Three hundred young people are injured and killed by gunfire from ages 15 to 24 every week,” said Rep. John Conyers. Four African American members voted for the change in concealed carry gun laws: Democratic Reps. Terri Sewell and Sanford Bishop and GOP Reps. Tim Scott and Allen West.
The gun legislation’s co-sponsor, Rep. Cliff Stearns, argued that a concealed gun permit should be no different than a driver’s license regarding state by state reciprocity. House Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith argued more guns make society safer and cited a study as proof.
With 15 million unemployed and a report from the CENSUS last week declaring 1 in 7 Americans live in poverty, there is little evidence Congress will challenge bigger issues effecting millions. Though Congress passed a piece of the President’s jobs bill regarding hiring Veterans, it was the only job related legislation to reach President Obama’s desk since the GOP took over the House in January.
The U.S. House will only be in session 11 days this November. When it adjourns tomorrow for Thanksgiving recess it will return in December and is only scheduled to be in session for 6 days.
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11 Responses to 15 Million Jobless, 49 Million Poor … and Congress is Focused on Guns
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Oneye says:
Canada doesn't want you, you American scum. Unless you're stinking rich, and not Jewish, then they'll welcome your money, and kick you out. No worries, they'll send your money on nice vacations.
BTW The Queen (of England) owns The Dominion of Canada. Are you ready to bow to her? How low?
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Nate Prentice says:
Point of clarification: "The legislation makes it easier for people to carry a concealed firearm across state lines, allowing people to use their concealed gun permit in any state without regard to requirements in other states. " Actually, as I understand the legislation, people who would have concealed carry permits who travel in different states would be beholden to follow the state laws in the state that they are present in. Essentially, it is similar to a driver's license and having to be aware of whether or not you can take a right on red in a different state.
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David says:
"This bill allows traffickers with concealed carry permits to transport firearms"… They should not have a concealed carry permit if they are a trafficker of illegal firearms…. I have a concealed carry permit, have taken an 8 hour course, have been fingerprinted at the Sheriff's office, have been checked out thoroughly by the justice department, do not have any felonies or intents to commit one, so my second amendment right should allow me as a law abiding citizen to carry as I please.
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Tom Ontis says:
Who in their right mind would give a gun trafficker a CCP? Are they undercover agents or FBI, CIA? Point is…if they're known gun traffickers, why aren't they in jail? It is still illegal to traffic in guns is it not? Unless your paid to take guns over the border, and then lose track of them…only to have said weapons show up again in a killing.
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who would give guns illegal to drug dealers? That's right, Obama, Holder and the US gov't – see fast and furious. That coat the life of one US Border Patrol agent and 100's of Mexican citiznes lives!
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LeftyLibtard says:
The author is a fool, one cannot obtain a CCW in another state unless they meet the requirements of their home state.
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Vincent says:
it amazes me how anti gun journalists are willing to write inaccurate facts or outright lies . Being inaccurate may indicate they are only stupid . However , it is very
dangerous and irresponsible when they outright lie.
So I have to say : smarten up or stop with your political
Agenda . We have a second amendment for a reason .
You all better accept the fact that America is
Coming to it’s senses and taking back our gun rights .
Oh and read the. Bill of Rights ! -
HACKIRISHTHUG says:
The young lady who wrote that load of crap( or just wrote what Sarah Brady's bunch told her to write) is not really stupid, she is just a useful idiot.
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Thank you. Another let them eat cake in this, the GOPs Antoinette week.
They failed to the job we sent them to DC to do, and then they took their fat pay – from our pockets – and went on vacation. Some millions of Americans will do without bread this Xmas. Let them eat cake, says the GOP, we're on vacation.
As if to expose the GOP for the liars they are, the same week we left Iraq is the week that the Iraq civil war went into overdrive. For ten years I had to endure the drivel, the spin, that we had democratized Iraq, I never believed a word, and nor did Iraqis, because they could see with their own eyes. I predicted that the same day we left the civil war would go into high gear. A moron could have predicted that. Unfortunately the GOP and their followers inhabit a world somewhere below moron.
And to stamp the GOP Antoinette week in blood, before the GOP military ran from Iraq, it dumped the evidence it had hidden about the Haditha massacres. It took the Iraqis less than a week to find it. No soldier Manning to torture, no Wikileaks to blame, this was a GOP massacre, a GOP coverup, and as is SOP for the GOP, the last slovenly act of the GOP before they ran. Now Iraq will expose the GOP military for what it is – an abyss beneath obscenity.
Oh yes, the military is the GOP military, all three wars are GOP wars. Three wars? Iraq, Afghanistan, and the war on Americans.
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Can I get a form somewhere that will let me move to Canada ?