For The Benefit of Mexico

For The Benefit of Mexico

One of these days, we're going to find the embarrassing pictures that the Mexican government must have of most of our politicians. It's the only explanation for the increasingly open manner in which the interests of Mexico are taking precedence over those of the U.S. Attorney-General Eric Holder explained why the Obamination is going to push for a ban on sales of assault weapons (which is more severe than the 1994 ban, which only prohibited new manufacture). From February 25, 2009 ABC News:

The Obama administration will seek to reinstate the assault weapons ban that expired in 2004 during the Bush administration, Attorney General Eric Holder said today.

Holder said that putting the ban back in place would not only be a positive move by the United States, it would help cut down on the flow of guns going across the border into Mexico, which is struggling with heavy violence among drug cartels along the border.

"I think that will have a positive impact in Mexico, at a minimum." Holder said at a news conference on the arrest of more than 700 people in a drug enforcement crackdown on Mexican drug cartels operating in the U.S.

Mexican government officials have complained that the availability of sophisticated guns from the United States have emboldened drug traffickers to fight over access routes into the U.S.

A State Department travel warning issued Feb. 20, 2009, reflected government concerns about the violence.

"Some recent Mexican army and police confrontations with drug cartels have resembled small-unit combat, with cartels employing automatic weapons and grenades," the warning said. "Large firefights have taken place in many towns and cities across Mexico, but most recently in northern Mexico, including Tijuana, Chihuahua City and Ciudad Juarez."

1. Automatic weapons are not assault weapons. Any automatic weapon is subject to National Firearms Act regulation. You can't just go into a store and buy automatic weapons in the U.S. There is a procedure, involving background checks, fingerprinting, a several month wait, signoff by your police chief, sheriff, or other chief law enforcement officer. In many states, it isn't even possible--state law either has additional restrictions or completely prohibits it.

2. Because of the ironically named Firearms Owners Protection Act of 1986, new manufacture of automatic weapons for civilian ownership is unlawful--and as a result, legal automatic weapons are hideously expensive. The cheapest full automatic that I have seen offered was still $7500. Since you can buy full autos internationally for a couple hundred dollars, I think we know from where the guns the Mexican drug gangs are using are coming.

3. Hand grenades aren't even as available as automatic weapons. I suppose in theory that they are considered destructive devices and there might be a way to get a license for them, but again, I have never seen a live hand grenade offered for sale. Ever.

4. Let's see, where might Mexican drug gangs be getting automatic weapons and hand grenades. Could they be importing them on the international black market? They're drug gangs. Do you suppose that they might have some expertise in smuggling, and contacts with international criminal organizations? Do you suppose that they might be buying them from corrupt members of the Mexican Army? The U.S. has historically had a problem with National Guard armories "leaking" automatic weapons. John Dillinger's automatic weapons, for example, were frequently purchased from corrupt police departments and National Guard armorers.

5. Gee, if Mexico really has a problem with guns coming across the border, perhaps they could work on securing the border. We'll help. That will stop the inflow of illegal drugs and aliens at the same time. Can you see why this isn't going to happen?

The only good news out of all this is that Nancy Pelosi (D-Hell) isn't as stupid as she looks. She's made it quite clear that she's not interested in seeing such a bill. From February 26, 2009 USA Today:

Today's vote came a day after Attorney General Eric Holder raised the possibility that the Obama administration would push to bring back the ban on assault weapons. But Feinstein's San Francisco neighbor, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, shot down that notion today, The Hill reports.

"On that score, I think we need to enforce the laws we have right now," the Democratic leader said at her weekly news conference. "I think it's clear the Bush administration didn’t do that."

Enforce the laws we have right now? Did I read that right? She remembers what happened the last time a stupid bill like this got passed. The Democrats lost both houses of Congress because of it.

I have no idea what she is talking about when she says the Bush Administration didn't enforce existing laws. (And I'm quite sure that she doesn't either.) The Bush Administration aggressively enforced felon-in-possession laws, with often quite positive effects. I think she wants to distance herself from Bush--so she just makes stuff up.