Over the last few months, I had been hearing that there is a shortage of ammunition. Honestly, I thought it was just a local thing. That is, until I read this article on the front page of today’s Virginian-Pilot:
…blame politics, and the thoroughness of the Democratic victory in November. Gun owners have long viewed Democrats as enemies of the Second Amendment. With that party now in control of the White House and both branches of Congress: “People think they’d better buy while they can,” said Ron Hess, a long time Norfolk gun shop owner. “Gun owners just figure that Democrats make screwed-up gun laws.”
My response to the story was the same as when I first heard it: are you serious?
Frankly, I’m surprised that people would think that the Second Amendment – or any amendment – could be overturned by any political party. We do, after all, have a process for amending the constitution. Not to mention the fact that I doubt legislation to do so could make it through the House or Senate, despite the size of the Democratic majorities.
Gun control legislation – which wouldn’t require a constitutional amendment – is also unlikely to gain favor in Congress. After all, we’ve got the Blue Dogs in the House and the centrists in the Senate. Democrats can’t agree on much these days, so the majorities mean little.
To those who think otherwise, I say: get a grip.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Obama has nominated a woman who does not believe that incorporation applies to the Second Amendment, so the Second Amendment does not apply to the States. The power to “regulate commerce between the States” has been morphed into absolute control over anything that remotely pertains to interstate commerce. The “general welfare” clause has gone from “The Congress shall have Power… to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States” to “Congress shall have Power to provide for the health and happiness of every individual.”
Vivian, you have a Jefferson quote right there in your “Welcome” block. Here’s another you might want to consider:
“Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have. The course of history shows us that as a government grows, liberty decreases.”
Perhaps I did not make my point clear. They will not try to overturn the 2nd Amendment, they will just ignore it, as they have so much of the Constitution.
The ammunition shortage is real and includes both Central and Southwest Virginia. .380 ACP in a personal defense load is virtually unobtainable and while 9mm is available, jacketed hollow point is ridiculously expensive. 40 S&W and .357-Sig seem to be OK, presumably because fewer civilians are carrying handguns chambered in those calibers. (Not many folks are using .380 anymore either, though, so I don’t know why it is so scarce unless manufacturers have simply been making less for a while.)
One would have thought that Heller’s confirmation of an individual right to own and possess would decrease paranoia, but the real effect seems to be the exact opposite. I had hoped that, post-Heller and once the incorporation question is settled, the extremists would realize the right to own and possess is secure and that we could move on some common sense regulation. For example, I’m a concealed carrier and I think it just makes sense that, if you are going to carry a concealed weapon, you should have demonstrated an ability to hit what you shoot at. Now that the General Assembly has approved online safety certification for concealed weapon permits (thanks Senator Cuccinelli), I’m as worried about an incompetent concealed carrier who’s never fired a weapon at a target accidentally hitting a bystander as I am about people being victimized because they are unarmed.
Similarly, once the Supreme Court establishes that handguns can’t be taken away, it would be nice if we could establish a handgun registry so we can track them like we do cars. The extremists have opposed registration on the ground that the Government knowing you have them is the first step in the Government taking them away.
Unfortunately, I think we can see the extremists are never going to be happy.
Supreme Court decisions are overturned all the time. If that registry exists, and the Court later rules that the Second Amendment applies only to the federal government, but does not restrict the States…. Well, say goodbye to your guns.
I did say “after the incorporation question is settled.” Thank you for confirming my suspicion that the paranoia isn’t decreasing anytime soon.
As I said, the Supreme Court overrules itself all the time. The Ricci case being the most recent example. Nothing is ever “settled” permanently.
Wow…glad I did my Christmas shopping early!
We have gun shows about every 3 months here in Hampton Roads. If not VB, Norfolk, Hampton and Richmond has them more often. You can buy as much ammo as you want from ammo dealers at the gun shows. Just more right-wing hyperbole from the “sky is falling” folks who manufacture issues, when they have no real ones to focus upon.
I should point out that in Heller the Supreme Court left a loop-hole big enough to fly the Starship Enterprise through. While declaring that gun ownership is an individual right, it said, this right is “subject to reasonable regulation” as to the type of firearm permitted, where it can be carried, and who will be permitted to own and carry. Since “reasonable regulation” is undefined, this means we could be limited to .22 calibre, single-shot rifles, with registration required, and still stay within the bounds of Heller. This would not be acceptable to most gun owners.
Actually, the 1939 Miller decision was quite specific that Miller did not have a right to own a sawed-off shotgun because it was not a military weapon.