`"A novel approach to curbing gun crimes in Seattle looks to sidestep legal battles with the NRA". "With a new national push to combat gun violence, the city of Seattle has begun to tax firearms and ammunition in an audaciously creative way to get around Second Amendment protections on guns. The tax has passed its first court test, signaling an approach that other municipalities could adopt, with a $25 tax on every firearm sold in the city, 2 cents on every round of .22 caliber ammunition, and a 5-cent tax for every other round of ammunition. The tax went into effect on Jan. 1 after surviving a challenge from the National Rifle Association and other gun-rights groups when King County Superior Court Judge Palmer Rubinson ruled in December that Seattle has the constitutional and legislative authority to impose taxeswhich, as she noted, is separate from the citys ability to regulate guns. City attorney Pete Holmes was initially surprised the NRA didnt ask for a stay in the judges ruling when filing its appeal Monday in state court. If the NRA sought constitutional relief, they would have appealed in federal court. But, from a legal standpoint, this isnt about the Constitution. Everybody assumes this is about the Second Amendment, but its not, and thats the story, Holmes told The Daily Beast in a telephone interview. No one is telling you that you cant own or buy a gun, says Holmes. We believe we are in a safe haven. Were not regulating guns; were simply adding a tax. - Source ` **************************` This is a novel idea that has never been tried yet. Me and many other Americans will be watching this with great interest. If it saves just one life, I'd like to see cities, county and townships implement this throughout the U.S..
Another ridiculous "if it saves on life mantra." That getting sort of worn out like "it's for the children." Typical liberal thinking. BTW this hadn't made it out of the courts yet and causes purchasers to go elsewhere. Is there not end to liberal nitwittery?
Want less murders.....hows about punishing the criminals who commit them or aid in their acts. In MA, they just released (as in "YOURE FREE!") the guy who gave the gun to the boston marathon bombers who used that very gun to execute a police officer. So don't give us this crap about taxing ammunition. You guys cant even keep the guys who are committing these acts in jail. YOU LET THEM OUT! I have a better idea, how about we tax leftists every time they have a dumb idea or every time they let criminals cross our border or put them back onto the streets where they commit another crime. We could cure cancer with the revenue generated from that alone.
These dimwits are the same people defending the guy who stuck a gun in a police officers face and pulled the trigger until the gun was empty. The same guy who made multiple trips to the ME then confessed he did it in the name of ISIS. They are running with the mental illness route. As I predicted they would months ago for every terrorist caught dead to rights. They then try to blame legal gun owners. Like I said yesterday leftist gun grabbers are the common denominator in street violence and terrorism as they are the catalysts that allow both to flourish. They need gun violence to continue, that's why they defend radical islamists and vilify a domestic white guy. If we stopped terrorists there would be less violence which damages their "guns are evil" ideology. The white guy they refer to as "home grown" helps their argument that guns are bad while the terrorists do the opposite. The terrorists assert the fact that the second amendment is needed now more than ever.
That's interesting. Maybe they could also tax rope and razors to cut down on suicides. I mean this is guaranteed to stop at least one murder, it could cost you a whole $1 extra to murder a family of 4 in a home invasion.
` The money raised from this tax ( $300,000 to $500,000 a year ) might go for compensating hospitals/clinics for gunshot victims or to fund research and prevention programs.
There won't be any money going to fund that, and you'll be losing the normal tax money you'd be getting from weapon and ammo sales thanks to this law. Hows the private sales law doing? Catch any criminals yet or is it still at zero prosecutions?
Let's be honest here. This new tax scheme is not about ending murders. Criminals and thugs won't care about a tax on firearms. They buy them off the street anyway. Criminals and thugs especially won't care about a tax on ammo. They use drug money or ill gotten proceeds to buy ammo. Read (free money) of which they have plenty to throw away. Just be honest for once and come right out and say it. You wish to infringe on law abiding citizens rights because you don't like them having those rights. Not far from the ideology of ISIS. Perhaps that's the common key between progressives and radical Islam? I wonder what will happen when the muzzies accumulate enough power from the progs that they demand Roe v Wade be overturned? Would that sway a prog from support? Throwing gays off a building isn't enough, we've seen that. Maybe abortion is the straw that would break the camels back.
` ` Looks like the city of Seattle disagrees with you. Let's be honest here, they are willing to spend their tax dollars on legal fees defending this unique approach. It's an excellent compromise and a win-win situation for everyone.
I'm not surprised the city of Seattle or you disagree with me. I'm not surprised the idiots of Seattle are willing to spend the people's tax dollars on antigun legislation aimed at specifically de arming the law abiding citizens while protecting the protected criminal class. I am surprised you have determined a winning scenario in any of this. Mind sharing what that could possibly be?
No, in the long run it will,cost innocent lives. But because that will not be a quantifiable statistic the progressives could care less about the blood on their hands. They're quite willing to shed blood if they cannot be held personally accountable.
` Absolutely no restriction of 2nd Amendment rights VS tax revenue that will be used for humanitarian purposes. What's wrong with that?
Then the city of Seattle can lose it's gun stores, and the income they generate. People in the city of Seattle will buy their legal guns and ammo outside the city. That's the net effect. No lives saved, no criminals affected, jobs lost, revenue lost, legal fees wasted. Congratulations.
Hahaha, "never been tried yet", that's rich. Quasi-prohibitionists have to be the most idiotic people on the planet. People aren't going to stop harming their fellow man because of a moronic "feel good for them" tax. Though the interest might be saving "just one life", the chronically naive should really concentrate on "saving just one more brain cell".
Your specifically targeting the poor in the poorest increased crime neighborhoods who may desire the means to protect themselves. You are essentially taxing the poors rights out of existence. Let's face facts here. The left doesn't care if the poor person they are disarming is a thug or righteous upstanding citizen. You want the poor disarmed because your afraid they might wander into your posh neighborhood with ill intent. Seeing as the left protects criminals you can't go after crime with harsher sentences. You need those voters on the street voting. So instead the progs attempt to disarm any low income person wether they have a propensity for crime or not. Claiming that as a humanitarian purpose is akin to disarming the Jews in Germany to protect the nazis from them.
What a load. The judge is a county judge, hardly at the top of the food chain. Even your article says the ruling is being appealed. Next.
If I were King and ordered you to pay an extra $10.00 a gallon tax on gasoline would you consider that a restriction on your ability to drive? I realize most progs live in cities and ride bicycles but just humor me on this.
I'm trying to wrap my head around the whole save a life concept. I think to myself, Ok a bad guy wants some ammo for his illegally possessed weapon, he didn't follow the law to get the gun so now a tax will stop him or her from purchasing the ammo thereby saving a life, that seems absurd. I think to myself, Ok a depressed person has reached the decision to end their life, a tax on ammo will stop the suicidal person thereby saving a life, that seems absurd. I think to myself, Ok a law abiding citizen wants to purchase ammo for hunting, target shooting or self defense, a tax on ammo will stop that thereby saving a life, that seems absurd. Matter of fact I recall not long ago that ammo and gun prices skyrocketed and people still purchased them, naw the save a life thing is patently absurd. Its an emotional argument. Now as far as raising money, it will some but not nearly as much as they think. It's more feel good emotional baggage anti-gunners are so fond of.
It's just another that liberalism is not only societal suicide but mental illness. It's a political system that trumps something very basic and that is survival.
` I guess that means you don't like the idea, but don't worry. If you don't live in Seattle, it will not affect you.
` The NRA tried to legally block the law in court before it was enacted. It failed and the law was enacted as scheduled.
I just feel sorry for all those poor people and single moms who just want to be able to protect themselves from assault, rape, murder, etc. That's just the humanitarian in me coming out!
