Why Do You Think GUN Sales Are Up Since Obama Won?
frankls 
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Bernie Conatser has never seen this good business.
The owner of a store of weapons in the Washington suburb of Manassas, Virginia, Conatser said sales have doubled or tripled since this time last year. On Saturday, he said, he did as much sales as he would normally do in a week.
“I’ve been in business for 12 years, and I was here for Y2K, the Sept. 11, Katrina,” said Conatser, as a steady stream of customers browsed what was left of their stocks. “And all who were big events, and we did notice a spike in business, but nothing on the order of what we are seeing now.”
The distributors of weapons in much of the United States are markedly higher reporting of sales since Barack Obama won the presidency a week ago.
Buyers and sellers attribute the rising concerns that Obama and a Democratic-controlled Congress will move to restrict ownership of firearms, despite the insistence of campaign aides that the president-elect supports gun rights and believes that the issue a low priority.
According to FBI figures for the week of Nov. 3 to 9, the office received more than 374,000 requests for background checks of buyers of weapons – almost a 49 percent increase over the same period in 2007. Conatser said that his shop, the Weapons Company of Virginia, has been left out of some models – such as the AR-15 rifle, the civilian version of the military ‘s F-16 – and is running low on others.
These assault weapons are among the firearms that gun dealers and customers say they fear Obama was hit with new restrictions, or even off the market.
Virginia gun owner Kyle Lewandowski said he was buying a .45-Caliber Gun to hedge my bet. ”
“Every election year, you have to worry about their rights being eroded a little at a time,” he said. “I also knew, because of the Democratic majority and because of the choice, everyone would have the same reaction I did,” he added.
However, Peter Hamm, a spokesman for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, called the purchase Spree “goofy.” He said widespread talk of a ban on firearms is a “sales pitch.”
“With the speed that glacial progress on sensible gun laws, savvy consumers should know better weapon to think they have to go out and buy weapons,” said Hamm. Similar surges accompanied by the election of Bill Clinton, the last democratic president, he added.
Dealers in Colorado, Ohio, Connecticut and New Hampshire also reported seeing large increases.
“It ‘s a fact that liberal Democrats who now control three branches of our government do not like guns. They want us out of business, “a resident of Connecticut Scott Hoffman said. “They do not ‘do not want the average American to have a right to defend itself.”
And New Hampshire gun owner Lloyd Clement said, “I think there ‘s going to be an attack on some of the owners of the gun.”
The Clinton administration imposed a ban on several types of military style semi-automatic rifles and high-capacity magazines in 1994, but that the ban was allowed to lapse in 2004. Obama has proposed reinstatement of the ban, which require background checks for buyers of weapons at shows, and other “common-sense measures.”
He has said that it supported the rights of local governments to set their own gun laws, but believes that the Second Amendment to the Constitution protects the rights of firearm.
“I believe that the Second Amendment means something. I think it speaks of an individual right, “Obama said in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in February.
With the U.S. economy in a tailspin, however, the president-elect ‘s advisers say the gun law is not a high priority.
“What people do is their own business, and if they decide to go out and buy the weapons they ‘ll go out and buy firearms, assuming they are eligible to buy weapons,” John Podesta, co-chairman of Obama’ s transition team, told reporters on Sunday. “But I believe that President-elect, Obama has been clear in his campaign that what he wants is to focus on the economy, trying to get jobs growing again, dealing with the crisis health care, and cope with our dependence on foreign oil. ”
Some customers are specifically for storage of munitions and point to concerns raised by the National Rifle Association, which developed anti-Obama ads during the campaign.
The NRA said that support for Obama a “huge new tax on my pistols and ammunition,” a reference in Article 1999 a Chicago newspaper saying that the then state senator from Illinois is promoting a plan to increase federal taxes by 500 percent in the sales of firearms and ammunition.
However, as a state legislator, Obama did not have any control over federal taxes. And as the U.S. Senator and presidential candidate, who has not submitted or promoted such a proposal.
“I don ‘t really believe it is fear. Moreover, there is only uncertainty, “said Virginia customer David Reynolds, who was the purchase of ammunition in the store as well as ordering online.
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Even in these tough economic times people will still find the money to buy guns. Have people got the “better buy now before Obama gets our 2nd amendment rights taken away” mentality. Is this what is driving people to buy now?
So what do you think?
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The hate and fear
The second amendment was implemented in the Constitution to provide a means for ordinary citizens to protect themselves against a tyrannical government, its just another form of checks and balances.
How many times have to ask this? Gun sales always increase when an anti-gun president is elected because the new gun laws normally grandfather of the current owners.
Funny because Obama is trying to ban the possession of firearms …
Rednecks have their finger on the trigger; paranoia.
Because typical conservative fear mongering.
Hey really cool site. Nice info.
Gun sales are up, because most intelligent gun owners have looked at Obama’s record on gun rights and the 2nd Amendment. Not good. I don’t think the man ever met a gun control law he didn’t vote for, or even if he couldn’t vote for it, he was in favor of it. Now, suddenly, his rhetoric is exactly the opposite of his record. In fact, he doesn’t even make sense. “I believe the Second Amendment is an individual right” and that you have the right to defend yourself [With a gun]. Yet his policies are for banning concealed carry, that 44 states have made the law of their land. And I might add saw their violent crime rate drop.
There are those of us who know that because you have a gun, you don’t HAVE to be a killer, just like because you’re female, you don’t HAVE to be a prostitute. Both have the proper equipment, but it’s a matter of behavior, isn’t it? Especially in the common sense and restraint areas. There are some killers and some prostitutes.
People are thinking if they want to own a gun, especially particular types of guns, they better get them now before they are outlawed. Their mistake is believing there will be no ex post facto laws as is written in the Constitution. Well, a little thing called the Lautenberg amendment comes to mind, as well as a thing called the “street sweeper”. Both Ex Post Facto. Blatantly unconstitutional yet remain law. There are some words Patrick Henry once said, “Give me….” well, I won’t say them, you know them already. But they would be really good words to think on in this day and age.
Interesting isn’t it? If people exercise a constitutional right that causes others to have fear then we must find ways to restrict it right? If that is the case then we must restrict the 1st amendment – people use words to cause fear. “The pen is mightier than the sword” comes to mind. Just tell that to some defenseless woman such as myself (I am elderly and live alone) when some intruder breaks down my door. When that pen is used to disarm us who will protect us? The state? How many times have we seen the police show up in time to protect anyone from harm? They actually show up in time to take statements and conduct investigations – however, that is too late for the victim.
It seems clear to me why gun sales, especially of certain types, are spiking and yes it does have to do with the possibilities of what Pres. Elect Obama might do, but people are wrong in saying the buyers are fearing this outcome. If Obama reinstitutes a ban on assault and military style weaponry, the price of such weapons on illegal markets skyrockets, so the buyers are buying cheap now to sell to criminals at a much higher price later. It is the lax gun laws in this country that create such a lucrative market.
Now before you label me as a liberal nut trying to take away your guns, let me state I do believe people can have the right to own firearms (and I am quite liberal). As the two uses for firearms are for hunting and for personal protection I feel every citizen should be able to own ONE hunting rifle and ONE handgun (no concealed weapon permits, look at statistics they cause many more problems than they solve and also show me in the bill of rights where it grants the right to conceal arms). Also to gain the ability to own your two guns, every citizen should have to pass a course and get a license, to show you have earned the right to own a gun (just like all Rights in the Bill of Rights, this right is actually a privilege, as we have shown perfect tolerance towards denying people such rights in the past). So to wrap things up, one rifle, one handgun and your done for life, no “reporting” them stolen and if your license is taken away, no getting it back.
Just a 2 gun limit? LOL. That will never happen. As for buying cheap now and sale for much higher later to crooks………..doesn’t happen. They will sale for a profit to wealthy, legal gun owners. Liberal nuts push for crazy laws. Laws that can never be enforced. Leave things as they are.
Coro, you clearly do not understand the 2nd amendment. Americans have the RIGHT (not privilege, this is not a driver’s license) to bear arms for three legitimate reasons as highlighted by the founding fathers. 1. Self-Defense, 2. Hunting, 3. Protection/Deterrent from a tyranical gov’t. (if you want to incorporae this into #1, feel free). If you don’t believe me, do a little digging yourself and see what you find.
Unfortunately, all governed societies becomes complacent over time with their governments. Because power corrupts, this usually leads to revolutions if nothing is done to curb this behavior. I saved you some research here, here’s what the author of the Bill of Rights says:
“Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established, should not be changed for light and transient causes; and, accordingly, all experience [has] shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But, when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce [the people] under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.” –Thomas Jefferson: Declaration of Independence, 1776
“War… is not the most favorable moment for divesting the monarchy of power. On the contrary, it is the moment when the energy of a single hand shows itself in the most seducing form.” –Thomas Jefferson to Hector St. John de Crevecoeur, 1788
Now listen up, I’m not advocating some sort of armed uprising against the US gov’t. But I am saying we can if we absolutely had to. I think the mere fact that guns are in so many American hands, in it of itself , is enough of a deterrent to prevent abuses of so many of our rights (or “privileges” as you call them).
I have one question for you. If I’m limited to 1 hunting rifle and 1 handgun, which all-purpose caliber do you suggest I can use for squirrel through Elk? Am I supposed to hunt geese or turkey with a rifle? Do you know anything about guns and/or hunting to qualify your opinion regarding 1 rifle/shotgun and 1 handgun?
I own a pickup, a minivan, and a corvette. They are all vehicles designed for transportation, but I use them for very different purposes.
I agree with you on one thing, it is too easy to buy a gun. But best gun control you can ever legislate is EDUCATION! And I’m all in favor of harsh punishments for irresponsible or criminal firearm offenses.
CorO, it’s dangerous when people start believing they’re smarter than the US Constitution. Or that somehow it doesn’t apply anymore because you have decided to disqualified it as outdated. Or maybe you just interpreted it to suit your own opinions, despite how contrary it might run to the founder’s intentions.
Oh, I love this from the article…
“… AR-15 rifle, the civilian version of the military ’s F-16 – and is running low on others”
F-16 is an Air Force Jet Fighter. There is no firearm that goes by “F-16.”
CorO, did you write this article?
I agree with Mary. No one is going to protect you but you. Unless you’re wealthy enough to have 24/7 bodyguards. I own several of the nasty weapons, and have never shot anyone. And whoever said hunting and protection were the only reasons to have a gun, left out the main reason for the second amendment. Hunting and protection were a GIVEN in 1789. The real reason was to have a citizen militia capable of keeping the government in check. Well, although still legal, that hasn’t worked out too well, even though it was a good idea.
The second adment was established because the goverment didn’t have a large standing army and it thought an armed citizenry was a good way to stave off invasion. Well he have a large standing army now and the second admendment should be repealed.
Point blank, if you own or support the right to own an assult rifle, you are a parnoid, mentally unsound, fool who should be locked up forever so you don’t hurt anyone. Gun ownship does not prevent crime or terrorism only cause them. Disagree? I don’t care because you are obviously too stupid to have a reasoned conversation with and are beneath worrying about.
I think that, after the CNN bit ended up on John Stewart on thurs, Kyle decided to get a word in edge-wise. Don’t know if anyone’s seen this:
http://kylethegunowner.blogspot.com/
interesting…
Shannon,
The Supreme Court disagrees with your misinterpretation of the 2nd amendment. I do too. Why are you so afraid of “assault rifles?” Can you provide evidence that assault rifles being relegalized in 2004 has caused a spike in crime, murder, accidental shootings, suicides, etc? Can you provide evidence that assault rifles are being used in more crimes than during the periods when they were banned and only criminals had them?
No Shannon, no you can’t.
Your position on the 2nd amendment has nothing to do with rational, logical, and reasonable thought. It is supported by neither empirical, statistical, nor scientific evidence. I would say your position on the 2nd amendment is just an opinion. The lovely thing about unsupported opinions is that they cannot be proven right or wrong, they’re just opinions. I respect your right to have an opinion, but please refrain from bashing the “stupid” and “mentally unsound fools” who own guns because maybe, just maybe, we have more than just our opinions to support our positions.
It does not matter how many guns are banned. I can talk with friends that have firends and they can have a gun in my hand in no time. As in stupid people, stop rasing stupid kids and you can worry less. Look for the video from Mind of Mencia called DEE DEE DEE and you will understand why things will happen.