Quinn Attempts "Assualt" Weapons Ban!!!

Attention Illinois Gun Owners and all who believe in the 2nd Amendment for what it was intended for.  The Governor has played a hand that you should be aware of. 
He has added an Amendatory Veto Message to SB0681 attempting an all out "Assault Weapons Ban"  You really need to read this.

July 31, 2012

To the Honorable Members of the Illinois Senate

97^th General Assembly

Pursuant to my constitutional powers as Governor of the State of Illinois, I hereby return Senate Bill 681 with specific recommendations for change. In doing so, I propose to ban assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines in our state.

As Governor, it is my foremost duty to protect the citizens of Illinois, especially our children, from deadly violence.

I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution– the right to bear arms. 

However, the proliferation of military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines undermines public safety and the right of personal security of every citizen.

Right now, anyone with a FOID card in Illinois is permitted by law to purchase an assault weapon. Illinois also does not impose any restrictions on the purchase or possession of high-capacity ammunition magazines, which automatically feed ammunition into a firearm chamber to allow the user to fire repeatedly without reloading.

Banning assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines will make Illinois a safer place to live. 

Other states including California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York all have such bans in place. The ban would not pertain to law enforcement officials or members of the military.

There is no place in the State of Illinois for weapons designed to rapidly fire at human targets at close range.

My action today gives the members of the General Assembly an immediate opportunity to protect the people of Illinois by banning assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines.

Therefore, pursuant to Article IV, Section 9(e) of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return Senate Bill 681, entitled “AN ACT concerning regulation.”, with the following specific recommendations for change:

By replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:

“Section 5. The Criminal Code of 1961 is amended by adding Sections 24-1.9 and 24-1.10 as follows:

(720 ILCS 5/24-1.9 new)

Sec. 24-1.9. Manufacture, possession, delivery, sale and purchase of semi-automatic assault weapons, assault weapon attachments, .50 caliber rifles, and .50 caliber cartridges.

(a)                Definitions.  In this Section:

(1)                “Semi-automatic assault weapon” means:

A.      Any of the firearms or types, replicas, or duplicates in any caliber of the firearms, known as:

                                                                                             i.            Norinco, Mitchell, and Poly Technologies Avtomat Kalashnikovs (all models);

                                                                                           ii.            Action Arms Israeli Military Industries UZI and Galil;

                                                                                          iii.            Beretta AR-70 (SC-70);

                                                                                          iv.            Colt AR-15;

                                                                                           v.            Fabrique Nationale FN/FAL, FN/LAR, and FNC;

                                                                                          vi.            SWD M-10, M-11, M-11/9, and M-12;

                                                                                        vii.            Steyr AUG;

                                                                                       viii.            INTRATEC TEC-9, TEC-DC9, and TEC-22; and

                                                                                          ix.            Any shotgun which contains its ammunition in a revolving cylinder, such as (but not limited to) the Street Sweeper and Striker 12;

B.       A semi-automatic rifle that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has any of the following:

                                                                                             i.            A folding or telescoping stock;

                                                                                           ii.            A pistol grip or thumbhole stock;

                                                                                          iii.            A shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles the barrel, and that permits the shooter to hold the firearm with the non-trigger hand without being burned; or

                                                                                          iv.            A fixed magazine that has the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds of ammunition;

C.      A semi-automatic pistol that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has any of the following:

                                                                                             i.            A folding, telescoping, or thumbhole stock;

                                                                                           ii.            A shroud that is attached to or partially or completely encircles the barrel, and that permits the shooter to hold the firearm with the non-trigger hand without being burned;

                                                                                          iii.            An ammunition magazine that attaches to the pistol outside the pistol grip;

                                                                                          iv.            A fixed magazine that has the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds of ammunition;

                                                                                           v.            A manufactured weight of 50 ounces or more when the pistol is unloaded; or

                                                                                          vi.            A semi-automatic version of an automatic firearm;

D.      A semi-automatic shotgun that has any of the following:

                                                                                             i.            A folding or telescoping stock;

                                                                                           ii.            A pistol grip or thumbhole stock;

                                                                                          iii.            A fixed magazine capacity in excess of 5 rounds; or

                                                                                          iv.            An ability to accept a detachable magazine.

“Semi-automatic assault weapon” does not include:

A.      Any firearm that:

                                                                                                                              i.            Is manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action;

                                                                                                                            ii.            Is an “unserviceable firearm” or has been made permanently inoperable; or

                                                                                                                           iii.            Is an antique firearm;

B.       Any air rifle as defined in Section 1 of the Air Rifle Act.

(2)                “Assault weapon attachment” means any device capable of being attached to a firearm that is specifically designed for making or converting a firearm into any of the firearms listed in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of this Section.

(3)                “Antique firearm” has the meaning ascribed to it in 18 U.S.C. Section 921 (a)(16).

(4)                “.50 caliber rifle” means a centerfire rifle capable of firing a .50 caliber cartridge.  The term does not include any antique firearm as defined in 18 U.S.C. Section 921 (a)(16), any shotgun including a shotgun that has a rifle barrel, or a muzzle-loader used for “black powder” hunting or battle re-enactments.

(5)                “.50 caliber cartridge” means a cartridge in .50 BMG caliber, either by designation or actual measurement, that is capable of being fired from a centerfire rifle.  The term “.50 caliber cartridge” does not include any memorabilia or display item that is filled with a permanent inert substance or that is otherwise permanently altered in a manner that prevents ready modification for use as live ammunition or shotgun ammunition with a caliber measurement that is equal to or greater than .50 caliber.

(b)                Except as provided in subsections (c) and (d), 90 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97^th General Assembly, it is unlawful for any person within this State to knowingly manufacture, deliver, sell, purchase, or possess or cause to be manufactured, delivered, sold, purchased, or possessed, a semi-automatic assault weapon, an assault weapon attachment, any .50 caliber rifle, or .50 caliber cartridge.

(c)                This Section does not apply to a person who possessed a weapon or attachment prohibited by subsection (b) before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97^th General Assembly, provided that the person has provided proof of ownership to the Department of State Police within 90 days after the effective date of this amendatory At of the 97^th General Assembly as required by law.  On or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97^th General Assembly, such person may transfer such weapon or attachment only to an heir, an individual residing in another state maintaining that weapon in another state, or a dealer licensed as a federal firearms dealer under Section 923 of the federal Gun Control Act of 1968.

(d)                This Section does not apply to or affect any of the following:

(1)                Peace officers as defined in Section 2-13 of this Code and retired peace officers not otherwise prohibited from receiving a firearm, in possession of a semi-automatic assault weapon, assault weapon attachment, or .50 caliber rifle transferred to the retired peace officer by his or her law enforcement agency upon retirement.

(2)                Wardens, superintendents, and keepers of prisons, penitentiaries, jails, and other institutions for the detention of persons accused or convicted of an offense.

(3)                Members of the Armed Services or Reserve Forces of the United State or the Illinois National Guard, while in the performance of their official duties or while traveling to or from their place of duty.

(4)                Manufacture, transportation, or sale of weapons, attachments, or ammunition to persons authorized under subdivisions (1) through (3) of this subsection to possess those items.

(5)                Possession of a semi-automatic assault weapon, an assault weapon attachment, a .50 caliber rifle, or a .50 caliber cartridge at events taking place at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex at Sparta, only while engaged in the legal use of the firearm or attachment, or while traveling to or from this location if the items are broken down in a non-functioning state, or are not immediately accessible, or are unloaded and enclosed in a care, firearm carrying box, shipping box, or other container.

(6)                Possession of any firearm if that firearm is sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee and by USA Shooting, the national governing body for international shooting competition in the United States, but only when the firearm is in the actual possession of an Olympic target shooting competitor or target shooting coach for the purpose of storage, transporting to and from Olympic target shooting practice or events if the firearm is broken down in a non-functioning state, is not immediately accessible, or is unloaded and enclosed in a case, firearm carrying box, shipping box, or other container, and when the Olympic target shooting competitor or target shooting coach is engaging in those practices or events.  For the purposes of the paragraph (6), “firearm” is defined in Section 1.1 of the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act.

(7)                Possession of a semi-automatic assault weapon, an assault weapon attachment, a .50 caliber rifle, or a .50 caliber cartridge only for a hunting use expressly permitted under the Wildlife Code, or while traveling to or from a location authorized for such hunting use under the Wildlife Code if the items are broken down in a non-functioning state, or are not immediately accessible, or are unloaded and enclosed in a case, firearm carrying box, shipping box, or other container.

(8)                Manufacture, transportation, possession, sale, or rental of blank-firing semi-automatic assault weapons and .50 caliber rifles or the weapons respective attachments to persons authorized or permitted, or both authorized and permitted to acquire and possess such weapons for the purposes of rental for use solely as props for a motion picture, television, or video production or entertainment event.

(e)                Sentence.

(1)                A person who knowingly manufactures, delivers, sells, purchases, or possesses or causes to be manufactured, delivered, sold, purchased, or possessed a semi-automatic assault weapon in violation of this Section commits a Class 3 felony for a first violation and a Class 2 felony for a second or subsequent violation or for the possession or delivery of 2 or more of these weapons at the same time.

(2)                A person who knowingly manufactures, delivers, sells, purchases, or possesses or causes to be manufactured, delivered, sold, purchased, or possessed in violation of this Section an assault weapon attachment commits a Class 4 felony for a first violation and a Class 3 felony for a second or subsequent violation.

(3)                A person who knowingly manufactures, delivers, sells, purchases, or possesses or causes to be manufactured, delivered, sold, purchased, or possessed in violation of this Section a .50 caliber rifle commits a Class 3 felony for a first violation and a Class 3 felony for a second or subsequent violation or for the possession or delivery of 2 or more of these weapons at the same time.

(4)                A person who knowingly manufactures, delivers, sells, purchases, or possesses or causes to be manufactured, delivered, sold, purchased, or possessed in violation of this Section a .50 caliber cartridge commits a Class A misdemeanor.

(720 ILCS 5/24-1.10 new)

            Section 24-1.10. Manufacture, possession, delivery, sale, and purchase of large capacity ammunition feeding devices.

                     i.                        As used in this Section:

“Large capacity ammunition feeding device” means:

1)                  A magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device that has a capacity of, or that can be readily restored or converted to accept, more than 10 rounds of ammunition; or

2)               Any combination of parts from which a device described in paragraph (1) can be assembled.

“Large capacity ammunition feeding device” does not include an attached tubular device designed to accept, and capable of operating only with, .22 caliber rimfire ammunition or any device that has been made permanently inoperable.

(b)        Except as provided in subsections (c) and (d), it is unlawful for any person within this State, beginning 90 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97^th General Assembly, to knowingly manufacture, deliver, sell, purchase, or possess or cause to be manufactured, delivered, sold, purchased, or possessed , a large capacity ammunition feeding device.

(c)        This Section does not apply to a person who possessed a device prohibited by subsection (b) before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97^th General Assembly, provided that the person has provided proof of ownership to the Department of State Police within 90 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97^th General Assembly as required by law.  On or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97^th General Assembly, such person may transfer such device only to an heir, an individual residing in another state maintaining that device in another state, or a dealer licensed as a federal firearms dealer under Section 923 of the federal Gun Control Act of 1968.

(d)        This Section does not apply to or affect any of the following:

1)                  Peace officers as defined in Section 2-13 of this Code and retired peace officers not otherwise prohibited from receiving a firearm, in possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device transferred to the retired peace officer by his or her law enforcement agency upon retirement.

2)                  Wardens, superintendents, and keepers of prisons, penitentiaries, jails, and other institutions for the detention of persons accused or convicted of an offense.

3)                  Members of the Armed Services or Reserve Forces of the United States or the Illinois National Guard, while in the performance of their official duties or while traveling to or from their place of duty.

4)                  Manufacture, transportation, or sale of large capacity ammunition feeding devices to persons authorized under subdivisions (1) through (3) of this subsection to possess those items.

5)                  Possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device at events taking place at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex at Sparta, only while engaged in the legal use of the device, or while traveling to or from this location if the items are broken down in a non-functioning state, or are not immediately accessible, or are unloaded and enclosed in a case, firearm carrying box, shipping box, or other container.

6)                  Possession of any large capacity ammunition feeding device if that large capacity ammunition feeding device is sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee and by USA Shooting, the national governing body for  international shooting competition in the United Sates, but only when the large capacity ammunition feeding device is in the actual possession of an Olympic target shooting competitor or target shooting coach for the purpose of storage, transporting to and from Olympic target shooting practice or events if the device is broken down in a non-functioning state, is not immediately accessible, or is unloaded and enclosed in a case, firearm carrying box, shipping box, or other container, and when the Olympic target shooting competitor or target shooting coach is engaging in those practices or events.

7)                  Possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device only for a hunting use expressly permitted under the Wildlife Code, or while traveling to or from a location authorized for such hunting use under the Wildlife Code if the items are broken down in a non-functioning state, or are not immediately accessible, or are unloaded and enclosed in a case, firearm carrying box, shipping box, or other container.

(e)        Sentence.  A person who knowingly manufactures, delivers, sells, purchases, or possesses or causes to be manufactured, delivered, sold, purchased, or possessed in violation of this Section a large capacity ammunition feeding device capable of holding more than 17 rounds of ammunition commits a Class 3 felony for a first violation and a Class 2 felony for a second or subsequent violation or for possession or delivery of 2 or more of these devices at the same time.  A person who knowingly manufactures, delivers, sells, purchases, possesses or causes to be manufactured, delivered, sold, purchased, or possessed in violation of this Section a large capacity ammunition feeding device capable of holding more than 10 rounds but not more than 17 rounds of ammunition commits a Class 4 felony for a first violation and a Class 3 felony for a second or subsequent violation or for possession or delivery of more than one of these devices at the same time.

Section 97. Severability. The provisions of this Act are severable under Section 1.31 of the Statute on Statutes.”

With these changes, Senate Bill 681 will have my approval. I respectfully request your concurrence.

Sincerely,

PAT QUINN

Governor

13 Year old entrepreneur shut down

Every once in while I find a story that really personifies the title of my blog. "Is this really still our country?"  A 13 Year old builds a business and the governments shuts it down.  Can you imagine, a young entrepreneur who does things the right way, who starts small, saves money and expands into a new empire following the rules even, is shut down by the power of government.  This should be the rallying cry for those of us who believe in individual liberty and prosperity.  The following is a honest example of someone pulling them self up from their boot straps, only to be pushed back down by crony capitalism and government tyranny.

The following is a story from Gary North "The TEA Party Economist".  

 

A 13-year-old mowed lawns to save up enough money to buy a hot dog cart. He got licensed. Then he tried to sell hot dogs. The city shut him down.

Why?

Two reasons. First, the good old boys who run local restaurants two decades ago got independent food vendors zoned out. Second, the teachers union got businesses banned for anyone under 18.

He had paid $2,500 for the cart. He sold it for $1,250.

He has just had the finest civics lesson that any public high school kid has received in twenty years in Holland, Michigan. He has seen civil government at work. He has seen how special-interest groups get politicians to feather all their nests.

The company that bought his cart will let him use it for free except on a few days during the year. So, he came out ahead.

The story hit the local media. He has become a kind of hero.

Readers encouraged [Nathan] Duszynski to “keep up the fight” while simultaneously blasting the zoning ordinance that he ran afoul of. Mobile food vendors have to be located adjacent to, and be a part of an existing business that already has a food service license. Duszynski is too young for a “peddler’s” license that would have allowed the cart to operate as long as it stayed in place no longer than 10 minutes.

The political system is set up to benefit insiders who have established positions in every industry. They don’t want competition. They want to pull up the ladder after they have climbed up.

It is good that this young man has seen it close up.

Gun Control Compromise

So Bill O'Reilly and others would like to see more gun control, specifically as Bill suggested, a law which would require folks who buy "Heavy Weapons" and large amounts of ammo to be investigated by the FBI.  My first thought on this is heck no, why should the Feds watch me, because I purchase some gun that a bureaucrat deems "Heavy Weapon".  As most supporters of the 2nd amendment understand, gun registration usually leads to confiscation at some point.  We are always told this is crazy in America, because we are the land of the free.

We are constantly told that that these kind of measures are for our own good, they are to fight terrorists and so on.  Well what about people who don't trust their Federal Government, who prepare for the day when the lines are drawn between those who support tyranny and those who fight for freedom?    

So I'm willing to make a compromise.

Every American who buys "Heavy Weapons" and large amounts of ammo should go on a list so the FBI know exactly where we are.  In return, every single Federal Agent who has access to the same kind of "Heavy Weapons" also goes on a list which will be made public.  This way we know who they are, and they know who we are.  This will make the 2nd American Revolution much more easy to fight.

What do you say???

Cheers,

Mike
  

Remember Colorado, Don't let them take your guns away!!!

Did you build a business? NO YOU DIDN'T, we built a business.

I am utterly appalled by the most recent comments by our President.  


"if you’ve been successful, you didn’t get there on your own.  You didn’t get there on your own.... If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help.  There was a great teacher somewhere in your life.  Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive.  Somebody invested in roads and bridges.  If you’ve got a business. you didn’t build that.  Somebody else made that happen.  The Internet didn’t get invented on its own.  Government research created the Internet so that all the companies could make money off the Internet.... The point is, is that when we succeed..."

Our President is going around the country telling Americans, the young, the students, the aspiring future leaders, everyone, that you can not pull yourself up from your boot straps, that only with the help of government subsidy is it possible to succeed.  That message is completely and utterly wrong in my opinion.  I don't think government roads, schools and utilities make it possible for industrious individuals to succeed.  Roads do not lead to motivation and the Internet does not lead to inspiration, they are simply amenities.  Sure people worked hard to build those roads, but taxes paid for them. 

The Government produces nothing!!! They take money from producers and use it to provide work and services.  Roads can be built by anyone, children can be educated by means other than government schools and most of the time technological advancements come from the private sector.  It is false to think that collectivist ideals are the only way to succeed in life.  I'm willing to admit that sometimes people achieve great things when they work together, but that does not mean that people are unable to achieve great things on their own.  It does not take a village, despite what you might have read or have been told by your leftist social engineering.

If our country is ever going to return to greatness, we need return to our roots.  We need to instill the ideas of individual greatness and achievement.  Everyone DOES NOT receive a trophy, only the winners do.  No society to date, has ever achieved what the United States has been able to achieve, though collectivism.  Once we learn that lesson, there is no end to what we can accomplish.

Cheers,

Mike
  

D.C. Police Nab Another Veteran Due to Tough Gun Laws

Is this the country we live in?  Yes, unfortunately it is.

 

Story by: S.H. Blannelberry
ON Guns.com




Award-wining journalist Emily Miller of The Washington Times recently published her third story on how Washington D.C.’s draconian gun laws are making criminals out of America’s heroes.

Her latest piece describes the plight of former Army Specialist Adam Meckler, who was arrested at a District VFW post in 2011 for being in possession of ‘unregistered ammunition.’ 

Three cities, D.C., Chicago, New York and two states Illinois and Massachusetts have laws on the books that criminalize the mere possession of ammo (even if one is not carrying a firearm at the time of the arrest).

For his “crime” the 9-year Army veteran, who served 15-months in Iraq and 15-months in Afghanistan, was thrown in jail.  Following his arrest, distressed and eager to put the misunderstanding behind him, he copped a plea deal with prosecutors – a decision he now regrets.

How it went down

On Sept. 19, 2011, Spc. Meckler went to drop his medial records off at the VFW located inside the Veterans Affairs D.C. regional office, several blocks away from the White House.

For the sake of convenience, the Army medic placed his paperwork in his first-aid backpack.  Although the primary purpose of the pack was medical equipment and supplies, he occasionally used it to carry his military-issued firearms - the Beretta M9 and a Springfield XDM – to the shooting range. 

When Spc. Meckler walked up to security at the Eye Street building and put his pack on the conveyor belt, he never thought, for an instant, that he would have trouble going through.  But things quickly changed. 

“The guard looking at the monitor screen had this crazy look on his face,” Spc. Meckler told Ms. Miller in a recent interview.  The guard was reacting to loose rounds of 9mm ammunition in the pack. 

The guards immediately cuffed Spc. Meckler, causing a big commotion in the process. 

“They yelled for the people in line behind me at security to back out of the building," said the Kentucky native. "As people were coming off the elevator, they were telling them to get back on. They shut down the lobby. It was like I had explosives or something in my bag.”

Confused by the situation, Spc. Meckler began to speculate as to what incited the melee.

“I was thinking, what is in my bag? I thought, there is no way it’s a gun, all my guns are locked up. I’d made sure there were no knives in the bag,” he told Ms. Miller. 

When the guards revealed to him that they found ammo, Spc. Meckler didn’t bristle.

“I have plenty of bags with random ammo in them. It never crossed my mind to look for them before going into D.C.,” he explained.

When the police showed up, they inquired if Spc. Meckler knew that carrying ammo in the District was against the law.  He confessed that he did not.  An officer then began to Mirandize the combat vet. 

Spc. Meckler interjected, still reeling from what had just happened, “Am I really going to be arrested for this?”  The officer affirmed that he was. 

Reflecting on the Past

Looking back on the incident, Spc. Meckler cannot make sense of it.  All the fuss over a few rounds of ammo did not make any sense to this soldier. 

Talking about his tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, he told Ms. Miller, “I can’t tell you how many people we PUCed -- we put in flexi cuffs -- and took them out of the village because we found explosives on them, but not for having some rounds on them.”

He added that his unit raided villages in Afghanistan and detained people with massive weapons caches that contained anti-aircraft rounds and piles of RPG rounds.

However, in the nation’s capital, several rounds of 9mm (officials say they found a total of 14 rounds in his pack) is enough to put one behind bars, even if that individual spent 9 years putting his life on the line for his country.

“I understand that it was my fault that the rounds were in the bag. I understand the lengths the security officers went to make sure that I was not a threat,” he told Ms. Miller. “What I don’t understand is that, after everyone completely understood the situation that I had accidentally put myself into, I was still arrested.”

Obama-Wama-Ding-Dong: A Children's Book For Adults

Not only is this a very Humorous book, it's a very accurate representation of President Obama's ascent to the White House and his early years as President. Not only does time fly when you're having fun, but also when the country is being run into the ground by an ideologue of the highest order. With all the time that has gone by it's hard to remember all the ridiculous stunts and events that have occurred, but not any more. Jake Aurelian has pieced together all the classic "Obama" moments that you probably thought you forgot about into one neat little package that you can read to "kids". (No matter how big they are.)

If you think President Obama has been one giant disaster, this book will put a smile on your face.

If you think MSNBC is real news, this book will make you mad as hell... Enjoy:-)

For me, it put a thrill up my leg, ;-)

Check it out on Amazon.com

You can hear Jake's radio interview here, He's in the 1st hour, at about the 29 minute mark. 

Cheers,

Mike

Republicans are not necessarily our friends

As a Republican I’m deeply concerned with the increase of the police powers by the state and loss of civil liberties that the citizens of this nation have endured in recent years.  Let's look at the the U.S. Patriot Act as well as the recent NDAA’s and even the FAA Act of 2012.  Combined these bills account for roving wire taps, indefinite detention and Unmanned Drones, like the one recently hacked by some College Students in Texas, flying over U.S. Airspace.

All of these measures have strong Republican support.  In my home state of Illinois, most of our Republican Congressmen and both of our Senators supported them.  Wire taps, detention, access to library and business records and drones. Is this the America that they envision?   Is that the America that you envision? 

It's time we start holding them all accountable.  We can't allow party loyalty to taint our opinion.  Statism is statism, no matter if it comes from the Blue or the Red.  It's time we start pointing this out at every opportunity and hold their feet to the fire.  

Cheers,

Mike