obama appoints anti-gun activist to the head of the ATF.

[texas1willy2]

Looks like Obama once again is ignoring the will of the voters. Obama has appointed an anti-gun activist with an F rating from the NRA to the head of the ATF. Keep in mind that Obama was a board member on the anti-gun Joyce Foundation

“The Second Amendment had a great night on [election day]. Across the nation, the right to arms is stronger than ever, and the stage has been set for constructive reforms in 2011. [In the] U.S. Senate: The net result of Tuesday was a gain of +6 votes on Second Amendment issues…. In not a single U.S. Senate seat did the gun control lobby gain ground.”

"The IACP report, generated with Traver’s help, called on Congress to ban thousands of commonly owned firearms by misrepresenting them as “assault weapons,” as well as calling for bans on .50 caliber rifles and widely used types of ammunition. The report also suggests that Congress should regulate gun shows out of existence and should repeal the privacy protections of the Tiahrt Amendment—all efforts strongly opposed by the NRA and its members."

NRA-ILA :: NRA Strongly OpposesThe Nomination Of Andrew Traver to Head BATFECalls On President Obama To Withdraw The Nomination
NRA Strongly Opposes Gun Grabber Andrew Traver to Head BATFE

 

[Texan2]

scary stuff

 

[SiscoKid]

Why not ignore the will of the people? It's been his pattern the whole way. Stimulus, Obummer Care, the list goes on.

I know here in Texas we have strengthened our pro-gun legislature. If they try to come here and take them, we are ready.

 

[Burt Gummer]

Why not ignore the will of the people? It's been his pattern the whole way. Stimulus, Obummer Care, the list goes on.

I know here in Texas we have strengthened our pro-gun legislature. If they try to come here and take them, we are ready.

He has been ignoring the will of the people since election and nothing has happened to him. Why should he quit now?
I am convinced he will keep pushing his nonsense until we push back.

 

[texas skeeter]

well "I" for one will be rarely positive about it on this one!! When O-JACKA$$ gets thrown out of office on his head in 2012, SO WILL all these LAMEA$$ APPOINTMENTS!!

 

[M. Sage]

Not at all a surprise. Obama was a member of the Joyce Foundation board. The Joyce Foundation is the one pulling the strings of organizations like the misleadingly-named International Association of Chiefs of Police (exists purely as an anti-gun organization), the ironically-named Freedom States Alliance and Legal Community Against Violence (but only if it involves guns... and they include ownership as "violence"), funding them and probably telling them how things should be run. Joyce is a very Progressive organization and as such is pure, unadulterated evil.

And Obama drew a paycheck from them.

Matter of fact, I spent a little time on Google, and the "person" in charge of Joyce's anti-gun section donated $2300 to Obama's campaign.

But don't worry. All the liberals I knew assured me before the election that Obama "isn't that anti-gun."

 

[zembonez]

Why not ignore the will of the people? It's been his pattern the whole way. Stimulus, Obummer Care, the list goes on.

I know here in Texas we have strengthened our pro-gun legislature. If they try to come here and take them, we are ready.

Excellent post. I agree completely.

 

[texas1willy2]

Well, it's official (if misspelled, in the New York Times)--Andrew Traver is President Obama's choice to be the BATFE's next Supreme Leader:

Nearly two years into his term, President Obama on Monday finally chose a director for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Mr. Obama will submit the name of Andrew Taver [sic], the special agent in charge of the bureau’s Chicago field division, to the Senate for consideration, the White House said.

This, no doubt, will immensely please the Brady Campaign, who will probably try to imply that it was their complaining--and complaining (pdf file)--that inspired this action.

That Traver's would be the name eventually submitted has been suspected for months, with the first (to my knowledge) to bring up the possibility being Mike Vanderboegh, back in early July. In that post, Mr. Vanderboegh documented some of Traver's hostility to the right to keep and bear arms:

But there is more to Traver than selfless service to his community. He is an anti-firearm rights zealot. He is on record as opposing so-called "assault rifles" in the hands of citizens. Worse, he is a prominent member of the virulently anti-firearm International Association of Chiefs of Police.

The NBC Chicago "news" story in which Traver expresses his opposition to private ownership of so-called "assault weapons" is something, it turns out, that I have discussed before, as has National Gun Rights Examiner David Codrea (video of that story can be seen to the left). One of my favorite parts of the NBC piece was this:

Traver says the power and randomness of the heavy caliber, military-style weapons make them so dangerous not only to people, but to police.
Forgetting the "heavy caliber" nonsense, when discussing guns that are considered to be of pretty marginal power by most deer hunters, is Traver trying to say that police are not people? The "Only Ones" superhuman enough, apparently.

The question now is whether or not the Senate will confirm him. The New York Times article says "he may face a confirmation fight" (and David Codrea points out that there had better be one). The recent Washington Post anti-gun series (discussed here) seems to imply that such a fight is inevitable:

In August, sources in the ATF said Andy Traver, a special agent in charge of the ATF in Chicago, was being considered for the job. Gun-lobby representatives immediately said they would oppose his nomination because they thought he was too close to gun-control activists.
Hmm . . . "too close to gun control activists" is one way to put it, but a more accurate way might be to say that he has been an activist for forcible citizen disarmament.

It's hard to know when the confirmation fight will commence--will Obama try to ram it through the Senate during the lame duck session, before the Democrat majority shrinks considerably, or does he think it can happen even in the face of a considerably more Republican Senate next year? Perhaps Traver will be a recess appointment, and thus become Acting Director through late 2012. That, actually, might be the biggest threat. Mike Vanderboegh has said that this route will be attractive to the DoJ, since it would avoid the problem with confirmation hearings--those inconvenient questions under oath.

If that's what happens, expect an all out assault on gun ownership, and an energized forcible citizen disarmament lobby. Keep your powder dry.

 

[Texasjack]

And exactly WHO is surprised by this??

Private ownership of firearms is not compatible with socialism, because socialism requires that everyone be dependent on the state for protection and that no one should be able to resist the authority of the state. These elitists are convinced that they are smarter than the rest of the people and should be allowed to do all the thinking for us.

What Obama does shouldn't scare you. What should scare you is that DESPITE seeing what Obama's government is all about, millions of people turned out at the mid-terms to re-elect Pelosi, Reid, Rangle, and so many other leftists. The Tea Party folks made a dent in the Left's ability to get legislation through Congress, but as a nation we have failed to educate the voting population about the value of democracy and the perils of socialism.

BTW, this week the Dept. of Homeland Security started seizing internet domain names from anyone they felt were violating copyright laws. (Anyone remember the term "due process"?) So I'm pretty sure that Obama's brownshirts are trolling the 'net looking for 'enemies'.

I just hope they spell my name right when they add it to their list.

 

[texas1willy2]

He's appointed two devout muslims to high level DHS positions, a gay activist to be the safe school czar. He promoted an attorney that was responsible for getting terrorist tried in a civilian court, then ultimately set free as the Solicitor General. A member of La Razza to the Supreme Court, a gay woman to the Supreme Court.

(these are off the top of my head, I'm sure there are plenty more examples)

Whats next, a PETA official to run US Fish and Game, vegan to head up the USDA?

 

[pyrat]

Well look at the bright side. The pain should only last for two more years. And with the turn over in the house, the pain may not be as great going forward.

 

[texas1willy2]

Imagine what his pardon list will look like? Don't think the new members in the House and Senate will slow him down recess appointments and executive orders for every controversial appointment and agenda change from here on out.

I also how they didn't see the Pelican Brief and decide that they need a few more Supreme Court picks.

 

[matefrio]

NRA Strongly Opposes Gun Grabber Andrew Traver to Head BATFE


Hit piece featuring AT and riddled with lies.
[video]http://media.nbcchicago.com/designvideo/rcpHolder9-15.swf?path=%2Fstation%2Fas-seen-on&id=69623722[/video]

 

[KAK]

Do you think he will try to rush it through the lame duck session before this dickbeat will be blocked by the incoming senate?

 

[M. Sage]

He's appointed two devout muslims to high level DHS positions, a gay activist to be the safe school czar. He promoted an attorney that was responsible for getting terrorist tried in a civilian court, then ultimately set free as the Solicitor General. A member of La Razza to the Supreme Court, a gay woman to the Supreme Court.

(these are off the top of my head, I'm sure there are plenty more examples)

Whats next, a PETA official to run US Fish and Game, vegan to head up the USDA?

That guy isn't a gay activist, he's taken a position that supports pedophilia. Big difference between the two.