Was interviewed on Crush the Street with Ken again, and we discussed my position on the 2nd Amendment. I frankly don't care about obscured gun/death statistics and view the right to gun ownership on a principled level - it was instituted to counter an oppressive government. Ergo, individuals should be armed to the level of soldiers and militias (in my opinion) should not only have access to tanks and other armament, but training in the use of them AND supplied with them.
We then went on to talk about how it's impossible for everybody to retire off of the stock market.
You aren't wrong.
ReplyDeleteWhen the 2A was written, you could go out and buy a boat with cannons and conduct naval warfare.
Hi Captain Capitalism.
ReplyDeleteBut who would pay for the training of citizens in tank instructions? I don't think Milton Friedman would have approved of that.
The right-wing-side of the political economic spectrum tends to approve of liberties that are unsupported by the government. To subsidize citizens for private purposes would venture us into Democratic territory ...
Just a thought.
The 'knowledge' of US gun laws, at least federal ones, are very greatly misunderstood. Even amongst those knowledgeable in firearms.
ReplyDeleteThe US federal government does not restrict, in any form, the kind of weapons a citizen can privately own.
One example is the common misconception that a US citizen can not own an automatic small arm, like the M2. Or the related misconception that one needs a class 3 license to own an automatic small arm (a class 3 is required to SELL automatic small arms, not to buy).
No, any US citizen, barring state limitations, can purchase an automatic weapon in nearly the same manner as any other weapon. The only difference is the requirement of paying an additional $200 tax stamp during the purchase or sale of such a weapon. This goes the same for bazookas etc.
Personally I see this a violation of US Code, which specifies that no Federal, State, or local municipality may collect, record, or store any data concerning the ownership of firearms of US citizens. Despite this personal annoyance, the fact remains, automatic (or class 3 destructive devices) are still perfectly acquirable for US citizens.
The same would go for tanks (or more specifically, their weaponry - the tank is just a vehicle; might need a special license to use it on public roads however) and even nuclear warheads and the weapons designed to employ them.
However... The difficulty in acquiring these weapons is not on the buyer's side, but the sellers. The US government does not allow the sale of such weapons from it's stockpile either on principle or secrecy concerns (wouldn't want to let the ...I'm having a hard time coming up with a suitable existential enemy of the US as a result of the US's current cultural malaise... bad guys buying our weapons through straw purchases and then deconstructing them to improve their own -like the Chinese and our computer tech- or test how best to disable/destroy them). Then there are also special treaties, such as the non-proliferation treaty, which restricts other nations from selling their weapons to other parties, which include US civilians.
CEO Nikolic,
ReplyDelete"Tank instructions..."
Really?
You do know many US citizens own tanks, even some fairly recent ones; right? The M1 itself is incredibly simple to operate, there is no secret handshake or complicated hoopla. It's so simple, even 18 year old graduates of the US's school system can operate the vehicle. Even with no instructions, it is not difficult to figure out how to operate such things. (Yes, even fighters; the principles of flight don't change, only which buttons which turn on the engines.)
Did you just come here only to try to finger-wag and concern troll? Who do you think you are going to convert with such silly and puerile nincompoopery?
Pay attention: The "rights" defined in the 2nd amendment are NOT granted by the government in any shape, form, or fashion. The 2nd amendment grants no-one, nothing; it only FORBIDS the government the power to RESTRICT things.
You need to learn the difference.
As for Milton Freedman; I couldn't care less if he'd approve of myself, or anyone else, owning a tank. Or a fighter plane. His opinion doesn't enter into it.
"But who would pay for the training of citizens in tank instructions? I don't think Milton Friedman would have approved of that."
ReplyDeleteWho pays for the training of citizens in SCUBA instructions? Or driving instructions? Or motorcycle instructions? Or truck driving instructions? Or welding instructions? Or hang gliding instructions? Or archery instructions? Or photography instructions? Or cooking instructions?
I recall many years ago that if you are knowledgeable enough it may be possible to obtain some component military parts the government sells in surpluses given the feds are not always that careful. One guy put together a Cobra helicopter this way.
ReplyDelete