Hugh,
James nailed it in his piece, “Learning From Washington’s Huge Background Checks Mistake”. Washington’s statewide election results are determined by metropolitan Seattle, where the majority of the state’s population lives. We all know that big-city voters are mostly NOT property owners, so they have little incentive to think critically about ballot measures, referendums, and initiatives. That, added to the huge numbers of public assistance recipients in Seattle (and every large city) and you have the reason why Democrats and Democrat-led ballot measures win in the state. (Oregon is exactly the same, with metropolitan Portland.) The last two sentences in James’ piece are exactly right, and all those of us in Washington who voted AGAINST I-594 (and FOR I-591) know it, as do the authors of I-594. This is all about incrementally stripping the citizenry of our 2A rights.
Here is a story about how I-594 affected a museum that displayed WWII rifles.
Here is a notice from the Shooting Range I use about I-594’s effect on its firearm rental program.
Also, here’s something of an aside but relevant to the Seattle mindset; the Seattle Seahawks are the ONLY team in the NFL whose political donations go 100% to Democrat candidates.
God’s peace to you. – R.G.
o o o
HJL,
As noted, these 18 pages of poorly-written BS legislation was passed due to media support and the idiots on the west side of the state. You might have also noted that since 1998 all FFL dealers have been required to keep records of those who failed a background check, which only be because of a criminal act. I personally spoke to several of the larger dealers in the Spokane area, and they all said the same thing– NO law enforcement, including probation officers, have EVER looked at those records or checked out the felon trying to purchase a firearm. I am guessing those felons got guns the usual way—theft. – D.W.