Obama cuts crime. Credit to the administration for a drop in the murder rate

[Guest TnRebel]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jun/7/obama-cuts-crime/

EDITORIAL: Obama cuts crime

Credit to the administration for a drop in the murder rate

By THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Call it the Obama effect. The murder rate dropped 7.4 percent nationwide last year, and the administration can enjoy some of the credit - but not for the reason you might think. Mr. Obama's election sparked a surge in gun sales, and, consequently, crime rates have plummeted.

In November 2008, a total of 450,000 more people purchased firearms than had bought them in November 2007. This is a more than 10-fold increase, compared with the change in sales from November 2007 over November 2006, which was only about 35,000. The average year-to-year increase in monthly sales in the past decade averaged just 21,000.

The long lines at the local gun stores continued well beyond the presidential election. From November 2008 to October 2009, almost 2.5 million more people bought guns than had done so in the preceding 12 months. It is likely that the total number of guns sold was much higher, as the National Instant Criminal Background Check System only reports the number of purchasers, not how many weapons were purchased.

The last time the murder rate dropped at this rate, it was 1999, and Bill Clinton was president. In the wake of Columbine, those who feared further curtailment of their Second Amendment rights flocked to gun stores, and sales soared. Rightly so, considering the likes of deputy domestic policy adviser Elena Kagan worked behind the scenes of the Clinton White House, advocating trigger locks and more burdensome gun-control measures.

The connection between firearm ownership and safer streets is simple and direct. Criminals realize that they face far greater risks when members of the public have the tools they need to defend themselves. On the other hand, criminals see greater opportunities when the right to self-defense is restricted. Americans living in the District of Columbia and Chicago have seen this phenomenon firsthand - murder rates jumped in both cities after strict gun-control measures took effect. In the year that followed the Supreme Court's overturning of Washington's ownership ban and trigger-lock laws, murder rates plunged 25 percent.

If the Supreme Court strikes down the Chicago gun ban this month, Americans may get to see yet again that more guns mean less crime.

[jeremy155rr]

lies, lies, lies!!!

[Chucktshoes]

DELAY....DE.. .oops, wrong thread!

[Guest 6.8 AR]

The Obama Effect: Knowing how his policies will increase the incidence in the lack of

law abiding behavior, the people rush to buy guns to protect themselves, and the

Constitution from rape, incest and communism!

[mikegideon]

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Attaboy:D

[RobertY]

Sorry but OBama does not have a thing to do with my very recent desire to get hand guns for both myself and my wife and also a shot gun for the home.

Both of us have always been strongly against guns in our home. But now I am getting older and my hands and feet are not anywhere near as fast as they used to be.

Also sadly it looks that there are a lot more crazies out there. I do know in our area Violent Home Invasions are becoming all to common. It is getting scary and now we have both come to an understanding that you can not stay unarmed. After all a lot of the drug crazed lunatics that are kicking in peoples doors are already armed and fully intend to do you bodily harm while robbing you blind.

It is starting to make me down right angry when I hear on the news that another home invasion wound up with the home owners injured or dead. What is also shocking to me is that when the home owners defend themselves and kill the would be thieves my thoughts now lean toward, "once less scum bag on the earth". I'm sorry but those type thoughts that I have are still shocking to me. I do feel guilty very briefly after having one but am coming to realize that with the frequency of it happening that something has to be done.

So now twice now we have ventured out looking and pricing and going into sticker shock. LOL!

[mikegideon]

Sorry but OBama does not have a thing to do with my very recent desire to get hand guns for both myself and my wife and also a shot gun for the home.

Both of us have always been strongly against guns in our home. But now I am getting older and my hands and feet are not anywhere near as fast as they used to be.

Also sadly it looks that there are a lot more crazies out there. I do know in our area Violent Home Invasions are becoming all to common. It is getting scary and now we have both come to an understanding that you can not stay unarmed. After all a lot of the drug crazed lunatics that are kicking in peoples doors are already armed and fully intend to do you bodily harm while robbing you blind.

It is starting to make me down right angry when I hear on the news that another home invasion wound up with the home owners injured or dead. What is also shocking to me is that when the home owners defend themselves and kill the would be thieves my thoughts now lean toward, "once less scum bag on the earth". I'm sorry but those type thoughts that I have are still shocking to me. I do feel guilty very briefly after having one but am coming to realize that with the frequency of it happening that something has to be done.

So now twice now we have ventured out looking and pricing and going into sticker shock. LOL!

I've had guns all my life, and haven't just come to a realization about thugs. Over the last year, I bought a lot more, and it was all about Obama. A LOT of folks are just like me. The gun in my avatar is over 30 years old, and I bought it NIB.

I'm glad that there are new gun owners every day. Just realize that a lot of us have been here all along.

[RobertY]

Never even hinted that gun owners are a new thing.

Just stated a fact that OBama has nothing at all to do with my wife and myself interested in getting a few guns for self defense and home defense.

A lot of people in my family have been gun owners for many many years. Just not the wife and I. If I were not getting older and slower and violent home invasions becoming the norm, I still would not even be considering guns. Our home is not undefended in the least bit. I do have a whole arsenal of different types of martial arts weapons. Those how ever are short range weapons that have to be used with in a few feet. That is fine and dandy for the first few that come through the door IF I am awake and aware their behinds are mine no problem. The scenarios that I am very worried about are the early after hours kick in the door by thugS that are armed with guns. That will be a problem in our current situation as then they would have distance as a huge advantage.

What we are toying with is possibly a .22 or .25 for her to carry. (she is a little thing)

A .38 revolver for myself

A shot gun for home defense.

[mikegideon]

Never even hinted that gun owners are a new thing.

Just stated a fact that OBama has nothing at all to do with my wife and myself interested in getting a few guns for self defense and home defense.

A lot of people in my family have been gun owners for many many years. Just not the wife and I. If I were not getting older and slower and violent home invasions becoming the norm, I still would not even be considering guns. Our home is not undefended in the least bit. I do have a whole arsenal of different types of martial arts weapons. Those how ever are short range weapons that have to be used with in a few feet. That is fine and dandy for the first few that come through the door IF I am awake and aware their behinds are mine no problem. The scenarios that I am very worried about are the early after hours kick in the door by thugS that are armed with guns. That will be a problem in our current situation as then they would have distance as a huge advantage.

What we are toying with is possibly a .22 or .25 for her to carry. (she is a little thing)

A .38 revolver for myself

A shot gun for home defense.

I think everyone should be armed. I agree, we live in a dangerous world these days.

I would take the wife somewhere with a range and some rental guns. My girlfriend (also new to handguns) likes my .22, but she handles the 9mm and .45 just fine. Her least favorite was the .380. A .22 and a .25 are both smaller than the minimum defense caliber. She may surprise you with what she can handle.

Can't beat a shotgun for the house. I keep one loaded with buckshot.

[RobertY]

I only wish that I was more up to date on fire arms. I am 50 years old now and I have not fired a gun since I was 16/17. Even then it was limited. My Uncles Colt .45 and double barrel 12g shot gun. Also since I was in the NJROTC in High school I became pretty good with the bolt action .22 rifle. But as you can see that is from a different era. Fire arms have changed since then. LOL! My wife has zero experience at all with fire arms. She is just 5' tall 100 lbs and fine boned. So we are worried about kick hurting her wrists.

We have already been to Farnsworth in Vonore and left there pissed off because of how shabbily we were treated by an older on the thin side man. We have been to a few other places and we have been surprised by the high prices of fire arms.

A friend of mine suggested this forum. So I have been coming in here and peeking around. So far I have been enjoying reading posts but mainly cruising the Classified section. I guess I made a boo boo by not stopping in the new member section first and saying hello.

What would you suggest as the minimum defense caliber? That way we can have her try out the minimum first? Oh, she did see a P22 at GUNS! in West Knoxville. She thought it was pretty. Black in color with what looked like dark rosewood grips.

[mikegideon]

Defense calibers... some say .380, and some say .38 special/9mm. I have all of the above, and don't really mind carrying a .380. I also have a P22, and love it. One option for a girl is the Walther PK380. It's slightly bigger than the P22, same basic feel. It has pretty soft recoil and the slide is easy to rack.

There are pages of recommendations on this site. Guns have changed in some ways, and in some ways they haven't. The best way to find "your" pistol is to go to the better shops, like Guns and Leather, and do some fondling and shooting. I tend to buy a lot of new guns. They hold their value so well that you save some money with used guns, but not a lot.

You can't go wrong with most of the name brands, like Glock, Springfield XD, Kahr, Smith and Wesson, CZ, etc. I'm a fan of semi autos, but there's nothing wrong with revolvers if you can deal with the lump.

Just try to shoot before you buy. TGO is a great braintrust. Make sure your girl picks her own gun.

EDIT: Just noticed you're in the Knoxville area. We have a great bunch of folks on this board that can steer to to all the right gun shops and ranges.

Edited June 13, 2010 by mikegideon

[RobertY]

Thank You so much for the advice. Believe me it is needed. LOL! She will be picking out her own gun. I just hope she does not put looks above functionality.

[mikegideon]

Thank You so much for the advice. Believe me it is needed. LOL! She will be picking out her own gun. I just hope she does not put looks above functionality.

Nothing wrong with a pretty gun. It's why I haven't bought any Glocks yet If your girl is real sensitive to recoil, she's probably better off with something like the PK if she will shoot it a lot. As a general rule, the heavier the gun in a given caliber, the less recoil is has. There are some wide variations around that rule. That's why it's so important to shoot several different guns, and find the one you like best.

There are a lot of shooters on this board, and several of them are happy to meet you at the local range and let you pop a few rounds thru their guns.

[mikegideon]

More on a girl case study...

My girlfriend had never shot a handgun until recently. I took her to the range, and let her run a few of my guns. She loves shooting the P22. She likes the CZ P01 (9mm), likes the 1911 a little less (.45ACP), and dislikes the Ruger LCP (.380, but real small) because of the recoil. I had to talk her into shooting the LCP more than she wanted to, because recoil is less of an issue in a defensive situation. Since I have a bunch of pistols, she can hone her skills with the bigger guns, but can be effective with the LCP. She shoots well enough to ace her HCP range test, and will probably use the P22 for that. I think she would fall in love with the PK380.

[RobertY]

I think my wife liked the PT22 so much is because she was able to tilt the barrel real easy and she had trouble working the slide on the other models she tried. Plus she said it was pretty. Because her wrists are so slender and her bones not that strong recoil will be a big issue for her.

Thank You again for more advice and sharing information. I have now officially posted in the Welcome section.

[Guest landman08]

RobertY, yes Farnsworth can sometimes be a bite odd, but over all they are great folks. I live in Madisonville and have a bags of guns you and your wife are welcome to shoot. I have taught my niece and several of her friends to shoot. I would be more than willing to work with you and your wife. My guns run from 22 to 45, wheel guns to semi auto.

I agree with the advice to shoot differant guns and find one, two or three that you like and get all of them, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

I have several ideas about guns for the wife, but let's get her shooting and see where she goes.

[mikegideon]

I think my wife liked the PT22 so much is because she was able to tilt the barrel real easy and she had trouble working the slide on the other models she tried. Plus she said it was pretty. Because her wrists are so slender and her bones not that strong recoil will be a big issue for her.

Thank You again for more advice and sharing information. I have now officially posted in the Welcome section.

I know I'm starting to sound like a salesman for Walther, but if she has trouble racking some slides, the PK380 is about as good as it gets. I'm not saying to just buy one, but I would definately look at it.