There are two competing gun-related citizens’ initiatives working their way through the Washington State election system. The first is the pro-gun I-591, which would vaguely ban government entities from confiscating firearms without ‘due process of law.’ It would also ban state-required background checks unless required by federal law. But it’s not alone…
The Good
I’ve already signed the petition for I-591, which is delightfully straightforward and short enough to post here in its entirety:
Initiative Measure No. 591 (I-591)
PROTECT OUR GUN RIGHTS
AN ACT Relating to protecting gun and other firearm rights; adding new sections to chapter 9.41 RCW; and creating new sections.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 9.41 RCW to read as follows:
It is unlawful for any government agency to confiscate guns or other firearms from citizens without due process.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 9.41 RCW to read as follows:
It is unlawful for any government agency to require background checks on the recipient of a firearm unless a uniform national standard is required.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The provisions of this act are to be liberally construed to effectuate the intent, policies, and purposes of this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. This act is known and may be cited as the “Protect Our Gun Rights Act.”
— END —
It’s a little vague about ‘due process of law’, since due process means whatever the hell a court says it means. In some cases (like accusations from ex-wives) it means basically nothing at all.
The Bad
The second measure is I-594, which would require NICS background checks for all firearms transfers except those between immediate family members. It would also exempt a handful of minuscule ‘temporary transfers’ between licensed hunters or competitors. But it worries me that it would not clearly allow you to run a few magazines through your buddy’s 1911 unless you were at a formal ‘shooting range.’ I asked the measure’s sponsors for clarification, and have gotten no response. I’ll post it if I get one.
The complex and obfuscatory text of I-594 fills a 19-page roll of legislative toilet paper; read it if you wish.
The Ugly
The list of contributors to the anti-gun I-594 is a veritable Who’s Who of the Seattle tech elite. The biggest sponsor is entrepreneur Nick Hanauer, who started Overstock.com (now added to my ‘f*ck you’ boycott list), Bill and Melinda Gates, and the wife of other Nero Microsoft honcho Steve Ballmer. Microsoft, whose clusterf*ck Windows 8 is almost singlehandedly destroying the market for desktop and notebook computers, was added to my f*ck you boycott list years ago.
Their ill-gotten gains are now paying for scumbags like Kelvin Moore, who has been charged with felony-level petition fraud in Oregon. On this video, Moore is caught telling people to sign the anti-gun petition using false addresses.
Who was it who said that no honorable endeavor is ever served by lies? And what does it tell you that this measure’s backers are hiring crooks like Kelvin Moore to sell this crap to the voters?