Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. (Photo: Bloomberg)
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker expanded gun rights on Wednesday by signing a pair of bills, one of which — Senate Bill 35 — nixes the 48-hour waiting period for handgun purchases and the other — Senate Bill 70 — which allows off-duty and retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed weapons on public school campuses.
A signing ceremony was held at the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Department, the workplace of vocal gun-rights advocate Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr.
“This bill signing has been long planned with law enforcement,” Walker spokeswoman Laurel Patrick told The Washington Post, referencing a June 11 tweet from Clarke announcing the bill signing.
Supporters of the bills argue that allowing retired and off-duty police officers to carry in public schools has the potential to increase campus safety and that the 48-hour waiting period is an antiquated mandate (initially signed in 1976) given that background checks can now be processed in a matter of minutes.
However, opponents believe that the 48-hour waiting period provides a “cooling off” period for any hot-tempered spouse or suicidal individual to reconsider their dubious plan to purchase a firearm. Yet, there is little evidence to suggest that the waiting period actually works as a “cooling off” mechanism.
In his tenure as governor, Walker has made great strides to restore the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners, including signing a shall-issue concealed carrying licensing bill and “castle doctrine” legislation to protect the rights of law-abiding citizens who use deadly force against an attacker.
Walker has rightly earned an A+ rating from the National Rifle Association.
I love the sentiment for gun owners, being one. But I never had a problem with the 48 hour rule. It always seemed reasonable just in case someone was super pissed off at someone and would do something stupid out of rage. A cooling off period would be good. It never got in the way of actually buying my guns, just slowed it a tad. Just seems more ammo for those who hate all of us with guns.
This guy has had my eye since the union BS he faced down there in Wisconsin. He didn’t blink. He might just be the real deal. Unfortunately, I doubt we’ll ever have the chance to find out. I would leave my home and go vote for this man on the appointed day. Not so for Jeb, Christie, or Fiorina. I might even vote for Trump. Whatever anybody can say about the man, he is successful in the endeavors he embarks on. Stop for just a second and read this next line slowly and with careful thought. Trump doesn’t need anybody else’s money………Sure as hell he’ll use it. But he don’t NEED it. Who else in this wide and varied field of presidential contenders can really claim that? Just sayin.