Justice Anthony Kennedy, the wild card, swing vote of SCOTUS is retiring. Make way for a new, unapologetic pro-gun justice. (Photo: Wikipedia)
Anti-gunners across the nation are lamenting the retirement of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. Because they know what’s coming. The nomination of an unabashed and unequivocal supporter of the Second Amendment.
For many gun owners who may have held their nose and voted for the cocksure GOP presidential candidate in 2016, this was the payoff. The promise that Donald Trump, despite all his glaring flaws and foot-in-mouth moments, would fill the high court with conservative justices who would protect our precious Constitutional rights for the foreseeable future.
Assuming Trump holds true to his word, it’s a great day for the firearms community. Looking ahead, there exists the real possibility that major 2A cases that have been given the cold shoulder by SCOTUS over the years will now be heard. We’re talking about the constitutionality of bans on certain black rifles, prohibitions on open carry, may-issue concealed carry standards, 3-D printed guns, and waiting periods for gun purchases.
Elections matter! Thank you again to all #NRA members who got out and voted in 2016. Because of you, @realDonaldTrump is appointing the replacement to Justice #Kennedy who was the deciding vote in DC v. Heller. #ThankYou #2A #SCOTUS https://t.co/nw3kTegdyB
— NRA (@NRA) June 27, 2018
Many believe as Huffpo guest writer Eric Segall noted that the roadblock to these cases getting the green light was Kennedy. Though the Reagan appointee had the trappings of a conservative, he was ultimately a wild card. His peers on the bench had no idea which way he’d vote, so rather than find out, they would often opt to kick the can down the road.
With Kennedy out of the picture, there will be nothing standing in the way of a pro-gun SCOTUS from setting the record straight on our right to keep and bear arms. As Segall lamented, “our nation’s highest court may well start imposing its will on the gun measures of all 50 states and many cities and towns.”
SEE ALSO: Schumer’s #1 Goal: ‘Get a Progressive Supreme Court’
The significance of this cannot be overstated. Back in 2016, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said, “My number one goal, should I become majority leader with your help, is to get a progressive Supreme Court.”
“A progressive majority on the Supreme Court is an imperative, and if I become majority leader, I will make it happen,” he continued. “I will make it happen.”
Needless to say, Schumer failed. But he was keenly aware of the stakes. Now, the only thing the New York Democrat can do is try to delay a confirmation until after the midterm elections. A play that is destined to fail given that only a simple majority is needed to confirm a Supreme Court nominee. There are 51 Republican senators and several red-state Dems who will likely fall in line behind Trump’s choice.
“The Senate stands ready to fulfill its constitutional role by offering advice and consent on President Trump’s nominee to fill this vacancy,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday. “We will vote to confirm Justice Kennedy’s successor this fall.”
If the Senate’s constitutional duty to advise and consent is just as important as the President’s right to nominate, as Leader McConnell also reminded us, why should a midterm election be any less important than a presidential election?
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) June 28, 2018
Gun-control organizations are scrambling to come up with a plan. Everytown for Gun Safety, the gun-control organization funded by Michael Bloomberg, released a statement suggesting that there will be some sort of resistance to the inevitable.
“The Supreme Court has made it clear that reasonable gun laws are entirely consistent with the Second Amendment,” said Eric Tirschwell, Everytown’s Litigation Director.
SEE ALSO: Trump Keeps His Promise, Nominates Pro-Gun Judge to Supreme Court
“We fully expect the gun lobby will push for a nominee inclined to restrict public officials’ ability to pass common-sense gun laws, but Americans will not stand idly by any attempt to use this nomination to undermine public safety,” he continued.
Tirschwell has it backward. For years SCOTUS, via calculated inaction, has allowed public officials to infringe on the 2A rights of law-abiding citizens, thus making it harder for these responsible taxpayers to keep their families safe. With the retirement of Justice Kennedy, those days are over. Patriots around this nation will rejoice every time a so-called “common-sense gun law” is declared unconstitutional.
Here’s to the future!
“For many gun owners who may have held their nose and voted for the cocksure GOP presidential candidate in 2016, this was the payoff. The promise that Donald Trump, despite all his glaring flaws and foot-in-mouth moments, ”
The purpose of the above comment? To provided cover at the next Cocktail party among the author’s real friends..
We see it all the time.. Neo-Cons espousing Pro Second Amendment beliefs.. which they of course don’t really believe..
Gun writers.. too many… Same Same..
Chuck U. Schumer can go F@CK himself, another brain dead asshole.
Perfect.
As a gun owner I am not against private citizens owing guns . I am opposed to having large magazines and automatic weapons in the hands of people bent on mass destruction. You can own guns ,go to the gun range, have fun and not have AR 15s. They don’t make sense to be in the hands of the public. Vote against anyone supporting the NRA
You’re a complete fool if you believe that those who oppose 2A are going to stop at AR-15s. That’s just a starting point. They want a complete ban on private ownership of all firearms.
That means they want your bolt action hunting rifle (re-named a sniper weapon for their purposes). They want your .22s, to be called assassination weapons because they’re often used by mafia types. And now, since that nut case shot up the news office, there goes your Remington 870 Wingmaster weapon of mass murder.
The left is trying to drive a wedge between those who own AR-15s and firearms owners who don’t. Some firearms owners are actually dumb enough to fall for it.
“As a gun owner”, yea, sure you are.
Troll
I can’t count how many “gun owners” have been coming out against ARs and “high capacity” magazines in the current gun control push. So, if the antis get there way and ban such items, I’m sure Michael Rosenthal will become a stalwart, man the barricades, pro-2nd Amendment activist against any further encroachments. Right, Michael?
A couple items not mentioned which need a little tuning – “Sporting Purposes” as defined by the BATFE and importation of surplus military semi-auto or bolt action firearms.
Actually all this means nothing as the Supreme Court Conservatives have stabbed gun owners in the back by totally reversing the Scalia decision with Neil Gorsuck the leading back stabber.
They refused to hear the Maryland Assault rifle case which gave the green light for the anti-gun politicians to ban anything and everything they want and that is what they have been doing since the Summer of 2017.
Besides Maryland Assualt Rifle ban the Massachusetts Attorney General (by decree) banned assault rifles with no new law being past. She said she was re-interpreting the 20 year old assault rifle law as an excuse to what she wished to do just as they do in 3rd world countries and the Corrupt Courts which are now voting according to public opinion (so what else is new) have been siding with the anti-gun politicians and they blessed her for banning them.
California has done 3 things all with the complete blessings of the corrupt courts. They are in the process of confiscating assault rifles, have put severe and totally illegal restrictions on the purchase of ammo including a complete ban on out of state sales and they have declared “self defense” is a right reserved only for the “power elite” i.e. the court judges and their protectors the police, all other people are now considered expendable and are not allowed to carry concealed or use open carry outside the home.
The Vermont Republican Governor stabbed all gun owners in the back by signing restrictions on assault rifles and a magazine limit ban while people in the room shouted “traitor” to him but he was on record as wanting to “go with the flow of public opinion” to stay in office.
As you can see they do not have to repeal the Second Amendment, they just take the easy way out and the courts completely ignore it as if it does not exist. But then again what else is new they have been doing it since the 1930’s and have reversed themselves on it more than once. In the 1930’s they ruled only military weapons were protected under 2A but to cater to public opinion these days they now say that military weapons may be banned along with any other weapons the States might want to ban as well.
We have to remain vigilant. Back when George H. Bush ( not W) was president he had an opportunity to pick a supreme court justice. He picked David Souter. This guy turn out to be a flaming liberal. He retired during Obama and was replaced by Sonia Sotomayor also know as Sonia Manure.
“For many gun owners who may have held their nose and voted for the cocksure GOP presidential candidate in 2016, this was the payoff. The promise that Donald Trump, despite all his glaring flaws and foot-in-mouth moments”
The globalist controlled media LIES and bashes the President 24/7 and the one party political system he was dropped into literally wanted him dead after the election and they are still attacking him from all fronts. And look how far he’s come to restoring this republic! This man is an American hero and deserves better and you sir are a fool and don’t deserve to even lick that mans boots. Only a weak man would feel the need for injecting petty comments in their article to show their political correctness and affirm themselves a self policing leftist Sympathizing coward who is willing to tow the mainstream hate bashing line.
This forum is not the place for your rude opinions of the 1st REAL American President we’ve had in the last 20 years.
By and large, Trump’s doing a good job as POTUS.
Except for this, of course: https://www.gunsamerica.com/blog/comment-bump-stocks-nprm/
I agree with DN. I’ve been voting since Jimmy Carter, and Donald Trump is the best President in my lifetime.
Trump dosen’t need the money, or the book deals, or the speaking tours. HE CAN’T BE BOUGHT!
>This forum is not the place for your rude opinions of the 1st REAL American President we’ve had in the last 20 years.
Trying to silence opinions you don’t like is the hallmark of fascism, sir. Don’t shout down those with whom you disagree, convince them and their audience that they are wrong. If this is not a suitable place to convince others that it is worthwhile to support His Orangeness, I don’t know where is.
And no honest man can deny that Donald Trump is cocksure or just downright cocky. Only a cocky man can take on the whole world single-handedly the way he has and only a cocky man could take on the whole world and win with the scary regularity that he wins.
Hey blue dog you belong on the Democrat forum or maybe even the socialist forum not on this one stop being a troll acting like someone who supports the second amendment.
I will believe we will get a 2A support when I see it. Trump nominated one of the most anti-gun judges ever to the 9th circus court.
Too bad Hitlery didn’t win the election. Then you would have seen some real anti-gun Judges. Geesh! Do these people ever stop?
What do you mean “IF President Trump Fulfills his promises”? Which promises that he made has he not fulfilled or is not trying to fulfill? Have you still not learned that his way of getting things done is simply different than that of career politicians?
Does “LOCK HER UP” sound familiar? He said she had been through too much after he was elected.
Supporting a bump stock ban is another. And yes, he’s better than clinton, but that doesn’t mean he walks on water no mater what he does because he’s “better than clinton”. And he is a master at playing the game, just better hope we aren’t the ones being played. Appointing sessions, WTF was that? Hard to drain the swamp when he put someone charge that had been part of the swamp for 20 years. Are we really making progress? Or are we being fed tidbits to keep us happy while in reality nothing has changed. So far none of the real criminals have been charged. Keep that in mind.
The problem with the anti-gun lobby so to speak is that they seem to narrow their focus too much on the weapons and not the causes of violence in this country. Firearms related deaths have actually gone down, not due to gun laws, but for other reasons. I think there’s a direct correlation between prosperity and kindness and a lack of violence. Be that as it may, Justice Kennedy retiring means that the one persuasive vote on the Supreme Court will be gone, and in his place a more conservative pro-gun judge may take his place.
In my opinion, as humble as it may be, the liberal press or progressives as they call themselves, rarely ever focus on the persons responsible for the crimes. They don’t go into detail about the causes and motivations for the crimes and are way too quick to blame the gun. Well, guns are out there and they’re going to stay out there. Instead of blaming the objects, start looking at the causes of gun related violence. And oh BTW the highest category of gun-related deaths and maimings are suicides rather than violent crime against others. Most suicides are brought on by a lack of prosperity. Read the news, farmers are killing themselves in droves because they are being run over by corporate giants. There are few safety nets for them. Though Obamacare promised more healthcare, there are few healthcare facilities in farm country. Why is that? Because farmers are traditionally more self-reliant and conservative and ya know, them libs hate self-reliant, conservative people. There.
Some food for thought there.
Here’s a side-issue. Perhaps, maybe, the Republicans and conservatives should consider easing up on Abortion and working out a plan for legal immigration that is orderly and progressive and makes sense in a way that allows people to properly immigrate here, find sponsors and jobs before they become residents, and do things right instead of inviting them in and then turning them into social dependents of the respective states where they hide and settle in? Its more a practical thought here.
I happen to believe in the economic realities that if you have jobs, if you have affordable living space, and there is enough for everyone to prosper, then there is less violence and people are content. That is at the root of our society you know the pursuit of happiness.
Don\’t most of the people living in the various government sponsored/assisted living quarters qualify? But are they truly happy? I think a person\’s self respect enters into this equation. And. IMHO, not earning one\’s way must have a deleterious effect on one\’s psyche and sense of worth.
The best thing to do is hang democrats in the town square.
I love the way people talk about right and wrong and conservative, vrs. leftist, liberals, or what ever you want to call them. YOU ARE ALL WRONG, ITS ALL ABOUT THE MONEY!!!! When I see one of thes so called liberals out in the street without the black SUV and the stout looking guy in the black suit with the dark glasses and the bulge in his belt, I will believe its about something else, OH YEAH, lets forget Hilarys poor bank account, that might be a clue too. WAKE UP!! Hilary or anyone else could not care less about the second ammendment other than its a tool to get her on TV and make her money, if shes so against it, why the armend security team that always surrounds her. ITS ALL ABOUT THE MONYE CAPISCE!!!!
Chuck Schumer already said he will fight against “””ANY””” person no matter who it is that Donald Trump nominates.
He is just one hateful fool and not supporting the needs of our country but getting his orders from Bloomberg & Soros without regard to our constitution at all.
The problem is not liberals, the problem IS leftists. Leftism and liberalism are miles away from one another.
Leftism is a cancer and any who subscribes to their ideology is at best naive, at worst they are elitist racist communist scum.
Liberalism has more in common with conservatism these days than it does with leftism.
Identity politics, victimhood, socialism, ect are not concepts that true liberals support
Until we get a SCOTUS with the cajones to accept one of these cases challenging local gun bans, the problem will continue to escalate and it will cost gun groups beaucoup dollars to keep up the “whack a mole” strategy.
They already have. E.g., Heller in DC, and I think they also ruled against the gun ban in chiraq.
Trey Gowdy for SCOTUS.
I second the motion!!!!! Trey gowdy would be awesome on the SCOTUS!
I think he make an excellent choice. I also think Sen Mike Lee would make a great choice, as I think he is a strict constitutional follower.
I would prefer him as Attorney General. Get rid of useless Jeff Sessions, and have Trey Kick ass and take name at the DOJ!
We can nominate all the “pro-gun” judges to SCOTUS, Congress and POTUS we want, but they have to get off their asses and actually do something. Since Obama left office all what we’ve gotten is a ban on bump stocks. Thanks NRA! Thanks so-called “pro-gun” Republicans! Take our money and votes and get nothing in return!
Hmm to say that Trump will nominate a conservative judge that is pro 2A is iditoic. I am so damn tired of people making this a liberal against a conservative issue. That is 100% bullshit! I am a libersl and I own gun and supoort the 2A. And I am not alone. I also know plenty of conservstives who do not care for guns. Most are religious who think they don’t need guns because they are protected from high above. They vote republicrap not because the GOP os trying to protect the right to bare guns, but because they want the freedom to practice their religion any where they want while shoving it down people’s throats. I am a patrol officer and I have met a ton of people who are gun haters amd from both the right snd the left. Regardless of how comservstive or liberal they appear. I have learned not to judge people by their political affiliation. People will surprise you.
Not real worried about them taking away the “right to bare guns”…I already have accessories on most of mine 🙂
Yep I consider myself a “personal liberal & fiscal conservative.” That’s somebody who loves liberty (including the right to be free of other people’s religious beliefs) and doesn’t believe throwing government money around will fix any social problems.
I can get branded a right-wing whacko or a pinko godless atheist (I’m NOT an atheist) depending on who I’m talking to.
I’m sure there are liberals that own guns. But the people who are introducing bills to take away my rights are liberals. The ones who are having rallies and protests for more gun laws are liberals. The ones making commercial trying to drive their BS into peoples minds are liberals. The ones brainwashing our kids into thinking guns are bad are liberals. And I’ve heard the, I support the 2ndA but here is my new bill to take way your rights so many times I want to puke when I hear it again.