The Border & Illegal Aliens, And What We Are Doing About It.

[Bullheaded Texan]

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said.

“We are not going to let this country be invaded!

We will not be stampeded!

We will not capitulate to lawlessness!

This is NOT business as usual.

This is the Trump era!," the Attorney General said.
 

[Bullheaded Texan]

Idaho Lawmakers Consider Bill Allowing Concealed Carry In Schools

 2/27/19  Tom Knighton

The most effective means for protecting kids in school from armed maniacs isn’t age limits on buying a gun or universal background checks.

  No, it’s having a good guy with a man present to end the threat before things get ugly.

Despite that, anti-gunners have made it their mission to do everything they can to prevent that from happening. Instead, they freak out about how the same teachers they lionize regularly will suddenly flip out and start gunning down others.

In Idaho, at least some lawmakers aren’t buying that nonsense. 

 Idaho lawmakers are considering a proposal that would allow anyone with an enhanced concealed carry permit to bring weapons onto public school grounds.

 The bill, which would prevent Idaho public schools from restricting 'who can carry weapons on campus', was introduced by the Idaho House of Representative’s State Affairs Committee on Tuesday, despite bi-partisan concerns, Boise State Public Radio reports.

 Currently individual school boards can set their own firearms policy, but HB203 makes it state law that anyone with an enhanced concealed carry permit is allowed to bring weapons onto public school grounds and would also prevent administrators from asking permitted gun owners if they’re armed.

 Ammon Republican Rep. Chad Christensen introduced the bill.

“I believe schools are soft targets. Gun-free zones are soft targets for a would-be shooter,” he said.

Idahoans are allowed to carry concealed weapons without a permit. But to get an enhanced concealed carry permit you have to take a day-long firearms course.

Honestly, this is a solid idea.

 Idaho is a constitutional carry state, so you don’t need a permit at all for most places, but this would expand options for those who do have permits to carry in schools. It would also likely spur some teachers to get an enhanced permit.

 Now, don’t get me wrong. I think you should be able to carry pretty much anywhere you want without government permission, but guess what? Those of us who think that way are the minority. We have to prove that it’s not the doom and gloom the anti-gunners are predicting before we can make the changes we need to make.

 Bills like this, will help. It’s hard to complain about the danger to students from a concealed carry holder, when we can point to states that not only allow it but haven’t had a single incident.

 After a while, it becomes a very clear case of fear-mongering rather than a legitimate complaint or concern founded in reason.

 I mean, that’s all it is, but after there being evidence of it not being so, it becomes obvious to those who occupy the middle ground. Those are the people we need to convince on just about any issue, and if Idaho passes this, it will be yet another data point showing that concealed carry permit holders not only aren’t a threat but a deterrent.

Not that I ever expect some parties to acknowledge it, but still.

[Bullheaded Texan]

Man Brutally Attacked, Robbed, Then Saved By Armed Wife.

 12/14/18  Tom Knighton

One of my favorite sayings is, "God created all men, but Sam Colt made all men equal."

Well, Mr. Colt and his colleagues have made women pretty damn equal as well, and that’s a wonderful thing. After all, there’s a man alive right now that might not have been if his wife weren’t armed.

 About a week ago in Indianapolis, a man was arriving home around 9:00 p.m. after running a few errands when he was jumped by two armed attackers, right on his front stoop. The two thugs forced the man through the door, pistol-whipped him, shot him in the leg and demanded cash.

 While this was happening, the man’s wife was running to his aid. The attackers, wearing gray clothing and masks on their faces, demanded money from her, too. The woman then ran off toward the kitchen and grabbed a handgun instead. Firing one shot, she scared off both of the attackers and quite possibly saved her husband’s life.

 Oh, it would be easy to rag on the man for needing to get saved by his wife, but I’d only do that to my friends who would understand I’m joking.

The reality is that we should all be so lucky as to have a wife that would draw and fire a weapon when we were in that kind of trouble. Not every wife would, especially as anti-gunners have wormed their way into a lot of women’s heads with arguments that guns equal dead family members.

  A lot of gun people joke about issues with their wives over their gun buying, but it’s not a joke for a lot of men.

In this case, though, it seems the loving spouse had no issue with a gun in the house. More importantly, she had no issue using that gun when it mattered.

 Oh, she might have been saving her skin first and foremost, but that’s fine too. After all, she can’t do anything to help her husband or raise their kids if she’s dead. I’ve told my wife before that if it’s her life or mine, save her own life. If she saves herself, she may still be able to save me, but she can’t do that if she’s dead.

 Regardless of what my wife and I have talked about, this is one of those stories that needs to be broadcast far and wide. Americans, particularly women, need to hear about things like this. They need to know that guns aren’t some evil menace waiting to take your life, but are tools necessary for someone to save themselves.

 I applaud this woman for her actions, and I hope we all understand that we need to hold people like this up as shining examples of why the Second Amendment works. It’s not just for men or white people, but for every single American.

 It’s what keeps us free from tyranny, even the tyranny of the criminal demanding money from a family member.

[Bullheaded Texan]

Armed Ohio Resident Faces Two Alleged Home Invaders, Shoots One.

 2/21/19  Guns Saving Lives

If you have a concern about being face-to-face with a criminal, you need a gun.

That reality smacked an Ohio homeowner right in the face when he confronted two alleged burglars Sunday.

According to Sheriff Tim Rogers, deputies were dispatched to the 14000 block of OH 16 just after 11 a.m. Feb. 17, in response to a residential burglary.

The suspects had fled the scene prior to deputies arriving.

The homeowner reported several items being stolen from his residence.

…

After the initial investigation, it appears the armed homeowner confronted two adult male suspects at his residence. As a result of this confrontation, one male suspect shot. He was transported from the scene to Genesis Hospital with a single gunshot wound.

The wounds were apparently fairly minor. The two suspects, a man and a woman, are currently in jail.

Look, I’ve had people tell me that real men don’t need guns. They seem to think that the self-defense class they took at a one-day seminar back in college taught them everything they’ll ever need about protecting themselves. They think that any confrontation you’re forced to engage in will be solved with good, old-fashioned fisticuffs.

Hell, I had a one-time friend–someone who supported the right to keep and bear arms, at least at the time–try to tell me that if you have sufficient training, you shouldn’t ever need to shoot someone.

These people exist.

However, the reality is that if you’re outnumbered or outgunned, there’s no choice to make. You’d damn well better be either armed or running.

In this case, the homeowner was armed and he used his weapon. We don’t know the specifics, but what we do know is that it was enough of a risk to his life that the criminals are sitting in jail and not the homeowner. Since Ohio law still requires a duty to retreat, it’s unlikely that the homeowner had any way to escape. It’s also likely that the police clearly saw his life was in danger.

I’m sorry he was put in that position, but I’m also glad he walked away from the incident in one piece.

Not everyone gets to be that lucky.

But to be that lucky, you need a gun. I’m sorry, but that’s the simple fact of the matter. It’s highly unlikely that you’ll Bruce Lee your way out of a dangerous encounter against multiple attackers. Sorry, that’s not how reality works most of the time. Sure, a high-level martial artist can probably handle one or two non-gun-carrying attackers at a time, but guess what? Most people aren’t high-level martial artists.

Give. It. Up.

While I do think people should have some understanding of how to fight should they find themselves in an unarmed encounter, there are times when you’re going to need a gun regardless. Such as when you’re outnumbered.

Yes, it was just two people, but how many does it take to stab you in the back (literally) while you’re tussling with someone else? Have a gun, be ready to use it, and keep yourself safe.

 

[Bullheaded Texan]

Oklahoma Embraces Constitutional Carry With New Law.

 2/28/19  Tom Knighton

While we’re going to talk about the United States House of Representatives a lot in the coming days, it’s worth remembering that they’re not the only ones making laws impacting guns.

 Gun laws of various stripes are snaking their way through the legislative process in pretty much every state to some degree. Some of those are gun control, sure, but some are pro-gun legislation.

You know, stuff like the constitutional carry bill that’s now law in Oklahoma.

 Just hours after final legislative approval was granted, Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill Wednesday that will allow Oklahoma residents to carry a firearm in public with no training or license. 

  House Bill 2597, the so-called Constitutional Carry bill, advanced out of the Senate on Wednesday afternoon by a 40-6 vote. With Stitt’s signature, the law takes effect Nov. 1.

 During a signing ceremony Wednesday afternoon, Stitt said voters across the state have told him they’re concerned about gun rights. Stitt dismissed critics’ concerns about how the bill would affect public safety.

“I think the best defense against a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun,” he said.

The bill allows people age 21 and older — and military service members and veterans age 18 years and older — to carry guns either concealed or unconcealed with no permit or training.

 As under current law, felons and those adjudicated to be mentally ill will not be allowed to carry firearms.

It’s a brave new world in Oklahoma.

 In a statement, Gun Owners of America offered its congratulations to the state.

"Gun Owners of America (GOA) today celebrates Oklahoma for becoming the 16th permitless carry state."

“Kudos to Gov. Kevin Stitt for signing GOA-supported legislation that allows citizens to carry concealed without seeking prior permission from the government,” GOA Executive Director Erich Pratt said. “I thank all the GOA activists who spoke up in support of this bill.”

 Gun Owners of America mobilized the grassroots in the state in favor of HB 2597 — and some of the GOA alerts are viewable here, here and here.  GOA is also thankful to the Oklahoma Second Amendment Association for their valuable 2A support inside the state.

 Oklahoma is the second state to enact Constitutional Carry this year.  South Dakota joined the Constitutional Carry club in January, after Gov. Kristi Noem signed legislation that GOA had been actively pushing.

 “The good news from Oklahoma and South Dakota only scratches the surface,” Pratt said.  “Gun rights are advancing at a faster rate than gun restrictions are in this country.  Of course, the mainstream media usually chooses to ignore positive stories like this one.”

 Oklahoma now joins the other 15 Constitutional Carry states: Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming — and most of Arkansas and Montana.

 By comparison, there was only one permitless carry state in 2000 — that being Vermont.

Honestly, this is a big win not just for Oklahoma but for every state even remotely considering constitutional carry.

Every state that passes the law becomes another data point that disproves the anti-gun narrative on permitless carry.

 When Oklahoma doesn’t suddenly devolve into the Wild West, and the streets don’t start running red with blood, it shows that the anti-gun narrative is nothing more than fear-mongering masquerading as concern.

Congrats, Oklahoma. I only hope more states will soon join you.

[Bullheaded Texan]

House lawmakers blast Trump plan to siphon military funds for borde...

 2/28/19 Claudia Grisales - Stars and Stripes   

Several members of a House panel blasted a top military official during a contentious hearing Wednesday over President Donald Trump’s plan to shift $6.1 billion in Pentagon money to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

“What we are witnessing is a president who poses a direct threat to both our military families and America’s national security,” said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., chairwoman of the House Appropriations subpanel on military construction and other related issues. “This declaration undermines U.S. national security and the needs of our men and women in uniform.”

Trump declared a national emergency on Feb. 15 as part of an effort to move $3.6 billion from military construction projects and another $2.5 billion from a drug interdiction account to fund construction of a southern border wall.

Wasserman Schultz argued with border crossings at historic lows and illegal drugs largely moving through legal ports of entry, there was no crisis on the border.

Yet, Pentagon officials are now scrambling to shift the $6.1 billion from the Pentagon’s current fiscal year budget to wall construction in the face of growing political challenges.

 

On Tuesday, the Democratically controlled House approved a resolution by Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, to terminate Trump’s emergency declaration. Thirteen Republicans broke ranks to support the move. Earlier that day, the top general for U.S. Northern Command said there was no military threat on the southern border and the command’s drug interdiction funds shouldn’t be diverted to help build a wall.

Robert McMahon, assistant defense secretary for sustainment, told the House subpanel on Wednesday that it’s too early to identify which military projects could be cancelled this fiscal year in lieu of the wall. However, he said the Pentagon plans not to touch funding reserved for military housing, which has come under fire in recent months for extensive deficiencies across the country.

“We are not that far along yet,” McMahon said.

He said the Trump administration is considering a plan to use $1.3 billion allocated for border security in fiscal year 2018 and another $1.375 billion in 2019 for the wall. Then, Pentagon leaders will move to the new funding plans directed by Trump’s national emergency.

However, several lawmakers raised concerns that Trump will continue efforts to siphon funds from the military for the wall. Trump has previously said he wanted as much as $25 billion for the wall plan.

Under questioning during Wednesday’s hearing, McMahon said he couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t be back before the panel next year for the same national emergency.

“So, what the hell are we here for?” Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, asked. “I don’t think anybody in this town is going to think that this president is going to stop with this particular circumstance. I don’t think Democrats or Republicans – they may not say it in front of the microphone – but no one thinks he’s going to stop here. And that’s a problem.”

 Texas Rep. John Carter, ranking Republican for the House Appropriations subpanel, said he is supportive of Trump, though he did not approve of the plan to shift funds away from military construction. “While I stand with the president on this important national security issue, I will not do so at the expense of the soldiers and families of Fort Hood,” he said of the Army base in central Texas. “We must solve the crisis at the southern border but not at the expense of those who have bravely served.”

 Wasserman Schultz said Trump’s claims there is an emergency on the border is a “fabrication” and a “boondoggle.” Using a national emergency declaration for the wall, “simply put, is stealing,” she said.

Wasserman Schultz suggested the move could threaten military readiness especially as the Defense Department faces a backlog of $116 billion in facility improvements. An estimated 32% of military facilities are in poor or failing condition, she noted. “Diverting appropriated funds that were provided to specific construction projects will affect military training readiness and quality of life for troops and their families,” she said. “It proves that petty politics are being put ahead of readiness and the well-being of our troops and their families.”

 McMahon said no military construction projects have been cancelled yet. However, officials will request funds taken for the wall to be restored in the Pentagon’s fiscal year 2020 budget request.

 “While some current military construction projects may be deferred, the fiscal year 2020 president’s budget request will include a request for funds to replenish funding for these projects,” he said.

 Wasserman Schultz called McMahon’s claims “verbal gymnastics,” and she said such a move to back fill funds was an attempt to circumvent Congress.

“Mr. Secretary, you’re fooling no one, really. I’m not sure what kind of chumps you think my colleagues and I are,” she said. “You are taking money from vital projects that the military previously said were essential and spending that money on a wall and then asking for the money to be back filled …when we already had that debate and the president’s proposal was rejected.”

 On Monday, Reps. John Garamendi, D-Calif., and Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., the chairman and ranking member of a House Armed Services Committee subpanel, demanded in a letter to the White House that they release a list of impacted military projects.

McMahon seem to indicate Wednesday that it was unlikely that they would comply.

“At this point in time, there is no list,” he said.

[Bullheaded Texan]

House passes universal background check bill for all gun sales

 2/28/19 Laura Widener   

The largest gun control bill in 25 years that would require universal background checks for nearly all gun sales has been approved by the House of Representatives.

  The Democrat-controlled House approved the bill, H.R. 8, with a 240 to 190 vote on Wednesday in an effort to create greater restrictions on gun transfers that some politicians believe would reduce gun violence.

 H.R. 8 seeks to impose background checks on nearly all private gun transfers.

The U.S. House voted to require background checks for all gun purchasers, including those at gun shows and on the internet — the first significant gun control bill to clear the chamber in a quarter of a century

 The bill does not currently provide exemptions that would authorize temporary transfers of guns, such as leaving a gun in someone else’s care during travels.

  “What it would do is make criminals out of law-abiding citizens,” said Republican House Majority Whip Steve Scalise. “If you go hunting with a friend and your friend wants to borrow your rifle, you better bring your attorney with you because depending on what you do with that gun you may be a felon if you loan it to him.”

 Democrats maintain that the bill will save lives.

“For six-and-a-half years, we had no cooperation from the past House majority” said Democratic Rep. Mike Thompson. “We couldn’t get a hearing on the bill. We couldn’t get a vote. Today, we’re here to tell you it’s a new day. With this majority, we have made a commitment to address the issue of gun violence.”

 The bill included a last-minute amendment introduced by Republicans, much to the Democrats’ disapproval.

 The amendment requires notification to specific law enforcement agencies when an individual fails a background check, and would require Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to be notified upon the failed background check of an illegal immigrant.

The amendment was previously rejected by Democrats while the bill was in committee, but Republicans were able to push it through using a “motion to recommit,” which exposed sharp tensions and division among Democrats when 26 of them supported it, The Hill reported.

 While the Democrats like House Majority Leader nancy pukelosi are claiming the bill’s passage is a “historic victory,” the bill likely won’t overcome the hurdle of the Republican-controlled Senate or the veto power of President Donald Trump.

 The White House on Monday issued a statement of administration policy and took aim at House bill H.R. 8, calling it “incompatible with the Second Amendment’s guarantee of an individual right to keep arms.”

“H.R. 8 would require that certain transfers, loans, gifts, and sales of firearms be processed by a federally licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer of firearms. H.R. 8 would therefore impose permanent record-keeping requirements and limitless fees on these everyday transactions,” the White House noted.

The statement added that if H.R. 8 makes it to President Trump’s desk, “his advisors would recommend he veto the bill.”

“What it would do is make criminals out of law-abiding citizens,” said Republican House Majority Whip Steve Scalise. “If you go hunting with a friend and your friend wants to borrow your rifle, you better bring your attorney with you because depending on what you do with that gun you may be a felon if you loan it to him.”

Democrats maintain that the bill will save lives.

“For six-and-a-half years, we had no cooperation from the past [House] majority” said Democratic Rep. Mike Thompson. “We couldn’t get a hearing on the bill. We couldn’t get a vote. Today, we’re here to tell you it’s a new day. With this majority, we have made a commitment to address the issue of gun violence.”

[Bullheaded Texan]

Kentucky House: The Second Amendment Is Your Concealed Carry Permit.

 3/1/19  AWR HAWKINS

The Kentucky House of Representatives passed legislation Friday to eliminate the state’s requirement to obtain a permit in order to carry a concealed handgun for self-defense.

 The House passed the legislation by a vote of 60-37.

Breitbart News reported that the Senate passed the same legislation in mid-February by a vote of 29-8.

 The Hill reports that the legislation would allow law-abiding Kentuckians 21-years-old and older to carry a gun for self-defense without first getting documentation from the state. Permits would still be available, for those who want the reciprocity benefits, but they would not be required for the purposes of being armed for self-defense.

 The push to eliminate the concealed carry permit requirement rests on the sufficiency of the Second Amendment right to bear arms. State Rep. John Blanton (R) said, “This is simply applying and acting upon a constitutional right that each and every one of us has.”

 If Gov. Matt Bevin (R) signs the legislation, Kentucky will become the 16th state to allow residents to carry concealed without a permit for self-defense.

 The other 15 states are Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming, and Vermont.

  **** Texas needs to get on the ball with the same program! CC permits should not be needed.
You never hear of concealed carry permit holders causing crime. Congratulations Kentucky.

 HB-357 is in Texas legislation. Passed committee. Haven’t checked the status lately.   **** Bull

[Bullheaded Texan]

West Virginia House Passes Campus Carry for Self-Defense.

 3/1/19  AWR Hawkins

The West Virginia House of Delegates passed legislation Wednesday night to allow concealed permit holders to carry a gun for self-defense while on campus.

The legislation now heads to the West Virginia Senate.

 WOWK-TV reports that the legislation, HB 2519, was sponsored by Del. Jim Butler (R-Mason County). It would allow carry on college campuses but bans “firearms in stadiums with more than 1,000 seats, daycare centers and campus law enforcement buildings.”

 

The West Virginia House of Delegates passed legislation Wednesday night to allow concealed permit holders to carry a gun for self-defense while on campus.

The legislation now heads to the West Virginia Senate.

 WOWK-TV reports that the legislation, HB 2519, was sponsored by Del. Jim Butler (R-Mason County). It would allow carry on college campuses but bans “firearms [in] stadiums with more than 1,000 seats, daycare centers and campus law enforcement buildings.”

 Opponents of the measure stressed the financial cost of allowing concealed carry on campus.

Second Amendment opponents used the same approach to try to stop the passage of campus carry in Texas in 2015 while supporters of self-defense pointed out that the cost of concealed carry are borne by the carrier not the institution.

  And just over a year after Texas’ campus carry legislation was signed into law the Dallas Morning News reported that public colleges and universities had spent “hundreds of thousands” of dollars versus the “multi-millions dollar” costs that were predicted.

 Campus carry is currently the law of the land in Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin.

AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News. He is also the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at [e-mail].

 

[Bullheaded Texan]

California Refused 5.6K Requests to Turn over Criminal Illegals to Feds

 2/28/19 John Binder

 In an exclusive interview with SiriusXM Patriot’s Breitbart News Tonight, Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI) Executive Director Dale Wilcox revealed that within a 27-month period, the state of Mexifornia had failed to honor about 5,600 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers which are the holds ICE agents file to local jails and police to request that an illegal alien be turned over to them for arrest and deportation.

 Of these 5,600 failed ICE detainers, more than 3,400 were lodged against an illegal alien who had been classified “level 1” and “level 2” offenders — meaning that these illegal aliens had been charged with crimes like homicide, kidnapping, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, drugs, and fraud.

 

[Bullheaded Texan]

North Korea Meeting Comes To Unexpected End.

 2/28/19

The Trump-Kim summit took an unexpected turn when President Trump walked out from the meeting when no reasonable deal could be reached. The Daily Wire reports: 

  President Donald Trump walked away from the negotiating table with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un on Thursday in Vietnam after Kim reportedly demanded that the U.S. lift all economic sanctions on North Korea without first agreeing to any kind of serious commitment to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.

 “Trump said the summit fell through after the North demanded a full removal of U.S.-led international sanctions in exchange for the shuttering of the North’s Yongbyon nuclear facility,” Fox News‘ Gregg Re reported.

 “Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters that the United States wasn’t willing to make a deal without the North committing to giving up its secretive nuclear facilities outside Yongbyon as well as its missile and warheads program.”