Statehouse Headliners: Some Dems doubt waiting period will prevent suicides

Editor’s note: The following analysis was received by Headliners from firearms legislative policy expert Bill Moore of Johnson. It summarizes and critiques the issues and legislative progress on S.169, required waiting periods for gun purchases.

By Bill Moore

Following a long delay it is still not clear if any action will happen on this bill. Leadership seems absent and confusion is obvious in the House Judiciary Committee. Disunity in the Democrat caucus is well known by now.

The question is if the 24-hour waiting period is such a sure way to deter suicides, then why can’t they move forward? It seems clear that many Democrats have deep reservations about the effectiveness of something that declares all gun buyers guilty before innocent, victims of domestic violence too fragile to make a decision whether to buy a gun for self defense, and all others too “impulsive” to pursue the means for defending themselves and their families. That is a good sign that independent thinking is happening.

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Moore: “It seems clear that many Democrats have deep reservations about the effectiveness of something that declares all gun buyers guilty before innocent, victims of domestic violence too fragile to make a decision whether to buy a gun for self defense, and all others too “impulsive” to pursue the means for defending themselves and their families.”

The purported “deal” in the Senate is that there can be no amendments if the bill is to be sent back with House approval. Lawful gun owners never agreed to this quid pro quo. Law abiding gun owners have been patient awaiting leadership to either move the bill or take a more mature approach to legislative process. A more mature process that would correct some egregious consequences of last year’s magazine ban. Those solutions were tied down with Waiting Periods in the bill as though that would dampen our opposition to infringements such as these.

Following two public hearings where Vermonters loudly and with overwhelming attendance opposed waiting periods, S.169 is stalled. But so are some parts of the bill that will address the unintended consequences of the magazine ban. By banning importation in vague language, shooting clubs and competitions stand to loose large sources of fundraising by hosting out of state visitors who bring tourist dollars and support local businesses. Lawful, safe, and crucial to the local economy, these clubs also do hunter safety and youth programs in archery as well as provide a safe place to shoot. Second home owners and tourists fear that coming to Vermont will subject them to prosecution even if they return home without leaving one magazine behind.

Also stalled are the several proposals of amendment from House Democrats, even from some Judiciary Committee members. One would exempt domestic violence victims from the waiting period by showing a court ordered Relief From Abuse Order or any Temporary Restraining Order, even at the very time victim advocates have shown they are in the most danger.

The Senate deal that House leaders have said they are determined to abide by has distorted the process to the point that any committee discussion of this amendment on the merits is verboten, forbidden. How is that leadership?

Vermont Traditions Coalition has been asking for a waiting period to be removed from the bill to allow other, more rational parts of the bill to be placed in a Miscellaneous Judiciary Subjects bill. But the twisting of those determined to abide by this narrow “deal” has placed a muzzle on ideas that would make Vermonters safer. It is also eroding the respect we all want to have for our Legislature.

Statehouse Headliners is intended primarily to educate, not advocate. It is e-mailed to an ever-growing list of interested Vermonters, public officials and media. 

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7 thoughts on “Statehouse Headliners: Some Dems doubt waiting period will prevent suicides

  1. The now Prssc have framed this debate to be about guns. We have yet again fallen for the trap. The debate, laws and discussion should rightfully be about suicide, and Vermonts high rate. This focuses in the problem and improves people’s lives.

    Don’t let them frame the debate……don’t take the bait.

  2. When the suicide rate is being driven up by leftist manipulating the laws of biological science and
    convincing kids their not really who they appear to be I’d say the problem is THEM…(Leftist Fascist 47 gender variety) Since statistics back up my claims of 50%increase in school kids suicides and the gun
    factor has no such verifiable claim it should be obvious. The other major factor is social media but the propagandist media work for the leftist hence no claim of their responsibility.

    • Vt digger deletes comments simply stating,

      the dems don’t care , proven by the fact they are not addressing the suicide before, now during the hearing and they certainly won’t be after the bill is passed.

      They are definitely providing cover and aid to a particular cause. People desperately need to read the smear, they are not a news organization. Addressing and talking about suicide is the key, it’s why they don’t want to discuss it. Suicide has nothing to do with guns.

      • Digger the leftist media,
        Hey Neil agree 100%, they like their brig brethren main stream media and internet social media and academia all use control of
        message and using the repetition of the same message over and
        over until it imprints on you mind. Digger’s no different in the speech
        control of the right and their cartoon choice which always demeans the right
        but can never find comedy in the leftist gaff fueled clown car..

        They report and THEY decide…

  3. There are a couple things to note.

    Weakness #1

    When Vermont was going through the marriage debate for same sex, it is reported that Governor Douglas told people to vote their conscience, to vote for who they represent. This was the mark of true leadership, true display of how the system is supposed to work.

    Is this happening on the DNC side? Based upon every vote I’ve seen, based upon the railing that good Senator Rodgers got for his reasoned and reasonable arguments for previously defending our constitution from the county chair we know the answer is no. There is an agenda to fill, goals to reach and it doesn’t have anything to do with justice or America. Kennedy Democrats, like Rodgers need to speak up, Conservatives and independents need to support them because the machine is powerful. The RNC on our side is frequently no better.

    Weakness #2.

    They don’t care about this poor young man who committed suicide.

    They the DNC lemmings only want to take away guns, which everyone knows, who has studied history. The Now Prissc group is a big tent but they all share the same goal.

    Sadly the 2a side has fallen into the trap of defending with seasoned arguments, reason and yet they still lose to the “but if it only saves one life”. Which is true, which is completely emotional, which is the argument that wins many over. By arguing they win.

    By arguing they win. THAT is the major part of their plan…..it’s in the damn hand book. Division is the ONLY way they can win. They have the press, they have the major propaganda, they have the organization of vast proportions. Correctly they don’t have the entire story, the entire truth or the reason our fore fathers wrote these pesky documents that our school system is clearly NOT teaching anybody about anything. No….when we stop fighting, we’ll immediately win, we’ll immediately expose the sham.

    The correct response is, We’d love to save his life too.

    We’d love to save others going through this exact same situation. That would make the difference. That is also why NOBODY wants to talk about why he took his life. NOBODY. Sometimes what is not said is the key.

    Our society is not equipping young people with proper expectations of what to expect in life and how to deal with them. How to be grateful, how to avoid envy. We used to be taught, “Eat all your food, people in China are starving.”

    Now where taught, “My life is in shambles because of the 1%. The Koch brothers are keeping me from improving my life, it’s the system.” Vermont has a very high suicide rate, I suspect there are some common threads, leading to this hopelessness.

    I know all my friends in orange are of good heart. Once again the conversation has been framed they frame the conversation, don’t let them get away with the propaganda. DO NOT TAKE THE BAIT!!!! Don’t let them get everyone fighting.

    Working together, working in love, working toward a more perfect union is the kryptonite for the NWO. Let them know you would have loved to save his life and many others. Love wins.

  4. The question is if the 24-hour waiting period is such a sure way to deter suicides, as many have
    stated all this bill will do is delay the ” inevitable ” when someone has the “intent ” to do harm to
    themselves it will be one way or another…………..

    Instead of putting restraints on law-abiding citizens, fix the mental health problem in the country,
    in our state. If legislators really cared about saving lives that where they should put their effort,
    on foolish feelgood policies for an agenda !!

    Maybe we still have some common sense in Montpelier ??

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