It’s no secret that gun-ban advocates have launched a seemingly never-ending push to demonize lawful American gun owners by blaming us for the violent acts of criminals. We see it time and time again, as various politicians propose laws and regulations that penalize law-abiding gun owners but have no effect on crime.
In a blatant, in-your-face slap to law-abiding gun owners and local gun shops, the Seattle City Council recently approved a new tax on guns and ammunition sold in the city, with proceeds earmarked for “gun violence prevention” programs. The new law requires Seattle residents to pay a $25 tax on firearms and 5-cents-per-round tax on ammunition, despite “gun violence” being perpetrated by criminals, not the lawful gun owners who will be paying the tax.
In this case—and this might be the real reason for the proposal—excessively taxing guns and ammo sold within the city limits is a good tactic to financially punish gun and ammo retailers in Seattle. Purchasers of those products can easily travel to one of several gun stores located just outside the city limits to avoid the falsely inflated prices, possibly forcing Seattle gun shops out of business.
While such proposals are simply a method for gun-ban advocates to take a swipe at legal gun ownership and further show their disdain for our right to keep and bear arms, proponents claim otherwise. “I’m grateful for my colleagues’ full support for both these measures,” City Council President Tim Burgess said. “City government can and must pursue innovative gun safety measures that save lives and save money.”
Exactly how many lives might be saved by such a law? We can look to Chicago for the answer. Cook County enacted a similar measure two years ago (so much for “innovative”), and shootings are up, with more than 1,600 people shot so far in 2015.
As for money, with gun owners paying more to exercise a constitutional right, and lawful businesses faced with possibly having to move outside city limits to stay afloat, the only people who will save any are criminals.
