January 2, 2013 | Survival And Prosperity

Archive for January 2nd, 2013

Illinois Senate Democrats Push Two Bills That Ban, Register ‘Assault Weapons,’ ‘High-Capacity’ Ammunition Magazines

“I urge the full Senate to follow the committee’s lead and quickly pass this important legislation.”

-Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, commenting on two gun “control” bills that passed out of the Illinois Senate Public Health Committee tonight, setting the stage for a possible floor vote Thursday

Here’s the latest on the gun and “high-capacity” ammunition magazine bans expected to be pushed through by Democrats in the “lame duck” session (January 2-9) of the Illinois General Assembly. From the Associated Press this evening:

Illinois Senate Democrats who want assault-weapon restrictions will split the issue into separate votes on high-capacity ammunition clips and the guns themselves.

Democratic Sen. Dan Kotowski (koh-TOW’-skee) of Park Ridge told The Associated Press he intends to press legislation to limit ammunition magazines to ten or fewer rounds…

Chicago Democratic Sen. Tony Munoz is expected to sponsor the second bill banning assault weapons “designed for war.”

Uh-oh. As I was typing this the following hit the newswires. From the Associated Press a short time ago:

An Illinois Senate committee, in a party-line vote, has approved restrictions on semiautomatic assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition clips.

One measure would ban the sale of semiautomatic handguns and rifles. People who currently own such weapons could keep them, but would have to register them.

The second proposal would limit ammunition magazines to 10 or fewer rounds.

(Editor’s note: Italics added for emphasis)

Semi-automatic rifle and handgun ban?

Gun registration?

That’s what the AP is reporting.

Barnini Chakraborty noted on the FOX News site today:

The state Senate got back to work Wednesday. The House plans to return Monday. Both legislative bodies are working against a Jan. 9 deadline — when the state’s new General Assembly will be sworn-in.

That being the case, looks for Illinois Democrats to try and make the proposed gun and magazines bans- and gun registry- the law in Illinois by a week from today.

By Christopher E. Hill, Editor
Survival And Prosperity (http://www.survivalandprosperity.com)

Sources:

“Illinois Senate to address bans on guns, clips.” Associated Press. 2 Jan. 2013. (http://www.thetelegraph.com/news/local/article_27c39e22-553e-11e2-9913-001a4bcf6878.html). 2 Jan. 2013.

“Ill. Senate committee approves bans on guns, clips.” Associated Press. 2 Jan. 2013. (http://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Ill-Senate-committee-approves-bans-on-guns-clips-4162513.php). 2 Jan. 2013.

Chakraborty, Barnini. “Illinois Dems press forward with gun control bills, firearms group warns of ‘no exemptions’” FOX News. 2 Jan. 2013. (http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/01/02/illinois-dems-press-forward-with-gun-control-bills-firearms-group-warns-no/). 2 Jan. 2013.

Tags: assault weapons, assault weapons bans, AWB, Chicago, City of Chicago, Dan Kotowski, Democrats, gun bans, gun control, gun registrations, handguns, high-capacity ammunition magazines, high-capacity magazine bans, Illinois, Illinois Democrats, Illinois General Assembly, Illinois Senate, Rahm Emanuel, rifles, state government, State of Illinois, Tony Munoz

Wednesday, January 2nd, 2013 Ammunition, Essential Reading, Firearms, Government, Gun Rights, Hunting, Main Street, Political Parties, Self-Defense, Shooting Sports 3 Comments

U.S. Reaches $16.4 Trillion Debt Limit

You may have been distracted by events related to New Year’s Day and negotiations over the “fiscal cliff” to notice that the United States reached its authorized debt ceiling of $16.394 trillion on New Year’s Eve. Rich Barbieri and Jeanne Sahadi reported on the CNN Money website Monday morning:

It’s official: U.S. debt reached its legal borrowing limit Monday, giving Congress about two months before it must raise the debt ceiling or risk causing the government to default on its bills and financial obligations.

“I can confirm we will reach the statutory debt limit today, Dec. 31,” a Treasury Department official said Monday.

As for increasing the nation’s debt ceiling yet again, U.S. President Barack Obama doesn’t want debate from Congress on the subject. From Reuters this morning:

President Barack Obama vowed on Tuesday to avoid a repeat of last year’s divisive fight with Congress over an extension of the nation’s borrowing authority.

“While I will negotiate over many things, I will not have another debate with this Congress about whether or not they should pay the bills they have already racked up,” Obama said in remarks in the White House.

“I will not have another debate.” Hmm. Back on December 5, Zachary Goldfarb wrote on the Post Politics blog on the Washington Post website:

As part of the fiscal cliff negotiations, Obama has proposed effectively ending the need for Congress to periodically raise the debt limit, which Republicans have rejected.

I wonder if this proposal won’t be pushed again in the near future?

By Christopher E. Hill, Editor
Survival And Prosperity (http://www.survivalandprosperity.com)

Sources:

Barbieri, Rich and Sahadi, Jeanne. “It’s official: U.S. hits debt ceiling.” CNN Money. 31 Dec. 2012. (http://money.cnn.com/2012/12/31/news/economy/debt-ceiling/) 2 Jan. 2013.

“Obama Debt Ceiling Statement: Limit Increase Not Up For Debate After Fiscal Cliff Showdown.” Reuters. 2 Jan. 2013. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/02/obama-debt-ceiling-fiscal-cliff_n_2394164.html). 2 Jan. 2013.

Goldfarb, Zachary A. “Obama on debt ceiling fight: ‘I will not play that game.’” Post Politics. 5 Dec. 2012. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2012/12/05/obama-on-debt-ceiling-i-will-not-play-that-game/). 2 Jan. 2013.

Tags: Barack Obama, Congress, debt ceiling, debt limit, Democrats, national debt, Republicans, U.S. debt

Wednesday, January 2nd, 2013 Borrowing, Debt Crisis, Defaults, Fiscal Policy, Government, Political Parties, Spending No Comments

Chicago Police: 506 Murders In Chicago For 2012

Chicago topped 500 murders in 2012.

Plus tax.

Jeremy Gorner and Robert McCoppin reported on the Chicago Tribune website this morning:

Chicago ended 2012 with 506 homicides, according to an unofficial tally released Tuesday — the first time the city has topped 500 since 2008, and a 16 percent increase over 2011…

Chicago’s tally in 2012 was the highest since 2008 and the second-highest since 2003.

Sandra Guy and Kara Spak added Tuesday on the Chicago Sun-Times website:

In 87 percent of Chicago’s 2012 homicides, the deceased died from a gunshot wound, said Melissa Stratton, spokeswoman for the Chicago Police Department.

As 87 percent of last year’s murders were firearm-related, I’m seeing a number of comments popping-up around cyberspace asking something along the lines of “How’s that strict gun ‘control’ working out for you, Chicago?”

One of the local blogs I visit on a regular basis, Crime in Chicago, counts 532 murders in the “Windy City” in 2012- 91 more than in 2011.

By Christopher E. Hill, Editor
Survival And Prosperity (http://www.survivalandprosperity.com)

Sources:

Gorner, Jeremy and McCoppin, Robert. “Police: Chicago ends 2012 with 506 homicides.” Chicago Tribune. 2 Jan. 2013. (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-chicago-homicides-2012-20130102,0,3850411.story). 2 Jan. 2013.

Guy, Sandra and Spak, Kara. “Chicago closes 2012 with 506 homicides; three fatal shootings so far this year.” Chicago Sun-Times. 1 Jan. 2013. (http://www.suntimes.com/17333079-761/chicago-closes-2012-with-506-homicides-three-fatal-shootings-so-far-this-year.html). 2 Jan. 2013.

“Chicago ends 2012 with 532 murders 91 more than 2011.” Crime in Chicago. 1 Jan. 2013. (http://crimeinchicago.blogspot.com/2013/01/chicago-ends-2012-with-532-murders-91.html). 2 Jan. 2013.

Tags: Chicago, Chicago Police Department, CPD, Crime in Chicago, gun control, Illinois, murders, police