Senator Tom Coburn
Isn’t it strange how its taking M.D.’s to fix what ails U.S?
We often run to our local physician for the aches and pains of daily living or when things go awry with our bodies and souls, but it’s also taking the works of two former physicians to fix America’s ailments as well. Take Representative Ron Paul, Republican Texas and Senator Tom Coburn, Republican of Oklahoma.
Representative Ron Paul has introduced legislation H.R.1207 Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009, and co-sponsored H.R. 25 Fair Tax Act of 2009 along with Representative John Linder, Republican, Georgia.
Meanwhile, Senator Tom Coburn attached an amendment to H.R.627 and S.414 the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights Act, to the dismay of the New York Times and its money losing child the Boston Globe giving States their rights to decide to determine whether concealed carry permit holders will be allowed to carry in National Parks within their borders.
Coburn’s Amendments 1067 and 1068, ensure that law-abiding visitors to National Park Service (NPS) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) public lands can possess firearms in accordance with federal, state, and local law.
THE FACTS
- Congressional Leadership Have Blocked Consideration of This Measure Repeatedly for Purely Partisan Political Reasons
- Gun Bans On Federal Property Were Enacted By Unelected Bureaucrats Without The Authority Of Congress
- No Other Federal Land Agency Has Enacted Anti-gun Rules Similar To The National Park Service and Fish and Wildlife Service
- This Legislation Will Protect Law-abiding Citizens Without Threatening Natural Resources Or Wildlife
- In 1936 the National Park Service (NPS) established regulations banning firearms in national parks.
- These regulations were updated in 1983 to allow for guns to be transported through national parks if they were unloaded and stored in the trunk of cars.
For decades, regulations enacted by unelected bureaucrats at the National Park Service (NPS) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) have prohibited law abiding citizens from possessing firearms on some federal lands. The enactment of these rules pre-empted state laws, bypassed the authority of Congress, and trampled on the Constitutional rights of law abiding Americans guaranteed by the 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
This legislation ensures state gun laws and citizens’ Constitutional rights are honored on federal lands by prohibiting the Department of Interior from creating or enforcing any regulations prohibiting an individual, not otherwise prohibited by law, from possessing a firearm in national parks and wildlife refuges in compliance with and as permitted by state law.
This legislation prohibits federal bureaucrats, activist judges, and special interest groups from infringing on the right for law-abiding Americans to defend themselves and their families in national parks and refuges. This legislation does not affect current hunting and poaching rules in national parks and refuges.
While the Department of the Interior (DOI) finalized regulations permitting the possession of firearms in national parks and refuges in accordance with state law over a one-year time period, several anti-gun groups had successfully sued the Department of the Interior to prevent this rule from being implemented.
An activist judge, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, blocked the final gun-in-parks rule because the Bush Administration did not conduct an environmental impact analysis of the rule change. Such an analysis was not conducted because the rule change neither authorized the discharging of conceal carry weapons, nor the poaching of animals.
DOI decided not to appeal this ruling, and is, instead, conducting a lengthy environmental review before it would make its final determination on the rule change.
All of that is now been resolved to the satisfaction of the law-abiding, but all to the consternation of the domestic enemies of the United States Constitution – like the Boston Globe – who are now turning on their own.
“If it is common sense that gun owners must pack heat in our most peaceful places, it is bound to guarantee a new level of craziness for the people who come to parks armed only with binoculars, cameras, backpacks, and sticks to roast marshmallows. It shows you a clear firewall between courage and cowardice that the Democrats will not cross.”
“You would think Congress has much more important things to do than to effectively elevate guns to the protected status of bears.”
Before the Boston Globe columnist, Derrick Z. Jackson, blows up like “old faithful”, there are some clear points to be made.
First, I would certainly hope that our elected public servants, who have sworn an oath, like myslef, to uphold and defend the United States Constitution would put it above "bears".
Secondly, and sadly, our National Parks have become dangerous places. A 24-year-old University of Georgia graduate disappeared on New Year's Day while on a hike in the North Georgia Mountains with her dog. Her names was Meredith Emerson and while her killer was apprehended and sentenced, whether or not she would have chosen to carry concealed or not, the law then prohibited her from doing so.
By passing and signing into law this bills amendment, the President and Congress voted to allow individual States the ability to increase the safety of families and discourage criminals from taking advantage of vulnerable families on federal lands managed by the Department of the Interior.
The President and Congress also finally ensured that elected representatives, instead of federal bureaucrats, determine Second Amendment policies.
While I, personally think the bill itself unwarranted and somewhat frivolous interference in the private corporate affairs and contracts of lenders and borrowers who have entered into such contracts, I do sincerely thank Senator Coburn, (M.D.) and the other members of Congress, regardless of party, who voted in favor of this bill.
By the way, do you know of any other M.D.'s that we should encourage to run for office? The Nation could use them, now, more than ever.
The time has come...
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