We all make mistakes, so perhaps this is just one of those cases where the results lend themselves to ridicule. From Fox News:
It may sound absurd. But President Obama signed a bill into law Wednesday that requires passengers who carry firearms aboard Amtrak be locked in boxes for their journey.
It's a mistake in the law's wording. But for now, the clerical error is the law of the land.
I'm sure there's no shortage of antis who would have no problem getting on board with that idea.
Thing is:
The bill text was correct when the House approved the legislation last week. The Senate followed suit Sunday, but somewhere along the line, the language that referred to putting the guns in locked boxes morphed into stuffing "passengers" into locked boxes.
How did this happen?
Did a clerk screw up? Was it a printing error?
We're told the mistake is fixable, but not until next year. And we're told "that Amtrak has six months to implement the policy," so it looks like no one will be called on to test the new requirement.
But gee, while I hate to sound all "conspiracy theorist" 'n stuff, we know a lot of anti-gunners were opposed to this--strongly. What if it wasn't exactly a mistake? We know how arcane and convoluted House and Senate procedures are, and it's not like Obama signed a straight Amtrak and guns bill--that section was buried in a much larger funding bill. What if, now that this section has been separated out and they've got what they want with the rest of the bill, we find renewed commitment to...uh...derail it?
I guess we'll find out when Congress returns if this was just a simple mistake that will quickly be rectified--or not.
Comments
Being I have lost family members I never had a chance to get to know for something of the same kind of government train/bus rides in Europe about 70 years ago. I don't take this information very well and it needs to be changed as fast as they can vote on a health care bill.
David, you would think some of our elected street walkers would by their own DNA be up in arms about this. Something is not right here.
Amtrack needs to die, period. You can't fix stupid or evil.
MamaL +1
Might not be a bad deal if I can't hear the clown in the next box yakkin on his cellphone. Will the box have wifi access and a nice comfy seat? ;-)
Meanwhile, back in the real world:
"The rules to allow Amtrak passengers to carry weapons with them are new. Airline passengers have long been permitted to transport weapons in checked luggage. But Amtrak banned firearms from its trains after Sept. 11. Only police officers are now allowed to board Amtrak trains with guns.
Rep. John Fleming and Sen. Roger Wicker, both Mississippi Republicans, are the primary advocates of the Amtrak gun provision."
Thats OUR government acting stupid AGAIN
What good is a gun in a box? Gun owners traveling Amtrak may just as well ride in the gun box too. This just makes for another gun free zone for criminals. Maybe to be fair & also prevent assaults & robberies Amtrak will have a gun box onboard for the criminal guns too so they won't have to carry them on person.
It's no surprise that our Congressmen don't read the Bills, nor do they write the Bills that they vote into law. That's a sad reflection on the incompetence of America's elected Representatives. And it's a sad reflection on the Americans who continue to vote for incumbents every election.
As for Railroad Security, THERE IS NONE! A couple of years ago my wife and I travelled from downtown Boston to the heart of New York City - Grand Central Station in Manhattan. We had 2 large suitcases and nothing was checked. There were no metal detectors and we were not checked. Not sure I saw much around for security or police either. I did see a ticket agent, and the conductor on the train took our ticket.
There were several stops between Boston and New York, and there was no security at any of these stops. Anybody and Everybody gets on at any stop on the system with no security.
Homeland Security - HELLO!!! Is anybody there doing anything to keep our trains safe?
Even with Zero Security at our Train Stations, I feel so much better now that they passed this gun law, which requires people to declare they have a gun, sign some paperwork, and lock their gun in a box somewhere in the back of the train.
We are all much safer now.
Ken Hagler says: "Only police officers are now allowed to board Amtrak trains with guns."
Say Ken, in the real world that you mention, how are civilians prevented from carrying guns on the Amtrak trains?
There is no security Ken. Does that Law, that piece of paper somehow magically keep criminals (or terrorists) with guns from boarding Amtrak trains?
Let's explore this new option. If gun owners have to be separated from the anti's, I'm good with it. We could have "separate but equal" train cars. Then the anti's wouldn't have to be worried about gun owners using their evil weapons to protect the anti's.
MOLON LABE!!! Pass the word.
Last night on national news the republicans made the senate read a 385 or so page amendment to the new health bill before voting on it. Who writes a law that requires a 385 page amenment and that is only one of many amendments to this law. Of course no one reads what is slipped in or changed. Was it for real? The chances are it was just as much as it was a mistake. You elected these buffoons to office. Why not pass a bill that does not allow a law to be more than 1000 words and no amendment can exceed 500 words and has to be directly related to the intent of the bill. How many trees and how much time could we save? Think about it. We need to get back to basics and nothing more. Get rid of the windbags in Congress and all of them are a part of this problem. And remember they are not listening to you in case their actions towards the American public has not already told you that. Workers pay more taxes and welfare gets more free stuff off your labor. Help the needy not the greedy.
My guess is David that the screw-up was done deliberately as a way to NOT allow the law to go into effect.
I remember reading years ago that words are deliberately changed after legislation is passed all the time and that for the most part it is never fixed.
Remember the Chicago political machine is in power in DC, expect everything
The Supreme Court as ruled that based on the discretion of the Obama administration anyone can be declared an enemy combatant thus a non-citizen.
So if we complain about being locked in a box we can be declared a non-citizen and tortured into submission
????? ??????
"Obama signs bill mandating gun OWNERS to be locked up in boxes on trainsObama signs bill mandating gun OWNERS to be locked up in boxes on trains."
Wasn't something similar to this done in Germany in the last century, only the boxes were 40&8's and those locked in them were menorah owners, having already had their guns taken?
Hey, just sayin', maybe this isn't the mistake eveeryone thinks it is.
BOR Amendment VIII states that "cruel and unusual punishments" shall not be inflicted. Also, shouldn't there be at least a trial before you are put in the box? Just thinking .....
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