BY Herschel Smith
5 years, 6 months ago
David Codrea:
“In terms of ‘why,’ the State Department has authority under the statute (the Arms Export Control Act) to govern exports ‘in furtherance of world peace and the security and foreign policy of the U.S.,’” Reeves elaborated. “Under the law they do not have to get more specific, although sometimes they may give more information concerning a specific export. The courts have held there is no constitutional right to engage in exports or imports, and there is considerable deference granted to the State Department for making national security or foreign policy decisions.”
[ … ]
It would be an overdue gesture of support to see the president actually do something pro-active to advance the interests of the firearms community. It would be a welcome reversal of some baffling “concessions” the president has made on “bump stocks,” on “red flags,” and most recently, on suppressors.
As scary as the thought of Democrats taking over in 2020 is, talk is now coming from some with national voices about the possibility of a critical mass of thoroughly disillusioned gun owners sitting things out. And this isn’t a matter of “Would you rather have Biden?” or Harris or Buttigieg, as the “Hear No Evil/3D chess” Trump apologists angrily challenge back.
I simply don’t buy that this is merely a function of the administrative state, owned and operated by progressives for progressives. No, this administrative state is owned by Donald Trump. He could have put anyone he wanted in charge of the State Department, and apparently someone is in charge who doesn’t care to change these things.
What Rex Tillerson did was just a start. The vast majority of the statist apparatchiks there need to be given their pink slips and told to find real work. Then they may not be able to find the time to undermine the country and interfere with free trade.
