– Bernd Debusmann is a Reuters columnist. The opinions expressed are his own. —
In the first two months of this year, around 2.5 million Americans bought guns, a 26 percent increase over the same period in 2008. It was great news for gun makers and a sign of a dark mood in the country.
Gun sales shot up almost immediately after Barack Obama won the U.S. presidential elections on November 4 and firearm enthusiasts rushed to stores, fearing he would tighten gun controls despite campaign pledges to the contrary.
After the November spike, gun dealers say, a second motive has helped drive sales: fear of social unrest as the ailing economy pushes the newly destitute deeper into misery. Many of the newly poor come from the relentlessly rising ranks of the unemployed. In February alone, an average of 23,000 people a day lost their jobs.
Tent cities for the homeless have expanded outside a string of American cities, from Sacramento and Phoenix to Atlanta and Seattle, for people who are living the American dream in reverse. First they lose their jobs, then their health insurance, then their homes, then their hopes. The encampments are reminiscent of Third World refugee camps.
Often former members of the middle class, tent dwellers’ accounts of their plight to television cameras have a common theme: “I never thought this could happen to me.” Unlike the victims of Katrina, the 2005 hurricane that destroyed much of New Orleans, many of the newly-poor are white.
The FBI says it carried out 1,213,885 criminal background checks on prospective firearms buyers in January and 1,259,078 in February, jumps of 28% and 23.3% respectively. Keen demand turned the stocks of publicly-trade firearms companies like Smith & Wesson (up 80% since November) and Sturm Ruger (up more than 100%) into shining stars on the New York Stock Exchange.
There are no statistics on how many guns are bought by people who think they need them to defend themselves against desperate fellow citizens.
But, as columnist David Ignatius put it in the Washington Post, “there’s an ugly mood developing as people start looking for villains to blame for the economic mess.” In November, an analysis published by the U.S. Army War College’s Strategic Studies Institute listed “unforeseen economic collapse” as one of the possible causes of future “widespread civil violence.”
The American economy is down but not out, and in mid-March some experts reported signs that the pace of the decline was slowing. But it hasn’t slowed enough to sweep away the sense of anxiety and fear that comes through in many conversations and commentaries about the future of this normally optimistic country.
While Obama’s approval rating remains high, at 59%, almost two thirds of the population thinks the country is on the wrong track, according to a poll commissioned by National Public Radio in mid-March.
“What is really remarkable about all this is that there hasn’t been social unrest,” remarked an executive with business interests in Latin American countries where riots and street demonstrations in response to economic squeezes are routine. “The conditions for it are all there.”
ANGER ABOUT BAILOUTS
Anger is building. Just under half of those surveyed in a poll by the Pew Research Center this month expressed anger about “bailing out banks and financial institutions that made poor decisions.” The poll was taken before details became known of the full extent of the bonus-paying spree to members of the very team that brought the insurance giant AIG close to collapse.
The government propped up AIG with close to $200 billion and now owns 80% of the company. The argument that $165 million in bonuses had to be paid under contractual obligations went down particularly badly with workers of the three U.S. car companies whose leaders appealed for support from the Bush administration last year when the economic crisis gathered steam.
One of the conditions for the billions that were dispensed to the car industry was that contracts between auto workers and their union, the United Auto Workers, had to be renegotiated to cut costs. The union agreed, and the question arises: are contracts with blue-collar workers less binding than those with highly-paid derivatives traders?
Some see this as another sign of the inequalities that Obama promised to address. Remember his famous exchange with Joe Wurzelbacher, aka Joe the Plumber, during a campaign stop? “I think when you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody,” Obama told him.
There’s less wealth to spread around now as trillions of dollars has evaporated with increasing speed in the deepening crisis. In housing alone, more than $5 trillion has vanished. The gap between rich and poor, a gap of Third World proportions, has not changed. A full-time worker, on average, made $37,606 last year, considerably less than in 1973, adjusted for inflation.
While CEOs made 45 times as much as workers in 1973 they make more than 300 times as much today, according to Holly Sklar, author of “Raise the Floor, Wages and Policies that Work for All of US.”
To what extent those gaps will shrink under Obama remains to be seen and the outlook for swift action is not promising. There are, in fact, not many things for which the outlook is promising. Exceptions include Smith&Wesson. They expect revenue to double within the next three years.
You can contact the author at Debusmann@Reuters.com.
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Hey TWC
The people with blood on their hands is the parole board that let a dangerous criminal out of prison, not law-abiding gun owners or firearms manufacturers. That parole board should have to answer for their actions. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Oakland policemen that lost their lives because of the terribly wrong decision by a parole board. I suggest you look into this problem.
Most of the guns that are selling are personal defense weapons: pistols, carbines, and ‘black’ shotguns (repeating riot guns). I recently bought a Browning pistol, and had to call three stores before I found any 9mmP ammunition. There is no .380 ACP (what Europe calls 9 millimeter Short) to be found in the USA. .380s are very popular among the ladies. The privatized former armories in Eastern Europe are cranking them out, thank you.
Senator Obama said pro-gun-ownership things during the campaign, but President Obama’s Attorney General has recently said the opposite.
Among the ‘PLU’ (people like us) the assumption is that Pres. Obama’s programs won’t work, Democrats will lose in the 2010 mid-term, and there will be systemic violence for 2 or 3 years. I feel sorry for Obama’s supporters (except for public employee unions), but I will defend my family.
OOOOHHH NNNNOOO gun companies are making money…..better tax and cap and slam them until all those people are out of work too. We cant have a company that makes products right here in America making money espescially GUNS.PLEASE… BUY MORE GUNS BUY MORE AMMO…the Second Amendment is sacred even to many Dems..Any man not afraid to have me own a gun is a man I trust…those who dont need not be trusted. Every Generation needs a new revolution…WE DO WE START?
RE: “Would those who feel the desperate need to exercise their Second Amendment right to bear arms, at least acknowledge that until they agree to some reasonable restrictions guaranteeing that their arms do not fall into the wrong hands, there is blood on their hands from the slaughter of the four law enforcement officers in Oakland this week?”
1) Only a godless Collectivist believes the innocent share in the blame for the crimes of the guilty.
2) You have no clue how many restrictions on firearms already exist.
Therefore, I MUST doubt that you’re a U.S. citizen.
“Would those who feel the desperate need to exercise their Second Amendment right to bear arms, at least acknowledge that until they agree to some reasonable restrictions guaranteeing that their arms do not fall into the wrong hands, there is blood on their hands from the slaughter of the four law enforcement officers in Oakland this week?”
And how would you define “reasonable?” This criminal was convicted of multiple felonies, having a violent and long rap-sheet, who had committed an assault and attempted rape the day prior, and who was already barred from buying, possessing, carrying or using firearms. Your “reasonable restrictions” only serve to make the law abiding into criminals but do not keep criminals from getting guns through theft, fraud or other nefarious means. I can’t imagine, as he was engaged in his life of crime, where he would say to himself, “oh, I’d better not carry a gun. That’s is against the law in Oakland.” Preposterous.
There is no “blood on my hands” for my support of my right to own arms for defense of myself and family. There is only blood on the hands of that scumbag, his family and his criminal associates.
“If guns made people safe, then Afghanistan and Iraq would be the safest places in the world.”
Rick, are you really incapable of thinking any deeper than that? I hope not. No one with any sense will make this claim, it’s a strawman argument. Guns will make people *safer* and - more importantly - *more free* in the face of criminals, thugs, and tyranny. History is littered with examples of this if you take a little time to investigate.
No David Anderson, I will never agree that I have blood on my hands for gun violence. California has the strictest gun laws in the country and yet a man who isn’t allowed to buy a gun shot 4 cops with an illegal gun in Oakland. I believe you are actually citing proof that gun control doesn’t work. I would say that every time someone dies because they can’t legally defend themselves that blood is on your hands.
One of the problems we are dealing with here is (in case you haven’t notice) the President hasn’t always delivered on his promises. And he has a track record of being anti- 2nd Amendment from his days as a law professor.
I’m also buying a gun, just in case.
“When they took the fourth amendment, I was silent because I don’t deal drugs. When they took the sixth amendment, I kept quiet because I know I’m innocent. When they took the second amendment, I said nothing because I don’t own a gun. Now they’ve come for the first amendment, and I can’t say anything at all.”
(Tim Freeman)
Hey TWC
The people with blood on their hands is the parole board that let a dangerous criminal out of prison, not law-abiding gun owners or firearms manufacturers. A typical liberal never blames the person; only an inanimate object which by itself can’t do harm. That parole board should have to answer for their actions. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Oakland policemen that lost their lives because of bleeding heart liberals like yourself.
“Would those who feel the desperate need to exercise their Second Amendment right to bear arms, at least acknowledge that until they agree to some reasonable restrictions guaranteeing that their arms do not fall into the wrong hands, there is blood on their hands from the slaughter of the four law enforcement officers in Oakland this week?”
This is as Pollyanish as it gets. There are no guarantees. You can’t have a ‘perfect’ world, free of mistakes, error, and harm. There are NO RESTRICTIONS POSSIBLE that can guarantee what you are asking, not even a repeal of the 2nd Amendment. Criminals will find ways to get guns.
You can blame so many people for what happened. The unscrupulous bankers. The greedy borrowers. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999. The Community Reinvestment Act of 1979. Bill Clinton forcing Fannie and Freddie to accept more sub-prime mortgages. DOESN’T MATTER.
What matters is that this current Administration starts thinking of ways to provide an incentive for people to start reinvesting. To start spending money. To start hiring workers. That doesn’t happen until you realize the extent of the housing bubble and the fact that prices haven’t stabilized yet and what that’s done to our credit market. Median Incomes and Median Housing Prices have historical ratios that still haven’t reached equilibrium since 2000 when they went out of whack. Either the Principal falls or the interest rates tumble before people buy again. You can throw trillions of dollars at the problem like Obama has done and it won’t do anything. Unfortunately at this point, throw more money into the market, which is still seized, you’ll cause a tidal wave of credit to eventually hit the market at once which means unaffordable inflation for the lower and middle classes.
People that don’t buy into the Good Speak of this President and his Staff are the ones buying guns. People that know something is amiss are buying guns. People that fear Obama’s Attorney General Eric Holder pronouncing he’s going to reinstate the Assault Weapon Ban, permanently, are the ones buying guns. People that have researched what little record this President has know he voted to ban semi-automatic weapons. These are the people buying guns.
The Supreme Court is currently hearing a case over McCain-Feingold, because of a Hillary Clinton attack movie, and one has to ask themselves, how is it in this country when James Madison warned us against creating a Bill of Rights precisely because Government would then have grounds to define what “is” is, when they have NO RIGHT to regulate our Creator-Endowed-Rights, that we’re having a debate about a political movie and the legality of showing it?! There IS a Government movement to curtail our Liberties, and some people are VERY aware of the fact. Wake up people and liberate yourself from the coming tyranny.
Remember:
When seconds count, the police are minutes away!
Here is the way it is. When martial law is initiated in late August-early September because there is no saving grace from this planned financial disaster, we will see if it is a replay of New Orleans.
I am an honarably discharged soldier, and have grappled with this for years. What I keep coming back to is:
Why did the framers of the constituion think that the second ammendment was so important as to put it at the top of the list just after the freedom of speech?
The second ammendment is not about hunting, it’s about defense.
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Amendment II
A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.
Amendment III
No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.
Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Amendment V
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
Amendment VI
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.
Amendment VII
In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.
Amendment VIII
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
Amendment IX
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
Amendment X
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.
If by Bush and his “cronies” you mean Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Maxine Waters, Barney Frank, Etc. then you would be correct. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac along with other mortgage companies that let their greed runaway with them, were the Major cause of the housing melt down which is credited with starting the financial slide. These people demanded that anyone who wanted a house be loaned money by Mortgage companies, regardless of whether they cold pay for them or not. And yes, I also blame Bush as well because he championed this line also. Some Republicans and a few Democrates warned that this type of leanding would be disatserous but nobody wanted to listen. You should also know that Democrates have controled the purse strings of government since 2006. What did they do to prevent this… NOTHING!!! This Crash occured on their watch…
No use talking and whining about it. Real America will not be dominated by, and required to support, left wing communists. Aint … gonna … Happen. As the late Paul Harvey said “America traditionally uses three boxes to control left wing government control. First the Ballot Box, failing in that then the Jury Box, failing in that then the Cartridge Box.” You think the US Military will protect the homosexual, the abortionists, or the so called environmentalist-communists? HA! Better think again. Who do you think IS the milatary?
This author is a complete economic illiterate. The only thing Obama will do is spread the MISERY equally. This is utterly un- American and downright scary. Where are all the phony civil libertarians on the Left, now that the government wants to steal money that they have no right to? The fruits of one’s labor belong to him/her and nobody has a claim to it. There is no “middle class” as the word “class” means something that can not change (think the SUV “class”). You can be wealthy today and tomorrow lose it all and vise versa. Get off your Butt and go work. You live in the Greatest Country in the world with the most opportunity precisely, because you CAN become rich and prosperous and that there is a secure social compact were contracts that are mutually agreed upon are honored and sacred. You do not have a right to other people’s money. G-d Bless America and the Second Amendment.
You can’t cheat an honest man. People who took out mortgages when they could not afford the repayments, who kept refinancing, to live the good life; let them try tent city for a while. As to the absence of street violence: that may be a direct result of having all those guns in peoples homes and businesses. If I saw a group of hooligans burning cars in the street near my house as in France, Greece, or Spain, I would litter the street with dead bodies and feel no remorse whatsoever.
Whatever happened to compassion? Whatever happened to helping our neighbor?
Whatever happened to working together to find new ways out of our problems besides shooting people? It is this philosophy that keeps us at war in the world. Has anyone stopped to think what could be done with the same amount of money & man/woman power that a war uses for peaceful and humanitarian endeavors? Yes, to quote John Lennon “call me a dreamer….but I’m not the only one!” May we who believe in the power of peace and love compassion find our own ways to heal our country of its wrongs and help make the world a better place. We can show the world a better way to handle our problems, many self-created! Greed has caused us so much misery! May these hard times awaken us to the best that we can be!