During Tuesday Democratic presidential debate, CNN’s Anderson Cooper asked Beto O’Rourke about how he’d enforce his mandatory “buyback” program for modern sporting rifles.
“I expect my fellow Americans to follow the law,” the former Texas congressman explained. “The same way that we enforce any provision, any law that we have right now. We don’t go door-to-door to do anything in this country to enforce the law.”
Justifiably so, Cooper was not satisfied with that answer.
After all, there are roughly 16 million AR- and AK-pattern rifles in circulation owned by individuals who are hypersensitive to government overreach and, therefore, not all that inclined to obey a confiscation scheme that manifestly contravenes the U.S. Constitution.
Cooper pressed further for clarity.
“Your website says you will fine people who don’t give up their weapons. That doesn’t take those weapons off the streets,” Cooper said. “So, to be clear, exactly how are you going to take away weapons from people who do not want to give them up, and you don’t know where they are?”
SEE ALSO: Trump Talks Gun ‘BuyBack’ with New Zealand Prime Minister
O’Rourke countered, “If someone does not turn in an AR-15 or an AK-47, one of these weapons of war, or brings it out in public and brandishes it in an attempt to intimidate — as we saw when we were at Kent State recently — then that weapon will be taken from them.”
“If they persist, there will be other consequences from law enforcement,” he added.
What those “consequences” will be was not articulated. But O’Rourke needs to tell voters what they are because if he gets his wish and a mandatory “buyback” is enacted, there will be widespread noncompliance.
How do we know this for sure?
Just look at New Zealand. It rolled out its buyback several months ago and the latest numbers indicate that less than 10 percent of the newly outlawed weapons have been turned over to authorities. The program continues until Dec. 20 before violators will be prosecuted. But still, even if that number doubles to 20 percent, or even grows to 30 percent, between now and that December deadline, that would mean that a significant majority refused to obey the order.
It should be noted that unlike the U.S., one does not have a constitutionally-protected right to keep and bear arms in New Zealand. Gun culture, in other words, is a cornerstone of American life. It perhaps goes without saying but the nation’s 80 million or so gun owners aren’t going to sit on their hands while Beto’s confiscation squads start seizing guns.
Bottom line: O’Rourke, or any other politician wishing to confiscate firearms, will have their work cut out for them.
B&E Beto (thats “breaking and entering for those not familiar with his criminal record)is gonna have a tough time in gun loving Texas. I wish him luck “COME AND TAKE IT”
And when they kick your door in, how you gonna come? With your hands upon your head or on the trigger of your gun? “My Cold dead fingers” predates Heston by a loooooong time. Even before The Shot Heard ‘Round the World, at Concord Bridge. If ‘Beto wishes to emulate Burgoyne then he, too, will have his hat handed to him
“Beto” Bobby…
YOU be the first to try to come for our guns.
I…DARE…YOU…
Not that I would even consider his proposal. Only a politician would propose a mandatory buyback and offer you $300.00 for a weapon system that many law biding citizens have spent over $1000.00 on.
Ask one of these tyrants who say they are so many supposed inflated mass shootings across the United States how many more shootings there will be if they send out tyrant gun confiscation squads to steal the American people’s property.
If the tyrants get the private firearms away from the American people they will go for their retirement accounts and other physical assets. Why do you think they want the private firearms gone so bad?
The very reason for the 2nd Amendment, is to prevent wealth , property and most importantly, freedoms that the citizens of this country have from being taken from them by tyrannical government officials.
Quote: “I expect my fellow Americans to follow the law,” the former Texas congressman explained.” Based on some of those fellow Americans becoming a mass shooter in the first place? Or is it the unending slaughter happening in Chicago, Detroit, Baltimore, New Orleans, DC? You sir have exposed for all the Liberals exactly what the rest of us already knew. Your gun control law is only aimed at the law abiding and not the ones responsible. Just to drive home the point that stopping crimes using guns IS NOT the point, the Democrats in the House just recently voted down an amendment to apply Red Flag laws to known gang members on law enforcement date bases.
Unless he is talking about M1 carbines, M14s and some others that the government sold as surplus when it upgraded its weapons, there can be no “buy back” because the government never owned them in the first place. As to local law enforcement, military – that is split. We have already seen law enforcement kill a law abiding citizen [I believe in Maryland] while confiscating his guns. The man’s daughter said her father was not a danger to anyone. Law enforcement recently fired a crossing guard, picked up his license [he is a vet, been licensed for over 60 years with a clean record] and guns all over a part of a sentence that was overheard at a diner. Man in Florida lost his guns because he was mis-identified, took couple of weeks to clear it up and is still waiting to get his guns back. Eric Gardner in New York killed because police were enforcing a dumb law. As to the military, check out what active duty troops did to ‘Bonus Army’. Kent State.
Confiscating weapons after Katrina. Any one remember Waco? The paramilitary police forces of cities and the military might just go ahead and “follow orders”. That is after all what they are trained to do.
Beto is the best gun salesman since Brawk Obozo. He’s just jealous because he himself CANNOT pass a NICS check, Bwahahaha!
Come and take it
What a moron. The majority of the police and military will not follow orders to show up on peoples’ doorsteps to confiscate guns. Some cops who do follow those orders will die along with the citizens they are trying to disarm.
So then the libs call for the UN to come enforce the unConstitutional gun confiscation laws.
Haha. Those of us who would hesitate to engage our own cops and military will be so outraged at foreign troops in our soil, it will be open season. Gun owners will not wait for them to show up at our homes. Many of us will be forming up into local militias and hunting them down.
I imagine at this point a lot of us will decide it’s also time to hunt down our traitorous politicians.
Bring it on, Beto!
The Constitution in the US has been ruled by the liberal class Ivy Leaguer ‘Supreme Court’ ( sic ) to be a living document.
I have news for you: the majority of LE and the military will do as they as ordered by the American neo-liberal ruling class. Why do you think that US police have been being outfitted with surplus Pentagon material under the 1033 program? You might want to review Ruby Ridge, Waco and the aftermath of Katrina to fully understand who will be doing what to whom.
Cops followed orders to stand down during Portland and Seattle riots even though they had taken an oath to uphold the law.
I don’t have to review anything concerning Katrina’s aftermath…I had 4 people who were close to me and involved in that nightmare. One was a National Guardsman & a friends Stepson who was in New Orleans…operating under orders of “Shoot to Kill” anyone wearing Gang Colors out after curfew, and anyone period breaking into any business! The other 3 were Nurses in Biloxi, MS Hospitals… surrounded by Guardsmen, with order of “Shoot to Kill” Anyone at Anytime who did not go thru the Guard Checkpoints. One nurse was my Girlfriend, the other 2 her children…until the Guard arrived, they had a War-zone with those trying to get in their Apothecary to steal Drugs. These were Gangs who showed up from Miami, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles & Thousands from Mexico for no other reason then Looting. Drug Stores, Firearm Dealers, Jewelry Stores, Liquor Stores, Highend Grocers were among those first hit…this Scum Sucking Pigs were on the way, as it always is after disasters…but they didn’t expect to be greeted by several thousand National Guardsmen, armed for Bear! There were far more who lost their life after Katrina then most know or will EVER KNOW!…most all Media Reports were fabricated, because they too were denied access to the worst hit. Pauls stepson never said anything about confiscating Firearms, but he said there were some things he wouldn’t talk about. This kid came out of the Womb with a 1911 .45 in a shoulder holster, he & his Sister were the 2 best Pistol shots I’ve ever seen…imagine taking someone else’s Arms made him Sick!
Eh, why do you think some of the more rabid (and terrified) communards want to keep milspec equippage out of police hands?
Let’s ask Rapists to cut off their Dicks while we’re at it.
He certainly ascribes to Joseph Stalin’s playbook :
” If the opposition disarms , well and good . If it refuses to
disarm , we shall disarm it ourselves . ”
MOLON LABE ! You ” Alpha – Hotel ” .
That is almost an exact quote from Elizabeth Warren. Just substitute “Republicans” for “opposition.”
His first name should be Butt-hole. Come get my AR yourself, I’ll keep the light on for you.
These goofballs have no intention on taking anything. All of these seditious traitors will have our LEOs do it for them-or they’ll die trying. But here’s a thought, LEOs-why not simply disobey illegal and unConstitutional orders? After all, you did take an oath, remember? To go against and disobey your oaths makes you an automatic criminal. Remember-the Constitution is just another term for We, the People (meaning all citizens of the united States of America. To disobey the Constitution is to disobey the rightful/lawful leaders of this nation-at your own peril )
What firearm ?
There have been, in my lifetime, conscientious Democrats–even a president or two–who believed in the right to keep and bear arms. I have serious questions about the 68 Act, but at least there was a hard look at the Second Amendment and an intent to do everything within the parameters of the Constitution.
My wife asked me how many weapons i could conceal, but i have no reason to believe my premises would not be searched–I have a couple magazine fed semi autos that tie me to the NICS list–do I consider the Ashcroft order on stopping the maintenance of records as effective? About as much as i believe that I am going to hit the big PowerBall.
The founding fathers (Those at the Constitutional Convention) were not the source of the Bill of Rights–the fact that neither Massachusetts Bay nor Virginia would remain in the Union had the Bill of rights not been ratified by the First Congress brought the small states in line. New York, one of those small states, had a similar threat. The Commonwealths of Massachusetts Bay and Virginia were necessary to the economic viability of the Union.
A note about Massachusetts Bay: In 1775 the governor, ordered confiscation of Weapons stored at Concord. While we openly celebrate the skirmish at Lexington thhat was largely symbolic. I have read estimates of the size of resistance forces at Concord as high as 1200–a respectable force with a credible number of veterans from the French and Indian Wars. And the retreat of the King’s forces further armed the resistance by the number of Brown Bess muskets, swords and pistols dropped along the way.
As for a mandatory “buy Back” I have a few comments. If the government sets a buy back price, it will be significantly lower than what a free market would bring. While that might appear to violate the Fifth Amendment takings clause, the precedent was the “buy back” of gold in the 1930s–$20 an ounce was set as the market for purpose of the sale. Did the Government get all the gold?–Does a unicorn have any real use other than locating virgins?
Is the re-election of Trump a guarantee of the Second Amendment. Ask a Kurd.
We keep voting and pressure from electorate can keep 2A moving along as it has for the 200 plus years.
My research indicates Beto is a no-go, as his blood line have done some pretty messy stuff to El Paso and the rule of law in general.
Alexander The Great was in middle east also. Look what it got him – now there are modern weapons handed out in this century. Educate yourself about something in the third world thats been going on for a long time. 10 years – they are not trying to negotiate. Let ‘em go at it then. We are being used.
They tried a buy-back locally a few years ago.
Guess what they were offering, regardless of the gun’s value?
A $50 Walmart gift card!
I shoulda turned-in my broken Crosman BB pistol. LOL
Dit Stan…if they take it, buy all the busted up Air Soft Toys and Crap you can get! Then go to their Sporting Goods Department & buy a 30.06, Bow & Arrows, Crossbow & Darts…and a Hunting Slingshot with the Gift Cards…’da Gub’mint will scratch their heads for years over what you’re up to!
Theres a group, Jews for the preservation of the right to keep an bear arms, or some such, has shown the ’68 was practically a simple translation of the ’34 nazi gun control declaration. Backbone chills, anyone?
Come and take it! Law abiding Marine vet!
Does this guy really want dead cops? Or dead law abiding citizens? Really is that what he wants. Well guess what. We out number the police. The police want to be able to go home and see they’re family at night. The cops will refuse to cooperate simply as a safety measure. This guy is just hot wind. Can’t believe he is still getting air time.
Yes. Yes he does. Then, the seditious traitors can call in the UN to “secure” American streets as the media massively lies, obfuscates, projects and misinforms by hyping the ‘wanton violence’, and then it’s on like Donkey Kong. The Leftist traitors within CONUS have wanted a force of violence push-back by Patriotic Americans for some time now (note the modern version of 1930s German Brownshirts ANITFA) . Unfortunately for them and their evil, illegal machinations, we’re more level-headed than their own Useful Idiots.
Since when did we start letting Red Coats run for president?
The Jews in Germany, in WWII, were good Citizens. They followed the law all the way to the Gas Chambers!
There are places Government shouldn’t go. Gun confiscation is one of them!!
I cant believe he is still upright and consuming oxygen. He should have received a special Arkansas backwoods greeting by now.
If he is so adamant about gun confiscation why doesn’t he set an example? Please Mr O’dork show us how you would do it. PLEASE!
I heard him say HE owns an AR!
I’ll believe that when I see it.
If true, this POS is a major-league hypocrite.
Beto has as much chance of winning the nomination as a three legged race horse winning the Kentucky Derby.
How many, “Beto”, will die when the government attempts a gun confiscation?
That idiot who can’t even change his own tire, spoiled rich boy with no real life job experience and no qualifications to lead even a pet cat… Yea he knows his campaign is over as a presidential candidate. He’s trying to milk as much money as he can from idiots who actually donate to him while he completely falls from the race.
So now we know his intent. He wants a police state. He should move. Cuba would be a good place to start.
So now we know his intent. He wants a police state. He should move. China would be a good place to start.
Come and get it.
He can’t count on the police or military because they won’t go door to door confiscating firearms, but as all good globalists know, the UN is just a phone call away.
The UN is no threat. Their total force runs around 100,000, and how long do you think they would last when word got out of what was happening? Our own military isn’t going to sit on their hands, and watch UN troops run rough shod on citizens here.
Beto can say whatever he wants, and if elected, push whatever legislation he likes. There is a huge difference between passing a law and enforcing that law. War on Drugs anyone? Holy shit, they can’t even keep people from speeding on the interstate, but they think people will give up their guns “because the law”? LOLOL
Hmmmm… them blue helmets make a stand-out target…how long before they chuck’em?
2nd amendment, you idiot
The more he talks , the more these guns are flying off the shelf
Obama 2.0
Come and take them, tyrant! You’ll get the same treatment as the last fools that tried to take our guns. Death to tyrants.
Molon Labe !
This clown still hasn’t figured it out. Mandatory buyback? Liberal code for confiscation. O’Rourke needs to read the Constitution and in particular the Bill of Rights. He is woefully uniformed, slacker, card carrying member of the incapable and unproductive guild, and delusional.
Unfortunately, people like him have a way of becoming main stream, particularly on the left.
Also it’s worth noting, although no on has pinned him down on it yet, that he would be willing to have the police resort to deadly violence against Americans, all in the name of preventing deadly violence against Americans.
But O’Rourke, like many leftists, is too ignorant to see the hypocrisy.