South Carolina Encouraging Gun Sales With Unconstitutional Tax Breaks

Typical Jim DeMint voter

Funny how vehemently conservatives fought against Thomas Jefferson's and James Madison's Bill of Rights-- the first ten amendments to the Constitution (just in case any modern day conservative should chance upon this post). Between 1789 and 1791 there was practically open warfare over their adoption as representatives of the wealthy elite, like Alexander Hamilton, fought against them as strongly as the 4 radical right Jims-- DeMint, Inhofe, Risch and Bunning-- fight against anything and everything that would in the slightest way help the lives of ordinary Americans.

All the vitriol and predictions of doom in that debate between progressives and reactionaries sounds a lot like the vitriol we're hearing now over the healthcare bill-- and every other piece of progressive legislation introduced-- only without Fox, Hate Talk Radio and the hundreds of millions of dollars with which corporate America has gamed the system. Some of those amendments are still being challenged by conservative elements-- like separation of church and state, due process and speedy public trials with impartial juries "composed of members of the state or judicial district in which the crime occurred." Ironically, one of the touchstones of modern day conservatism, the right to form well regulated militias and keep and bear arms, was the second amendment. (It was rejected by New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island specifically. And on top of that Connecticut, Massachusetts and Georgia never ratified the Bill of Rights until 1939!)

In any case, South Carolina today is one happy camper of a state that that particular right was passed and is celebrating it this weekend with a suspension of the 6% state sales tax on weapons. Black Friday in South Carolina saw an incredible increase in weapons sales-- as well as an increasingly common tragic gun rampage in Florida; 10,000 people are killed annually by gun loons. Friday it was 4 unfortunate family members of 35 year old Miami resident and shooter Paul Michael Merhige, including his pregnant sister and her twin, a 6-year-old cousin and a 79 year old aunt. Now that's what I call a Confederate hero!

Actually this was South Carolina's second tax-free weekend for gun sales and other states we should have been happy to see leave the Union long ago have followed suit: Louisiana, Texas and Kentucky. (Never too late.)

“Because of the savings, people who might be wanting a gun may be motivated to get one for that 6 percent off,” said Jimmy Johnson, owner of B and B Sporting Goods and Pawnshop. “We’ll sell probably three times more guns with the tax-free weekend than we would on any given weekend or even a big holiday weekend.”

He estimated about 225 people bought guns from his store Friday, a steady stream of customers taking advantage of the discount to buy what they had wanted for a while.

Johnson said last year’s tax holiday dramatically improved gun sales at B and B.

A crush of people went to Grady’s Great Outdoors to buy firearms Friday.

A tent was set up in the parking lot so buyers could secure state approvals to buy weapons before the store’s doors opened.

The South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that the legislation authorizing the tax-free gun sale weekends is unconstitutional-- but that certainly didn't stop anyone. We're talking about South Carolina here, folks, home of Joe "Liar" Wilson, a state that sane tourists from around the world are starting to avoid because of extremism. Meanwhile, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, which includes Joe Riley of Charleston, Bob Coble of Columbia and Joe McElveen of Sumter, are pointing out all the terrorists and criminals who get their hands on guns because of idiotic laws like the Tiahrt amendments-- you know, destroying background records in 24 hours, which prevented the FBI from knowing what Hasan was up to at Ft. Hood.