With anti-gun Democrats back in control of the House of Representatives come January, now is the time to prepare for a new onslaught on the Second Amendment. Emboldened by the mere thought of controlling the lower chamber, we are already seeing the warning signs of what will come for the next two years.
First, virtually all Democrat leadership positions are likely to be filled by long-time anti-gun zealots, such as former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). Similarly, key committees will surely be chaired by extremists with long histories of supporting any and all legislation designed to diminish the rights of law-abiding gun owners.
In other words, if you can imagine a new, draconian restriction on guns, gun owners, firearm parts and accessories, or ammunition, expect it to not only be introduced, but to be given a hearing. Also expect the anti-gun legacy media to openly fawn over these efforts. The same goes for any old proposals that have already been introduced and rejected, or even implemented and later repealed or abandoned after proving to be ineffective.
At the top of the list, of course, will be banning semi-automatic firearms. Extremists will try to ban America's most popular rifle, the AR15, as well as any other semi-automatic rifle. The standard magazines that come with these rifles, as well as any that are sold separately that are deemed "too big," will also be the target of bans. Most semi-automatic handguns and shotguns will also be swept into these bans.
"Universal" background checks are also a priority for anti-gun Democrats. In fact, Nancy Pelosi even promised to support criminalizing the private transfer of firearms if Democrats were given control of the House. Pelosi and her ilk will try to exploit all of the recent tragic shootings that have taken place in order to promote "universal" background check while ignoring the fact that none of them would have been impacted by such a scheme. The firearms in all of these horrific crimes were acquired through either the federally-mandated background check, or even more restrictive state systems.
There are many reasons to not trust Pelosi, but when it comes to her pledge to attack law-abiding gun owners, you can take that to the bank.
Democrats who have been chomping at the bit for years to push their anti-gun agenda in the House have made it very clear your rights are fair game, and they have said they will not waste any time once they seize the reins of control.
Along with semi-auto bans and "universal" background checks, expect to see attempts to tax firearms and ammunition out of the grasp of the average American. Through incompetence or malice, these legislative proposals will be so poorly drafted that it will be impossible for law-abiding gun owners to even attempt to comply with their byzantine provisions.
As an example, one need only look to the most recent gun control bill introduced in Congress. H.R. 7115, the so-called “3–D Firearms Prohibitions Act.” Attentive readers will probably notice that the bad drafting started with the title: we live in a three-dimensional world; so all firearms are necessarily “3-D.” Despite the title, the bill doesn’t seem to ban all firearms, however, it’s provisions are so poorly drafted and show such a incredible lack of understanding of firearms that it likely does ban nearly any part intended for use in a modern semi-automatic firearm. Even simple pins and springs seem to fall within the provisions of the bill.
While 7115 is unlikely to move in the current Congress, it will likely be on the agenda next year. But that's just the start.
Ultimately, the Second Amendment will likely be under a more severe attack over the next two years than perhaps it has ever seen. With some sources showing that as many as one in five likely voters in Democrat primaries would like to see the Second Amendment repealed, it’s likely that some members of Congress will attempt to oblige.