The Patriot Post® · National Reciprocity: Apocalypse Now?

In good news that was buried by other stuff Wednesday, the House passed the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, 231-198. Perhaps surprisingly, six Democrats voted for the bill, while 14 Republicans voted no. What isn’t surprising is the Leftmedia’s dezinformatsia about it. “House passes bill to let gun owners to carry concealed weapons across state lines,” headlined The Washington Post — as if all state lines were previously a barrier. What the bill actually does is ensure that all state concealed carry permits are valid in all states, contrary to the current regime under which states may either offer reciprocity or deny the right to bear arms to citizens of other states. As for citizens of the 12 states that require no permit, they may also carry in any other state. And as of 2014, all 50 states (some grudgingly after court defeats) recognize the right to carry concealed firearms.

In her typically apocalyptic fashion, Nancy Pelosi tweeted, “Inviting violent criminals to carry concealed weapons doesn’t save lives. Inviting domestic abusers to carry concealed weapons doesn’t save lives. Inviting convicted stalkers to carry concealed weapons doesn’t save lives. Yet the @HouseGOP just voted to do exactly that #StopCCR.” Dead wrong. Violent criminals, domestic abusers and convicted stalkers cannot legally obtain carry permits in any state, which the House bill did not change. But when have facts ever gotten in the way for Pelosi and Co.?

The NRA backed the bill, effectively responding to Pelosi in a statement, “Despite scare tactics by the bill’s opponents, concealed-carry licensees as a group have proven to be more law-abiding than the general population and even the police.” Analysis: True.

Meanwhile, House Republicans added the Fix NICS Act to the bill — legislation that would create “maximum coordination” between states and the federal government on the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). It would penalize government agencies for failing to report pertinent information. Clearly, this is a response to the church shooting in Texas; the U.S. Air Force did not report the murderer’s conviction record to NICS. Fix NICS does not expand background checks in terms of who must undergo one or what information must be reported from which agency, though it would likely lead to more complete information in the NICS. Adding the two bills together may have helped in the House, but senators of both parties warn it’s a no-go in the Senate.

Strategically, Democrats oppose gun rights in any form — using hyperbole to do so — because they know the last line of defense against a tyrannical central government is the Second Amendment.