Can you imagine the damage Donald Trump would do...

[TupperHappy]

... if the efforts to enact a "No-Fly" anti-gun list had actually been successful?

Think about it, this scheme would have given the executive branch the ability to revoke people's Second Amendment rights, with no judicial hearing, no due process, no clear means to restore their rights, based on whether the Attorney General scrawled their name on a secret list.

You don't think one of President Cheetoface McTribblehair's first acts would be to grab a crayon and scribble out an executive order expanding the scope of that legislation? Fourth amendment rights? Gone. First Amendment? See ya later. No more pleading the Fifth, IYKWIMAITYD.

And before you can say, "Trump and Putin, sitting in a tree...", he'd made a bee line to Atty. Gen. Sessions (assuming he gets in), and every Muslim immigrant over the past 25 years will find their names on that list. Hell, anyone who ever crossed him would end up there, he'd make Nixon look like a Boy Scout.

So very, very glad we didn't get that stupid Constitution-shredding scheme on the books. I mean, who knows what he'll come up with on his own, but at least he doesn't have that particular tool which would gave gotten him 90% to that Muslim registry we keep hearing about.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

1. K&R n/t

[ileus]

2. Lot's of folks support this until you signed Trump on the bill.

Lot's of folks are confused on exactly what is progressive when it comes to the 2A.


As for me and my family we're not willing to give up one single part of our 2A rights.

[kudzu22]

3. Which is why you have to be very careful

when expanding governmental power, especially Presidential power. You have to anticipate what the worst president in the world would do with that power. They didn't listen to me when they axed the filibuster for nominees. Now, we don't have to imagine what the worst possible president would do....

[pablo_marmol]

4. "You have to anticipate what the worst president in the world would do with that power."

This.^^^

[yagotme]

6. I also concur. n/t

[shadowrider]

7. It's that old, "Be careful what you wish for" thingy. n/t

[Eleanors38]

5. So noted. Again

[benEzra]

8. Yup. And once the precedent were established, what other civil liberties...

would it soon apply to?

Should "known or suspected terrorists" be protected from searches and seizures? Should "known or suspected terrorists" be allowed to speak to crowds, march in groups, own newspapers, run websites? Should "known or suspected terrorists" work in government? The military? In law enforcement? Drive 80,000-lb gasoline tankers through populated areas? Work in schools, sports stadiums, or day cares?

Once you set the precedent that having your name added pro forma to a secret list automatically revokes your civil rights, then all those things are fair game. Which is one reason why the ACLU has strongly resisted summary revocation of civil liberties without due process, despite heavy pressure from Third Way types.