Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Ban on Lead Bullets

If you read The Gun Nuts, you'll learn that the Center for Biological Diversity has petitioned the EPA to ban lead ammunition and fishing accessories in furtherance of their huggy-feely agenda. Never mind that lead is a naturally occurring element that is found all over the world. Never mind that hunting and fishing license fees and sales of ammunition, sporting goods and fishing implements fund the Pittman-Robertson funds that fund wildlife areas. Never mind that active shooters and sportsmen donate money to public and private organizations that preserve wildlife.

This is a back-door attempt to make life miserable for hunters and fishermen. And because some ammo crosses the line from hunting to target shooting, they want it all banned. All of it.

I've already written my Congressman, and fired off emails to the EPA guys. The EPA folks who need to hear from you are Jackson.lisa@epa.gov and Owens.steve@epa.gov . Be nice, but explain to them that we donate millions to wildlife causes and pay lots of excise taxes to fund wildlife restoration. Explain to them also that dozens, if not hundreds of companies make a living from lead ammunition and components and employ thousands of people nationwide.

A ban on lead sporting ammunition will cost the economy millions in lost wages and opportunity costs. This is a bad idea in good times, but in a down-turn economy, it is a catastrophic idea.

2 comments:

Nancy R. said...

You'd think that if they thought lead was bad because it would cause mutations, or something, they're barking up the wrong tree. Mutation would give them PLENTY of bio-diversity.

Rivrdog said...

Lead bullet bans WERE effective as a harassment weapon for the gun-banners in Kalifornia, so it stands to reason they would try to do an Executive Order trick on the rest of us.

This wouldn't get by the Blue Dogs in Congress, so Obama will try to sneak it in as "EPA Policy" in Executive Orders.

When Congress turns more conservative this Fall, you will see more and more of the Left's agenda coming across as Executive Orders.

Fortunately, when the next President is elected just over two years from now, all these orders can be reversed on his/her first day in office. The model for that might just be the "repeal Congress" which could take over in January of next year, if the expected conservative victory extends to the Senate.