Mexican President Calderon Calls for Reinstatement of the AWB

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Bartholomew Roberts

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On May 20, President Calderon addressed a Joint Session of Congress and said:

"And if you'll look carefully, you will notice that the violence in Mexico started to grow a couple of years before I took office, in 2006. This coincides with the lifting of the assault-weapons ban in 2004. One day, criminals in Mexico, having gained an access to these weapons, decided to challenge the authorities in my country. Today, these weapons are aimed by the criminals not only at rival gangs, but also at Mexican civilians and authorities. With all due respect, if you do not regulate the sale of these weapons in the right way, nothing guarantees that criminals here in the United States with access to the same power of weapons will not decided (sic) to challenge American authorities and civilians."

I won't bother going into the factual inaccuracies in his statement since those are already covered in this blog post by the Heritage Foundation.

It does raise an interesting question though. Why does Calderon want the AWB reenacted? From the standpoint of Mexican law, it doesn't ban even a fraction of the weapons that Mexican law bans. If there is really an issue with cross-border weapons trafficking, it seems that asking Congress to ratify the already-signed CIFTA treaty would be more productive from Mexico's standpoint. So why would the President of Mexico ask Congress to reauthorize a ban on cosmetic features that doesn't affect weapon functionality?

It just strikes me as a strange request given his stated concerns. "Would you please reinstate an obscure domestic gun control law that won't solve my problems in the least?" I wonder if Calderon understands what that law did?
 
It smells of some kind of behind-the-scenes political maneuvering, maybe a tit-for-tat arrangement? On its face, it doesn't make much sense, and since politicians rarely do things randomly, there's got to be more than meets the eye here.
 
Nobody asked him not to say it.
Aside from that, the Mexican Govt should put it's own house in order before it tries to set US policy.
 
How about "I'll keep the borders open for your people if you demand that we reenact the AWB to protect your country?" Quid quo pro at its finest.

The administration was unsuccessful when it floated trial balloons about American weapons showing up in Mexico. Maybe Calderon's speech was intended to give new credibility to that theory.

My reaction is that the US should help Calderon by stop anything illegal from crossing the border ... in either direction.
 
Last I checked the machine guns being used by the drug cartels are not available in US gun shops.

I doubt he is that dumb and that is what is most troubling.
 
I have a theory - politicians are unable or unwilling to actually research what they are talking about.

Very well done research, sponsored by the DOJ, demonstrated that the AWB was not shown to have any effect on the standard crime indicators.

However, politicians seem to think that the AWB actually banned ownership and production of military derivative semiauto long arms of all types. They also think that that the bill was effective.

It became a slogan or magic mantra. It is chanted for political appeal to their constituents.

It would be intellectually honest to say that they want a new all inclusive ban on manufacture and ownership on such guns. But they deliberately don't understand the issue or are too stupid or ill-trained in analytic skills to know what is going on.
 
Personally, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to find out that statement was made at the request or "suggestion" of our very own President.
 
That could be - but don't underestimate how folks can be delusional and/or selective of information.

Zealots of all political persuasions only choose to listen to whatever choir floasts their boat.

Examples would be a political war.

So it is the case that politician X might be duplicious or manipulative but folks on the same side of that cause can be delusional.

Works for the left and the right, I'm afraid.
 
The pictures I have seen of confiscated Drug Runner guns, I saw grenades, M2 50 Caliber machine guns, anti tank weapons, serious military weapons that did not come from gun shows.

These are US military weapons given to the Mexican Military as military aid. Then sold by corrupt Mexican military officials to the drug lords.

We should immediately suspend all military weapon aid and sales to Mexico. It is just that simple.

The basic problem is that drug money has taken control of Mexico. "After the arrests, it emerged that the top officials were paid up to $450,000 per month to funnel information to the drug lords."

http://www.thetrumpet.com/?q=5887.4259.0.0

$450,000 per month is a lot of money.
 
Mexico should know better than any other country that gun bans don't work. They have one in place and we know how well that is working out for them.

We always say, although it usually falls on deaf ears, that gun bans mean only criminals have guns. I think Mexico is direct, substantial, and unequivocal evidence that the statement is true.
 
Slamfire said:
The pictures I have seen of confiscated Drug Runner guns, I saw grenades, M2 50 Caliber machine guns, anti tank weapons, serious military weapons that did not come from gun shows.

These are US military weapons given to the Mexican Military as military aid. Then sold by corrupt Mexican military officials to the drug lords.

We should immediately suspend all military weapon aid and sales to Mexico. It is just that simple
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Bingo!!

cbrgator said:
Mexico should know better than any other country that gun bans don't work. They have one in place and we know how well that is working out for them.
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It depends on what you're trying to achieve. NYC's Sullivan Act made the city safer for criminals, Mexican anti-gun laws were made to do the same.
 
Political grandstanding and a political chess move. Instead of focusing on the high demand of narcotics, and the inconsistent border control on both sides of the Mexican border, including the border with Central America, they focus on the tools of the drug gangs. In order for the US to infringe on Americans' right to keep and bear arms, they must first demonize the tools used by the bad guys, then keep them away from everyone. I believe the Latino vote played a large part in electing a Liberal Democrat, President Calderon and the Dems are forming a united front to pressure lawmakers and persuade their constituents that banning these "evil weapons" is the only choice. Who would argue against peace at the borders?
 
Personally, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to find out that statement was made at the request or "suggestion" of our very own President.
Today 03:49 PM
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Bingo. I was thinking the same thing.
 
Calderon is full of C***.Mexico is a screwed up mess because of internal incompetence and centuries of corruption.We need the East German side of the Berlin wall on our southern border!
 
It seems that even the media all the way down to the local news columist is saying it is our(America's)fault and we as Americans should take responsabilty for whats going wrong in mexico.Personally i think it's appauling and disgusting that media can get away with such B.S..

How about "I'll keep the borders open for your people if you demand that we reenact the AWB to protect your country?" Quid quo pro at its finest.
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If he thinks we should ban all assault weapons,then we should make him ban all illegals from coming to our country.
 
The history of weapons bans, from Middle Age Europe to the Tokagawa Shogunate of Japan, to the laws passed in the post-Civil War South, to the Britain's 1920 gun laws, to NY's Sullivan Law, until today prove that, rhetoric notwithstanding, they are not about controlling crime. They are about some elite controlling a much more numerous peasantry. Until we get that idea firmly fixed in our heads, we will never understand the importance of gun rights.
 
Prez. Obama: "Hey Caldy, I can't get away with mentioning anything about gun control without raising a big stink throughout the gun owning community which is about 80 million people. Why don't you call for a reinstatement of our expired assault weapons ban and make some hay by telling us how crime has gone up significantly in your country since it expired. We don't have the crime stats in the US to show that the AWB was anywhere near effective, but that won't matter if you bring you it up. In exchange, I'll have the democrats in Congress give you standing ovations for the AWB mention and for mentioning how bad the Arizona law is. I'll also be planning to have Holder sue Arizona for that stupid law. How dare they harrass your citizens who are here in the US to work and send money back to Mexico. That won't stand while I'm around. So, how about it? You scratch my back and I'll make sure your monies continue to flow south across the border? Deal? "

Prez. Calderon: "Si, Amigo. Deal."

Well, this president said he was going to be "transparent". We can certainly see right through him on certain political issues and his behavior regarding them.
 
Even if you take the view that the current Administration bribed Calderon to make the request, it seems interesting that they went for the AWB instead of the CIFTA Treaty.
 
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