OK, guys, the way to win is: EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW. Or rather, violations of same by those administering discretionary carry or ownership permits. That includes the Fed's handling of Class3 permits, see also the 14th amendment.
California's state constitution is GREAT in this area. Article 1, section 7B can refer to favoritism on a "class" or "elitist" basis. I've been examining the state constitutions of other states, concentrating on states with major amounts of discrimination. What I've got so far:
New Jersey: *Nothing* in the state constitution about "equal protection under the law". Jesus. There's still the 14th but...that's shaky because so far, it's been applied almost exclusively by religion, race, gender or other "stuff you can't help" like being disabled.
California: "A citizen or class of citizens may not be granted privileges or immunities not granted on the same terms to all citizens." Well gee wiz, that seems to work even if I ain't a crippled black lesbian high priestess, now don't it?
Illinois: their entire website is down. Sheeeeit.
New York: there's an equal rights clause but it's specifically race/religion/gender based, doesn't cover "general favoritism and elitism" such as in Calif.
Massachusets: BINGO! The language in this ol' pup is ARCHAIC as hell but there's something COOL in here, if anything it's better than California. Get a load of this:
"Article VI. No man, nor corporation, or association of men, have any other title to obtain advantages, or particular and
exclusive privileges, distinct from those of the community, than what arises from the consideration of services rendered to the
public; and this title being in nature neither hereditary, nor transmissible to children, or descendants, or relations by blood, the idea of a man born a magistrate, lawgiver, or judge, is absurd and unnatural."
LOOK AT THE WORDS ABOVE, GUYS!!!
This is the original repudiation of the entire idea of an "aristocracy". Mass. regularly issues concealed weapons permits to the wealty, the politically connected, etc. The California version of this is very similar, if worded in less baroque fashion.
I really, REALLY hope somebody from Mass is seeing this! See also: http://www.state.ma.us/legis/const.htm
Colorado: took me *forever* to find this ugly sucker, unfortunately I can't see anything as useful as the CA/MA stuff. It's at: http://i2i.org/SuptDocs/ColoCon/iscolocn.htm if anybody wants to look for themselves.
This website lists all state main web pages; it's generally a snap to get the constitution from each: http://www.amercris.org/usalist.htm - or this one's even better: http://www.legalbrief.com/states.htm
This map will show exactly where the current "discretionary permit states" are. Hawaii is in some ways a "special case" in that from what I understand *NOBODY* gets a permit, no matter what. Damn. That might cover 'em from one of us trying this sort of "equal protection suite" trick: http://www.moccw.org/map.html
Tips on finding these "jewels" in state constitutions: they seem to be clustered "early" in the documents, in whatever passes for a "bill of rights" equivelent.
Hit the books, guys, we're onto something here.
Jim March