Gun Owners Action League of Washington

Month: June 2013

  • GOAL Post – 2013-SPECIAL 7

    GOAL Post                                                                             2013-SPECIAL 7
    Legislative Update from Olympia                                                  28 June 2013

    BUDGET AGREEMENT REACHED?

    I-591 OPENER AT WAC SHOW A SUCCESS

    HAVE YOU SIGNED THE PETITION YET?

    ANOTHER 1984 MOMENT

    The buzz in Olympia Thursday afternoon is that a deal was reached on the operating budget, thus averting a state government shutdown.  Unfortunately the vote won’t be taken until sometime Friday, and I’m due to hit the road Friday noon for Orlando and the quarterly board meeting of the Florida Sport Shooting Association.  Rather than trusting a hotel internet connection to send out GOAL Post, I’m hitting the “send” button before I leave home.

    As with last week, there has been no action on or interest shown in gun bills during the second special session.  Apparently they’re waiting to see what happens with the upcoming initiatives.

    On the initiative front, the campaign kick-off for pro-gun Initiative 591, conducted at last weekend’s WAC gun show in Puyallup was a success by all measures.  The initial count indicates over 2,000 signatures were gathered over the weekend.

    The Protect Our Gun Rights PAC has been registered with the Public Disclosure System and in addition to signature gathering efforts, fund raising can now also begin.  Unlike the fifteen-page monstrosity that is anti-gun I-594, I-591 is a clean and simple single page.  All that needs to be said is said on that one page.

    Further information on I-591, to include a request for blank petitions and a link to the donation page, may be found at http://protectourgunrights.net/   Six months may sound like a long time to gather signatures, but January 2014 is just around the corner.

    Federal agencies strike again.  The latest is the ATF putting out a Request for Proposal for a data repository system that will not only list persons of interest to that agency, it will also automatically search social networks and other data bases to link that person to other people known by the person.  Part of the RFP reads the database should “obtain exact matches from partial source data searches” such as complete or partial social security numbers, vehicle serial codes, age range, phonetic name spelling, and related geographic addresses.

    So much for, “If you haven’t done anything wrong, you have nothing to fear.”  Are you sure all your friends and acquaintances are as squeaky clean as you?

    All this to help us and make us safer.  And if you can’t trust the government, in his own words President Obama said he has an issue with you.  ATF is prohibited by law from creating any form of gun registry, so that should make you feel better.  They wouldn’t violate that law, would they?

    BILL STATUS:

    All bills filed in during the regular session are available and may be acted upon.  At this time there are no new gun bills, nor has there been any action on bills previously filed.

    GOAL POSITION ON BILLS

    No active gun bills at this time

    HEARING(S) SCHEDULED

    None

    LEGISLATIVE HOT LINE:  You may reach your Representatives and Senator by calling the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-562-6000.  Toll free!!!  The hearing impaired may obtain TDD access at 1-800-635-9993.  Also toll free!!!

    1-800-562-6000   TDD 1-800-635-9993

    OTHER DATA:  Copies of pending legislation (bills), legislative schedules and other information are available on the legislature’s web site at “www.leg.wa.gov“.  Bills are available in Acrobat (.pdf) format.  You may download a free version of Adobe Acrobat Reader from Adobe’s web site (http://www.adobe.com).  You may also obtain hard copy bills, initiatives, etc, in the mail from the Legislative Bill Room FREE OF CHARGE by calling 1-360-786-7573.  Copies of bills may also be ordered toll free by calling the Legislative Hotline at (800) 562-6000.  You may also hear floor and committee hearing action live at http://www.tvw.org/ (you need “RealAudio” to do this, available free at the TVW web site).

    By reading the House and Senate “bill reports” (hbr, sbr) for each bill, you can see how individual committee members voted.  By reading the “roll call” for each bill, you can see how the entire House or Senate voted on any bill.  The beauty of the web site is that ALL this information is available, on line, to any citizen.

    GET THE WORD OUT:  If you want to subscribe to the GOAL Post by e-mail, send a message to “[email protected]“or to “[email protected].”  Please pass GOAL Post on to anyone you believe may have an interest in protecting our rights.  Better yet, make a couple of copies of this message, post it on your gun club’s bulletin board, and leave copies with your local gun shop(s).  PERMISSION IS HEREBY GRANTED TO DUPLICATE OR REDISTRIBUTE GOAL POST PROVIDED IT IS REPRODUCED IN ITS ENTIRETY WITHOUT TEXTUAL MODIFICATION AND CREDIT IS GIVEN TO GOAL.  I can be reached at “[email protected]” or by telephone at (425) 985-4867.  Unfortunately, I am unable to mail hard copy GOAL Post to individuals.  Limited numbers of hard copies MAY be available at the Second Amendment Foundation book table at WAC gun shows.

    If you believe you have received this e-mail in error, please e-mail me at “[email protected]” with the words “Unsubscribe GOAL Post” in the subject line.  I will remove your name immediately.  Keep in mind GOAL Post is also published on several gun lists.  If you received GP via a list, you must contact that list’s admin to unsubscribe.

    Upcoming WAC gun show(s):

    Monroe                 13-14 July

    Puyallup                3-4 August

     

    “The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself, or the state, shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize, maintain or employ an armed body of men.”

     

    Article 1, Section 24

    Constitution of the State of Washington

     

     

    Copyright 2013 Gun Owners Action League of WA

  • GOAL Post 2013-SPECIAL 6

    GOAL Post                                                                              2013-SPECIAL 6
    Legislative Update from Olympia                                                21 June 2013

    SECOND SPECIAL SESSION STARTS

    DEMOCRATS THREATEN GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN

    PRO-GUN COALITION FORMS

    BIDEN BLUSTERS

    BUNDESAMT fur VERFASSUNGSSCHUTZ (BfV)

    Ten days into the second special session, same as the first. Still basically the same deadlock on the budget. The Democrat-controlled House demanding more taxes, the Majority Coalition-led Senate (23 Republicans, two Democrats) sticking with its balanced budget. Some Democrat officials (Governor Inslee?) have hinted at the possibility of a government shutdown on June 30th, the end of the current fiscal biennium. Given that emergency services should remain (my understanding), a shutdown might not be a bad thing.

    No action on firearms. At least, in the legislature.

    Back in 1997, when we were threatened with anti-gun Initiative 676 — I-676 — a coalition was formed to oppose the initiative, opposition that resulted in a resounding success when the initiative failed with a 71-29% vote of the people. The WeCARE (Washington Citizens Against Regulatory Excess) coalition consisted of national gun rights groups (National Rifle Association and Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms) and state groups (Washington Arms Collectors, the Washington State Rifle & Pistol Association and the Gun Owners Action League of Washington).

    Protect Our Gun Rights (POGR) is the new coalition formed to support pro-gun Initiative 591 to offer it as a reasonable alternative to I-594, the extremist anti-gun initiative filed by the Washington Alliance for Gun Responsibility (WAGR). Current POGR members are CCRKBA, WAC and GOAL. Other organizations are expected to join.

    The Protect Our Gun Rights web site is at http://protectourgunrights.net/

    Here’s a link to both initiatives:

    http://sos.wa.gov/_assets/elections/initiatives/FinalText_471.pdf

    http://sos.wa.gov/_assets/elections/initiatives/FinalText_483.pdf

    The ballot title and description for I-594 have yet to be issued.

    On Tuesday, Vice President Joe Biden held a gun control dog-and-pony show in the White House while the President was in Europe schmoozing with Vladimir Putin and missing the adoring crowd in Berlin. Biden bragged about the progress made with President Obama’s “23 executive actions” on guns (most purely administrative), blustered about alleged forward motion in the Senate on the various gun bills and amendments offered two months ago (but notice Majority Leader Reid hasn’t scheduled another vote) and threatened Senators who paid more attention to their constituents than to the Obama gun agenda.

    (WARNING: More Waldron editorializing, non-partisan in nature.)

    In my previous life I had the privilege of working with several allied organizations and agencies with a similar mission of counterterrorism (before terrorism was cool, just individual assassinations, kidnappings, rocket attacks, bombings, etc). Among them was the BfV, the Bundesamt fur Verfassungsschutz, West Germany’s national counterintelligence organization. Bundesamt fur Verfassungsschutz translates to “Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution.

    Think about that title for a minute: Office for the Protection of the Constitution. What a novel concept! I don’t know how faithful the BfV is to its title, but maybe some organizations in this country might want to look at the concept.

    BILL STATUS: All bills filed in during the regular session are available and may be acted upon. At this time there are no new gun bills, nor has there been any action on bills previously filed.

    GOAL POSITION ON BILLS: No active gun bills at this time

    HEARING(S) SCHEDULED: None

    LEGISLATIVE HOT LINE: You may reach your Representatives and Senator by calling the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-562-6000. Toll free!!! The hearing impaired may obtain TDD access at 1-800-635-9993. Also toll free!!!

    1-800-562-6000 TDD 1-800-635-9993

    OTHER DATA: Copies of pending legislation (bills), legislative schedules and other information are available on the legislature’s web site at “www.leg.wa.gov“. Bills are available in Acrobat (.pdf) format. You may download a free version of Adobe Acrobat Reader from Adobe’s web site (http://www.adobe.com). You may also obtain hard copy bills, initiatives, etc, in the mail from the Legislative Bill Room FREE OF CHARGE by calling 1-360-786-7573. Copies of bills may also be ordered toll free by calling the Legislative Hotline at (800) 562-6000. You may also hear floor and committee hearing action live at http://www.tvw.org/ (you need “RealAudio” to do this, available free at the TVW web site).

    By reading the House and Senate “bill reports” (hbr, sbr) for each bill, you can see how individual committee members voted. By reading the “roll call” for each bill, you can see how the entire House or Senate voted on any bill. The beauty of the web site is that ALL this information is available, on line, to any citizen.

    GET THE WORD OUT: If you want to subscribe to the GOAL Post by e-mail, send a message to “[email protected]“. Please pass GOAL Post on to anyone you believe may have an interest in protecting our rights. Better yet, make a couple of copies of this message, post it on your gun club’s bulletin board, and leave copies with your local gun shop(s). PERMISSION IS HEREBY GRANTED TO DUPLICATE OR REDISTRIBUTE GOAL POST PROVIDED IT IS REPRODUCED IN ITS ENTIRETY WITHOUT TEXTUAL MODIFICATION AND CREDIT IS GIVEN TO GOAL. I can be reached at “[email protected]” or by telephone at (425) 985-4867. Unfortunately, I am unable to mail hard copy GOAL Post to individuals. Limited numbers of hard copies MAY be available at the Second Amendment Foundation book table at WAC gun shows.

    If you believe you have received this e-mail in error, please e-mail me at “[email protected]” with the words “Unsubscribe GOAL Post” in the subject line. I will remove your name immediately. Keep in mind GOAL Post is also published on several gun lists. If you received GP via a list, you must contact that list’s admin to unsubscribe.

    Upcoming WAC gun show(s):

    · Puyallup 22-23 June

    · Monroe 13-14 July

    “The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself, or the state, shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize, maintain or employ an armed body of men.”

    Article 1, Section 24 – Constitution of the State of Washington

    Copyright 2013 Gun Owners Action League of WA

  • I-591 and I-594 – A note from the proprietors…

    This morning Seattle Gun Rights Examiner Dave Workman wrote of the newly announced pro-rights Initiative 591 and the recently formed and growing coalition of firearms rights organizations emerging in Washington, Protect Our Gun Rights (POGR).

    Founded at an emergency meeting of the Washington Arms Collectors Board of Directors, POGR counts as member organizations WAC, the Gun Owners Action League of Washington, and the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. CCRKBA and WAC have each committed a minimum of two hundred thousand dollars to the cause, with GOAL expected to join the effort in the near future.

    POGR is reaching out to individuals and organizations around the state and expects to grow swiftly in response to both the threat to civil rights presented by I-594 and in support of protections afforded civil rights by I-591. Interested parties are urged to contact temporary liaison Thomas McKiddie of the CCRKBA at (425) 454-4911. Contact information will be updated ASAP.

    In a momentary aside, WAC Webmaster Ray Carter observed “POGR was formed and continues to grow in response to  I-594,  sponsored by a clique of Seattle anti-gun elitists, and will oppose that initiative. POGR will instead support I-591 in support of preserving civil rights and a national standard for any necessary background checks.”

  • GOAL Post 2013-SPECIAL 5

    GOAL Post                                                                              2013-SPECIAL 5
    Legislative Update from Olympia                                                14 June 2013

    FIRST SPECIAL SESSION ENDS IN BUDGET STALEMATE

    SECOND SPECIAL SESSION STARTED NEXT DAY

    BACKGROUND CHECK INITIATIVE FILED

    BIDEN WHITE HOUSE GUN CONTROL GALA

    ASSAULTED:  CIVIL RIGHTS UNDER FIRE

    SCANDAL OF THE WEEK      (EPA)

    THE REAL ISSUE

    The first special session of the legislature adjourned on Monday without having reached agreement on a biennial budget.  A second special session was called by the governor, which began on Wednesday.  According to the governor, it’s all the fault of the Republican-dominated Majority Coalition in the State Senate, and Democrats are threatening a government shutdown if the Majority Coalition/Republicans don’t agree to raise taxes.

    Between the legislative gridlock and the filing of the new gun registration/background check initiative, I don’t expect them to tackle the gun issue during this session.  But eternal vigilance remains the price of liberty.

    The big news on the gun front is the “Washington Alliance for Gun Responsibility” on Monday filing their background check initiative.  As an Initiative to the Legislature, they have until the next regular legislative session in January 2014 to gather the nearly 250,000 valid signatures needed to put the initiative before the legislature.  In the 2014 session, the legislature then gets three options:  pass the initiative into law, ignore it, or pass another bill on the same topic.  In the latter two cases it goes to the people for a vote in November 2014.

    Nearly $1 MILLION has reported already been pledged by Seattle fat-cats to push the initiative through.  A representative of  Michael Bloomberg’s “Mayors Against Illegal Guns” attended their opening fund-raiser and pledged support from that group.  (This is the same Michael Bloomberg who coerced the government of Bermuda to allow HIS bodyguards to enter the island country carrying guns… even though Bermudan police don’t carry guns.  Gun prohibitions are for little people, not the elite.  Bloomberg bought the New York City mayoralty, now he wants to buy gun control in Washington.)

    Beyond the de facto gun registration that comes with any universal background check system, another big issue with this initiative is the fact that it imposes a “ten business day” (fourteen calendar days) wait in the event of a “delay” response from NICS.  Under current federal law, a dealer may deliver a firearm to a purchaser if three days elapse from the original “delay” response.  This initiative extends that to almost two weeks.  Among other things, it could have a major impact on gun shows, as well as open the door to a firearms transfer “freeze” by shutting NICS down.

    This one is going to be with us for a long time.  If we are going to prevail, IT WILL BE THROUGH GRASSROOTS ACTION.  I’ll report more as the initiative moves through the process, being assigned a number, ballot title, ballot description, etc.   And more as the gun rights community organizes to defeat it.

    Vice President Joe Biden is conducting a gun control event at the White House next Tuesday.  Details of the event, to include attendees/invitees, has yet to be released.  Without doubt there will be families from Newtown, Connecticut, and other survivors of “gun violence.”  This is another opportunity for Obama and his media allies to use the White House bully pulpit to push for more gun control — gun control that would NOT have prevented the Newtown incident nor most other shootings.  But let’s not confuse the public with facts.

    The documentary film, “Assaulted: Civil Rights Under Fire, will begin a limited showing on Thursday, June 20th, at the AMC Loews Alderwood Mall 16, 18733  33rd Ave W, Lynnwood, WA.  It runs 79 minutes in length and is narrated by Law & Order: SVU star Ice-T (one of the rare pro-gun Hollywood types).  It addresses the evolution of  the Second amendment and the continuing assaults on it by the Hollywood elite.  The trailer can be found at http://deadpatriotfilms.com/#

    The latest scandal to hit Capitol Hill is the revelation of the release of farmers’ personal data to environmental extremist groups.  This was acknowledged by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in correspondence with elected officials from mid-western states.  EPA says it “retrieved the data” from the groups involved… was that BEFORE or AFTER they copied the data?  One more case of a government agency collecting data for legitimate purpoises, then misusing that data for political ends.

    Here’s where I alienate some readers.  The news media this week has been jammed with talk of the D.C. scandals, mostly focused on cellphone and internet data collection by various elements of the intelligence community.  (Disclaimer: I spent most of my Marine Corps career in the intelligence business, including time at the National Cryptologic School at Fort Meade, MD.)

    The ABILITY of the nation’s intelligence community to collect such data should come as no surprise to anyone who has outgrown belief in the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy.  (Santa Claus is a separate issue:  too many people look to Uncle Sam as Santa Claus.)   If we did NOT collect that data, and as a result some horrific terrorist — or any other — attack were to occur undetected, you’d be screaming “intelligence failure.”  So recognize that in the real world, this data is subject to collection.  And subject to oversight.

    In fact, there is all kinds of private data about YOU in all kinds of data bases, private, business and government.  Medical information, school grades, tax data, purchase patterns… the list goes on and on.  That’s the kind of world we live in today.  Commercial interests have developed data mining to an art — an art that may even be used to push you in directions profitable to those interests.  And I haven’t even mentioned drones!

    What you SHOULD be outraged about is an administration that intentionally USES that data to achieve a political goal.  The data collected, of whatever nature, is held in a form of trust, trust that it will only be used for the legitimate purpose for which it was collected.  If NSA were to intercept some form of communication about a planned terrorist attack, it would help immeasurably to be able to search PAST communications from that source to identify linkages.  The ability to go BACK in time may be critical in preventing a FUTURE attack.

    But the only time that search for, or use of, collected data should take place is when you have probable cause that a crime is being planned/committed, and the intelligence community is in a form of hot investigative pursuit.  .

    Some readers will be outraged by that perspective, I am sure.  But having been “in the business,” I readily accept the value of COLLECTING the data, with the caveat that it is not further accessed without probable cause.  And the law should be amended to include SEVERE PENALTIES for any such misuse.

    The purpose of GOAL Post is to inform subscribers on issues dealing with the lawful acquisition, possession and use of firearms, primarily from a legislative perspective.  The fact that the current administration has demonstrated the willingness to use private data for political purposes is becoming more obvious as time goes by.  Such a pattern of activity bodes ill for gun owners as it does for all Americans.  I will refrain from addressing future such activities unless a linkage to the gun issue is clear — such as the ATF’s role in gun trafficking to Mexico as part of the Fast & Furious debacle.

    BILL STATUS:

    All bills filed in during the regular session are available and may be acted upon.  At this time there are no new gun bills, nor has there been any action on bills previously filed.

    GOAL POSITION ON BILLS

    No active gun bills at this time

    HEARING(S) SCHEDULED

    None

    LEGISLATIVE HOT LINE:  You may reach your Representatives and Senator by calling the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-562-6000.  Toll free!!!  The hearing impaired may obtain TDD access at 1-800-635-9993.  Also toll free!!!

    1-800-562-6000   TDD 1-800-635-9993

    OTHER DATA:  Copies of pending legislation (bills), legislative schedules and other information are available on the legislature’s web site at “www.leg.wa.gov“.  Bills are available in Acrobat (.pdf) format.  You may download a free version of Adobe Acrobat Reader from Adobe’s web site (http://www.adobe.com).  You may also obtain hard copy bills, initiatives, etc, in the mail from the Legislative Bill Room FREE OF CHARGE by calling 1-360-786-7573.  Copies of bills may also be ordered toll free by calling the Legislative Hotline at (800) 562-6000.  You may also hear floor and committee hearing action live at http://www.tvw.org/ (you need “RealAudio” to do this, available free at the TVW web site).

    By reading the House and Senate “bill reports” (hbr, sbr) for each bill, you can see how individual committee members voted.  By reading the “roll call” for each bill, you can see how the entire House or Senate voted on any bill.  The beauty of the web site is that ALL this information is available, on line, to any citizen.

    GET THE WORD OUT:  If you want to subscribe to the GOAL Post by e-mail, send a message to “[email protected]“.  Please pass GOAL Post on to anyone you believe may have an interest in protecting our rights.  Better yet, make a couple of copies of this message, post it on your gun club’s bulletin board, and leave copies with your local gun shop(s).  PERMISSION IS HEREBY GRANTED TO DUPLICATE OR REDISTRIBUTE GOAL POST PROVIDED IT IS REPRODUCED IN ITS ENTIRETY WITHOUT TEXTUAL MODIFICATION AND CREDIT IS GIVEN TO GOAL.  I can be reached at “[email protected]” or by telephone at (425) 985-4867.  Unfortunately, I am unable to mail hard copy GOAL Post to individuals.  Limited numbers of hard copies MAY be available at the Second Amendment Foundation book table at WAC gun shows.

    If you believe you have received this e-mail in error, please e-mail me at “[email protected]” with the words “Unsubscribe GOAL Post” in the subject line.  I will remove your name immediately.  Keep in mind GOAL Post is also published on several gun lists.  If you received GP via a list, you must contact that list’s admin to unsubscribe.

    Upcoming WAC gun show(s):

    Puyallup               22-23 June

    Monroe                13-14 July

     

    “The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself, or the state, shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize, maintain or employ an armed body of men.”

    Article 1, Section 24  – Constitution of the State of Washington

    Copyright 2013 Gun Owners Action League of WA

  • GOAL Post 2013-SPECIAL 4

    GOAL Post                                                                            2013-SPECIAL 4

    Legislative Update from Olympia                                              7 June 2013

    FOUR DAYS LEFT IN SPECIAL SESSION

    REP. STEVE O’BAN REPLACES SENATOR MIKE CARRELL

    SNOHOMISH COUNTY SHERIFF JOHN LOVICK APPOINTED COUNTY EXECUTIVE

    NJ SENATOR FRANK LAUTENBERG PASSES

    BIDEN, REID, MANCHIN MEET ON S. 649

    UN ATT – 71 COUNTRIES SIGNED SO FAR

    SCANDAL(S) OF THE WEEK

    There are four days left in the 30-day special legislative session.  At this point the focus remains on closing the gap between the House and Senate budget offerings.  The House passed a few bills this week, mostly affecting education budgets.

    Freshman Representative Steve O’Ban (R-28-Lakewood) was selected by the Pierce County Council to replace Senator Mike Carrel, also of Lakewood.  That restores the 25-24 balance for the Majority Coalition in the state Senate.  The County Council will now choose a House replacement for O’Ban, but that appointment is less critical as it has no impact on the Democrat majority in the House (55D-43R).

    Former State Representative and later Snohomish County Sheriff John Lovick was sworn in on Monday to replace disgraced Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon.  Both are Democrats.  Representative/Sheriff Lovick was no particular friend of gun owners, but his office door was always open and he would rationally discuss gun-related issues.  John is a gentleman.  For the record, he is also a 30+ year Washington State Trooper, now retired.

    Undersheriff Tom Davis will fill in until the County Council appoints a replacement, who must stand for election in 2014.  While the sheriff’s position is non-partisan, the incumbents attitude on guns could influence the County Council, among others.

    Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ,) author of the 1996 “domestic violence misdemeanor” gun ban and most recently of the failed magazine ban amendment to S.649, passed away earlier this week of viral pneumonia.  He was 89.  NJ Republican Governor Chris Christie has set a date for a special election, and in the interim has appointed NJ Attorney General (and Republican) Jeffrey Chiesa as Lautenberg’s temporary replacement.  Reportedly Chiesa is equally anti-gun.

    Vice President Biden and Senators Harry Reid and Joe Manchin reportedly met behind closed doors this week to strategize about passage of S. 649, the omnibus Senate gun control bill.  No further information as to what was discussed is available at this time.

    71 nations have now signed the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty (UN ATT).  Earlier this week the White House announced President Obama will sign the treaty in August during the summer Congressional recess, usually a slow season from a political perspective.  It appears he is trying to stretch out his controversies!  A complete list of the countries that have signed the treaty can be found at  http://www.un.org/disarmament/ATT/

    Two new scandals have erupted this week.  A British newspaper revealed the existence of a FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) court order directing Verizon Wireless to turn over to the National Security Agency all “metadata” (externals of wireless communications: telephone numbers, subscribers’ names, duration and location of call, etc).  If they’re getting it from Verizon, they’re getting it from all the other providers as well.  That was followed by a report from another British newspaper about the existence of an alleged top secret program called “PRISM,” where NSA is supposed to have back door access to Google, Facebook and a host of other internet media programs.

    The initial Obama administration response was something to the effect that “it started in the Bush years” as a response to 9/11.  Apparently true.  But all of these programs have been continued by the Obama administration, as the President himself acknowledged at a presentation in California today.  He called it an acceptable balance between security and personal privacy.  I believe Benjamin Franklin had the proper response to that one more than 200 years ago.  “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

    I’m not going to get into this in any detailed way.  ANY time you post something, or search for something, on the internet, it crosses many lines.  Internet privacy is nonexistent.  And cellphones are RADIOS.  If it goes out over the air, it can be intercepted.

    But I do see one major difference between what went on in the Bush years and what has been happening here since Obama took office.  There is no record that the Bush administration used non-partisan government agencies for partisan political purposes.  It’s clear now that Obama & Co used the IRS to target political opponents.  Congress is still attempting to determine the degree — and source — of that abuse.  The question is, what else has the current administration used/abused in the name of partisan politics?, what else have they used/abused?

    BILL STATUS:

    All bills filed in during the regular session are available and may be acted upon.  At this time there are no new gun bills, nor has there been any action on bills previously filed.

    GOAL POSITION ON BILLS

    No active gun bills at this time

    HEARING(S) SCHEDULED

    None

    LEGISLATIVE HOT LINE:  You may reach your Representatives and Senator by calling the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-562-6000.  Toll free!!!  The hearing impaired may obtain TDD access at 1-800-635-9993.  Also toll free!!!

    1-800-562-6000   TDD 1-800-635-9993

    OTHER DATA:  Copies of pending legislation (bills), legislative schedules and other information are available on the legislature’s web site at “www.leg.wa.gov“.  Bills are available in Acrobat (.pdf) format.  You may download a free version of Adobe Acrobat Reader from Adobe’s web site (http://www.adobe.com).  You may also obtain hard copy bills, initiatives, etc, in the mail from the Legislative Bill Room FREE OF CHARGE by calling 1-360-786-7573.  Copies of bills may also be ordered toll free by calling the Legislative Hotline at (800) 562-6000.  You may also hear floor and committee hearing action live at http://www.tvw.org/ (you need “RealAudio” to do this, available free at the TVW web site).

    By reading the House and Senate “bill reports” (hbr, sbr) for each bill, you can see how individual committee members voted.  By reading the “roll call” for each bill, you can see how the entire House or Senate voted on any bill.  The beauty of the web site is that ALL this information is available, on line, to any citizen.

    GET THE WORD OUT:  If you want to subscribe to the GOAL Post by e-mail, send a message to “[email protected]“.  Please pass GOAL Post on to anyone you believe may have an interest in protecting our rights.  Better yet, make a couple of copies of this message, post it on your gun club’s bulletin board, and leave copies with your local gun shop(s).  PERMISSION IS HEREBY GRANTED TO DUPLICATE OR REDISTRIBUTE GOAL POST PROVIDED IT IS REPRODUCED IN ITS ENTIRETY WITHOUT TEXTUAL MODIFICATION AND CREDIT IS GIVEN TO GOAL.  I can be reached at “[email protected]” or by telephone at (425) 985-4867.  Unfortunately, I am unable to mail hard copy GOAL Post to individuals.  Limited numbers of hard copies MAY be available at the Second Amendment Foundation book table at WAC gun shows.

    If you believe you have received this e-mail in error, please e-mail me at “[email protected]” with the words “Unsubscribe GOAL Post” in the subject line.  I will remove your name immediately.  Keep in mind GOAL Post is also published on several gun lists.  If you received GP via a list, you must contact that list’s admin to unsubscribe.

    Upcoming WAC gun show(s):

    Monroe                 8-9 June

    Puyallup               22-23 June

    “The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself, or the state, shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize, maintain or employ an armed body of men.”

    Article 1, Section 24

    Constitution of the State of Washington

    Copyright 2013 Gun Owners Action League of WA