Gun dealers react to Biden executive order

AP Photo/Susan Walsh

President Joe Biden is pretty proud of himself. He’s signed an executive order that he’s convinced will make some kind of meaningful difference.

After all, it cracks down on supposed unlicensed gun dealers–yet, it should be noted, doesn’t define such in any meaningful way–and tries to “name and shame” licensed dealers who supposedly aren’t following the law.

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Well, gun store owners and managers have opinions, and in Tennessee, one TV news station asked them for it.

Staff at Gray City Guns and Pawn are continuing with business as usual one day after President Joe Biden announced an executive order on gun control.

“It’s just a lot of talk,” Manager Kelly White told News Channel 11.

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden announced an executive order with the aim of increasing background checks and reducing gun violence.

Gun vendors like pawn shops and weapons stores are already required to run background checks, however, Biden directed the attorney general to crack down on gun sellers who opt out of the required checks.

White said she isn’t worried about coming under scrutiny.

“We already performed background so on every individual that comes through here,” said White. “When a customer comes in my store, I find out why is he wanting a gun, what’s he gonna do with it, who’s gonna have access to it? I eliminate the possibilities of this gun being in the wrong hands or falling into the wrong hands.”

In fact, I think one would be shocked to know how few licensed dealers don’t conduct the very background checks being mentioned.

For what it’s worth, though, White’s questions may play well with the public and allow her to say she’s doing all she can to keep them from “falling into the wrong hands,” but we also know that anyone willing to hurt others isn’t above lying to someone asking those questions.

Still, she’s free to ask whatever she wants before selling a gun.

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Yet it’s also worth noting that most dealers aren’t really going to be impacted. Sure, they might find that paperwork errors land them on a public list, but it’s not like people are going to consult that list before buying a gun in the first place.

Further, that listing might just how pathetic all this is. If we can see that revocations are taking place because of paperwork errors, for example, this stunt is likely to backfire on the Biden administration.

All in all, it seems that few are really impressed with Biden’s efforts here, and why should they? It’s not like any of this will accomplish anything.

Gun dealers especially have little reason to worry.

The people who do have cause for concern, though, are folks who might be looking to liquidate their collections. Unless they just hand it all over to a gun store, they could be accused of dealing without a license and end up on the wrong end of the stick with this executive order.

But it’s not like Biden and his push for gun control really cares about them.

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