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IRS tries back-door
approach to federal gun registration, taxing possession
On Aug. 30, The Citizen ran
a letter written by Mr. Chuck James concerning an e-mail he had received
in reference to SB-2099. You partly titled the article "Registration
required in new law?"
Your use of the question mark was in error, as a major part of the bill
is exactly that, a back-door approach to gun registration. Additionally,
it is another form of taxation by the federal government as well as appointing
the IRS as the database gatherer and collector of the new taxes.
Data gathering is not a function of the IRS. Nearly all of us have additional
taxes this year due to a property reappraisal and more additions are just
around the corner from the school system and commissioners.
I received the e-mail from several friends, who like myself, have spent
a lifetime of enjoyable hunting and target shooting. Also, as a longtime
holder of a federal firearms license, I took an even greater interest
in the message.
The original e-mail listed the U.S. Senate web site (www.senate.gov) where
I referenced the bill. After reading through it several times, I was amazed
to find that this bill was introduced Feb. 24, 2000, read twice, and is
now in the Finance Committee. It has also been co-signed by senators Lautenberg
and Schumer, two of the most antigun individuals in Congress.
The bill is listed as an amendment to the IRS Code of 1986, and requires
"registration of handguns." Further it allows the IRS to tax
owners $5 transfer tax and manufacturers $50 per handgun manufactured.
Amazingly, this bill has been kept quiet for some six months. No mention
of it has been made by the liberal news media.
The Center for Disease Control has been occupied with antigun tactics
for years, and now the IRS also wants to get into the act. Neither organization
has any interest in guns. Obviously, President Clinton and his anti-gunners
have decided a back-door approach to gun registration will sneak by unnoticed.
I'm surprised that this back-door approach has surfaced since Clinton
has been so busy with an intern in the Oval Office, perjury, obstruction
of justice, subornation of perjury and being acquitted by his Democrat
buddies in the Senate.
Your columnist, Amy Riley, explains in detail SB-2099 in your Sept. 6
issue, so I won't go into great detail again. Next to Ms. Riley's article
is another written by a Mr. "IRS Employee." He states that this
bill makes nothing but minor changes. That is a lie.
It requires registration that does not now exist and another new tax for
the government to waste. The forms Mr. IRS refers to are Form 4473 that
has been changed numerous times over the past few years trying to satisfy
the antigun crowd. The government has wasted countless dollars reprinting
these forms. The forms remain in the licensed seller's file and are subject
to inspection at any time by the BATF.
In all the years that I have been legally licensed, I have received one
tracer call from the BATF concerning a gun used in a holdup. I never will
understand just how they even thought I sold the gun, which I didn't,
but considering the government, anything is possible.
Under Clinton's antigun stance, the BATF has been visiting dealers when
a license renewal is due. At my renewal before last, an agent spent the
afternoon going through my records and found absolutely nothing wrong.
The agent did spend considerable time making notes about certain sales.
Obviously, she was gathering information for a database that is presently
unlawful.
I have a blood relation that has also worked for the IRS for over 20 years
like Mr. IRS. She is an internal auditor; however, she was asked to attend
school on the multi-million dollar new computer system the IRS purchased
several years ago, then teach local agents how to use the system. After
about two years, she stated that most of the agents would never be able
to comprehend the system. She called them "too dense to ever learn
the system." To my knowledge, this very expensive system was never
put into use.
And for Mr. IRS's information, I served 13 years in the military defending
his right to say what he please, right or wrong. Not one dime of my pension
money comes from the government other than Social Insecurity that I paid
for dearly. Given the same amount of money to invest over the years, I
could have made some constructive money myself.
Mr. IRS is correct is saying that many "work" for the government.
Actually, it is millions, and many, like the IRS, could be disposed of
immediately if we would accept a flat tax rate and other governmental
changes.
I urge all readers to write and call your senators and congresspersons
about this sneak attack on your Second Amendment rights. Also, ask them
to do away with the IRS as soon as possible. The government can collect
needed revenues many ways without keeping several hundred thousand IRS
employees on the payroll. Even the IRS doesn't understand their own regulations
and the taxpayers should not have this headache either.
Finally, I will sign this letter to you, but ask that you withhold printing
my name, the same courtesy that you gave to Mr. IRS. Otherwise, I will
be receiving visits from the IRS and the BATF. Frankly, I don't need any
more headaches.
The IRS mysteriously investigated the tax returns of some of Mr. Clinton's
"female friends" over the years, and the BATF has successfully
harassed thousands of law-abiding business owners selling firearms into
just quitting and going into another business. My plans are to fully retire
in the near future, as it is nearly impossible to keep up with all the
changes to the laws.
Name withheld by request
Fayette
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