XPost: dc.urban-planning, wa.politics   
   From: impeach_obama@yahoo.com   
      
   A package of gun control measures that won initial approval in   
   Colorado's Democratic-controlled House Friday night could result   
   in several hundred jobs lost at the state's largest manufacturer   
   of high-capacity ammunition magazines.   
      
   Erie-based Magpul Industries has threatened to leave the state   
   if lawmakers are successful in passing the sweeping gun-control   
   package, which limits the number of rounds a magazine can hold,   
   according to The Denver Post.   
      
   "If we're able to stay in Colorado and manufacture a product,   
   but law-abiding citizens of the state were unable to purchase   
   the product, customers around the state and the nation would   
   boycott us for remaining here," Doug Smith, Magpul's chief   
   operating officer, told The Post.   
      
   The bill limits magazines to 15 rounds, with a more restrictive   
   eight-round limit for shotguns. The bill makes an exception for   
   magazines that people already have in their possession.   
      
   The legislation would require manufacturers to engrave magazines   
   with serial numbers and dates -- a requirement Smith believes is   
   "burdensome and unnecessary," The Post reported.   
      
   Magpul, which employs some 200 people directly and supports   
   about 400 jobs through subcontractors, expects to contribute   
   nearly $85 million to Colorado's economy this year, according to   
   The Post.   
      
   Testifying before a state House committee Tuesday, Smith said he   
   feared the proposal would hurt his businesses and restrict   
   future expansions and warned the state could lose millions in   
   tax revenues.   
      
   Smith said an ammunition limit “will not improve public safety,   
   will not reduce crime, and would endanger the lives of Colorado   
   residents by unduly restricting their ability to defend   
   themselves.” “Arguments to the contrary are based purely on   
   emotion and not facts,” he added.   
      
   Although the bill has been amended to exempt manufacturers,   
   Magpul still plans to leave the state if the measure banning   
   high-capacity magazines passes.   
      
   "We can't disappoint our customers nor ignore our convictions.   
   Anyone who votes in favor of this bill votes to drive over 600   
   jobs out of [Colorado]," the company said in a post on its   
   Facebook page Thursday.   
      
   Prior to Friday's vote, Vice President Joe Biden personally   
   phoned four lawmakers from his ski vacation in the state to   
   speed along the emotional debate.   
      
   Biden phoned three freshmen legislators along with Democratic   
   House Speaker Mark Ferrandino. The calls came amid a long debate   
   over the proposals, including expanded background checks and   
   ammunition limits -- responses to mass shootings, including the   
   killings at a Colorado movie theater.   
      
   In all, the House gave the initial OK to four bills after a   
   daylong debate. The preliminary votes set up final actions on   
   the measures Monday.   
      
   The Democratic gun-control package that advanced also includes   
   banning concealed weapons on public college campuses, and   
   requiring that gun buyers pay for their background checks.   
      
   Colorado's votes capping magazine sizes and expanding required   
   background checks to private sales came amid 12 hours of debate.   
   The votes were preliminary and unrecorded, but they were the   
   first chance for many lawmakers to debate gun control after mass   
   shootings last year in Aurora, Colo., and Newtown, Conn.   
      
   "These high-capacity weapons have no place outside the fields of   
   war," said Rep. Rhonda Fields, an Aurora Democrat who sponsored   
   the ammunition bill.   
      
   Republicans spent hours arguing that the limit violates Second   
   Amendment rights.   
      
   "We are not safer by limiting the constitutional rights of law-   
   abiding firearm owners," said Republican Rep. Frank McNulty.   
      
   A few Democrats appeared to agree Friday, though an exact vote   
   count won't be known until recorded votes are taken Monday. GOP   
   leaders were hoping gun activists would spend the weekend   
   pressuring rural Democrats like Rep. Ed Vigil of southern   
   Colorado, the only Democrat who argued Friday against any   
   ammunition limit.   
      
   "We should be going down the path of making mental health   
   available to people who really need it," Vigil argued.   
      
   The gun debate was at times emotional and pointed. One gun   
   lobbyist was asked to leave the Capitol after a heated exchange   
   off the floor with a Republican lawmaker who said the lobbyist   
   was falsely accusing her of considering voting for the gun-   
   control measures. The gallery was at times packed with gun-   
   rights activists.   
      
   Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper has said favors some of the   
   gun-control measures. Hickenlooper supports expanded background   
   checks and indicated Thursday that he could support a potential   
   amendment on magazine sizes, if the restriction was between 15   
   and 20 rounds.   
      
   He also said he thinks gun purchasers should pay for their   
   background checks, but he had not made up his mind yet about the   
   ban on concealed firearms on colleges.   
      
   All of the proposals still need to be considered by Democrat-   
   controlled Senate.   
      
   Democrats in the Legislature said the time is right to limit gun   
   access and magazine sizes to prevent more shootings.   
      
   "This is about kids who have been shot, over and over and over   
   again," said Democratic Rep. Crisanta Duran said. "I am tired of   
   seeing kids die, year after year, after year, after year."   
      
   http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/02/16/colorado-gun-bill-   
   could-cost-state-hundreds-jobs/?intcmp=obnetwork   
      
   --   
   Are you obligated as an armed civilian, to defend unarmed   
   liberals while you are both under fire by foreign agents of the   
   outlaw Obama administration?   
      
   No.  Shoot the liberals immediately so they can't stab you in   
   the back while you are defending yourself, then return a   
   controlled rate of aimed fire.   
      
        
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)