The federal excise tax on firearms and ammunition is a rare creature: a federal tax that is fully supported by those who pay it. Long guns and long gun ammunition are taxed at 11 percent; handguns and handgun ammunition are taxed at 10 percent. The tax is a key source of funding for wildlife conservation projects and shooting range construction across the nation.

 

But in 1999 then-state senator Obama proposed increasing these taxes by 500 percent. It's safe to say that Obama wasn't hoping to build more shooting ranges.

 

Right now, a rifle that a manufacturer sells for $500 carries a tax of $55. Under Obama's proposal, that amount would rocket to $330. This would turn a tax willingly paid by sportsmen into a tool to punish gun buyers and would have its biggest impact on those who can least afford to pay such an exorbitant tax--at least, until the loss of sales drove gun stores and manufacturers out of business.

 

Link

 

What does FactCheck.org say about this?

 

Uncertain: This claim is based on an article that appeared in the Chicago Defender on Dec. 13, 1999, when Obama was in the Illinois state Senate. According to the Defender, at an anti-gun rally, Obama "outlined his anti-gun plan," which, among other things, sought to "increase the federal taxes by 500 percent on the sale of firearm, ammunition [sic] -- weapons he says are most commonly used in firearm deaths." As a U.S. senator, however, Obama has not pushed for any such tax on ammunition.

 

We asked the Obama campaign about his position on an ammunition tax but have received no response.

 

Link

 

Wonderful. And I'm supposed to believe he's pro Second Amendment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAjs0vb94bc

 

"There's a lot we don't know about Barack Obama" --- Tom Brokaw, October 30, 2008, on the Charlie Rose Show

Obama has a website just for these sorts of concerns.

 

Change.gov

 

You are more than welcome to send your thoughts to him here.

 

It does not help to stew about it. Let the new administration know your concerns. You don't even have to contact your Representative or Congressman. Send them directly through this site.

 

I will expect to learn that some of you with such serious concerns will take the opportunity to respectfully voice your opinion, ideas and concerns. He is the first president to even attempt such an outreach to us, the common folk. I say we'd be fools to not take the opportunity to participate in our government in an unprecedented way.

^That's if you really believe that they will consider people's comments or concerns when making decisions....I for one am very skeptical.

^That's if you really believe that they will consider people's comments or concerns when making decisions....I for one am very skeptical.

 

 

And if you don't give it a try, you'll never know.

I'm not suggesting that President-elect Obama is the greatest Second Amendment supporter around, but didn't the article cite information from 1999? Heck, pretty much everyone in politics for the past nine years has changed a position or two.

And if you don't give it a try, you'll never know.

 

I have done so already, and if half the 6 million NRA members do so we shall see...

 

I am going into this HOPING he isn't has bad as I believe.

I have done so already, and if half the 6 million NRA members do so we shall see...

 

I am going into this HOPING he isn't has bad as I believe.

 

 

JD, I know this means nothing to you coming from me, but I'm REALLY glad you did that. I honestly think that Obama is sincere. And I know there are skeptics. But, I absolutely know that if the skeptics remain silent, and do not avail themselves of the opportunity he's giving to ALL Americans, then it's the same as not voting. He's opening up the line of communication. It's up to us to take advantage of it.

JD, I know this means nothing to you coming from me, but I'm REALLY glad you did that. I honestly think that Obama is sincere. And I know there are skeptics. But, I absolutely know that if the skeptics remain silent, and do not avail themselves of the opportunity he's giving to ALL Americans, then it's the same as not voting. He's opening up the line of communication. It's up to us to take advantage of it.

 

 

I will give almost anyone and anything a chance if it will better America as a whole. Obama deserves that.

I'm not suggesting that President-elect Obama is the greatest Second Amendment supporter around, but didn't the article cite information from 1999? Heck, pretty much everyone in politics for the past nine years has changed a position or two.

Thats not comforting at all considering he's so anti-gun from the start. The man doesn't even think you should be allowed to have a conceal carry permit unless you're a retired cop.

JD, I know this means nothing to you coming from me, but I'm REALLY glad you did that. I honestly think that Obama is sincere. And I know there are skeptics. But, I absolutely know that if the skeptics remain silent, and do not avail themselves of the opportunity he's giving to ALL Americans, then it's the same as not voting. He's opening up the line of communication. It's up to us to take advantage of it.

RM, I'm not so eager to believe he's as outreaching as you think he is. The words honest and politician are like oil and water. I will give him a chance, but I've been around long enough to see through rhetoric. Obama and the Dems are very anti-gun and both have proposed many things to earn my skepticism, he's going to have to work very hard to earn my trust, and so are the Dems. Once bitten, twice shy.

Look on the bright side, RTS. Obama will not try to totally ban guns before he gets his national security force in place and that will probably take more than four years.

Well we didn't have to wait long to see his first impact on the firearms industry , gun and ammo sales have gone crazy in the last couple of weeks ! I talked to three different shop owners last week and they all said sales went way up . The smallest shop sold thirty thousand dollars worth of guns and ammo in ONE day ! And thats in a small Ohio town !

I don't know if this has been posted on here or not, but I heard on the news that gun sales in October were the highest they've ever been for a one month period- or something like that. Seems people are afraid of what Obama will do once in office.

I don't know if this has been posted on here or not, but I heard on the news that gun sales in October were the highest they've ever been for a one month period- or something like that. Seems people are afraid of what Obama will do once in office.

 

 

Normally it is a 2 week back order for Bushmaster/Remington........now it is 12 weeks...............