If a Democrat Congress can force you to buy health insurance, can a GOP Congress require every American to own a gun?

Interesting question! Chief Justice John Roberts decreed the Obamacare Individual Mandate is Constitutional. So if Congress can force you to buy health insurance, why can't they also force you to buy a gun?

Before you call me crazy, allow me to reference the Militia Act of 1792.

It conscripted every "free able-bodied white male citizen" between the ages of 18 and 45 into a local militia company. Militia members were to arm themselves with a musket, bayonet and belt, two spare flints, a cartridge box with 24 bullets, and a knapsack. Men owning rifles were required to provide a powder horn, 1/4 pound of gunpowder, 20 rifle balls, a shooting pouch, and a knapsack. Some occupations were exempt, such as congressmen, stagecoach drivers, and ferryboatmen. Otherwise, men were required to report for training twice a year, usually in the Spring and Fall.

An amendment passed in 1862 extended the Militia Act to include Blacks recently emancipated by President Lincoln. And the totally Constitutional requirement for all men to own a firearm and report for militia training remained in effect until 1903 when Congress established the National Guard.

Now if I was a Conservative Congressman looking to throw a monkey wrench into the gun control debate I'd jump at the chance to reintroduce the Militia Act. Just call it the Individual Second Amendment Mandate. Guns for everybody!

Various cities and towns are already taking the initiative, why not go national? Heck, I'll even be a sport and forego any penalty for non-compliance. Why give the IRS more power, right? And if you're unable to afford a gun we can work something out along the lines of Obamaphones, maybe like a reversal of those idiotic gun-buyback programs.

The New Militia Act of 2013. Because an armed society is a polite society.

Posted at 09:39 by Chris Wysocki   [/odds_n_ends]   Comments | Perm Link |
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