Greed + Fear = Guns

Retail sales are down, but not if you’re talking about guns.  And those who stand to profit are ginning up public fear for their own purposes.

Purchases of guns and ammunition are surging across the country. Nearly four million background checks — a key measure of sales because they are required at the purchase of a gun from a federally licensed seller — were performed in the first three months of 2009. That is a 27% increase over the same period a year earlier, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

[…]

Many gun dealers are fanning the fear on the Internet and in other advertising that President Obama will try to restrict the Second Amendment right to bear arms — despite signs that major changes in federal weapons regulations are unlikely. The White House says there are no imminent plans to reinstate the federal assault-weapons ban. “The president supports the Second Amendment and respects the tradition of gun ownership in this country,” a White House spokesman said.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.