In The Grandstands With AB143

Every election cycle, the political duopoly that runs our country dusts off three or four political footballs. They then toss them around to rile up their base. Gun Control, Abortion, The Death Penalty, DACA, Immigration, The Wall, and the whatever other topic de jour is nearby. Once the pot is sufficiently stirred, they get re-elected and put these footballs back on the shelf. Then it’s back to the business as usual; supporting the special interests at the expense of the chumps (you and me).

Within a week of taking office, the Democratic Majority in the Nevada Legislature introduced and passed AB 143 and Governor Sisolak signed it into law. AB143, which takes effect on January 1, 2020, requires registered firearm dealers perform the check at a “reasonable” charge.

Just as anti-drug tough on crime warriors did in the mid-1980s, Democrats simply had to do something to show their base they are on the case. Mandatory minimum sentencing did exactly nothing to curb crack smoking. AB143 will do next to nothing to curb the gun violence that occurs on a daily basis in our country.

Next. To. Nothing.

Within days of the passing of SB143 Nevada’s rural counties jumped into the grandstands with some chest thumping of their own. Several rural Sheriffs held news conferences to say they would not enforce the new law. Like their Democrat companions on the grandstand, they told their base they would not impinge on the Second Amendment rights of their constituents.

To his credit, Storey County Sheriff Gerald Antinoro did not jump into the grandstand. He says it’s not up to him to pick and choose which laws to enforce.

Not to be outdone, four rural Nevada County Commissions climbed into the burgeoning grandstands and passed resolutions denouncing the law. Pandering to their conservative base, they passed meaningless resolutions proclaiming their Sanctuary Status for people who want to flaunt this new law. These same counties decry the Democrats as they maneuver to make Nevada a Sanctuary State creating a moment of sweet irony.

Meanwhile, Here In Storey County…

Freshly minted County Commissioner Jay Carmona and Sheriff Gerald Antinoro held a series of four “Town Halls” to discuss the merits of AB143. Second Amendment supporters came out to decry the bill. They call it the greasing of the slippery slope that governments love to do when they want to slowly erode our rights as citizens.

Attendees of these events received an explanation of AB143 by Sheriff Antinoro. After the event, Commissioner Carmona collected signatures supporting or opposing the notion of Storey County becoming the fifth Sanctuary County. Based on the interaction of the meeting I attended in the Highlands everyone in attendance was against AB143. Nobody signed the sheet in opposition of becoming the fifth Sanctuary County.

Should Storey County decide to join these other four counties, they will be jumping on the already crowded grandstands. What will becoming a Sanctuary County accomplish?

Not much.

Commissioner Carmona and I collected hundreds of signatures opposing the TRIC pipeline and they had exactly zero effect. Perhaps that is a sign telling us our voice will be listened to only when we are grousing about something meaningless.

When the special interests want to pick our pockets, we can howl as loud as we want…