By Paul Lathrop
Contributing Editor
Georgia Rep. Andrew Clyde is making waves by proposing an end to all federal taxes on firearms and a speedier background check system.
Fox News is reporting that Clyde would like to remove all Federal taxes on firearms and ammunition as well as change the federal background check time limitation from three business days to three calendar days.
“The Second Amendment is a constitutional right. And if you can tax a constitutional right, then it is truly not a constitutional right.” Clyde said, “Constitutional rights are inalienable. And they are recognized by government. They are not awarded or given by government. The government is there to protect them.”
“And so if you can tax a constitutional right even to the point of one penny, then you have the ability to make that tax anything,” he reasoned. “If you can tax it for just a little bit, you can tax it for a lot. And you can make the taxes so high that parts of the citizenry can’t afford it. So how is that a constitutional right if you can’t afford it? Then it becomes a right that only those who are wealthy can afford. And that’s not a right at all.”
Clyde then explained that he would like to eliminate state and local taxes on firearms and ammunition as well, and explained that the benefit would ensure that lower-income people could acquire guns if the cost were lower.
He states that he is crafting the draft to repeal the taxes now and is looking to build support among his colleagues in the House so that in two years should the Republicans take the House there will be a significant chance of passing the repeal.
All taxes hurt the lowest income families the most. Any lawmaker that purports to help the low-income and raises takes on the tools they need to defend themselves simply is not acting in their constituents’ best interest.
