Harrisburg Democrats Propose Two City State
The Democrats are at it again trying to pass laws to save us from our self.
It would be a lot simpler for the powers to be in Harrisburg to protect us, the citizens and taxpayers of this commonwealth, if there were just two cities, Pittsburg west of the Susquehanna River and Philadelphia east of the river as it seems that we would benefit greatly it this were to happen as it looks to me (and others I hope) that these two cities get the bulk of the tax money.
On November 20, 2007, 10:am, Governor Rendell plans to push for what appears to be an all out attack on gun owners and our constitutional freedoms by forcing bad legislation (HB 18, HB 22, and HB 29) out of committee.
This is in response to the police shootings in Philadelphia, as of this date, I have failed to hear or find on the Internet, any mention of the fact that the shooters of these officers used a firearm that they owned or was licensed to carry.
The shooters in these cases used illegal obtained firearms and would not have not been able to purchase a firearm due to their pass criminal history and as such, the democrats want to punish you the taxpayer because they failed keep these people in jail due to prison over crowing.
House Bill 18, sponsored by State Representative Dwight Evans (D-Philadelphia), would further provide for limitations on the regulation of firearms and ammunition by local municipalities. State preemption regulating firearms was enacted by the legislature to avoid the possibility of thousands of separate firearm laws across the Commonwealth. Without preemption there would be a myriad of local firearms laws making compliance impossible for law abiding gun owners. In addition, this proposed legislation might also be in conflict with Article 1, Section 21 of the Constitution of Pennsylvania that states "The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the state shall not be questioned."
House Bill 22, "one-gun-a-month" legislation, sponsored by State Representative John Myers (D-Philadelphia), will prohibit law-abiding citizens from purchasing more than one handgun at a time, and impose a 30-day waiting period between single handgun purchases.
House Bill 29, "Lost or Stolen Firearms” legislation, sponsored by State Representative Jewell Williams (D-Philadelphia), would make it a crime to fail to report the loss or theft of a firearm to police within 24 hours of discovering the firearm missing. This proposal would criminalize victims of crime and is ineffective.
Less see, if I would live in Philadelphia they could say that as a firearm owner, I could only posses no more then say 50 round total of ammunition but if this law would pass, the same may be true here in the country were hunting and target shooting is not only a way of life but is also a passage of life from father to son/daughter. One day at the range with the family one could use more then 200 rounds of ammo .
Now on House Bill 22, "one-gun-a-month" legislation, I have no problem with just that, but I have a real big problem with the 30-day wait. The Commonwealth as well as the Federal government has checks in place for gun purchases, why do we need more?
This is one of the biggest wholes in the firearms check system as a person is arrest, tried and sentenced to the ARD Program for a crime that they admitted to committing, and as you can see it would not count because of it being a first time conviction. How ever, part of this ARD Program is the fact that an arrest and conviction under it goes away with what is called an expunge order from the court, which orders that all arrest information, (fingerprints, photos, and arrest records) be destroyed.
What ever happen to the “IF YOU DO THE CRIME, BE PREPARED TO DO THE TIME”?
It has been said that a district attorney in some places like Philadelphia use the ARD program to avoid prison over crowding by pealing away/down felony and misdemeanor crimes down to a summery crime.
As it’s the law in Pennsylvania as well as else were that the ARD Program is in use, there would be no record of an arrest that is pleaded by the district attorney and they’re for a person could and would be able to obtain a firearm in Pennsylvania.
For first time offenders, the Pennsylvania ARD Program offers a second chance - Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition.
ARD is a program, designed to divert first time offenders from entering the criminal justice system. When a first time offender is accepted into the ARD program, the Commonwealth requires that certain court-ordered conditions be followed.
The ARD program requires a period of supervision.
ARD records are kept in the office of the District Attorney.
In Pennsylvania, the District Attorney controls admission into ARD.
Benefits of the ARD Program
• ARD is not a conviction.
• You don't lose your license for a full year.
• License suspension time can be reduced from one year down to as little as one month.
• ARD keeps your record clean, increasing your employment opportunities.
I would be for an instant fingerprint check instead were there can be no doubt as to who you are or if you have a drug or felony conviction or have a protection order against the buyer which would prohibit a citizen of this commonwealth from a firearm purchase.
An instant fingerprint check, if done correctly, would also show if the person has a drug or felony conviction in another state.
House Bill 29, "Lost or Stolen Firearms” legislation, is a good one, as long as the person found in possession of the stolen firearm receives the 5 year maximum, and that any lawyer, weather it be his defense attorney or the district attorney, that try’s/pleas this charge away serves the 5 year mandatory sentence.
It is imperative that you contact the following members of the House Judiciary Committee TODAY through Tuesday to strongly encourage them to OPPOSE this package of anti-gun rights bills. It is important that you, the citizen of the commonwealth voice your opinion on these bills one-way or the other.
Remember, what you voice today can and will effect not only were you live and play, but also the future right of your children and grandchildren, as well as what you don’t say.
As a veteran, I did what I had to do to protect and preserve not only the U.S. Constitution, but the Constitution of this Commonwealth as well and to ensure that the freedoms that we enjoy now, can be pasted on to future generation.
**Representatives listed below are Committee Leadership
State Representative Thomas R. Caltagirone (D-127), Majority Chairman
106 Irvis Office Building,
PO Box 202127,
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2127
(717) 787-3525
Fax: (717) 772-5401 tcaltagi@pahouse.net
State Representative Ron Marsico (R-105), Minority Chairman
218 Ryan Office Building,
PO Box 202105,
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2105
(717) 783-2014
Fax: (717) 705-2010 rmarsico@pahousegop.com
State Representative Daylin Leach (D-149), Secretary
109A East Wing, PO Box 202149, Harrisburg, PA 17120-2149
(717) 783-9114
Fax: (717) 787-0861 dleach@pahouse.net
**Representatives listed below are Pro 2nd Amendment
State Representative Deberah Kula (D-52)
104A East Wing, PO Box 202052, Harrisburg, PA 17120-2052
(717) 772-1858
Fax: (717) 780-478 dkula@pahouse.net
State Representative Joseph A. Petrarca (D-55) 220 Irvis Office Building, PO Box 202055, Harrisburg, PA 17120-2055
(717) 787-5142
Fax: (717) 705-2014 jpetrarc@pahouse.net
State Representative Jesse White (D-46)
102B East Wing, PO Box 202046, Harrisburg, PA 17120-2046
(717) 783-6437 jwhite@pahouse.net
State Representative Tom C. Creighton (R-37) 400 Irvis Office Building PO Box 202037 Harrisburg, PA 17120-2037
(717) 772-5290
Fax: (717) 783-1904 tcreight@pahousegop.com
State Representative Craig A. Dally (R-138)
211 Ryan Office Building, PO Box 202138, Harrisburg, PA 17120-2138
(717) 783-8573
Fax: (717) 705-1849 cdally@pahousegop.com
State Representative John R. Evans (R-5)
B12 Main Capitol Building, PO Box 202005, Harrisburg, PA 17120-2005
(717) 772-9940
Fax: (717) 772-7099 jevans@pahousegop.com
State Representative Will Gabig (R-199)
410 Irvis Office Building, PO Box 202199, Harrisburg, PA 17120-2199
(717) 772-2280
Fax: (717) 705-2012 wgabig@pahousegop.com
State Representative Glen R. Grell (R-87)
404 Irvis Office Building, PO Box 202087, Harrisburg, PA 17120-2087
(717) 783-2063
Fax: (717) 772-8418 ggrell@pahousegop.com
State Representative Kate Harper (R-61)
149A East Wing, PO Box 202061, Harrisburg, PA 17120-2061
(717) 787-2801
Fax: (717) 787-2022 kharper@pahousegop.com
State Representative Beverly Mackereth (R-196)
7 East Wing
PO Box 202196
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2196
(717) 783-2655
Fax: (717) 772-9869 bmackere@pahousegop.com
State Representative Todd Rock (R-90)
162A East Wing
PO Box 202090
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2090
(717) 783-5218
Fax: (717) 260-6505 trock@pahousegop.com
State Representative Katie True (R-41)
143A East Wing
PO Box 202041
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2041
(717) 705-7161
Fax: (717) 705-1946 ktrue@pahousegop.com
State Representative Tina Pickett (R-110) 155A East Wing PO Box 202110 Harrisburg, PA 17120-2110
(717) 783-8238
Fax: (717) 705-1949 tpickett@pahousegop.com
**Representatives listed below are Uncommitted on these issues
State Representative John E. Pallone (D-54)
325 Irvis Office Building
PO Box 202054
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2054
(717) 783-1819
Fax: (717) 772-9984 jpallone@pahouse.net
State Representative Don Walko (D-20)
121 Irvis Office Building
PO Box 202020
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2020
(717) 787-5470
Fax: (717) 783-0407 dwalko@pahouse.net
State Representative Sean M. Ramaley (D-16)
323 Main Capitol Building
PO Box 202016
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2016
(717) 787-4444 sramaley@pahouse.net
State Representative Carl W. Mantz (R-187)
53B East Wing
PO Box 202187
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2187
(717) 787-3017
Fax: (717) 772-9869 cmantz@pahousegop.com
**Representatives listed below are dedicated Anti 2nd Amendment Fanatics
State Representative Kathy Manderino (D-194)
125 East Wing
PO Box 202194
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2194
(717) 787-1254
Fax: (717) 780-4770 kmanderi@pahouse.net
State Representative Lisa Bennington (D-21)
6A East Wing
PO Box 202021
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2021
(717) 705-7011
Fax: (717) 780-4761 lbenning@pahouse.net
State Representative Dan Frankel (D-23)
217 Irvis Office Building
PO Box 202023
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2023
(717) 705-1875
Fax: (717) 705-2034 dfrankel@pahouse.net
State Representative Harold James (D-186)
317 Irvis Office Building
PO Box 202186
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2186
(717) 787-9477
Fax: (717) 787-7517 hjames@pahouse.net
State Representative Greg Vitali (D-16)
103B East Wing
PO Box 202166
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2166
(717) 787-7647
Fax: (717) 705-2089 gvitali@pahouse.net
State Representative Jewell Williams (D-197)
101 Irvis Office Building
PO Box 202197
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2197
(717) 772-2004
Fax: (717) 787-2284 jwilliam@pahouse.net
State Representative Bernie O'Neill (R-29)
B13 Main Capitol Building
PO Box 202029
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2029
(717) 705-7170
Fax: (717) 783-3278 boneill@pahousegop.com
State Representative Chelsa Wagner (D-22)
109 Irvis Office Building
PO Box 202022
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2022
(717) 783-1582
Fax: (717) 780-4755 cwagner@pahouse.net
State Representative Bryan R. Lentz (D-161)
106B East Wing
PO Box 202161
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2161
(717) 787-8574
Fax: (717) 780-4777 blentz@pahouse.net
Also let your Representative know how you feel about these bills, remember, they were elected by you the taxpayer, and they work for you the taxpayer. Their job as your Representative is to vote on matters in your behalf, to vote for you the citizen’s that they represent and the fact of the matter is, how can the cast a vote for you if you fail in your duties to inform them just how you would like them to vote.
