President Biden Wants to Ban
'Semiautomatic Weapons'? Dream On
It's a bold and probably unconstitutional goal
that's bound to alienate millions of Americans

By J.D. Tuccille. Dec 5, 2022

There's always a question as to whether President Joe Biden really means what he says or if he even understands the words coming from his mouth. That conceded, it's wise to take seriously the threats of powerful people who have the means to at least attempt to impose their will on others.

And that brings us to the president's recent vow to ban semiautomatic firearms, a vast category covering some of the country's most popular guns. It's a bold goal, not only in its scope, but also because it's probably unconstitutional and bound to alienate millions of Americans.

"The idea we still allow semiautomatic weapons to be purchased is sick. It's just sick," President Biden insisted on November 24 after a photo-op with firefighters in Nantucket, Mass. "It has no, no social redeeming value. Zero. None. Not a single, solitary rationale for it except profit for the gun manufacturers."

Maybe Biden just meant military-looking semiautomatic rifles since, when asked how he planned to accomplish his agenda during the lame-duck session of Congress after his party lost the House, he answered: "I'm going to try to get rid of assault weapons." But "assault weapon" is an arbitrary term defined by mostly cosmetic characteristics. Bans on such guns are easily evaded, and produce little or no reduction in the crimes that supposedly motivate restrictions. Besides, the president mentioned "assault weapons" only as a step to addressing the availability of "semiautomatic weapons."

Lots of Americans disagree with Biden's broad claim that semiautomatic firearms, which fire one shot with each squeeze of the trigger and chamber a new round without need for the user take extra action, have "no social redeeming value." They purchase semiautomatic pistols, rifles, and shotguns for self-defense, hunting, and target-shooting. And they purchase them in vast numbers. .....