There's nothing at all Trump can do to interfere in state matters until the Powers That Be in Richmond actually break a Federal law. Just talkin' shit doesn't break any laws.
The roadblock idea is nuckin' futs - it's not like we all ride around in our pickup trucks bristling with AR-15's and .50 cals sticking out every window. They won't net many guns that way. I suspect it's really intending to stop the inevitable arms smuggling into the state to supply militias. Too bad for them that some folks have experience working around far more serious roadblocks than even Virginia is able to muster while smuggling arms. Ask a mujahiddeen how he got his weapons right under Soviet noses. Ask a Bosnian how they armed up during their war. There are hundreds of examples of the utter failure of this sort of plan.
I HAVE, however, apprised President Trump of the potential plan for calling out the National Guard to be used illegally, have cited the laws that would break for him, and explained exactly what he has to do (with historical references and precedents) to put a grinding, screaming, screeching halt to that if it comes about.
So we'll see how it goes...
ETA: The VANG has around 8,000 members. Not all of them are combat troops - most are in support roles. The VA State Police has around 2,400 employees, again mostly in support roles. Contrast that against an estimated 500,000 AR-15 owners (that's not counting all of the other guns in the state), and you'll begin to see just which direction this deck is stacked in.
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The roadblock idea is nuckin' futs - it's not like we all ride around in our pickup trucks bristling with AR-15's and .50 cals sticking out every window. They won't net many guns that way. I suspect it's really intending to stop the inevitable arms smuggling into the state to supply militias. Too bad for them that some folks have experience working around far more serious roadblocks than even Virginia is able to muster while smuggling arms. Ask a mujahiddeen how he got his weapons right under Soviet noses. Ask a Bosnian how they armed up during their war. There are hundreds of examples of the utter failure of this sort of plan.
I HAVE, however, apprised President Trump of the potential plan for calling out the National Guard to be used illegally, have cited the laws that would break for him, and explained exactly what he has to do (with historical references and precedents) to put a grinding, screaming, screeching halt to that if it comes about.
So we'll see how it goes...
ETA: The VANG has around 8,000 members. Not all of them are combat troops - most are in support roles. The VA State Police has around 2,400 employees, again mostly in support roles. Contrast that against an estimated 500,000 AR-15 owners (that's not counting all of the other guns in the state), and you'll begin to see just which direction this deck is stacked in.
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Diogenes was eating bread and lentils for supper. He was seen by the philosopher Aristippus, who lived comfortably by flattering the king.
Said Aristippus, ‘If you would learn to be subservient to the king you would not have to live on lentils.’ Said Diogenes, ‘Learn to live on lentils and you will not have to be subservient to the king.’
Said Aristippus, ‘If you would learn to be subservient to the king you would not have to live on lentils.’ Said Diogenes, ‘Learn to live on lentils and you will not have to be subservient to the king.’