Cook County Board Poised to Shut Down Cabela's Superstore

[WhiteFeather]

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/st...4719336&EDATE=

Cook County Board Poised to Shut Down Cabela's Superstore



CHICAGO, Dec. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following was released
today by the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA):

Just weeks after its gala grand opening, the Cabela's superstore in
Hoffman Estates, IL is facing closure by the Cook County (IL) Board. This
impending action stems from a pair of proposed county ordinances
prohibiting the retail sale of firearms at a location 15 miles or less from
any other federally licensed firearm dealer. The proposals further prohibit
retail sale of firearms within one mile of any school, church, place of
worship, nursing home, homeless shelter, public housing, or military
installation. With respect to these restrictions, Cabela's Hoffman Estates
store loses on all counts - as does every other federally-licensed gun
dealer in Cook County.

"This proposal is an election year stunt instigated by Cook County
Commissioner, Larry Suffredin," said ISRA Executive Director, Richard
Pearson. "Although this is something that we'd expect to see from a
gun-control extremist like Suffredin, I'm surprised to see astute
politicians like Commissioners Claypool, Quigley, and Murphy signing on as
co-sponsors to this farce."

"Cabela's Hoffman Estates store employs hundreds of Cook County
residents and brings in millions of sales tax dollars for the County,"
continued Pearson. "If Cabela's cannot sell firearms, then there is no
Cabela's. If there is no Cabela's, then those retail dollars flee to
DuPage, Kane or Will counties. The cash-strapped Cook County treasury
really can't afford such a huge hit just because Larry Suffredin doesn't
like people who own guns."

"From a practical standpoint, Suffredin's proposal is a non-starter,"
commented Pearson. "It bears repeating that the Chicago Police Department
has determined that 88% of murderers have previous criminal records as do
76% of murder victims. Federally-licensed firearm dealers are not the
problem - career criminals are."

"Furthermore", continued Pearson. "When was the last known case where
someone walks out the door of a gun shop, in the door of a nursing home,
and then proceeds to shoot the place up? The same Chicago Police Department
report lists alleyways as being popular places to get murdered. Why then,
did Suffredin not specify that no gun shop could be within one mile of an
alley? The reason is simple - shock value. Suffredin prefers to play on the
plight of our most vulnerable citizens in order to advance his quixotic
campaign to disarm hunters and sportsmen. Commonsense is not part of the
Suffredin lexicon."

"One insidious side-effect of the Suffredin proposal is that it deeply
erodes the home-rule authority of many of the larger communities in Cook
County," noted Pearson.

"The Suffredin proposal is expensive, ineffective, divisive and
impractical," said Pearson. "I hope that Board President Stroger has the
wisdom to immediately reject Suffredin's showboating."

The ISRA is the state's leading advocate of safe, lawful and
responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the
interests of over 1.5 Million law-abiding Illinois firearm owners.

[NoHackrLtd]

Doesn't surprise me one bit.

Wait until Sturla, Evans and the other Philly PBan-atics (atrocious spelling intended) get ahold of this "winner" of a tactic.

Cabela's better get their legal department cranked up, and in a hurry.

[ChamberedRound]

I have to wonder how far this is going to go. Cabela's is a HUGE money-machine for every area in which they operate. They supply tax dollars, jobs (which in turn provides more tax dollars), and a secondary economy boosted by their presence which in turn produces more (you guessed it) tax dollars. If that goes away, the whole house of cards which is the local economy falls down with it.

There's only one thing liberal, anti-gun politicians hate more than guns: a lack of money to fund their exorbitant government programs.

[KeithPA]

Surprise?

They do have a AWB that does not have a grandfather clause.

[billamj]

Surprise?

They do have a AWB that does not have a grandfather clause.

One of the real fun parts of that is that Illinois is the home of Springfield Armory and they can't even own half of the weapons that are built/shipped from their own plant. This is what years and years of the nanny state can do for you.

[ChamberedRound]

One of the real fun parts of that is that Illinois is the home of Springfield Armory and they can't even own half of the weapons that are built/shipped from their own plant. This is what years and years of the nanny state can do for you.

Seems a bit hypocritical, doesn't it? They can run a business making guns because it brings in a huge amount of tax dollars, but they can't buy or own much of what they make. In a way, I fault SA for putting up with it. They should have moved a long time ago, along with Kimber, S&W, Kahr, and all the others who do business in anti-gun states.

[billamj]

In a way, I fault SA for putting up with it. They should have moved a long time ago, along with Kimber, S&W, Kahr, and all the others who do business in anti-gun states.

Preaching to the choir on that one. I've said it hundreds of times and get laughed at for it. I've also suggested that those in the gun press that they should move their offices out of states like California but they say that they just can't do it. What I say is that they are forcing us to pay for anti legislators because the various businesses have to pay taxes and those taxes pay for those legislators who are actively working against us. I would wager that if a few of the heavy anti states were to lose several businesses and the income and jobs that they represent it would garner attention that they don't want.

[Wasz]

I dunno. This just seems like one of those it isn't gonna happen type deals. There is no way they are just gonna shut down a Cabela's. They either have to be hoping that Cabela's will give ground and only sell long arms or something. You'd be nuts to lose that money. Or there ae 2 other options. They make an exception for them blah blah and they get to hate guns but still want money for the constituents. Now what would be funny is if Cabela's just blew off the cost of the location they built (not likely) and just shut down, left the place with a big ugly empty store and parking lot that no one will buy.

[Autonomous]

I agree that driving Cabellas out of an area is just plain stupid. The employment of so many people alone makes this a dumb idea. Let alone the tax revenue. But then politicians don't get in office cause there smart...
Yall are right on the money, chambered round and billamj. Company's who do business in states with crappy anti politicians are only hurting themselves in the long run. Polititians are short sighted and when its an election year they are just plain blind. The resorting of scare tactics to rally the base is well underhanded. The only way they listen is if they get hit in the wallet. yet it is a shame that company's continue to support legislators anti gun programs buy having there factory's and offices in states that are anti what they them selves produce.
It is hard to figure out...
-A

[lildobe]

The proposals further prohibit retail sale of firearms within one mile of any school, church, place of worship, nursing home, homeless shelter, public housing, or military installation.

WTF is that supposed to accomplish? That is the one of the most inane and ludicrous ideas I've seen come out of politicians in a while...