Incompetence, thy name is BATF

[Elmar]

Anyone ever think that you never hear about success stories because "success" doesn't sell as news?

1. Successfully prosecuted the idiots that robbed A&A guns and put the owner in the hospital

2. Successfully prosecuted the "nice lady" that was straw buying handguns for her coke dealing felon of a boyfriend.

3. Successfully prosecuted the guy that was running guns from our area straight to NYC.

Thats just in this area! I bet no one here ever read about any of them in the local news?

I could go on and on but I figure I have already said enough in BATF's defense to change my posative rep to nice shiny red blocks!

BATF is like ANY other LE dept. They do fuck up and make mistakes and YES they do have a few members that are overzelous idiots BUT in the years I have been dealing with them (approx. 30 different agents) I have yet to meet one of the supposed "jack booted thugs"


So now I have my asbestos underwear on, so go ahead and flame away!

They are just like every other LE agency out there - in that they are constitutionally prohibited from existing? Interesting.

[Yellowfin]

It's highly disturbing that nobody high enough up to make it happen wants the ATF gone, while we've supposedly from time to time had people in office on our side. That tells me the politicians who are supposedly on our side must not really be.

[tsafa]

For the longest time I have been wondering what the hell.... Alcohol..... Tobacco.... Firearms.... have in common.

Why not ATFS.... Alcohol... Tobacco... Firearms... and SEX! They might as well control everything that is fun.

My opinion is that Alcohol is does not require any more regulation then water. If an individual is caught driving DWI, take away their right to drive. Form most of recorded human history... people drank beer or wine, mixed with water, from the time they stopped drinking breast milk to the day they were dead. Water was unsafe to drink. At best... any regulation of alcohol is a local issue.

Tobacco would not be so bad if not for the additives that tobacco companies put in there to make them supper addictive. Ban the additives nationally and be done with it. No need for the continuing drama. This issue also belongs at the state level with natural tobacco.

Guns are a tool for personal defense and a means to put food on the table. The Founders of the this country did not want the federal govt restricting personal firearms in any way. Having the Federal Govt regulate Firearms is like posting a wolf to guard a chicken ranch.

The BATF should be disbanded. Their real purpose of the BATF is to provide jobs for bureaucrats.

[crazyyankee]

For the longest time I have been wondering what the hell.... Alcohol..... Tobacco.... Firearms.... have in common.

Why not ATFS.... Alcohol... Tobacco... Firearms... and SEX! They might as well control everything that is fun.

My opinion is that Alcohol is does not require any more regulation then water. If an individual is caught driving DWI, take away their right to drive. Form most of recorded human history... people drank beer or wine, mixed with water, from the time they stopped drinking breast milk to the day they were dead. Water was unsafe to drink. At best... any regulation of alcohol is a local issue.

Tobacco would not be so bad if not for the additives that tobacco companies put in there to make them supper addictive. Ban the additives nationally and be done with it. No need for the continuing drama. This issue also belongs at the state level with natural tobacco.

Guns are a tool for personal defense and a means to put food on the table. The Founders of the this country did not want the federal govt restricting personal firearms in any way. Having the Federal Govt regulate Firearms is like posting a wolf to guard a chicken ranch.

The BATF should be disbanded. Their real purpose of the BATF is to provide jobs for bureaucrats.

Very well said!
I have to agree with your thoughts here.
The BATF's only agenda is to disarm as many citizens it can through incremental ism. They don't write the laws, but they do enforce them, even if the law violates the Constitution. So they are part of the problem, not a solution to the problem.. There may be "good" people who work for the BATF, but since their employer is bound and determined to disarm the "peasant" they are no better then their employer..

I can see it now;

A man talking to another man on the street;
Oh don't worry I'm a nice guy, and wouldn't hurt you, but I am employed by the Grim Reaper...

[Azzy]

BATF is like ANY other LE dept. They do fuck up and make mistakes and YES they do have a few members that are overzelous idiots BUT in the years I have been dealing with them (approx. 30 different agents) I have yet to meet one of the supposed "jack booted thugs"


So now I have my asbestos underwear on, so go ahead and flame away!

I think that the real issue here is that we have a LE agency, with regulatory agency powers. Meaning, they get to make up regulations and enforce them, bypassing the legislature. That does nothing but make those of us that have to follow those regulations ask "pretty please" so that we may exercise our rights.

[twoeggsup]

My favorite quote... (might be from shefearsnothing)

"Alcohol, tobacco and firearms should be a convenience store."

[tsafa]

There may be "good" people who work for the BATF, but since their employer is bound and determined to disarm the "peasant" they are no better then their employer..

Just to expand on your point... The main difference between the European Peasant and the American Farmer is... The American Farmer was armed to the teeth... and could not be subdued.

[MaxPower]

Alcohol = drug/regulated by the Food and DRUG Administration
Tobacco = drug/FDA
Guns = 2A recognized GOD GIVEN RIGHT why is there any GOVERNMENT REGULATION AT ALL???? = unconstitutional And the FBI could handle what little SHOULD be monitored. Same w/ explosives. When is the ATF gonna start monitoring Aqua Net hair spray purchases since my potato gun launches said projectiles w/ it Just completely unnecessary government excess that does NOTHING but WASTE $ and cause communication rifts and inter-agency competition and incompetence. ENUFF ALREADY

[JP8]

The BATF is here to do three things. Enforce tax laws on alcohol, tobacco, and firearms. To think that they are or ever were more than that, would be a delusion.

[MaDuece]

The BATF is here to do three things. Enforce tax laws on alcohol, tobacco, and firearms. To think that they are or ever were more than that, would be a delusion.

Ok then it must be one BIG delusion because taxes on alcohol,tobacco and firearms are handled, collected and violations enforced by the TTB which is part of the Treasury Dept. NOT by BATFE which is DOJ.