HCI is a good example of what happens when political correctness gets way out of control. From: starbuck@galaxy.ucr.edu (aaron greewnood) Newsgroups: alt.society.civil-liberty, etc. Subject: HCI Internal Document - You agree with this Bill? Date: 16 Jun 1994 17:43:26 -0700 Organization: University of California, Riverside Message-ID: <2tqrje$qkj@galaxy.ucr.edu> Lines: 295 Dear Bill, We all know that HCI is welcome at the whitehouse and that you have planing sessions with them. I have read the document below and find it in violation of the Bill of Rights. Did you sell us a Bill Of Goods when you were elected? Have you read the document? Clinton/Gore Gone In Four Aaron ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ HCI - Confidential Document DO NOT DISTRIBUTE / NOT FOR GENERAL CIRCULATION ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Attachment 1 Stamped Received Stamped CONFIDENTIAL Signed 01/06/94 Confidential Information for use by Lobbyists or Senior Officers ONLY! I. Proposed License Fees - 1994-1995 Gun Control Proposals Fees based on calculated costs of records maintenance, centralized computer system setup, cost of new computer and record keeping equipment, administrative costs of new federal and state offices, cost of enforcement and inspection, and calculated cost of gun violence to society. These listings and the documentation used to calculate these suggested fee schedules will be made available to Federal Law Enforcement Authorities and the U.S. Dept. of the Treasury of review, when the time is right. Additional material will be made available to key politicians when proposing any fee related legislation. These suggestions will be instrumental in determining the nature of future gun control legislation and proposals. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS CONFIDENTIAL!! DO NOT DISTRIBUTE BEYOND THE OFFICES OF HCI UNLESS HAND DELIVERED TO AN APPROVED STATE OR FEDERAL LEGISLATOR OR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL. a) Handgun License Fees: Year 1 to 2: Program can begin at a relatively low cost to discourage noncompliance: Suggested Fee Schedule: $50 - $75 annual fee Year 3 to 4: Fees would be raised to reflect the cost of enforcement and discourage new ownership: Suggested Fee Schedule: $150 - $250 annual fee Year 5 to 8: If private ownership has not been prohibited by this time then fees can be gradually increased to discourage private ownership: Suggested Fee Schedule: $550 - $625 annual fee b) Suggested penalties for non-compliance with licensing: (Penalties would have to be formally outlined by state and federal lawmakers) (a) Failure to acquire license $1,000 / 6 mos in jail and revocation of ability to own firearms (b) Failure to maintain license $5,000 / 12 mos in jail and revocation of ability to own firearms (c) Failure to turn over guns for destruction after lapse of license $15,000 / 18 mos in jail and revocation of ability to own firearms Failure to re-new license or notify issuing authority of change of status would be considered a felony. All firearms owned would be then considered contraband and could then be confiscated. State or local law enforcement authorities would be prohibited from retaining or re-selling any confiscated firearm. A record of destruction would have to be issued via common carrier to the federal government not later than 60 days after confiscation. c) Rifle & Shotgun License: Program can begin at $30 or at a cost determined to maintain federal records on ownership and registration. Suggested Fee Schedule: $30 - $148 annual fee d) State Licensing of Firearms: The states can collect revenue by initiating state license requirements. The Dept. of Justice for each state will be responsible for initiating the programs at state level. The licensing fees would be relatively equal with the federal fee requirements. Suggested Fee Schedule: $74 - $150 annual fee e) Local Licensing of Firearms: The U.S. Treasury Dept. should look into any legal precedent which will allow the federal authorities to allow cities and towns to restrict ownership or initiate licensing requirements, with the cost of each annual license to reflect the cost of records maintenance and enforcement. Suggested fee schedule: $48 - $113 annual fee f) Arsenal License: (to be set at 20 guns or 100 rds of ammo) Suggested Fee Schedule: If guns owned exceed 20 - $200 per gun over the limit If ammo qty exceeds 1000 - $100 per each 50 rounds over the limit (Fees are flexible due to requirements of local law enforcement) g) Suggested Penalty for Non-Compliance of Arsenal Licensing Law: $5000 / 8 mos in jail, confiscation of all firearms, related property and the revocation of ability to own firearms. (Final Disposition would have to be determined by the Dept. of Justice and State and Federal legislatures) h) Safe License: Suggested Fee Schedule: $228 - $392 annual fee (Fees based on calculations of set up of computerized records keeping system, enforcement and registration processing) i) Ammunition Registration & License: Suggested Fee Schedule: $55 - $117 fee for license to buy ammunition (fees based on calculations of set up of computerized records keeping system, enforcement and registration processing) j) Federal license for Re-Loading (or possession of re-loading equipment) Suggested Fee Schedule: $130 - $175 annual fee k) Ammunition Safe License: Suggested Fee Schedule: $55 - $175 annual fee l) Range license (New Federal License on Target, outdoor/indoor range) Suggested Fee Schedule: $12,100 - $15,500 annual fee m) Range Tax Fee (imposed on Federally licensed gun ranges) Suggested Fee Schedule: $85 - $100 collected per person per visit n) Inspection License: (Verifying the records of guns and storage) This would defray the cost of inspection of firearms safes in businesses or private homes Suggested Fee Schedule: $558 - $678 annual fee II. Suggestions which can be made immediately available to Key Politicians and the Secretary of the U.S. Treasury: a) Increase Dealers License (Federal Firearms License 01 and 02): Suggested Fee Schedule: $600 - $750 b) Increased Title 1 Manufacturing Fees: Suggested Fee Schedule: $6,200 - $9,400 annual fee c) Increased Title 2 Manufacturing Fees: Suggested Fee Schedule: $13,405 - $18,210 annual fee III. An estimate of the fiscal impact of the licensing of firearms ownership: Worst Case: Best Case: Federal Handgun License: $ 50 $ 625 Federal Rifle & Shotgun License: $ 30 $ 150 Arsenal License Fee: $ 300 $1,000 Safe License Fee: $ 228 $ 392 Ammunition License Fee: $ 55 $ 117 Re-Loading License Fee: $ 130 $ 175 Ammo Safe License Fee: $ 55 $ 75 Ammo Inspection Fee: $ 588 $ 678 Total Annual Cost: $1,558 $3,473 This cost is not unreasonable, since it would offset considerably the estimated $60 billion dollars in medical and social costs related to gun violence. If a gun enthusiast feels that he needs such firepower, it is not unreasonable to require him to provide the money necessary to offset the cost to society of such firepower. Ultimately such action would take the glamour and attraction out of firearms ownership and decrease the numbers of gun owners in the U.S. to a manageable number. IV. Reduction of Gun Owner Population and Potential Yearly Revenue. The federal government estimates that around 65-75 million Americans own guns. These fees and the licensing requirements would allow us to take guns out of the hands of an estimated 30 million unsuitable or ineligible individuals. The Fees for the remaining qualifying individuals would additionally reduce the number to about 14 million gun owners. The estimated federal and state revenue from such fee schedules would constitute a minimum of $21,812 Billion Dollars (Worst Case) to an estimated $48,622 Billion Dollars (Best Case) annually. Our eventual goal is to reduce the number of licensees to zero. The revenue itself can be utilized to achieve this goal. V. Possible Uses For the Revenue: (A) Institute a mandatory national and comprehensive educational campaign in the public schools (k-12) to de-glamorize guns and gun ownership and to tell the truth about the 2nd Amendment (that it does not address individual rights but a community right) and the years of NRA propaganda to the contrary. (B) A well funded and concerted campaign to add credence to the calls for eliminating the 2nd amendment entirely via constitutional means. (C) Provide a revenue source for the cost of enforcement of the new laws by Federal and State enforcement officials. (D) Provide an offsetting monetary fund to provide medical services and legal services to victims of gun violence. (E) Establish a nationwide system of toll free numbers for reporting violators of the new gun restrictions and non-licensees. A certain sum may be set aside for cash rewards for tips which result in conviction. Additional Revenue sources listed: Gun Related Activities: Range License: $12,100.00 annual fee Range Tax Fee: $ 85.00 collected per person, per visit Gun Dealer License Fee: $ 600.00 annual fee Title 1 Gun Mfg License Fee: $ 6,000.00 annual fee Title 2 Gun Mfg License Fee: $13,400.00 annual fee Revenue calculations concerning the above fees will depend on how the numbers of gun ranges, gun range visitors, gun dealers, and gun manufacturers are affected by the increased fees. It is not unreasonable to predict at least a 40% drop in these numbers by the end of the first year. And another 35% drop in the year after that. VI. Legal action and possible new revenue sources pending issues to be given at the appropriate time to the LCAV office for investigation as to feasibility, implementation and public reaction. At no time should these suggestions be made public before we can ascertain the current public reaction and provide the results of these studies to LCAV attorneys. There are some ideas which are ahead of their time and would only be feasible through a concerted P.R. campaign over the period of several years. A P.R. campaign includes press releases, press conferences, direct lobbying and constant pressure via the national media. We must change the way America thinks in regards to guns and gun owners in order to achieve a safe society for our children in the upcoming century. We realize that one cannot implement every good idea overnight, however, the following proposals have been forward for investigation as to possible enacting within the next few years. A continued P.R. campaign with the general public as well as the rulings which can change the violent face of the American landscape for years to come. Legal Point 1: Making possible the suing of owners of guns, as a group, for monetary compensation for victims of gun violence: Once gun owners in America have been identified through a verifiable source, i.e. the pending national computer registry, it would be possible to seek further compensation for the victims of gun violence through legal means. As a group, the gun nuts would constitute an identifiable entity for class action suits and other legal actions for compensation to the victims of gun violence. Legal Point 2: Suing Gun Organizations under the RICO statute: It would be expected that gun groups and lobbying groups such as the NRA would encourage non- compliance. Thus nationally recognized groups will be technically "organizing to break the law." Once this can be proven, these groups will be vulnerable to lawsuits based on the RICO statute and drained of their financial resource through repeated legal action. Legal Point 3: Suing the makers of toy/replica guns, toy weapons and violent entertainment. One of the purveyors of violence to society, companies which profit off of violence would eventually be identified and made legally responsible for the violent acts inspired by their products. A study would have to be created to bind these companies to those actions taken as a result of their products. There is already current pressure for the makers of toy guns, realistic or not, to concentrate on safer toys which do not exploit violence. The threat of legal action would convince many manufacturers and distributors that other non violence related toys would be more worthwhile to sell to the community. Lawsuits against the makers of violent entertainment and violence related recreational materials and toys, would make these companies and individuals fiscally for the cost to society incurred as a result of their peddled merchandise. The items could include: Violent video games, television shows, movies, video tapes, water guns, super soakers, electronic noise guns, replica guns, toy weapons like swords, batons, martial arts items. Tort law as we know it may not have to undergo a change in order to facilitate these actions. As many people know it is not necessary to actually win in order to affect change, since the constant threat of legal action will induce change in the way people do business. People all know that the real fiscal effect of repeated legal actions can bankrupt a peddler of violence just as well as winning a large settlement. Any additional ideas or proposals should be directed to our Washington D.C. office for collection, investigation and discussion. Please maintain standard security procedures when distributing sensitive documents between offices. A routing slip should accompany each sealed document and the signature of all readers should be legible, dated and timed. At this time documents of this nature will not be distributed to new field offices or allied political groups until their security measures can be confirmed. --