Thursday - May 08, 2008
Texas Guns up over politics
Texas caught off guard as more seek handgun permits
Some point to anti-gun politics as applications rise 39 percent and swamp the state
AUSTIN — Demand for concealed handgun licenses has risen nearly 40 percent in Texas in a year, an increase being attributed to many factors, even presidential politics.
Though the exact cause may be unclear, what’s certain is that the spike in applications has caught the Department of Public Safety unprepared.
The state is taking a month longer than the 60 days allowed by law to process original applications and 80 days longer on renewals, which are supposed to be handled within 45 days.
“We’re trying really hard, but there have been delays because of the tremendous increase in applications,” said Tela Mange, a DPS spokeswoman.
She said the department is paying overtime and hiring temporary workers to reduce the backlog. Mange said she doesn’t know why applications last month were 39 percent higher than they were in April 2007.
But Ross Bransford, who trains 1,000 Texans a year to qualify for a concealed handgun license, said he believes the looming 2008 election is a big factor.
”People are not sure what’s going to happen after the election,” said Bransford, who owns Austin-based CHL-Texas.com. ”Both Democratic candidates are anti-gun in one fashion or another.”
He said Sen. Barack Obama, who is leading the race for the nomination, is a “friend of (Democratic Senator) Ted Kennedy, and that scares everybody to death.”
Other instructors mentioned an increased interest from young adults after last year’s Virginia Tech massacre and recent changes in Texas law about carrying concealed weapons.
In 2007, lawmakers granted privacy to the 258,000 license holders by closing records that had been public since the concealed handgun law passed in 1995. They also extended the so-called “castle doctrine” defense to persons who use a gun to protect their vehicles, in addition to their homes.
Texas DPS has been processing about 1000 applications a week, but has been receiving more than 1800 applications per week. Some are new and some are renewals.
Go Texas, get ‘em while you can. Yee. Ha.
Posted by Drew458
on 05/08/2008 at 02:33 PM
Filed Under: • Guns and Gun Control •
• Comments (6)
•
Trackbacks (0) •
Permalink • Five Most Recent Trackbacks:
Now it's methane that will kill us all
(1 total trackbacks)
Tracked at Conservatism Today
It's been awhile since I've taken a day to look through my entire blogroll, seing what all my friends are up to, but that's what I'm doing for the 90…
On: 10/01/08 04:13
It all started with Jimmah Cartah
(1 total trackbacks)
Tracked at Nicholas Fitzgerald
… and watch this: Replay video | Share video | Watch more videos This is pretty much everything everyone needs to know about the current economic mess and the philosophy that caused…
On: 10/01/08 11:11
56 reasons to have sex?
(1 total trackbacks)
Tracked at Nicholas Fitzgerald
This post over at Barking Moonbat Early Warning System which I believe points to what I’m hoping is the beginning of a major trend: More Sex! For me it’s not…
On: 09/29/08 11:16
This about sums it up
(1 total trackbacks)
Tracked at Democrat=Socialist
Well, other than my stuff… Found via Barking Moonbat EWS: The Illness of the Republic The topic is the illness on the body politic which has been deepening for some…
On: 09/28/08 10:19
Reason 864
(1 total trackbacks)
Tracked at Tennesseefree.com
…seen around the web today… Barking Moonbat Early Warning System: More reasons not to vote for Obama Six Meat Buffet: Bumper Stickers for an inspired base An Ol’ Broad’s Ramblings:…
On: 09/06/08 09:09
DISCLAIMER
THE SERVICES AND MATERIALS ON THIS WEBSITE ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE HOSTS OF THIS SITE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF SATISFACTORY QUALITY, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THE SERVICE OR ANY MATERIALS.
Not that very many people ever read this far down, but this blog was the creation of Allan Kelly and his friend Vilmar. Vilmar moved on to his own blog some time ago, and Allan ran this place alone until his sudden and unexpected death partway through 2006. We all miss him. A lot. Even though he is gone this site will always still be more than a little bit his. We who are left to carry on the BMEWS tradition owe him a great debt of gratitude, and we hope to be able to pay that back by following his last advice to us all:
It's been a long strange trip without you Skipper, but thanks for pointing us in the right direction and giving us a swift kick in the behind to get us going. Keep lookin' down on us, will ya? Thanks.
- Keep a firm grasp of Right and Wrong
- Stay involved with government on every level and don't let those bastards get away with a thing
- Use every legal means to defend yourself in the event of real internal trouble, and, most importantly:
- Keep talking to each other, whether here or elsewhere
THE INFORMATION AND OTHER CONTENTS OF THIS WEBSITE ARE DESIGNED TO COMPLY WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THIS WEBSITE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND ALL PARTIES IRREVOCABLY SUBMIT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE AMERICAN COURTS. IF ANYTHING ON THIS WEBSITE IS CONSTRUED AS BEING CONTRARY TO THE LAWS APPLICABLE IN ANY OTHER COUNTRY, THEN THIS WEBSITE IS NOT INTENDED TO BE ACCESSED BY PERSONS FROM THAT COUNTRY AND ANY PERSONS WHO ARE SUBJECT TO SUCH LAWS SHALL NOT BE ENTITLED TO USE OUR SERVICES UNLESS THEY CAN SATISFY US THAT SUCH USE WOULD BE LAWFUL.
RSS 2.0 
Atom 
