This keeps getting uglier for Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds
In the wake of the gun violence that has flared up in our country, how have the GQP controlled Iowa Legislature and Governor Kim “CovidKim” Reynolds chosen to respond? By putting in sensible reforms such as strong background checks and keeping guns out of the hands of people who shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near a gun? Oh, Hell no. Legislative Republicans passed a bill that allows people to buy firearms from non-licensed sources without a permit and without a background check. They also took out the training requirements for obtaining a permit.
Of course, CovidKim couldn’t have signed this bill any faster. She trotted out the usual excuses about supporting Iowan’s Second Amendment rights and is taking a similar approach to keeping weapons out of the hands of bad people that she has to the pandemic. Mainly that “Iowans will do the right thing” and that since we can’t keep the guns away from bad people we shouldn’t even bother trying.
Come July 1 pretty much anyone in Iowa can go to a private party and buy a firearm, no questions asked. It pretty much puts firearm sales on the honor system here in Iowa. It will not do anything to make people safer and will make it a lot easier for domestic abusers and felons to obtain firearms.
Lest you all think me a fire breathing anti-gun person, I’m not. I support gun ownership, as long as it is regulated, and guns are kept out of the hands of unsuitable people. I support reasonable restrictions on the types of weapons available to people as well. No civilian needs a weapon solely designed to kill as many people as possible as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, CovidKim and her GQP allies do not feel that way, to our detriment.
