[Oatka]

I was surfing through FreeRepublic the other day and came across a thread about Minnesota politics.

One guy posted (sorry, can't find it now to identify him) "If you want to know just how dejected they are, here in Minnesota, the other day the Million Mom March held a presentation at the State Capital to inform the legislators of the horrible consequences of reforming our concealed carry law.

Only five senators showed up. Fewer than thirty people, total. And two of those senators told the million moms, flat-out, that shall-issue carry was going to pass."

I am particularly heartened by that last sentence. Some pols up there have the cojones to take on these mouthy, but miniscule, groups.

[Monkeyleg]

Boy, I sure hope that comes true. Good luck to all you Minnessotans.


BTW, if this passes, will Runt and Oleg move back? :D

[nondescript]

I wish suppresors and full auto were welcome here.

[Blackhawk]

BTW, if this passes, will Runt and Oleg move back? To where it's winter 7 months out of the year...? :what:

I spent a summer in Minneapolis one year. Arrived on July 15th and left on July 20th....

Visited Battle Creek Park. People were hanging around a ski jump... with their equipment....

Others were testing the water at one of their jillion lakes. Not to go swimming -- they were waiting for it to freeze over.

The Mississippi River has the same sense as the children. They start out there, then head south....

Anyway, best wishes for this good omen to come true! :D

[El Tejon]

Good luck, Minnnnehhh-sooo-tah!

[Standing Wolf]

Go, Minnesota, go!

I spent eleven years in Minnesnowta. Good people, but terrible weather. I sincerely hope it joins the long list of other states with shall issue laws.

[Diesle]

YA ya ya.. We've got the worst weather in the nation! Absolutely DO NOT come here!

It always gets me that, weather wise, people equate MN with International Falls (http://www.roadsideamerica.com/attract/MNINTsmokey.html)

Simply performing the requisite geographical and demographic analysis of the state reveals that most of us live at-

Minneapolis/St. Paul AP 44° 53' N 93° 13' W

not-

International Falls AP 48° 34' N 93° 23' W

A weighty 4 degree difference. Quite significant considering the path of your average Alberta Clipper (http://www.usatoday.com/weather/tg/wclipper/wclipper.htm)

By way of comparison:

NYC-Central Park (S) 40° 47' N 73° 58' W

Clearly, a mere 8 degrees south. Or,

Key West AP 24° 33' N 81° 45' W

A short 24 degrees due south.

:D

Diesle

[Big_R]

As always, I'll keep my fingers crossed. Everyone is pretty positive it will happen. We came very close a couple of years ago. The bill passed the house, but an amendment was added by the senate committee that would have kept the LE discression thing which was one of the major things we're trying to get rid of. The senate sponsor withdrew the bill, which was probably the right thing to do.

From what I hear, Wisconsin has a pretty good chance also? Is this right?

Ryan

[Monkeyleg]

Ryan, we are surprisingly close to getting it passed. I say "surprisingly" because we have an anti-gun governor. But with the political climate being what it is, it's very likely that the guv will not put up too much of a fight. He's going to need his political resources to solve the budget problems.

One experienced gun-rights advocate thinks we may get the bill passed by June!

[Flash Hole]

I didn't see this on the local News.Wounder why?

JOHN

[chaim]

Wow, it would be really cool if MN, WI or both would go CCW. These are two states that I am interested in moving to (primarily for graduate school). This would make them top runners.

[PATH]

Sounds like good news for Minnesota! By the way there is no such thing as bad weather. It is simply that people are not dressed properly that they say the weather is bad!

[Oleg Volk]

I won't go back to MN (lousy weather, high taxes, too many leftists) but might visit more if they pass CCW and recognize TN or FL permits.

[SteelyDan]

Sure it gets a little chilly sometimes in January, but all you have to do is throw on the third set of polypropylene underwear. What's the big deal? By May or June you don't even need the polys anymore, 'till September. Plus it gets ridiculously hot and humid in the summer. What's not to like?

Still, I've done enough travelling to be reasonably familiar with most parts of the country, and for a guy with a family I can only think of four or five places I'd even consider moving to. And I haven't. The leftists are on the decline, the weather even seems to be getting better (which I attribute to my having bought a snowblower), and the taxes will probably always suck. We've got a 2.6 million metro area for all the urban amenities (and we take our cultural responsibilities quite seriously, thank you, *raising pinkie*), but once you get out of the city, you're only a couple hours from some of the best "God's country" in the lower 48.

Oh yeah, guns. I have not heard or read anything about CCW for several months. Interestingly, that may be a function of the local paper's liberal slant. If anyone cares, I'll make some calls and find out. Okay, I just realized how unconcerned that sounded. I will check it out and report back.

Edited to add: Just sent off an email to a state senator who will know.

[jsalcedo]

Haven't these MMMers seen what has happened in the other 34 shall issue states?


I guess million mom logic states that if you burn your hand on a hot stove 34 times it is best to place your hand on the burner
once more because there is no way it could happen again.

Of course the million mom march only has a few thousand members if that. I guess the other several hundred thousand
members are the imaginary dead children they claim are killed by guns each year.

[TheeBadOne]

http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/news/breaking_news/5025723.htm

From MN sent by a pal.



Duluth leaders speak against liberalizing handgun laws

http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthtribune/5034506.htm

[illuminatus99]

I hope they end up doing non-resident permits too, I'd like to be able to carry when I go there to visit family. not that it would really matter since most of them carry anyway.

[Gray Peterson]

I hope they end up doing non-resident permits too, I'd like to be able to carry when I go there to visit family. not that it would really matter since most of them carry anyway.

Senate File 89 is the bill.

It's basically a changeover from may to shall. It doesn't attempt to rewrite the entire law, like what happened in Florida or Tennessee. The cost of the permit is 10 dollars. You can also do everything by mail if you can notarize it. On top of that, it takes away the issuing authority from the PD's, and gives it entirely to the sheriffs. If you're a resident of the state of Minnesota, you must apply to your county sheriff of issuance. If you're not, any sheriff will work. It's quite similar to Washington State.

Permits are only good for 1 year. However, at 10 dollars, it's not a big deal.

However, there's no reciprocity or recognition, like in last years bill, which sorta pisses me off.

[MountainPeak]

oofta that must have been disappointing for them, by golly. Ya, you betcha, pretty sad.:)

[SteelyDan]

Here's the relevant portion of the response from the senator I contacted:

"The permit to carry law will most likely pass this session and I do
support same."

Sounds encouraging...but not a done deal.

[Country Boy]

I hope they pass a concealed carry law, perhaps even for non-residents. I live in SD, and I always feel like there is this big Iron Curtain between MN and the Dakotas.