House Republicans introducing a bill to abolish the ATF

I am generally in favor of eliminating as many government agencies as possible. Much of it's mission is tax related so that would need to continue under the Treasury dept. The law enforcement part could be moved to a reformed FBI.

I am not sure you would gain much though. The regulatory regime being shuffled around does not fix anything.
Yes, you are correct that shifting the regulatory regime will not help much, however, assuming that the FBI is large enough to get the oversight attention, having them enforce these regs would be an improvement, especially if they do not gain any more people and are held to actually go after the bad guys. The problem that I have with the ATF is that they have no regulations that actually stop bad actions, so they are always looking for something for justification.
 
Yes, you are correct that shifting the regulatory regime will not help much, however, assuming that the FBI is large enough to get the oversight attention, having them enforce these regs would be an improvement, especially if they do not gain any more people and are held to actually go after the bad guys. The problem that I have with the ATF is that they have no regulations that actually stop bad actions, so they are always looking for something for justification.
All that will happen is ATF's 1811s and other staff will be split up and go to other agencies as will their budget.

You think the FBI is honest? The agency that cause Ruby Ridge? The agency that was caught red-handed with stoking the terrorism fires across the country, including the Curtis Culwell Center attack in TX?

Nah bruh, having FBI enforce NFA would be horrible. Their history of COINTELPRO is extremely dangerous to the American people.
 
Abolishing the ATF won't happen, they could use the time more productively, on removing suppressers from the NFA.

'like working' - Or maybe not.
After all, they've already got the headline/sound bite that was their goal in the first place.
And they made me smile too.

JT
 
The real problem is that Congress needs to clarify laws and end ones that harm the average citizen. I was in postal management for 30 years and I can't tell you the number of times I told businesses and consumers to contact their representatives and ask for changes in postal regulations based on US Code. The number that did was zero.
 
ATF started as the Bureau of Prohibition in 1920 to enforce the federal Volstead Act which ended the scourge of Demon Rum.
And like many Executive agencies it just morphed into something else to justify its existence. Most Executive agencies' sole purpose is enforce vaguely worded laws that "only the agency has the ability to interpret", i.e., a haven for unelected bureaucrats rule over their little fiefdom. Eliminate these agencies and their "experts", and have the elected members of the Government write laws in clear enough language that generalized law enforcement can enforce them.

Just looking at how the ATF has tried to re-interpret the NFA in the last few years should show how all of these agencies work.

(By the way, the BATFE is under the Executive Branch, if the President wants it gone, he doesn't have to ask Congress.)
 
Executive agencies' sole purpose is enforce vaguely worded laws that "only the agency has the ability to interpret"

Just looking at how the ATF has tried to re-interpret the NFA in the last few years should show how all of these agencies work.
Before retiring from 26 years working for three CA state government agencies, one of many jobs/projects/assignments I did was working as federally certified and state licensed surveyor of healthcare facilities where the agency enforced applicable local/state/federal laws, building/fire/life/safety codes and regulations. (My federal certification is still active and I can survey work in any state)

I was recruited by HQ to work on California Code of Regulations, Title 22 - Healthcare Facilities update project which is state version of Code of Federal Regulations both of which I enforced but before I reported for work in Sacramento, governor Arnold Schwarzenegger cut the entire project budget under "cost savings" when he was furloughing state workers.

Regulations are derived from laws for executive agencies to enforce the law. Regulations must be clarified or "interpreted" so each regulatory section/subsection can be answered with "yes" or "no" to enforce compliance to the law (Not all parts of law can be reduced to yes/no regulation). But "interpreted" regulations must stay exact to/within the law and cannot exceed the law. Regulations can be updated/added/removed if need arises deemed by the regulatory agency or "We the People" make challenges.

What ATF and other executive agencies like EPA have been found is that they EXCEEDED the law with their interpretations/regulations which were found unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in cases like Cargill and Loper.

Had ATF interpretations/determinations stayed within the law authorized by Congress, gun owners, protected minority group of "We the People" would not be pushing for abolishing ATF and NFA - https://armedpolitesociety.com/index.php?topic=70249.msg1460876#msg1460876

And "We the People" can push the elected representatives to update/add/remove regulations related to firearms and accessories protected by the Second Amendment.

This is self governance framed by the founders for our Constitutional Republic.
 
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Only damned thing they'll abolish is the title (ATF) and they'll just call it something else. It will still be the same screwed up bloated government agency except maybe even worse than it is now. Just look around what does our gubernment fix and make better/more efficient???
 
Perhaps Elon and Vivek through DOGE can help ... They already expressed ATF along with many other executive agencies are targets.
I don't really trust either of those clowns. Doesn't sound like they have any intention of bringing Ron Paul into it. SSDA. Gutting the NFA with the same prejudice as the Poll Tax, will get us somewhere.
 
Before retiring from 26 years working for three CA state government agencies, one of many jobs/projects/assignments I did was working as federally certified and state licensed surveyor of healthcare facilities where the agency enforced applicable local/state/federal laws, building/fire/life/safety codes and regulations. (My federal certification is still active and I can survey work in any state)

I was recruited by HQ to work on California Code of Regulations, Title 22 - Healthcare Facilities update project which is state version of Code of Federal Regulations both of which I enforced but before I reported for work in Sacramento, governor Arnold Schwarzenegger cut the entire project budget under "cost savings" when he was furloughing state workers.

Regulations are derived from laws for executive agencies to enforce the law. Regulations must be clarified or "interpreted" so each regulatory section/subsection can be answered with "yes" or "no" to enforce compliance to the law (Not all parts of law can be reduced to yes/no regulation). But "interpreted" regulations must stay exact to/within the law and cannot exceed the law. Regulations can be updated/added/removed if need arises deemed by the regulatory agency or "We the People" make challenges.

What ATF and other executive agencies like EPA have been found is that they EXCEEDED the law with their interpretations/regulations which were found unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in cases like Cargill and Loper.

Had ATF interpretations/determinations stayed within the law authorized by Congress, gun owners, protected minority group of "We the People" would not be pushing for abolishing ATF and NFA - https://armedpolitesociety.com/index.php?topic=70249.msg1460876#msg1460876

And "We the People" can push the elected representatives to update/add/remove regulations related to firearms and accessories protected by the Second Amendment.

This is self governance framed by the founders for our Constitutional Republic.
Question:

How does health and safety regulations even fall under Federal over-sight? Which section of the United States Constitution allows the Federal government this power?
 
agency enforced applicable local/state/federal laws, building/fire/life/safety codes and regulations.
How does health and safety regulations even fall under Federal over-sight? Which section of the United States Constitution allows the Federal government this power?
It's due to "Condition of Participation" - https://www.cms.gov/medicare/health-safety-standards/guidance-for-laws-regulations

Before a hospital or any healthcare facility agrees to participate in federal/state Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement program, they must first meet federal certification/state licensing survey requirements where applicable "regulations" of federal CFR and CA state CCR/Title 22 are used to check compliance.

Hospitals can elect to be accredited by Joint Commission but state licensing and certification survey can affirm or remove accreditation if non-compliance conditions are found during survey - https://www.cms.gov/medicare/health-safety-standards/guidance-for-laws-regulations/hospitals

During certification/licensing surveys where compliance to regulations are checked, hospital/healthcare facility must also comply with all applicable local/state/federal laws, codes and standards:
  • If violation of laws/codes/standards are found during survey, cross-reference is used to cite under same/similar regulations (Most applicable laws/codes/standards have cross-referenced regulations for hospital/healthcare facility surveys)
  • If violation of laws/codes/standards are found during survey that don't have same/similar regulations, referral is made to other agencies that enforce particular laws/codes/standards (Professional licensing boards, local law enforcement, state DOJ/AG, building safety/code enforcement, Cal/Fed OSHA, etc.)
 
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