Pittman Roberston Excise Tax on Guns & Ammunition Unconstitutional?

[Micropterus]

I agree with art on this one - I have worked for a short time with the U.S. Forest Service and with my state's game and fisheries department (VDGIF), so I have some idea what goes on, and the Pitman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson acts are some of the most important around.

Every state in this country is responsible for its own wildlife - except, of course, national parks and forests. State natural resource agencies have to, for the most part, generate their own capital for the management of these resources, they receive little to no help from the feds or anyone else. Those two federal acts combined provide your state agencies with about 80-90% of their funding and it's not just a tax on your guns and ammo - everything from fishing/hunting licenses, rods, reels, tackle, etc. all fund the management and maintenance of state wildlife. On top of that, they also keep the state from dipping its hand into that money - everything collected can only be used for conservation and management (purposes) of natural resources.

Never hunt? That's fine. How about fishing? Hiking, camping, canoeing, birdwatching, feeding the ducks, etc. - all these things are paid for and maintained by your tax dollars - specifically those collected from your guns, ammo, fishing/hunting licenses, and fishing equipment.

So you all propose to get rid of such a tax, fine, but the state's going to get that money one way or another - either that or your state's natural resources take a turn for the worse.

 

[RMc]

At some point:

Gentlemen:

With nearly a half century of observing the workings of government, I can and do understand how FAET taxes benefit the shooting sports and hunter constituency. Consider however, the longer a system is in place the greater the base of support it commands.

I have no illusions of any manufacturer taking action that would upset the hunter constituency that butters the industry's bread. Special taxes on gun and ammunition will only become an issue when a misguided government decides to use its' taxing power push any gains from the Heller decision into the dustbin of history. I suspect that only then will any attempt be made to stop any special taxes impacting citizens rights under the 2nd Amendment.

 

[armedandsafe]

On the scale of things needing to be fought this is way down the list.

I seem to remember someone very recently proposing 500% taxes on ammunition. Would it gain a position or two on the list then? Shall we wait until it is raining to repair the roof?

Pops