What if Homeland Security took over BATFE?

[Manedwolf]

I have to wonder just how many people have considered the utter hell of paperwork life for gun buyers would be if the Department of Bloated Homeland Insecurity decided to suck up BATFE under its inauspicious umbrella, adding about twenty layers more of bureaucracy, fees and lost forms to everything you requested?

They DO seem determined to take over the operations of unrelated agencies, and, why, terrorists might use firearms..or sell alcohol or tobacco, right? And of course, explosives! Must control it all! Considering there were claims that pirated DVDs were aiding terrorists, would that surprise anyone?

I just wonder what people think the possibility of that is. Just one career-points-seeking bureaucrat's bright idea away?

 

[Sistema1927]

Another nightmare, waiting to happen......

 

[Deanimator]

The BATFE wouldn't change one iota, whether it was in the Department of Homeland Security or if it was part of the National Bureau of Standards.

It's always been an incompetent criminal organization.

It's an incompetent criminal organization now.

It will always be an incompetent criminal organization for as long as it exists.

A rabid dog doesn't become a parakeet merely because you switch its collar.

 

[pete f]

This discussion has been going on for years, first Justice wanted it, then Customs wanted it, then it was to be absorbed by the FBI, not once has anyone ever decided to just drop it. Move the explosives part to the FBI crime lab people and drop the rest. Alcohol and tabacco should be put under the tax people, and the rest just dropped.

 

[Manedwolf]

Re: Deanimator - Oh, I don't think it'd get better in that case, I think it'd get WORSE. Not only would they be as dangerous as they are now, but their little gun-show confiscation shenanigans would also let their agents have the power to put people on the no-fly list and authorize sneak-and-peek searches of their homes.

Because BATFE still can't do that, but Homeland Insecurity CAN.

And just try to get approval for anything with another dozen levels of bureacrats needed to process it and ask just WHY you want it.

The possibilities scare me.

 

[xd9fan]

ManedWolf I totaly agree with you.

I for one have more fear of the American Govt and their "response" to fighting the war on "terror" then the freaks in the Middle East. The Middle East cant limit my liberty like the Good Old US of A can. (when was the last time some radical from the middle east limited my liberty? NONE. Now how many regulations (federal/state/local) MUST I follow on a day to day basis? TOO MANY How many cameras do I see? TOO MANY.

The Bill of Rights if they are not massively bleeding yet will die in the quest for "security". Both parties are equally to blame.

 

[Standing Wolf]

We should pull their financial plug.

 

[Waitone]

Bad mojo. Best to simply make BATFE go away and start all over. Taxes go to taxing organization. Technology goes to technology organization. Crime to to crime organizations. There is no reason for BATFE to exist.

 

[Fu-man Shoe]

Um...Guys

The BATFE is already part of the US Treasury Dept, which IS the
people doing the taxing and revenue collecting.

Just so you know.

 

[SOT]

Taxes go to taxing organization . . . Crime to to crime organizations.

Well a few years ago this happened. Most of the purely tax functions formerly under BATF remained under the Treasury Dept. as the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, and the law enforcement and regulatory functions of BATF remained with BATF and the agency was moved to the Justice Dept.

 

[Tory]

Um - WRONG

"Um...Guys

The BATFE is already part of the US Treasury Dept, which IS the people doing the taxing and revenue collecting."

You are hopelessly out of date. BATF became BATFE with the "Homeland Security" BS that transferred it FROM Treasury TO Justice. That happened about 4 years ago.

Try to keep up.

 

[Manedwolf]

I believe an act in 2002 is what tacked the "E" onto the end, thus further inflating the SS-like agents' egos.

I remember when I'd first heard of that, I figured they'd be absolute ineffective in preventing any explosives THREATS, and likely just spend all their time harassing farmers who wanted to dynamite a tree stump.

 

[Correia]

Actually, they've been a lot more pleasant to deal with since they've moved to Justice.

 

[dev_null]

If certain elements in the administration get their way, it'll all be under the Sicherheitsdienst, er, I mean DHS.

 

[Deanimator]

If certain elements in the administration get their way, it'll all be under the Sicherheitsdienst, er, I mean DHS.

I believe that's "Heimats Sicherheitsdienst"

Where did that all of that "homeland" crap come from in the first place???

The Gun Control Act of 1968 came directly from the Nazi "Waffengesetz". I wonder if there were any BATF personnel involved in the naming process...

 

[saltydog]

Another nightmare, waiting to happen......

I agree! Probably be worse than the TSA!

 

[Autolycus]

I think that eventually it will happen. The government is out of control with the whole "Homeland Security" thing. We need to disband that and make some changes not go crazy with new agencies and what not.

 

[Fletchette]

What if Homeland Security took over BATFE?

Then we would only have to get rid of one organization!

 

[Carl N. Brown]

rants first:

ATF DoJ no longer DoT, breaking a long line of connections==
Alcohol Tobacco Tax Divistion, Alcohol Tax Unit, Bureau of Prohibition,
Revenuers, etc. fading into the mists of time....)
*cynic hat on*
And with the ATF under Homeland Security we could expect the same
level of timely response as FEMA under Homeland Security.
America was failed by bloated bureaucracy on 9/11 so we need ...
more of the same, says a chorus of braying jackasses and rogue elephants.
*cynic hat off*

Practical info update:

www.atf.gov
ATF Bureau oif Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives
Department of Justice

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is a
law enforcement agency within the U.S. Department of Justice.
Its unique responsibilities include protecting the public and
reducing violent crime. ATF enforces the Federal laws and regulations
relating to alcohol and tobacco diversion, firearms, explosives,
and arson.

www.ttb.gov
TTB Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
Department of the Treasury

As of 1/1/2003 the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB),
is responsible for all inquiries in regards to regulating the alcohol
and tobacco industries and Special Occupational Tax and for the
collection of Firearms and Ammunition Excise Taxes imposed on
manufacturers and importers of these products.

Thats from ATF.gov and TTB.gov