We can understand if Donald Trump's writing hand is cramping up a little bit with all of the outstanding executive orders, pardons, and other executive actions he has been signing in his first few days in office. His most recent order to declassify all files related to the killings of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. sent shockwaves around Twitter, not to mention Washington, D.C.
Many Americans have been waiting decades for that declassification, not the least of whom is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Trump set a timetable to have the files released by the spring so, hopefully, the son of the former Attorney General won't have to wait much longer.
If and when those files ARE released, that cannot be undone. However, the same cannot be said for other executive orders signed by the president. Real change in Washington can only happen if Congress passes legislation to enshrine Trump's orders into law. With Republicans now in control of the House and Senate, there is reason to hope for some progress on that front, such as the recent passage of The Laken Riley Act, which is now ready for Trump's signature.
Seeing this window of opportunity, which might only last for two years, it is not surprising that other representatives in Congress are taking advantage of it to craft legislation that conservatives have been demanding for years.
One such Congressman is Kentucky's Thomas Massie, who proudly announced on Twitter yesterday that he has introduced HR 645, The National Constitutional Carry Act.
If passed, this law would supersede any lower, more restrictive laws in many states and guarantee Americans' Second Amendment rights. The full text of the bill is available here.
Naturally, advocates of the Second Amendment overwhelmingly applauded Massie for this action. The National Association for Gun Rights issued a strong statement of support:
'Your right to self-defense shouldn’t be contingent on government permission, bureaucratic red tape, or arbitrary state boundaries,' declared Dudley Brown, President of the National Association for Gun Rights. 'This legislation guarantees that constitutional carry is recognized nationwide, so Americans can exercise their God-given right to keep and bear arms without begging for permission.
The association also put out a petition on Twitter:
Outside of these and other Second Amendment organizations, many individuals on Twitter were equally effusive.
Yep. The Constitution is pretty clear on that point.
We have to admit, that would have been an AMAZING name for the bill.
It captures what conservatives already know. The Constitution does not give us any rights. The Constitution only protects the rights granted by God.
This. Exactly and 100 percent this.
BOOMITY, even.
Massie is known for being that, even if he sometimes angers other Republicans for strictly adhering to his principles.
Smells like freedom, doesn't it?
We love that meme so much.
There were, of course, many other based memes of support.
Other memes pointed out the history of what can happen (and has happened) when governments confiscate guns from citizens.
Massie himself received a lot of applause.
Unfortunately, we don't have enough like him ... yet.
Massie's bill will obviously receive outraged, screaming opposition from Democrats. That's a given.
If HR 645 is going to be successful, all Republicans will have to be on board, including ones like Texas Senator John Cornyn who are far too squishy on the Second Amendment.
But President Trump supports Massie on this bill and he is coming into Washington like a whirlwind -- and with a LOT of political capital among Republicans -- given the mandate voters provided him on November 5.
It will be a tough fight in both houses of Congress, but if it goes through, it would be a huge win for all Americans, not just gun owners.