Does Manchin Want to Stick West Virginians with a $200 Gun Tax?
The Senate Judiciary Committee today deadlocked on a tie vote on the nomination of gun control zealot David Chipman as head of the ATF. During his confirmation hearing Chipman confirmed his support for a $200 national gun tax and a ban on semiautomatic firearms such as AR-15s.
All Democrats on the committee voted to advance the nomination. The tie vote means Democrat leader Chuck Schumer can call a full Senate vote.
So where does West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin stand? Does he really want to impose a $200 gun tax on his constituents?
Chipman and Biden both support the $200 gun tax.
Future sales of AR-15s would not be allowed, and those now in private possession would need to be sold to the government or the owner would have to submit a $200 tax per gun and per magazine, along with fingerprints, a photograph, and an invasive multi-page application.
This tax is a violation of Biden’s pledge against any tax increase on anyone making less than $400,000 a year.
Chipman confirmed these positions during a Senate hearing on May 26th, 2021:
“I prefer a system where the AR-15 and other assault weapons are regulated under the National Firearms Act.”
Chipman also told the House Judiciary Committee on Sept. 25, 2019:
“One option would be to require the registration of all existing assault weapons in civilian hands under the National Firearms Act, while banning the future manufacture and sale of these firearms.”
Chipman and President Biden are in agreement. Biden would force semiautomatic rifle owners to either participate in a gun buyback program, or register their firearm under the National Firearms Act, which requires the payment of the $200 tax. This would extend to AR-15s and other common household rifles. Those who do not comply would face up to 10 years in federal prison, and a potential $10,000 fine.
As detailed on Biden’s campaign website:
Biden will also institute a program to buy back weapons of war currently on our streets. This will give individuals who now possess assault weapons or high-capacity magazines two options: sell the weapons to the government, or register them under the National Firearms Act.
This triggers the $200 tax.
The Biden site also states:
As president, Biden will pursue legislation to regulate possession of existing assault weapons under the National Firearms Act.
In order to register a firearm or a magazine under Biden’s plan, you have to send in an invasive application form with the $200 tax included, your fingerprints, and a photograph of yourself.
Given there are nearly 18 million AR-15s privately owned in the United States, gun owners could potentially be forced to pay a collective $3.6 billion in taxes. This figure doesn’t even include other firearms the left considers “assault weapons” and the additional magazines many gun owners would have to register.
Working families would find themselves incapable of paying for the ability to exercise a constitutional right.
Under the Biden policy, any magazine that holds more than 10 rounds is a “high capacity” magazine. If a household owns two rifles and two magazines, they would be forced to pay a Biden gun tax of $800 total just to keep what they currently own.
Judiciary Committee Democrats who voted to advance the Chipman nomination are as follows: Dick Durbin, Patrick Leahy, Dianne Feinstein, Sheldon Whitehouse, Amy Klobuchar, Chris Coons, Richard Blumenthal, Mazie Hirono, Cory Booker, Alex Padilla, and Jon Ossoff.