There is an argument out there that the reason that governments say that they require licenses or permits for anything (running a business, driving a vehicle, owning a firearm, etc.) is not the real reason that they do it. Governments always give a reason of “it’s for the good of the population” for whatever (often) harebrained reason that they give.
But, the argument goes, the real reason that states require licenses is because they can charge money for allowing people to do that activity. In other words, the government took away your right to drive a care so that they could charge you money to do what you people did before a license was required. And the only reason that states charge money for concealed carry permits is because they can make money on it, not because it actually does any good in any way (and people were able to do it before they stopped us anyway).
So, along that same line of critical thinking about licenses, some people are accusing the State of Michigan of, basically, extorting money out of their concealed carry weapon permit holders. Brad Devereaux writes,
The Michigan State Police collected about $7.7 million in concealed pistol license fees over a year, according to the latest figures in a report released by the agency […].
The leader of a gun rights group said the fees are too expensive when compared to other states, and he thinks the MSP should have to disclose exactly what the revenue is spent on.
“They’re using CPL holders as cash cows,” Tom Lambert, president of the nonprofit Michigan Open Carry Inc., said. “They’re milking us for money.”
A Michigan CPL for a new applicant costs $100 plus a $15 fee paid to the fingerprinting entity. Licenses last five years. The renewal fee is $115.
Obviously, depending on where you live, your fees for your CCW permit could be a lot less than Michigan’s, but it seems pretty clear that Lambert is right: Michigan politicians are using CCW permit holders as a convenient way to make honest people pay up for permission to do what they already had the right to do before their state legislature made it illegal without a permit.
Where I live, we call that theft.
Is anything being done about it politically? Who do we contact, and if we do will we jeopardize our right to carry by annoying the state? I am voming up on my 10 year renewal. Seems awful expensive for a 2nd Amendment right.
All you have to do is get together a couple other people and form a ‘Political Activist Committee’ group and begin taking donations to push for advertising and media slots to get a Constitutional Carry bill introduced, like the one they did in Wisconsin not too long ago. Constitutional Carry is Not restricted by agenda based moneterized scams to illegally register you and then gouge you for the ‘privilege’ which it is not–it’s an Infuckingalienable and uninfringeable birthright.
Essentially you are attempting to re-establish pure 2nd/A rights by putting your State legislators on ‘election changes’ notice by getting an informed and proactive citizen authority voting block. You can start a website where you explain it just like Caleb did here, to start rallying the people. You know, like ;We, the People’ who give these greedy morons their authority??? Well the Framers designed it so that what WE giveth, We can taketh away at the voting booth.
Paying that kind of usurious fees for something that is technically against the 2nd/A is like shitting in your bedroom and grinding your face in it while looting through your pants pockets for spare cash!
Good luck, but we all know it’s not about luck. It’s about Moving Out on it!
WEST VIRGINIA IS 90 DALLORS EVERY FIVE YEAR’S
You should check out California. License fee is $100.00 (first time), plus $125.00 background and fingerprinting, plus 16 hour class ($299). License is good for two years! Then, renew license at $50, plus 4 hour class ($99). Now they have gone to a 3rd party for processing so add $4 for that.
The 2nd amendment is the American Citizens’ right to carry
Period.
ANY cost to exercise a right is too much. Imagine if people had to pay to pray, speak, be faced by their accuser, exercise the right to vote.
In the words of James Madison, co-author of the 2nd Amendment, members of the militia should not be expected to train as it would be a waste of powder, shot, and time to perform acts which are considered routine. One need only be physically able to respond when called upon, and to bring with them firearms and ammunition in good order and ready for use.
Since everyone who has ever served in the military is subject to recall to active duty, that by any definition makes them the militia.
But the definition of the militia used by the founders was “all able males having attained the age of (12 or 14 depending on how each state defined it).
I agree that the only reason states charge fees for this and other state issued licenses is for the money. Now, the problem actually begins with our ‘professional’ political structure of government. Those we
elect are not the average people in our society. They are well, known, with money, prestige and power in their own right. They are not the best to represent all of the people. It has even become the case where they don’t represent any of the ‘average’ people. Majority rules? How, when the ‘duly elected’ do not do what the majority want.
Twenty years out of school I went back and got study in our politics. Not that I want any office, but
to better understand it and to seek ways to make change. I finally found only one lawful way that
would work. Not, might work, but would. It would make change immediately. So when I started to
see about getting the proposal on a ballot, as it would have to be voted into being. The survey came
out at 100% would vote for it if it were on a ballot. Great! But, what did I also find? Only .5% of all those surveyed would lift a tiny finger to do anything to get it on a ballot.
All the study, and years to write up a proposal for a ballot to vote on, plus the method of how to implement the plan, and no one wanted to do anything for the only lawful means to make changes.
Everyone always complains, antagonizes, or wants to revolt against society, and all kinds of other
blowhard expression to do absolutely nothing real, or legal. The only method ever proposed is the same one we have been using for many years, which doesn’t work.
All of the money charged for fees of any kind is to support government in the programs and plans
they run, or support. Don’t they become a taxation without representation when our elected political leaders do nothing wanted by the people? If government supports business, who supports the people? Business sure doesn’t or the CEO’s, and corporate board members would not make over 40% higher a wage than the highest wage bracket for hourly employees. How about stockholders that do not even work within the company, but who get large amounts of return on money they invest in the company. They don’t just get back what they invest, but many times more.
All of the wealth of out country is in the absolute control of only 8% of the population. That was
not intended by the words of Lincoln who said, ‘What is good for the people is good for the country.’
How come we hear it today as What’s good for business is good for the country? Something is
dramatically wrong. Change must be made, and yet no one wants to make the change.
Things will get much worse now, and I thank my luck that I will probably not live to see that part.
All the rest of you who do nothing other than to talk will suffer the results of doing nothing right.
If we as Citizens of America keep paying for this usless fines, we were granted Not to be Infringed. What is the real meaning of this statement?
In NYC it’s $350.00 for two years just for a home permit not even a carry permit. They claim the fee is for the computer system maintenance to keep the records of permit holders. What a bunch of crooks. For people who can’t afford the fees it essentially strips them of their rite without taking the rite away to even posses a firearm of any kind for self defense. This is called gun control how many citizens die each year because they can’t afford a permit fee.
Rip-off doesn’t begin to describe the scam.
As a Michigan resident and CPL holder I am less concerned that the price of the license is $100 than the fact that any useful basic firearm training is not offered in the price. The actual requirements for training are ridiculous and the licensee has to pay for it. Some real training could be supplemented on a voluntary basis by the MSP or funded to the NRA if excess dollars were made available.
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