Expanded background checks discussed in the Sunday Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Colin McNickle has this piece in the Sunday Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:In its latest installment in a crusade to rid America of firearms, The New York Times “reports” on a “study” that purports to show how, in the first six years after Missouri “repealed the requirement for comprehensive background checks and purchase permits, the gun homicide rate was 16 percent to 18 percent higher than it was the six years before.”Oh, what an indictment, eh? Well, not exactly.The Times, which on Dec. 5 ran a front-page editorial (the first since 1920 when it took Republicans to task for nominating Warren G. Harding for president) against guns, was citing a study by Daniel Webster, the director of the Johns…
https://johnrlott.blogspot.com/2016/01/expanded-background-checks-discussed-in.html
My newest piece at Fox News: “Open carry comes to Texas: Why the Lone Star state will be safer in 2016”
John Lott’s newest piece at Fox News starts this way:With about 900,000 concealed handgun permit holders in Texas, there is a good chance that someone next you in a Lone Star State grocery store or restaurant is carrying a concealed handgun.� Starting Friday, Texas will join�44 other statesthat already allow people to openly carry handguns throughout the state.Amidst today’s threats of terrorism and mass public shootings, it is a good thing when we enable people to legally carry guns and protect themselves.Under the new law, a person will need a concealed handgun permit to be able to openly carry a gun.If the experiences of other states are any guide, few people will actually�openlycarry their handguns.�…
https://johnrlott.blogspot.com/2016/01/my-newest-piece-at-fox-news-open-carry.html
What is ahead for Russia
As you read this, please keep in mind that the price of oil from the Urals was down to $34.58 at the end of 2015. �With price of oil down from the $50 per barrel that the Russia government was�predicting when they drew up spending for 2016, the deficit will have grown from 3% to 4% of GDP, but that assumes a constant GDP. �Assuming that GDP falls by 10 percent (given that the current oil price is the best predictor of what it will be and the numbers given below), that implies that the deficit will rise to 4.4% of GDP. �A 10% further drop in GDP as well as the costs of the war in Syria and the large military expenditures by Russia, could greatly reduce per capita real income. �Interestingly, unlike US…
https://johnrlott.blogspot.com/2015/12/what-is-ahead-for-russia.html
My continued debate with Gary Kleck over his attacks on “More Guns, Less Crime”
In�mid-November�I got into an exchange with Gary Kleck about “More Guns, Less Crime.” �This took place�after�other�Kleck statements to the media about me.In the new�discussion, Gary continues to go�out of his way to engage in personal attacks on�me: “he instead invents a distorted straw man,” “presents a fantasy version,” “Lott’s version of economic theory is one that has been dead for decades,” “One of Lott’s many errors is to blindly assume,” “In his efforts to distort my positions . . .�blatant falsehood,” “This is pure invention,” “Lott’s error was in simplistically assuming,” “Lott tells another especially bizarre whopper,” and “The rest of Lott’s comments are filled with misinformation that…
https://johnrlott.blogspot.com/2015/12/my-continued-debate-withgary-kleckover.html
Most Americans Oppose Re-instituting a National Assault Weapon Ban
New surveys by�ABC News/Washington Post�and�CBS News/New York Times�show that the drop in support for a nationwide ban in so-called “assault weapons” mirrors the general decline in support for gun control that has been observed in the last couple of decades (here�and�here). �The �average of the two surveys�weighted by the number of people surveyed shows that 6.9% more people oppose a national ban than support it. �See also�here.
https://johnrlott.blogspot.com/2015/12/most-americans-oppose-re-instituting.html