tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8515829.post4360035504674906350..comments2024-03-29T00:38:38.893-07:00Comments on Irons in the Fire: Yeah, the problem isn't that Jones was acting illegally,Firehandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04562365951182027709noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8515829.post-9366551788764047522015-04-03T20:52:42.285-07:002015-04-03T20:52:42.285-07:00ATF began (under another name) with a real mission...ATF began (under another name) with a real mission - collecting federal "vice" taxes. That was a mission that historically could be important and dangerous - look up the Whiskey Rebellion - but after the income tax was established, the taxes collected by the proto-ATF were neither a major revenue source, nor anything a sane person would shoot a man over, not even a T-man.<br /><br />Unfortunately, under Prohibition it morphed into a law enforcement agency, and when that stupidity was abolished they hated to morph back into collectors of minor taxes. So when the NFA was established in the guise of a $200 tax on demonized firearms, the AT was happy to add "F" to their name and get back to enforcing a ban on something. And it's only become worse since then...markmnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8515829.post-75152987084678788052015-03-22T18:51:23.241-07:002015-03-22T18:51:23.241-07:00Objection I've heard to that is that unless yo...Objection I've heard to that is that unless you get rid of every dirtbag in ATF in the process, they'll just do the same crap, only under the skirts of a bigger agency with more and better people at hiding crap and making excuses.<br /><br />Although that just might take some doing.Firehandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04562365951182027709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8515829.post-41453580239715329812015-03-22T07:04:54.019-07:002015-03-22T07:04:54.019-07:00BATF was a bad idea from the start. It's a la...BATF was a bad idea from the start. It's a law enforcement agency without a real mission, which means idle hands are the devils workshop. Give AT to the Revenue Dept (Treasury) and give FE to the FBI. Done. One agency goes away, less bureaucrats, better focus.Pawpawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14959820068377494313noreply@blogger.com