Gunmakers Were Serious About Relocating Because Of ‘Offensive’ State Gun-Control Laws
It’s not uncommon for businesses to promise consequences when state lawmakers consider measures they’re unhappy with. Sometimes the companies are bluffing, but when it comes to gun control measures at least a few are following through with threats to invest elsewhere.
In May, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley signed into law a set of gun-control measures. At the time, firearm-maker Beretta, which has a presence in the state, criticized the law as being unacceptable despite amendments it says it was able to secure. The law “went from being atrocious to simply being bad,†Beretta said in a statement at the time. It was so offensive, in fact, that the company said it would consider making future investments out of state.
“Prior to introduction of this legislation, the three Beretta Holding companies located in Maryland were experiencing growth in revenues and jobs and had begun expansion plans in factory and other operations,†the company said. “The idea now of investing additional funds in Maryland and thus rewarding a Government that has insulted our customers and our products is offensive to us so we will take steps to evaluate such investments in other States.â€
Maryland’s law goes into effect in just a few weeks and Beretta seems to be holding true to its promise. Georgia’s Upson County is developing incentive packages to attract a new Beretta plant that could house 400 employees, the Atlanta Business Chronicle recently reported. Georgia and North Carolina are among the seven states Beretta says it’s considering expanding to.
Kahr Firearms Group of New York told the Associated Press in early August that a new gun-control measure there played a role in the decision to open an 80- to 100-employee plant in Pennsylvania instead of New York.
Connecticut gun manufacturers made similar threats when that state considered and passed gun-control measures this year. One of those companies, PTR Industries, recently announced plans to create a factory in South Carolina that it says would employ nearly 150 people. Another Connecticut gunmaker, Stag Arms, is considering opening a factory there that would employ more than 100 people, according to reports.
In announcing PTR’s relocation, state Rep. Alan Clemmons read from a concurrent resolution passed in the state that stated “prospects need not fear legislative or regulatory actions that would make them feel unwelcome.â€
Politicians have to realize there are consequences to their actions. You do things that endanger a business’ profits they’re going to retaliate.
I watched for over 50 years of my life, almost all my life business after business leave my area. I watch two neighborhoods go from solid middle class to poor. (Nothing wrong with being poor, something wrong with crime, drug dealers, decay and vermin.) I am talking about New York City. I have watched all the sports team leave, one came back recently. I am talking about Brooklyn and now Staten Island. People on Staten Island shop in New Jersey because it’s cheaper, they also fill their vehicle gas tank because gas is cheaper there.
No new business will come because the politicians want so much under the table money. Plus the businesses are taxed into having to overcharge their customers, not to mention the property taxes here. So now it gets worse, no guns. The only people that have guns in NYC are the police and the criminals. The laws state we cannot even defend ourselves if attacked, we are supposed to run away. Unbelievable but true.
I am moving to Texas in about 2 weeks. I will be buying as many guns as I can and have some fun. I love shooting!!!!! I ma many years of time to make up for. The last time I fired anything was in the Army over 30 years ago.
It’s time for the people of the USA, the good law abiding people to make the government stop what they are doing. As our forefathers warned us and gave us the rights to do it this is the time to take back our country. Whatever way we can, move your business, move ot of the area you live, whatever can be done to stop them from taking away our rights so they can enslave us even more than they already have.
The funny thing is we were warned by the people who fought the British. They knew what a government is capable of when they get too powerful. They gave us the right to defend ourselves from tyranny and notice how the government is trying to take those rights away one at a time. Notice how they use anecdotal occurrences as evidence not the true facts.
Our government has a poor history if you look at the facts. We as a country have done as much bad as good to it’s people and other people in the world. But now that balance has tipped too far in the bad. To survive as a people we must tip that balance back and progress even more toward the good. When this government and it’s people thought it was OK to torture people I knew we had gone over the edge and had become what we as a people have always fought against.
Rant over thank you.