While there is no direct Constitutional issue, I would add that American courts' slavish adherence to stare decisis is to blame for the creeping goal lines we see in modern jurisprudence. Each bad decision builds off those which came before, and no judge feels authorized to turn to the original source for guidance, so long as some other judge has ruled on the issue.

Many years ago, pre-Internet, I read a shocking study that said almost no law school graduates, even those schooled in ConLaw, had ever actually read the Constitution itself. In keeping with the doctrine of stare decisis, they only read what courts had ruled the Constitution to mean.

This is akin to studying the Bible by only reading Jerry Falwell's opinions. Or, depending on the school, the Pope or Joseph Smith.

Thanks again for the article. It's a shame your first comment was such a total goofball.

THAT is why whether we like it or not, 'felons' should retain the right to vote. There will never be enough murderers, rapists, and thieves to vote against keeping those things illegal, so don't worry about that. There could, on the other hand, be 80 million 'felons' instantly if guns were all declared illegal, and those would be precisely the 80 million votes which such an agenda would want silenced.

The First 10 Amendments to the Constitution as Ratified by the States December 15, 1791

PREAMBLE Congress OF THE United States.

"THE Conventions of a number of the States having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best insure the beneficent ends of its institution.."

Amendment II "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."

The Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States is, in fact, a law written into a legally-binding contract / compact between government and the governed, declaring the keeping and bearing of arms as a ‘right’ of all American Freemen, and further restricting those within and / or acting on behalf of the Federal government from any action which could in any manner be construed as an ‘infringement’ on this ‘right‘.

Correctly recognized for the purpose and intent for which it is written, it stands as law specifying what persons in the Federal government cannot do, thus ’securing’ from ’infringement’ the particular ’right’ of American Freemen to keep and bear arms–a ’right’ which predates and preexisted all forms of American government.

Q = If all forms of American government ceased to exist, would American Freemen still retain their Right to Keep and Bear Arms?

I would add that there are millions of ex-felons who are barred from exercising their second amendment right (under penalty of imprisonment) who never committed a crime with a firearm.

Gobbledy-goop! Talk, talk… Give me 2 clear ex.'s of such "travesty"… Convicted Felons have NO RIGHTS, especially when on Parole – as well they shouldnt. They obtain a gun [illegally], they goto JAIL! Simple. NOT A VIOLATION of 2nd Amendment. There are a few "Travesties" I know fit ur description, but "Thousands"???