Today’s Supreme Court decision on bump stocks wasn’t about bump stocks or the guns to which they are attached. It was about the conservative majority’s all-out attack on the power of the government’s executive department to issue regulations and be able to enforce them.
Unbelievable! This group of conservative Catholics on the court makes up facts, conjures up fake disputes, and distorts history all in service of a goal to make life worse for the American people. What motivates them? I can understand politicians acting like this in service of votes or money, but judges?? Impeachment may truly be the only remedy we have, certainly showing the lying they have done can't be very hard.
So much for Catholics being pro-life! With this decision the conservatives are supporting mass murder. I fear it won’t be long before there’s an event like Las Vegas or another school shooting. Sad day.
Of course, it will happen again, Janice. It's inevitable. There are far too many mentally ill people out there with semi-automatic weapons and a desire to kill. This decision will allow them to adhere to their constitutional right to bear arms and kill as many people as possible in the shortest amount of time. This Extreme Court has unleashed yet more unnecessary death upon the public. It's long past time for Court reform.
Apparently today or yesterday the pope now loves comedy, yet there is nothing in the history of that religion that is humorous, it is in fact a deadly threat.
Remembering former Chief Justice Burgher stating that the interpretation of the 2nd Amendment was the greatest fraud ever perpetrated on the American people. I guess they just want crazy people to be able to annihilate as many people as possible in as short a time as possible? Seems to me that's the point!
Let's follow the money - again. Perhaps it's not ideology; perhaps it's an "up yours" from Justice Thomas to the rest of us. If Trump could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and gain followers, then perhaps Thomas knows he can lie in a SCOTUS opinion and gain followers, plus more fabulous gifted vacations, this time from the NRA and the gun industry.
As a 75-year-old man, I’m glad I don’t have my whole life in front of me, just a few more years, I hope, because this country is on its way to hell. I’m usually positive but this news makes that a very difficult position to be in.
If you knew me you would know that I’m not generally downward thinking. I do my best to look on the good side of humanity. I saw your comment while I was searching for David Hogg and contributing to his cause for gun safety. These young people like him are our future. We need to find them and support them in anyway we can. There has never been a clearer picture around this upcoming election than this ruling by the court today. There is my uplifting thought.
Yes, Bill, the Gen Zers are our future but I don’t want to weigh them down. I really do feel Black women and this generation will carry the votes to victory in November.
You are right, and all generations behind me will carry a heavy burden and it makes no difference to your race or your religion in that burden. I'm fearful for my children and my grandchildren of what lies ahead if the wrong decisions are made concerning who governs the country this November. There are so many issues, but this gun fetish is ridiculous. BTW, I did donate to "Leaders We Deserve" of which David Hogg is a founder and a future leader.
We are running the risk of dumping the insanity of this decision on Thomas alone because he wrote the majority opinion. 5 others, count 'em, agreed and voted accordingly. Vergogna!
You can always count on Clarence Thomas to do the wrong thing and support whatever it is the RW supports. Also, it was said most of the court didn't know exactly how these things functioned. And so it goes. Wait for the shootings.
It's like many of the Court's other decisions, they just make up facts and history, and ignore the record from the lower court proceedings. Start with the conclusion and it makes opinion writing a lot easier.
Even the single shot AR-15 (M-16) should be banned. There is zero reason that any civilian should own one.
One morning, a doctor on my Advisory Team in South Vietnam in 1968 showed me x-rays of a few SVN civilian hit by M-16 rounds. He would have to amputate their limbs. The draftee doctor thought that the M-16 and its bullet should be banned by the Geneva Convention. He was sick but furious at the damage it did.
PS: That was 56 f'n years ago(!) when the weapon was unknown to civilians!
This was another bullshit justification for a desired ideological outcome. Thomas and the rest of the cabal want to dismantle the administrative state and this gave them an avenue. So what's the appropriate response? Dems need to sponsor legislation to ban bump stocks. When MAGA Republicans oppose or block, go public with the fact - this was originally done by Trump and now they oppose him???? And Dem controlled states need to pass their own bump stock bans, but I would make it more broad - no modifications to any gun, ANY GUN, after it leaves the factory. Possession of a modified gun in say, New York, automatic 10 years in the can...per gun. Only exemption - telescopic sights for hunters, legit hunters, on their single shot bolt action deer rifles. Enough of this bullshit legislating from the bench from these six fascists.
It's only legislating from the bench when the liberals make rulings!! And now P01135890 agrees with old Clarence....whichever way the wind blows! Remember the cause celeb of the RW - Tort Reform? Now all they DO is being law suits! It's a world gone made or a country gone mad!
Jun 14·edited Jun 14Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV
This: times 1million: defenestrate what the right-wing calls “the administrative state,”
A. And of course, to own the libs.
B. It's a coin flip for which USG agency, Rs/cons hate the most, the IRS or the ATF.
C. As a practical matter: Being that a bump stock is a rather inexpensive accessory, gunkweers are bound to purchase multiple for their cheap AR-style rifles and cheap ammo. Won't be long before many will experience the dreaded cook-off ((igniting a round inside the barrel). KABOOM.
D. Is fair to ask if the NRA or gun manufacturers wrote the language, if not the exact text of Justice Thomas's opinion. Then, what destination Thomas selected as full compensation.
And the right wing supports Law Enforcement??/ What a joke...Police are 100% against these weapons of war. But hey, Hunter Biden bought a gun while a drug addict, so LAW!
Always chuckled at the myth Rs/cons are strict ideologues. Platitudes, buzz words/phrases, and bumper sticker slogans do not indicate tightly held principles and tenets. They are all about messaging and false narratives.
What is true is that their faux ideology is replete with conflicts in thoughts, and contradictions in words and acts. Makes them closer to unset Jello gelatin than anything else.
LMRAO. Based on my observations at AZ gun ranges and the high % of yahoos here, have high confidence it will happen.
Based on my location my number one concern is bump stocks and an array of other legal accessories making their way into Mexico. It's no coincidence the highest concentration of gun shows tracks within 50 miles of the Mexico border from CA to TX.
The export of weapons/ammo to Mexico is something Rs/cons conveniently omit that fact when falsely proclaiming the southern border is wide open. The widest openings are POE, not unfenced areas and the manner is 18wheels, not 2legged.
There is a highly profitable organized cottage industry in unlawful and illegal transactions involving weapons, ammo, explosives, and accessories flowing into Mexico. and parts beyond. Moving illicit drugs there are American counterparts required to make it happen.
Meanwhile, the ATF is decades behind in technology and staffing commensurate with the threats and dangers.
You know those M-16's the gangs in Haiti are equipped with? All American made.
I understand how gun makers don’t want more effective gun laws. I understand that criminals don’t want more effective gun laws. What I don’t understand is why ordinary gun owners let such people hide behind them.
Weapons and munition running is the 2nd oldest occupation.
Am a gun owner many times over. Do want them taxed ( Sin tax since their fall under ATF) and insured (personal liability in 7 figures.) Want owners qualified on each weapon before the weapon becomes theirs. Followed by requalification each and every year. Yes, red flag laws and full background checks for purchase/ownership. And regulations on military-grade accessories. And a national data base matching serial number to owner. End to private sales and close all gun show loopholes. Then phase in practical safety features including trigger locks. Am against any and all bans. They would not work when the number of guns is so high. Would be cost prohibitive until such time the Sin Tax can be built up.
Most of all need gun manufacturers lose their immunity.
I just saw on TV the inventor of the Bump Stock demonstrating his creation: that makes the single shot AR-15 a machine gun. He made millions and now 700,000 of them are out there. Clarence Thomas' majority decision is total sophistry, but he is beyond shame.
Speaking of gun safety and these terrible laws...Please join us at this Zoom event with Jessica Craven, Robert Hubbell, Tour To Save Democracy director Sam Schwartz and Democratic social media influencer Jo Carducci (@JoJoFromJerz) for an inside, behind-the-scenes look at the Tour To Save Democracy and the Gen-Z activists behind it. Thursday June 20 at 8pm ET.
Conceivably -- though I don't know if it would fly -- a future court could say, "Well the bump stock the Supreme Court was talking about is different from the one before this Court today. Plaintiffs here have produced a bump stock that clearly makes the gun shoot multiple times when the trigger is pulled once. This case, therefore, is factually distinguishable from the Supreme Court's 2024 decision." Gotta find the right court!
Although a work-around, it doesn't address the blatant lie on which this decision is built. It may be the only choice, but how long before the composition of the court can be changed?
And why would a majority just accept Thomas’ explanation of how a bump stock functions? Was there no expert testimony used by the lower courts in their opinions? Unbelievable!
Oh, my God. They are bought and paid for. It's insane. They want to regulate guns they don't understand and they want to regulate women's bodies, which they also do not understand. I am so depressed. I hope people get off their lazy asses and vote like their lives depend on it because they do.
The original error was by the ATF - it is true that on a basic technical level, bump stocks do not violate the "one pull, one shot" definition of "semi-automatic" in the National Firearms Act (NFA). The error was in not taking a holistic approach - the ONLY function of a bump stock is to make a legal semi-automatic rifle function like a restricted full-automatic weapon, and the devices should not have been approved since their only function was to simulate restricted weapons without the requirements enumerated in the NFA. And strict dictionary definitions notwithstanding, the fact is the bump stocks use the recoil function of the firearm to operate in "full-auto" mode. They function by allowing the shooter to hook his stiffened finger around the trigger while the rifle slides back and forth in the bump stock. The shooter must keep his trigger finger stiff to engage the trigger every time the rifle recoils backward - if he relaxes his grip the gun will cease rapid fire. So the shooter locks his trigger finger in a stiff hook to hit the trigger as the rifle moves to fire the ammunition. Without that sliding movement, the system will not work. Thus the firing cycle does contribute to the operation of the bump stock. As an aside, because the rifle cannot be held tightly to allow the bump stock to work as intended, it cannot be as accurate as semi-automatic rifles held normally by shooters. It's essentially a "spray and pray" weapon.
I'm still confused, if you hook your finger on the trigger one time and the gun fires multiple times how does that not violate the "one pull one shot" definition? I'm still seeing a duck here.
You have seen the basic lie in Clarence Thomas's ruling. The fact is, the bump stock does not work unless the shooter keeps his trigger finger in a rigid hook to keep pressing on the trigger as the rifle oscillates back and forth in the bump stock. And the shooter must push forward on the weapon to activate the stock - if you do not do that, the bump stock will not work. Now to be honest, you can hook your trigger finger around the trigger and hook your thumb in a belt loop on your pants and create a personal "bump stock" effect without the bump stock by firing from the hip, but the bump stock allows you to use the sights and aim.
The federal transfer tax applies only when a restricted weapon or accessory (like a silencer) is sold or transferred from one person to another - it is a one-time tax of $200 for each such transfer. When it was initiated by the National Firearms Act of 1934, in the middle of the Great Depression, $200 was a LOT of money, and few could afford that. Until the 1986 gun control act signed by president Reagan, machine guns were fairly cheap, but that law stopped the importation of automatic weapons into the US and also stopped the sales of newly manufactured automatic weapons to civilians. Thus the number of legal automatic weapons is now fixed, about 175,000. Demand from collectors and shooters has driven up prices to eye-watering levels. A WW2 German FG 42 paratroop rifle, a rare piece to be true, sold at auction last year for $327,000. Legal machine guns are now the playthings of the wealthy. Except for those in use by the military or law enforcement, they are all toys - there is virtually no rational use for an automatic weapon except shooting up old cars or refrigerators. And ammunition is a major cost - an MG 42 fires 1500 rounds a minute. At current costs, that's about $525 per minute using the cheapest ammunition available. "Call of Duty" is a lot cheaper.....
"Common sense and evidence on this Supreme Court have been supplanted by money and ideology." Because so many people could not vote for a woman.
Spot on, RFAW.
Like button isn't functioning: so 👍
Some glitch. It will come back.
And/ or voted for a 3rd party candidate. Friends don’t let friends vote for 3rd party spoilers until we have ranked choice voting nationwide.
I guess what bothers me the most is not that Thomas lied but that 5 other Justices including Roberts signed off on the lie. There is no redemption.
Roberts has sealed his legacy. The guy who destroyed the integrity, legitimacy, and objectivity of SCOTUS.
All we can do is VOTE and at this point, I'm not sure that even will do any good other than keeping P01135890 out of the White House!
Assuming this election isn't ultimately decided by this SCOTUS.
It causes me to shake my head in consternation. Do they think we are that stupid not to know how it works!
Actually I don't think they care. There's nothing that we can do and they know it.
Their "oath" is biblical and to the grifter go the spoils.
That’s really the bottom line, isn’t it? This was yet another big FU to all of us.
Yes
Unbelievable! This group of conservative Catholics on the court makes up facts, conjures up fake disputes, and distorts history all in service of a goal to make life worse for the American people. What motivates them? I can understand politicians acting like this in service of votes or money, but judges?? Impeachment may truly be the only remedy we have, certainly showing the lying they have done can't be very hard.
So much for Catholics being pro-life! With this decision the conservatives are supporting mass murder. I fear it won’t be long before there’s an event like Las Vegas or another school shooting. Sad day.
It will happen again and then we'll go with the thoughts and prayers.
Of course, it will happen again, Janice. It's inevitable. There are far too many mentally ill people out there with semi-automatic weapons and a desire to kill. This decision will allow them to adhere to their constitutional right to bear arms and kill as many people as possible in the shortest amount of time. This Extreme Court has unleashed yet more unnecessary death upon the public. It's long past time for Court reform.
I fear that I must say that lying by Catholics with power does not surprise me.
Apparently today or yesterday the pope now loves comedy, yet there is nothing in the history of that religion that is humorous, it is in fact a deadly threat.
The pope is ok.
The Catholic judges are jesuits.
The American constitution is an anti Jesuit document.
That is how foul the lying has gotten.
Humor is blood, remember.
Phlegm & Bile as well!
Remembering former Chief Justice Burgher stating that the interpretation of the 2nd Amendment was the greatest fraud ever perpetrated on the American people. I guess they just want crazy people to be able to annihilate as many people as possible in as short a time as possible? Seems to me that's the point!
Just like when the Bible was written.
Let's follow the money - again. Perhaps it's not ideology; perhaps it's an "up yours" from Justice Thomas to the rest of us. If Trump could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and gain followers, then perhaps Thomas knows he can lie in a SCOTUS opinion and gain followers, plus more fabulous gifted vacations, this time from the NRA and the gun industry.
Makes me sick!
As a 75-year-old man, I’m glad I don’t have my whole life in front of me, just a few more years, I hope, because this country is on its way to hell. I’m usually positive but this news makes that a very difficult position to be in.
I'm with you about not minding leaving this whatever it is.
If you knew me you would know that I’m not generally downward thinking. I do my best to look on the good side of humanity. I saw your comment while I was searching for David Hogg and contributing to his cause for gun safety. These young people like him are our future. We need to find them and support them in anyway we can. There has never been a clearer picture around this upcoming election than this ruling by the court today. There is my uplifting thought.
Yes, Bill, the Gen Zers are our future but I don’t want to weigh them down. I really do feel Black women and this generation will carry the votes to victory in November.
I hope to god you’re right, MLB.
Me too.
You are right, and all generations behind me will carry a heavy burden and it makes no difference to your race or your religion in that burden. I'm fearful for my children and my grandchildren of what lies ahead if the wrong decisions are made concerning who governs the country this November. There are so many issues, but this gun fetish is ridiculous. BTW, I did donate to "Leaders We Deserve" of which David Hogg is a founder and a future leader.
Thank you.
We are running the risk of dumping the insanity of this decision on Thomas alone because he wrote the majority opinion. 5 others, count 'em, agreed and voted accordingly. Vergogna!
Sim! Vergonha! (In Portuguese)
You can always count on Clarence Thomas to do the wrong thing and support whatever it is the RW supports. Also, it was said most of the court didn't know exactly how these things functioned. And so it goes. Wait for the shootings.
It's like many of the Court's other decisions, they just make up facts and history, and ignore the record from the lower court proceedings. Start with the conclusion and it makes opinion writing a lot easier.
And these so-called intelligent people just accepted Thomas’ explanation? Unbelievable!
A broken clock correctly tells the time twice a day. Shit for brains--never.
A 24 hour clock only once, and an out of phase clock possibly never.
😎
Maybe Lucian can send them this video - the idiots!
I don’t suppose that the kind of justification that (in)Justice Thomas used in his reasoning counts as lying under oath, does it?
YES it does, Alley, as you do have a bit of expertise in this field.
Even the single shot AR-15 (M-16) should be banned. There is zero reason that any civilian should own one.
One morning, a doctor on my Advisory Team in South Vietnam in 1968 showed me x-rays of a few SVN civilian hit by M-16 rounds. He would have to amputate their limbs. The draftee doctor thought that the M-16 and its bullet should be banned by the Geneva Convention. He was sick but furious at the damage it did.
PS: That was 56 f'n years ago(!) when the weapon was unknown to civilians!
This was another bullshit justification for a desired ideological outcome. Thomas and the rest of the cabal want to dismantle the administrative state and this gave them an avenue. So what's the appropriate response? Dems need to sponsor legislation to ban bump stocks. When MAGA Republicans oppose or block, go public with the fact - this was originally done by Trump and now they oppose him???? And Dem controlled states need to pass their own bump stock bans, but I would make it more broad - no modifications to any gun, ANY GUN, after it leaves the factory. Possession of a modified gun in say, New York, automatic 10 years in the can...per gun. Only exemption - telescopic sights for hunters, legit hunters, on their single shot bolt action deer rifles. Enough of this bullshit legislating from the bench from these six fascists.
It's only legislating from the bench when the liberals make rulings!! And now P01135890 agrees with old Clarence....whichever way the wind blows! Remember the cause celeb of the RW - Tort Reform? Now all they DO is being law suits! It's a world gone made or a country gone mad!
This: times 1million: defenestrate what the right-wing calls “the administrative state,”
A. And of course, to own the libs.
B. It's a coin flip for which USG agency, Rs/cons hate the most, the IRS or the ATF.
C. As a practical matter: Being that a bump stock is a rather inexpensive accessory, gunkweers are bound to purchase multiple for their cheap AR-style rifles and cheap ammo. Won't be long before many will experience the dreaded cook-off ((igniting a round inside the barrel). KABOOM.
D. Is fair to ask if the NRA or gun manufacturers wrote the language, if not the exact text of Justice Thomas's opinion. Then, what destination Thomas selected as full compensation.
And the right wing supports Law Enforcement??/ What a joke...Police are 100% against these weapons of war. But hey, Hunter Biden bought a gun while a drug addict, so LAW!
Well-said.
Always chuckled at the myth Rs/cons are strict ideologues. Platitudes, buzz words/phrases, and bumper sticker slogans do not indicate tightly held principles and tenets. They are all about messaging and false narratives.
What is true is that their faux ideology is replete with conflicts in thoughts, and contradictions in words and acts. Makes them closer to unset Jello gelatin than anything else.
Item C....we can only hope
LMRAO. Based on my observations at AZ gun ranges and the high % of yahoos here, have high confidence it will happen.
Based on my location my number one concern is bump stocks and an array of other legal accessories making their way into Mexico. It's no coincidence the highest concentration of gun shows tracks within 50 miles of the Mexico border from CA to TX.
The export of weapons/ammo to Mexico is something Rs/cons conveniently omit that fact when falsely proclaiming the southern border is wide open. The widest openings are POE, not unfenced areas and the manner is 18wheels, not 2legged.
There is a highly profitable organized cottage industry in unlawful and illegal transactions involving weapons, ammo, explosives, and accessories flowing into Mexico. and parts beyond. Moving illicit drugs there are American counterparts required to make it happen.
Meanwhile, the ATF is decades behind in technology and staffing commensurate with the threats and dangers.
You know those M-16's the gangs in Haiti are equipped with? All American made.
I understand how gun makers don’t want more effective gun laws. I understand that criminals don’t want more effective gun laws. What I don’t understand is why ordinary gun owners let such people hide behind them.
Weapons and munition running is the 2nd oldest occupation.
Am a gun owner many times over. Do want them taxed ( Sin tax since their fall under ATF) and insured (personal liability in 7 figures.) Want owners qualified on each weapon before the weapon becomes theirs. Followed by requalification each and every year. Yes, red flag laws and full background checks for purchase/ownership. And regulations on military-grade accessories. And a national data base matching serial number to owner. End to private sales and close all gun show loopholes. Then phase in practical safety features including trigger locks. Am against any and all bans. They would not work when the number of guns is so high. Would be cost prohibitive until such time the Sin Tax can be built up.
Most of all need gun manufacturers lose their immunity.
I just saw on TV the inventor of the Bump Stock demonstrating his creation: that makes the single shot AR-15 a machine gun. He made millions and now 700,000 of them are out there. Clarence Thomas' majority decision is total sophistry, but he is beyond shame.
Absolutely to all.
No Shame. No Honor.
No Honor. No Shame.
That's an interesting concept. Liability insurance to me is a no-brainer.
ATF must be underfunded thanks to P01135890?
Many of their donors are profiting off that trade.
Speaking of gun safety and these terrible laws...Please join us at this Zoom event with Jessica Craven, Robert Hubbell, Tour To Save Democracy director Sam Schwartz and Democratic social media influencer Jo Carducci (@JoJoFromJerz) for an inside, behind-the-scenes look at the Tour To Save Democracy and the Gen-Z activists behind it. Thursday June 20 at 8pm ET.
https://www.mobilize.us/markersfordemocracy/event/634419/?referring_vol=1838121&rname=jenny&share_context=signup-form-modal&share_medium=twitter×lot=4328239
Thanks for posting event; signed up b/c you did that.
Is there no remedy for this non-factual decision? Can a decision based on a lie stand?
Conceivably -- though I don't know if it would fly -- a future court could say, "Well the bump stock the Supreme Court was talking about is different from the one before this Court today. Plaintiffs here have produced a bump stock that clearly makes the gun shoot multiple times when the trigger is pulled once. This case, therefore, is factually distinguishable from the Supreme Court's 2024 decision." Gotta find the right court!
Although a work-around, it doesn't address the blatant lie on which this decision is built. It may be the only choice, but how long before the composition of the court can be changed?
And why would a majority just accept Thomas’ explanation of how a bump stock functions? Was there no expert testimony used by the lower courts in their opinions? Unbelievable!
Would lawyers arguing the case before the justices not address this either?
Even more reason for cameras in the SCOTUS!
One would think so, but it appeared any expert opinion was ignored, and the majority just went along with Thomas’ explanation.
suited their ends...
Blah Blah Blah...how about some common sense for a change?
Oh, my God. They are bought and paid for. It's insane. They want to regulate guns they don't understand and they want to regulate women's bodies, which they also do not understand. I am so depressed. I hope people get off their lazy asses and vote like their lives depend on it because they do.
Like a lot!
Both he, his wife and M/M Alito are born again crooks and grifters. They all belong with their master, in Florence, CO, all expenses paid. 🤬‼️
Yes and we all need to be "saved" from them and their goddamm biblical "literacy."
The original error was by the ATF - it is true that on a basic technical level, bump stocks do not violate the "one pull, one shot" definition of "semi-automatic" in the National Firearms Act (NFA). The error was in not taking a holistic approach - the ONLY function of a bump stock is to make a legal semi-automatic rifle function like a restricted full-automatic weapon, and the devices should not have been approved since their only function was to simulate restricted weapons without the requirements enumerated in the NFA. And strict dictionary definitions notwithstanding, the fact is the bump stocks use the recoil function of the firearm to operate in "full-auto" mode. They function by allowing the shooter to hook his stiffened finger around the trigger while the rifle slides back and forth in the bump stock. The shooter must keep his trigger finger stiff to engage the trigger every time the rifle recoils backward - if he relaxes his grip the gun will cease rapid fire. So the shooter locks his trigger finger in a stiff hook to hit the trigger as the rifle moves to fire the ammunition. Without that sliding movement, the system will not work. Thus the firing cycle does contribute to the operation of the bump stock. As an aside, because the rifle cannot be held tightly to allow the bump stock to work as intended, it cannot be as accurate as semi-automatic rifles held normally by shooters. It's essentially a "spray and pray" weapon.
I'm still confused, if you hook your finger on the trigger one time and the gun fires multiple times how does that not violate the "one pull one shot" definition? I'm still seeing a duck here.
You have seen the basic lie in Clarence Thomas's ruling. The fact is, the bump stock does not work unless the shooter keeps his trigger finger in a rigid hook to keep pressing on the trigger as the rifle oscillates back and forth in the bump stock. And the shooter must push forward on the weapon to activate the stock - if you do not do that, the bump stock will not work. Now to be honest, you can hook your trigger finger around the trigger and hook your thumb in a belt loop on your pants and create a personal "bump stock" effect without the bump stock by firing from the hip, but the bump stock allows you to use the sights and aim.
Quack 🦆 quack
Thank you for this explanation.
Then why even have a bump stock?
To have a machine gun without having to pay the federal tax you must renew every year for each machine gun you own.
The federal transfer tax applies only when a restricted weapon or accessory (like a silencer) is sold or transferred from one person to another - it is a one-time tax of $200 for each such transfer. When it was initiated by the National Firearms Act of 1934, in the middle of the Great Depression, $200 was a LOT of money, and few could afford that. Until the 1986 gun control act signed by president Reagan, machine guns were fairly cheap, but that law stopped the importation of automatic weapons into the US and also stopped the sales of newly manufactured automatic weapons to civilians. Thus the number of legal automatic weapons is now fixed, about 175,000. Demand from collectors and shooters has driven up prices to eye-watering levels. A WW2 German FG 42 paratroop rifle, a rare piece to be true, sold at auction last year for $327,000. Legal machine guns are now the playthings of the wealthy. Except for those in use by the military or law enforcement, they are all toys - there is virtually no rational use for an automatic weapon except shooting up old cars or refrigerators. And ammunition is a major cost - an MG 42 fires 1500 rounds a minute. At current costs, that's about $525 per minute using the cheapest ammunition available. "Call of Duty" is a lot cheaper.....