It's entirely possible that the firearms culture in the United States will undergo the most profound shift in the history of the country within the next 18 months - or not.

     I'm disappointed to acknowledge that I feel the prospects that the next team to occupy the White House will likely be a Democratic one. The dissatisfaction I sense with the current administration is great as is the palpable sense of need to change direction. I'm not sure the Republican party can field a candidate who is adequately strong or different enough to fit the bill.

     The evidence has repeatedly and convincingly demonstrated over the past dozen years that gun control issues are political losers and the streets are littered with politicians who have misread the public's attitude about/appetite for additional gun purchase/ownership restrictions. As a result, in most communities in America, there have been very few new gun laws introduced/passed in the last several years and, indeed, some earlier ones have actually been repealed (see Assault Weapons Ban). Notwithstanding, there still is a very strong anti-gun community which mistakenly believes that additional restrictions on gun availability/ownership are reasonable steps to take in an attempt to curb violent crime. Living in suburban Philadelphia, where the murder rate has risen to more than one/day, the clamor is as loud as the efforts are misguided. Fortunately, the rest of the state has a more sober attitude about that issue. There are, however, other societies within our nation, where the clamor is similarly as great as it is incessant, enough so to remind us that legislative threats still exist and are all around us: Kalifornia or New Jersey, anyone? Think Hillary (and some of her strongest allies, such as Sens. Schumer and Boxer) would try to interfere with/interrupt any new gun control initiatives? For that matter, how about Gulianni - the industry is still struggling with the remnants of NYC vs. Smith & Wesson et al., a suit brought under his leadership. Think he's a friend of the industry/firearms community?

     While this battle is typically waged in the legislature, it has recently been moved to the judiciary, this time the U.S. Supreme Court. Some of you will have read that, having lost two separate appeals to the Circuit Court, the mayor/city has made the penultimate appeal of Parker vs. the District of Columbia. While it's not certain that the Court will accept the appeal, if it should do so, the stakes are enormous. The earlier decisions (very favorable to Second Amendment enthusiasts) are broad and strong and if the Supremes decide to act, so too will be the effect of their decision. To say that this could be the most important decision regarding firearms ownership made in the history of the country is not hyperbole. Stay tuned.