General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: TAX THE AMMO!!! [View all]benEzra
(12,148 posts)A tax intended to have a chilling effect on the lawful and responsible exercise of a constitutionally protected right would be unconstitutional regardless of which right it protected.
Otherwise, a state could put abortion clinics out of business by instituting a 10,000% tax on abortion services, or close down mosques by assessing an annual property tax equal to 10 times the value of the property, or whatever.
But even aside from constitutional arguments, you simply cannot take a lawful activity that circa 80 million voting-age adults participate in to the tune of ~15 billion rounds a year (yes, with a "b" and tax it out of existence like that. It is just not politically feasible. Merely raising prices on full-capacity handgun magazines in 1994, and requiring some relatively minor changes to new production civilian AK's and AR's, arguably cost Dems the whole trifecta 1994-2000, and punitive ammo taxation would affect far more voters than the 1994 AWB bait-and-switch did.
FWIW, some data points---ammunition for my daughter's .22LR revolver works out to about 4 cents a round, and ammunition for my AR-15 (centerfire .22) or my 9mm S&W's works out to about 20 to 25 cents a round. A single range trip or shooting match (couple hours) works out to about $15 in range fees and $25 in ammunition, which already keeps me from shooting as often as I'd like but is at least within my reach.
The thing is, punitive taxation wouldn't affect a down-and-outer like the Aurora loser because they could swing a one-time $3K purchase, but they would affect tens of millions of people like me. Which is, I'm sure, precisely the intent.