iOS app Android app More  B. Jeffrey Madoff  B. Jeffrey Madoff
Posted: January 25, 2011 11:24 AM  The tragic shootings in
Arizona were a wakeup call to many: wake up and buy more guns.
As if stockpiling food for a coming storm, gun buyers stocked up
on firearms, fearing a scarcity or, even worse, background
checks and restrictions.  In an economy that has been
challenging for many businesses, gun sales have been robust. In
October of 2008 as Obama was heading towards victory, gun sales
surged 15%, which according to the FBI is about 1.18 million
firearms. These sales were allegedly stoked by fears that the
Obama administration would take an aggressive stand on gun
control. That didn't happen. Obama, who initially was going to
make the ban on assault weapons permanent, backed off. The ban
expired. Assault weapons and the extended clip for the Glock
used in the Arizona shootings became readily available.
(Clarification: Obama intended to reinstate the Federal Assault
Weapons Ban, which had expired in 2004, an