BATFE = Losers

So in my browsing around for research on my previous entry, I found some fascinating reading on the case of the National Association of Rocketry and the Tripoli Rocketry Association vs. BATFE. The most recent documents are listed here.

I’ll summarize for y’all. The BATFE decided, with no apparent basis in fact, that something was dangerous and subject to additional regulation. BATFE was called on this decision. BATFE then proceeded to manufacture data in contravention of general industry practice that supported their predetermined conclusion while attempting to suppress or ignore any evidence to the contrary. The expert witnesses BATFE used have no readily discernible technical knowledge and are unfamiliar with the basic standards of the materials they are purporting to be expert on. When the court asks further questions, BATFE makes up more bullshit and tries to obfuscate the issue by claiming some imaginary peril.

Anybody in the gun community who sees a pattern in this kind of behavior, raise your hand. This is the kind of thing BATFE has been doing to gun owners for years. The problems with BATFE do not appear to live solely in the firearms branch, but appear to be agency-wide.

Again, BATFE should be a convenience store, not a government agency. More importantly, the ignuts at BATFE cannot confine themselves to doing their job competently while remaining within the bounds of the law. I’d call that prima-facie evidence of the need for drastic reform, if not outright abolishment. I think you can guess which one of those I’d choose, but I’ll take the other option, too.