Gun Control Wants to Know: "What's in Your Wallet?"

[intouchorg]

For Immediate Release: September 15, 2022 
Contact: Cassandra Sebastian (719) 520-0055

Washington, D.C.-  Congressman Doug Lamborn joined Congresswoman Elise Stefanik and 18 of their colleagues in sending a letter to the CEOs of American Express, MasterCard, and Visa, expressing grave concern over their possible implementation of a new firearm-specific Merchant Category Code (MCC). MCCs are the codes that payment processing networks (like American Express, MasterCard, and Visa) use to categorize various transactions. 

Earlier this year, Visa stated that they “believe that asking payment networks to serve as a moral authority by deciding which legal good can or cannot be purchased sets a dangerous precedent.” Although Visa was initially spot-on with this response, it was not until the coordinated efforts of liberal elected officials, such as Senator Elizabeth Warren and New York City Mayor Eric Adams, that they caved into the activist gun control groups.

If fully implemented by the various payment processors, this new MCC could be used to create a registry of gun owners and provide gun control activists with another tool to attack lawful businesses. Anti-gun groups will almost certainly use the new flagging system to create liability for banks or payment processors who do business with the firearm industry.

Congressman Lamborn issued the following statement:

“The recent decision from America’s leading credit-card companies to join forces with liberal Democrats and anti-gun activists is extremely concerning and ripe for abuse. This idea isn’t about improving public safety. It is purely an attempt to circumvent existing legal restrictions on federal firearm registries and further harass lawful firearm businesses and lawful firearm owners. No one should be labeled suspicious for simply exercising their right to keep and bear arms, which the Constitution expressly protects.”

Read the full letter here. 

https://lamborn.house.gov/sites/lamborn.house.gov/files/Rep.-Stefanik-Letter-to-Visa.pdf

 

[cracker57]

Great read , this has been going on since operation "Choke Point". Bank of America and citi bank are the worst offenders of this.
I find it sad that this thread has so few views and reply's.
Time for cash only deals, oh I forgot a no cash society is what they want.
If you are not familiar with operation choke point it is worth a google!!

 

[IronSkillet]

MCC: Giant CC companies do not care about a letter from 19 Congress members. As soon is any one of those elected officials gets a whiff of a contribution from them their name will be off that letter. Us peasants simply need to reduce our dependency and cc usage, it is the only way to send a message to them. The only thing these people in the banking industry of cc understand is a bottom line. Peasants are to self-absorbed with gimmicks " but, by using my CC I'm earning XYorZ. Put you're CC and DC away for 6,months stop auto-paying you're monthly bills, use some paper checks and pay cash. Thats how you get the attention of CC companies. There is no unity amongst us, we are to busy pointing fingers and being divided by different flashpoint's.

 

[max503]

Apparently, they want us to buy our guns with cash.

 

[Bozz10mm]

Clicking on the link, I see there are actually about 100 GOP congress men and women who signed that letter. Could have some clout.

 

[Telecaster]

Not cash, digital currency. The studies mandated by Biden Executive Order have been completed. If any “news” agencies can decipher them, look for their spin on the results. I have no doubt we’ll be railroaded into digital currency eventually.

 

[DWalt]

Not cash, digital currency. The studies mandated by Biden Executive Order have been completed. If any “news” agencies can decipher them, look for their spin on the results. I have no doubt we’ll be railroaded into digital currency eventually.

Think of it as a national credit card system ultimately controlled by the federal government which will have access to every financial transaction of every person and the ability to exercise a massive degree of control over how you can accumulate and use those “ Fedcoins”. It won’t happen overnight but there is no doubt it will happen. Forget using cash - there won’t be any to use. Just numbers in an enormous cloud data bank.

 

[K Frame Keith]

Easy fix. Future firearms purchases will be cash. I’m trying to cut my retail card use due to the added fees anyway.

 

[mauser9]

Wouldn't you know Ma. and N.Y. would be mentioned as above? Typical

 

[03clyde]

I don't think bad guys wanting to buy ammo/firearms will be using credit cards unless the cards are of the stolen kind. Just more bother for the lawful gun owner/shooter.

 

[Raddoc]

Good response from the members of congress. All of my latest purchases Have and will continue to be made by cash. I wonder how PayPal factors into all of this? Wire transfer works great, too, and is just about instant.

Blessings.

 

[WR Moore]

I read the supporting documents on this. The driving force is the ISO (International Standards Organization) banking section. While the credit card companies might be the face of it, the banks appear to be the driving force.

Supposedly, if one buys a gift card and then uses the gift card for a purchase, the gift card has it's own transaction code and would over ride the merchant code. Please note the "supposedly".

 

[Lonestar57]

You like the convenience of paying purchases out over time using a CC? I do sometimes. Use their BS against them. Just use your credit card for a cash advance then go buy what you want with the cash.

 

[IronSkillet]

Yes, you are correct 100+. Looking at the endorsements seen Clay Higgins signed. Like this guy enough sent his campaign a donation, not even living in his State. His YT videos are the best.

Clicking on the link, I see there are actually about 100 GOP congress men and women who signed that letter. Could have some clout.

 

[dockmurgw]

I find it sad that this thread has so few views and reply's.

The horse has already been beaten to death.

Tracking credit card gun purchases

 

[Private Bailey]

I’m at a loss here as to how this might affect my right to buy guns and ammunition. I may have mentioned this before, but where is the Second Amendment issue here? Where is the potential infringement? Is there any sort of vote pending before Congress or state and local government? If so, please point it out. Writing a letter doesn’t count, by the way.

There are lots of legitimate Second Amendment issues that merit attention as opposed to “The Government” knowing you bought something at a store that sells guns as part or its day to day business. Like hardware stores or just plain old general stores out in rural areas.

As another member mentions, this is a dead horse. Time to stop whacking on it.

 

[Buick]

Ha I bet they use my purchase history as an example of the type of behavior "that must be stopped". Now what's on sale at Brownells and MidwayUSA today?

 

[Grayfox]

I saw a story on the local news tonight saying the Tennessee Attorney General is one of many state AGs across the country who have sent letters to the credit card companies protesting this new code. They seem to be concerned that it may violate Consumer Protection laws.

It was a quick story only about a minute or so. No real details were given. IIRC I think they said 27 State AGs have sent letters.

 

[pawngal]

The reason this "idea" received so much news coverage was so a certain segment could say "we did something"
IF enacted it would create a massive amount of useless information(data)
As a storefront FFL, I see no reason for it and I don't think it will happen.
There is much resistance in the FFL community that does not make the news headlines, fortunately.

 

[Road Rat]

Simply ignorant politicians helping BIG BROTHER keep track of peons every move!!

I can’t wait until they get dragged around by the nose and every bribe they take is documented by the MSM!!