Ridge has deceived the gun owners throughout his career. While in Congress, he intentionally voted for the Semi-Auto gun ban. This was one of only two votes, not counting procedural votes, he had on the gun issue his last term in Congress.

As Governor, he has initiated the most striking anti-individual rights campaign in history. He has attacked almost every amendment in the Bill of Rights in the U.S. Constitution as well as the Declaration of Rights in the Pennsylvania Constitution.
 
ACT 17 - This anti-gun legislation was supported and initiated at the request of the governor. It represented a significant change in tactics for the gun control crowd. Instead of banning specific guns, it created a whole new class of criminal activity including many non-violent or technical offenses that would result in the loss of gun ownership rights. This is the same tactic used by Hitler in Germany. As passed:
 
Act 17 established an instant check system with a State Transaction fee ($3 at present but will be reviewed in five years) and an authorized Dealer Transaction Fee ($2).

Requires that ALL HANDGUN sales (except maybe those via parent and child) be sent through the instant check system.

Makes the seller of any firearm criminally and civilly responsible if the gun is used in a crime. If the gun was sold through a dealer and RECORDED in the STATE POLICE COMPUTER SYSTEM then that is proof the seller is not criminally liable. However, there is no mention of removing civil liability from the seller. This essentially bans the private sale of guns.

Created a restricted fund for deposit of the $3 per gun sales fee. Other legislation being introduced will allow anti-gun groups to use this fund for "gun-violence education programs" in our local schools.
 
Denies DUE PROCESS by allowing ANY MENTAL HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL (this includes psychiatrists, social workers, psychiatric nurses) to declare an individual a threat to themselves or others. That individual will then have all their guns confiscated and will be banned from owning or purchasing any gun in the future. The mental health professional making such claims are given immunity from any liability for any mistakes they may make. (This was modified in later legislation so that anyone served with an ACT 302 mental health commitment would have their guns confiscated without reimbursement. An ACT 302 is an observational period in a hospital to determine if a person is mentally competent. Just that fact that they were observed denies them a basic right without judicial review. Even if they are released and judged competent they are still denied gun ownership. This is the current law as of 1/1/1998)

Turns a paperwork offense into a felony. Carrying a concealed weapon without a valid carry permithas been moved from a misdemeanor to a felony. However, not having a carry permit at all and carrying a concealed weapon is just a misdemeanor! (A correction was made in 1997, almost three years after ACT 17 passed, however this penalty is still a misdemeanor 1,which still disqualifies a citizen from ever owning firearm.)

Supposedly this bill does not allow gun registration. However the record of sale and instant background check sent to the State Police Computer contains the buyers Name, Address, Phone Number, SSN and the type of GUN purchased including make, model, and Serial Number.

Any weapon that launches a projectile by the expansion of a gas (i.e. BB guns and pellet guns) are classified as firearms.

Senate Bill #75, Special Session No.1 (printer's No. 97) introduced by Senators Salvatore, Lemmond, Fisher, Bell and Andrezeski. Although this bill did not pass it further illustrates the Ridge Agenda. It would have allowed any FEDERAL AGENT authorized by the federal government to carry a firearm (FBI, BATF, IRS, Park Ranger, Postal Inspector, etc) to enforce PENNSYLVANIA LAWS down to the summary offense level. In addition they would have been given immunity both criminal and civil for any actions they took while enforcing those laws. This means that they could have enforced any state or local law down to, but not including, parking and speeding tickets. This bill essentially federalized all state and local laws (felonies and misdemeanors).

Senate Bill #806, Regular Session of 1995 (printer's No. 855) introduced by Melissa Hart, et. al. would amend the state constitution to relax the state limitations on search and seizure. It makes the State Constitutions provisions on search and seizure in conformity with the fourth amendment to the federal constitution as interpreted by the United States Supreme Court. Presently the State Constitution is more restrictive on search and seizure than the Federal Constitution. This also may apply to the definitions of the taking of property for civil purposes as well as criminal activity. In essence this bill if passed would have deleted Section 8 of the Declaration of Rights in the Pennsylvania Constitution.

Right of the victim to be confronted by the accuser - In 1996 or 1997 the Pennsylvania Constitution was changed to allow video taped testimony as evidence in certain types of cases, ostensibly child abuse cases. However, there was enough vagueness in the wording to allow for expanded use of this type of testimony.

S.B. 653 - Roving Wire Tap Bill This similar bill was part of the federal anti-terrorist legislation package, but was removed as being far too intrusive. It was picked up by the Council of State Governments and pushed at the state level throughout the 50 states. This if passed allows

Roving taps The warrant, allowing the tap, defines a specific individual rather than a specific phone or communication line. Therefore, any communication device that individual uses or to whom he makes a call can be tapped. If an individual calls a another person, that person and any one he/she calls can be tapped arising from the call initiated by the first person on whom a warrant has been issued.

"Good faith" wire taps If a specific warrant was not issued prior to the tap, it can be introduced as evidence if the police were acting in good faith! See subsection 5a above relative to the roving feature.
 
Allows any other "police agency" (state, federal, or local government entity) to tap the phone lines of Pennsylvania residents without securing a warrant or notifying Pennsylvania authorities.
 
Trial by Jury A ballot Initiative has passed that amends the state constitution to allow the prosecutor to demand a trial by jury. Currently the accused can specify a jury or non-jury trial. This provision can make it cost prohibitive for an ordinary citizen to challenge wrongful prosecution.

I don't think he'll be allowed to touch the Second Amendment, but we shall see, shall we not?

What's disheartening for me is that, not so long ago, I would have been in favor of most of what was shown above. I was quite the champion of the rights of the law-abiding over the law-breaking. I continued in this pattern, until all of a sudden I realized that I had somehow, in some manner, become a potential CRIMINAL in the eyes of the State!

Now I'm all for the most expansive interpretation of the Bill of Rights! Pretty convenient, no?

Eric The(INowBelongToThe'CriminalClass'-BetterJustLockMeUp!)Hun[>]:)]

I know what you mean.  At one time, I was a "law and order at all costs" type of person.  Until the early 1990s, when I suddenly realized that I might become one of the costs.

At least we have made that realization; there are plenty of sheeple that have not...

I believe that since he'll now be a cabinet member of sorts, he CAN'T have an active roll in anything like this, and he certainly CAN'T vote on it either!

I respectfully disagree.  This prez maybe okay, but what happens after Geo. W?  This position goes right to the man at the top, he's got the ear of the President of the United States.  The buck stop here.

Hey guys,

You are overlooking the fact that ACT 17 was passed when we LET THE BRADY BILL EXPIRE!  Instead of adopting our own perverted version of the Brady Bill like LOTS of other states did; we passed the Instant Check law.  Yes, I remember September 1998 very well.  The day the brady bill expired and was replaced by our instant check system was one of the happiest days of my life.

What would you PA guys rather have, Brady or Instant Checks?  That's what I thought.