In Vietnam, the U.S. launched a plan to arm civilians in villages with Winchester and Remington shotguns. The purpose was to encourage them to cooperate by giving them means to resist the terrorist intimidation of the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army. The South Vietnamese regime was extremely reluctant to arm its poor, the shotguns were not distributed, and stories are told of crates of them being captured by the Communists at the fall of Saigon. One has to wonder if following through on this plan might have made a difference in the war by empowering the people to stand against the enemy and thus stand for the non-Communist regime.
With that speculation in mind, here is one government-funded "entitlement program" which should be considered in this country. Consider this constitutional authority of the federal government:
Article 1, Section 8, Clause 16:
[The Congress shall have Power ] To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
(NOTE: As an aside, the above clause is, I believe, the best argument for the constitutional authority needed to justify the concealed-carry reciprocity bill currently going through Congress.)
PROPOSAL: A distribution of HiPoint 995 9mm NATO carbines and training to poor, law-abiding families.
Interesting review of the weapon: http://www.chuckhawks.com/hi-point_carbine.htm
OLDER STANDARD CONFIGURATION:
CURRENT STANDARD CONFIGURATION:
| Barrel length: 16.5" | Weight: 6.25 lbs. | Capacity: 10-shot magzine standard |
| Overall length: 31" | Stock: All-weather, black molded polymer | Sights: Fully-adjustable |
All Hi-Point carbines are +P rated to accept all factory ammunition and feature:
 All-weather, black polymer skeletonized stock | 100% American-made parts and assembly | |
| Sling, swivels and scope base | FREE trigger lock | |
| Internal recoil buffer in stock | Last round lock open | |
| Multiple Picatinny rails | Optional forward folding grip | |
| Quick on/off thumb safety | Optional flashlight | |
| Grip-mounted clip release | Optional laser |
| Model # | Finish/Description | Suggested Retail Price |
| 995TS | Black | $285 |
Add in two extra magazines and 100 rounds of ammunition (these are capable of handling NATO standard 9mm), and the total cost is still well under $400 (richer families would receive a $400 tax credit for the purchase of militia-suitable weapon and ammunition), with the result of effectively law-abiding citizens for limited close-quarters battle (CQB). No, it's not the biggest and best. No, it's not the awesomest. And no, it's not fully automatic with factory high-capacity magazines. What it is is what is it--firepower suitable to the recipients' station in life, capable of defending home and homeland (sorry, libertarians, community security is the "militia" function of the Second Amendment--it's not about selfish indulgence) while building a sense of PROPER self-sufficiency to stave off the appeal of Leftist socialism. It will empower decent citizens to stand against the pressure of politically-directed criminal enterprises (that means inner-city street gangs and PC intimidators), thus countering PC influence. And finally (and this the libertarian might understand), its mere presence in large numbers will give pause to potential oppressive dictators and foreign enemies alike (much as the shotguns in Vietnam would have done.)
The Second Amendment right to arms is NOT about self-indulgence. It's not about personal preferences or having "the bestest." It's about the common people being able to kill people competitively on a modern battlefield. Such a weapon as this is certainly not highly competitive against standard military assault rifles, and I would not pick it as my first choice in a firefight. That said, like the M1 Carbine of World War II and beyond, when used within its ballistic limitations, this weapon offers a light, easy-to-use, and cheap source of firepower certainly capable of personal security use, as well as street use. It offers a mid-range option between the minimal power of a pistol and arming up citizens to full military capability (and there are reasons for considering that).
Suggestions and input?