Last week the West Virginia legislature passed a bill that creates a barrier for credit cards, which would help assist the government by tracking gun sales. The subject is likely to become a controversial battle in the coming year between leftist and pro-second amendment legislators across the country.
The “West Virginia House bill passed with a vote of 95-0 that would ban using credit card information to track firearms sales.”
The Amalgamated bank was influential in initiating policies allowing corporate-politically motivated spying on private citizens. They requested a merchant category code that would allow purchases made at gun stores to receive their own codes, which could then be provided for government tracking on individuals who purchased firearms. The bank describes itself as “a political entity proud to support candidates, political parties, political action committees, and political organizations as they seek to build power for progressive change.”
The Amalgamated bank and leftist Democrats have dragged the credit card industry into a long and messy political battle. On September 24, Republican Attorney Generals sent a letter to credit card companies warning them that they would face legal action if they encroached on citizens’ personal Constitutionally protected rights by monitoring or tracking their gun purchases. The letter from the 24 GOP attorneys general said,
“Categorizing the constitutionally protected right to purchase firearms unfairly singles out law-abiding merchants and consumers alike. Social policy should be debated and determined within our political institutions. Americans are tired of seeing corporate leverage used to advance political goals that cannot muster basic democratic support.”
Democrats in congress have also pushed for a new merchant code to identify and track guns and ammo sales. The International Standards Organization (ISO), which sets financial service industry rules, agreed to develop a four-digit merchant code to classify gun purchases. Gun purchases have been considered miscellaneous retail or sporting goods. Merchant category codes are four digits used to classify retailers across the retail spectrum while not revealing individual product purchases until now.
Large corporations conspiring with politicians is a disturbing trend. This makes holding companies accountable who infringe on the law an important fight, one in which the West Virginia legislature is taking a leadership role.
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