Notice to wingnuts: The DHS buys ammunition every year for agent training and target practice. It is an order that allows "up to" a certain number of rounds. That does not mean they buy that many. Since you won't read to the end, I'm putting the truth at the beginning.
Yes, gear up for the new wave of old right wing conspiracy theories. This one concerns an ammunition purchase by the DHS and the Alex Jones conspiracy nuts' conviction that such a purpose proves beyond all doubt that the United States government is going to declare war on its citizens.
Fox News is reviving conspiratorial questions about federal ammunition purchases that the network previously debunked as the ravings of "those people who are watching us now from a cave in the Rockies where they are provisioned for a year or two.
"Fringe media figures have long speculated that large ammunition purchases by the Department of Homeland Security is evidence of a government plot to kill American citizens.
On March 26, Fox & Friends' Brian Kilmeade highlighted a recent purchase of rounds by the Department of Homeland Security, which Kilmeade suggested raises questions from Congress about "why they need all those bullets. Can someone answer please? Hello?"
Despite the fact that Charles Krauthammer debunked their own myth, it didn't stop the yahoos at Faux from putting up more nonsense on their website. ZOMG, they're buying up all the ammo so they can control us all. (cue scary music):
Local law enforcement agencies across the country are facing an ammo shortage, as gun owners concerned about new laws at the federal and state level stock up on firearms and bullets.
At the same time, the Department of Homeland Security has said it wants to buy more than 1.6 billion rounds of ammunition in the next four or five years -- which could put further strain on the supply.
The shortage, coupled with an increase in prices, comes as many gun owners head to the stores in anticipation of new gun control laws. States like Colorado and New York have already approved such legislation, while Democrats move toward bringing a bill to the Senate floor. At the moment, the congressional bill does not include an assault-weapons ban, but a ban is expected to be floated as an amendment.
Joining the chorus was Forbes writer Ralph Benko, who subtly suggested that a coup was imminent --while saying it wasn't.
I'm not really sure what a DHS ammunition buy has to do with the assault weapons ban amendment, but I suppose it's any excuse to strike some fear into God-fearing gun owners. The author of that article answers the question about why DHS buys ammunition at this time of year, too, but I have my doubts any reader will actually get to the sixth paragraph where that happens.
But just in case there's a wingnut out there who didn't read the beginning and is reading the end, here's the answer once again, via USNews:
DHS told Whispers it regularly fills all of its goods and services requirements at one time because it's cheaper for the agency, and that the 1.6 billion number was misleading because the language of DHS's purchase said it would need "up to" a certain amount.
One solicitation by the agency—for training centers and law enforcement personnel—was for "up to" 750 million rounds of training ammunition over the next five years, DHS spokesman Peter Boogaard told Whispers.
Oh, wingnuts. Think about it. Why would the government overthrow itself? Alex Jones needs medication, but that doesn't mean it should be inflicted on the rest of us.
