What is happening in our country today is, at the very least, unprecedented. The failed assassination attempt of former President Trump followed by the withdraw of President Biden from this November's ballot, are all adding to the plot of an uncertain fall election cycle.

I was 11 years old the last time someone took a shot at a President. Fortunately, that attempt on the life of Ronald Reagan was unsuccessful. Some of you reading this maybe weren’t even born yet. The announcement by Dan Rather of CBS was shocking. Back in those days you still huddled around the radio or TV and couldn’t find immediate pictures and video information from the internet like we can today. News like that was breathtaking, surreal and certainly very unusual.

With three new cases filed, several new partnership announcements and a 50th anniversary video series premiere, it’s been a busy month for the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF).

Oh, what summer has brought us!  From record high temperatures to torrential rainfall across many parts of the country, mother nature has its own way of creating chaos and panic. However, we can’t always avoid natural occurrences that come our way, and sometimes, mother nature can be easier to deal with than our own self-inflicted disarray and discord.

One of the most frequent questions I get asked by members and non-members alike is, “How are things going in the firearms industry?” I always find it to be a great question and depending on who is asking, the reason for the ask and what they hope to hear can be quite different.

In August 2021, the Mexican government filed a lawsuit in U.S. federal court against Smith & Wesson and other gun manufacturers alleging the companies facilitated illegal gun trafficking into Mexico. In essence, Mexico is blaming companies in the United States (as well as Austria and Italy) for the rise in violence in the country. The suit seeks billions in damages from the manufacturers named in the suit.

There’s been a lot of discussion about the economic effects of consumer spending and consumer confidence lately.  According to one article I read, there have been signs of spending fatigue and a shift from discretionary products to more essential products.

Summer has undoubtedly hit early for our industry.  Conversation with many of you over the past few weeks has confirmed that orders are easing off, and foot traffic seems to be a bit sluggish in retail.

In breaking news, the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear SAF’s case challenging the ATF’s Frame and Receiver Final Rule. The case is known as Garland v. Vanderstok.