Liberal critics of capitalism love to elaborate on how corporations engage in conspiracies to make themselves rich.  All these conspiracies involve corrupt corporate executives enabled by conservative Republican politicians.  It may be interesting to consider if President Obama’s recent actions on gun control provide a basis for such conspiracy theory analysis.

When President Bush invaded Iraq, conspiracy theorists immediately stated that the Iraq invasion was only done to make Bush and Dick Cheney, his vice president, rich.  Cheney, the theory asserted, wanted to invade Iraq since he had been an executive with Halliburton and Halliburton stood to make billions in profits from a military invasion. 

Since Bush and Cheney were both “oil men” they could use the U.S. military invasion of Iraq to make themselves rich.  To enable this invasion Bush lied about Saddam Hussein’s WMDs, people died, and their Republican friends and campaign contributors made huge profits from the suffering of others.   Bush intentionally exaggerated the threat Saddam presented to the world, simply to stir up support for this illegal war.  Halliburton profits and stock values would rise.

If the same conspiracy theory view is directed toward President Obama’s gun control statements some interesting facts emerge.  The basic tenet of a conspiracy theory is that political actions are never taken for the reasons given.  There is always a hidden reason, and this hidden reason usually involves money.  If one just follows the money and shows who profits, then the hidden reason will be revealed for all to see.  The simple question that exposes this hidden reason then is: who profits?

Oil companies profit from many areas of foreign policy.  This is considered a standard belief among conspiracy believers.  This belief is so widely held that Hollywood produces movies featuring the profits of oil companies that result from government intervention in foreign nations. 

For example, in the film Shooter with Mark Wahlberg the film reveals that a U.S. senator conspired with international oil interests to export oil from Eritrea.  A pipeline had to be built and inhabitants of the area were killed in order to quash their resistance to the oil pipeline.  Through his movie, Hollywood producers that regularly donate to the Democrats and promote the liberal agenda supported the belief that oil interests are often behind military actions around the world. 

Now analyze Obama’s gun control rhetoric and the effects it’s had on gun sales in the U.S. and the value of gun manufacturer stocks.  Huge profits have been made after Obama started his crusade against guns.  For example, Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. stock jumped to the highest price in eight years following President Obama’s January 4, 2016 announcement of efforts to restrict gun ownership.  Its stock has reached the highest price since 2007.  Sturm Ruger, another major gun manufacturer, saw its stock price rise 57% in just the past year. 

Wall Street Daily commented:

The president’s efforts to push for tighter gun controls have made him the top firearms salesman in history, and the reason investors could see even higher returns for many years to come.

This, because current demand outpaces production. 

But for liberals the increase in firearm sales is blamed on the gun industry.  The Nation had a story in 2012 blaming the NRA for whipping up fear that their guns would be taken.  This is an interesting spin on the issue since President Obama’s obsession with gun control is not fueled by NRA donations.  In fact, Democrats loathe the NRA and most are not supporters. 

It is interesting to see how Bush was responsible for whipping up fear that Saddam Hussein had WMDs, but somehow President Obama, who, along with his party, is the person attacking the gun industry and driving up stock prices, but he is never blamed.  It’s only other third party actors who are blamed. 

Conspiracy spinners may also note the fact that President Obama does nothing to deport illegal immigrants who have been convicted of seven felonies.  He also did not support Kate’s Law, which would deport illegal immigrants convicted of violent felonies.  Additionally, he took illegal and unconstitutional steps to keep illegal immigrants accused of crimes and currently in detention centers from being deported.

And to further stoke fear of crime, Obama has refused to vigorously prosecute those arrested of crimes committed with guns.  Syracuse University’s TRAC Reports found that President Obama’s annual prosecution of gun crimes is below levels practiced by George Bush in his last five years of office.  In Chicago in 2014, federal prosecutors made just one prosecution for only one of every hundred guns seized.   This doesn’t seem to reflect the concern President Obama shows for gun control. 

Gun prosecutions and the deportation of violent illegal immigrants are not priorities for President Obama.   Whether or not these actions are part of a conspiracy to whip up fear in Americans so they go out and buy more guns, they have increased the profits of corporate gun makers. 

“Follow the money” is no longer a motto of the left when it comes to their own.